WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM

• US 20140103870A1
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• 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., Nguyen, Hai D., Taylor, Joshua B., Schwannecke, Joshua K., Norconk, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,143,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

The present invention provides wireless power supply systems that wirelessly supply power to a remote device for rapidly charging a charge storage capacitor, which charges a battery with the power stored in the charge storage capacitor. This allows the remote device to be positioned near the inductive power supply for rapid charging of the charge storage capacitor and allows battery charging to continue even after the remote device is removed from the inductive power supply.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system comprising:

an inductive power supply for supplying wireless power; and

a remote device separable from said inductive power supply, wherein said remote device includes a secondary power circuit, a charge storage capacitor, a charging subcircuit, and a battery;

said secondary power circuit is electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said secondary power circuit is configured to receive wireless power from said inductive power supply and rapidly charge said charge storage capacitor;

said charging subcircuit is electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said battery;

wherein, in response to said charge storage capacitor reaching a predetermined voltage, said charging subcircuit charges said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor.

2. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein said charging subcircuit is capable of charging said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor when said secondary power circuit is removed from said inductive power supply.

3. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein said remote device is capable of operating using power stored in said charge storage capacitor.

4. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein said charging subcircuit prevents said battery from leaking power into said charge storage capacitor.

5. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

6. The wireless charging system of claim 1 wherein the remote device includes a rectifier coupled to the secondary power circuit, the rectifier configured to convert AC power from the secondary power circuit to DC power for the device circuitry and the charge storage capacitor, wherein said rectifier is directly connected to the charge storage capacitor.

7. A remote device for receiving wireless power from an inductive power supply, said remote device comprising:

a secondary power circuit configured to receive wireless power;

a charge storage capacitor electrically connected to said secondary power circuit, wherein said secondary power circuit is configured to rapidly charge said charge storage capacitor;

a battery; and

a charging subcircuit electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said battery, wherein said charging subcircuit is configured to charge said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor;

wherein said charging subcircuit charges said battery with power stored in said charge storage capacitor in response to said charge storage capacitor reaching a predetermined threshold.

8. The remote device of claim 7 wherein said remote device is capable of operating using power stored in said charge storage capacitor.

9. The remote device of claim 7 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

10. The remote device of claim 7 wherein said charging subcircuit prevents said battery from leaking power into said charge storage capacitor.

11. The remote device of claim 7 wherein said remote device is a remote control.

12. The remote device of claim 7 wherein said remote device is an implantable medical device.

13. The remote device of claim 7 further comprising a rectifier coupled to the secondary power circuit, the rectifier configured to convert AC power from the secondary power circuit to DC power for the device circuitry and the charge storage capacitor, wherein said rectifier is directly connected to the charge storage capacitor.

14. A method of wirelessly powering device circuitry of a remote device, said method comprising:

generating an electromagnetic field with an inductive power supply;

positioning a remote device with a secondary power circuit in the electromagnetic field to induce electrical power within the secondary power circuit;

rapidly charging a charge storage capacitor in the secondary power circuit with the induced power;

in response to reaching a predetermined voltage in the charge storage capacitor, providing power to the device circuitry of the remote device with the power stored in the charge storage capacitor.

15. The method of claim 14 including:

sending charge information from the secondary power circuit to the inductive power supply; and

adjusting operation of the inductive power supply based on the charge information received from the secondary power circuit.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said adjusting operation of the inductive power supply includes adjusting at least one of an operating frequency, a duty cycle, and an input rail voltage of the inductive power supply.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein providing power to the device circuitry of the remote device can continue even after the remote device is removed from the inductive power supply.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the remote device includes a battery operably coupled to the device circuitry, and wherein said providing power to the device circuitry of the remote device includes charging the battery of the remote device.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the remote device includes a rectifier coupled to the secondary power circuit, the rectifier configured to convert AC power from the secondary power circuit to DC power for the device circuitry and the charge storage capacitor, wherein said rectifier is directly connected to the charge storage capacitor.

21. A remote device for receiving wireless power from an inductive power supply comprising:

a secondary power circuit configured to receive wireless power;

a charge storage capacitor electrically connected to said secondary power circuit, wherein said secondary power circuit is configured to rapidly charge said charge storage capacitor;

device circuitry configured to be selectively coupled to said charge storage capacitor;

switching circuitry electrically connected to said charge storage capacitor and said device circuitry, wherein said switching circuitry is configured to selectively couple said charge storage capacitor to said device circuitry such that power stored in said charge storage capacitor is transferred to said device circuitry;

wherein said switching circuitry couples said charge storage capacitor to said device circuitry in response to said charge storage capacitor reaching a predetermined threshold.

22. The remote device of claim 21 wherein said remote device is capable of at least one of operating using power stored in said charge storage capacitor and charging a battery of the device circuitry using power stored in the charge storage capacitor.

23. The remote device of claim 21 wherein the charge storage capacitor is selected from the group consisting of supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, and an electrochemical double layer capacitor.

24. The remote device of claim 21 further comprising a rectifier coupled to the secondary power circuit, the rectifier configured to convert AC power from the secondary power circuit to DC power for the device circuitry and the charge storage capacitor, wherein said rectifier is directly connected to the charge storage capacitor.

25. A remote device for receiving wireless power from an inductive power supply, said remote device comprising:

a secondary power circuit configured to receive wireless power; and

a supercapacitor electrically continously connected to said secondary power circuit, wherein said secondary power circuit is configured to rapidly charge said supercapacitor;

wherein power in the supercapacitor directly powers said remote device.

26. The remote device of claim 25 including a communication system to transmit feedback to control a wireless power supply transmitting said wireless power.

27. The remote device of claim 25 wherein said remote device includes a rectifier for conditioning said wireless power and for protecting said supercapacitor and wherein and wherein said inductive power supply regulates said wireless power.

28. The remote device of claim 25 wherein said secondary power circuit is configured to rapidly charge said supercapacitor by controlling said wireless power supply to predetermined limits.

29. The remote device of claim 25 including a voltage sense circuit, wherein said voltage sense circuit is configured to open the current path from said secondary power circuit to said supercapacitor in response to said supercapacitor reaching a predetermined voltage.

30. The remote device of claim 25 wherein said remote device is a remote control.

31. The remote device of claim 25 wherein said remote device is an implantable medical device.