Transmission-guard system and method for an inductive power supply

• US 9,136,734 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: Azancot, Yossi, Ben-Shalom, Amir, Greenwald, Oola, Rofe, Arik, Lei-Bovitz, Alfred, Meyuhas, Noam, Rhodes, Dov
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US12/883,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 307326-328, 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/266 Fastening or mounting the core on casing or support on coil H01F27/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/36 Electric or magnetic shields or screens movable for varying inductance H01F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/366 made of ferromagnetic material
• 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 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A transmission-guard is disclosed for preventing an inductive power outlet from transmitting power in the absence of an inductive power receiver. A transmission lock is associated with an inductive power outlet and a transmission key is associated with an inductive power receiver. The transmission lock is configured to prevent a primary inductor from connecting to the power supply unless triggered by a release signal via the transmission key.

Claims

1. A transmission-guard system for preventing an inductive power outlet from transmitting power in the absence of an inductive power receiver aligned therewith, said inductive power outlet comprising at least one primary inductor connectable to a power supply, for inductively coupling with a secondary inductor wired to an electric load, said inductive power receiver comprising said secondary inductor, wherein said transmission-guard system comprises:

the primary inductor, operable to transmit a low-energy power pulse;

the secondary inductor, operable to receive the low-energy power pulse when aligned with the primary inductor;

a pulse-activated transmission-key, incorporated within the inductive power receiver, and comprising an emitter operable to emit a release signal when triggered by the low-energy power pulse, the release signal operable to release a pulse-activated transmission lock; and

the pulse-activated transmission-lock, incorporated within the inductive power outlet, comprising a detector operable to detect said release signal, and operable to connect the primary inductor to the power supply upon detection of the release signal.

2. The transmission-guard system of claim 1, wherein the pulse-activated transmission key draws power for emitting the release signal from the low-energy power pulse transmitted to the secondary inductor.

3. The transmission-guard system of claim 1, wherein the primary inductor is configured to periodically transmit the low-energy power pulse.

4. The transmission-guard system of claim 1 further comprising a pulse-triggering transmission-lock configured to be released by a pulse-triggering transmission-key associated with an inductive power receiver, wherein the release of said pulse-triggering transmission-lock triggers the primary inductor to transmit said low-energy power pulse.

5. The transmission-guard system of claim 4 wherein said pulse-triggering transmission-lock comprises at least one magnetic switch and said pulse-triggering transmission-key comprises at least one magnetic element associated with said inductive power receiver.

6. The transmission-guard system of claim 4 wherein said pulse-triggering transmission-lock comprises an array of magnetic switches configured to be activated by a corresponding configuration of magnetic elements.

7. The transmission-guard system of claim 6 wherein each of said magnetic switches comprises a magnetic sensor.

8. The transmission-guard system of claim 6 wherein each of said magnetic elements comprises a ferrite flux guidance core.

9. The transmission-guard system of claim 1, wherein the low-energy power pulse provides power to the pulse-triggering transmission key for emitting the release signal.

10. The transmission-guard of claim 1 wherein said emitter is configured to emit an optical signal and said detector is an optical detector.

11. The transmission-guard of claim 10 wherein said optical signal is an infra-red pulse.

12. The transmission-guard of claim 1 wherein said emitter is configured to emit a magnetic signal and said detector is a magnetic detector.

13. The transmission-guard of claim 12 wherein said emitter comprises said secondary inductor.

14. The transmission-guard of claim 1 wherein said release-signal is selected from a group consisting of:

optical signals, magnetic signals, mechanical signals, audio signals, ultra-sonic signals and microwaves.

15. A pulse-activated transmission-lock configured to prevent a primary inductor of an inductive power outlet from connecting with a power supply thereby preventing said inductive power outlet from transmitting power in the absence of an inductive power receiver inductively aligned therewith, said pulse-activated transmission-lock further configured to be released by a pulse-activated transmission-key associated with an inductive power receiver, wherein said pulse-activated transmission key is triggered to emit a release signal to said pulse-activated transmission-lock upon the transmission of a low-energy power pulse from the primary inductor to a secondary inductor incorporated in said inductive power receiver, said secondary inductor being operable to receive the low-energy power pulse when aligned with the primary inductor.

16. The pulse-activated transmission lock of claim 15, wherein the transmission of said low-energy power pulse is triggered by the release of a pulse-triggering transmission lock by a pulse-triggering transmission key.

17. A pulse-activated transmission-key configured to release a pulse-activated transmission-lock associated with an inductive power outlet thereby allowing a primary inductor of an inductive power outlet to connect with a power supply such that said inductive power outlet transmits power to an inductive power receiver aligned therewith, wherein said pulse-activated transmission key is triggered to emit a release signal to said pulse-activated transmission-lock upon the transmission of a low-energy power pulse from the primary inductor to a secondary inductor incorporated in said inductive power receiver, said secondary inductor being operable to receive the low-energy power pulse when aligned with the primary inductor.

18. The pulse-activated transmission-key of claim 17, wherein the transmission of said low-energy power pulse is triggered by the release of a pulse-triggering transmission lock by a pulse-triggering transmission key.

19. A method for preventing an inductive power outlet comprising a primary inductor from transmitting power to an inductive power receiver comprising a secondary inductor in the absence of the inductive power receiver being aligned with the inductive power outlet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a pulse-activated transmission-key, incorporated within the inductive power receiver, and comprising an emitter operable to transmit a release signal when triggered by a low-energy power pulse;

providing a pulse-activated transmission-lock, incorporated within the inductive power outlet, and comprising a detector operable to detect said release signal;

triggering the activation of said pulse-activated transmission key upon said secondary inductor receiving said low-energy power pulse, such that said pulse-activated transmission lock is released; and

connecting said primary inductor to said power supply upon the release of said pulse-activated transmission lock.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

providing a pulse-triggering transmission-lock configured to be released by a pulse-triggering transmission-key associated with an inductive power receiver, wherein the release of said pulse-triggering transmission-lock triggers the primary inductor to transmit said low-energy power pulse; and

providing a pulse-triggering transmission-key configured to release said pulse-triggering transmission-lock.