Apparatus and method for lost power detection

• US 9,543,782 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Carobolante, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US14/489,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20160087476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 307/104, 455/573
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An apparatus and method for lost power detection are described. In one implementation, an apparatus for wirelessly transferring power includes an antenna configured to provide wireless power to a chargeable device sufficient to charge or power the chargeable device positioned within a charging region of the antenna. The apparatus further includes a receiver configured to receive from the chargeable device a measurement of a first amount of energy received by the chargeable device over a first period of time. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to measure a second amount of energy provided by the antenna over a second period of time, compare the first amount of energy to the second amount of energy, and determine whether another object is absorbing power provided via the antenna based at least in part on comparing the first amount and the second amount of energy.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring power, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to provide wireless power to a chargeable device sufficient to charge or power the chargeable device positioned within a charging region of the antenna;

a receiver configured to receive from the chargeable device a measurement of a first amount of energy received by the chargeable device over a first period of time, wherein the first amount of energy is determined based upon an integral of an amount of power received by the chargeable device over the first period of time; and

a processor configured to;

determine a second amount of energy provided by the antenna over a second period of time, based upon an integral of an amount of power provided by the antenna over a second period of time;

compare the first amount of energy received from the chargeable device to the second amount of energy provided by the antenna over the second period; and

determine whether an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the antenna based at least in part on comparing the first amount and the second amount of energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first period of time is substantially the same as the second period of time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first period of time comprises a time period greater than 250 milliseconds.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to sample the power provided by the antenna at a certain time interval.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first period of time comprises a time period greater than the time interval for sampling the power provided by the antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the integral of the amount of power provided by the antenna over the second period of time, at least in part, by determining a sum of a product of a first current value and a first voltage value at a first time and a product of a second current value and a second voltage value at a second time.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a multiplier cell and an integrator circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the multiplier cell comprises a Gilbert multiplier cell.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the antenna when a difference between the first amount received from the chargeable device and the second amount of energy provided by the antenna satisfies a threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the antenna is further configured to reduce or discontinue providing power to the chargeable device upon the processor determining the object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the antenna.

11. A method for wirelessly transferring power, the method comprising:

transmitting power from a transmitter at a power level sufficient to power or charge a chargeable device positioned within a charging region;

receiving from the chargeable device a measurement of a first amount of energy received by the chargeable device over a first period of time, wherein the first amount of energy is determined based upon an integral of an amount of power received by the chargeable device over the first period of time;

determining a second amount of energy provided by the transmitter over a second period of time, based upon an integral of an amount of power provided by the antenna over a second period of time;

comparing the first amount of energy received from the chargeable device over the first period to the second amount of energy provided by the transmitter over the second period; and

determining whether an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the transmitter based at least in part on comparing the first amount and the second amount of energy.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first period of time is substantially the same as the second period of time.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising sampling the power provided by the transmitter at a certain time interval.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the integral of the amount of power provided comprises determining a sum of a product of a first current value and a first voltage value at a first time and a product of a second current value and a second voltage value at a second time.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power comprises determining whether a difference between the first amount of energy received from the chargeable device and the second amount of energy provided by the transmitter satisfies a threshold.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising reducing or discontinuing transmitting power to the chargeable device upon the processor determining the object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the transmitter.

17. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring power, the apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting power at a power level sufficient to power or charge a chargeable device positioned within a charging region;

means for receiving from the chargeable device a measurement of a first amount of energy received by the chargeable device over a first period of time, wherein the first amount of energy is determined based upon an integral of an amount of power received by the chargeable device over the first period of time;

means for determining a second amount of energy provided by the transmitting means over a second period of time, based upon an integral of an amount of power provided by the antenna over a second period of time;

means for comparing the first amount of energy received from the chargeable device over the first period to the second amount of energy provided by the transmitting means over the second period; and

means for determining whether an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the transmitting means based at least in part on comparing the first amount and the second amount of energy.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first period of time is substantially the same as the second period of time.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for sampling the power provided by the transmitting means at a certain interval.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for determining the integral of the amount of power provided comprises means for determining a sum of a product of a first current value and a first voltage value at a first time and a product of a second current value and a second voltage value at a second time.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for determining an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the transmitting means comprises means for determining when a difference between the first amount of energy received from the chargeable device and the second amount of energy provided by the transmitting means satisfies a threshold.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for reducing or discontinuing transmitting power to the chargeable device upon the determining means determining the object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via transmitting means.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of:

transmitting power from a transmitter at a power level sufficient to power or charge a chargeable device positioned within a charging region;

receiving from the chargeable device a measurement of a first amount of energy received by the chargeable device over a first period of time, wherein the first amount of energy is determined based upon an integral of an amount of power received by the chargeable device over the first period of time;

determining a second amount of energy provided by the transmitter over a second period of time, based upon an integral of an amount of power provided by the antenna over a second period of time;

comparing the first amount of energy received from the chargeable device over the first period to the second amount of energy provided by the transmitter over the second period; and

determining whether an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the transmitter based at least in part on comparing the first amount and the second amount of energy.

24. The medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions that would cause a processor to perform a method of sampling the power provided by the transmitter at a certain interval.

25. The medium of claim 23, wherein determining whether an object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power comprises determining whether a difference between the first amount of energy received from the chargeable device and the second amount of energy provided by the transmitter satisfies a threshold.

26. The medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions that would cause a processor to perform a method of reducing or discontinuing transmitting power to the chargeable device upon the processor determining the object other than the chargeable device is absorbing power provided via the transmitter.