LIMITATION OF VAMPIRIC POWER CONSUMPTION WITH DECOUPLING OF AN INDUCTIVE POWER APPARATUS AND AN ALTERNATING CURRENT POWER SOURCE

• US 20100001684A1
• Filed: 07/06/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vampire Labs, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vampire Labs, LLC
• Inventors: EASTLACK, JEFFREY RAYMOND
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters

Abstract

Several methods and systems to perform limitation of vampiric power consumption with decoupling of an inductive power apparatus and an alternating current power source is disclosed. In an embodiment, an inductive battery charging system includes an inductive power apparatus that provides power to a target load when the inductive power apparatus is coupled to an alternating current power source. The system further includes an observation circuit to determine a power consumption associated with the target load, and a detection circuit to determine when a power consumption reaches a threshold level. The system also includes a separation circuit to decouple the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source when the power consumption is lower than a threshold level to limit vampiric power consumption of the inductive power apparatus.

Claims

1. An inductive battery charging system, comprising:

an inductive power apparatus that provides power to a target load when the inductive power apparatus is coupled to an alternating current power source;

an observation circuit to determine a power consumption associated with the target load;

a detection circuit to determine when a power consumption reaches a threshold level; and

a separation circuit to decouple the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source when the power consumption is lower than a threshold level to limit a vampiric power consumption of the inductive power apparatus.

2. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the separation circuit maintains a coupling of the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source when the power consumption is greater than the threshold level.

3. The inductive battery charging system of claim 2, further comprising:

a transformer of the inductive power apparatus to inductively generate an electric current.

4. The inductive battery charging system of claim 3, further comprising:

a rectification circuit of the inductive power apparatus; and

a voltage regulation circuit of the inductive power apparatus.

5. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the observation circuit is comprised of an amplifier circuit adapted to amplify a voltage across at least one of a sense resistor and a hall effect current monitoring device.

6. The inductive battery charging system of claim 5, wherein the sense resistor is coupled in series with the target load.

7. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the detection circuit is comprised of a comparator circuit, and wherein the comparator circuit is comprised of an additional amplifier.

8. The inductive battery charging system of claim 7, wherein the separation circuit is comprised of an opto-coupled relay.

9. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a bypass circuit to initiate a charging sequence by electrically coupling the alternating current power source and the inductive power apparatus when a bypass input is initiated.

10. The inductive battery charging system of claim 9, further comprising:

a mechanical interface of the bypass circuit to close a switch when the bypass input is detected by the mechanical interface, wherein the bypass input is comprised of an external force, and wherein closing the switch electrically couples the alternating current power source and the inductive power apparatus.

11. The inductive battery charging system of claim 10, wherein the switch is opened when the external force on the mechanical interface is lower than an interface limit.

12. The inductive battery charging system of claim 11, wherein the mechanical interface is comprised of a push button that is compressible by the external force.

13. An inductive battery charging system, comprising:

an inductive power apparatus that provides power to a target load when the inductive power apparatus is coupled to an alternating current power source;

an observation module to determine a power consumption associated with the target load;

a detection module to determine when a power consumption reaches a threshold level;

a separation module to decouple the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source when the power consumption is lower than a threshold level to limit a vampiric power consumption of the inductive power apparatus; and

a bypass module to initiate a charging sequence by electrically coupling the alternating current power source and the inductive power apparatus when a bypass input is detected.

14. The inductive battery charging system of claim 13, wherein the separation module maintains a coupling of the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source when the power consumption is greater than the threshold level.

15. The inductive battery charging system of claim 14, further comprising:

a transformer of the inductive power apparatus to inductively generate an electric current.

16. The inductive battery charging system of claim 13, wherein the observation module determines the power consumption associated with the target load using a sense resistor coupled in series with the target load.

17. The inductive battery charging system of claim 16, wherein the separation module is comprised of an opto-coupled relay.

18. The inductive battery charging system of claim 17, further comprising:

an interface of the bypass module to close a switch when the bypass input is detected by the interface, wherein the bypass input is generated by an external force, and wherein closing the switch electrically couples the alternating current power source and the inductive power apparatus.

19. An inductive battery charger method, comprising:

inductively generating an electric current using a transformer, a rectification circuit, and a voltage regulation circuit of the inductive power apparatus;

amplifying a voltage of a sense resistor;

monitoring a power consumption associated with a target load;

comparing the power consumption to a threshold level;

maintaining a coupling of an inductive power apparatus and an alternating current power source while the power consumption is greater than a threshold level; and

decoupling an inductive power apparatus and an alternating current power source when the power consumption is lower than the threshold level to limit a vampiric power consumption of an inductive power apparatus, wherein an opto-coupled relay is used to perform at least one of coupling and decoupling the alternating current power source and the inductive power apparatus.

20. The inductive battery charger method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting a bypass input using a mechanical interface, wherein the bypass input is comprised of an external contact;

initiating a charging sequence by bypassing a relay to couple an alternating current power source and an inductive power apparatus;

closing a switch in an alternating current power circuit in response to the external contact; and

responsive to a change in the external contact, opening the switch in the alternating current power circuit.