Dynamic tuning in wireless energy transfer systems

• US 10,141,788 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Karnstedt, Curt, Buenrostro, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Jagdeep
• Application Number:
  US15/293,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20170117751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 307 43, 307 82, 307 66, 307 64, 307 91, 307 101, 307 31
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for dynamically tuning circuit elements. One aspect includes a variable capacitance device. The device includes a first capacitor, a first switch, a second capacitor, a second switch, and control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to adjust respective capacitances of the first and second capacitors by causing a first control signal to be applied to the first-switch control terminal for a duration of time in response to detecting a zero voltage condition across the first switch, and by causing a second control signal to be applied to the second-switch control terminal for the duration of time in response to detecting a zero voltage condition across the second switch.

Claims

1. A variable capacitance device comprising:

a first capacitor comprising a first-capacitor first terminal and a first-capacitor second terminal, the first-capacitor first terminal electrically connected to a ground;

a first switch comprising a first-switch first terminal, a first-switch second terminal, and a first-switch control terminal, the first-switch first terminal electrically connected to the first-capacitor first terminal, and the first-switch second terminal electrically connected to the first-capacitor second terminal;

a first comparator comprising a first-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to the first-capacitor second terminal;

a second capacitor comprising a second-capacitor first terminal and a second-capacitor second terminal, the second-capacitor first terminal electrically connected to the ground;

a second switch comprising a second-switch first terminal, a second-switch second terminal, and a second-switch a control terminal, the second-switch first terminal electrically connected to the second-capacitor first terminal, and the second-switch second terminal electrically connected to the second-capacitor second terminal;

a second comparator comprising a second-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to the second-capacitor second terminal; and

control circuitry coupled with the first-switch control terminal, with the second-switch control terminal, with a first-comparator output terminal of the first comparator, and with a second-comparator output terminal of the second comparator,

wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust respective capacitances of the first and second capacitors by;

detecting a zero voltage condition across the first switch based on an output signal of the first comparator, and, in response, cause a first control signal to be applied to the first-switch control terminal for a duration of time, wherein the first control signal causes the first switch to close; and

detecting a zero voltage condition across the second switch based on an output signal of the second comparator, and, in response, cause a second control signal to be applied to the second-switch control terminal for the duration of time, wherein the second control signal causes the second switch to close.

2. The variable capacitance device of claim 1, wherein a capacitance of the device depends on the duration of time for which the first and second control signals are applied to the respective first-switch control terminal and second-switch control terminal.

3. The variable capacitance device of claim 1, wherein the first switch is a first transistor and the second switch is a second transistor.

4. The variable capacitance device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive an input signal and, in response to receiving the input signal, change the duration of time for which the first and second control signals are applied to the respective first-switch control terminal and second-switch control terminal.

5. The variable capacitance device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third comparator comprising a third-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to a first reference voltage and a third-comparator second input terminal electrically connected to the first-switch control terminal; and

a fourth comparator comprising a fourth-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to a second reference voltage and a fourth-comparator second input terminal electrically connected to the second-switch control terminal;

wherein the control circuitry is coupled with a third-comparator output terminal of the third comparator and a fourth-comparator output terminal of the fourth comparator, and the control circuitry is configured to;

detect a first ON condition at the first-switch control terminal based on an output signal of the third comparator;

determine a first time difference, the first time difference being a difference in time from detecting the zero voltage condition across the first switch and detecting the first ON condition at the first-switch control terminal;

adjust a first timing of when the first control signal is applied to the first-switch control terminal so as to reduce the first time difference;

detect a second ON condition at the second-switch control terminal based on an output signal of the fourth comparator;

determine a second time difference, the second time difference being a difference in time from detecting the zero voltage condition across the second switch and detecting the second ON condition at the second-switch control terminal; and

adjust a second timing of when the second control signal is applied to the second-switch control terminal so as to reduce the second time difference.

6. The variable capacitance device of claim 5, wherein the control circuitry comprises:

a pulse width modulation (PWM) generator comprising a first output terminal electrically connected to the first-switch control terminal and a second output terminal electrically connected to the second-switch control terminal,

wherein the first control signal is a first pulse width modulated signal and the second control signal is a second pulse width modulated signal, and

wherein the control circuitry is configured to control characteristics of the first and second pulse width modulated signals.

7. The variable capacitance device of claim 6, wherein adjusting the timing of when the first and second control signals are applied to the respective first-switch control terminal and the second-switch control terminal comprises adjusting phases of the first and second pulse width modulated signals.

8. The variable capacitance device of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive an input signal and, in response to receiving the input signal, change the duration of time for which the first and second control signals are applied to the respective control terminals of the first switch and the second switch by adjusting respective duty cycles of the first and second pulse width modulated signals.

9. The variable capacitance device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third comparator comprising a third-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to a first reference voltage and a third-comparator second input terminal electrically connected to the first-switch control terminal; and

a fourth comparator comprising a fourth-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to a second reference voltage and a fourth-comparator second input terminal electrically connected to the second-switch control terminal; and

wherein the control circuitry comprises;

a controller;

a first counter coupled with the first-comparator output terminal, the third-comparator output terminal, and the controller, the first counter configured to;

start a first timer in response to receiving a zero voltage signal from the first comparator,

stop the first timer in response to receiving a first ON condition signal from the third comparator, and

send a signal indicating an elapsed time of the first timer to the controller; and

a second counter coupled with the second-comparator output terminal, the fourth-comparator output terminal, and the controller, the second counter configured to;

start a second timer in response to receiving a zero voltage signal from the second comparator,

stop the second timer in response to receiving a second ON condition signal from the fourth comparator, and

send a signal indicating an elapsed time of the second timer to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to;

adjust, based on the first-time-difference signal, a first timing of when the first control signal is applied to the first-switch control terminal so as to reduce the first time difference; and

adjust, based on the second-time-difference signal, a second timing of when the second control signal is applied to the second-switch control terminal so as to reduce the second time difference.

10. The variable capacitance device of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry comprises:

a pulse width modulation (PWM) generator coupled with the controller, the PWM generator comprising a first output terminal electrically connected to the first-switch control terminal and a second output terminal electrically connected to the second-switch control terminal,

wherein the first control signal is a first pulse width modulated signal and the second control signal is a second pulse width modulated signal, and

wherein the controller is configured to control characteristics of the first and second pulse width modulated signals.

11. The variable capacitance device of claim 9, wherein the controller is one of:

a microcontroller, a computer processor, a field programmable logic array (FPGA), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

12. The variable capacitance device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third comparator comprising a third-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to a first reference voltage and a third-comparator second input terminal electrically connected to the first-switch control terminal; and

a fourth comparator comprising a fourth-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to a second reference voltage and a fourth-comparator second input terminal electrically connected to the second-switch control terminal;

wherein detecting the zero voltage condition across the first switch based on an output signal of the first comparator, and, in response, causing the first control signal to be applied to the first-switch control terminal comprises;

determining a first phase difference between a first-comparator output signal and a third-comparator output signal,

generating a third reference voltage based the first phase difference, and

causing the first control signal to be applied to the first-switch control terminal upon detecting that a voltage signal at the first-switch second terminal has crossed a voltage value equal to the third reference voltage, and

wherein detecting the zero voltage condition across the second switch based on an output signal of the second comparator, and, in response, cause the second control signal to be applied to the second-switch control terminal comprises;

determining a second phase difference between a second-comparator output signal and a fourth-comparator output signal,

generating a fourth reference voltage based the second phase difference, and

causing the second control signal to be applied to the second-switch control terminal upon detecting that a voltage signal at the second-switch second terminal has crossed a voltage value equal to the fourth reference voltage.

