Inductive power supply system with multiple coil primary

• US 8,338,990 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Mollema, Scott A., Schwannecke, Joshua K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/403,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20090230777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2871 Pancake coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An inductive power supply including multiple tank circuits and a controller for selecting at least one of the tank circuits in order to wirelessly transfer power based on received power demand information. In addition, a magnet may be used to align multiple remote devices with the inductive power supply. In one embodiment, different communication systems are employed depending on which coil is being used to transfer wireless power.

Claims

1. An inductive power supply for supplying wireless power to a remote device, said inductive power supply comprising:

a segmented primary including a plurality of primary segments, said segmented primary energizable to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device;

a plurality of switches; and

a controller for selectably configuring said switches to configure said plurality of primary segments of said segmented primary between a plurality of different series and parallel electrical configurations.

2. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary to accommodate secondary power and coupling requirements.

3. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary as a function of power demand information received from the remote device.

4. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary between a parallel electrical configuration, a parallel/series electrical configuration, and a series electrical configuration.

5. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary to provide a different number of realized turns in each of said plurality of different electrical configurations.

6. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary to provide different realized gauge value in each of said plurality of different electrical configurations.

7. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of primary segments includes a plurality of wire strands.

8. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said plurality of primary segments are a plurality of litz wire primary segments.

9. The inductive power supply of claim 1 wherein said plurality of different series and parallel electrical configurations each have a different amount of inductance.

10. A method of operating an inductive power supply for supplying wireless power to a remote device, said method comprising:

providing a segmented primary including a plurality of primary segments, said segmented primary energizable to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device;

providing a plurality of switches; and

selectably configuring said plurality of switches to configures said plurality of primary segments of said segmented primary between a plurality of different series and parallel electrical configurations.

11. The method of operating the inductive power supply of claim 10 including selectably configuring said segmented primary to accommodate secondary power and coupling requirements.

12. The method of operating the inductive power supply of claim 10 including selectably configuring said segmented primary as a function of power demand information received from the remote device.

13. The method of operating the inductive power supply of claim 10 including selectably configuring said segmented primary between a parallel electrical configuration, a parallel/series electrical configuration, and a series electrical configuration.

14. The method of operating the inductive power supply of claim 10 including selectably configuring said segmented primary to provide a different number of realized turns in each of said plurality of different configurations.

15. The method of operating the inductive power supply of claim 10 including selectably configuring said segmented primary to provide a different realized gauge value in each of said plurality of different configurations.

16. The method of operating the inductive power supply of claim 10 wherein each of said plurality of primary segments includes a plurality of wire strands.

17. The inductive power supply of claim 10 wherein said plurality of primary segments are a plurality of litz wire primary segments.

18. The inductive power supply of claim 10 wherein said plurality of different series and parallel electrical configurations each have a different amount of inductance.

19. An inductive power supply for supplying wireless power to a remote device, said inductive power supply comprising:

a segmented primary means, said segmented primary means energizable to transfer power wirelessly to the remote device;

a plurality of switches; and

a controller for selectably configuring said plurality of switches to configure said segmented primary means between a plurality of different series and parallel electrical configurations.

20. The inductive power supply of claim 19 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary means to accommodate secondary power and coupling requirements.

21. The inductive power supply of claim 19 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary means as a function of power demand information received from the remote device.

22. The inductive power supply of claim 19 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary means between a parallel electrical configuration, a parallel/series electrical configuration, and a series electrical configuration.

23. The inductive power supply of claim 19 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary to provide a different number of realized turns in each of said plurality of different electrical configurations.

24. The inductive power supply of claim 19 wherein said controller is programmed to selectably configure said segmented primary to provide different realized gauge value in each of said plurality of different electrical configurations.

25. The inductive power supply of claim 19 wherein said segmented primary means is a segmented litz wire primary means.

26. The inductive power supply of claim 19 wherein said plurality of different series and parallel electrical configurations each have a different amount of inductance.