ADAPTIVE INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY WITH COMMUNICATION

• US 20130095758A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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: H02M 3/015 with means for adaptation of resonance frequency, e.g. by modification of capacitance or inductance of resonance circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33571 Half-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/001 : Current supply source at the exchanger providing current to substations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 : Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/25 : Circuit arrangements for protecting against overcurrent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 : Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 : the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

An adaptive inductive ballast is provided with the capability to communicate with a remote device powered by the ballast. To improve the operation of the ballast, the ballast changes its operating characteristics based upon information received from the remote device. Further, the ballast may provide a path for the remote device to communicate with device other than the adaptive inductive ballast.

Claims

1. A method for supplying power from an inductive power supply to a remote device, said method comprising:

receiving, in the inductive power supply, load information from the remote device;

maintaining a remote device list in memory, the remote device list capable of including a plurality of present remote devices; and

configuring the inductive power supply to supply power based on the load information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining at least one of an amount of voltage and an amount of current required to power the remote device from a database of remote device power information maintained in memory, wherein the load information includes a remote device ID that is a key to the database.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving load information includes receiving, in the inductive power supply, at least one of an amount of voltage required to power the remote device, an amount of current required to power the remote device, and power requirements of the remote device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving load information from a different remote device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein both of the remote devices are the same type of device and have the same load information.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein both of the remote devices are the same type of device and have different load information.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising assigning a different device number to each remote device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the remote device list includes updating the remote device list in response to at least one of a change in status of the remote device and a change in presence of the remote device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all remote devices on the remote device list.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining inductive power supply settings in response to determining that the inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all remote devices on the remote device list.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining inductive power supply settings and instructing at least one remote device on the remote device list to change power consumption, in response to determining that the inductive power supply cannot be configured to adequately power all remote devices on the remote device list.

12. An inductive power supply for supplying power to a remote device, said inductive power supply comprising:

a receiver configured to receive load information from said remote device;

a primary configured to transfer power to said remote device;

a memory; and

a controller in communication with said receiver, said primary, and said memory, said controller programmed to;

maintain a remote device list in said memory, said remote device list capable of including a plurality of present remote devices; and

configure said inductive power supply to supply power based on said load information.

13. The inductive power supply of claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to obtain at least one of an amount of voltage and an amount of current required to power said remote device from a database of remote device power information maintained in memory, wherein said load information includes a device ID that is a key to said database.

14. The inductive power supply of claim 12 wherein said load information includes at least one of an amount of voltage to power said remote device, an amount of current required to power said remote device, and power requirements of said remote device.

15. The inductive power supply of claim 12 further comprising receiving load information from a different remote device.

16. The inductive power supply of claim 15 wherein both of said remote devices are the same type of device and have the same load information.

17. The inductive power supply of claim 15 wherein both of said remote devices are the same type of device and have different load information.

18. The inductive power supply of claim 15 wherein said controller is programmed to assign a different device number to each remote device.

19. The inductive power supply of claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to maintain said remote device list in said memory by updating said remote device list in response to at least one of a change in status of said remote device and a change in presence of said remote device.

20. The inductive power supply of claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to determine whether said inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all remote devices on said remote device list.

21. The inductive power supply of claim 20 wherein said controller is programmed to determine inductive power supply settings in response to determining that said inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all devices on said remote device list.

22. The inductive power supply of claim 20 wherein said controller is programmed to determine inductive power supply settings and instruct at least one device on said remote device list to change power consumption, in response to determining that said inductive power supply cannot be configured to adequately power all of said plurality of remote devices.

23. The inductive power supply of claim 12 wherein said receiver comprises at least one of a communication coil, an RF communication system, and said primary.

24. A method for supplying power from an inductive power supply to a remote device, said method comprising:

receiving, in the inductive power supply, power usage information from the remote device;

determining whether the inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power the remote device based on the power usage information;

adjusting power consumption characteristics of the remote device in response to a determination that power cannot be adequately supplied to the remote device; and

configuring the inductive power supply to supply power based on the received power usage information.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising receiving power usage information from a different remote device.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

determining whether the inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all remote devices based on the power usage information;

adjusting power consumption characteristics of at least one remote device in response to a determination that power cannot be supplied to all remote devices;

configuring the inductive power supply to supply power based on the received power usage information.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein both of the remote devices are the same type of device and have the same power usage information.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein both of the remote devices are the same type of device and have different power usage information.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the power usage information includes at least one of an amount of voltage to power the remote device, an amount of current required to power the remote device, power requirements of the remote device, and a remote device ID of the remote device.

30. An inductive power supply for supplying power to a remote device, said inductive power supply comprising:

a receiver configured to receive power usage information from said remote device;

a primary configured to transfer power to said remote device;

a memory including a database of remote device power information; and

a controller in communication with said receiver, said primary, and said memory, said controller programmed to;

determine whether said inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power said remote device based on said power usage information;

adjust power consumption characteristics of said remote device in response to a determination that power cannot be adequately supplied to said remote device; and

configure said inductive power supply to supply power based on said received power usage information.

31. The inductive power supply of claim 30 wherein said receiver is configured to receive power usage information from a different remote device.

32. The inductive power supply of claim 31 wherein said controller is programmed to:

determine whether said inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all remote devices based on said power usage information;

in response to a determination that power cannot be supplied to all remote devices, adjust power consumption characteristics of at least one remote device;

configure said inductive power supply to supply power based on said received power usage information.

33. The inductive power supply of claim 31 wherein both of said remote devices are the same type of device and have the same power usage information.

34. The inductive power supply of claim 31 wherein both of said remote devices are the same type of device and have different power usage information.

35. The inductive power supply of claim 30 wherein said receiver includes at least one of a communication coil, an RF communication system, and said primary.

36. The inductive power supply of claim 30 wherein said power usage information includes at least one of an amount of voltage to power said remote device, an amount of current required to power said remote device, power requirements of said remote device, and a remote device ID of said remote device.