SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS RELATED TO INDUCTIVE POWER TRANSFER TRANSMITTER WITH SONIC EMITTER

• US 20140203768A1
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Andic, Peter, Morley, Stewart, Charlton-Wells, Traci, Berry, David T.
• Application Number:
  US13/745,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203768A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• 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: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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: 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus related to wireless power transmission and living object deterrence. One aspect of the subject matter described in the disclosure provides a method of wireless power transfer. The method includes providing wireless charging power to a receiver. The method further includes activating a living object deterrent. Another aspect of the subject matter described in the disclosure provides a method of wireless power transfer. The method includes providing wireless charging power to a receiver. The method further includes detecting a non-charging object. The method further includes activating a living object deterrent based on said detecting.

Claims

1. A method of wireless power transfer comprising:

providing wireless charging power to a receiver; and

activating a living object deterrent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating a living object deterrent comprises emitting at least one sonic frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one sonic frequency is ultrasonic.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a non-charging object, wherein said activating the living object deterrent is based on said detecting.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising adjusting a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on said detecting.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the characteristic of wireless power transfer comprises ceasing the wireless power transfer when the non-charging object is detected.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising detecting the absence of the non-charging object and adjusting a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on the detected absence.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising characterizing the detected object, wherein said activating the living object deterrent and/or adjusting a characteristic of the wireless power transfer is based on the object characterization.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating the living object deterrent comprises periodically, intermittently, and/or continuously activating the living object deterrent while providing wireless charging power to the receiver.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the living object deterrent comprises flashing or continuous lights.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the living object deterrent comprises flashing or continuous lights.

11. A method of wireless power transfer comprising:

providing wireless charging power to a receiver;

detecting a non-charging object; and

activating a living object deterrent based on said detecting.

12. A device configured to provide wireless power comprising:

a transmitter configured to provide wireless charging power to a receiver;

a living object deterrent; and

a controller configured to activate the living object deterrent.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the living object deterrent is configured to emit at least one sonic frequency.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the at least one sonic frequency is ultrasonic.

15. The device of claim 12, further comprising an object detector configured to detect a non-charging object, wherein the controller is configured to activate the living object deterrent based on said detecting.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on said detecting.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein adjusting the characteristic of wireless power transfer comprises ceasing the wireless power transfer when the non-charging object is detected.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the object detector is further configured to detect the absence of the non-charging object and the controller is further configured to adjust a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on the detected absence.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the object detector is further configured to characterize the detected object and activate the living object deterrent and/or adjust a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on the object characterization.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to activate the living object deterrent periodically, intermittently, and/or continuously while the transmitter provides wireless charging power to the receiver.

22. A device configured to provide wireless power comprising:

a transmitter configured to provide wireless charging power to a receiver;

an object detector configured to detect a non-charging object; and

a living object deterrent; and

a controller configured to activate the living object deterrent based on the detection.

23. An apparatus for wireless power transfer comprising:

means for providing wireless charging power to a receiver;

means for deterring a living object; and

means for activating the living object deterrent.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein means for deterring a living object comprises means for emitting at least one sonic frequency.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one sonic frequency is ultrasonic.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for detecting a non-charging object, wherein said means for activating the living object deterrent is based on said detecting.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for adjusting a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on said detecting.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein means for adjusting the characteristic of wireless power transfer comprises means for ceasing the wireless power transfer when the non-charging object is detected.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for detecting the absence of the non-charging object and means for adjusting a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on the detected absence.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for characterizing the detected object, and means for activating the living object deterrent and/or adjusting a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on the object characterization.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means for activating the living object deterrent comprises means for periodically, intermittently, and/or continuously activating the living object deterrent while providing wireless charging power to the receiver.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein means for deterring a living object comprises flashing or continuous lights.

33. An apparatus for wireless power transfer comprising:

means for providing wireless charging power to a receiver;

means for detecting a non-charging object;

means for deterring a living object; and

means for activating a living object deterrent based on said detecting.

34. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:

provide wireless charging power to a receiver; and

activate a living object deterrent.

35. The medium of claim 34, wherein activating a living object deterrent comprises emitting at least one sonic frequency.

36. The medium of claim 35, wherein the at least one sonic frequency is ultrasonic.

37. The medium of claim 34, further comprising code that, when executed, causes the apparatus to detect a non-charging object, wherein said activating the living object deterrent is based on said detecting.

38. The medium of claim 37, further comprising code that, when executed, causes the apparatus to adjust a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on said detecting.

39. The medium of claim 38, wherein adjusting the characteristic of wireless power transfer comprises ceasing the wireless power transfer when the non-charging object is detected.

40. The medium of claim 38, further comprising code that, when executed, causes the apparatus to detect the absence of the non-charging object and adjusting a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on the detected absence.

41. The medium of claim 38, further comprising code that, when executed, causes the apparatus to characterize the detected object, and activate the living object deterrent and/or adjust a characteristic of the wireless power transfer based on the object characterization.

42. The medium of claim 34, wherein said activating the living object deterrent comprises periodically, intermittently, and/or continuously activating the living object deterrent while providing wireless charging power to the receiver.

43. The medium of claim 34, wherein the living object deterrent comprises flashing or continuous lights.

44. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:

provide wireless charging power to a receiver;

detect a non-charging object; and

activate a living object deterrent based on said detecting.