Wireless connector transmitter module

• US 10,886,751 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 01/05/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Vinit, Shostak, Pavel, Peralta, Alberto, Luzinski, Jason, Babcock, Jacob D., Gotlieb, Michael, Riese, Glenn E, Alam, Md. Nazmul, Giometti, Robert, Los, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): Sun, Pingping
• Application Number:
  US15/686,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20180062704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/52 connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/57 surface mounting terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7082 Coupling device supported only by cooperation with PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7088 Arrangements for power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/725 containing contact members presenting a contact carrying strip, e.g. edge-like strip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/732 Printed circuits being in the same plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/28 Impedance matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 : using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/75 : for isolation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0216 : Reduction of cross-talk, noise or electromagnetic interference grounding H05K1/0215
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 : Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 : at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 : Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 : associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 : Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 : Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/366 : substantially perpendicularly to each other H05K3/361 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/40 : Forming printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 : Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0022 : of components mounted on printed circuit boards [PCB] shields integrated within component packages H01L23/552; shields integrated within PCB H05K1/0218
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0075 : Magnetic shielding materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0081 : Electromagnetic shielding materials, e.g. EMI, RFI shielding H05K9/0003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0084 : comprising a single continuous metallic layer on an electrically insulating supporting structure, e.g. metal foil, film, plating coating, electro-deposition, vapour-deposition

Abstract

Various embodiments of a wireless connector system are described. The system has a transmitter module and a receiver module that are configured to wirelessly transmit electrical energy and/or data via near field magnetic coupling. The wireless connector system is designed to increase the amount of wirelessly transmitted electrical power over a greater separation distance. The system is configured with various sensing circuits that alert the system to the presence of the receiver module to begin transfer of electrical power as well as undesirable objects and increased temperature that could interfere with the operation of the system. The wireless connector system is a relatively small foot print that is designed to be surface mounted.

Claims

1. A transmitter module for wireless power transfer via near field magnetic coupling (NFMC) at an operating frequency configured for the wireless power transfer, the transmitter module comprising:

a transmitter antenna configured to transmit electrical energy, for the wireless power transfer at the operating frequency;

an electronic circuit board electrically connected to the transmitter antenna;

a transmitter electronic circuit including a transmitter module master control sub-circuit;

at least one shielding material positioned within a housing and positioned between the transmitter antenna and the electronic circuit board; and

a receiver module detection sub-circuit electrically connected to the transmitter module master control sub-circuit by a sense line, wherein the receiver module detection sub-circuit is configured to detect an electrical voltage on the sense line and calculate a detected voltage level;

wherein the receiver detection sub-circuit comprises an envelope tracker sub-circuit connected in series with a diode and the transmitter antenna,

wherein the receiver module detection sub-circuit is configured to compare the detected voltage level to an idle voltage level during an idle mode to determine a voltage change level,

wherein the receiver module detection sub-circuit is configured to compare the voltage change level to a predetermined voltage threshold level that indicates a presence of a receiver device circuit that is configured to receive a wireless signal, the predetermined voltage threshold level stored in a memory of the receiver module detection sub-circuit,

wherein the receiver module detection circuit enables configuration of the transmitter module master control sub-circuit to communicate with the receiver device circuit,

wherein, when the voltage change level exceeds the predetermined voltage threshold level, the transmitter module master control sub-circuit transmits the wireless signal to the receiver device circuit.

2. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit board comprises a printed circuit board, a flex circuit board, or a combination thereof.

3. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein a plurality of spaced apart castellations are formed within an exterior surface of the transmitter module.

4. The transmitter module of claim 3 wherein the plurality of spaced apart castellations are plated with an electrically conductive material selected from a group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, and combinations thereof, and wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced apart castellations is electrically contactable to a second electronic circuit board.

5. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein a plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive pads are formed on an exterior surface of the housing, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive pads is electrically contactable to the electronic circuit board.

6. The transmitter module of claim 1 further configured to transmit the electrical energy, for the wireless power transfer at the operating frequency, at a power that ranges from about 100 μ

W to about 10 W.

7. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein the shielding material comprises one or more of a ferrite, manganese-zinc, nickel-zinc, copper-zinc, magnesium-zinc, and combinations thereof.

8. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein the transmitter antenna comprises a plurality of conductors and at least one insulator positioned between each of the plurality of conductors, the plurality of conductors having at least one turn.

9. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit board comprises:

an electrical impedance matching sub-circuit electrically connected to the transmitter antenna, the electrical impedance matching sub-circuit comprising at least one capacitor and an electrical power inverter sub-circuit, wherein the electrical impedance matching sub-circuit and the electrical power inverter sub-circuit are configured to prepare the wireless signal for transmission by the transmitter antenna;

the transmitter module master control sub-circuit comprising a master control unit;

a driver sub-circuit electrically connected to the transmitter module master control subcircuit and the electrical power inverter sub-circuit; and

a voltage regulator sub-circuit electrically connected to the transmitter module master control sub-circuit and the electrical power inverter sub-circuit.

10. The transmitter module of claim 9 wherein the driver sub-circuit comprises a half-bridge driver integrated circuit.

11. The transmitter module of claim 9 wherein the electrical power inverter sub-circuit comprises a power stage inverter sub-circuit.

12. The transmitter module of claim 1 further comprising a thermal detection sub-circuit electrically connected to the electronic circuit board, wherein the thermal detection sub-circuit is configured to detect and measure a temperature within the transmitter module.

13. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein a switch capacitor sub-circuit is electrically connected to an electrical impedance matching sub-circuit, wherein the switch capacitor sub-circuit is configured to dynamically modify a capacitance of the electrical impedance matching sub-circuit.

14. The transmitter module of claim 1, wherein one or more of the transmitter antenna, the electronic circuit board, and the housing are hermetically sealed.

15. The transmitter module of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to substantially encapsulate the transmitter antenna and the electronic circuit board such that one or more of liquid, debris, and any combinations thereof are prevented from inhibiting functionality of the transmitter module.

16. The transmitter module of claim 15, wherein the transmitter module is operatively associated with a host device, the host device operatively associated with a medical device, and wherein the transmitter electronic circuit is configured to provide the electrical energy, via the wireless power transfer at the operating frequency, to a receiver device circuit operatively associated with the medical device.

17. The transmitter module of claim 1, wherein the transmitter module is operatively associated with a host device, the host device operatively associated with a medical device, and wherein the transmitter electronic circuit is configured to provide the electrical energy, via the wireless power transfer at the operating frequency, to a receiver device circuit operatively associated with the medical device.

18. The transmitter module of claim 1 wherein, if the voltage change level exceeds the predetermined voltage threshold level, the transmitter electronic circuit and receiver device circuit are configured to initiate identification communication that includes the receiver device circuit transmitting a signal that defines an amount of power to be transmitted from the transmitter electronic circuit.

19. The transmitter module of claim 18, wherein the transmitter electronic circuit adjusts a power level of the wireless signal based on the identification communication between the transmitter electronic circuit and receiver device circuit.

20. The transmitter module of claim 19, wherein the transmitter electronic circuit comprises a voltage regulator that increases or decreases a voltage to a power amplifier based on the identification communication from the receiver device circuit, and wherein the transmitter electronic circuit ceases transmitting the wireless signal, if the voltage change level is below the predetermined voltage threshold level.