MULTIPLE CONNECTED RESONATORS WITH A SINGLE ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT

• US 20140049118A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Karalis, Aristeidis, Verghese, Simon, Pallo, Nathan Andrew, Kesler, Morris P., McCauley, Alexander P., Kurs, Andre B., Kulikowski, Konrad
• Granted Patent: US 9,601,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/006 with special arrangement or spacing of turns of the winding(s), e.g. to produce desired self-resonance
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Described herein are systems, devices, and methods for a wireless energy transfer source that can support multiple wireless energy transfer techniques. A wireless energy source is configured to support wireless energy transfer techniques without requiring separate independent hardware for each technique. An amplifier is used to energize different energy transfer elements tuned for different frequencies. The impendence of each energy transfer element is configured such that only some of the energy transfer elements is active at a time. The different energy transfer elements and energy transfer techniques may be selectively activated using an amplifier without using active switches to select or activate different coils and/or resonators.

Claims

1. A wireless energy source compatible with multiple energy transfer techniques comprising:

an amplifier, configured to operate at a first frequency and a second frequency;

a first energy transfer element, configured for wireless energy transfer using a first energy transfer technique at the first frequency; and

a second energy transfer element, configured for wireless energy transfer using a second energy transfer technique at the second frequency;

wherein the second frequency is different than the first frequency, and

wherein the impedance of the first energy transfer element at the first frequency is less than the impedance of the first energy transfer element at the second frequency.

2. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the second frequency is at least two times the first frequency.

3. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the impedance of the first energy transfer element at the first frequency is three times less than the impedance of the first energy transfer element at the second frequency.

4. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the impedance of the second energy transfer element at the second frequency is at least three times less than the impedance of the second energy transfer element at the first frequency.

5. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the impedance of the first energy transfer element at the first frequency is at least ten times less than the impedance of the first energy transfer element at the second frequency.

6. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the second frequency is at least five times the first frequency,

7. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the first energy transfer element and the second energy transfer element are arranged in parallel.

8. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the first energy transfer element and the second energy transfer element are arranged in series.

9. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the first energy transfer element is inductively coupled to the second energy transfer element an wherein the second energy transfer element in directly coupled to the amplifier.

10. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, further comprising a third energy transfer element configured for energy transfer using a third frequency.

11. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the first energy transfer element comprises a resonator resonant substantially at the first frequency.

12. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the first frequency is 100 kHz and the second frequency is 535 kHz.

13. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the impedance of the first energy transfer element and the impedance of the second energy transfer element is configured such that at least 60% of the energy provided by the amplifier operating at the first frequency is delivered to the first energy transfer element.

14. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the impedance of the first energy transfer element and the impedance of the second energy transfer element is configured such that at least 90% of the energy provided by the amplifier operating at the first frequency is delivered to the first energy transfer element.

15. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the impedance of the first energy transfer element and the impedance of the second energy transfer element is configured such that the energy delivered to the first energy transfer element from the amplifier operating at the first frequency is at least two times larger than the energy delivered to the second energy transfer element.

16. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the amplifier is a switching amplifier and is configured to operate at the first frequency for a first time period.

17. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the first energy transfer technique is induction.

18. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the second energy transfer technique is resonant wireless energy transfer.

19. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the source is configured as a pad.

20. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the second frequency is at least five times the first frequency.

21. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the second energy transfer element comprises an impedance matching network.

22. The wireless energy transfer source from claim 1, wherein the second energy transfer element comprises an adjustable capacitance.