Selective activation of a wireless transmitter device

• US 10,651,685 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Herbst, Steven G., Moyer, Todd K., Jol, Eric S., Graham, Christopher S., Pinciuc, Christopher M., Garbus, Brandon R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Xuan
• Application Number:
  US15/273,566
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

A wireless transmitter device is configurable and operable to transfer energy to multiple receiver devices at the same time. The transmitter device includes at least one layer of discrete transmitter coils. The wireless transmitter device is configured to enable one or more sections of a charging surface to transfer energy by selectively choosing one or more discrete transmitter coils in the wireless transmitter device based on the position of the receiver device on the charging surface. The size and shape of each section of the charging surface that is used to transfer energy to a receiver device can change dynamically based on each receiver device. Additionally, the process of transferring energy to each receiver device may be adjusted during energy transfer based on conditions specific to each receiver device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless transmitter device, the method comprising:

detecting a position and an orientation of a receiver device on a charging surface of the wireless transmitter device, the position and the orientation of the receiver device such that a normal to a receiver coil of the receiver device is oriented at an angle away from perpendicular to the charging surface;

selecting a first transmitter coil and a second transmitter coil in a plurality of transmitter coils based on the position and the orientation of the receiver device on the charging surface;

providing a first drive signal to the first transmitter coil to generate a first magnetic field to transfer energy from the first transmitter coil to the receiver coil in the receiver device; and

providing a second drive signal to the second transmitter coil to generate a second magnetic field to transfer energy from the second transmitter coil to the receiver coil;

wherein the first and the second magnetic fields combine to produce a magnetic flux that is substantially normal to the receiver coil.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitter coils is arranged in a pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of transmitter coils is evenly spaced with respect to one another.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitter coils is formed in or on a printed circuit board.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first drive signal characteristic of the first drive signal associated with the first transmitter coil prior to providing the first drive signal to the first transmitter coil; and

determining a second drive signal characteristic of the second drive signal associated with the second transmitter coil prior to providing the second drive signal to the second transmitter coil.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the first and second drive signal characteristics of the first and the second drive signals comprises determining at least one of:

a frequency;

an amplitude;

or

a phase of the first and the second drive signals.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the receiver device on the charging surface is detected by a detection layer included in the wireless transmitter device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising ceasing transfer of energy to the receiver device based on the detection layer detecting an absence of the receiver device on the charging surface.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that transfer of energy to the receiver device is to stop; and

stopping transfer of energy to the receiver device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether transfer of energy to the receiver device is to stop comprises determining whether a battery in the receiver device is completely charged.

11. A wireless transmitter device, comprising:

a first substrate including a first plurality of transmitter coils arranged in a first pattern;

a second substrate positioned below the first substrate and including a second plurality of transmitter coils arranged in a second pattern different from the first pattern;

a third substrate positioned below the first substrate and including drive circuitry operably connected to the first plurality of transmitter coils and the second plurality of transmitter coils and configured to provide drive signals to the first plurality of transmitter coils and the second plurality of transmitter coils;

a via formed from at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate to the third substrate to provide a conductive connector between at least one of the first or the second plurality of transmitter coils and the drive circuitry; and

a processing device operably connected to the drive circuitry and configured to;

select a transmitter coil in the first or the second plurality of transmitter coils based on a position of a receiver device on a charging surface of the wireless transmitter device; and

cause the drive circuitry to provide a drive signal to the transmitter coil to transfer energy from the transmitter coil to a receiver coil in the receiver device.

12. The wireless transmitter device of claim 11, wherein:

the processing device is further configured to determine a drive signal characteristic of the drive signal prior to causing the drive circuitry to provide the drive signal to the transmitter coil; and

the drive signal characteristic comprises at least one of;

a phase of the drive signal;

a frequency of the drive signal;

or

an amplitude of the drive signal.

13. The wireless transmitter device of claim 11, further comprising:

a detection layer configured to detect the position of the receiver device on the charging surface; and

a ferrite sheet positioned between the first and the third substrates;

wherein the via is formed from at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate through the ferrite sheet to the third substrate to provide the conductive connector between the first or the second plurality of transmitter coils and the drive circuitry.

14. The wireless transmitter device of claim 13, wherein

the second substrate is positioned between the first substrate and the ferrite sheet.

15. The wireless transmitter device of claim 11, wherein:

the transmitter coil in the first or the second plurality of transmitter coils is a first transmitter coil;

the receiver device is a first receiver device;

the position is a first position;

the receiver coil is a first receiver coil; and

the processing device is further configured to;

select a second transmitter coil in the first or the second plurality of transmitter coils based on a second position of a second receiver device on the charging surface of the wireless transmitter device; and

cause the drive circuitry to provide a second drive signal to the second transmitter coil to transfer energy from the second transmitter coil to a second receiver coil in the second receiver device.

16. The wireless transmitter device of claim 15, wherein:

the processing device is further configured to determine a drive signal characteristic of the second drive signal prior to causing the drive circuitry to provide the second drive signal to the second transmitter coil; and

the second drive signal characteristic comprises at least one of;

a phase of the second drive signal;

a frequency of the second drive signal;

or

an amplitude of the second drive signal.

17. A wireless transmitter device, comprising:

a first substrate including a plurality of transmitter coils arranged in a pattern;

a second substrate positioned below the first substrate and including drive circuitry operably connected to the plurality of transmitter coils and configured to provide drive signals to the plurality of transmitter coils;

a via formed from the first substrate to the second substrate to provide a conductive connector between the plurality of transmitter coils and the drive circuitry; and

a processing device operably connected to the drive circuitry and configured to;

select a first transmitter coil and a second transmitter coil in the plurality of transmitter coils based on a position and an orientation of a receiver device on a charging surface of the wireless transmitter device, the position and the orientation of the receiver device such that a receiver coil of the receiver device is oriented at an angle away from perpendicular to the charging surface; and

cause the drive circuitry to;

provide a first drive signal to the first transmitter coil to generate a first magnetic field; and

provide a second drive signal to the second transmitter coil to generate a second magnetic field;

wherein the first and the second magnetic fields combine to produce a magnetic flux that is substantially normal to the receiver coil to transfer energy to the receiver coil.

18. The wireless transmitter device of claim 17, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

determine a first drive signal characteristic of the first drive signal associated with the first transmitter coil prior to providing the first drive signal to the first transmitter coil; and

determine a second drive signal characteristic of the second drive signal associated with the second transmitter coil prior to providing the second drive signal to the second transmitter coil.

19. The wireless transmitter device of claim 18, wherein determining the first and the second drive signal characteristics of the first and the second drive signals comprises determining at least one of:

a frequency;

an amplitude;

or

a phase of the first and the second drive signals.

20. The wireless transmitter device of claim 17, further comprising a detection layer configured to determine the position of the receiver device on the charging surface.