PACKAGING AND DETAILS OF A WIRELESS POWER DEVICE

• US 20110025131A1
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Karalis, Aristeidis, Soljacic, Marin, Moffatt, Robert, Kurs, Andre B., Joannopoulos, John D., Fisher, Peter H.
• Application Number:
  US12/896,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025131A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• 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: H01Q 9/04 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0037 for power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

Described herein are embodiments of a wireless power system that includes at least a first high-Q magnetic resonator including an inductor having a variable inductance and a capacitor, having a variable capacitance; and a power conversion circuit, coupled to said first magnetic resonator, and exchanging power wirelessly with at least a second high-Q magnetic resonator, said circuit determining a measure of wireless power transfer, and producing a control signal indicative of said measure, and providing said control signal to said first magnetic resonator, and wherein said magnetic resonator adjusts at least one of said inductor and said capacitor value based on said signal.

Claims

1. A wireless power system, comprising;

at least a first high-Q magnetic resonator including an inductor having a variable inductance and a capacitor, having a variable capacitance; and

a power conversion circuit, coupled to said first magnetic resonator, and exchanging power wirelessly with at least a second high-Q magnetic resonator, said circuit determining a measure of wireless power transfer, and producing a control signal indicative of said measure, and providing said control signal to said first magnetic resonator, and wherein said magnetic resonator adjusts at least one of said inductor and said capacitor value based on said signal.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said capacitor comprises a variable capacitor part.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein said capacitor part comprises a switched capacitor bank.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein said variable inductance comprises a switchable inductance.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein said circuit comprises a mechanically adjustable inductance.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein said magnetic resonator adjusts a DC bias voltage to tune a capacitance value.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein said adjusting comprises using a DC bias voltage to tune an inductance value.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said resonators is used in a source.

9. A system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said resonators is used in a receiver.

52. A system as in claim 1, wherein said control signal comprises a detection of a current being sensed by a resonator.

10. A wireless power system, comprising:

at least two high-Q magnetic resonators tuned for wireless power exchange, a first high-Q resonator including an inductor and a capacitor, wherein said inductor is a variable inductor that comprises a mechanically adjustable inductance in the resonator; and

a power circuit that processes electric power, connected to at least one of said two magnetic resonators.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein said mechanical adjustment comprises using an actuator.

12. A system as in claim 10, further comprising an electronic circuit that controls said variable inductor.

13. A system as in claim 10, wherein said inductor comprises magnetic material.

14. A system as in claim 10, wherein at least a portion of at least one of said magnetic resonators is integrated in a mobile device.

15. A wireless power system for receiving power from at least one high-Q magnetic resonator, comprising:

a conducting coil;

a capacitor, in series with said conducting coil, forming at least a second high-Q magnetic resonator, said conducting coil and capacitor tuned to receive wireless transmission of power; and

a power converting circuit, coupled to said conducting coil, and receiving power therefrom, and converting said power;

a tunable circuit, in series with said coil and capacitor; and

a circuit which varies said tunable circuit, in order to improve wireless power transfer with said capacitor and said coil.

16. A method of coupling wireless power transferred between at least two high-Q resonators, comprising:

varying both a capacitance and an inductance of at least one high-Q magnetic resonator that is formed of a coil part forming an inductor, and a variable capacitance;

coupling power from a remote source to a high-Q source resonator or from a high-Q device resonator to a device;

determining a measure of wireless power transfer being carried out by said source resonator or said device resonator, and producing a control signal indicative of said measure; and

providing a control signal to said at least one magnetic resonator, wherein said magnetic resonator causes one of said capacitance or said inductance to be varied based on said signal.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein said capacitance comprises a variable capacitor part.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein said variable capacitor part comprises a switched capacitor bank.

19. A method as in claim 16, wherein said inductance comprises a variable inductance part.

20. A method as in claim 16, wherein said variable inductance part comprises a mechanically adjustable inductance.

21. A method as in claim 16, wherein said at least one magnetic resonator is used as a source.

22. A method as in claim 16, wherein said at least one magnetic resonator is used as a device.

23. A method, comprising:

transmitting power wirelessly from a high-Q source resonator to a high-Q device resonator;

detecting, in the source resonator, a change in coupling factor between said source and a device coupled to said device resonator; and

based on said detecting, adapting the source by changing a parameter of said transmitting.

24. A method as in claim 23, wherein said detecting comprises sensing a feedback signal that is produced from the device.

25. A method as in claim 24, wherein said feedback signal is sent using awireless communication signal.

26. A method as in claim 23, further comprising sending additional signals using wireless communications signals.

27. A method as in claim 23, wherein said detecting comprises a measurement in the source.

28. A method as in claim 23, wherein said detecting comprises a calculation in the source.

29. A method as in claim 23, further comprising tuning a resonator used for said transmitting wherein said tuning comprises tuning at least one of inductance or capacitance.

30. A method as in claim 23, further comprising tuning a resonator used for said transmitting wherein said tuning comprises tuning a power signal level.

31. A method as in claim 29, further comprising tuning a resonator used for said transmitting to compensate for changes in the operating environment.

32. A method, comprising:

transmitting power wirelessly from a high-Q source resonator to a high-Q receiver resonator;

detecting, in the source, tuning information for said source that depends on the position of said receiver; and

based on said detecting, adapting the source by tuning said source in a way that improves said transmitting to said receiver as a function of said position.

33. A method as in claim 32, wherein said detecting comprises receiving a feedback signal from the receiver.

34. A method as in claim 32, wherein said feedback signal is sent using a wireless communications signal.

35. A method as in claim 32, further comprising sending additional signals using wireless communications signals.

36. A method as in claim 32, wherein said detecting comprises a measurement in the source.

37. A method as in claim 32, further comprising tuning a resonator used for said transmitting, wherein said tuning comprises tuning at least one of inductance or capacitance of said resonator.

38. A method as in claim 32, further comprising tuning a resonator used for said transmitting, wherein said tuning comprises tuning both of inductance and capacitance of said resonator.

39. A method as in claim 32, wherein said detecting comprises a communication between said source and receiver.

40. A method, comprising:

receiving power wirelessly in a high-Q receiver resonator from a high-Q source resonator;

detecting, in the receiver, a change in coupling factor between a source and said receiver; and

based on said detecting, sending a signal that adapts the source by changing a parameter of said transmitting.

41. A method as in claim 40, wherein said detecting comprises receiving a feedback signal.

42. A method as in claim 41, wherein said feedback signal is sent using a wireless communications signal.

43. A method as in claim 40, further comprising sending additional signals using wireless communications signals.

44. A method as in claim 40, wherein said detecting comprises a measurement in the source.

45. A method as in claim 40, wherein said detecting comprises a calculation in the source.

46. A method as in claim 40, further comprising tuning a source, wherein said tuning comprises tuning at least one of inductance or capacitance of said source.

47. A method as in claim 40, further comprising tuning a source, wherein said tuning comprises tuning both an inductance and capacitance of said source.

48. A wireless power method, comprising:

detecting automatically a presence of a human;

providing wireless power charging when said human presence is not detected; and

changing said wireless power charging when said human presence is detected.

49. A method as in claim 48, wherein said changing comprises terminating said charging when said human is detected.

50. A method as in claim 48, wherein said changing comprises reducing a level of said charging when said human is detected.

51. A method as in claim 48, wherein said providing comprises providing wireless power at a level below a limit set by a standards body.

53. A method as in claim 48, wherein said providing wireless power comprises staying within ICNIRP limits.

54. A wireless power method, comprising:

in a first high-Q receiver resonator that is receiving power wirelessly, detecting automatically the presence of another high-Q receiver resonator; and

adjusting tuning of said first receiver resonator.

55. A wireless power method as in claim 54, wherein said detecting comprises detecting that said receiver is starting to mutually couple with said another receiver.

56. A wireless power method as in claim 54, wherein said detecting comprises using a data exchange between said receiver and said another receiver.

57. A wireless power method as in claim 54, wherein said detecting comprises using a data exchange between said receiver and said another receiver and also with at least one other receiver.

58. A system, comprising:

a system that wirelessly receives power in at least one high-Q resonator from at least one other high-Q resonator, said system including a resonator which has AC power wirelessly induced into the resonator; and

a synchronous rectifier, which synchronously rectifies said AC power into DC power.