Input power appraisal based wireless power system

• US 9,467,008 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiPQTUS Inc.
• Original Assignee: WiPQTUS Inc.
• Inventors: Sankar, Ganapathy, Singh, Manjit
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, James P
• Application Number:
  US13/950,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 307/149
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

A wireless power system (WPS) has a wireless power transmitter (WPT) that appraises an input power available to a power inverter from one or more input power sources. The WPT comprises the power inverter that wirelessly transmits power to a wireless power receiver (WPR) of the WPS, and a power appraiser circuit (PAC). The PAC ascertains maximum input power available to the power inverter from the input power sources. The PAC includes a variable load connected to a path carrying the input power to the power inverter or one or more input pins that receive power ratings of the input power sources that indicate available maximum input power from the input power sources. The ascertaining of maximum input power available to the power inverter from the input power sources appraises the input power available to the power inverter. The WPR receives information representing maximum power deliverable by the WPT.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power inverter configured to wirelessly transmit power to a wireless power receiver, and a power appraiser circuit configured to ascertain maximum input power available to said power inverter from one or more of a plurality of said input power sources, said wireless power transmitter configured to select the input power source that best satisfies a power requirement of said wireless power receiver;

wherein, by ascertaining said maximum input power available from said one or more of said plurality of input power sources and selecting the input power source that best satisfies said power requirement of said wireless power receiver, said wireless power transmitter is able to transmit power to said wireless power receiver in a stable manner.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein said power inverter comprises a switch network, a variable matching circuit, a control logic circuit, an analog to digital converter, a demodulator circuit and a wireless power transmit interface.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein said power appraiser circuit comprises a variable load connected to a path carrying said input power to said power inverter, said variable load configured to vary a load characteristic of said path.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein said power appraiser circuit further comprises a register unit that stores a value indicating said ascertained maximum input power available from each of said power sources to said power inverter.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 3, wherein said power appraiser circuit further comprises one of a regulator and a switch operably coupled to said variable load connected to said path carrying said input power to said power inverter.

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein said power appraiser circuit comprises one or more input pins configured to receive power ratings of said one or more input power sources.

7. The wireless power transmitter of claim 6, wherein said wireless power transmitter extracts and stores said maximum input power available information of said one or more input power sources via messages on said input pins from an external controller.

8. The wireless power transmitter of claim 6, wherein said wireless power transmitter decodes the maximum available input power of said one or more input power sources on said input pins in a digital logic fashion.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 6, wherein said wireless power transmitter decodes the maximum available input power of said one or more input power sources on said input pins in an analog fashion via an analog-to-digital converter.

10. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein said wireless power transmitter selects the input power source based on one of maximum output power limit of said wireless power receiver and an input power threshold of said wireless power receiver.

11. A wireless power receiver configured to receive an information message representing one of maximum power that said wireless power receiver can deliver to a load and maximum power that a wireless power transmitter can deliver to said wireless power receiver, said wireless power receiver comprising:

a power output circuitry configurable by said wireless power receiver to deliver power to said load not exceeding a certain maximum limit,

wherein said wireless power receiver determines the maximum amount of power that it can deliver to said load based on said received information message, configures said power output circuitry to deliver power to said load not exceeding said determined maximum amount of power, and delivers power received from said wireless power transmitter to said load in a stable manner.

12. The wireless power receiver of claim 11, wherein said power output circuitry is reconfigured by one or more of adjusting a current limit in regulators or a charge management controller operably disposed in said wireless power receiver, limiting one of a feedback voltage and a duty cycle in said regulators, and physically limiting said load operably disposed in said wireless power receiver.

13. The wireless power receiver of claim 11, wherein said wireless power receiver includes a mechanism to configure downstream active load to draw power not exceeding said maximum amount of output power that said wireless power receiver has determined based on said information message from said wireless power transmitter.

14. A method for establishing a stable power transfer from a wireless power transmitter to a wireless power receiver, said method comprising:

providing said wireless power transmitter comprising;

a power inverter configured to wirelessly transmit power to said wireless power receiver; and

a power appraiser circuit configured to ascertain maximum input power available to said power inverter from a plurality of input power sources;

appraising maximum power capability of each of said input power sources by said power appraiser circuit of said wireless power transmitter;

detecting said wireless power receiver proximal to said wireless power transmitter;

transmitting a minimum power to said wireless power receiver on said detection of said wireless power receiver by said wireless power transmitter, for powering said wireless power receiver and initiating communication with said wireless power transmitter, wherein said wireless power receiver communicates configuration information of said wireless power receiver to said wireless power transmitter via a communication link established between said wireless power transmitter and said wireless power receiver;

identifying one of said input power sources providing sufficient power to match an optimal operation requirement of said wireless power receiver obtained from said configuration information of said wireless power receiver by said wireless power transmitter;

communicating with said wireless power receiver by said wireless power transmitter based on said identification, comprising one of;

transmitting, on a successful said identification of said one of said input power sources, an information message indicating said match to said wireless power receiver; and

transmitting, on an unsuccessful said identification of said one of said input power sources, an update message containing a sub-optimal but operationally stable limit, based on a closest match to said optimal operation requirement of said wireless power receiver, by said wireless power transmitter to said wireless power receiver, wherein said wireless power receiver reconfigures said maximum output power limit based on said operationally stable limit contained in said update message from the said wireless power transmitter and transmits an acknowledgement message to the said wireless power transmitter; and

transmitting an indication to draw power within said reconfigured maximum output power limit of said wireless power receiver to said wireless power receiver by said wireless power transmitter to establish said stable power transfer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said wireless power transmitter, for a period of time following the start of power transfer, monitors for said stable power transfer behavior.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said wireless power transmitter, on detecting unstable power transfer behavior following the start of power transfer, reduces its efficiency estimates to yield new said operationally stable power limits lower than those values computed and communicated in the previous pass.