Power Transfer Architecture Employing Coupled Resonant Circuits

• US 20140184152A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Van Der LEE, Reinier
• Granted Patent: US 9,680,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/025 using non-contact coupling, e.g. inductive, capacitive

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed to control the mutual coupling between wireless power transfer (WPT) enabled devices. Wireless power transfer is best achieved when both the transmitting and receiving device are tuned to substantially the same frequency. Because WPT-enabled devices are coupled to one another during WPT, tuning one WPT-enabled device can cause both devices to converge to a resonance together. Furthermore, a WPT enabled receiving device can be intentionally detuned to avoid coupling excessive power from a WPT-enabled transmitter device. These concepts can be extended to WPT-enabled device pairs that each has WPT transmission and reception qualities. When multiple WPT-enabled devices interact, tuning information can be stored in one or both of the devices to make the configuration procedure for subsequent WPT interactions more efficient. Various systems are presented to control the mutual coupling between WPT-enabled devices to improve the WPT.

Claims

1. A wireless power transfer (WPT)-enabled device, comprising:

a communications module configured to communicate with a second WPT-enabled device and to determine a WPT operating parameter associated with WPT between the WPT-enabled device to the second WPT-enabled device;

a driver module configured to generate a power signal for charging the second WPT-enabled device according to the WPT operating parameter, the power signal having a first resonant frequency; and

a controller module configured to adjust the first resonant frequency until the first resonant frequency is substantially similar to a second resonant frequency of the second WPT-enabled device.

2. The WPT-enabled device of claim 1, wherein the first resonant frequency is based on an oscillator frequency, and wherein the controller module is further configured to adjust the first resonant frequency by adjusting the oscillator frequency.

3. The WPT-enabled device of claim 1, further comprising:

a tuning module having a first frequency response; and

a coupler module having a second frequency response, wherein the controller module is further configured to control the WPT operating parameter by adjusting the first frequency response or the second frequency response.

4. The WPT enabled device of claim 3, wherein the tuning module comprises:

a variable reactance element, and wherein the controller module is further configured to control the reactance of the variable reactance element to adjust the first frequency response.

5. The WPT-enabled device of claim 4, wherein the variable reactance element is a switched reactance element, and wherein the controller module is further configured to control a switching state of the switched reactance element.

6. The WPT-enabled device of claim 3, wherein the WPT operating parameter is indicative of a WPT efficiency.

7. The WPT-enabled device of claim 3, wherein the coupler module comprises:

a variable reactance component,

and wherein the controller module is further configured to adjust the variable reactance component.

8. The WPT-enabled device of claim 1, further comprising:

a tuning module configured to transfer the power signal to the second WPT-enabled device according to a first frequency response, and to receive a charging signal from a third WPT-enabled device according to a second frequency response,

wherein the controller module is further configured to control the WPT operating parameter by adjusting the first frequency response or the second frequency response.

9. The WPT-enabled device of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to store settings associated with the first frequency response or the second frequency response, and to apply the settings to charge a third WPT-enabled device.

10. A wireless power transfer (WPT)-enabled device, comprising:

a tuning module configured to receive a power signal from a second WPT-enabled device having a first resonant frequency, and to provide a charge signal to a load according to a first frequency response; and

a controller module configured to adjust the first frequency response to regulate the charge signal.

11. The WPT-enabled device of claim 10, wherein the tuning module comprises:

a variable reactance element, and wherein the controller module is further configured to adjust a reactance of the variable reactance element.

12. The WPT-enabled device of claim 11, wherein the variable reactance element comprises:

a switched reactance element,

and wherein the controller module is farther configured to control a switching state of the switched reactance element.

13. The WPT-enabled device of claim 10, further comprising:

a coupler module having a second frequency response, wherein the controller module is further configured to control a WPT operating parameter by adjusting the first frequency response or the second frequency response.

14. The WPT-enabled device of claim 13, wherein the WPT operating parameter is indicative of a WPT efficiency.

15. The WPT-enabled device of claim 13, wherein the WPT operating parameter comprises:

a power level of the charge signal.

16. The WPT-enabled device of claim 13, wherein the coupler module comprises:

a variable reactance element, and wherein the controller module is further configured to adjust a reactance of the variable reactance element.

17. A wireless power transfer (WPT)-enabled device, comprising:

a driver module configured to generate a power signal having a first resonant frequency;

a tuning module having a first frequency response, the tuning module configured to receive the power signal and to provide a charging signal for charging a second WPT-enabled device; and

a controller module configured to adjust the first frequency response until the first resonant frequency is substantially similar to a second resonant frequency of the second WPT-enabled device.

18. The WPT-enabled device of claim 17, further comprising:

a coupler module having a second frequency response, wherein the controller module is further configured to control a WPT operating parameter by adjusting the first frequency response or the second frequency response.

19. The WPT-enabled device of claim 18, wherein the WPT operating parameter is indicative of a WPT efficiency.

20. The WPT-enabled device of claim 18, wherein the tuning module and the coupler module each comprises:

a switched reactance element configured to vary the first frequency response and the second frequency response, respectively,

and wherein the controller module is further configured to control the reactance of each of the switched reactance elements.