Adaptive inductive power supply
First Claim
1. A method for controlling operation of an inductive power supply system, the inductive power system including an inductive power supply having a controller and a tank circuit, the tank circuit being driven by a drive circuit at a variable operating frequency to transfer power inductively to a remote device, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing an inductive coupling between the inductive power supply and the remote device, wherein the remote device includes a secondary inductor in electrical communication with a load;
adaptively adjusting a variable impedance element of the inductive power supply to adjust a resonant frequency of the tank circuit such that the resonant frequency is at or near the variable operating frequency, wherein said adaptive adjusting occurs while the remote device is inductively coupled with the inductive power supply; and
adjusting the variable operating frequency of the inductive power supply, wherein adjusting the variable operating frequency of the inductive power supply includes adjusting an operating parameter of the inductive power supply with the controller, wherein said adjusting the variable operating frequency occurs while the remote device is inductively coupled with the inductive power supply.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A contactless power supply has a dynamically configurable tank circuit powered by an inverter. The contactless power supply is inductively coupled to one or more loads. The inverter is connected to a DC power source. When loads are added or removed from the system, the contactless power supply is capable of modifying the resonant frequency of the tank circuit, the inverter frequency, the inverter duty cycle or the rail voltage of the DC power source.
120 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for controlling operation of an inductive power supply system, the inductive power system including an inductive power supply having a controller and a tank circuit, the tank circuit being driven by a drive circuit at a variable operating frequency to transfer power inductively to a remote device, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing an inductive coupling between the inductive power supply and the remote device, wherein the remote device includes a secondary inductor in electrical communication with a load; adaptively adjusting a variable impedance element of the inductive power supply to adjust a resonant frequency of the tank circuit such that the resonant frequency is at or near the variable operating frequency, wherein said adaptive adjusting occurs while the remote device is inductively coupled with the inductive power supply; and adjusting the variable operating frequency of the inductive power supply, wherein adjusting the variable operating frequency of the inductive power supply includes adjusting an operating parameter of the inductive power supply with the controller, wherein said adjusting the variable operating frequency occurs while the remote device is inductively coupled with the inductive power supply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An inductive power supply for supplying power to a remote device, wherein the remote device includes a secondary in electrical communication with a load, said inductive power supply comprising:
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a primary configured to wirelessly couple with the secondary of the remote device to transfer power to the remote device; drive circuitry configured to drive the primary at an operating frequency, said operating frequency being variable; a variable impedance element operatively coupled to the primary, said variable impedance element capable of affecting a resonant frequency of said primary; a controller operatively coupled to said drive circuitry, said variable impedance element, and said primary, said controller programmed to; adaptively adjust said variable impedance element of said inductive power supply to adjust said resonant frequency of said primary such that said resonant frequency is at or near said operating frequency, wherein said controller is programmed to adaptively adjust said variable impedance element while the secondary of the remote device is wirelessly coupled with said inductive power supply; and adjust said operating frequency of said inductive power supply while the secondary of the remote device is wirelessly coupled with said inductive power supply such that said operating frequency is capable of varying during operation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification