Configurable wireless transmitter device
First Claim
1. A wireless transmitter device, comprising:
- a first substrate including a plurality of conductive traces arranged in a first pattern;
a second substrate positioned below the first substrate and including drive circuitry operably connected to the plurality of conductive traces and configured to provide drive signals to the plurality of conductive traces;
a ferrite sheet positioned between the first and the second substrates;
a plurality of vias formed from the first substrate through the ferrite sheet to the second substrate to provide a plurality of conductive connectors, each conductive connector connecting at least one conductive trace in the plurality of conductive traces and the drive circuitry; and
a processing device operably connected to the drive circuitry and configured to;
select a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace in the plurality of conductive traces based on a position of a receiver device on a charging surface of the wireless transmitter device, the first and the second conductive traces forming a transmitter structure;
determine a first drive signal characteristic of a first drive signal associated with the first conductive trace;
determine a second drive signal characteristic of a second drive signal associated with the second conductive trace; and
cause the drive circuitry to provide the first and the second drive signals to the first and the second conductive traces to transfer energy from the transmitter structure to a receiver coil in the receiver device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless transmitter device is configurable and operable to transfer energy to multiple receiver devices at the same time. The transmitter device is configured to enable one or more sections of a charging surface to transfer energy by selectively choosing one or more conductive traces in the transmitter device based on the position of the receiver device on the charging surface. The size and shape of each section of the charging surface that is used to transfer energy to a receiver device can change dynamically based on each receiver device. Additionally, the process of transferring energy to each receiver device may be adjusted during energy transfer based on conditions specific to each receiver device.
122 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wireless transmitter device, comprising:
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a first substrate including a plurality of conductive traces arranged in a first pattern; a second substrate positioned below the first substrate and including drive circuitry operably connected to the plurality of conductive traces and configured to provide drive signals to the plurality of conductive traces; a ferrite sheet positioned between the first and the second substrates; a plurality of vias formed from the first substrate through the ferrite sheet to the second substrate to provide a plurality of conductive connectors, each conductive connector connecting at least one conductive trace in the plurality of conductive traces and the drive circuitry; and a processing device operably connected to the drive circuitry and configured to; select a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace in the plurality of conductive traces based on a position of a receiver device on a charging surface of the wireless transmitter device, the first and the second conductive traces forming a transmitter structure; determine a first drive signal characteristic of a first drive signal associated with the first conductive trace; determine a second drive signal characteristic of a second drive signal associated with the second conductive trace; and cause the drive circuitry to provide the first and the second drive signals to the first and the second conductive traces to transfer energy from the transmitter structure to a receiver coil in the receiver device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating a wireless transmitter device, the method comprising:
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selecting a first set of conductive traces in a plurality of conductive traces based on a position of a first receiver device on a charging surface of the wireless transmitter device, the first set of conductive traces forming a first transmitter structure and comprising; a first trace configured to transmit a first signal in a first direction; and a second trace configured to transmit a second signal in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction such that the first and second signals generate a pseudo-coil at an area where the first and second traces overlap; providing a first set of drive signals to the first set of conductive traces to transfer energy from the first transmitter structure to the first receiver device; selecting a second set of conductive traces in the plurality of conductive traces based on a position of a second receiver device on the charging surface of the wireless transmitter device, the second set of conductive traces forming a second transmitter structure; and providing a second set of drive signals to the second set of conductive traces to transfer energy from the second transmitter device to the second receiver device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a wireless transmitter device, the method comprising:
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determining if a transfer of energy to a first receiver device has a higher priority than a transfer of energy to a second receiver device; if the transfer of energy to the first receiver device has higher priority, selecting, using a position of the first receiver device on a charging surface of the wireless transmitter device; a first conductive trace of a plurality of conductive traces positioned in or below the charging surface, the first conductive trace configured to transmit a first signal in a first direction; and a second conductive trace of the plurality of conductive traces, the second conductive trace configured to transmit a second signal in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction such that the first and second signals generate a pseudo-coil at an area where the first and second traces overlap, the first and the second conductive traces forming a first transmitter structure; determining a first drive signal characteristic of a first drive signal associated with the first conductive trace; determining a second drive signal characteristic of a second drive signal associated with the second conductive trace; and applying the first drive signal to the first conductive trace and the second drive signal to the second conductive trace to transfer energy from the first transmitter structure to a receiver coil in the first receiver device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification