Methods and apparatus for efficient wireless power transfer

• US 9,917,480 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Weidner, Felix, Keeling, Nicholas Athol, Lee, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US15/607,167
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

One aspect of the disclosure provides an apparatus for receiving wireless power. The apparatus includes a power receiving circuit and a processing circuit. The power receiving circuit is configured to couple to a magnetic field generated by a power transmitter during an alignment check. The processing circuit is configured to identify a first operation point of the power receiving circuit and a second operation point of the power transmitter based on the magnetic field during the alignment check. The processing circuit is further configured to adjust a duty cycle of an active component of the power receiving circuit based at least in part on one of the identified first operation point and second operation point.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving wireless power, comprising:

a power receiving circuit configured to couple to a magnetic field generated by a power transmitter during an alignment check; and

a processing circuit configured to;

measure, as a first operation point of the power receiving circuit, a short circuit current of the power receiving circuit while the magnetic field is generated by the power transmitter at an alignment current;

identify a second operation point of the power transmitter based on the magnetic field during the alignment check, and

adjust a duty cycle of an active component of the power receiving circuit based at least in part on one of the first operation point and second operation point.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying the first operation point of the power receiving circuit comprises:

measuring a short circuit current of the power receiving circuit while the magnetic field is generated by the power transmitter at an alignment current; and

comparing the first operation point with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the power receiving circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying the second operation point of the power transmitter comprises comparing an alignment current of the power transmitter when generating the magnetic field with a maximum current of the power transmitter based on known current values stored in a memory circuit of the power receiving circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying the second operation point of the power transmitter comprises comparing a power receiving circuit requested alignment current for generating the magnetic field with a known maximum current of the power transmitter stored in a memory circuit of the power receiving circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein adjusting the duty cycle of the active component comprises comparing the first operation point with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the power receiving circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising selecting the desired operation point based on a target operation point of at least one of the power receiving circuit and the power transmitter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein adjusting the duty cycle of the active component comprises balancing losses between the power receiving circuit and the power transmitter based on the identified first and second operation points and a desired operation point of the power transmitter, wherein the first operation point is compared with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the power receiving circuit.

8. A method of receiving wireless power at a power receiving circuit, the method comprising:

receiving power from a magnetic field generated by a power transmitter during an alignment check;

measuring, as a first operation point of the power receiving circuit, a short circuit current of the power receiving circuit while the magnetic field is generated by the power transmitter at an alignment current;

identifying a second operation point of the power transmitter based on the magnetic field during the alignment check; and

adjusting a duty cycle of an active component of the power receiving circuit based at least in part on one of the first operation point and second operation point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the first operation point of the power receiving circuit comprises:

measuring a short circuit current of the power receiving circuit while the magnetic field is generated by the power transmitter at an alignment current; and

comparing the first operation point with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the power receiving circuit.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the second operation point of the power transmitter comprises comparing an alignment current of the power transmitter when generating the magnetic field with a maximum current of the power transmitter based on known current values stored in a memory circuit of the power receiving circuit.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the second operation point of the power transmitter comprises comparing a power receiving circuit requested alignment current for generating the magnetic field with a known maximum current of the power transmitter stored in a memory circuit of the power receiving circuit.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the duty cycle of the active component comprises comparing the first operation point with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the power receiving circuit.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting the desired operation point based on a target operation point of at least one of the power receiving circuit and the power transmitter.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the duty cycle of the active component comprises balancing losses between the power receiving circuit and the power transmitter based on the identified first and second operation points and a desired operation point of the power transmitter, wherein the first operation point is compared with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the power receiving circuit.

15. An apparatus for receiving wireless power, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving power from a magnetic field generated by a power transmitter during an alignment check;

means for measuring, as a first operation point of the means for receiving power, a short circuit current of the means for receiving power while the magnetic field is generated by the power transmitter at an alignment current;

means for identifying a second operation point of the power transmitter based on the magnetic field during the alignment check; and

means for adjusting a duty cycle of an active component of the means for receiving power based at least in part on one of the first operation point and second operation point.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for identifying the first operation point of the means for receiving power comprises:

means for measuring a short circuit current of the means for receiving power while the magnetic field is generated by the power transmitter at an alignment current; and

means for comparing the first operation point with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the means for receiving power.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for identifying the second operation point of the power transmitter comprises means for comparing an alignment current of the power transmitter when generating the magnetic field with a maximum current of the power transmitter based on known current values stored in a memory circuit of the means for receiving power.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for identifying the second operation point of the power transmitter comprises means for comparing a means for receiving power requested alignment current for generating the magnetic field with a known maximum current of the power transmitter stored in a memory circuit of the means for receiving power.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein means for adjusting a duty cycle comprises comparing the first operation point with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the means for receiving power.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for selecting the desired operation point based on a target operation point of at least one of the means for receiving power and the power transmitter.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein means for adjusting the duty cycle of the active component comprises means for balancing losses between the means for receiving power and the power transmitter based on the identified first and second operation points and a desired operation point of the power transmitter, wherein the first operation point is compared with a short circuit current of a maximum load of the means for receiving power.