Tuning of primary and secondary resonant frequency for improved efficiency of inductive power transfer

• US 10,032,557 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bossetti, Chad A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US14/290,411
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/40 Structural association with built-in electric component, e.g. fuse
• 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 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Wireless power transfer systems having improved tolerance for coil misalignment are disclosed. These systems efficiently transfer power to accessories having a variety of power modes. For example, a power transmitter may vary the amount of power transmitted to a power receiver in response to changes in the power requirements of that power receiver. The power transmitter and the power receiver may be mutually tuned to filter or substantially reduce respective leakage inductances at both a primary and secondary operating frequency.

Claims

1. A coupled coil system for wireless power transfer between a transmitter and receiver, comprising:

a receive coil in the receiver;

a transmit coil in the transmitter;

a first filter electrically connected to the receive coil and operable to be dynamically tuned to resonate with a leakage inductance of the transmit coil at a first frequency, the first filter comprising one of;

a variable capacitor; and

a plurality of individual capacitors that each may be selectively activated or deactivated to provide a selectable capacitance; and

a processor coupled to the receive coil and configured to select and modify the capacitance of the first filter in response to a power transfer efficiency value that is one of measured, approximated, predicted, or received by the processor.

2. The coupled coil system of claim 1, further comprising a second filer electrically connected to the transmit coil and adapted to resonate with a leakage inductance of the receive coil at a second frequency.

3. The coupled coil system of claim 2, wherein:

the transmitter is contained within a first housing; and

the receiver is contained within a second housing.

4. The coupled coil system of claim 3, wherein:

the first housing comprises an interface surface; and

the second housing comprises a contact surface.

5. The coupled coil system of claim 2, wherein the second filter comprises one of:

a variable capacitor; and

a plurality of individual capacitors that each may be selectively activated or deactivated to provide a selectable capacitance.

6. The coupled coil system of claim 5, further comprising a processor coupled to the transmit coil and configured to select and modify the capacitance of the second filter.

7. The coupled coil system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to select and modify the capacitance of the second filter in response to a power transfer efficiency value that is one of measured, approximated, predicted, or received by the processor.