Delivering and negotiating wireless power delivery in a multi-receiver system

• US 10,153,644 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: DeVaul, Richard Wayne, Adolf, Brian John
• Primary Examiner(s): Cox, Cassandra
• Application Number:
  US14/941,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20170141584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A transmitter includes a first resonator to generate an oscillating field at a resonant frequency in response to receiving power from a power source. The transmitter includes a first communication interface and a first controller to control the first resonator and to communicate data via the first communication interface. One of a plurality of receivers includes a second resonator to be wirelessly coupled to the first resonator. The second resonator resonates at the common mode resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field. The one receiver includes a second communication interface to establish wireless side-channel communications with the first communication interface and to communicate the data with the first communication interface via the wireless side-channel communications. The first controller identifies the one receiver from the plurality of receivers according to the communicated data, and in response, the first resonator transfers the power to the second resonator.

Claims

1. A system for wireless power transfer, comprising:

a transmitter including;

a first resonator configured to receive power from a power source and to transfer the power, the first resonator including at least a first common mode capacitor formed between a first common mode conductor and ground, the first common mode capacitor configured to generate a common mode oscillating field at a common mode resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source;

a first communication interface; and

a first controller configured to control the first resonator and to communicate data via the first communication interface; and

a plurality of receivers, one of the receivers including;

a second resonator configured to be wirelessly coupled to the first resonator to receive the power from the first resonator, the second resonator including at least a second common mode capacitor formed between a second common mode conductor and ground, the second common mode capacitor configured to resonate at the common mode resonant frequency in response to the common mode oscillating field generated by the first common mode capacitor; and

a second communication interface configured to establish wireless side-channel communications with the first communication interface and to communicate the data with the first communication interface via the wireless side-channel communications,

wherein the first controller is further configured to identify the one receiver from the plurality of receivers according to the data communicated via the wireless side-channel communications, and upon identifying the one receiver, the first controller is further configured to cause the first resonator to transfer the power to the second resonator,

at least one of the transmitter or the one receiver includes a bidirectional RF coupler,

the one receiver includes a second impedance, and

the first controller is further configured to;

(i) determine a measured response from the one receiver via the bidirectional RF coupler when the first resonator transfers the power to the second resonator, (ii) determine an expected response from a circuit model determined according to a nominal value for the second impedance for the one receiver, and (iii) identify one or more parasitic loads by comparing the measured response to the expected response.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is pre-programmed to store the nominal value for the second impedance for the one receiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one receiver includes a second controller configured to communicate the nominal value for the second impedance to the first controller via the wireless side-channel communications.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer the power to the second resonator according to at least one of:

time-division or frequency division multiplexing at least to minimize the power transferred to the one or more parasitic loads.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first controller is configured to communicate information regarding the multiplexing to the second controller via the wireless side-channel communications.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the first controller and second controller are pre-programmed to store information regarding the multiplexing.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to at least one of:

(i) cause the transmitter to modify the power transferred from the first resonator to the second resonator to account for the one or more parasitic loads, or (ii) cause at least one of a first impedance for the transmitter or the second impedance of the one receiver to be modified to account for the one or more parasitic loads.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via the first common mode capacitor and the second common mode capacitor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resonator further includes a first differential mode capacitor formed between two first differential mode conductors, the first differential mode capacitor configured to generate a differential mode oscillating field at a differential mode resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source;

the second resonator further includes a second differential mode capacitor formed between two second differential mode conductors, the second differential mode capacitor configured to resonate at the differential mode resonant frequency in response to the differential mode oscillating field generated by the first differential mode capacitor; and

in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via the first differential mode capacitor and the second differential mode capacitor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resonator further includes a first inductor, the first inductor configured to generate an inductive mode oscillating field at an inductive mode resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source;

the second resonator further includes a second inductor, the second inductor configured to resonate at the inductive mode resonant frequency in response to the inductive mode oscillating field generated by the first inductor; and

in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via the first inductor and the second inductor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one receiver includes a second controller and the second controller is configured to send feedback to the first controller via the wireless side-channel communications, the feedback confirming whether the receiver has received an intended amount of power from the transmitter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the feedback indicates that the receiver has not received the intended amount of power, and in response to the feedback, the first controller is configured to at least one of:

(i) cause the transmitter to modify the power transferred from the first resonator to the second resonator, (ii) cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via at least one of a common mode oscillating field, a differential mode oscillating field, or an inductive mode oscillating field, or (iii) cause at least one of a first impedance for the transmitter or a second impedance of the one receiver to be modified.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resonator is further configured to transfer another amount of power to the second resonator, and the second communication interface is powered by the other amount of power to communicate data to the first controller via the wireless side-channel communications.

14. A transmitter for wireless power transfer, comprising:

a first resonator configured to receive power from a power source and to transfer the power, the first resonator including at least a first common mode capacitor formed between a first common mode conductor and ground, the first common mode capacitor configured to generate a common mode oscillating field at a common mode resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source,

the first resonator being further configured to be wirelessly coupled to a second resonator of a receiver to provide the power to the second resonator, the second resonator including at least a second common mode capacitor formed between a second common mode conductor and ground, the second common mode capacitor configured to resonate at the common mode resonant frequency in response to the common mode oscillating field generated by the first common mode capacitor;

a first communication interface configured to establish wireless side-channel communications with a second communication interface of the receiver and to communicate data with the receiver via the wireless side-channel communications; and

a first controller configured to identify the receiver from a plurality of receivers according to the data communicated via the wireless side-channel communications, and upon identifying the receiver, the first controller being further configured to cause the first resonator to transfer the power to the second resonator,

wherein at least one of the transmitter or the one receiver includes a bi-directional RF coupler, and

the first controller is further configured to;

(i) determine a measured response from the one receiver via the bi-directional RF coupler when the first resonator transfers the power to the second resonator, (ii) determine an expected response from a circuit model determined according to a nominal value for a second impedance for the receiver, and (iii) identify one or more parasitic loads by comparing the measured response to the expected response.

15. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the first controller is pre-programmed to store the nominal value for the second impedance for the one receiver.

16. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the first controller is configured to receive, from the receiver, the nominal value for the second impedance via the wireless side-channel communications.

17. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer the power to the second resonator according to at least one of:

time-division or frequency division multiplexing at least to minimize the power transferred to the one or more parasitic loads.

18. The transmitter of claim 17, wherein the first controller is configured to communicate information regarding the multiplexing to the receiver via the wireless side-channel communications.

19. The transmitter of claim 17, wherein the first controller and the receiver are pre-programmed to store information regarding the multiplexing.

20. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to at least one of:

(i) cause the transmitter to modify the power transferred from the first resonator to the second resonator to account for the one or more parasitic loads, (ii) cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via at least one of a common mode oscillating field, a differential mode oscillating field, or an inductive mode oscillating field, or (iii) cause at least one of a first impedance for the transmitter or the second impedance of the one receiver to be modified to account for the one or more parasitic loads.

21. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via the first common mode capacitor and the second common mode capacitor.

22. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the first resonator further includes a first differential mode capacitor formed between two first differential mode conductors, the first differential mode capacitor configured to generate a differential mode oscillating field at a differential mode resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source, and

in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via the first differential mode capacitor and a second differential mode capacitor included in the second resonator, the second differential mode capacitor formed between two second differential mode conductors, the second differential mode capacitor configured to resonate at the differential mode resonant frequency in response to the differential mode oscillating field generated by the first differential mode capacitor.

23. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the first resonator further includes a first inductor, the first inductor configured to generate an inductive mode oscillating field at an inductive mode resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source;

the second resonator further includes a second inductor, the second inductor configured to resonate at the inductive mode resonant frequency in response to the inductive mode oscillating field generated by the first inductor; and

in response to identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the first controller is configured to cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via the first inductor and the second inductor.

24. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the first controller receives feedback from the receiver via the wireless side-channel communications, the feedback confirming whether the receiver has received an intended amount of power from the transmitter.

25. The transmitter of claim 24, wherein the feedback indicates that the receiver has not received the intended amount of power, and in response to the feedback, the first controller is configured to at least one of:

(i) cause the transmitter to modify the power transferred from the first resonator to the second resonator, or (ii) cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via at least one of a common mode oscillating field, a differential mode oscillating field, or an inductive mode oscillating field, or (iii) cause at least one of a first impedance for the transmitter or the second impedance of the one receiver to be modified to account for the one or more parasitic loads.

26. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the first resonator is further configured to transfer another amount of power to the second resonator, and the second communication interface is powered by the other amount of power to communicate data to the first controller via the wireless side-channel communications.

27. A receiver for wireless power transfer, comprising:

a second resonator configured to be wirelessly coupled to a first resonator of a transmitter to receive power from the first resonator, the first resonator including at least a first common mode capacitor formed between a first common mode conductor and ground, the first common mode capacitor configured to generate a common mode oscillating field at a common mode resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source, and

the second resonator including at least a second common mode capacitor formed between a second common mode conductor and ground, the second common mode capacitor configured to resonate at the common mode resonant frequency in response to the common mode oscillating field generated by the first common mode capacitor; and

a second communication interface configured to establish wireless side-channel communications with a first communication interface of the transmitter and to communicate data with the transmitter via the wireless side-channel communications,

wherein the data communicated via the wireless side-channel communications identifies the receiver from a plurality of receivers for transfer of the power from the first resonator to the second resonator,

at least one of the transmitter or the receiver includes a bi-directional RF coupler,

the receiver includes a second impedance, and

the transmitter is further configured to;

(i) determine a measured response from the receiver via the bi-directional RF coupler when the first resonator transfers the power to the second resonator, (ii) determine an expected response from a circuit model determined according to a nominal value for the second impedance for the one receiver, and (iii) identify one or more parasitic loads by comparing the measured response to the expected response.

28. The receiver of claim 27, further comprising a second controller configured to communicate the nominal value for the second impedance to the first controller via the wireless side-channel communications.

29. The receiver of claim 27, wherein in response to the transmitter identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the second resonator is configured to receive the power from the first resonator according to at least one of:

time-division or frequency division multiplexing at least to minimize the power transferred to the one or more parasitic loads.

30. The receiver of claim 29, wherein the receiver is configured to receive information from the transmitter regarding the multiplexing via the wireless side-channel communications.

31. The receiver of claim 29, wherein the receiver and the transmitter are pre-programmed to store the information regarding the multiplexing.

32. The receiver of claim 27, wherein in response to the transmitter identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the second resonator is configured to receive at least some of the power from the first resonator via the first common mode capacitor and the second common mode capacitor.

33. The receiver of claim 27, wherein the second resonator further includes a second differential mode capacitor formed between two second differential mode conductors, the second differential mode capacitor configured to resonate at a differential mode resonant frequency in response to a differential mode oscillating field generated by a first differential mode capacitor of the first resonator, the first differential mode capacitor being formed between two first differential mode conductors, and

in response to the transmitter identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the second resonator is configured to receive at least some of the power from the first resonator via the first differential mode capacitor and the second differential mode capacitor.

34. The receiver of claim 27, wherein the second resonator further includes a second inductor, the second inductor configured to resonate at an inductive mode resonant frequency in response to an inductive mode oscillating field generated by a first inductor of the first resonator, and

in response to the transmitter identifying the one or more parasitic loads, the second inductor is configured to receive at least some of the power from the first resonator via the first inductor and the second inductor.

35. The receiver of claim 27, wherein the receiver includes a second controller and the second controller is configured to send feedback to the transmitter via the wireless side-channel communications, the feedback confirming whether the receiver has received an intended amount of power from the transmitter.

36. The receiver of claim 27, wherein the feedback indicates that the receiver has not received the intended amount of power, and in response to the feedback the first controller is configured to at least one of:

(i) cause the transmitter to modify the power transferred from the first resonator to the second resonator, or (ii) cause the first resonator to transfer at least some of the power via at least one of a common mode oscillating field, a differential mode oscillating field, or an inductive mode oscillating field, or (iii) cause at least one of a first impedance for the transmitter or the second impedance of the one receiver to be modified to account for the one or more parasitic loads.

37. The receiver of claim 27, wherein the second resonator is further configured to receive another amount of power from the first resonator and to provide the other amount of power to the second communication interface to communicate data to the first controller via the wireless side-channel communications.