POWER TRANSMITTER, RESONANCE-TYPE CONTACTLESS POWER SUPPLY AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20160285315A1
• Filed: 03/25/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanjing Silergy Semiconductor (Hong Kong) Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd. (Silergy Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Wang, Yu, Feng
• Granted Patent: US 10,333,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a power transmitter, a resonance-type contactless power supply and a control method. The inverter circuit is controlled to provide a high-frequency AC current with a voltage strength parameter so that a current strength parameter (e.g. a peak value or an effective value of the current) of the AC current flowing through a transmitting coil and that through a receiving coil have a predetermined relationship. Thus, an equivalent load impedance is adjusted so that the system efficiency is optimized.

Claims

1. A resonance-type contactless power supply comprising:

an inverter circuit configured to receive electric energy and to generate a first AC current with a voltage strength parameter responding to an inverter control signal;

an impedance conversion network configured to receive said first AC current and to generate a second AC current with a current strength parameter corresponding to a voltage strength parameter of said first AC current;

a transmitter-side resonant circuit comprising a transmitting coil for receiving said second AC current;

a receiver-side resonant circuit comprising a receiving coil which is separated from but electrically coupled to said transmitting coil in a contactless manner, and configured to receive electric energy from said transmitting coil and to generate a third AC current; and

a control circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal for maintaining said current strength parameter of said second AC current to be m times of a current strength parameter of said third AC current, wherein m is a square root of a ratio of an equivalent resistance of said receiving coil to an equivalent resistance of said transmitting coil, said voltage strength parameter is a voltage peak or an effective value, and said current strength parameter is a current peak or an effective value.

2. The resonance-type contactless power supply according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprise:

a receiver-side control circuit configured to obtain a second signal representing said current strength parameter of said third AC current and to transfer it in a contactless manner; and

a transmitter-side control circuit configured to receive said second signal, to detect a first signal representing said current strength parameter of said second AC current, and to generate said inverter control signal in accordance with said first signal and said second signal.

3. The resonance-type contactless power supply according to claim 2, wherein said receiver-type control circuit comprises:

a second current strength parameter detection circuit configured to detect and to obtain said second signal;

a second wireless communication circuit configured to transfer said second signal wirelessly;

said transmitter-side control circuit comprising;

a first wireless communication circuit configured to receive said second signal wirelessly;

a conversion circuit configured to convert said second signal to a third signal representing a product of said second signal and m;

a first current strength parameter detection circuit configured to detect and to obtain said first signal; and

a control signal generating circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal for minimizing a difference between said third signal and said first signal.

4. The resonance-type contactless power supply according to claim 3, wherein said control signal generating circuit comprising:

a compensation circuit configured to generate a compensation signal in response to a difference between said third signal and said first signal;

a comparator configured to compare said compensation signal and a triangular wave signal, and to generate a pulse-width modulation signal; and

a phase shift control circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal with a phase difference in response to said pulse-width modulation signal, in accordance with said pulse-width modulation signal.

5. The resonance-type contactless power supply according to claim 2, wherein said receiver-type control circuit comprises:

a second current strength parameter detection circuit configured to detect and to obtain said second signal;

a second wireless communication circuit configured to transfer said second signal wirelessly;

said transmitter-side control circuit comprising;

a first wireless communication circuit configured to receive said second signal wirelessly;

a first current strength parameter detection circuit configured to detect and to obtain said first signal; and

a conversion circuit configured to convert said first signal to a third signal representing a product of said first signal and 1/m;

a control signal generating circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal for minimizing a difference between said second signal and said third signal.

6. The resonance-type contactless power supply according to claim 5, wherein said control signal generating circuit comprising:

a compensation circuit configured to generate a compensation signal in response to a difference between said second signal and said third signal;

a comparator configured to compare said compensation signal and a triangular wave signal, and to generate a pulse-width modulation signal; and

a phase shift control circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal with a phase difference in response to said pulse-width modulation signal, in accordance with said pulse-width modulation signal.

