WIRELESS POWER DISTRIBUTION AMONG A PLURALITY OF RECEIVERS

• US 20110260682A1
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wheatley, Charles E. III, Low, Zhen Ning, Von Novak, William H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to power distribution among a plurality of receivers. A method may include requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers. The method may further include requesting each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by the transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers; and

requesting each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by the transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring an initial load resistance of each receiver of the plurality of receivers.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the desired power distribution for the plurality of receivers.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if a load resistance of each receiver of the plurality of receivers should be modified and how much the load resistance of each receiver should be modified to achieve the desired power distribution for the plurality of receivers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising substantially simultaneously requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution and requesting each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve an desired, optimal total impedance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting power within the charging region.

7. The method of claim 1, the requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers comprising requesting a receiver of the plurality of receivers to decrease an associated load resistance to increase an amount of power delivered to the receiver.

8. The method of claim 1, the requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers comprising requesting a receiver of the plurality of receivers to increase an associated load resistance to decrease an amount of power delivered to the receiver.

9. The method of claim 1, the requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers comprising requesting a receiver of the plurality of receivers to decrease an associated load resistance to decrease an amount of power delivered to at least one other receiver of the plurality of receivers.

10. A transmitter, comprising:

a controller configured to;

request at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of the transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers; and

request each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by the transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.

11. The transmitter of claim 10, the controller further configured to measure an initial load resistance of each receiver of the plurality of receivers.

12. The transmitter of claim 10, the controller further configured to determine the desired power distribution for the plurality of receivers.

13. The transmitter of claim 10, the controller further configured to determine if a load resistance of each receiver of the plurality of receivers should be modified and how much the load resistance of each receiver should be modified to achieve the desired power distribution for the plurality of receivers.

14. The transmitter of claim 10, the controller further configured to substantially simultaneously request at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution and request each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve an desired, optimal total impedance.

15. The transmitter of claim 10, further comprising a transmit antenna configured to wirelessly transmit power within the charging region.

16. The transmitter of claim 10, the controller further configured to request a receiver of the plurality of receivers to decrease an associated load resistance to increase an amount of power delivered to the receiver.

17. The transmitter of claim 10, the controller further configured to request a receiver of the plurality of receivers to increase an associated load resistance to decrease an amount of power delivered to the receiver.

18. A device, comprising:

means for requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers; and

means for requesting each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by the transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising means for determining if a load resistance of each receiver of the plurality of receivers should be modified and how much the load resistance of each receiver should be modified to achieve the desired power distribution for the plurality of receivers.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising means for substantially simultaneously requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution and requesting each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve an desired, optimal total impedance.

21. A method, comprising:

modifying in response to a transmitter request a load resistance of a receiver to achieve a desired power distribution among a plurality of receivers; and

modifying in response to another transmitter request the load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by a transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising substantially simultaneously modifying in response to a transmitter request a load resistance of a receiver to achieve a desired power distribution among a plurality of receivers and modifying in response to another transmitter request the load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by a transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.

23. A receiver, comprising:

a load; and

a controller configured to;

modify in response to a transmitter request a resistance of the load to achieve a desired power distribution among a plurality of receivers.

modify in response to another transmitter request the resistance of the load to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by a transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.

24. The receiver of claim 23, the controller further configured to decrease the resistance of the load to increase an amount of power received from the transmitter.

25. A device, comprising:

means for modifying in response to a transmitter request a load resistance of a receiver to achieve a desired power distribution among a plurality of receivers; and

means for modifying in response to another transmitter request the load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by a transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers.