Power transmitting system capable of power flashing and selective power distribution

• US 9,570,918 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Bennett, James, Rajakarunanayake, Yasantha
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US13/907,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20140346885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

A wireless power transfer system is disclosed that allows for directed power distribution. A power station that transmits the power can also transmit a distribution instruction that authorizes and/or prohibits various systems/components within a receiver device to receive power. A manager and power router within the receiver device route the power as directed by the distribution instruction. When multiple components/systems are authorized to receive the power, the receiver device can monitor power need and route as needed between authorized components/systems. In addition, the receiver device can act as a transmitter to wireless flash power to another device. The flash consists of bursting a large amount of power over a relatively short time. Several constraints, configurations, and considerations are required to perform this function.

Claims

1. A device capable of wirelessly receiving power from a power station in a wireless power transfer environment, the device comprising:

a wireless power transfer module configured to receive wireless power transfer signals and a distribution instruction from the power station;

a power distribution module configured to selectively route power from one or more power sources to one or more power sinks; and

a manager module configured to control the power distribution module based on the distribution instruction.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the distribution instruction indicates to which of the one or more power sinks the power distribution module is permitted to route power.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the distribution instruction authorizes components for responding with payment information during an initiation phase to receive power.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the wireless power transfer module is configured to transmit payment information to the power station, and to receive an updated distribution instruction in response thereto.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the updated distribution instruction authorizes additional power sinks within the device for receiving power.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the manager module is configured to monitor power needs of various components within the device, and is configured to control the power distribution module to route power to those components on an as-needed basis.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the wireless power transfer module also receives charging mode power signals from the power station that provide larger amounts of power than the wireless power transfer signals in response to transmitting the payment information.

8. A power transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting power to a receiver device within a wireless power transfer environment, the power transmitter comprising:

a wireless power transfer module configured to transmit initiation power signals to the wireless power transfer environment; and

a communication module configured to transmit a first distribution instruction to the receiver device, the first distribution instruction including a list of authorized power sinks within the receiver device for receiving power included in the initiation power signals.

9. The power transmitter of claim 8, further comprising a controller module configured to authorize power transfer to the receiver device based on payment information,

wherein the wireless power transfer module is configured to receive the payment information from the receiver device in response to the initiation power signals.

10. The power transmitter of claim 9, wherein the controller module is configured to authenticate the payment information, and to permit or prohibit the power transfer to the receiver device based on a result of the authentication.

11. The power transmitter of claim 10, wherein upon authentication of the payment information, the communication module is configured to transmit a second distribution instruction to the receiver device, and the wireless power transfer module is configured to transfer charging power signals to the receiver device.

12. The power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the second distribution instruction authorizes a number of power sinks that is larger than a number of power sinks authorized by the first distribution instruction.

13. The power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the charging power signals include more power than the initiation power signals.

14. The power transmitter of claim 8, wherein the communication module transmits the first distribution instruction over Bluetooth.

15. A method for wirelessly transceiving power by a receiver device, the method comprising:

receiving an initiation power and a first distribution instruction from a power station;

routing the initiation power to one or more power sinks within the receiver device based on the first distribution instruction; and

transmitting authentication information to the power station using at least a portion of the initiation power.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, in response to the transmission of the authentication information, a charging power and a second distribution instruction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the charging power is larger in magnitude than the initiation power, and

wherein the second distribution instruction includes a number of power sinks to receive power that is larger than the one or more power sinks authorized by the first distribution instruction.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

monitoring power needs of the one or more power sinks included in the receiver device; and

routing power to the one or more power sinks based on the power needs and the second distribution instruction.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

reconfiguring a transceiver circuit for transmission; and

flashing power to a flashable device, the flashing including transmitting a relatively large amount of power over a short amount of time to the flashable device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the reconfiguring of the transceiver circuit is performed by controlling gates of one or more transistors included within the transceiver circuit, and

wherein the one or more transistors are in an H-bridge configuration with a coil of the receiver device.

21. A device capable of wirelessly receiving power from a power station in a wireless power transfer environment, the device comprising:

a first functional module being capable of entering into a plurality of first power consuming modes;

a second functional module being capable of entering into a plurality of second power consuming modes, both the plurality of first power consuming modes and the plurality of second power consuming modes including at least one higher power consuming mode and at least one lower power consuming mode;

at least one wireless interface configured to receive both wireless power and a command from the power station;

a command processing module configured to respond to the command by both directing the first functional module to enter one of the plurality of first power consuming modes, and directing the second functional module to enter one of the plurality of second power consuming modes.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the command comprises a functional command that triggers corresponding program logic being associated with the command processing module.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the corresponding program logic defines scheduling functionality.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the scheduling functionality causes the first and second functional modules to enter their corresponding ones of the first and second power consuming modes in a serial manner.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the scheduling functionality further causes the second functional module to enter the corresponding one of the second power consuming modes after the first functional module has performed a corresponding function associated with the first functional module.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the corresponding program logic defines configuration processing functionality associated with the first functional module.

27. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one lower power consuming mode comprises a powered down mode.

28. The device of claim 21, wherein the first and second functional modules include one of a visual display, a display, a driver, a memory, and a user interface.

29. The device of claim 22, wherein the program logic causes a request to be made for payment information, and wherein the first and second functional modules include a memory to store the payment information.

30. The device of claim 21, further comprising:

a power analysis and distribution module configured to determine a power state of the device and enable one of the command processing module or a sub-processor module based on the power state, the sub-processor module being configured to provide selective delivery of the received power to the first and the second functional modules based on the command.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the power analysis and distribution module enables the sub-processor module for a low power state, and enables the command processing module for a high power state.

32. The device of claim 31, further comprising a power storage device, wherein the power analysis and distribution module determines the power state based on a charge stored in the power storage device, and enables the sub-processing module when the charge is below a threshold.