Wireless power alignment guide
First Claim
1. A wireless power alignment device comprising:
- an alignment coil structure comprisinga first coil having a first axis, the first coil configured to produce a first time-varying voltage having a first polarity in response to a magnetic field, and;
a second coil having a second axis, the second axis being different than the first axis of the first coil, the second coil configured to produce a second time-varying voltage having a second polarity in response to the magnetic field, the second polarity being different than the first polaritywherein the second coil is coupled to the first coil in such a way that a first time-varying current caused by the first time-varying voltage flows from the first coil to the second coil and a second time-varying current caused by the second time-varying voltage flows from the second coil to the first coil; and
a voltage detector having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being coupled to the first coil and the second terminal being coupled to the second coil, the voltage detector configured to detect a net voltage across the alignment coil structure and to generate an alignment signal based on the net voltage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a wireless power alignment guide uses multiple coils and a detector circuit to determine an offset between a wireless power receiver and a wireless power transmitter. A transmitter generates a magnetic field that causes a first time-varying current to flow in a first coil and a second time-varying current to flow in a second coil of the wireless power alignment guide. The first time-varying current can flow to the second coil and the second time-varying current can flow to the first coil. A detector circuit detects a voltage resulting from the first time-varying current and the second time-varying current and determines an offset so the user can center the receiver with the transmitter. By correcting any offset between the receiver and the transmitter, greater amounts of power can be transferred to the receiver in comparison to a receiver that is offset from a transmitter.
28 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A wireless power alignment device comprising:
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an alignment coil structure comprising a first coil having a first axis, the first coil configured to produce a first time-varying voltage having a first polarity in response to a magnetic field, and; a second coil having a second axis, the second axis being different than the first axis of the first coil, the second coil configured to produce a second time-varying voltage having a second polarity in response to the magnetic field, the second polarity being different than the first polarity wherein the second coil is coupled to the first coil in such a way that a first time-varying current caused by the first time-varying voltage flows from the first coil to the second coil and a second time-varying current caused by the second time-varying voltage flows from the second coil to the first coil; and a voltage detector having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being coupled to the first coil and the second terminal being coupled to the second coil, the voltage detector configured to detect a net voltage across the alignment coil structure and to generate an alignment signal based on the net voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A wireless power alignment device comprising:
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an alignment coil structure comprising a first coil having a first axis, the first coil configured to produce a first time-varying voltage having a first polarity in response to a magnetic field, a second coil having a second axis, the second axis being different than the first axis of the first coil, the second coil configured to produce a second time-varying voltage having a second polarity in response to the magnetic field, the second polarity being different from the first polarity, wherein the second coil is coupled to the first coil in such a way that a first time-varying current caused by the first time-varying voltage flows from the first coil to the second coil and a second time-varying current caused by the second time-varying voltage flows from the second coil to the first coil, the first coil and the second coil being arranged along a first horizontal axis in a plane, a third coil having a third axis, the third coil configured to produce a third time-varying voltage having a third polarity in response to the magnetic field, and a fourth coil having a fourth axis, the fourth axis being different than the third axis, the fourth coil configured to produce a fourth time-varying voltage having a fourth polarity in response to the magnetic field, the fourth polarity being different than the third polarity, wherein the fourth coil is coupled to the third coil in such a way that a third time-varying current caused by the third time-varying voltage flows from the third coil to the fourth coil and a fourth time-varying current caused by the fourth time-varying voltage flows from the fourth coil to the third coil, the third coil and the fourth coil being arranged along a second horizontal axis in the plane, the second horizontal axis being perpendicular to the first horizontal axis; and a voltage detector having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first coil and the third coil, the second terminal coupled to the second coil, and the third terminal coupled to the fourth coil, the voltage detector configured to detect a first net voltage across the first terminal and the second terminal and to detect a second net voltage across the first terminal and the third terminal, the voltage detector further configured to generate a first alignment signal based on the first net voltage and to generate a second alignment signal based on the second net voltage. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A wireless power alignment device comprising:
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an alignment coil structure comprising a first coil having a first axis, the first coil configured to generate a first time-varying voltage having a first polarity in response to a magnetic field; and a second coil having a second axis, the second axis being different from the first axis, the second coil configured to generate a second time-varying voltage having a second polarity in response to the magnetic field, wherein the second coil is coupled to the first coil in such a way that the first polarity is opposite from the second polarity, the first coil and the second coil being arranged along a horizontal axis in a plane; and a voltage detector having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first coil and the second terminal coupled to the second coil, the voltage detector configured to detect a net voltage across the alignment coil structure and to generate an alignment signal based on the net voltage. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification