Systems and methods for wireless power transfer including pulse width encoded data communications

• US 10,892,800 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2020
• Issued: 01/12/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2020
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Inventors: Katz, Michael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US16/735,342
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A wireless receiver system, for a wireless power transfer system, includes an antenna and a controller, the antenna configured to transmit electrical data signals, the electrical data signals including an encoded message signal. The encoded message signal including one or more encoded message words. The controller is configured to encode one or more message words, of a message signal, into one or more encoded message words of the encoded message signal, based on a coding format. The coding format correlates each of a plurality of correlated ratios with one of a plurality of format words. Each of the plurality of correlated ratios is a ratio of a duty cycle of a pulse to a respective period associated with one or both of the duty cycle and the pulse. Each of the one or more encoded message words are encoded as one of the plurality of correlated ratios.

Claims

1. A wireless receiver system for a wireless power transfer system, the wireless receiver system configured to wirelessly receive electrical power from a wireless transmission system, the wireless receiver system comprising:

an antenna, the antenna configured to receive electrical energy signals from the wireless transmission system and transmit electrical data signals to the wireless transmission system, the electrical data signals including an encoded message signal, the encoded message signal comprising one or more encoded message words; and

a controller, including a processor, the controller configured to

determine a message signal, the message signal including one or more message words,

encode the one or more message words into one or more encoded message words of the encoded message signal based on a coding format,

the coding format correlating each of a plurality of correlated ratios, respectively, with one of a plurality of format words, each of the plurality of correlated ratios corresponding to one of a plurality of format words,

wherein each of the plurality of correlated ratios is a ratio of a duty cycle of a pulse to a respective period associated with one or both of the duty cycle and the pulse,

wherein each of the one or more encoded message words are encoded as one of the plurality of correlated ratios,

determine the encoded message signal based on the plurality of encoded message words, and

communicate the encoded message signal to the wireless transmission system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of format words includes a start word,

wherein the plurality of correlated ratios includes a start correlated ratio,

wherein the start correlated ratio corresponds with the start word,

wherein the encoded message signal includes an encoded start word, the encoded start word indicating a beginning of the encoded message signal, and

wherein the encoded start word is encoded as the start correlated ratio.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the respective period is an undefined, asynchronous period.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the message signal is based, at least in part, on an input data source associated with one or both of the wireless receiver system, the controller, and any combinations thereof.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the input data source includes electrical characteristic information associated with the wireless receiver system.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a rectifier circuit, the rectifier circuit configured to receive electrical energy signals from the antenna and condition the electrical energy signals for output to a load, and

wherein the electrical characteristic information includes an output voltage at the output of the rectifier circuit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission system includes, at least, a transmission antenna, the transmission antenna configured to couple with the antenna for wireless transfer of the electrical energy signals, the transmission antenna and the antenna coupled via an electromagnetic field, and

wherein the controller is further configured to modulate the electromagnetic field based on the encoded message signal to transmit the encoded message signal.

8. A wireless power transfer system comprising:

a wireless transmission system including

a transmission antenna, the transmission antenna configured to wirelessly transmit electrical energy signals and receive an encoded message signal, and

a transmission controller, including a processor; and

a wireless receiver system including

a receiver antenna configured to receive electrical energy signals from the transmission antenna and transmit the encoded message signal, the encoded message signal comprising one or more encoded message words, and

a receiver controller, including a processor, the receiver controller configured to

determine a message signal, the message signal including one or more message words,

encode the one or more message words into one or more encoded message words of the encoded message signal based on a coding format,

the coding format correlating each of a plurality of correlated ratios, respectively, with one of a plurality of format words, each of the plurality of correlated ratios corresponding to one of a plurality of format words,

wherein each of the plurality of correlated ratios is a ratio of a duty cycle of a pulse to a respective period associated with one or both of the duty cycle and the pulse, and

wherein each of the one or more encoded message words are encoded as one of the plurality of correlated ratios,

determine the encoded message signal based on the plurality of encoded message words, and

communicate the encoded message signal to the transmission antenna; and

wherein the transmission controller is configured to;

receive the encoded message signal, including the one or more encoded message words,

decode the one or more encoded message words into one or more decoded message words, based on the coding format, by referencing each of the one or more decoded message words against the plurality of correlated ratios,

determine the message signal based on the one or more decoded message words.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of format words includes a start word,

wherein the plurality of correlated ratios includes a start correlated ratio,

wherein the start correlated ratio corresponds with the start word,

wherein the encoded message signal includes an encoded start word, the encoded start word indicating a beginning of the encoded message signal, and

wherein the encoded start word is encoded as the start corrleated ratio.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein decoding the one or more encoded message words, by the transmission controller, further includes, determining a beginning of the decoded one or more message words based on decoding of an encoded start word.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the respective period is an undefined, asynchronous period.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the message signal is based, at least in part, on an input data source associated with one or both of the wireless receiver system, the receiver controller, and any combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless receiver system further includes a rectifier circuit, the rectifier circuit configured to receive electrical energy signals from the receiver antenna and condition the electrical energy signals for output to a load, and

wherein the input data source includes electrical characteristic information associated with the wireless receiver system that includes an output voltage at the output of the rectifier circuit.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the transmission antenna is configured to couple with the receiver antenna for wireless transfer of the electrical energy signals, the transmission antenna and the receiver antenna coupled via an electromagnetic field, and

wherein the receiver controller is further configured to modulate the electromagnetic field based on the encoded message signal to transmit the encoded message signal.

15. A method for operating a wireless power transfer system the wireless power transfer system including a wireless transmission system and a wireless receiver system, the method comprising:

electromagnetically coupling the wireless transmission system with the wireless receiver system, via electromagnetic coupling of a transmission antenna of the wireless transmission system and a receiver antenna of the wireless receiver antenna;

determining a message signal, by the wireless receiver system, the message signal including one or more message words;

encoding, by the wireless receiver system, the one or more message words into one or more encoded message words of the encoded message signal, based on a coding format, wherein the coding format correlates a plurality of correlated ratios, respectively, with one of a plurality of format words, each of the plurality of correlated ratios corresponding to one of a plurality of format words, wherein each of the plurality of correlated ratios is a ratio of a duty cycle of a pulse to a respective period associated with one or both of the duty cycle and the pulse, and wherein each of the one or more encoded message words are encoded as one of the plurality of correlated ratios; and

transmitting the encoded message signal, by the wireless receiver system, via the electromagnetic coupling of the transmission antenna and the receiver antenna.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless transmission system, the encoded message signal, including the one or more encoded message words,

decoding, by the wireless transmission system, the one or more encoded message words into one or more decoded message words, based on the coding format, by referencing each of the one or more decoded message words against the plurality of correlated ratios, and

determining the message signal based on the one or more decoded message words.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting electrical energy signals, from the wireless transmission system to the wireless receiver system, based, at least in part, on the message signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the message signal includes, at least, electrical characteristic information associated with the wireless receiver system and a magnitude of the electrical energy signals is based, at least in part, on the electrical characteristic information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrical characteristic information includes, at least, an output voltage at the output of a rectifier circuit of the wireless receiver system, and, the magnitude of the electrical energy signals is based, at least in part, on the output voltage at the output of the rectifier circuit.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of format words includes a start word,

wherein the plurality of correlated ratios includes a start correlated ratio,

wherein the start correlated ratio corresponds with the start word,

wherein the encoded message signal includes an encoded start word, the encoded start word indicating a beginning of the encoded message signal, and

wherein the encoded start word is encoded as the start correlated ratio.