System and method for wireless charging

• US 9,490,649 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Moore, Douglas Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Brian
• Application Number:
  US13/495,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20130335020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• 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 50/70 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

Abstract

A system and method to integrate a wireless charging apparatus and system into an existing or a standard wall electrical receptacle housing is disclosed. The system may utilize a transmitter that includes an antenna coupled with a controller that operates with a power converter for the wireless transmittal of an electrical signal to a receiver associated with an electrical device to be charged. An indicator may be illuminated or otherwise notify a user of the charging capability or status of the wireless charging apparatus of system. The wireless charging apparatus or system may also include a standard electrical socket for providing a wired electrical connection. A standard wall plate coupled with the wall electrical receptacle housing accommodates the transmitter and the electrical socket.

Claims

1. An electrical socket comprising:

a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket spaced apart, defining a longitudinal axis and configured to be coupled to at least one of a wall, a ceiling or a floor;

a wireless charge transmitter coupled to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket and configured to transmit a wireless charging signal;

a power converter coupled to the wireless charge transmitter and configured to adjust source power from a power source to a specified power to be used by the wireless charge transmitter;

a controller coupled to the wireless charge transmitter and configured to;

authorize, using a security code, one or more receiver devices to receive the wireless charging signal,

determine a respective power level for each of the one or more authorized receiver devices,

allocate resources of the wireless charge transmitter based on the respective power level for each of the one or more authorized receiver devices, and

instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to at least one of the one or more authorized receiver devices based on the allocated resources; and

a two prong or three prong electrical receptacle coupled to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket and configured to receive a standard electrical plug to power an external device;

wherein the wireless charge transmitter and the two prong or three prong electrical receptacle are configured to be positioned within a standard wall electrical socket housing.

2. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein a standard wall plate of the standard wall electrical socket housing is mounted to the standard wall electrical socket housing when the wireless charge transmitter is positioned within the standard wall electrical socket housing.

3. The electrical socket of claim 1, further comprising a wall plate configured to replace a standard wall plate of the standard wall electrical socket housing and to minimize interference of the wireless charging signal.

4. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the wireless charge transmitter is configured to transmit the wireless charging signal using at least one of induction, resonant magnetic induction, electromagnetic radiation, microwave signals or laser signals.

5. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the wireless charge transmitter is configured to transmit a beacon to be received by the one or more authorized receiver devices and to be used by the one or more authorized receiver devices for calibration to receive the wireless charging signal.

6. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal from a respective receiver device of the one or more authorized receiver devices indicating a status of the respective receiver device and to instruct at least one of the power converter or the wireless charge transmitter to adjust the wireless charging signal based on the status of the respective receiver device.

7. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein a resonant frequency of the wireless charge transmitter is configured to be dynamically adjusted.

8. The electrical socket of claim 7, wherein the receiver device has a dynamically adjustable resonant frequency for tuning to the resonant frequency of the wireless charge transmitter.

9. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the wireless charge transmitter to stop transmitting the wireless charging signal to a respective receiver device of the one or more authorized receiver devices in response to the controller determining that the respective receiver device is not receiving the wireless charging signal.

10. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the wireless charge transmitter is configured to transmit a beacon usable by a respective receiver device of the one or more authorized receiver devices to output data suggesting a direction in which the respective receiver device should be moved to increase the strength of the wireless charging signal.

11. The electrical socket of claim 1, further comprising an electrical shield and wherein the wireless charge transmitter includes an antenna and the electrical shield is positioned between the antenna and the controller.

12. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the wireless charge transmitter is configured to transmit a beacon usable by a respective receiver device of the one or more authorized receiver devices to reposition itself to a location closer to the wireless charge transmitter than a current location of the respective receiver device.

13. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive communication from the one or more authorized receiver devices and to instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless power signal in response to receiving the communication.

14. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the source power is received directly from a wire entering the standard wall electrical socket housing without electrically traversing a plug and socket.

15. The electrical socket of claim 1, further comprising an indicator configured to indicate a current state of the wireless power transmitter from a list of states including a ready state, an error state, a reset state, a charging state and an off state.

16. The electrical socket of claim 1, further comprising a wall plate coupled to the wireless charge transmitter and configured to transmit the wireless charging signal.

17. An electrical socket comprising:

a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket defining a longitudinal axis and configured to be coupled to at least one of a wall, a ceiling or a floor;

a wireless charge transmitter coupled to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket such that the wireless charge transmitter is positioned between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket along the longitudinal axis, the wireless charge transmitter configured to be positioned within a standard electrical socket housing and configured to generate a wireless charging signal;

a timer configured to determine a time of day;

a controller coupled to the wireless charge transmitter and the timer, the controller configured to determine whether a receiver device is authorized to receive the wireless charging signal, and in response to determining that the receiver device is authorized, limit power delivery of the wireless charging signal by the wireless charge transmitter to the authorized receiver device based on the time of day and instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to the authorized receiver device, at least one of the first mounting bracket, the second mounting bracket, the wireless charge transmitter or the controller being configured to direct the wireless charging signal in a desired direction; and

a power converter coupled to the wireless charge transmitter and configured to adjust source power from a power source.

18. The electrical socket of claim 17, wherein the wireless charge transmitter is configured to transmit a beacon usable by the authorized receiver device to reposition itself to a location closer to the wireless charge transmitter than a current location of the receiver device.

19. The electrical socket of claim 17, further comprising an electrical shield and wherein the wireless charge transmitter includes an antenna and the electrical shield is positioned between the antenna and the controller.

20. The electrical socket of claim 17, wherein the wireless charge transmitter is configured to transmit a beacon usable by the authorized receiver device to output data suggesting a direction in which the authorized receiver device should be moved to increase the strength of the wireless charging signal.

21. An electrical socket comprising:

a first connection means and a second connection means configured to be coupled to a surface;

a wireless charge transmitter configured to be coupled to the first connection means and the second connection means and to generate a wireless power signal;

a power converter coupled to the wireless charge transmitter and configured to adjust source power from a power source to a specified power to be used by the wireless charge transmitter;

a controller coupled to the wireless charge transmitter and configured to;

determine a power level for each receiver device of a first set of receiver devices,

instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to at least one receiver device of the first set of receiver devices based on the power level for each receiver device of the first set of receiver devices,

determine a power level for each receiver device of a second set of receiver devices, the second set of receiver devices being different than the first set of receiver devices, and

instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to at least one receiver device of the second set of receiver devices based on the power level for each receiver device of the second set of receiver devices; and

a two prong or three prong electrical receptacle configured to be coupled to the first connection means and the second connection means and to receive a standard electrical plug,

wherein the wireless charge transmitter and the two prong or three prong electrical receptacle are configured to be positioned within a standard wall electrical socket housing.

22. The electrical socket of claim 21, further comprising an electrical shield and wherein the wireless charge transmitter includes an antenna and the electrical shield is positioned between the antenna and the controller.

23. The electrical socket of claim 21, further comprising an indicator configured to indicate a current state of the wireless power transmitter from a list of states including a ready state, an error state, a reset state, a charging state and an off state.

24. The electrical socket of claim 21, wherein the second set of receiver devices includes the first set of receiver devices and an additional receiver device that has a respective power level less than all other receiver devices in the second set, wherein to instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to the at least one receiver device of the second set includes the controller being configured to instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to the additional receiver device.

25. The electrical socket of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to the at least one receiver device of the first set of receiver devices in a first order and instruct the wireless charge transmitter to transmit the wireless charging signal to the at least one receiver device of the second set of receiver devices in a second order, the second order being different than the first order.