SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER

• US 20150372500A1
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: North Carolina State University (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: North Carolina State University (University of North Carolina System)
• Inventors: Lukic, Srdjan, Pantic, Zeljko, Lee, Kibok
• Application Number:
  US14/764,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372500A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein are power transfer systems. The power transfer system includes a receiver configured to wirelessly receive power for powering an electronic device, a power source, and at least one transmitter operably coupled to the power source for wirelessly transferring power generated by the power source. When the at least one transmitter is operably coupled to the receiver, the power source and the at least one transmitter operate together in a first mode such that the power source generates power at a first level and the at least one transmitter transfers the generated power to the receiver. When the transmitter is not operably coupled to the receiver, the power source and the at least one transmitter operate together in a second mode such that the power source generates power at a second level lower than the first level or equal to zero and the transmitter does not wirelessly transfer power.

Claims

1. A power transfer system comprising:

a receiver configured to wirelessly receive power for powering an electronic device;

a power source; and

at least one transmitter operably coupled to the power source for wireless transfer of power generated by the power source, wherein when the at least one transmitter is operably coupled to the receiver, the power source and the at least one transmitter operate together in a first mode such that the power source generates power at a first level and the at least one transmitter transfers the generated power to the receiver, and

wherein when the at least one transmitter is not operably coupled to the receiver, the power source and the at least one transmitter operate together in a second mode such that the power source generates power at a second level lower than the first level or equal to zero and the transmitter does not wirelessly transfer power.

2. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to simultaneously transfer power to the receiver on a plurality of frequencies.

3. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises an inverter.

4. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the receiver has a receiver input impedance, and wherein the at least one transmitter has a transmitter reflected impedance.

5. The power transfer system of claim 4, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured such that the transmitter reflected impedance is substantially a reflected voltage from the receiver divided by the current from the power source.

6. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is an inductance-capacitance-capacitance (LCC) receiver, the LCC receiver has a first capacitance, a second capacitance and an inductance, wherein the LCC receiver has a quality factor defined as:

7. The power transfer system of claim 6, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor form a resonant tank.

8. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter comprises a plurality of transmitters.

9. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to generate an alternating current.

10. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the power source is connected to an electrical grid.

11. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the power source a compensation tank configured to control the phase between the voltage and the current generated by the power source and the voltage and current at the receiver.

12. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a compensation tank configured to extract maximum power.

13. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein the power source is a multi-frequency source configured to emit power at multiple frequencies.

14. A method comprising:

providing at least one transmitter operably coupled to a power source for wireless transfer of power generated by the power source to a receiver; and

when the at least one transmitter is operably coupled to the receiver;

operating the power source and the at least one transmitter together in a first mode such that the power source generates power at a first level and the at least one transmitter transfers the generated power to the receiver;

when the at least one transmitter is not operably coupled to the receiver, operating the power source and the at least one transmitter operate together in a second mode such that the power source to generate power at a second level lower than the first level or equal to zero and the transmitter does not wirelessly transfer power.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein operating the power source and the at least one transmitter together comprises operating the at least one transmitter to simultaneously transmit power to the receiver on a plurality of frequencies.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the power source comprises an inverter.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiver has a receiver input impedance, and wherein the at least one transmitter has a transmitter reflected impedance.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured such that the transmitting reflected impedance is substantially a reflected voltage from the receiver divided by the current from the power source.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiver is an inductance-capacitance-capacitance (LCC) receiver, the LCC receiver having a first capacitance, a second capacitance and an inductance, wherein the LCC receiver has a quality factor defined as:

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor of the receiver form a resonant tank.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one transmitter comprises a plurality of transmitters.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the power source is configured to provide an alternating current.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the power source is connected to an electrical grid.

24. A receiver in closely-spaced apart arrangement relative to a power source and configured to be operably coupled with an electronic device.

25. The receiver of claim 24, wherein the receiver is configured to receive power on a plurality of frequencies simultaneously.

26. The receiver of claim 24, wherein the receiver has a receiver input impedance.

27. The receiver of claim 24, wherein the receiver is an inductance-capacitance-capacitance (LCC) receiver, the LCC receiver having a first capacitance, a second capacitance and an inductance, wherein the LCC receiver has a quality factor defined as:

28. The receiver of claim 27, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor form a resonant tank.

29. A transmitter configured to be one of coupled and uncoupled to a power source and a receiver, the at least one transmitter being configured such that the current through the power source increases when the at least one transmitter is coupled between the power source and the receiver for transferring power to the receiver, and such that the current decreases when the at least one transmitter is not coupled between the power source and the receiver.

30. The transmitter of claim 29, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to transfer power to the receiver on a plurality of frequencies simultaneously.

31. The transmitter of claim 29, wherein the transmitter has a transmitter reflected impedance.

32. The transmitter of claim 31, wherein the transmitter is configured such that the transmitter reflected impedance is substantially a reflected voltage from the receiver divided by the current from the power source.

33. The transmitter of claim 29, wherein the transmitter is configured to transfer power using an alternating current.