Wireless power transfer using multiple transmit antennas

• US 8,629,650 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mohammadian, Alireza Hormoz, Kasturi, Sreenivas, Kirby, Miles Alexander Lyell, Ozaki, Ernest T., Toncich, Stanley Slavko, Tran, Allen Minh-Triet
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US12/249,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/502 the energy repeater being integrated together with the emitter or the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer including a plurality of antenna circuits spatially arranged and each including an antenna configured to resonate and generate a near field coupling mode region thereabout in response to a driving signal from a power amplifier. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to control activation of resonance of each of the plurality of antenna circuits. The method for wirelessly charging includes driving a signal from a power amplifier and controlling activation of resonance of a plurality of antenna circuits spatially arranged and each including an antenna configured to resonate in response to the driving signal.

Claims

1. A wireless charging apparatus, comprising:

a sensing circuit configured to detect a presence or an absence of one or more receiver devices within respective charging regions of a plurality of antennas;

a processor configured to selectively activate one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas to operate at a respective resonant frequency in response to detecting the presence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more antennas, the plurality of antennas being configured to wirelessly transmit power at a level sufficient to charge or power the one or more receiver devices;

a power amplifier electrically coupled to the plurality of antennas; and

a multiplexer configured to receive a signal from the power amplifier, the processor configured to selectively activate the one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas via the multiplexer.

2. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more receiver devices detected are within different respective charging regions of at least two of the one or more antennas, and wherein the processor is configured to control the multiplexer according to a time-domain sequencing scheme to selectively activate the at least two of the one or more antennas.

3. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 2, wherein the time-domain sequencing scheme equally divides a duty cycle between the at least two of the one or more antennas.

4. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 2, wherein the time-domain sequencing scheme unequally divides a duty cycle between the at least two of the one or more antennas.

5. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 4, wherein the time-sequencing scheme is based on one of a priority of charging of the one or more receiver devices or a power requirement of the one or more receiver devices.

6. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas are one or more first antennas, wherein the processor is further configured to selectively de-activate one or more second antennas of the plurality of antennas in response to detecting the absence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more second antennas.

7. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of antennas further comprises a cloaking circuit configured to selectively prevent each of the plurality of antennas from operating at the respective resonant frequency, and wherein the processor is configured to selectively de-activate the one or more second antennas via respective cloaking circuits of the one or more second antennas.

8. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cloaking circuit of each of the plurality of antennas is configured to alter the value of a reactive element of each of the plurality of antennas.

9. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cloaking circuit of each of the plurality of antennas further comprises a switch configured to alter at least a portion of capacitance of each of the plurality of antennas.

10. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmit antenna substantially circumscribing the plurality of antennas, the transmit antenna configured to wirelessly transmit power, and wherein the plurality of antennas are further configured to wirelessly receive power from the transmit antenna and are configured to wirelessly transmit power using at least a portion of power received from the transmit antenna.

11. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing circuit comprises at least one of a motion sensor, a pressure sensor, or an image sensor.

13. The wireless charging method of claim 11, wherein detecting comprises detecting the one or more receiver devices within different respective charging regions of at least two of the one or more antennas, and wherein multiplexing the driving signal comprises multiplexing according to a time-domain sequencing scheme to switch between activating the at least two of the one or more antennas to operate at the resonant frequency.

14. The wireless charging method of claim 13, wherein multiplexing according to the time-domain sequencing scheme further comprises dividing a duty cycle equally between the at least two of the one or more antennas.

15. The wireless charging method of claim 13, wherein multiplexing according to the time-domain sequencing scheme further comprises dividing a duty cycle unequally between the at least two of the one or more antennas.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the time-sequencing scheme is based on one of a priority of charging of the one or more receiver devices or a power requirement of the one or more receiver devices.

17. The wireless charging method of claim 11, wherein the one or more antennas comprise one or more first antennas, and wherein the method further comprises de-activating one or more second antennas of the plurality of antennas in response to detecting the absence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more second antennas.

18. The wireless charging method of claim 17, wherein de-activating the one or more second antennas comprising selectively preventing the one or more second antennas from operating at the resonant frequency.

