Inductive power outlet locator

• US 10,742,076 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 08/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Azancot, Yossi, Greenwald, Oola, Ben-Shalom, Amir, Rofe, Arik
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr., Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Lynda
• Application Number:
  US15/167,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20160276878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 702 62
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0058 by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3376 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A locator for locating power outlets and power receivers. A sensor is provided in a power receiver for detecting a detection signal emitted by a remote power outlet. A processor uses the detected signal to compute location coordinates of the power outlet.

Claims

1. A power outlet locator incorporated into an electrical device for locating a wireless power outlet concealed behind a surface, the power outlet locator comprising:

a plurality of sensors for detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by the wireless power outlet, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors yields a signal;

a processor configured to receive a plurality of signals from the plurality of sensors and computing at least one coordinate indicating a location of the wireless power outlet; and

a display, coupled with the processor, that is capable of presenting information indicating the location of the wireless power outlet,

wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a distance between the power outlet locator and the wireless power outlet by comparing the values of the plurality of signals with a reference value.

2. The power outlet locator of claim 1, wherein each signal of the plurality of signals has a value that corresponds to the electromagnetic radiation detected by each sensor of the plurality of sensors.

3. The power outlet locator of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate at least one component of a vector indicating direction towards the wireless power outlet.

4. The power outlet locator of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors comprises a radio receiver.

5. A power outlet locating system for locating a wireless power outlet concealed behind an outer layer of a surface, the system comprising:

at least one wireless power outlet configured to transmit an encoded location signal; and

the power outlet locator of claim 1, wherein the power outlet locator is situated on an opposite side of the outer layer of the surface, and wherein the encoded location signal comprises information about a location of the wireless power outlet.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the power outlet locator is further provided with a secondary coil, and wherein the power outlet locator is incorporated into an electrical device that comprises the secondary coil.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the information comprises graphics pointing to the direction of said location of the wireless power outlet, text indicating a distance to the wireless power outlet, graphics representing at least a section of a target symbol comprising concentric rings centered on a point indicating the location of the power outlet, or any combination thereof.

8. The power outlet locator of claim 1, wherein the power outlet locator is further provided with a secondary coil, and wherein the power outlet locator is incorporated into an electrical device that comprises the secondary coil.

9. The power outlet locator of claim 1, wherein the information comprises graphics pointing to the direction of said location of the wireless power outlet, text indicating a distance to the wireless power outlet, graphics representing at least a section of a target symbol comprising concentric rings centered on a point indicating the location of the power outlet, or any combination thereof.

10. A wireless power outlet having a primary coil capable of inductively powering a load connected to a secondary coil, wherein the primary coil and the secondary coil are inductively coupled when brought into proximity, the wireless power outlet comprising:

a reception circuit configured to monitor the primary coil for control signals transmitted by a transmitting circuit associated with the secondary coil and the power outlet locator of claim 1; and

a driver configured to vary an input voltage of the primary coil,

wherein the driver is regulated by a duty cycle determined in the reception circuit based on the control signals.