INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE COIL PRIMARY

• US 20130076154A1
• Filed: 11/19/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Mollema, Scott A., Schwannecke, Joshua K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,653,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2871 Pancake coils
• 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 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An inductive power supply including multiple tank circuits and a controller for selecting at least one of the tank circuits in order to wirelessly transfer power based on received power demand information. In addition, a magnet may be used to align multiple remote devices with the inductive power supply. In one embodiment, different communication systems are employed depending on which coil is being used to transfer wireless power.

Claims

1. An inductive power supply for supplying wireless power to and receiving communication from a remote device, said inductive power supply comprising:

a first primary capable of being energized to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device and capable of receiving communication from the remote device;

a second primary capable of being energized to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device and capable of receiving communication from the remote device;

a controller programmed to selectively transfer power wirelessly to the remote device by energizing at least one of said first primary and said second primary, said controller programmed to receive communication from the remote device via at least one of said first primary and said second primary.

2. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to selectively transfer power wirelessly to the remote device as a function of said communication from the remote device.

3. The inductive power supply of claim 2 wherein said communication includes power demand information.

4. The inductive power supply of claim 3 wherein said power demand information includes a remote device ID for looking up power demand information about the remote device in memory.

5. The inductive power supply of claim 2 wherein said controller is programmed to determine an amount of power to be transmitted as a function of said communication received from said remote device.

6. The inductive power supply of claim 5 including a memory, wherein said memory includes a threshold, said controller is programmed to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device by energizing said first primary in response to said amount of power to be transmitted being below said threshold, and said controller is programmed to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device by energizing said second primary in response to said amount of power to be transmitted being above said threshold.

7. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said communication includes a power class.

8. An inductive power supply for supplying wireless power to and receiving communication from a remote device, said inductive power supply comprising:

a first primary means capable of being energized to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device and capable of receiving communication from the remote device;

a second primary means capable of being energized to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device and capable of receiving communication from the remote device;

a control means programmed to selectively transfer power wirelessly to the remote device by energizing at least one of said first primary means and said second primary means, said control means programmed to receive communication from the remote device via at least one of said first primary means and said second primary means.

9. The inductive power supply of claim 8 wherein said controller is programmed to selectively transfer power wirelessly to the remote device as a function of said communication from the remote device.

10. The inductive power supply of claim 9 wherein said communication includes power demand information.

11. The inductive power supply of claim 10 wherein said power demand information includes a remote device ID for looking up power demand information about the remote device in memory.

12. The inductive power supply of claim 9 wherein said controller is programmed to determine an amount of power to be transmitted as a function of said communication received from said remote device.

13. The inductive power supply of claim 12 including a memory, wherein said memory includes a threshold, said controller is programmed to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device by energizing said first primary in response to said amount of power to be transmitted being below said threshold, and said controller is programmed to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device by energizing said second primary in response to said amount of power to be transmitted being above said threshold.

14. The inductive power supply of claim 8 wherein said communication includes a power class.

15. A method for supplying wireless power to and receiving communication from a remote device, said method comprising:

providing a first primary capable of being energized to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device and capable of receiving communication from the remote device;

providing a second primary capable of being energized to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device and capable of receiving communication from the remote device;

selectively transferring power wirelessly to the remote device by energizing at least one of said first primary and said second primary; and

receiving communication from the remote device via at least one of said first primary and said second primary.

16. The method for supplying wireless power of claim 15 including selectively transferring power wirelessly to the remote device as a function of said communication from the remote device.

17. The method for supplying wireless power of claim 16 wherein said communication includes power demand information.

18. The method for supplying wireless power of claim 17 wherein said power demand information includes a remote device ID and said method includes looking up power demand information about the remote device in memory based on the remote device ID.

19. The method for supplying wireless power of claim 16 including determining an amount of power to be transmitted as a function of said communication received from said remote device.

20. The inductive power supply of claim 15 wherein said communication includes a power class.