Methods and apparatus for coupling and decoupling portions of a magnetic core

• US 10,784,721 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2018
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vannucci, Giovanni, Barzegar, Farhad, Rappaport, Harold, Gerszberg, Irwin, Willis, III, Thomas M., Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Barnickel, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel H
• Application Number:
  US16/127,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20200083744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/24 Magnetic cores
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/28 Coils; Windings; Conductive connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/40 Structural association with built-in electric component, e.g. fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, regulating an alternating magnetic flux in a magnetic core having a first portion separable from a second portion of the magnetic core. The regulation of the alternating magnetic flux causes a coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core. Responsive to detecting a signal, modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux to reduce the coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, by a voltage waveform generator, an alternating voltage periodic waveform directed to a winding coupled to a magnetic core of an inductive power supply to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the magnetic core is separable from the second portion of the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core is magnetically coupled to a conductor that conducts an alternating current that causes a portion of the alternating magnetic flux, wherein the alternating magnetic flux causes a coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core, and wherein the alternating voltage periodic waveform is generated by selectively enabling one or more switches coupled to a storage device;

detecting a signal to reduce the coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core; and

responsive to the signal, modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux to reduce the coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying comprises configuring at least one of the one or more switches to modify the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuring the at least one of the one or more switches causes the winding to be short circuited.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux comprises short circuiting the winding.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux comprises terminating a directing of the alternating voltage periodic waveform to the winding.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, during a first period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, the alternating magnetic flux varies, as a function of time, in accordance with a first pattern of variations, and wherein the method further comprises configuring, by a processor, the one or more switches in accordance with a configuration during at least part of a second period of the alternating voltage periodic waveform, wherein the configuration causes the alternating magnetic flux to vary, as a function of time, during the second period, in accordance with a second pattern of variations, and wherein the second pattern of variations is different from the first pattern of variations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second pattern of variations comprises a portion of the second period during which the alternating magnetic flux is negligible, wherein a duration of the portion of the second period is at least a quarter of a duration of the second period.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the configuration of the one or more switches results in substantially a short-circuit across the winding.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the configuration of the one or more switches results in a known resistance being applied across the winding.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising measuring, by the processor, a characteristic of the alternating current during the second period.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the characteristic comprises an amplitude of the alternating current flowing through the conductor that conducts the alternating current.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the amplitude of the alternating current is determined by measuring a voltage across a first switch of the one or more switches, and by determining an impedance of the first switch while in an open state.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the characteristic comprises a phase of the alternating current.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting, by the processor, a phase of the alternating voltage periodic waveform according to the phase of the alternating current.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting, by the processor, responsive to the measuring, selectively reconfiguring the one or more switches to continue regulating the alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core.

16. An inductive power supply, comprising:

a magnetic core that facilitates coupling to a conductor that conducts an alternating current;

a winding wrapped around a cavity of the magnetic core;

a storage device;

one or more switches coupled to the winding and the storage device;

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

generating, by selectively enabling the one or more switches coupled to the storage device, an alternating voltage periodic waveform directed to the winding coupled to the magnetic core to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the magnetic core is separable from the second portion of the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core is magnetically coupled to the conductor that conducts the alternating current that causes a portion of the alternating magnetic flux, and wherein the alternating magnetic flux causes a coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core;

receiving a signal to reduce the coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core; and

responsive to the signal, modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux to reduce the coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core.

17. The inductive power supply of claim 16, wherein the modifying comprises causing the winding to be short circuited.

18. A method, comprising:

generating an alternating voltage periodic waveform that is supplied to a winding coupled to a magnetic core of an inductive power supply to regulate an alternating magnetic flux in the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the magnetic core is separable from the second portion of the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core is magnetically coupled to a conductor that conducts an alternating current that causes a portion of the alternating magnetic flux, wherein the alternating magnetic flux causes a coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core; and

responsive to detecting a signal, modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux to reduce the coupling force between the first portion of the magnetic core and the second portion of the magnetic core.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux comprises short circuiting the winding.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the modifying the regulation of the alternating magnetic flux comprises terminating a supply of the alternating voltage periodic waveform to the winding.