Power transmitting device having device discovery and power transfer capabilities
First Claim
1. A power station capable of wireless power transfer (WPT) within a WPT environment, the power station comprising:
- a communication module configured to transmit and receive signals of a first communication protocol to and from the environment;
a coil module that includes a plurality of coils;
a coil driving module configured to drive the plurality of coils with WPT signals using WPT communication that is different from the first communication protocol; and
a load detection module configured to detect signals loaded onto the coils from the environment,wherein a response signal is received from the environment in response to a transmitted beacon signal via at least one of the communication module and the coil module, andwherein the coil driving module is configured to drive more than one of the plurality of coils with the beacon signal simultaneously so as to transmit the beacon signal to the environment via magnetic coupling of the more than one of the plurality of coils.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless power transfer system is described that includes a power station and a chargeable device. The power station transmits discovery beacons in order to detect a chargeable device within its vicinity using any available communication protocols and/or standards. Once a device is discovered, the power station can perform coil selection with the device in order to select preferred coils for power transfer. In addition, the chargeable device is capable of detecting the beacon signal and providing a response to notify the power station of its presence. The chargeable device is capable of performing its own coil selection for further optimization and includes various assistance functionality to aid a user in optimizing a connection with the power station.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A power station capable of wireless power transfer (WPT) within a WPT environment, the power station comprising:
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a communication module configured to transmit and receive signals of a first communication protocol to and from the environment; a coil module that includes a plurality of coils; a coil driving module configured to drive the plurality of coils with WPT signals using WPT communication that is different from the first communication protocol; and a load detection module configured to detect signals loaded onto the coils from the environment, wherein a response signal is received from the environment in response to a transmitted beacon signal via at least one of the communication module and the coil module, and wherein the coil driving module is configured to drive more than one of the plurality of coils with the beacon signal simultaneously so as to transmit the beacon signal to the environment via magnetic coupling of the more than one of the plurality of coils. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for establishing communication with a nearby chargeable device by a power station, the method comprising:
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transmitting a beacon signal to the chargeable device by driving more than one of a plurality of coils with the beacon signal simultaneously so as to transmit the beacon signal via magnetic coupling of the more than one of the plurality of coils; receiving a response signal from the chargeable device in response to the beacon signal; performing a coil selection procedure based on a proximity of the chargeable device to the power station, the proximity being determined based on the response signal; and selecting one or more coils from among the plurality of coils for transmitting wireless power signals to the chargeable device based on the coil selection. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A power station capable of wireless power transfer (WPT) within a WPT environment, the power station comprising:
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a communication module configured to transmit and receive signals of a first communication protocol to and from the environment, and configured to transmit a beacon signal identifying available communication protocols of the power station that include the first communication protocol of the power station, the beacon signal being transmitted to the WPT environment without a designated recipient; a coil module that includes a plurality of coils; a coil driving module configured to drive the plurality of coils with WPT signals using WPT communication that is different from the first communication protocol; and a load detection module configured to detect signals loaded onto the plurality of coils from the environment, wherein a response signal is received from the environment in response to the beacon signal in accordance with a communication protocol from among the available communication protocols.
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Specification