APPARATUSES HAVING DIFFERENT MODES OF OPERATION FOR INDUCTIVE WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20130257360A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Manjit
• Granted Patent: US 9,837,203 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 50/005 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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

Abstract

An inductive wireless power enabled device may comprise a transceiver including a plurality of switches coupled with a resonant tank, and control logic configured to drive the plurality of switches to operate the resonant tank in one of a transmit mode and a receive mode. Another inductive wireless power enabled device may comprises a transceiver including a plurality of switches coupled with a resonant tank. The transceiver may be configured to both transmit a wireless power signal through the resonant tank and generate power from an incoming wireless power signal through the resonant tank depending on a current operational mode. A related method for operating a wireless power enabled device according to either a transmit mode or a receive mode is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An inductive wireless power enabled device, comprising:

a transceiver including a plurality of switches coupled with a resonant tank; and

control logic configured to drive the plurality of switches to operate the resonant tank in one of a transmit mode and a receive mode.

2. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switches are coupled in a full-bridge configuration with the resonant tank.

3. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 2, wherein the resonant tank includes at least one capacitor and at least one inductive coil of an LC network.

4. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 3, wherein the at least one capacitor and the at least one inductive coil are serially coupled.

5. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 2, wherein the control logic is configured to drive the plurality of switches to be a full-bridge inverter during the transmit mode and to be a full-bridge rectifier during the receive mode.

6. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 1, further comprising a load operably coupled with the transceiver to receive power from the transceiver during the receive mode.

7. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 6, wherein the load includes an energy storage device.

8. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 6, wherein the load includes system components of the inductive wireless power enabled device.

9. An inductive wireless power enabled device, comprising:

a transceiver including a plurality of switches coupled with a resonant tank, wherein the transceiver is configured to both transmit a wireless power signal through the resonant tank and generate power from an incoming wireless power signal through the resonant tank depending on a current operational mode.

10. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of switches are coupled as a full-bridge circuit having the resonant tank coupled therebetween.

11. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of switches are configured to be independently driven by control signals to generate an AC current through the resonant tank from a DC input signal during the transmit mode, and to generate a DC output signal from an AC current generated in the resonant tank during the receive mode.

12. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 11, further comprising an energy storage device coupled with the transceiver such that the DC output signal, when generated, is received by the energy storage device.

13. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 12, further comprising a charger coupled in a first path between the energy storage device and the transceiver such that the DC output signal, when generated, flows through the charger.

14. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 13, wherein the charger is selected from the group consisting of a switching regulator and a linear regulator.

15. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 13, wherein the energy storage device and the transceiver are operably coupled with a second path parallel to the first path, wherein the second path includes a switch that enables the energy storage device to provide power to the transceiver during the transmit mode.

16. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 13, further comprising an adaptor port that is coupled with the transceiver through a switch that enables an adaptor to provide power to the transceiver during the transmit mode.

17. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 9, further comprising a mobile electronic device that includes the transceiver.

18. The inductive wireless power enabled device of claim 17, wherein the mobile electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, an electronic reader, a personal digital assistant, a camera, and a media player.

19. A method for operating a wireless power enabled device, the method comprising:

determining a mode of operation for a wireless power enabled device from among a transmit mode and a receive mode;

transmitting a wireless power signal through a resonant tank of the wireless power enabled device during the transmit mode; and

generating an output power responsive to receiving an incoming wireless power signal through the resonant tank of the wireless power enabled device during the receive mode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining a mode of operation includes receiving a user input establishing the mode of operation for the wireless power enabled device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the user input is received through a user interface of a software application.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the user input is received from a physical switch of the wireless power enabled device.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein determining a mode of operation includes automatically entering the receive mode responsive to detecting the incoming wireless power signal.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein transmitting a wireless power signal through a resonant tank of the wireless power enabled device during the transmit mode includes driving a plurality of switches coupled with the resonant tank to operate as a full-bridge inverter.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein generating an output power responsive to receiving an incoming wireless power signal through the resonant tank of the wireless power enabled device during the receive mode includes driving the plurality of switches coupled with the resonant tank to operate as a full-bridge rectifier.