Method and apparatus for computer aided designing, tuning and matching of wireless power transfer systems

• US 10,224,752 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chlebosz, Wojciech Adam, Kuerschner, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Pinping
• Application Number:
  US15/019,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20170063159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/367 Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for designing, tuning and matching of wireless power transfer systems comprises a processor. The processor is configured to determine electrical circuit parameters of a wireless power transfer system for each combination of a plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system that are within respective ranges for each of the plurality of characteristics. The processor is configured to select a first group of combinations of the plurality of characteristics for which the electrical circuit parameters determined satisfy a set of user design constraints. The processor is configured to validate a second group of combinations selected from the first group of combinations that satisfy a performance requirement of the wireless power transfer system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for designing, tuning and matching of wireless power transfer systems, comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine electrical circuit parameters of a wireless power transfer system for each combination of a plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system that are within respective ranges for each of the plurality of characteristics,

select a first group of combinations of the plurality of characteristics for which the electrical circuit parameters determined satisfy a set of user design constraints, and

validate a second group of combinations selected from the first group of combinations that satisfy a performance requirement of the wireless power transfer system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system determined for each combination.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a data interface configured to receive the respective ranges for each of the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store a plurality of algorithms for determining the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system, wherein the processor is configured to access one or more of the plurality of algorithms based on at least one of a tuning topology and a magnetics configuration of the wireless power transfer system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

set initial values for each of the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system; and

adjust a value of at least one of the plurality of characteristics after the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system are determined for the initial values for each of the plurality of characteristics.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system comprise at least one of a number of turns in a primary coil, a number of turns in a secondary coil, a coupling coefficient between the primary coil and the secondary coil, an output voltage of a wireless power receiver, a power output of the wireless power receiver, a tuning topology, and a frequency of operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of user design constraints comprise at least one of a voltage or current of a capacitor, a phase angle of the wireless power transfer system, and a capacitor calculation method.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the performance requirement of the wireless power transfer system comprises a range of loaded quality factors of the wireless power transfer system.

9. A method for designing, tuning and matching of wireless power transfer systems, comprising:

determining electrical circuit parameters of a wireless power transfer system for each combination of a plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system that are within respective ranges for each of the plurality of characteristics;

selecting a first group of combinations of the plurality of characteristics for which the electrical circuit parameters determined satisfy a set of user design constraints; and

validating a second group of combinations selected from the first group of combinations that satisfy a performance requirement of the wireless power transfer system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system determined for each combination.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving the respective ranges for each of the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing a plurality of algorithms for determining the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system; and

accessing one or more of the plurality of algorithms based on at least one of a tuning topology and a magnetics configuration of the wireless power transfer system.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

setting initial values for each of the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system; and

adjusting a value of at least one of the plurality of characteristics after the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system are determined for the initial values for each of the plurality of characteristics.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system comprise at least one of a number of turns in a primary coil, a number of turns in a secondary coil, a coupling coefficient between the primary coil and the secondary coil, an output voltage of a wireless power receiver, a power output of a wireless power receiver, a tuning topology, and a frequency of operation.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of user design constraints comprise at least one of a voltage or current of a capacitor, a phase angle of the wireless power transfer system, and a capacitor calculation method.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the performance requirement of the wireless power transfer system comprises a range of loaded quality factors of the wireless power transfer system.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus for designing, tuning and matching of wireless power transfer systems to:

determine electrical circuit parameters of a wireless power transfer system for each combination of a plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system that are within respective ranges for each of the plurality of characteristics;

select a first group of combinations of the plurality of characteristics for which the electrical circuit parameters determined satisfy a set of user design constraints; and

validate a second group of combinations selected from the first group of combinations that satisfy a performance requirement of the wireless power transfer system.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to store the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system determined for each combination.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to receive the respective ranges for each of the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system.

20. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to:

store a plurality of algorithms for determining the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system; and

access one or more of the plurality of algorithms based on at least one of a tuning topology and a magnetics configuration of the wireless power transfer system.

21. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to:

set initial values for each of the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system; and

adjust a value of at least one of the plurality of characteristics after the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system are determined for the initial values for each of the plurality of characteristics.

22. The medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of characteristics for the wireless power transfer system comprise at least one of a number of turns in a primary coil, a number of turns in a secondary coil, a coupling coefficient between the primary coil and the secondary coil, an output voltage of a wireless power receiver, a power output of a wireless power receiver, a tuning topology, and a frequency of operation.

23. The medium of claim 17, wherein the set of user design constraints comprise at least one of a voltage or current of a capacitor, a phase angle of the wireless power transfer system, and a capacitor calculation method.

24. The medium of claim 17, wherein the performance requirement of the wireless power transfer system comprises a range of loaded quality factors of the wireless power transfer system.

25. An apparatus for designing, tuning and matching of wireless power transfer systems, comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine electrical circuit parameters of a wireless power transfer system for each combination of a number of turns in a primary coil and a number of turns in a secondary coil for the wireless power transfer system that are within a first range of the number of turns in the primary coil and within a second range of the number of turns of the secondary coil,

select a first group of combinations of the number of turns in the primary coil and the number of turns in the secondary coil that satisfy a set of user design constraints, and

validate a second group of combinations selected from the first group of combinations that result in a loaded quality factor of the wireless power transfer system within a predetermined range.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a memory configured to store the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system determined for each combination of the number of turns in the primary coil and the number of turns in the secondary coil.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a data interface configured to receive a first range for the number of turns in the primary coil and a second range for the number of turns in the secondary coil.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a memory configured to store a plurality of algorithms for determining the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system, wherein the processor is configured to access one or more of the plurality of algorithms based on at least one of a tuning topology and a magnetics configuration of the wireless power transfer system.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to:

set initial values for each of the number of turns in the primary coil and the number of turns in the secondary coil, and

adjust a value of at least one of the number of turns in the primary coil and the number of turns in the secondary coil after the electrical circuit parameters of the wireless power transfer system are determined for the initial values for each of the number of turns in the primary coil and the number of turns in the secondary coil.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the set of user design constraints comprise at least one of a voltage or current of a capacitor, a phase angle of the wireless power transfer system, and a capacitor calculation method.