Contactless energy and data transmission device and method

• US 8,198,755 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH
• Original Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH
• Inventors: Seefried, Roland, Trebbels, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fauth, Justen
• Application Number:
  US12/359,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20090189459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/18 Rotary transformers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for the contactless energy and data transmission, having a primary unit provided with a primary inductor, and a secondary unit provided with a secondary inductor. The primary and secondary units are at least temporarily so relatively positioned that between the primary inductor and the secondary inductor a transformer coupling distance is formed. Furthermore, the primary unit is set up for the contactless transmission of energy to the secondary unit and the secondary unit is designed for supplying terminals connected thereto. The device is further developed in that the primary unit has means for interrupting the energy transmission across the transformer coupling distance in energy transmission intervals and the secondary unit has means for detecting the energy transmission intervals. Further, the secondary unit has means for transmitting data in the energy transmission intervals and/or the primary unit has means for transmitting data to the secondary unit. The invention also relates to a method for the contactless energy and data transmission.

Claims

1. Device for contactless energy and data transmission,

having a primary unit provided with a primary inductor,

having a secondary unit provided with a secondary inductor, and which is set up for at least one of the connection, the supplying, and the controlling of at least one terminal device,

the primary unit and the secondary unit at least temporarily being so positioned relative to one another that a transformer coupling distance is formed between the primary inductor and the secondary inductor,

wherein the primary unit is set up for the contactless transmission of energy to the secondary unit across the transformer coupling distance and

wherein the secondary unit is set up for supplying the terminal devices by means of the energy received across the transformer coupling distance,

wherein the primary unit has means for interrupting the energy transmission across the transformer coupling distance in energy transmission intervals,

wherein the secondary unit has means for detecting the energy transmission intervals,

wherein the primary unit has means for transmitting data through the variation of at least one of the length of the energy transmission intervals and the length of the energy transmission phases to the secondary unit and

wherein the secondary unit has means for transmitting data to the primary unit across the transformer coupling distance in the energy transmission intervals.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the primary unit has a transistor section for the accelerated reduction of a residual energy in the primary inductor on interrupting the energy transmission.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the primary unit has means for monitoring a voltage across the primary inductor.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the primary unit has means for measuring a current in the primary inductor.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the secondary unit has means for measuring a voltage across the secondary inductor.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the secondary unit has a storage capacity for buffering a supply of the terminal devices.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the primary inductor is implemented as part of a resonant circuit.

8. Method for contactless energy and data transmission between a primary unit and a secondary unit, which is set up for at least one of the connecting, the supplying, and the controlling of at least one terminal device,

where the primary unit has a primary inductor and

where the secondary unit has a secondary inductor,

in which the primary unit is at least temporarily so positioned relative to the secondary unit that between the primary inductor and the secondary inductor a transformer coupling distance is formed,

in which at last temporarily energy is transmitted in contactless manner across the transformer coupling distance from the primary unit to the secondary unit for supplying the secondary unit and the connected terminal devices,

wherein the transmission of energy from the primary unit to the secondary unit is interrupted in energy transmission intervals,

wherein the energy transmission intervals are detected by the secondary unit, wherein, during the energy transmission intervals, the secondary unit transmits data across the transformer coupling distance to the primary unit and

wherein by means of at least one of the length of the energy transmission intervals and the distance between two energy transmission intervals, information is transmitted from the primary unit to the secondary unit.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the transformer coupling distance is operated outside of resonances of the secondary inductor.

10. Method according to claim 8, wherein a residual energy in the primary inductor is reduced in accelerated manner on the energy transmission interruption.

11. Method according to claim 8, wherein the primary inductor is excited with alternating current for energy transmission and wherein the alternating current is regulated by means of a current intensity measurement, a drive and a transistor bridge.

12. Method according to claim 8, wherein for detecting the energy transmission intervals through the secondary unit, evaluation takes place of a voltage across the secondary inductor.

13. Method according to claim 8, wherein the secondary inductor is supplied with current for transmitting data and the current flow through the secondary inductor is then stopped.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the secondary inductor is supplied with current for transmitting data and the current flow through the secondary inductor is then abruptly stopped.

15. Method according to claim 8, wherein for transmitting a datum with the value “

1”

in an energy transmission interval at least one of a voltage and a current pulse is transmitted and wherein for transmitting a data with the value “

0”

in an energy transmission interval no voltage and current pulse is transmitted.

16. Method according to claim 8, wherein by means of the data, information on terminal devices is transmitted.

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein by means of coded data, information on terminal devices is transmitted.