Adaptive power control for wireless charging of devices

• US 8,823,319 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Von Novak, William H. III, Toncich, Stanley Slavko, Braden, Stanton C., Fevrier, Ian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US13/918,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmit antenna generates an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power from the transmit antenna to a plurality of receiver devices. A controller is operably coupled to the transmit antenna. The controller determines a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices disposed within the region, and adjusts the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a transmit antenna configured to generate an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power from the transmit antenna to a plurality of receiver devices; and

a controller operably coupled to the transmit antenna, the controller being configured to;

determine a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices which are allocated percentages of the power therebetween and disposed within the region, and

adjust the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive power requirements from the plurality of receiver devices and control the transmit antenna to sequentially charge the plurality of receiver devices based at least in part on the received power requirements.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a power level to share the transferred power between the plurality of receiver devices.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the power level of the electromagnetic field responsive to a power level request received from one of the plurality of receiver devices.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the amount of power needed to substantially fully charge the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices to determine the power allocation.

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the power requirement comprises at least one of the following:

a desired power level, the maximum power level, a desired current level, the maximum current level, a desired voltage level, or the maximum voltage level to substantially fully charge the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.

7. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a transmit antenna configured to generate an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power from the transmit antenna to a plurality of receiver devices; and

a controller operably coupled to the transmit antenna, the controller being configured to;

determine a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices disposed within the region, and

adjust the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices,

wherein the controller is further configured to determine the power allocation for the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices based at least in part on the distance between the particular receiver device and the transmit antenna.

8. The wireless power transmitter of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to allocate different powers for receiver devices that have different distances from the transmit antenna.

9. A method of wireless power transfer, comprising:

generating, at a transmit antenna, an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power from the transmit antenna to a plurality of receiver devices;

determining a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices which are allocated percentages of the power therebetween and disposed within the region; and

adjusting the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring power levels delivered to the plurality of receiver devices; and

changing charging parameters in response to the monitored power levels.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the charging parameters comprise current and voltage levels for delivery to the plurality of receiver devices.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving power requirements from the plurality of receiver devices; and

sequentially charging the plurality of receiver devices based at least in part on the received power requirements.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting an amount of power that is delivered to each receiver device by adjusting the transferred power.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining comprises determining the amount of power needed to substantially fully charge the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the power requirement comprises at least one of the following:

a desired power level, the maximum power level, a desired current level, the maximum current level, a desired voltage level, or the maximum voltage level to substantially fully charge the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.

16. A method of wireless power transfer, comprising:

generating, at a transmit antenna, an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power from the transmit antenna to a plurality of receiver devices;

determining a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices disposed within the region; and

adjusting the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices, wherein the power allocation for the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices is determined based at least in part on the distance between the particular receiver device and the transmit antenna.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining comprises allocating different powers for receiver devices that have different distances from the transmit antenna.

18. A power transfer system, comprising:

means for generating an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power to a plurality of receiver devices;

means for determining a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices which are allocated percentages of the power therebetween and disposed within the region; and

means for adjusting the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.

19. The power transfer system of claim 18, wherein the generating means comprises a transmit antenna, the determining means comprises a first controller, and the adjusting means comprises a second controller.

20. A power transfer system, comprising:

means for generating an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power to a plurality of receiver devices;

means for determining a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices disposed within the region; and

means for adjusting the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices,

wherein the determining means is configured to determine the power allocation for the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices based at least in part on the distance between the particular receiver device and the generating means.