19. The wireless charging method of claim 18, wherein selectively preventing the one or more second antennas from operating at the resonant frequency comprises altering a value of a reactive element of each of the one or more second antennas.

20. The wireless charging method of claim 19, wherein altering the value of the reactive element comprises altering at least a portion of capacitance of each of the one or more second antennas.

12. A wireless charging method, comprising:

detecting a presence or absence of one or more receiver devices within respective charging regions of a plurality of antennas each configured to resonate at a respective resonant frequency and each configured to wirelessly transmit power at a level sufficient to charge the one or more receiver devices when positioned within the respective charging regions; and

selectively activating one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas to operate at the respective resonant frequency in response to detecting the presence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more antennas, wherein selectively activating the one or more antennas comprises multiplexing a driving signal to each of the one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas.

21. The wireless charging method of claim 12, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting power via a transmit antenna substantially circumscribing the plurality of antennas,

wherein the plurality of antennas are further configured to wirelessly receive power from the transmit antenna and to wirelessly transmit power using at least a portion of the power received from the transmit antenna.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting comprises detecting via at least one of a motion sensor, a pressure sensor, or an image sensor.

23. A wireless charging apparatus, comprising:

an amplifier configured to generate a driving signal at a resonant frequency;

a multiplexer comprising a plurality of switchable outputs, the multiplexer configured to receive the driving signal and configured to selectively provide the driving signal to at least one of the plurality of switchable outputs;

a sensing circuit configured to detect a presence or an absence of one or more receiver devices within respective charging regions of a plurality of antennas; and

a processor configured to selectively activate one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas via the multiplexer to operate at the resonant frequency in response to detecting the presence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more antennas, the one or more antennas being configured to wirelessly transmit power at a level sufficient to charge or power the one or more receiver devices, each of the plurality of antennas being coupled to a different one of the plurality of switchable outputs.

24. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more antennas comprises one or more first antennas and wherein the processor is further configured to selectively de-activate one or more second antennas of the plurality of antennas via the multiplexer in response to detecting the absence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more second antennas.

25. A wireless charging apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting a presence or absence of one or more receiver devices within respective charging regions of a plurality of antennas configured to resonate at a respective resonant frequency and configured to wirelessly transmit power at a level sufficient to charge the one or more receiver devices when positioned within the respective charging regions; and

means for selectively activating one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas to operate at the respective resonant frequency in response to detecting the presence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more antennas, wherein the means for selectively activating comprises means for multiplexing a driving signal to each of the one or more of the plurality of antennas.

26. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more receiver devices detected are within different respective charging regions of at least two of the one or more plurality of antennas, and wherein the means for multiplexing comprises means for multiplexing according to a time-domain sequencing scheme to selectively activate the at least two of the one or more plurality of antennas.

27. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for multiplexing according to the time-domain sequencing scheme comprises means for dividing a duty cycle equally between the at least two of the one or more of the plurality of antennas.

28. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for multiplexing according to the time-domain sequencing scheme comprises means for dividing a duty cycle unequally between the at least two of the one or more of the plurality of antennas.

29. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more of the plurality of antennas comprises one or more first antennas of the plurality of antennas and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for de-activating one or more second antennas of the plurality of antennas in response to detecting the absence of the one or more receiver devices within the respective charging regions of the one or more second antennas.

30. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for de-activating comprises means for selectively preventing the one or more second antennas from operating at the resonant frequency.

31. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for selectively preventing the one or more second antennas from operating at the resonant frequency comprises means for altering the value of a reactive element of each of the one or more second antennas.

32. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 31, wherein the means for altering the value of a reactive element comprises means for altering at least a portion of capacitance of each of the one or more second antennas.

33. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting power via a transmit antenna substantially circumscribing the plurality of means for resonating; and

means for wirelessly receiving power from the transmit antenna at the plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of antennas are configured to wirelessly transmit power using at least a portion of power received from the transmit antenna.

34. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for selectively activating comprises a processor.

35. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for detecting comprises at least one of a motion sensor, a pressure sensor, or an image sensor.