System and method for efficient data communication and wireless power transfer coexistence

• US 9,613,747 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Braun, Weston D., Monat, Pavel
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mourad, Rasem
• Application Number:
  US14/010,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20150054345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for receiving power wirelessly. In one aspect, a receiver comprises an antenna that receives power wirelessly. The receiver further comprises a power circuit that operates according to a first frequency. The receiver further comprises a communication circuit that operates according to a second frequency. The receiver further comprises a circuit coupled between the antenna and the power circuit and the antenna and the communication circuit. The circuit comprises a first resonant network and a second resonant network. The circuit comprises a first path between the antenna and the power circuit via the first resonant network and a second path between the antenna and the communication circuit via the second resonant network. The first path has a higher impedance than the second path at the second frequency and has a lower impedance than the second path at the first frequency.

Claims

1. A receiver for receiving power wirelessly, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive power wirelessly from a transmitter;

a wireless power circuit configured to provide the power to a load and configured to operate according to a first frequency;

a communication circuit configured to operate according to a second frequency; and

a circuit coupled between the antenna and the wireless power circuit and coupled between the antenna and the communication circuit, the circuit comprising a first resonant network and a second resonant network, the circuit comprising a first path between the antenna and the wireless power circuit via the first resonant network and a second path between the antenna and the communication circuit via the second resonant network, the first resonant network comprising a first set of switches and the second resonant network comprising a second set of switches, the first path having a higher impedance than the second path at the second frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are activated and having a lower impedance than the second path at the first frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are deactivated.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first set of switches and the second set of switches are configured to allow the first resonant network and the second resonant network to determine whether a signal generated by the antenna travels through the first path or the second path.

3. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the second resonant network comprises a band-stop notch tuned such that a resonant frequency of the band-stop notch is the first frequency.

4. The receiver of claim 3, wherein the band-stop notch is configured to block a signal from passing to the communication circuit when the signal is received by the antenna at the first frequency.

5. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first resonant network comprises a capacitor and an inductor, and wherein the capacitor and inductor are tuned such that a resonant frequency of the capacitor and the inductor is the second frequency.

6. The receiver of claim 5, wherein the capacitor and the inductor are configured to block a signal from passing to the wireless power circuit when the signal is received by the antenna at the second frequency.

7. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

8. A method for receiving power wirelessly, comprising:

receiving power wirelessly from a transmitter via an antenna, the antenna coupled to a wireless power circuit via a first resonant network along a first path, the wireless power circuit configured to operate according to a first frequency, the antenna further coupled to a communication circuit via a second resonant network along a second path, the communication circuit configured to operate according to a second frequency, the first resonant network comprising a first set of switches and the second resonant network comprising a second set of switches, the first path having a higher impedance than the second path at the second frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are activated and having a lower impedance than the second path at the first frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are deactivated; and

transferring the power along the first path or the second path based on which path has a lower impedance.

9. The receiver of claim 8, wherein the first set of switches and the second set of switches are configured to allow the first resonant network and the second resonant network to determine whether a signal generated by the antenna travels through the first path or the second path.

10. The receiver of claim 8, wherein the second resonant network comprises a band-stop notch tuned such that a resonant frequency of the band-stop notch is the first frequency.

11. The receiver of claim 10, further comprising blocking, by the band-stop notch, the power from passing to the communication circuit when the power is received by the antenna at the first frequency.

12. The receiver of claim 8, wherein the first resonant network comprises a capacitor and an inductor, and wherein the capacitor and inductor are tuned such that a resonant frequency of the capacitor and the inductor is the second frequency.

13. The receiver of claim 12, further comprising blocking, by the capacitor and the inductor, the power from passing to the wireless power circuit when the power is received by the antenna at the second frequency.

14. The receiver of claim 8, wherein the communication circuit is a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

15. An apparatus for receiving power wirelessly, comprising:

means for receiving power wirelessly from a transmitter, the means for receiving power wirelessly coupled to means for providing the power to a load via a first resonant network along a first path, the means for providing the power to a load configured to operate according to a first frequency, the means for receiving power wirelessly further coupled to means for providing the power to a communication chip via a second resonant network along a second path, the means for providing the power to a communication chip configured to operate according to a second frequency, the first resonant network comprising a first set of switches and the second resonant network comprising a second set of switches, the first path having a higher impedance than the second path at the second frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are activated and having a lower impedance than the second path at the first frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are deactivated; and

means for transferring the power along the first path or the second path based on which path has a lower impedance.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first set of switches and the second set of switches are configured to allow the first resonant network and the second resonant network to determine whether a signal generated by the means for receiving power travels through the first path or the second path.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for blocking a signal tuned such that a resonant frequency of the means for blocking a signal is the first frequency.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for blocking comprises means for blocking the power from passing to the means for providing the power to the communication chip when the power is received by the means for receiving power at the first frequency.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for storing energy in an electric field and means for storing energy in a magnetic field, wherein the means for storing energy in an electric field and the means for storing energy in a magnetic field are tuned such that a resonant frequency of the means for storing energy in an electric field and the means for storing energy in a magnetic field is the second frequency.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for storing energy in an electric field and the means for storing energy in a magnetic field comprise means for blocking the power from passing to the means for providing the power to a load when the power is received by the means for receiving power at the second frequency.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for receiving power wirelessly and the means for transferring comprise an antenna.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:

receive power wirelessly from a transmitter via an antenna, the antenna coupled to a wireless power circuit via a first resonant network along a first path, the wireless power circuit configured to operate according to a first frequency, the antenna further coupled to a communication circuit via a second resonant network along a second path, the communication circuit configured to operate according to a second frequency, the first resonant network comprising a first set of switches and the second resonant network comprising a second set of switches, the first path having a higher impedance than the second path at the second frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are activated and having a lower impedance than the second path at the first frequency when the first set of switches and the second set of switches are deactivated; and

transfer the power along the first path or the second path based on which path has a lower impedance.

23. The medium of claim 22, wherein the first set of switches and the second set of switches are configured to allow the first resonant network and the second resonant network to determine whether a signal generated by the antenna travels through the first path or the second path.

24. The medium of claim 22, wherein the second resonant network comprises a band-stop notch tuned such that a resonant frequency of the band-stop notch is the first frequency.

25. The medium of claim 24, further comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to block, using the band-stop notch, the power from passing to the communication circuit when the power is received by the antenna at the first frequency.

26. The medium of claim 22, wherein the first resonant network comprises a capacitor and an inductor, and wherein the capacitor and inductor are tuned such that a resonant frequency of the capacitor and the inductor is the second frequency.

27. The medium of claim 26, further comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to block, using the capacitor and the inductor, the power from passing to the wireless power circuit when the power is received by the antenna at the second frequency.

28. The medium of claim 22, wherein the communication circuit is a near field communication (NFC) circuit.