WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER SYSTEM

• US 20140368052A1
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Norconk, Matthew J., Moore, Colin J., Taylor, Joshua B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,193,394 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 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3384 of the parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A wireless power receiver capable of receiving wireless power from close-coupled and mid-range wireless power supplies. The wireless power receiver includes a principal and supplemental receiver circuits. The principle receiver circuit is adjustable to operate in a close-coupled mode or a resonator mode. In close-coupled mode, the principle receiver circuit is coupled to the power input of a remote device and functions as the principle power source. In resonator-mode, the principle power circuit is electrically disconnected/isolated from the remote device and forms a closed resonant loop to function as a resonator that amplifies an electromagnetic field from a mid-range wireless power supply. The supplemental receiver circuit is coupled to the power input of the remote device and is configured to receive wireless power from the resonator and function as the power source when the principle receiver circuit is in the resonator mode.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver comprising:

a principle receiver circuit having a tank circuit coupled to a power output and a switch connected across opposite ends of said tank circuit;

a supplemental receiver circuit having an inductor coupled to a power output; and

a controller configured to selectively operate said switch in an open mode in which power induced in said tank circuit is delivered to said power output and in a closed mode in which said switch creates a closed resonant loop in said tank circuit, whereby said principle receiver circuit functions as a resonator.

2. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said tank circuit includes an inductor and a capacitor, said inductor and said capacitor selected to efficiently coupling with a close-coupled wireless power supply when said switch is in said open mode.

3. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said inductor and said capacitor are selected to efficiently couple with a mid-range wireless power supply when said switch is in said closed mode.

4. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said supplemental receiver includes a capacitor selected to efficiently couple to said closed resonant loop when said switch is in said closed mode.

5. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said switch includes a pair of field-effect transistors arranged in series on opposite sides of a reference.

6. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said principle receiver circuit includes a rectifier.

7. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said supplemental receiver circuit includes a rectifier.

8. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said supplemental receiver circuit includes a capacitor, said supplemental receiver circuit inductor and said supplemental receiver circuit capacitor forming a tank circuit, said supplemental receiver circuit including a switch connected across opposite ends of said tank circuit.

9. The wireless power receiver of claim 8 wherein said controller is configured to selectively operate said supplemental receiver circuit switch in an open mode in which power induced in said supplemental receiver circuit tank circuit is delivered to said power output and in a closed mode in which said switch creates a closed resonant loop in said supplemental receiver circuit tank circuit, whereby said supplemental receiver circuit functions as a resonator.

10. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein at least one of said principle receiver circuit and said supplemental receiver circuit includes an optional capacitor.

11. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein at least one of said principle receiver circuit and said supplemental receiver circuit includes an optional inductor.

12. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein said principle receiver circuit includes an active rectifier having a plurality of rectification switches, said principle receiver circuit switch including at least two of said rectification switches;

and

wherein said controller is configured to selectively operate at least two of said rectification switches to create a closed resonant loop in said tank circuit.

13. A wireless power receiver adaptable for use with close-coupled and mid-range wireless power supplies comprising:

a first receiver circuit having a tank circuit, said first circuit having a close-coupled configuration in which said tank circuit is coupled to a power output and a resonator configuration in which said tank circuit is electrically disconnected/isolated from said power output and forms a closed resonant loop; and

a second receiver circuit having an inductor coupled to said power output, said second receiver circuit configured to couple with said closed resonant loop.

14. The receiver of claim 13 wherein said first receiver circuit includes a switch connected across opposite ends of said tank circuit, said switch being selectively closeable to cause said tank circuit to form said closed resonant loop.

15. The receiver of claim 14 further including a controller configured to selectively operate said switch.

16. The receiver of claim 15 wherein said switch includes a pair of field-effect transistors arranged in series on opposites sides of a reference.

17. The receiver of claim 13 wherein said first receiver circuit includes a rectifier.

18. The receiver of claim 13 wherein said second receiver circuit includes a rectifier.

19. The receiver of claim 13 wherein said second receiver circuit further includes a capacitor, said second receiver circuit inductor and said second receiver circuit capacitor forming a tank circuit, said first circuit having a close-coupled configuration in which said second receiver circuit tank circuit is coupled to a power output and a resonator configuration in which said second receiver circuit tank circuit is electrically disconnected/isolated from said power output and forms a closed resonant loop.

20. The receiver of claim 19 wherein said second receiver circuit includes a switch connected across opposite ends of said second receiver circuit tank circuit.

21. The receiver of claim 20 wherein said controller is configured to selectively operate said second receiver circuit switch.

22. The receiver of claim 13 wherein said first receiver circuit includes an optional capacitor.

23. The receiver of claim 13 wherein said first receiver circuit includes an optional inductor.

24. The receiver of claim 14 wherein said first receiver circuit includes an active rectifier having a plurality of rectification switches, said first receiver circuit switch including at least two of said rectification switches;

and

wherein said controller is configured to selectively operate at least two of said rectification switches to create a closed resonant loop in said first receiver circuit tank circuit.

25. A method for operating a wireless power receiver, comprising the steps of:

providing a first receiver circuit capable of being configured to operate as a power supply circuit in close-coupled mode and as a resonator in mid-range mode;

providing a second receiver circuit capable of operating as a power supply circuit in mid-range mode, the second receiver circuit tuned to efficiently couple with the first receiver circuit when the first receiver circuit is configured to operate as the resonator;

determining whether a wireless power supply is a close-coupled wireless power supply or a mid-range wireless power supply;

upon a determination that the wireless power supply is a close-coupled wireless power supply, configuring the first receiver circuit to operate as a power supply circuit; and

upon a determination that the wireless power supply is a mid-range wireless power supply, configuring the first receiver circuit to operate as a resonator.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of providing a first receiver circuit includes providing said first receiver circuit with a tank circuit and a switch adapted to selectively short the tank circuit into a closed resonant loop;

and

wherein said step of configuring the first receiver circuit to operate as a power supply circuit includes opening said switch.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of providing a first receiver circuit includes providing said first receiver circuit with a tank circuit and a switch adapted to selectively short the tank circuit into a closed resonant loop;

and

wherein said step of configuring the first receiver circuit to operate as a resonator includes closing said switch.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the switch includes a pair of field-effect transistors.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the first receiver circuit includes an optional capacitor;

and

further including the step of selectively switching the optional capacitor into the first receiver circuit.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein said determining step includes:

obtaining a wireless communication from a wireless power supply indicative of whether the wireless power supply is a close-coupled wireless power supply or a mid-range wireless power supply; and

determining whether the wireless power supply is a close-coupled wireless power supply or a mid-range wireless power supply as a function of the communication.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein said determining step includes:

measuring a characteristic of power in at least one of the first receiver circuit and the second receiver circuit; and

determining whether the wireless power supply is a close-coupled wireless power supply or a mid-range wireless power supply as a function of the measured characteristic.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein said determining step includes:

measuring a characteristic of power in the first receiver circuit;

measuring a characteristic of power in the second receiver circuit; and

determining whether the wireless power supply is a close-coupled wireless power supply or a mid-range wireless power supply as a function of the measured characteristics.