Wireless charging system

• US 8,531,153 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2009
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• 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., Nguyen, Hai D., Taylor, Joshua B., Schwannecke, Joshua K., Norconk, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US12/499,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

The present invention provides wireless power supply systems that wirelessly supply power to a remote device for rapidly charging a charge storage capacitor, which charges a battery with the power stored in the charge storage capacitor. This allows the remote device to be positioned near the inductive power supply for rapid charging of the charge storage capacitor and allows battery charging to continue even after the remote device is removed from the inductive power supply.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system comprising:

an inductive power supply for supplying wireless power; and

a remote device separable from said inductive power supply, wherein said remote device includes a secondary power circuit, a charge storage capacitor, a charging subcircuit, and a battery, said secondary power circuit is electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said secondary power circuit is configured to receive wireless power from said inductive power supply and rapidly charge said charge storage capacitor, said charging subcircuit is electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said battery, wherein said charging subcircuit is configured to charge said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor;

wherein said secondary power circuit is configured to open the current path from said secondary power circuit to said charge storage capacitor in response to said charge storage capacitor reaching a predetermined voltage.

2. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein said charging subcircuit is capable of charging said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor when said secondary power circuit is removed from said inductive power supply.

3. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein said remote device is capable of operating using power stored in said charge storage capacitor.

5. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein said charging subcircuit prevents said battery from leaking power into said charge storage capacitor.

17. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

23. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein said charge storage capacitor is disconnected from said secondary power circuit in response to said charge storage capacitor reaching said predetermined voltage, and wherein said charging subcircuit is configured to charge said battery with power received in said secondary power circuit when said charge storage capacitor is disconnected from said secondary power circuit and when said remote device is in proximity to said inductive power supply.

4. A wireless charging system comprising:

an inductive power supply for supplying wireless power; and

a remote device separable from said inductive power supply, wherein said remote device includes a secondary power circuit, a charge storage capacitor, a charging subcircuit, and a battery, said secondary power circuit is electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said secondary power circuit is configured to receive wireless power from said inductive power supply and rapidly charge said charge storage capacitor, said charging subcircuit is electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said battery, wherein said charging subcircuit is configured to charge said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor;

wherein said wireless charging system includes a communication system for communicating at least one of when said charge storage capacitor is fully charged, and when said charge storage capacitor needs additional charging.

18. The wireless charging system of claim 4 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

6. A remote device for receiving wireless power from an inductive power supply, said remote device comprising:

a secondary power circuit configured to receive wireless power;

a charge storage capacitor electrically connected to said secondary power circuit, wherein said secondary power circuit is configured to rapidly charge said charge storage capacitor;

a battery; and

a charging subcircuit electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said battery, wherein said charging subcircuit is configured to charge said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor;

wherein said secondary power circuit includes a charging switch to open the current path from said secondary power circuit to said charge storage capacitor in response to said charge storage capacitor reaching a predetermined voltage.

7. The remote device of claim 6 wherein said remote device is capable of operating using power stored in said charge storage capacitor.

9. The remote device system of claim 6 wherein said charging subcircuit prevents said battery from leaking power into said charge storage capacitor.

19. The remote device of claim 6 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

24. The remote device of claim 6 wherein said charge storage capacitor is disconnected from said secondary power circuit in response to said charge storage capacitor reaching said predetermined voltage, and wherein said charging subcircuit is configured to charge said battery with power received in said secondary power circuit when said charge storage capacitor is disconnected from said secondary power circuit and when said remote device is in proximity to the inductive power supply.

8. A remote device for receiving wireless power from an inductive power supply, said remote device comprising:

a secondary power circuit configured to receive wireless power;

a charge storage capacitor electrically connected to said secondary power circuit, wherein said secondary power circuit is configured to rapidly charge said charge storage capacitor;

a battery; and

a charging subcircuit electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said battery, wherein said charging subcircuit is configured to charge said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor;

wherein said remote device includes a communication system for communicating at least one of when said charge storage capacitor is fully charged and when said charge storage capacitor needs additional charging.

20. The remote device of claim 8 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

10. A method for rapidly charging the battery of a remote device, said method comprising:

generating an electromagnetic field with an inductive power supply;

positioning a remote device with a secondary power circuit in the electromagnetic field to induce electrical power within the secondary power circuit;

rapidly charging a charge storage capacitor in the secondary power circuit with the induced power;

charging the battery of the remote device with the power stored in the charge storage capacitor; and

in response to reaching a predetermined voltage in the charge storage capacitor, opening a charging switch to open the current path from the secondary power circuit to the charge storage capacitor.

11. The method of claim 10 including:

sending charge information from the secondary power circuit to the inductive power supply; and

adjusting operation of the inductive power supply based on the charge information received from the secondary power circuit.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said adjusting operation of the inductive power supply includes adjusting at least one of the operating frequency, the duty cycle, and the input rail voltage of the inductive power supply.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein charging the battery in the remote device can continue even after the remote device is removed from the inductive power supply.

21. The method of claim 10 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

25. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of opening a charging switch includes disconnecting the charge storage capacitor from the secondary power circuit, and further comprising the step of charging the battery with power received in said secondary power circuit when the charge storage capacitor is disconnected from the secondary power circuit and when the remote device is in proximity to the inductive power supply.

14. A method for rapidly charging a battery in a remote device, said method comprising:

wirelessly receiving power from an inductive power supply;

rapidly charging a charge storage capacitor with power using the wireless power received from the inductive power supply;

charging the battery in the remote device with the power stored in the capacitor at a rate appropriate for the battery; and

in response to reaching a predetermined voltage in the charge storage capacitor, opening a charging switch to open the current path from a secondary power circuit to the charge storage capacitor.

15. The method of claim 14 including:

sending charge information from the remote device to the inductive power supply; and

adjusting operation of the inductive power supply based on the charge information received from the remote device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said adjusting operation of the inductive power supply includes adjusting at least one of the operating frequency, the duty cycle, and the input rail voltage of the inductive power supply.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of opening a charging switch includes disconnecting the charge storage capacitor from the secondary power circuit, and further comprising the step of charging the battery with power received in said secondary power circuit when the charge storage capacitor is disconnected from the secondary power circuit and when the remote device is in proximity to the inductive power supply.