13. The variable capacitance device of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry comprises:

a first phase detection circuit coupled with the first-comparator output terminal and a third-comparator output terminal of the third comparator;

a first integrator circuit coupled with the first phase detection circuit;

a fifth comparator comprising a fifth-comparator output terminal, a fifth-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to the first-capacitor second terminal, and a fifth-comparator second input terminal coupled with the first integrator circuit;

a first flip-flop comprising a first-flip-flop reset terminal, a first-flip-flop clock terminal electrically connected to the fifth-comparator output terminal, and a first-flip-flop output terminal electrically connected to the first-switch control terminal;

a second phase detection circuit coupled with the second-comparator output terminal and a fourth-comparator output terminal of the fourth comparator;

a second integrator circuit coupled with the second phase detection circuit;

a sixth comparator comprising a sixth-comparator output terminal, a sixth-comparator first input terminal electrically connected to the second-capacitor second terminal, and a sixth-comparator second input terminal coupled with the second integrator circuit;

a second flip-flop comprising a second-flip-flop reset terminal, a second-flip-flop clock terminal electrically connected to the sixth-comparator output terminal, and a second-flip-flop output terminal electrically connected to the second-switch control terminal; and

a controller coupled with the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop and configured to provide a first reset signal to the first flip-flop after the duration of time and to provide a second reset signal to the second flip-flop after the duration of time.

14. The variable capacitance device of claim 13, wherein the controller is a pulse width modulation (PWM) generator, the first reset signal is a first pulse width modulated signal, and the second reset signal is a second pulse width modulated signal.

15. A wireless energy transfer system comprising:

a split coil resonator comprising a first winding magnetically coupled with a second winding, wherein the first winding comprises a first-winding terminal and a third-winding terminal, and wherein the second winding comprises a second-winding terminal and fourth-winding terminal;

a fixed impedance matching network coupled with the third-winding terminal of the first winding and the fourth-winding terminal of the second winding; and

a variable capacitance device comprising;

a first capacitor comprising a first-capacitor first terminal and a first-capacitor second terminal, the first-capacitor first terminal electrically connected to a ground, and the first-capacitor second terminal electrically connected to a first-winding terminal of the first winding of the split coil resonator;

a first switch comprising a first-switch first terminal, a first-switch second terminal, and a first-switch control terminal, the first-switch first terminal electrically connected to the first-capacitor first terminal, and the first-switch second terminal electrically connected to the first-capacitor second terminal;

a second capacitor comprising a second-capacitor first terminal and a second-capacitor second terminal, the second-capacitor first terminal electrically connected to the ground, and the second-capacitor second terminal electrically connected to a second-winding terminal of the second winding of the split coil resonator;

a second switch comprising a second-switch first terminal, a second-switch second terminal, and a second-switch a control terminal, the second-switch first terminal electrically connected to the second-capacitor first terminal, and the second-switch second terminal electrically connected to the second-capacitor second terminal; and

control circuitry coupled with the first-switch control terminal and with the second-switch control terminal,

wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust respective capacitances of the first and second capacitors by;

in response to detecting a zero voltage condition across the first switch, causing a first control signal to be applied to the first-switch control terminal for a duration of time, wherein the first control signal causes the first switch to close; and

in response to detecting a zero voltage condition across the second switch, causing a second control signal to be applied to the second-switch control terminal for the duration of time, wherein the second control signal causes the second switch to close.

16. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 15, further comprising:

a third capacitor comprising a third-capacitor first terminal and a third-capacitor second terminal, the third-capacitor first terminal electrically connected to the first-winding terminal, and the third-capacitor second terminal electrically connected to the first-capacitor second terminal; and

a fourth capacitor comprising a fourth-capacitor first terminal and a fourth-capacitor second terminal, the fourth-capacitor first terminal electrically connected to the second-winding terminal, and the fourth-capacitor second terminal electrically connected to the second-capacitor second terminal.

17. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 15, further comprising a third capacitor comprising a third-capacitor first terminal and a third-capacitor second terminal, the third-capacitor first terminal electrically connected to the first-winding terminal, and the third-capacitor second terminal electrically connected to the second-winding terminal.

18. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 15, wherein a capacitance of the variable capacitance device depends on the duration of time for which the first and second control signals are applied to the respective first-switch control terminal and second-switch control terminal.