Wireless connector system

• US 10,938,220 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 03/02/2021
• 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, Wadkar, Unnati, Melone, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Sun, Pinping
• Application Number:
  US15/686,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20180062397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 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 wireless connector system for wireless power transfer via near field magnetic coupling (NFMC) at an operating frequency configured for the wireless power transfer, the wireless connector system comprising:

a transmitter module, comprising;

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

a first substrate supporting the transmitter antenna;

a second substrate supporting a transmitter module electronic circuit, wherein the transmitter module electronic circuit is electrically connected to the transmitter antenna; and

a first insulator positioned between the transmitter module electronic circuit and the transmitter antenna,

a transmitter module master control sub-circuit; 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 module detection sub-circuit comprises an envelope tracker sub-circuit for receiver module sensing that includes a first resistor and a second resistor, wherein the sense line is between the first resistor and the second resistor;

a receiver module, comprising;

a receiving antenna configured for receiving the electrical energy for the wireless power transfer at the operating frequency;

a third substrate supporting the receiving antenna;

a fourth substrate supporting a receiver module electronic circuit, wherein the receiver module electronic circuit is electrically connected to the receiving antenna; and

a second insulator positioned between the receiver module electronic circuit and the receiving 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 the presence of the receiver module, the predetermined voltage threshold level stored in memory of the receiver module detection sub-circuit,

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

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

2. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein a first shielding material is positioned between the transmitter antenna and the transmitter module electronic circuit, a second shielding material is positioned between the receiving antenna and the receiver module electronic circuit, the first and second shielding materials comprising a ferrite material.

3. The wireless connector system of claim 2 wherein the first and second shielding materials comprise manganese-zinc, nickel-zinc, copper-zinc, magnesium-zinc, and combinations thereof.

4. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein the first or second substrate comprises a printed circuit board, a flex circuit board, or a combination thereof.

5. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of spaced apart castellations are formed within an exterior surface of the first or second substrate.

6. The wireless connector system of claim 5 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 with an electronic circuit board.

7. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive pads are formed on an exterior surface of the first and second substrates, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive pads is electrically contactable to an electronic circuit board.

8. The wireless connector system of claim 1 further configured to transmit an electrical power that ranges from about 100 μ

W to about 10 W.

9. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the receiving antenna and 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.

10. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter module electronic circuit comprises:

a) a first electrical impedance matching sub-circuit electrically connected to the transmitter antenna, the first electrical impedance matching sub-circuit comprises at least one first capacitor and an electrical power inverter sub-circuit, wherein the first electrical impedance matching subcircuit and the electrical power inverter sub-circuit are configured to prepare the electrical energy for transmission by the transmitter antenna;

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

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

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

11. The wireless connector system of claim 10 wherein the driver sub-circuit comprises a half-bridge driver integrated circuit.

12. The wireless connector system of claim 10 wherein the electrical power inverter sub-circuit comprises a field effect transistor power stage inverter.

13. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein the receiver module electronic circuit comprises:

a) a receiver module master control sub-circuit comprising a master control unit;

b) a second electrical impedance matching sub-circuit electrically connected to the receiving antenna, the second electrical impedance matching sub-circuit comprising at least one second capacitor, wherein the second electrical impedance matching sub-circuit is configured to prepare the received electrical energy for use by an electronic device; and

c) a second voltage regulator sub-circuit electrically connected to the receiver module master control sub-circuit.

14. The wireless connector system of claim 13 further comprising a voltage doubler sub-circuit, the voltage doubler sub-circuit electrically connected to the second electrical impedance matching sub-circuit and the second voltage regulator sub-circuit.

15. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein the receiver module further comprises a thermal sense sub-circuit electrically connected to the receiver module electronic circuit, wherein the thermal sense sub-circuit is configured to detect and measure a temperature within the receiver module.

16. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter module further comprises a thermal detection sub-circuit electrically connected to the transmitter module electronic circuit, wherein the thermal detection sub-circuit is configured to detect and measure a temperature within the transmitter module.

17. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein a switch capacitor sub-circuit is electrically connected within at least one of first and second electrical impedance matching sub-circuits, wherein the switch capacitor sub-circuit is configured to dynamically modify a capacitance of the at least one of the first and second electrical impedance matching sub-circuits.

18. The wireless connector system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter module comprises a transmitter housing, wherein the first substrate, the second substrate and the first insulator are positioned therewithin and the receiver module comprises a receiver housing wherein the third substrate, the fourth substrate and the second insulator are positioned therewithin.

19. The wireless connector system 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 receiver module is operatively associated with the medical device.

20. The wireless connector system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter module is operatively associated with a host device, the host device operatively associated with eyeglasses, and

wherein the receiver module is operatively associated with the eyeglasses.

21. The wireless connector system of claim 1, wherein the operating frequency is selected from a range of about 100 kHz to about 50 MHz.

22. The wireless connector system of claim 1, wherein the operating frequency is about 6.78 MHz.

23. The wireless connector system of claim 1, wherein the operating frequency is about 13.56 MHz.

24. The wireless connector system of claim 23, wherein the wireless power transmission is based on Near Field Communications (NFC) standard, based on standards defined by ISO/IEC standard 18092.

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

26. The wireless connector system of claim 25 wherein the transmitter module adjusts the power level of the signal based on the identification communication between the transmitter module and the receiver module.

27. The wireless connector system of claim 26, wherein the transmitter module further comprises a voltage regulator that increases or decreases the voltage to a power amplifier based on communication from the receiver module, and wherein the transmitter module ceases transmitting the signal, if the voltage change level is below the predetermined voltage threshold level.