FORWARD LINK SIGNALING WITHIN A WIRELESS POWER SYSTEM

• US 20140038522A1
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Toncich, Stanley Slavko, Tan, Cheng F., Lee, Kevin Douglas, Von Novak, William Henry III, Irish, Linda Stacey
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• 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: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0211 with control of the supply voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/15 the supply or bias voltage or current at the drain side of a FET being continuously controlled by a controlling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/321 Use of a microprocessor in an amplifier circuit or its control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21193 the supply voltage of a power amplifier being continuously controlled, e.g. by an active potentiometer
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to forward link signaling. A method may include modulating an input bias signal of a power amplifier according to data to be transmitted on a wireless power transmit signal. The method may further include modulating an amplitude of the wireless power transmit signal generated by the power amplifier in response to the modulated input bias signal.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter comprising:

an amplifier having a bias input configured to receive a bias signal modulated with data for transmission, the amplifier configured to amplify a power transmit signal based on the received bias signal;

a control circuit configured to sense a power level of the amplifier and configured to adjust a power level of the bias signal based at least on the sensed power level of the amplifier; and

a transmit antenna configured to wirelessly transmit, based on the amplified power transmit signal, energy within a field at a level sufficient to charge or power a device.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to sense the power level of the amplifier based on detecting at least one of a voltage of the amplifier or a current of the amplifier.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein transmit antenna is configured to wirelessly transmit energy within an associated near-field region.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to modulate the bias signal based on data for transmission.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the power level of the bias signal based at least on generating a digital signal and conveying to the bias input of the amplifier a DC power signal modulated based at least partially on the digital signal.

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the power level of the bias signal based at least further on converting the digital signal to an analog signal and modulating the DC power signal based on the analog signal.

7. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the power level of the bias signal based at least on generating a digital amplitude signal having an amplitude that varies over time based on data for transmission.

8. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein a power of the wirelessly transmitted energy is about 2.5 Watts or greater.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises a microcontroller configured to determine, based at least on the sensed power level of the amplifier, the power level of the bias signal.

10. A method for wirelessly transferring power and data, the method comprising:

amplifying a power transmit signal based at least on a bias signal received by an amplifier, the bias signal modulated with data for transmission;

sensing a power level of the amplifier;

controlling a power level of the bias signal based at least on the sensed power level of the amplifier; and

wirelessly transmitting, based on the amplified power transmit signal, energy within a field at a level sufficient to charge or power a device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein sensing the power level of the amplifier comprises detecting at least one of a voltage of the amplifier or a current of the amplifier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein wirelessly transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting energy within an associated near-field region.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the power level of the bias signal comprises generating a digital signal and conveying to the amplifier a DC power signal modulated based at least partially on the digital signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein controlling the power level of the bias signal further comprises converting the digital signal to an analog signal and modulating the DC power signal based on the analog signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein controlling the power level of the bias signal comprises generating a digital signal with an amplitude that varies over time based on data for transmission.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising modulating the bias signal based on data for transmission.

17. A device for wirelessly transferring power and data, comprising:

means for amplifying a power transmit signal based on a bias signal modulated with data for transmission;

means for sensing a power level of the amplifying means and for controlling a power level of the bias signal based at least on the sensed power level of the amplifying means; and

means for wirelessly transmitting, based on the amplified power transmit signal, energy within a field at a level sufficient to charge or power an apparatus.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the sensing and controlling means is configured to detect the power level of the amplifier based on detecting at least one of a voltage of the amplifier or a current of the amplifier.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the sensing and controlling means is further configured to generate a digital signal and to convey to the amplifying means a DC power signal modulated based at least partially on the digital signal.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the sensing and controlling means is further configured to modulate the bias signal based on data for transmission.