COMBINED ANTENNA AND INDUCTIVE POWER RECEIVER

• US 20110217927A1
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Ltd.
• Inventors: Meyuhas, Noam, Ben-Shalom, Amir
• Granted Patent: US 9,124,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• 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

An inductive power receiver including a dual purpose inductor wired to an electric load, the dual purpose inductor is configured to inductively couple with a primary inductor wired to a power supply. The dual purpose inductor typically comprises a radio antenna such as a near field communication antenna. A method is described for charging electromagnetic cells via the inductive power receiver.

Claims

1. An inductive power receiver for powering an electric load, said inductive power receiver comprising a secondary inductor configured to couple inductively with a primary inductor connected to a power supply via a driving unit, said driving unit operable to drive a high frequency oscillating voltage across said primary inductor thereby generating an oscillating magnetic field such that a secondary voltage is induced in said secondary inductor wherein said secondary inductor is connected to a switching unit operable to selectively connect said secondary inductor to (i) a power receiving circuit for providing power to said electric load, and (ii) a communication circuit for receiving radio signals.

2. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said power receiving circuit comprises a rectification unit for converting an AC voltage induced across said secondary inductor, into a DC voltage.

3. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said communication circuit comprises a near field communication circuit.

4. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said secondary inductor comprises an inductive loop antenna.

5. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said secondary inductor comprises a multiple turn induction coil.

6. The inductive power receiver of claim 5 wherein at least one turn of said multiple turn induction coil comprises a radio antenna.

7. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said communication circuit has a resonant frequency being approximately equal to a near field communication transmission frequency.

8. The inductive power receiver of claim 7 wherein said near field communication transmission frequency is 13.56 megahertz.

9. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said switching unit is operable to connect said secondary inductor to said communication circuit when said secondary voltage has a frequency of 13.56 megahertz.

10. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said communication circuit further comprises tuning elements which may be added to tune said circuit to the frequency of said radio signals.

11. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said communication circuit comprises a passive circuit operable to draw power from said radio signals.

12. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said communication circuit further comprises an active circuit connected to a power source and operable to transmit radio signals.

13. The inductive power receiver of claim 11 wherein said communication circuit further comprises an active circuit connected to a power source and operable to transmit radio signals.

14. A mobile communication device comprising the inductive power receiver of claim 1.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14 being selected from a group consisting of telephones, computers, PDAs and media players.

16. The inductive power receiver of claim 1 wherein said electric load comprises an electrochemical cell and said power receiving circuit comprises a rectification unit wired to said electrochemical cell and operable to convert an AC voltage, induced across said secondary inductor, into a DC voltage thereby charging said electrochemical cell.

17. A mobile communication device comprising the inductive power receiver of claim 16.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17 being selected from a group consisting of telephones, computers, PDAs and media players.

19. A method for charging an electrochemical cell of a mobile communication device, said mobile communication device comprising a near field communication antenna, a near field communication circuit, a power receiving circuit and a switching unit operable to selectively connect said communication circuit or said power receiving circuit to said near field communication antenna, the method comprising the steps:

a. providing a rectification unit wired to said electrochemical cell;

b. connecting said power receiving circuit to said near field communication antenna; and

c. bringing said near field communication antenna into the vicinity of an operating inductive power outlet such that a secondary voltage, induced in said near field communication antenna, is rectified by said rectification unit thereby providing a charging voltage for said electrochemical cell.