WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER AND CONTINUOUS RADIO STATION SIGNAL COEXISTENCE

• US 20120153894A1
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Widmer, Hanspeter
• Granted Patent: US 9,379,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power while avoiding interference with wireless communication devices. In one aspect a wireless power transmitter apparatus is provided. The wireless power transmitter apparatus includes a transmit circuit configured to wirelessly transmit power at a transmit frequency to a first receiver device. The wireless power transmitter apparatus further includes a controller circuit configured to reduce a level of emission of the transmit circuit at a determined frequency during a period of time based on information about an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device substantially at the determined frequency to be received within the period of time.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a transmit circuit configured to wirelessly transmit power at a transmit frequency to a first receiver device; and

a controller circuit configured to reduce a level of emission of the transmit circuit at a determined frequency during a period of time based on information about an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device substantially at the determined frequency to be received within the period of time.

2. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determined frequency is substantially within a bandwidth of frequencies that may interfere with the information signal.

3. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to reduce a level of emission to avoid interfering with the transmitted information signal.

4. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receiver configured to receive commands from a communications transmitter, wherein the remote commands comprises information regarding the period of time to reduce a level of emission.

5. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 4, wherein the communications transmitter comprises the second receiver device.

6. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the period of time is determined by a schedule of information signal transmissions to the second receiver device.

7. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to reduce a level of emission of the transmit circuit by disabling or modifying the transmit circuit during the period of time.

8. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to reduce a level of emission at the determined frequency by adjusting the transmit frequency.

9. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to reduce a level of emission at the determined frequency by pausing or reducing a level of wireless power transmission.

10. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to reduce a level of emission at the determined frequency in response to the information indicating interference of the second receiver device.

11. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the period of time is greater than one minute.

12. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to periodically reduce the level of emission of the transmit circuit at the determined frequency during the period of time.

13. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 12, wherein a periodicity of emission reduction is at least once a day.

14. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second receiver device comprises a radio controlled clock.

15. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmit frequency is within a range of 10 kHz to 150 kHz.

16. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receiver device is configured to charge or power a battery of an electric vehicle.

17. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receiver device is configured to feed power back to a power distribution network.

18. A method for wirelessly transmitting power while avoiding interference with information signal transmission, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting power at a transmit frequency to a first receiver device; and

reducing a level of emission of wireless power transmission to the first receiver device at a determined frequency during a period of time based on information about an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device to be received within the period of time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the determined frequency is substantially within a bandwidth of frequencies that may interfere with the information signal.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein reducing a level of emission comprises reducing a level of emission to avoid interfering with the information signal.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving commands from a communications transmitter, wherein the remote commands comprises information regarding the period of time to reduce a level of emission.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the command is received from the second receiver device.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the period of time is determined by a schedule of information signal transmissions to the second receiver device.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein reducing a level of emission comprises pausing or reducing a level of wireless power transmission during the period of time.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein reducing a level of power output emission comprises disabling or modifying a transmit circuit used to wirelessly output power during the period of time.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein reducing a level of emission at the determined frequency comprises adjusting the transmit frequency.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein reducing a level of emission comprises reducing a level of emission in response to information indicating interference of the second receiver device.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein reducing a level of emission comprises reducing a level of emission in response to information indicating an operating frequency of the second receiver device.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the period of time is greater than one minute.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising periodically reducing the level of emission at the determined frequency during the period of time.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein periodically reducing the level of emission comprises periodically reducing the level of emission at least once a day.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the second receiver device comprises a radio controlled clock.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein the transmit frequency is within a range of 10 kHz to 150 kHz.

34. The method of claim 18, wherein the first receiver device is configured to charge or power a battery of an electric vehicle.

35. The method of claim 18, wherein the first receiver device is configured to feed power back into the power distribution network.

36. A wireless power transmitter apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting power at a transmit frequency to a first means for receiving; and

means for controlling configured to reduce a level of emission generated by the means for wirelessly transmitting at a determined frequency during a period of time based on information about an information signal transmitted to a second means for receiving to be received within the period of time.

37. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the determined frequency is substantially within a bandwidth of frequencies that may interfere with the second means for receiving.

38. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling is configured to reduce a level of emission to avoid interfering with the transmission of the information signal.

39. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a means for receiving data configured to receive commands from a communications transmitter, wherein the remote commands comprises information regarding the period of time to reduce a level of emission.

40. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 39, wherein the means for receiving data comprises the second means for receiving.

41. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the period of time is determined by a schedule of information signal transmissions to the second means for receiving.

42. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling is configured to reduce a level of emission of the means for wirelessly transmitting by disabling or modifying the means for wirelessly transmitting during the period of time.

43. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling is configured to reduce a level of emission by adjusting the transmit frequency.

44. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling is configured to reduce a level of emission at the determined frequency by pausing or reducing a level of wireless power transmission.

45. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling is configured to reduce a level of emission at the determined frequency in response to the information indicating interference of the second receiver device.

46. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling is configured to reduce a level of emission at the determined frequency in response to information indicating an operating frequency of the second means for receiving.

47. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the period of time is greater than one minute.

48. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling is further configured to periodically reduce the level of emission at the determined frequency of the means for wirelessly transmitting during the period of time.

49. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 48, wherein a periodicity of emission reduction is at least once a day.

50. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the second means for receiving comprises a radio controlled clock.

51. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the transmit frequency is within a range of 10 kHz to 150 kHz.

52. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the first means for receiving is configured to charge or power a battery of an electric vehicle.

53. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the first means for receiving is configured to feed power back into a power distribution network.

54. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for wirelessly transmitting power comprises a transmit circuit comprising a transmit coil, and wherein the first means for receiving comprises a receive circuit comprising a receive coil.

55. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for controlling comprises a controller circuit.