Wireless power transfer system having positioning function and positioning device and method therefor

• US 9,899,883 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Kuo-Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yeshaw, Esayas
• Application Number:
  US14/593,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20160204616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

The present invention discloses a wireless power transfer system having positioning function, and a positioning device and a method therefor. In the positioning method, a power transmission side keeps generating a stable power; a power receiving side is moved relatively to the power transmission side and generates a corresponding induced voltage. An indication signal related to the induced voltage is generated by detecting the induced voltage, and the indication signal provides a suggestion to a user as to how the power receiving side should be moved relatively to the power transmission side to be closer to an optimal power transfer position.

Claims

1. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:

a power transmission side for receiving an input voltage, wherein the power transmission side includes;

a transmission coil; and

a transmission side controller coupled to the transmission coil, for controlling a power through the transmission coil; and

a power receiving side, which is movable relatively to the power transmission side, wherein the power receiving side includes;

a receiving coil for receiving the power from the transmission coil by electromagnetic interaction, to generate an induced voltage;

a voltage regulator for converting the induced voltage or a rectified voltage generated by rectifying the induced voltage to an output voltage; and

a receiving side controller coupled to the voltage regulator, for controlling a voltage regulation operation of the voltage regulator;

wherein when the power receiving side is moved relatively to the power transmission side, the receiving side controller issues an indication signal indicating a variation of the induced voltage;

wherein when the variation of the induced voltage is within a predetermined voltage variation range for a time period equal to or longer than a predetermined time period, the indication signal shows that the power receiving side is at an optimal or a relatively better power transfer position relatively to the power transmission side.

2. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1, further comprising:

an indicator device for giving a user a movement suggestion according to the indication signal.

3. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:

a power transmission side for receiving an input voltage, wherein the power transmission side includes;

a transmission coil; and

a transmission side controller coupled to the transmission coil, for controlling a power through the transmission coil; and

a power receiving side, which is movable relatively to the power transmission side, wherein the power receiving side includes;

a receiving coil for receiving the power from the transmission coil by electromagnetic interaction, to generate an induced voltage;

a voltage regulator for converting the induced voltage or a rectified voltage generated by rectifying the induced voltage to an output voltage; and

a receiving side controller coupled to the voltage regulator, for controlling a voltage regulation operation of the voltage regulator;

wherein when the power receiving side is moved relatively to the power transmission side, the receiving side controller issues an indication signal indicating a variation of the induced voltage;

wherein when the variation of the induced voltage is within a predetermined voltage variation range for a time period equal to or longer than a predetermined time period, and when a difference between the induced voltage and a high voltage threshold is smaller than a predetermined difference, the indication signal shows that the power receiving side is at an optimal or a relatively better power transfer position relatively to the power transmission side.

4. A positioning method for wireless power transfer, for use in a wireless power transfer system, wherein the wireless power transfer system comprises a power transmission side and a power receiving side, the power transmission side generating a stable power, the power receiving side sensing the power generated from the power transmission side to generate an induced voltage, and the power receiving side being movable relatively to the power transmission side, the positioning method comprising the steps of:

detecting the induced voltage to generate an indication signal related to the induced voltage; and

determining whether a variation of the induced voltage is within a predetermined voltage variation range for a time period equal to or longer than a predetermined time period.

5. The positioning method for wireless power transfer of claim 4, further comprising:

when the variation of the induced voltage is within a predetermined voltage variation range for a time period equal to or longer than a predetermined time period, issuing an indication signal showing that the power receiving side is at an optimal or a relatively better power transfer position relatively to the power transmission side.

6. The positioning method for wireless power transfer of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether a difference between the induced voltage and a high voltage threshold is smaller than a predetermined difference.

7. The positioning method for wireless power transfer of claim 6, further comprising:

when the variation of the induced voltage is within a predetermined voltage variation range for a time period equal to or longer than a predetermined time period, and when a difference between the induced voltage and a high voltage threshold is smaller than a predetermined difference, issuing an indication signal showing that the power receiving side is at an optimal or a relatively better power transfer position relatively to the power transmission side.

8. A positioning system for wireless power transfer, for use in a wireless power transfer system, wherein the wireless power transfer system comprises a power transmission side and a power receiving side, the power transmission side generating a stable power, the power receiving side receives the power generated from the power transmission side via a receiving coil to generate an induced voltage, the power receiving side being movable relatively to the power transmission side, the positioning system for wireless power transfer comprising:

a plurality of detectors, which are at predetermined positions relatively to the receiving coil respectively, for detecting the power generated from the power transmission side and generating a plurality of corresponding sensed induced voltages; and

a vector computation circuit for computing to generate corresponding sensed induced voltage vectors according to the sensed induced voltages and relationships between each of the sensed induced voltages and the receiving coil, and providing a suggestion as to how the power receiving side should be moved relatively to the power transmission side to be closer to an optimal power transfer position.

9. The positioning system for wireless power transfer of claim 8, wherein the vector computation circuit sums the sensed induced voltage vectors to generate a positioning vector which shows a direction and a distance from the current position of the power receiving side to the optimal power transfer position.

10. The positioning system for wireless power transfer of claim 8, wherein the vector computation circuit generates an indication signal according to a comparison among magnitudes of the sensed induced voltage vectors, and the indication signal shows a direction and a distance from the current position of the power receiving side to the optimal power transfer position.

11. The positioning system for wireless power transfer of claim 8, wherein the positioning system is applied to two-dimensional positioning or three-dimensional positioning.

12. The positioning system for wireless power transfer of claim 8, wherein the detectors are symmetrically disposed along a circumference of a circle with the receiving coil being at a center of the circle.

13. A positioning method for wireless power transfer, for use in a wireless power transfer system, wherein the wireless power transfer system comprises a power transmission side and a power receiving side, the power transmission side generating a stable power, the power receiving side receives the power generated from the power transmission side via a receiving coil to generate an induced voltage, the power receiving side being movable relatively to the power transmission side, the positioning method comprising the steps of:

detecting the power generated from the power transmission side to generate a plurality of sensed induced voltages at a plurality of predetermined positions relatively to the receiving coil respectively;

generating corresponding sensed induced voltage vectors according to the sensed induced voltages and relationships between each of the sensed induced voltages and the receiving coil; and

generating an indication signal according to the sensed induced voltage vectors, to provide a suggestion as to how the power receiving side should be moved relatively to the power transmission side to be closer to an optimal power transfer position.

14. The positioning method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating the indication signal according to the sensed induced voltage vectors includes:

summing the sensed induced voltage vectors to generate a positioning vector which shows a direction and a distance from the current position of the power receiving side to the optimal power transfer position, wherein the indication signal is generated according to the positioning vector.

15. The positioning method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating the indication signal according to the sensed induced voltage vectors includes:

generating the indication signal according to a comparison among magnitudes of the sensed induced voltage vectors, and the indication signal shows a direction and a distance from the current position of the power receiving side to the optimal power transfer position.