Wireless power supply for electrical devices

• US 10,819,158 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2017
• Issued: 10/27/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Inventors: Pearson, Sean R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thai H
• Application Number:
  US15/475,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20170288468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A wireless power supply system may comprise a wireless power transmitting circuit configured to transmit radio-frequency (RF) signals, and a wireless power receiving circuit configured to convert power from the RF signals into a direct-current (DC) output voltage stored in an energy storage element. The wireless power transmitting circuit may be electrically or magnetically coupled to an antenna and/or electrical wiring of a building for transmitting the RF signals. The wireless power transmitting circuit may be housed in an enclosure that is affixed in a relative location with respect to the wireless power receiving circuit. The antenna may comprise two antenna wires that extend from the enclosure. The wireless power receiving circuit may be electrically or magnetically coupled to an antenna for receiving the RF signals. The wireless power receiving circuit may comprise an RF-to-DC converter circuit for converting the power from the RF signals into a DC output voltage.

Claims

1. A wireless power supply system comprising:

a wireless power transmitting circuit configured to transmit RF signals;

an enclosure housing the wireless power transmitting circuit, wherein the enclosure comprises electrical prongs adapted to be plugged into a standard electrical outlet to power the wireless power transmitting circuit from an AC source;

a wireless power receiving circuit configured to convert power from the RF signals into a direct-current (DC) output voltage stored in an energy storage element;

an antenna electrically coupled to the wireless power receiving circuit and configured to receive the RF signals transmitted by the wireless power transmitting circuit;

a first regulated power supply configured to generate a first DC supply voltage from the DC output voltage generated by the wireless power receiving circuit;

a second regulated power supply configured to generate a second DC supply voltage from the first DC output voltage;

a drive circuit configured to control an amount of power delivered to an electrical load, the drive circuit coupled to the second regulated power supply and further configured to be coupled to a battery for drawing current either from the second DC supply voltage of the second regulated power supply or from the battery when the drive circuit is delivering power to the electrical load; and

a control circuit configured to;

generate a drive signal for controlling the drive circuit to adjust the amount of power delivered to the electrical load;

enable the second regulated power supply such that the drive circuit draws current from the second DC supply voltage of the second regulated power supply and not from the battery;

determine a magnitude of the second DC supply voltage;

determine whether the magnitude of the second DC supply voltage drops below a predetermined level; and

disable the second regulated power supply when the magnitude of the DC supply voltage drops below the predetermined level such that the drive circuit draws current from the battery and not from the second DC supply voltage of the second regulated power supply;

wherein the enclosure is configured to be affixed in a relative location with respect to the wireless power receiving circuit; and

wherein the wireless power receiving circuit comprises an RF-to-DC converter circuit electrically coupled to the antenna for converting the power from the RF signals into the DC output voltage.

2. The wireless power supply system of claim 1, further comprising a second enclosure that houses the wireless power receiving circuit, the first regulated power supply, the second regulated power supply, the drive circuit, and the control circuit, wherein the first and second enclosure are configured to be affixed in relative locations that are at least two feet apart.

3. The wireless power supply system of claim 1, wherein:

the second regulated power supply comprises a boost converter, and wherein the second DC supply voltage has a magnitude greater than a magnitude of the first DC supply voltage; and

the control circuit is coupled to the first DC supply voltage for receiving power from the first DC supply voltage.

4. The wireless power supply system of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is further configured to disable the second regulated power supply when the drive circuit is not delivering power to the electrical load.

5. The wireless power supply system of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is further configured to be powered exclusively by the DC output voltage via the first regulated power supply.

6. The wireless power supply system of claim 3, wherein the drive circuit comprises a motor drive circuit for driving a motor.

7. The wireless power supply system of claim 1, wherein the first regulated power supply comprises a buck/boost converter.

8. The wireless power supply system of claim 1,

wherein the antenna comprises a first antenna;

and

wherein the wireless power supply system further comprises;

a second antenna having at least one antenna wire electrically or magnetically coupled to the wireless power transmitting circuit and extending from the enclosure.

9. The wireless power supply system of claim 8, wherein the second antenna comprises at least two antenna wires to form a dipole antenna, the at least two antenna wires coupled to the wireless power transmitting circuit and extending from the enclosure, and the at least two antenna wires configured to be positioned horizontally to extend in opposite directions.

10. The wireless power supply system of claim 8, wherein the second antenna comprises a dipole, a loop, or a helical antenna.

