METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING A TRANSFER OF ENERGY IN AN INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY

• US 20190181683A1
• Filed: 12/07/2017
• Published: 06/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vannucci, Giovanni, Willis, III, Thomas M., Henry, Paul Shala
• Granted Patent: US 11,018,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, generating, by a waveform generator, an alternating waveform by selectively enabling one or more switches coupled to a storage device, and supplying, by the waveform generator, the alternating voltage waveform to a winding coupled to a magnetic core of an inductive power supply to modify an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core from current alone flowing through a transmission medium coupled to the inductive power supply. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, by a waveform generator, an alternating voltage waveform by selectively enabling one or more switches coupled to a storage device; and

supplying, by the waveform generator, the alternating voltage waveform to a first winding coupled to a magnetic core of an inductive power supply to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core is magnetically coupled with an electrical wire.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first configuration of the one or more switches during a first portion of the alternating voltage waveform causes the storage device to discharge a first energy into the magnetic core via the first winding, and wherein a second configuration of the one or more switches during a second portion of the alternating voltage waveform causes the storage device to be charged according to a second energy supplied by the magnetic core via the first winding.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first configuration of the one or more switches and the second configuration of the one or more switches are a same configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a configuration of the one or more switches during a portion of the alternating voltage waveform disconnects the first winding from the storage device, and wherein the configuration of the one or more switches further causes a short circuit in the first winding.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first configuration of the one or more switches during a first portion of the alternating voltage waveform causes a positive slope in the alternating magnetic flux, wherein a second configuration of the one or more switches during a second portion of the alternating voltage waveform causes a constant flux in the alternating magnetic flux, and wherein a third configuration of the one or more switches during a third portion of the alternating voltage waveform causes a negative slope in the alternating magnetic flux.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the waveform generator is configured to cause the alternating magnetic flux to at least approximate a predetermined flux level that magnetizes the magnetic core, regardless of an amount of current that is flowing through the electrical wire.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternating magnetic flux is increased, compared to a magnetic flux that would be in the magnetic core as a result of an electrical current alone flowing through the electrical wire.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first winding is coupled to a load, and wherein the alternating magnetic flux regulated by the alternating voltage waveform increases a transfer of harvested energy from the electrical current flowing through the electrical wire to the first winding to supply energy to the load.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a second winding is coupled to the magnetic core, wherein the second winding is coupled to a load, and wherein the alternating magnetic flux regulated by the alternating voltage waveform increases a transfer of harvested energy from the electrical current flowing through the electrical wire to the second winding to supply energy to the load.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the one or more switches to cause the storage device to be charged via a transfer of harvested energy from electrical current flowing through the electrical wire to the first winding prior to the generating and the supplying of the alternating voltage waveform.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the inductive power supply supplies power to a waveguide system, and wherein the waveguide system facilitates transmission of electromagnetic waves that propagate along a cable or the electrical wire without requiring an electrical return path.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a second winding coupled to the magnetic core is connected to a waveguide system, wherein the second winding supplies power to the waveguide system, and wherein the first winding is not connected to the waveguide system.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the alternating voltage waveform has a first operating frequency that at least approximates a second operating frequency of an alternating current flowing through the electrical wire.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core comprises an iron, nickel, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core comprises a non-contiguous first core and second core that are positioned in close proximity to each other about an outer surface of the electrical wire that facilitates a conduction of an alternating current.

16. An inductive power supply, comprising:

a magnetic core that facilitates coupling to a wire that conducts an alternating current;

a winding wrapped around a cavity of the magnetic core;

one or more switches; and

a waveform generator coupled to the one or more switches that facilitates enabling a configuration of the one or more switches to supply an alternating voltage waveform to the winding to increase an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core that would be in the magnetic core as a result of an electrical current alone flowing through the wire.

17. The inductive power supply of claim 16, wherein the waveform generator comprises a storage device that facilitates supplying energy into the magnetic core via the winding during a portion of the alternating voltage waveform.

18. The inductive power supply of claim 16, wherein the winding is coupled to a load, and wherein the increase in the alternating magnetic flux increases a transfer of a transfer of harvested energy from the electrical current flowing through the wire to the winding to supply energy to the load.

19. A system, comprising:

a waveguide system coupled to a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium facilitates a conduction of an alternating current having an electrical return path, and wherein the waveguide system facilitates transmission of electromagnetic waves that propagate along the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path; and

an inductive power supply that facilitates supplying power to the waveguide system, wherein the inductive power supply comprises;

a magnetic core that facilitates coupling to the transmission medium;

a winding wrapped around a cavity of the magnetic core; and

a waveform generator that facilitates selectively enabling a storage device to charge based on energy received from the winding and discharge energy into the winding to modify an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core that that would be in the magnetic core as a result of the alternating current alone flowing through the transmission medium, wherein the storage device is not part of a resonant circuit.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the inductive power supply further comprises one or more switches, and wherein the waveform generator facilitates configuring the one or more of switches to selectively enable the storage device to charge based on energy received from the winding and discharge energy into the winding.