SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING WIRELESS POWER TO A PORTABLE UNIT

• US 20110074349A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Ghovanloo, Maysam
• Granted Patent: US 9,356,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

A wireless charging system for inductively charging and/or powering a device. The system includes a stationary base system and a moving subject. The stationary base system includes an array of primary coils that are adapted to generate a magnetic field, and a sensor system. The moving subject carries a device that includes a secondary coil that can be inductively charged and/or powered by the magnetic field emitted from the primary coil, and a magnet to be tracked by the sensor system. The moving subject can move in proximity to a surface of the stationary base system. The sensor system is adapted to communicate the location of the moving subject along the surface, wherein those coils closest to the moving subject may be activated.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system for charging or powering inductively, the system comprising:

a stationary base system comprising a primary coil system emitting a magnetic field;

a portable unit carried by a moving subject, the portable unit comprising a secondary coil, the secondary coil inductively charged or powered by the magnetic field of the primary coil system.

2. The system of claim 1, the primary coil system comprising an array of primary coils for generating the magnetic field.

3. The system of claim 1, the stationary base system further comprising a sensor system and the portable unit further comprising a tracer, wherein the sensor system is adapted to track the tracer.

4. The system of claim 3, the sensor system of the stationary base system communicating the location of the moving subject in proximity to the stationary base system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor system of the stationary base system communicates the location of the moving subject within a range of the stationary base system to a control system for activating a portion of the primary coil system of the stationary base unit

6. The system of claim 1, the magnetic field emitted by the stationary base system adapted to be emitted in substantially perpendicular direction relative the primary coil system.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein a predetermined number of coils of the array of primary coils emit the magnetic field in a substantially perpendicular direction relative the secondary coil of the portable unit.

8. The system of claim 7, the secondary coil of the portable unit substantially parallel relative to the array of primary coils.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power supply for passing a current through a primary coil system.

10. The system of claim 1, the stationary base system further comprising a power amplifier system for controlling the amount of power to generate the magnetic field.

11. The system of claim 1, the stationary base system further comprising a control system to control and drive the primary coil system.

12. The system of claim 3, the sensor system of the stationary base system comprising a magnetic sensor, and the tracer of the portable unit comprising a magnet, wherein the magnetic sensor tracks the magnetic tracer of the portable unit.

13. The system of claim 1, the stationary base system further comprising a telemetry readout system for receiving data from the portable unit.

14. The system of claim 1, the portable unit further comprising a control system for controlling a wireless transceiver.

15. The system of claim 1, the portable unit carried by a living being and further comprising a transmitter to transmit data.

16. The system of claim 2, the array of primary coils comprising a first coil in the same plane as a second coil, such that the first coil is positioned next to the second coil, wherein when the secondary coil of the moving subject is substantially perpendicular to the array of coils and to the plane of the first and second coils, the magnetic field of the first coil is between approximately 0 degrees and approximately 180 degrees out of phase of the magnetic field of the second coil, causing in the magnetic flux generated by the first coil to be bent towards the second coil and pass through a winding of the second coil.

17. The system of claim 1, the portable unit adapted to be implanted in the moving subject.

18. The system of claim 1, the portable unit further comprising a chargeable power source for powering the portable unit and adapted to be charged by the stationary base system.

19. A system for simultaneously charging or powering a headstage, the system comprising:

a base unit comprising a plurality of primary coils having a generally planar shape, the primary coils adapted to generate magnetic fields in a substantially perpendicular direction to the plane of the primary coils; and

a headstage system adapted to be carried by a living being and adapted to be inductively charged or powered by the magnetic fields emitted from the base unit, and comprising a secondary coil.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a rechargeable battery for powering the headstage system.

21. The system of claim 19, the substantially perpendicular magnetic fields inductively generate a current in the secondary coil of the headstage system.

22. The system of claim 19, the secondary coil of the headstage inductively charged and powered by the magnetic field of at least one of the primary coils.

23. The system of claim 19, the headstage system further comprising a sensor system, and the headstage further comprising a magnet, wherein the magnet of the headstage is adapted to be tracked by the sensor system.

24. The system of claim 19, the headstage system moving in proximity to the base unit.

25. The system of claim 23, the sensor system communicating the location of the headstage system along a surface for activating a portion of predetermined coils within the plurality of primary coils.

26. The system of claim 19, the magnetic field emitted by a predetermined number of coils of the plurality of coils, adapted to be in a substantially perpendicular direction relative to the secondary coil of the dynamic element.

27. The system of claim 19, the secondary coil of the headstage system positioned substantially parallel relative to the plurality of primary coils.

28. The system of claim 19, the base unit further comprising a power amplifier system for controlling the amount of power to deliver to the primary coils and generate the magnetic fields from the base unit to transfer power to the headstage system.

29. The system of claim 19, the base unit further comprising a control system to control and drive the plurality of primary coils.

30. The system of claim 19, the base unit further comprising sensor system that includes a magnetic sensor, wherein the magnetic sensor tracks a magnetic tracer of the headstage system.

31. The system of claim 19, the base unit further comprising a telemetry readout system for receiving data directly from the headstage system.

32. The system of claim 19, the headstage system further comprising a magnetic tracer for indicating the location and orientation of the headstage system.

33. The system of claim 19, the headstage system further comprising a control system for controlling a wireless transceiver.

34. The system of claim 19, the headstage system further comprising a transmitter to wirelessly transmit data to a processing system.

35. The system of claim 19, the plurality of primary coils comprising a first coil in the same plane as a second coil, wherein the first coil is positioned next to the second coil, and wherein when the secondary coil of the headstage system is substantially perpendicular to the array of coils and to the plane of the first and second coils, the magnetic field of the first coil is between approximately 0 degrees and approximately 180 degrees out of phase of the magnetic field of the second coil, causing the magnetic flux generated by the first coil to be bent towards the second coil and pass through the windings of the second coil.

36. The system of claim 19, further comprising an optical recording system for recording the movement of the moving subject along a surface of the stationary base system.