11. The wireless power supply system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitting circuit is further configured to be electrically or magnetically coupled to at least one of the electrical prongs for transmitting the RF signals via electrical wiring of a building.

12. The wireless power supply system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitting circuit is further configured to continuously transmit the RF signals.

13. The wireless power supply system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitting circuit is further configured to transmit the RF signals in a pulse-width modulated manner.

14. A control device comprising:

an antenna configured to receive RF signals;

a wireless power receiving circuit configured to convert power from the RF signals into a direct-current (DC) output voltage stored in an energy storage element;

a regulated power supply configured to generate a DC supply voltage from the DC output voltage generated by the wireless power receiving circuit;

a control circuit configured to be powered by the DC supply voltage;

a wireless communication circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to transmit wireless signals;

a boost converter configured to generate a boosted voltage from the DC supply voltage, the boosted voltage having a magnitude greater than a magnitude of the DC supply voltage; and

a drive circuit configured to control an amount of power delivered to an electrical load, the drive circuit coupled to the boost converter and further configured to be coupled to a battery for drawing current either from the boosted voltage of the boost converter or from the battery when the drive circuit is delivering power to the electrical load;

wherein the control circuit is configured to;

generate a drive signal for controlling the drive circuit to adjust the amount of power delivered to the electrical load;

enable the boost converter such that the drive circuit draws current from the boosted voltage of the boost converter and not from the battery;

determine a magnitude of the boosted voltage;

determine whether the magnitude of the boosted voltage drops below a predetermined level; and

disable the boost converter when the magnitude of the boosted voltage drops below the predetermined level such that the drive circuit draws current from the battery and not from the boosted voltage of the boost converter.

15. The control device of claim 14, wherein the RF signals are received from a wireless power transmitting circuit, and wherein the wireless power receiving circuit is further configured to be affixed in relative location with respect to the wireless power transmitting circuit.

16. The control device of claim 15, wherein the wireless power receiving circuit is further configured to be affixed at least two feet apart from the wireless power transmitting circuit.

17. The control device of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is further configured to be powered exclusively by the DC output voltage via the regulated power supply.

18. The control device of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is further configured to disable the boost converter when the drive circuit is not delivering power to the electrical load.

19. The control device of claim 14, wherein the drive circuit comprises a motor drive circuit for driving a motor.

20. The control device of claim 14, wherein the antenna comprises at least two antenna wires coupled to the wireless power receiving circuit and forming a dipole antenna, the at least two antenna wires configured to be positioned horizontally to extend in opposite directions.

21. The control device of claim 14, wherein the antenna comprises a dipole, a loop, or a helical antenna.

22. The control device of claim 14, wherein the regulated power supply comprises a buck/boost converter.

23. The control device of claim 14, wherein the wireless power receiving circuit comprises an RF-to-DC converter circuit electrically coupled to the antenna for converting the power from the RF signals into the DC output voltage.

24. A motor drive unit for a motorized window treatment, the motor drive unit configured to drive a motor of the motorized window treatment, the motor drive unit comprising:

an antenna configured to receive RF signals;

a wireless power receiving circuit configured to convert power from the RF signals into a direct-current (DC) output voltage stored in an energy storage element;

a regulated power supply configured to generate a DC supply voltage from the DC output voltage generated by the wireless power receiving circuit;

a boost converter configured to generate a boosted voltage from the DC supply voltage, the boosted voltage having a magnitude greater than a magnitude of the DC supply voltage;

a drive circuit configured to control an amount of power delivered to the motor, the drive circuit coupled to the boost converter and further configured to be coupled to a battery for drawing current either from the boosted voltage of the boost converter or from the battery when the drive circuit is delivering power to the motor; and

a control circuit configured to be powered by the DC supply voltage, the control circuit configured to;

generate a drive signal for controlling the drive circuit to adjust the amount of power delivered to the motor

enable the boost converter such that the drive circuit draws current from the boosted voltage of the boost converter and not from the battery;

determine a magnitude of the boosted voltage;

determine whether the magnitude of the boosted voltage drops below a predetermined level; and

disable the boost converter when the magnitude of the boosted voltage drops below the predetermined level such that the drive circuit draws current from the battery and not from the boosted voltage of the boost converter.

25. The motor drive unit of claim 24, wherein the RF signals are received from a wireless power transmitting circuit, and wherein the motorized window treatment is configured to be affixed in relative location with respect to the wireless power transmitting circuit.

26. The motor drive unit of claim 25, wherein the motor drive unit is configured to be affixed at least two feet apart from the wireless power transmitting circuit.