Wireless inductive power transfer
First Claim
1. An apparatus for a wireless power transfer system including a power transmitter and a power receiver, the power transmitter being arranged to generate a wireless inductive power transfer signal for powering the power receiver during a power transfer phase, the apparatus comprising:
- a first communication unit for communicating with a second communication unit of a first entity using an electromagnetic communication signal, the first entity being one of the power receive and the power transmitter;
a reference processor for measuring and storing a reference value of a characteristic of the communication signal;
a measurement unit for determining a measured value of the characteristic of the communication signal during the power transfer phase;
a comparator for comparing the measured values to the reference value; and
an initiator for triggering an entity detection process if the comparison indicates that a measured value and the reference value do not meet a similarity criterion, the entity detection process being arranged to detect a presence of an entity other than the first entity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless power transfer system includes a power receiver (105) and a power transmitter (101) generating a wireless inductive power transfer signal for powering the power receiver (105) during a power transfer phase. An apparatus, often the power transmitter (101) comprises a first communication unit (305) communicating with a second communication unit of an entity using an electromagnetic communication signal. The entity may typically be the power receiver (105). The apparatus comprises a reference processor (307) for measuring and storing a reference value of a characteristic of the communication signal and a measurement unit (309) which repeatedly during the power transfer phase determines a measured value of the characteristic. A comparator (311) compares the measured values to the reference value and an initiator (313) triggers an entity detection process if the comparison indicates that a measured value and the reference value do not meet a similarity criterion. The entity detection process detect a presence of another entity.
23 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for a wireless power transfer system including a power transmitter and a power receiver, the power transmitter being arranged to generate a wireless inductive power transfer signal for powering the power receiver during a power transfer phase, the apparatus comprising:
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a first communication unit for communicating with a second communication unit of a first entity using an electromagnetic communication signal, the first entity being one of the power receive and the power transmitter; a reference processor for measuring and storing a reference value of a characteristic of the communication signal; a measurement unit for determining a measured value of the characteristic of the communication signal during the power transfer phase; a comparator for comparing the measured values to the reference value; and an initiator for triggering an entity detection process if the comparison indicates that a measured value and the reference value do not meet a similarity criterion, the entity detection process being arranged to detect a presence of an entity other than the first entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operation for a wireless power transfer system including a power transmitter and a power receiver, the power transmitter being arranged to generate a wireless inductive power transfer signal for powering the power receiver during a power transfer phase, the method comprising:
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communicating by a first communication unit with a second communication unit of a first entity using an electromagnetic communication signal, the first entity being one of the power receiver and the power transmitter; measuring and storing a reference value of a characteristic of the communication signal; determining a measured value of the characteristic of the communication signal during the power transfer phase; comparing the measured values to the reference value; and triggering an entity detection process if the comparison indicates that a measured value and the reference value do not meet a similarity criterion, the entity detection process being arranged to detect a presence of an entity other than the first entity.
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Specification