Methods and apparatus for regulating a magnetic flux in an inductive power supply

• US 10,581,275 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vannucci, Giovanni, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M., Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Bennett, Robert, Rappaport, Harold, Barnickel, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L
• Application Number:
  US15/942,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20190305592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/24 Magnetic cores
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/28 Coils; Windings; Conductive connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/50 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via two-conductor transmission lines H04B3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, supplying an alternating voltage waveform to a winding coupled to a magnetic core of an inductive power supply to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core. The alternating voltage waveform can be generated by selectively enabling one or more switches coupled to a storage device. The subject disclosure may further include configuring the one or more switches according to a configuration during a portion of a period of the alternating voltage waveform, and measuring a characteristic of an alternating current flowing in a conductor coupled to the magnetic core during the portion of the period of the alternating voltage waveform. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, by a voltage waveform generator, an alternating voltage periodic waveform to a winding coupled to a magnetic core of an inductive power supply to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core is magnetically coupled to a conductor that conducts an alternating current that causes a portion of the alternating magnetic flux, wherein the alternating voltage periodic waveform is generated by selectively enabling one or more switches coupled to a storage device, and wherein, during a first period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, the alternating magnetic flux varies, as a function of time, in accordance with a first pattern of variations; and

configuring, by a processor, the one or more switches in accordance with a configuration during at least part of a second period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, wherein the configuration causes the alternating magnetic flux to vary, as a function of time, during the second period, in accordance with a second pattern of variations, and wherein the second pattern of variations is different from the first pattern of variations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pattern of variations comprises a portion of the second period during which the alternating magnetic flux is negligible, wherein a duration of the portion of the second period is at least a quarter of the duration of the second period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring, by the processor, a characteristic of the alternating current during the second period.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the characteristic comprises an amplitude of the alternating current flowing through the conductor that conducts the alternating current.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the amplitude of the alternating current is determined by measuring a voltage across a first switch of the one or more switches, and by determining an impedance of the first switch.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the characteristic comprises a phase of the alternating current.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting, by the processor, a phase of the alternating voltage periodic waveform according to the phase of the alternating current.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the one or more switches results in substantially a short across the winding.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the one or more switches results in a known resistance being applied across the winding.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising adjusting, by the processor, responsive to the measuring, the configuration to selectively reconfigure the one or more switches to continue regulating the alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core.

11. An inductive power supply, comprising:

a magnetic core that facilitates coupling to a conductor that conducts an alternating current;

a winding wrapped around a cavity of the magnetic core;

a storage device;

one or more switches coupled to the winding and the storage device;

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

determining a characteristic of the alternating current by measuring a voltage across a resistive load of the winding; and

selectively configuring, according to the characteristic of the alternating current, the one or more switches to generate an alternating voltage periodic waveform that is supplied to the winding to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core, wherein, during a first period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, the alternating magnetic flux varies, as a function of time, in accordance with a first pattern of variations.

12. The inductive power supply of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring the characteristic of the alternating current.

13. The inductive power supply of claim 12, wherein the monitoring comprises:

configuring the one or more switches in accordance with a configuration during at least part of a second period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, wherein the configuration causes the alternating magnetic flux to vary, as a function of time, during the second period, in accordance with a second pattern of variations, and wherein the second pattern of variations is different from the first pattern of variations; and

measuring the characteristic of the alternating current during the second period.

14. The inductive power supply of claim 11, wherein the characteristic comprises an amplitude of current flowing through the conductor that conducts the alternating current.

15. The inductive power supply of claim 11, wherein the characteristic comprises a phase of the alternating current.

16. The inductive power supply of claim 11, wherein the resistive load comprises an intrinsic resistance of a first switch of the one or more switches.

17. The inductive power supply of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more switches comprises a diode that enables charging of the storage device while the one or more switches are disabled.

18. A system, comprising:

a waveguide system coupled to a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium facilitates a transmission of electromagnetic waves that propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path; and

an inductive power supply that facilitates supplying power to the waveguide system, wherein the inductive power supply comprises;

a magnetic core coupled to the transmission medium;

a winding wrapped around a cavity of the magnetic core;

a storage device that facilitates storing electrical energy;

one or more switches coupled to the winding and the storage device;

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

measuring, via the winding, a characteristic of an alternating current flowing through the transmission medium; and

selectively configuring, according to the characteristic of the alternating current, the one or more switches to generate an alternating voltage periodic waveform that is supplied to the winding to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core, wherein, during a first period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, the alternating magnetic flux varies, as a function of time, in accordance with a first pattern of variations.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the characteristic comprises a phase of the alternating current flowing through the transmission medium.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the measuring a characteristic of the alternating current comprises:

configuring the one or more switches in accordance with a configuration during at least part of a second period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, wherein the configuration causes the alternating magnetic flux to vary, as a function of time, during the second period, in accordance with a second pattern of variations, and wherein the second pattern of variations is different from the first pattern of variations; and

measuring the characteristic of the alternating current during the second period.