Adaptive impedance tuning in wireless power transmission

• US 8,796,887 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Von Novak, William H., Wheatley, Charles E., Toncich, Stanley S., Ozaki, Ernest T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US13/720,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 50/12 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A wireless power receiver includes a receive antenna for coupling with near field radiation in a coupling-mode region generated by a transmit antenna operating at a resonant frequency. The receive antenna generates an RF signal when coupled to the near filed radiation and a rectifier converts the RF signal to a DC input signal. A direct current (DC)-to-DC converter coupled to the DC input signal generates a DC output signal. A pulse modulator generate a pulse-width modulation signal to the DC-to-DC converter to adjust a DC impedance of the wireless power receiver by modifying a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal responsive to at least one of a voltage of the DC input signal, a current of the DC input signal, a voltage of the DC output signal, and a current of the DC output signal.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver, comprising:

an antenna comprising a resonant circuit having a resonant circuit impedance, the antenna configured to receive a wireless power signal from a wireless power transmitter;

a rectifier coupled to the antenna and configured to convert the wireless power signal to a direct current input signal, the direct current input signal having voltage and current signals;

a direct current-to-direct current converter having an converter impedance, the direct current-to-direct current converter configured to generate a direct current output signal based at least in part on the direct current input signal and configured to adjust the converter impedance based at least in part on a control signal, the resonant circuit impedance responsive to adjustments in the converter impedance of the direct current-to-direct current converter; and

a circuit configured to adjust the control signal based at least in part on one of the voltage signal or the current signal of the direct current input signal.

2. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the direct current-to-direct current converter is further configured to adjust a power output of the direct current output signal based in part on the voltage signal of the direct current input signal.

3. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a pulse modulator.

4. The wireless power receiver of claim 3, wherein the pulse modulator is configured to adjust the control signal based at least in part on one of a voltage of the direct current output signal and a current of the direct current output signal.

5. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a comparator configured to generate the control signal based in part on a comparison of the voltage signal of the direct current input signal and a reference signal.

6. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the pulse modulator comprises a processor configured to:

receive the direct current input signal;

sample the direct current input signal to obtain a value; and

adjust a duty cycle of the control signal based in part on the sampled value, the resonant circuit impedance responsive to the adjustment in the duty cycle of the control signal.

7. The wireless power receiver of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to sample at least one of the voltage of the direct current input signal, the current of the direct current input signal, a voltage of the direct current output signal, or a current of the direct current output signal.

8. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a processor configured to:

receive the direct current input signal; and

sample the direct current input signal to obtain a value, wherein the control signal adjustment is based in part on the sampled value from the direct current input signal to reduce a power output on the direct current output signal to a power level less than a maximum power level allowable by a chargeable device configured to receive the direct current output signal.

9. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the direct current-to-direct current converter comprises a buck converter or a boost converter configured to receive the direct current input signal, the control signal, and output the direct current output signal.

10. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein the circuit is further configured to adjust a receive bandwidth of the wireless power receiver based at least in part on the resonant circuit impedance.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a wireless power signal from a wireless power transmitter at a wireless power receiver including a resonant circuit having a resonant circuit impedance;

rectifying the wireless power signal to a direct current input signal;

converting the direct current input signal to a direct current output signal; and

adjusting a power output of the direct current output signal based in part on the direct current input signal to modify the resonant circuit impedance and to adjust a receive bandwidth of the wireless power receiver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal further comprises adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal based in part on one or more of a voltage of the direct current input signal and a current of the direct current input signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal further comprises adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal based in part on one or more of a voltage of the direct current input signal, a voltage of the direct current output signal, and a current of the direct current output signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal further comprises adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal based in part on one or more of a voltage of the direct current input signal, a current of the direct current input signal, a voltage of the direct current output signal and a current of the direct current output signal.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal is based in part on a comparison of the direct current input signal to a voltage reference signal.

16. A wireless power receiver, comprising:

means for receiving a wireless power signal from a wireless power transmitter, the receiving means having a resonant impedance;

means for rectifying the wireless power signal to a direct current input signal;

means for converting the direct current input signal to a direct current output signal; and

means for modifying an alternating current impedance of the receiving means comprising means for adjusting, based at least in part on the direct current input signal, an input converter impedance of the means for converting the direct current input signal to a direct current output signal based at least in part on the direct current input signal, to modify the resonant impedance.

17. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, wherein the means for adjusting the converter impedance of the means for converting further comprises means for adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal from the means for converting the direct current input signal to a direct current output signal based in part on one or more of a voltage of the direct current input signal and a current of the direct current input signal.

18. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, wherein the means for adjusting the converter impedance of the means for converting further comprises means for adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal from the means for converting the direct current input signal to a direct current output signal based in part on one or more of a voltage of the direct current input signal, a voltage of the direct current output signal, and a current of the direct current output signal.

19. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, wherein the means for adjusting the converter impedance of the means for converting further comprises means for adjusting the power output of the direct current output signal from the means for converting the direct current input signal to a direct current output signal based in part on one or more of the direct current input signal, a current of the direct current input signal, a voltage of the direct current output signal and a current of the direct current output signal.

20. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, further comprising means for comparing the direct current input signal to a voltage reference signal to determine a value, the means for adjusting the converter impedance of the means for converting configured to adjust the converter impedance of the means for converting based in part on the value.

21. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, further comprising means for adjusting a receive bandwidth of the resonant impedance.