System and method for a multi-coil wireless power transfer

• US 9,590,447 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Knepper, Lawrence Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thapa, Sailesh
• Application Number:
  US14/549,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20160149432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/00 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for multi-coil wireless power transfer. The system includes a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger, and a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger. The system further includes a communications module configured to receive a signal from an information handling system. The information handling system includes a receiving coil. The system additionally includes a transmit module configured to determine an orientation of the receiving coil, and provide a first current to the first transmitting coil and a second current to the second transmitting coil based on the orientation of the receiving coil.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system comprising:

a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger;

a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger;

a communications module configured to receive a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil; and

a processor configured to;

determine an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with the first transmitting coil or the second transmitting coil;

determine a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil;

determine a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector; and

provide the first current to the first transmitting coil and the second current to the second transmitting coil.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide the first current and the second current based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless charger is configured to transfer power to the information handling system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the power transfer is occurring at an optimum charging rate.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the first current based on a changed direction of target flux vector.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the side portion is configured such the second transmitting coil is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting coil.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal includes identification information of the information handling system.

8. A method for wireless charging comprising:

receiving a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil;

determining an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger or a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger;

determining a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil;

determining a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector; and

providing the first current to a first transmitting coil and the second current to a second transmitting coil.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the first current and the second current is further based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transferring power to the information handling system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining if the power transfer is occurring at an optimum charging rate.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the first current based on a changed direction of target flux vector.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the side portion is configured such the second transmitting coil is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting coil.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal includes identification information of the information handling system.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by one or more processors to perform one or more operations, the one or more operations comprising:

receiving a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil;

determining an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger or a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger;

determining a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil;

determining a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector; and

providing the first current to a first transmitting coil and the second current to a second transmitting coil.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein providing the first current and the second current is further based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising transferring power to the information handling system.