System and method for frequency protection in wireless charging

• US 9,680,331 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Keeling, Nicholas Athol, Beaver, Jonathan, Kissin, Michael Le Gallais
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US14/555,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20150270739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/147 electro magnetic [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling wireless charging between a first entity and a second entity. For example, the apparatus may include a receiver communication circuit of the first entity configured to receive a current from a second entity via electromagnetic induction during the charging or alignment with the second entity. The apparatus may include a frequency measurement circuit configured to determine an operating frequency of the received current or a voltage induced by the electromagnetic induction. The apparatus may include a controller configured to compare the operating frequency to a threshold and adjust an operation of the charging or the alignment based on the comparison.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling wireless charging, comprising:

a receiver communication circuit of a first entity configured to receive a current wirelessly from a second entity via electromagnetic induction during the charging of the first entity;

a frequency measurement circuit configured to determine an operating frequency of the received current induced by the electromagnetic induction; and

a controller configured to;

receive a pulse waveform indicating a target frequency,

determine a first frequency difference between the operating frequency and the target frequency,

continue the charging in response to determining that the first frequency difference is less than or equal to a first tolerance level, and

stop the charging in response to determining that the first frequency difference is greater than the first tolerance level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frequency measurement circuit is further configured to determine the operating frequency based on generating a measurement waveform from the received current, the measurement waveform being indicative of the operating frequency.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first tolerance level comprises a 5% difference between the operating and target frequencies.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to provide a signal to the second entity regarding the continuing or the stopping of the charging.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the signal indicates a fault condition associated with the operation of the charging.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver communication circuit is further configured to receive a first current during the charging and a second current during alignment of the first entity with the second entity.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the frequency measurement circuit is further configured to:

generate a first measurement waveform from the first current, the first measurement waveform being indicative of a first operating frequency of the first current; and

generate a second measurement waveform from the second current, the second measurement waveform being indicative of a second operating frequency of the second current.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein controller is further configured to:

compare the first and second operating frequencies to determine a second frequency difference between the first and second operating frequencies; and

determine whether to continue the charging based at least in part on the second frequency difference.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein controller is further configured to:

continue the charging in response to determining that the second frequency difference is less than or equal to a second tolerance level for a difference between the first and second operating frequencies; and

stop the charging in response to determining that the second frequency difference is greater than the second tolerance level.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first entity comprises an inductive power transfer (IPT) receiver and the second entity comprises an IPT transmitter.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first entity comprises an inductive power transfer (IPT) transmitter and the second entity comprises an IPT receiver.

12. A method operable by a first entity for controlling wireless charging, comprising:

receiving a current wirelessly from a second entity via electromagnetic induction during the charging of the first entity;

determining an operating frequency of the received current induced by the electromagnetic induction;

receiving a pulse waveform indicating a target frequency,

determining a first frequency difference between the operating frequency and the target frequency;

continuing the charging in response to determining that the first frequency difference is less than or equal to a first tolerance level; and

stopping the charging in response to determining that the first frequency difference is greater than the first tolerance level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the operating frequency comprises generating a measurement waveform from the received current, the measurement waveform being indicative of the operating frequency.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a signal to the second entity regarding the continuing or stopping of the charging.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the signal indicates a fault condition associated with the operation of the charging.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the current comprises receiving a first current during the charging and a second current during alignment of the first entity with the second entity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the operating frequency comprises:

generating a first measurement waveform from the first current, the first measurement waveform being indicative of a first operating frequency of the first current; and

generating a second measurement waveform from the received second current, the second measurement waveform being indicative of a second operating frequency of the second current.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

comparing the first and second operating frequencies to determine a second frequency difference between the first and second operating frequencies; and

determining whether to continue the charging based at least in part on the second frequency difference.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

continuing the charging in response to determining that the second frequency difference is less than or equal to a second tolerance level for a difference between the first and second operating frequencies; and

stopping the charging in response to determining that the second frequency difference is greater than the second tolerance level.

20. An apparatus for controlling wireless charging between a first entity and a second entity, comprising:

means for receiving a current wirelessly from the second entity via electromagnetic induction during the charging of the first entity;

means for determining an operating frequency of the received current induced by the electromagnetic induction;

means for receiving a pulse waveform indicating a target frequency,

means for determining a first frequency difference between the operating frequency and the target frequency;

means for continuing the charging in response to determining that the first frequency difference is less than or equal to a first tolerance level; and

means for stopping the charging in response to determining that the frequency difference is greater than the first tolerance level.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for determining the operating frequency comprises means for generating a measurement waveform from the received current, the measurement waveform being indicative of the operating frequency.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for providing a signal to the second entity regarding the continuing or stopping of the charging.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the signal indicates a fault condition associated with the operation of the charging.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for receiving the current comprises means for receiving a first current during the charging and means for receiving a second current during alignment of the first entity with the second entity.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein means for determining the operation frequency comprises:

means for generating a first measurement waveform from the first current, the first measurement waveform being indicative of a first operating frequency of the first current; and

means for generating a second measurement waveform from the second current, the second measurement waveform being indicative of a second operating frequency of the second current.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for comparing the first and second operating frequencies to determine a second frequency difference between the first and second operating frequencies; and

means for determining whether to continue the charging based at least in part on the second frequency difference.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for determining whether to continue the charging or the alignment based at least in part on the frequency difference comprises:

means for continuing the charging in response to determining that the second frequency difference is less than or equal to a second tolerance level for a difference between the first and second operating frequencies; and

means for stopping the charging in response to determining that the second frequency difference is greater than the second tolerance level.