WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER FOR APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENTS

• US 20090284245A1
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacobs, Paul E., Grob, Matthew S., Mohammadian, Alireza Hormoz, Von Novak, William H., Kirby, Miles A., Ozaki, Ernest T., Toncich, Stanley S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,487,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/502 the energy repeater being integrated together with the emitter or the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0031 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0037 : for power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/02 : using transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 : Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmitting device or a receiving device for use in a wireless transfer system may be equipment or a household appliance. The transmitting device includes a transmit antenna to wirelessly transfer power to a receive antenna by generating a near field radiation within a coupling-mode region. An amplifier applies an RF signal to the transmit antenna. A presence detector detects a presence of a receiver device within the coupling-mode region. A controller adjusts a power output of the amplifier responsive to the presence of a receiver device. The presence detector may also detect a human presence. The power output may be adjusted at or below the regulatory level when the presence signal indicates human presence and above a regulatory level when the presence signal indicates human absence.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitting device comprising at least one of an equipment and a household appliance for use in a wireless transfer system;

the transmitting device, comprising;

a transmit antenna to wirelessly transfer power to a receive antenna by generating a near field radiation at a resonant frequency within a coupling-mode region;

an amplifier for applying an RF signal to the transmit antenna;

a presence detector for detecting a presence of a receiver device within the coupling-mode region and generating a presence signal; and

a controller operably coupled to the presence detector and the amplifier, the controller for adjusting a power output of the amplifier responsive to the presence signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the presence detector is further for detecting a human presence and modifying the presence signal to indicate the human presence and a human absence; and

the controller is further for;

adjusting the power output of the amplifier to a high power level above a regulatory level when the presence signal indicates the human absence; and

adjusting the power output of the amplifier to at or below the regulatory level when the presence signal indicates the human presence.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presence detector is selected from the group consisting of a motion detector, an infrared detector, and a combination thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to remove power from the amplifier when the presence signal indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to remove power from the amplifier at a time delay after the presence signal indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the household appliance comprises a computer and the transmit antenna is disposed on or in a back surface of a display of the computer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the transmit antenna comprises a multi-turn loop.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the household appliance comprises a computer and the transmit antenna is disposed in a periphery around a display of the computer.

9. A method, comprising:

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;

detecting a presence of a receive antenna in the coupling-mode region;

adjusting a power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the presence of the receive antenna; and

receiving power from the coupling-mode region with the receive antenna disposed within the coupling-mode region.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a human presence within a regulatory distance of the electromagnetic field;

adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the human presence to a regulatory level or lower; and

adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to a human absence to a level above the regulatory level.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising stopping the generating the electromagnetic field when the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising stopping the generating the electromagnetic field a time delay after the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising stopping the generating the electromagnetic field when the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

13. A method, comprising:

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;

repeating the electromagnetic field to create a repeated coupling-mode region different from the coupling-mode region with a repeater antenna;

detecting a presence of a receive antenna in the coupling-mode region;

adjusting a power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the presence of the receive antenna; and

receiving power from the repeated coupling-mode region with the receive antenna disposed within the repeated coupling-mode region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a human presence within a regulatory distance of the electromagnetic field;

adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the human presence to a regulatory level or lower; and

adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to a human absence to a level above the regulatory level.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising stopping the generating the electromagnetic field a time delay after the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

17. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:

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 detecting a presence of a receive antenna in the coupling-mode region;

means for adjusting a power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the presence of the receive antenna; and

means for receiving power from the coupling-mode region with the receive antenna disposed within the coupling-mode region.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for detecting a human presence within a regulatory distance of the electromagnetic field;

means for adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the human presence to a regulatory level or lower; and

means for adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to a human absence to a level above the regulatory level.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for generating the electromagnetic field stops the generating when the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for generating the electromagnetic field stops the generating a time delay after the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

21. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:

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 repeating the electromagnetic field to create a repeated coupling-mode region different from the coupling-mode region with a repeater antenna;

means for detecting a presence of a receive antenna in the coupling-mode region;

means for adjusting a power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the presence of the receive antenna; and

means for receiving power from the repeated coupling-mode region with the receive antenna disposed within the repeated coupling-mode region.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for detecting a human presence within a regulatory distance of the electromagnetic field;

means for adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to the human presence to a regulatory level or lower; and

means for adjusting the power output of the transmit antenna responsive to a human absence to a level above the regulatory level.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for generating the electromagnetic field stops the generating when the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for generating the electromagnetic field stops the generating a time delay after the detecting the presence indicates the absence of any receiver devices in the coupling-mode region.