METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER UTILIZING TRANSMIT COILS DRIVEN BY PHASE-SHIFTED CURRENTS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring charging power via a wireless field, comprising:
- a first driver circuit having a first output impedance and configured to drive a plurality of couplers with a first current having a first phase to generate the wireless field;
a second driver circuit configured to drive the plurality of couplers with a second current having a second phase; and
a controller configured to;
cause the second driver circuit to sequentially drive each of the plurality of couplers with the second current while causing the first driver circuit to simultaneously drive the other couplers of the plurality of couplers with the first current,identify a subset of the plurality of couplers based on detecting a change from the first output impedance in response to each of the plurality of couplers being sequentially driven with the second current, andselectively energize the subset of the plurality of couplers via one or both of the first and second driver circuits to wirelessly transfer the charging power.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus comprises a first driver circuit having a first output impedance while driving a plurality of couplers with a first current having a first phase to generate a wireless field. A second driver circuit drives the plurality of couplers with a second current having a second phase. A controller causes the second driver circuit to sequentially drive each of the plurality of couplers with the second current while causing the first driver circuit to simultaneously drive the other couplers with the first current. The controller identifies a subset of the plurality of couplers based on detecting a change from the first output impedance in response to each of the plurality of couplers being sequentially driven with the second current. The controller selectively energizes the subset of the plurality of couplers via one or both of the first and second driver circuits to wirelessly transfer the charging power.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring charging power via a wireless field, comprising:
-
a first driver circuit having a first output impedance and configured to drive a plurality of couplers with a first current having a first phase to generate the wireless field; a second driver circuit configured to drive the plurality of couplers with a second current having a second phase; and a controller configured to; cause the second driver circuit to sequentially drive each of the plurality of couplers with the second current while causing the first driver circuit to simultaneously drive the other couplers of the plurality of couplers with the first current, identify a subset of the plurality of couplers based on detecting a change from the first output impedance in response to each of the plurality of couplers being sequentially driven with the second current, and selectively energize the subset of the plurality of couplers via one or both of the first and second driver circuits to wirelessly transfer the charging power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for wirelessly transferring charging power, comprising:
-
sequentially driving each of a plurality of couplers with a second current having a second phase by a second driver circuit while simultaneously driving the other couplers of the plurality of couplers with a first current having a first phase by a first driver circuit, identifying a subset of the plurality of couplers based on detecting a change in an output impedance of the first driver circuit from a first output impedance present when the first driver circuit drives the first current into the plurality of couplers in response to each of the plurality of couplers being sequentially driven with the second current, and selectively energizing the subset of the plurality of couplers to wirelessly transfer the charging power. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring charging power, comprising:
-
means for providing a first current having a first phase, the means for providing a first current having a first output impedance while driving a plurality of couplers with the first current; means for providing a second current having a second phase for driving one or more of the plurality of couplers with the second current; means for sequentially driving each of the plurality of couplers with the second current while simultaneously driving the other couplers of the plurality of couplers with the first current; means for identifying a subset of the plurality of couplers based on detecting a change from the first output impedance; and means for selectively energizing the subset of the plurality of couplers via one or both of the means for providing the first current and the means for providing the second current to wirelessly transfer the charging power. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring charging power, comprising:
-
a plurality of couplers each configured to wirelessly couple the charging power to one or more receiver couplers; a first driver circuit configured to drive the plurality of couplers with a first current; a second driver circuit configured to drive the plurality of couplers with a second current; and a controller configured to; cause the first driver circuit to energize a subset of the plurality of couplers with the first current to wirelessly couple the charging power to a receiver coupler positioned to couple the charging power via the subset of the plurality of couplers, and adjust an output impedance presented to the first driver circuit by causing the second driver circuit to energize one or more couplers of the plurality of couplers not included in the subset of the plurality of couplers with the second current while causing the first driver circuit to energize the subset of the plurality of couplers with the first current. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
-
Specification