Wireless energy transfer and continuous radio station signal coexistence

• US 9,379,780 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Widmer, Hanspeter
• Primary Examiner(s): Trandai, Cindy
• Application Number:
  US13/324,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power while avoiding interference with wireless communication devices. In one aspect a wireless power transmitter apparatus is provided. The wireless power transmitter apparatus includes a transmit circuit configured to wirelessly transmit power at a transmit frequency to a first receiver device. The wireless power transmitter apparatus further includes a controller circuit configured to reduce a level of emission of the transmit circuit at a determined frequency during a period of time based on information about an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device substantially at the determined frequency to be received within the period of time.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a transmit circuit configured to wirelessly transmit power at a transmit frequency to a first receiver device; and

a controller circuit configured to adjust the transmit frequency from a first frequency to a second frequency in response to information indicating interference with an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device at a third frequency, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and the third frequency.

2. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first frequency is substantially within a bandwidth of frequencies that may interfere with the information signal.

3. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to reduce a level of emission of the transmit circuit to avoid interfering with the transmitted information signal.

4. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receiver circuit configured to receive a command from a communications transmitter, wherein the command comprises information indicating a transmission period of time of the information signal.

5. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 4, wherein second receiver device comprises the communications transmitter.

6. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 4, wherein the period of time is determined by a schedule of information signal transmissions to the second receiver device.

7. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to disable the transmit circuit during the period of time.

8. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 4, wherein the period of time is greater than one minute.

9. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to adjust the transmit frequency of the transmit circuit from the first frequency to the second frequency during the period of time.

10. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 9, wherein a periodicity of adjusting the transmit frequency is at least once a day.

11. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to reduce a level of wireless power transmission.

12. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second receiver device comprises a radio controlled clock.

13. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmit frequency is within a range of 10 kHz to 150 kHz.

14. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receiver device is configured to charge or power a battery of an electric vehicle.

15. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receiver device is configured to feed power back to a power distribution network.

16. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third frequency is one of a fundamental frequency, a harmonic frequency, a sideband frequency, or a guard band frequency of the first frequency.

17. A method for wirelessly transmitting power while avoiding interference with information signal transmissions, the method comprising;

wirelessly transmitting power at a transmit frequency from a transmit circuit to a first receiver device; and

adjusting the transmit frequency from a first frequency to a second frequency in response to information indicating interference with an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device at a third frequency, the second frequency being different than the first frequency and the third frequency.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first frequency is substantially within a bandwidth of frequencies that may interfere with the information signal.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising reducing a level of emission of wireless power transmission to the first receiver device to avoid interfering with the information signal.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving a command from a communications transmitter, wherein the command comprises information indicating a transmission period of time of the information signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second receiver device comprises the communications transmitter.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the period of time is determined by a schedule of information signal transmissions to the second receiver device.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising reducing a level of wireless power transmission during the period of time.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising disabling a transmit circuit used to wirelessly output power during the period of time.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the period of time is greater than one minute.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein adjusting the transmit frequency comprises adjusting the transmit frequency from the first frequency to the second frequency during the period of time.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein adjusting the transmit frequency comprises adjusting the transmit frequency from the first frequency to the second frequency at least once a day.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the transmit frequency comprises adjusting the transmit frequency from the first frequency to the second frequency in response to information indicating an operating frequency of the second receiver device.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the second receiver device comprises a radio controlled clock.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmit frequency is within a range of 10 kHz to 150 kHz.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the first receiver device is configured to charge or power a battery of an electric vehicle.

32. The method of claim 17, wherein the first receiver device is configured to feed power back into the power distribution network.

33. The method of claim 17, wherein the third frequency is one of a fundamental frequency, a harmonic frequency, a sideband frequency, or a guard band frequency of the first frequency.

34. A wireless power transmitter apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting power at a transmit frequency to a first receiver device; and

means for adjusting the transmit frequency from a first frequency to a second frequency in response to information indicating interference with an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device at a third frequency, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and the third frequency.

35. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the first frequency is substantially within a bandwidth of frequencies that may interfere with the second means for receiving.

36. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for reducing a level of emission generated by the power transmitting means to avoid interfering with the transmission of the information signal.

37. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for receiving a command from a communications transmitter, wherein the command comprises information indicating a transmission period of time of the information signal.

38. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 37, wherein the second receiver device comprises the communications transmitter.

39. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 37, wherein the period of time is determined by a schedule of information signal transmissions to the second receiver device.

40. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 37, further comprising means for disabling the means for wirelessly transmitting power during the period of time.

41. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 37, wherein the period of time is greater than one minute.

42. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for reducing a level of wireless power transmission of the power transmitting means.

43. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 42, wherein the reducing means is further configured to reduce the level of wireless power transmission during the period of time.

44. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 43, wherein a periodicity of reducing the level of wireless power transmission is at least once a day.

45. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the adjusting means is configured to adjust the transmit frequency from the first frequency to the second frequency in response to information indicating an operating frequency of the second receiver device.

46. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the second receiver device comprises a radio controlled clock.

47. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the transmit frequency is within a range of 10 kHz to 150 kHz.

48. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the first receiver device is configured to charge or power a battery of an electric vehicle.

49. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the first receiver device is configured to feed power back into a power distribution network.

50. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the means for wirelessly transmitting power comprises a transmit circuit comprising a transmit coil, and wherein the first receiver device comprises a receive circuit comprising a receive coil.

51. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the adjusting means comprises a controller circuit.

52. The wireless power transmitter apparatus of claim 34, wherein the third frequency is one of a fundamental frequency, a harmonic frequency, a sideband frequency, or a guard band frequency of the first frequency.