WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER

• US 20140035379A1
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: STEVENS, GREGORY LOUIS, XING, RONGZHI
• Granted Patent: US 9,444,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that enable power regulation during wireless power transfer, such as during magnetic resonance (MR) charging of one or more devices from a power transfer device, by applying a cascading charging mechanism that includes identifying a priority order of charging of each of the one or more devices to allocate wirelessly transmitted power to the one or more devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in a wireless power transfer device, applying a cascading charging mechanism to allocate wirelessly transmitted power to one or more wireless devices, wherein applying the cascading charging mechanism comprises, performing;

identifying a priority order of charging of each of the one or more wireless devices; and

repeating, according to the priority order, for each particular device of the one or more wireless devices other than a lowest-priority wireless device;

determining an amount of remaining power available for wireless transfer; and

assigning to the particular device a portion of the remaining power,

wherein the lowest-priority wireless device is assigned a remaining portion of available power.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, wirelessly, from each particular device of a plurality of wireless devices that includes the one or more wireless devices, an indication of a power receiving state of the particular device and determining whether the power receiving state of the particular device is at or below a threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cascading charging mechanism is applied in response to the power receiving state of the plurality of wireless devices being at or below the threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying an amount of total power available for wireless transfer to the one or more wireless devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the remaining power available for wireless transfer to a particular wireless device is determined by subtracting power assigned to each higher-priority wireless devices from the total power available for wireless transfer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising tuning a power transfer device transmitter to match a frequency of a particular wireless device of the one or more wireless devices to transmit power to the particular wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the power receiving state of a particular wireless device corresponds to a percentage of battery charge of the particular wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transfer device is configured to transmit the power via magnetic resonance (MR).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of remaining power corresponds to a particular percentage of the amount of the remaining power available for wireless transfer.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a power transfer device including;

a priority module configured to identify a priority order of charging of each of one or more wireless devices; and

a power allocation module configured to apply a cascading charging mechanism to allocate wirelessly transmitted power to the one or more wireless devices, wherein the power allocation module is configured to determine, for each particular device of the one or more wireless devices other than a lowest-priority wireless device, an amount of remaining power available for wireless transfer, and to assign to the particular device a portion of the remaining power according to the priority order, and

wherein the power allocation module is further configured to assign a remaining portion of available power to the lowest-priority wireless device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power allocation module is configured to receive, wirelessly, from each particular device of a plurality of wireless devices that includes the one or more wireless devices, an indication of a power receiving state of the particular device and determine whether a power receiving state of the particular device is at or below a threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cascading charging mechanism is applied in response to the power receiving state of two or more of the plurality of wireless devices being at or below the threshold.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cascading charging mechanism is applied in response to the power receiving state of two or more of the plurality of wireless devices being at or above the threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power allocation module is configured to identify an amount of total power available for wireless transfer to the one or more wireless devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the remaining power available for wireless transfer to a particular wireless device is determined by subtracting power assigned to each higher-priority wireless devices from the total power available for wireless transfer.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power receiving state of a particular wireless device corresponds to a percentage of battery charge of the particular wireless device.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wireless power transfer device is configured to transmit the power via magnetic resonance (MR).

18. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit power to the one or more wireless devices.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the power allocation module is configured to tune the transmitter to match a frequency of a particular wireless device of the one or more wireless devices.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the portion of the remaining power corresponds to a particular percentage of the amount of the remaining power available for wireless transfer.