METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADAPTIVE TUNING OF WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER
First Claim
1. A wireless power receiver, comprising:
- a receive antenna for coupling with a transmit antenna through a near field radiation generated by the transmit antenna to generate an RF signal;
a voltage standing wave ratio detector operably coupled to the receive antenna to generate a mismatch signal indicating a degree of mismatch at the receive antenna;
a controller operably coupled to the mismatch signal to analyze the mismatch signal and generate control signals responsive thereto; and
a variable capacitor network operably coupled to the control signals and between the receive antenna and the RF signal, the variable capacitor network to modify a resonance characteristic of the receive antenna and the variable capacitor network by modifying a capacitance of the variable capacitor network responsive to the control signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmit antenna generates an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency of to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmit antenna. A receive antenna receives the resonant frequency when it is within the coupling-mode region and resonates substantially near the resonant frequency. One, or both, of the transmit and receive antennas are tunable antennas that can be adaptively tuned. The adaptive tuning is accomplished by detecting a mismatch at the tunable antenna and generating a mismatch signal responsive to a voltage standing wave ratio at the tunable antenna. A resonance characteristic of the tunable antenna can be modified by adjusting a capacitance of a variable capacitor network connected to the tunable antenna.
783 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A wireless power receiver, comprising:
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a receive antenna for coupling with a transmit antenna through a near field radiation generated by the transmit antenna to generate an RF signal; a voltage standing wave ratio detector operably coupled to the receive antenna to generate a mismatch signal indicating a degree of mismatch at the receive antenna; a controller operably coupled to the mismatch signal to analyze the mismatch signal and generate control signals responsive thereto; and a variable capacitor network operably coupled to the control signals and between the receive antenna and the RF signal, the variable capacitor network to modify a resonance characteristic of the receive antenna and the variable capacitor network by modifying a capacitance of the variable capacitor network responsive to the control signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:
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a transmit antenna for generating a near field radiation for coupling to a receive antenna; a voltage standing wave ratio detector operably coupled to the transmit antenna to generate a mismatch signal indicating a degree of mismatch at the transmit antenna; a controller operably coupled to the mismatch signal to analyze the mismatch signal and generate control signals responsive thereto; and a variable capacitor network operably coupled to the control signals and between the transmit antenna and an RF signal, the variable capacitor network to modify a resonance characteristic of the transmit antenna and the variable capacitor network by modifying a capacitance of the variable capacitor network responsive to the control signals. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:
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a transmit antenna for generating a near field radiation for coupling to a receive antenna; an amplifier with a power signal for supplying power to the amplifier, the amplifier for applying an RF signal to the transmit antenna; a load sensing circuit operably coupled to the amplifier and for detecting a change in current through the power signal, wherein the load sensing circuit generates a load indication signal responsive to the change in current; a controller operably coupled to the load indication signal and to generate control signals responsive to the load indication signal; and a variable capacitor network operably coupled to the control signals and between the transmit antenna and the RF signal, the variable capacitor network to modify a resonance characteristic of the transmit antenna and the variable capacitor network by modifying a capacitance of the variable capacitor network responsive to the load indication signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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generating an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency of a transmit antenna to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmit antenna; disposing a receive antenna within the coupling-mode region, wherein the receive antenna resonates substantially near the resonant frequency; and adaptively tuning a tunable antenna selected from the group consisting of the transmit antenna and the receive antenna by; detecting a mismatch at the tunable antenna by generating a mismatch signal responsive to a voltage standing wave ratio at the tunable antenna; and modifying a resonance characteristic of the tunable antenna by adjusting a capacitance of a variable capacitor network operably coupled to the tunable antenna. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:
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means for generating an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency of a transmit antenna to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmit antenna; means for receiving the resonant frequency within the coupling-mode region with a receive antenna, wherein the receive antenna resonates substantially near the resonant frequency; and means for adaptively tuning a tunable antenna selected from the group consisting of the transmit antenna and the receive antenna using; means for detecting a mismatch at the tunable antenna by generating a mismatch signal responsive to a voltage standing wave ratio at the tunable antenna; and means for modifying a resonance characteristic of the tunable antenna by adjusting the capacitance of a variable capacitor network operably coupled to the tunable antenna. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification