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Adaptive inductive power supply

  • US 9,036,371 B2
  • Filed: 11/10/2009
  • Issued: 05/19/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A contactless power supply for supplying power wirelessly to a remote device having a secondary inductor in electrical communication with a load, said contactless power supply comprising:

  • a tank circuit having a primary inductor for transferring power to said remote device having said secondary inductor in electrical communication with said load, by an inductive coupling, wherein a resonant frequency of said tank circuit is based at least in part on the load;

    circuitry for applying power at a rail voltage to said tank circuit, said circuitry applying said power at an operating frequency and a duty cycle; and

    a controller coupled to said circuitry, said controller configured to monitor at least one operational characteristic of the contactless power supply, said controller configured to actively vary, based on said at least one operational characteristic, said operating frequency of said power from a first operating frequency to a second operating frequency;

    wherein said controller is configured to actively vary said resonant frequency during operation such that said resonant frequency changes from a first resonant frequency to a second resonant frequency, wherein said first operating frequency is at or near said first resonant frequency, and wherein said second operating frequency is at or near said second resonant frequency.

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