RE-CONFIGURABLE CODED INDUCTIVE CHARGING SYSTEM

• US 20140152252A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Wood, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,391,471 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A method comprising supplying current to charging elements, a charging element producing a configurable magnetic field polarity, magnetic field polarities produced by the charging elements according to a charging polarity code. The method determines a relative position between a receiving element and a charging element, receiving elements fixedly electrically connected according to the charging polarity code, responsive to determining, re-configuring a magnetic field polarity of one or more of the charging elements due to movement of the receiving elements relative to the charging elements, and inducing a charging current by the charging elements in the receiving elements to increase power transfer from the charging elements to the receiving elements.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

supplying current to charging elements, a charging element producing a configurable magnetic field polarity, magnetic field polarities produced by charging elements according to a charging polarity code;

determining a relative position between a receiving element and a charging element, receiving elements fixedly electrically connected according to the charging polarity code;

responsive to determining, re-configuring a magnetic field polarity of one or more of the charging elements due to movement of the receiving elements relative to the charging elements; and

inducing a charging current by the charging elements in the receiving elements to increase power transfer from the charging elements to the receiving elements.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a number of charging elements greater than a number of receiving elements.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising disposing the receiving elements in a device that is portable relative to the charging elements.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein re-configuring comprises at least one of supplying current to a charging element, reversing a direction of current supplied to a charging element, and deselecting a charging element.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving elements fixedly electrically connected according to the charging polarity code comprises the receiving elements wired according to the charging polarity code.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein current in the receiving elements increases when current is supplied to the charging elements according to the Charging polarity code.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining comprises transmitting pilot tones from one or more of the charging elements and sensing a received pilot tone at one or more of the receiving elements.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the charging elements are disposed in a first device and the receiving elements are disposed in a second device, the second device moveable relative to the first device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first device comprises a vest, and the method further comprising disposing the charging elements at an upper region of the vest when the vest is worn.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the second device comprises a helmet comprising batteries, the method further comprising charging the battery by the charging current.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the charging polarity code comprises a Barker code or a gray code.

12. A system comprising:

a charging station further comprising charging elements, responsive to current supplied to each charging element each charging element producing a magnetic field for coupling to receiving elements, magnetic fields produced by the charging elements according to a charging polarity code;

a device further comprising receiving elements fixedly electrically connected according to the charging polarity code;

the charging polarity code identifying each charging element as having a configurable magnetic field polarity;

one or more sensors at the charging station or at the device for sensing relative positions between a receiving element and a charging element as determined by the one or more sensors;

a processor at the charging station for re-configuring a magnetic field polarity of one or more of the charging elements due to movement of the receiving elements relative to the charging elements; and

the charging elements for inducing a charging current in the receiving elements to increase power transfer from the charging elements to the receiving elements.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the sensors are disposed at the charging station.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the sensors are disposed at the device and the device transmits a signal indicating the relative positions to the charging station.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein each one of the charging elements and each one of the receiving elements comprises a coil.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein a number of charging elements is greater than a number of receiving elements.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the device comprises a portable device movable relative to the charging station.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the receiving elements fixedly electrically connected according to the charging polarity code comprises the receiving elements wired together such that induced current flow from the receiving elements is additive.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the charging station is disposed in a garment and the device is moveable relative to the garment.

20. A system comprising:

a charging station disposed in an upper region of a garment worn about a wearer'"'"'s chest, the charging station further comprising charging elements, responsive to current supplied to a charging element, the charging element producing a magnetic field for coupling to a receiving element in a helmet worn by the wearer, magnetic fields produced by the charging elements according to a charging polarity code;

a battery disposed in the helmet for charging by the charging station;

the receiving elements fixedly electrically connected according to the charging polarity code;

the charging polarity code identifying each charging element as having a configurable magnetic field polarity;

one or more sensors at the charging station or at the helmet for sensing relative positions between a receiving element and a charging element as a head of the wearer moves relative to the garment;

a processor at the charging station for re-configuring a magnetic field polarity of one or more of the charging elements due to movement of the receiving elements relative to the charging elements as determined by the one or more sensors; and

the charging elements for inducing a charging current in the receiving elements to increase power transfer from the charging elements to the receiving elements.