SELECTABLE COIL ARRAY
First Claim
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1. A coil array system comprising:
- a driver circuit for generating an AC signal;
a plurality of overlapping coils arranged in a plurality of layers to form a selectable coil array associated with a charging surface for placing a secondary device, wherein said selectable coil array includes a plurality of switches operable to selectively electrically connect a subset of said plurality of coils to said driver circuit in order to generate a magnetic field in said subset of said plurality of coils;
a position detection circuit for obtaining position information regarding a secondary coil of said secondary device placed on said charging surface; and
a controller programmed to operate said selectable coil array as a function of said position information in order to position said magnetic field relative to said position of said secondary device on said charging surface, wherein the number of coils selectively electrically connected to said driver in said selectable coil array depends at least in part on said secondary device position information.
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Abstract
An inductive wireless power system using an array of coils with the ability to dynamically select which coils are energized. The coil array can determine the position of and provide power to one or more portable electronic devices positioned on the charging surface. The coils in the array may be connected with series resonant capacitors so that regardless of the number of coils selected, the resonance point is generally maintained. The coil array can provide spatial freedom, decrease power delivered to parasitic loads, and increase power transfer efficiency to the portable electronic devices.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A coil array system comprising:
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a driver circuit for generating an AC signal; a plurality of overlapping coils arranged in a plurality of layers to form a selectable coil array associated with a charging surface for placing a secondary device, wherein said selectable coil array includes a plurality of switches operable to selectively electrically connect a subset of said plurality of coils to said driver circuit in order to generate a magnetic field in said subset of said plurality of coils; a position detection circuit for obtaining position information regarding a secondary coil of said secondary device placed on said charging surface; and a controller programmed to operate said selectable coil array as a function of said position information in order to position said magnetic field relative to said position of said secondary device on said charging surface, wherein the number of coils selectively electrically connected to said driver in said selectable coil array depends at least in part on said secondary device position information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A selectable coil array comprising:
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a plurality of overlapping coils arranged in a plurality of layers to form a selectable coil array associated with a charging surface for placing a secondary device, wherein each of said plurality of coils is electrically connected in series with a resonant capacitor, wherein said selectable coil array includes a plurality of switches operable to selectively electrically connect a subset of said plurality of coils in parallel to an AC input in order to generate a magnetic field in said subset of said plurality of coils; wherein resonance point of said plurality of coils is maintained independent of the number of coils electrically connected in parallel in said coil array. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for wirelessly powering a secondary device on a charging surface of a selectable coil array, the method comprising:
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determining whether a secondary device is present; obtaining power requirement information about the secondary device; obtaining coil information about the secondary coil of the secondary device; determining the position of the secondary device on said charging surface; determining a subset of coils to select of the selectable coil array to provide power to the secondary coil of the secondary device as a function of at least said power requirement information, said coil information, and said position of said secondary coil on said charging surface; energizing the selected subset of coils of the selectable coil array to provide wireless power to said secondary coil of said secondary device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification