Adaptive inductive power supply with communication

• US 8,855,558 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/706,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20130095758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/571, 455/572, 455/573, 455/127.1, 375/239, 363/16, 363/24, 363/26, 307/104, 307/145, 340/10.4, 342/42, 342/51, 235/492
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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: H02M 3/015 with means for adaptation of resonance frequency, e.g. by modification of capacitance or inductance of resonance circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33571 Half-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/001 : Current supply source at the exchanger providing current to substations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 : Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/25 : Circuit arrangements for protecting against overcurrent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 : Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 : the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

An adaptive inductive ballast is provided with the capability to communicate with a remote device powered by the ballast. To improve the operation of the ballast, the ballast changes its operating characteristics based upon information received from the remote device. Further, the ballast may provide a path for the remote device to communicate with device other than the adaptive inductive ballast.

Claims

1. A wireless power supply for communicating with a plurality of devices, each of the devices capable of communicating with said wireless power supply using a respective communication protocol, said wireless power supply comprising:

a primary for transferring contactless power to at least one of the devices; and

a control system operatively coupled to said primary, said control system configured to control transfer of contactless power; and

a communication system for establishing a communication link between at least two of the plurality of devices, wherein said communication system manages protocol conversion of communication received from at least one first device of the plurality of devices and transferred to a second device of the plurality of devices, wherein said communication system of said wireless power supply manages protocol conversion within the wireless power supply.

2. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one first device of the plurality of devices includes at least one remote device, wherein the second device of the plurality of devices includes a workstation;

wherein said primary is configured to transfer power to the at least one remote device; and

wherein said communication system manages protocol conversion of communication transferred between the at least one remote device and the workstation.

3. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 2 wherein said communication system exchanges information between the at least one remote device and the workstation.

4. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication system manages at least one of code conversion, buffering, data compression, error checking, synchronization, and route selection.

5. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication system collects management information.

6. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control system includes said communication system.

7. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein an interface of said communication link includes at least one of USB, Firewire, RS-232, Ethernet, WIFI, infrared, Bluetooth, and cellular.

8. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication system communicates with at least one of the plurality of devices via an inductive coupling between said primary and a secondary of the at least one device.

9. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication received from the plurality of devices includes at least one of calendar information, address information, and encoded music.

10. A method for communicating from a wireless power supply to a plurality of devices, each of the devices capable of communicating with the wireless power supply using a respective communication protocol, said method comprising:

transferring contactless power to at least one of the devices;

establishing a communication link between at least two of the plurality of devices, wherein communication is received from at least one first device of the at least two devices and transferred to a second device of the at least two devices;

managing, in the wireless power supply, protocol conversion of communication received from the at least one first device and transferred to the second device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one first device includes at least one remote device, wherein the second device includes a workstation.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transferring power to the at least one remote device; and

managing protocol conversion of communication received from the at least one remote device and transferred to the workstation.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising exchanging information between the at least one remote device and the workstation.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising managing at least one of code conversion, buffering, data compression, error checking, synchronization, and route selection.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising collecting management information related to communication transferred to the second device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising collecting management information related to communication received from the second device.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein an interface of the communication link includes at least one of USB, Firewire, RS-232, Ethernet, infrared, Bluetooth, and cellular.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating with at least one of the plurality of devices via an inductive coupling between a primary of the wireless power supply and a secondary of the at least one device.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein communication received from the at least one first device includes at least one of calendar information, address information, and encoded music.

20. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless power supply includes a control system.