Power management for inductive charging systems
First Claim
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1. An adaptive power control system for an electromagnetic induction power transfer apparatus comprising:
- a wireless signal receiver;
an alternating current power supply having an operating frequency;
a power-transmitting inductor coupled to the power supply; and
a current monitor coupled to the power-transmitting inductor and configured to determine a load of the power-transmitting inductor;
whereina first modification of the operating frequency of the power supply is provided in response to the load; and
a second modification to the operating frequency of the power supply, overriding the first modification for a selected timeout period, is provided in response to a feedback signal received by the wireless signal receiver, the feedback signal sent at an interval from a portable electronic device proximate to the power-transmitting inductor.
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Abstract
Power management and power transfer systems within the transmit and receive portions of an inductive charging system. An inductive charging system may include an inductive charging station to transmit power and a portable electronic device to receive power. Embodiments may take the form of power transfer systems within an inductive charging station including load-based transmit frequency adjustments. Embodiments may also take the form of power management systems within portable electronic devices which conserve power by disconnecting circuits from ground when those circuits are in an idle state.
75 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An adaptive power control system for an electromagnetic induction power transfer apparatus comprising:
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a wireless signal receiver; an alternating current power supply having an operating frequency; a power-transmitting inductor coupled to the power supply; and a current monitor coupled to the power-transmitting inductor and configured to determine a load of the power-transmitting inductor;
whereina first modification of the operating frequency of the power supply is provided in response to the load; and a second modification to the operating frequency of the power supply, overriding the first modification for a selected timeout period, is provided in response to a feedback signal received by the wireless signal receiver, the feedback signal sent at an interval from a portable electronic device proximate to the power-transmitting inductor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A transmitter of a wireless power transfer system, the transmitter comprising:
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a transmit coil coupled to a power source; a load monitor coupled to the transmit coil and configured to measure current through the transmit coil; and a power transfer control circuit coupled to the load monitor and configured to; set an operational frequency of the power source; perform an initial modification of the operational frequency in response to a signal from the load monitor corresponding to a change in current through the transmit coil; and perform a subsequent modification of the operating frequency, overriding the initial modification for a timeout period, in response to a feedback signal received from a portable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of controlling power transfer from a transmitter of an inductive charging station, the method comprising:
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setting an initial operational frequency of an alternating current power source coupled to a transmit coil, the initial operating frequency corresponding to a first power requirement of a portable electronic device; monitoring current through the transmit coil; providing a first modification to the initial operational frequency upon determining that current through the transmit coil has changed; initiating a selected timeout period after providing the first modification to the initial operating frequency; receiving a signal from a portable electronic device before the selected timeout period expires, the signal corresponding to a second power requirement of the portable electronic device; overriding the first modification to the initial operational frequency upon determining that the first modification does not correspond to the second power requirement; and providing a second modification to the initial operational frequency, the second modification of the initial operating frequency corresponding to the second power requirement. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification