SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SENSOR BASED COIL MONITORING OF A WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER

• US 20160336809A1
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: GLUZMAN, ILYA, MACH, ELIESER, MOSHKOVICH, OZ, GREENWALD, OOLA, RAVEH, GUY, KDOSHIM, MOTI, SALHUV, AMIR
• Application Number:
  US15/152,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20160336809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0504 Subcutaneous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0563 specially adapted for defibrillation or cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36507 controlled by gradient or slope of the heart potential
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/395 for treating atrial fibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

The disclosure herein relates to systems and methods for wireless power transfer between a wireless power outlet and a wireless power receiver. In particular, the disclosure relate to a wireless power receiver enabled to monitor a sensor arrangement associated with the secondary coil of the power receiver and further determine its orientation relative to the wireless power outlet and calculate the electric power loss for an orientation. Furthermore, a monitoring unit associated with the wireless power receiver is operable to receive power transfer and orientation data from the sensor arrangement such as voltage, current, capacity, resistance, temperature and the like, to calculate efficiency data from the sensor data and further operable to communicate the efficiency data to a communication and control.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver connectable with an electrical hosting device and configured to draw power from a wireless power outlet, said wireless power receiver comprising:

a secondary coil connectable to an electric load operable to couple with a primary coil associated with said wireless power outlet;

a communication and control unit operable to communicate power control signals to said wireless power outlet;

a plurality of electrical sensors associated with said secondary coil configured to sense an orientation of the secondary coil relative to the primary coil; and

a monitoring unit operable to communicate with a processing unit, said monitoring unit configured to monitor power transfer parameters associated with each of said plurality of electrical sensors;

wherein said monitoring unit is operable to receive orientation data from said plurality of electrical sensors, to calculate efficiency data from said sensor data and further operable to communicate said efficiency data to said communication and control unit.

2. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein said plurality of electrical sensors are selected from a group consisting of:

a sensing coil, a magnetic field sensor, a temperature sensor, a position sensor and combinations thereof.

3. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein said orientation data comprises data pertaining to at least one of:

at least one parameter determining a location, at least one parameter determining a direction and at least one parameter determining a displacement.

4. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein said efficiency data determines an estimated level of electrical power loss at said orientation.

5. The wireless power receiver of claim 4, is further operable to determine a desired orientation such that said estimated electrical power loss is less than a pre-configured efficiency threshold.

6. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein said communication and control unit is further configured to provide a user indication of said orientation.

7. The wireless power receiver of claim 4, is further operable to determine a desired orientation such that said estimated electrical power loss is beneath a pre-configured efficiency threshold.

8. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein said power transfer parameters are selected from a group consisting of:

a voltage parameter, a current parameter, a capacitance parameter, a resistance parameter, a temperature value and combinations thereof.

9. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein said processing unit is associated with said electrical hosting device.

10. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein said processing unit is associated with said wireless power receiver.

11. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, further comprising a metal shielding between said wireless power receiver and said electrical hosting device, said metal shielding operable to reduce the electric power loss associated with metallic components of said electrical hosting device beneath an efficiency threshold setting.

12. A method for use in a wireless power receiver associated with a hosting electrical device, said wireless power receiver operable to couple with a wireless power transmitter and configured to transmit communication signals to trigger wireless power transfer, said wireless power receiver comprises:

a secondary coil connectable to an electric load operable to couple with a primary coil associated with said wireless power outlet;

a communication and control unit operable to communicate power control signals to said wireless power outlet;

a plurality of electrical sensors associated with said secondary coil; and

a plurality of electrical sensors associated with said secondary coil configured to sense an orientation of the secondary coil relative to the primary coil; and

a monitoring unit operable to communicate with a processing unit, said monitoring unit configured to monitor power transfer parameters associated with each of said plurality of electrical sensors;

said method for operating said wireless power receiver in an improved manner such that the electrical power loss associated with said wireless power receiver during wireless power transfer are beneath a configurable threshold, the method comprising the steps of;

said communication and control unit, coupling with said wireless power transmitter;

said communication unit and control, triggering wireless power transfer from said wireless power transmitter;

said monitoring unit, receiving orientation data from said plurality of electrical sensors;

said monitoring unit, analyzing said power transfer parameters of each of said plurality of electrical sensors; and

said monitoring unit, calculating efficiency data from said orientation data received.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said orientation data comprises data pertaining to at least one of:

a location of said secondary coil relative to primary coil;

a direction of said secondary coil relative to primary coil; and

a displacement of said secondary coil relative to primary coil.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising, providing an indication of an estimated level of electrical power loss associated with said wireless power receiver, from said calculated efficiency data at the time of wireless power transfer, using a user interface.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising, providing an indication of a current orientation of said secondary coil associated with said wireless power receiver relative to said primary coil associated with said wireless power transmitter, using a user interface.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising, calculating an optimized orientation of said secondary coil relative to said primary coil, said optimized orientation having an estimated level of electrical power loss beneath a beneath an efficiency threshold setting.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, providing an indication of said optimized orientation, using a user interface.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising, providing an indication of said estimated level of electrical power loss and said efficiency threshold setting, using a user interface.

19. The method of claim 12 further using at least one of a visual interface or an audio interface as a user interface.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said power transfer parameters are selected from a group consisting of:

a voltage parameter, a current parameter, a capacitance parameter, a resistance parameter, a temperature parameter and combinations thereof.