COMMUNICATION ACROSS AN INDUCTIVE LINK WITH A DYNAMIC LOAD

• US 20100171369A1
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Norconk, Matthew J., Schwannecke, Joshua K., Mollema, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,450,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0707 the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation G06K19/0702 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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: H04B 5/26 using coils
• 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

The present invention provides a load used for communication in a remote device having a dynamic communication load configuration. In one embodiment, the dynamic communication load configuration vanes as a function of a characteristic of power in the remote device. The remote device toggles between load configurations to communicate with the inductive power supply. A sensor in the remote device detects a characteristic of power in the remote device and configures the communication load based on the sensor output. In another embodiment, the remote device adjusts the dynamic communication load configuration in the remote device in response to a failure to receive a response from the inductive power supply.

Claims

1. A contactless power supply system comprising:

an inductive power supply and a remote device, said remote device capable of inductively receiving power from said power supply via an inductive coupling;

wherein said inductive power supply includes;

a primary for inductively transferring power to said remote device;

a primary circuit operatively coupled to said primary, said primary circuit

     1) generating an output indicative of a characteristic of power being affected by a characteristic of the remote device reflected through said inductive coupling and

     2) controlling operation of said inductive power supply in response to said output; and

wherein said remote device includes;

a target load capable of utilizing the power provided by said inductive power supply;

a sensor for detecting a characteristic of power in the remote device;

a communication load capable of being modulated to communicate with said inductive power supply;

a controller programmed to

     1) configure said communication load in a first communication load configuration, wherein said first communication load configuration is a dynamic configuration based on output from said sensor; and

     2) modulate between said first communication load configuration and a second communication load configuration to communicate with said inductive power supply.

2. The contactless power supply system of claim 1 wherein said first communication load configuration includes at least one of a resistor, a diode, a capacitor, an inductor, a dynamic load, and a device with a constant voltage drop.

3. The contactless power supply system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first communication load configuration and said second communication load configuration includes said target load.

4. The contactless power supply system of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to configure said first communication load configuration to include said target load when said output from said sensor is below a threshold and wherein said controller is programmed to configure said first communication load configuration to include said target load said output from said sensor is above said threshold.

5. The contactless power supply system of claim 4 wherein said second communication load configuration includes said communication load and said target load.

6. The contactless power supply system of claim 1 wherein said first communication load configuration includes said communication load and a supplemental communication load and said second communication load configuration includes said communication load;

wherein said controller is programmed to utilize said first communication when said output from said sensor is below a threshold and wherein said controller is programmed to utilize said second communication load configuration when said output from said sensor is above said threshold.

7. The contactless power supply system of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to switch between different load configurations by increasing the resistance of said communication load until a message is received by said inductive power supply.

8. A remote device for receiving power from an inductive power supply, said remote device comprising:

a target load capable of utilizing the power provided by said inductive power supply;

a sensor for detecting a characteristic of power in the remote device;

a communication load capable of being modulated to communicate with said inductive power supply;

a controller programmed to

     1) configure said communication load in a first communication load configuration, wherein said first communication load configuration is a dynamic configuration based on output from said sensor; and

     2) modulate between said first communication load configuration and a second communication load configuration to communicate with said inductive power supply

9. The contactless power supply system of claim 8 wherein said first communication load configuration includes at least one of a resistor, a diode, a capacitor, an inductor, a dynamic load, and a device with a constant voltage drop.

10. The contactless power supply system of claim 8 wherein at least one of said first communication load configuration and said second communication load configuration includes said target load.

11. The contactless power supply system of claim 8 wherein said first communication load configuration includes said target load and said second communication load configuration includes said communication load;

wherein said controller is programmed to utilize said first communication when said output from said sensor is below a threshold and wherein said controller is programmed to utilize said second communication load configuration when said output from said sensor is above said threshold.

12. The contactless power supply system of claim 11 wherein said second communication load configuration includes said communication load and said target load.

13. The contactless power supply system of claim 8 wherein said first communication load configuration includes said communication load and a supplemental communication load and said second communication load configuration includes said communication load;

wherein said controller is programmed to utilize said first communication when said output from said sensor is below a threshold and wherein said controller is programmed to utilize said second communication load configuration when said output from said sensor is above said threshold.

14. The contactless power supply system of claim 8 wherein said controller is programmed to switch between different load configurations by increasing the resistance of said communication load until a message is received by said inductive power supply.

15. A method for communicating from a remote device and an inductive power supply comprising:

receiving power from the inductive power supply;

measuring a characteristic of power received by the remote device;

determining a dynamic load configuration based on the characteristic of power measured;

communicating with the inductive power supply by toggling between the determined dynamic communication load configuration and another load configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein determining a dynamic load configuration based on the amount of power measured includes comparing the amount of power measured to a threshold.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein determining a dynamic load configuration based on the characteristic of power measured includes determining the dynamic load configuration to be a specific percentage greater than the delivered load such that toggling between the dynamic load configuration and the load allows the reflected impedance to be distinguished as communication instead of noise.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein determining a dynamic load configuration based on the amount of power measured includes increasing the resistance in the dynamic load configuration until a message is received by the inductive power supply.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein determining a dynamic load configuration based on the amount of power measured includes determining a dynamic load configuration that minimizes the amount of power lost due to communication with said inductive power supply.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein determining a dynamic load configuration based on the amount of power measured includes determining a dynamic load configuration that creates a sufficient difference in reflected impedance or load shift from the other load configuration so that the inductive power supply can receive communication from the remote device.

21. A method for communicating from a remote device to an inductive power supply comprising:

transmitting power from the inductive power supply to the remote device;

receiving power from the inductive power supply;

configuring a dynamic communication load configuration in the remote device;

transmitting a communication to the inductive power supply by toggling between the dynamic communication load configuration and another load configuration;

waiting for a response from the inductive power supply;

adjusting the dynamic communication load configuration in the remote device in response to a failure to receive the response;

re-transmitting the communication to the inductive power supply by toggling between the adjusted dynamic communication load configuration and another load configuration.