7. A power transmitter being coupled to a power receiver comprising a receiving coil in a contactless manner and configured to provide electric energy, comprising:

an inverter circuit configured to receive electric energy and to generate a first AC current with a voltage strength parameter responding to an inverter control signal;

an impedance conversion network configured to receive said first AC current and to generate a second AC current with a current strength parameter corresponding to a voltage strength parameter of said first AC current;

a transmitter-side resonant circuit comprising a transmitting coil which is coupled to said receiving coil in a contactless manner and configured to receive said second AC current; and

a transmitter-side control circuit configured to generate an inverter control signal for maintaining a current strength parameter of said second AC current to be m times of a current strength parameter of said third AC current, wherein said third AC current flows through said receiving coil, m is a square root of a ratio of an equivalent resistance of said receiving coil to an equivalent resistance of said transmitting coil, said voltage strength parameter is a voltage peak or an effective value, and said current strength parameter is a current peak or an effective value.

8. The power transmitter according to claim 7, wherein said transmitter-side control circuit receives a second signal representing said current strength parameter of said third AC current wirelessly, detects a first signal representing said current strength parameter of said second AC current, and generates said inverter control signal in accordance with said first signal and said second signal.

9. The power transmitter according to claim 7, wherein said transmitter-side control circuit comprises:

a first wireless communication circuit configured to receive said second signal wirelessly;

a conversion circuit configured to convert said second signal to a third signal representing a product of said second signal and m;

a first current strength parameter detection circuit configured to detect and to obtain said first signal representing said current strength parameter of said second AC current; and

a control signal generating circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal for minimizing a difference between said third signal and said first signal.

10. The power transmitter according to claim 9, wherein said inverter signal generating circuit comprises:

a compensation circuit configured to generate a compensation signal in response to a difference between said third signal and said first signal;

a comparator configured to compare said compensation signal with a triangular wave signal, and to generate a pulse-width modulation signal; and

a phase shift control circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal with a phase difference in response to said pulse-width modulation signal, in accordance with said pulse-width modulation signal.

11. The power transmitter according to claim 7, wherein said transmitter-side control circuit comprises:

a first wireless communication circuit configured to receive said second signal wirelessly;

a first current strength parameter detection circuit configured to detect and to obtain a first signal representing said current strength parameter of said second AC current;

a conversion circuit configured to convert said first signal to a third signal representing a product of said first signal and 1/m; and

a control signal generating circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal for minimizing a difference between said second signal and said third signal.

12. The power transmitter according to claim 11, wherein said inverter signal generating circuit comprises:

a compensation circuit configured to generate a compensation signal in response to a difference between said second signal and said third signal;

a comparator configured to compare said compensation signal and a triangular wave signal, and to generate a pulse-width modulation signal; and

a phase shift control circuit configured to generate said inverter control signal with a phase difference in response to said pulse-width modulation signal, in accordance with said pulse-width modulation signal.

13. A control method for controlling a resonance-type contactless power supply comprising an inverter, an impedance conversion network configured to receive an first AC current and to generate a second AC current with a current strength parameter corresponding to a voltage strength parameter of said first AC current, a transmitting coil and a receiving coil being coupled to each other in a contactless manner, comprising:

controlling said voltage strength parameter of said first AC current from said inverter circuit for maintaining said current strength parameter of said second AC current to be m times of a current strength parameter of a third AC current, wherein said third AC current flows through said receiving coil, m is a square root of a ratio of an equivalent resistance of said receiving coil to an equivalent resistance of said transmitting coil, said voltage strength parameter is a voltage peak or an effective value, and said current strength parameter is a current peak or an effective value.

14. The control method according to claim 13, wherein said step of controlling said voltage strength parameter of said first AC current from said inverter circuit for maintaining said current strength parameter of said second AC current to be m times of said current strength parameter of said third AC current comprises:

obtaining a second signal representing said current strength parameter of said third AC current and transferring it in a contactless manner;

receiving said second signal, detecting and obtaining a first signal representing said current strength parameter of said second AC current; and

controlling said inverter circuit in accordance with an inverter control signal which is generated in accordance with said first signal and a product of said second signal and m.

15. The control method according to claim 13, wherein said step of controlling said voltage strength parameter of said first AC current from said inverter circuit for maintaining said current strength parameter of said second AC current to be m times of said current strength parameter of said third AC current comprises:

obtaining a second signal representing said current strength parameter of said third AC current and transferring it in a contactless manner;

receiving said second signal, detecting and obtaining a first signal representing said current strength parameter of said second AC current;

controlling said inverter circuit in accordance with an inverter control signal which is generated in accordance with a product of said first signal and 1/m and said second signal.