INDUCTIVE CHARGING

• US 20160308392A1
• Filed: 06/23/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: ANTTILA, SAMI, BYMAN, VILLE
• Granted Patent: US 10,193,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

There is provided a method comprising transmitting inductively a first signal, receiving inductively a second signal in response to the first signal, determining whether the inductively received signal comprises a modulation, and adjusting a power of the transmitted signal on the basis of a modulation of the received signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting inductively, by an inductive power supply to at least one device, a poll signal;

receiving inductively, by the inductive power supply, a received signal from the at least one device in response to the poll signal;

determining whether the inductively received signal comprises a modulated data signal; and

adjusting a power of a transmission signal produced by the inductive power supply on the basis of the modulated data signal.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the power comprises at least one of:

adjusting a frequency, an amplitude, or a pulse width of the transmitted signal.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising the inductive power supply transmitting inductively, on the basis of the modulated data signal, a transmission signal with a higher power than the poll signal.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising the inductive power supply transmitting inductively, on the basis of the modulated data signal, a transmission signal with a lower power than the poll signal.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising transferring power inductively, when the received signal comprises a modulation.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising the inductive power supply continuing to transmit a transmission signal on the basis of the modulated data signal received from the device.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising decoding the modulation of the modulated data signal;

identifying a device generating the modulated data signal on the basis of a result of the decoding; and

determining a signal power to be used in inductive transmissions on the basis of the identified originating device.

8. A method according to claim 1, comprising determining that a device exists within a range of an inductive transfer if a modulation is determined in a predetermined period.

9. A method according to claim 1, comprising the device determining a modulation for the modulated data signal on the basis of a change in amplitude of the transmission signal received exceeding a threshold.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the threshold comprises a triggering threshold to determine values of data corresponding to a modulation.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit inductively a poll signal;

a receiver configured to receive inductively a modulated data signal in response to the poll signal;

a controller configured to determine whether a received signal comprises a modulation; and

a controller configured to adjust a power of the transmitted signal on the basis of a modulation of the received signal.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a controller configured to adjust a frequency, an amplitude, or a pulse width of the transmitted signal.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a transmitter configured to continue the transmitting of the transmitted signal on the basis of the received signal comprises a modulation.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a transmitter configured to transmit inductively a third signal, on the basis of the received signal comprises a modulation, wherein the third signal has a higher power than the poll signal.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a transmitter configured to transmit inductively a third signal with a lower power than the poll signal, when the received signal does not comprise a modulation.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a controller configured to determine that a device exists within a range of an inductive transfer if a modulation is determined in a predetermined period.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a controller configured to determine a modulation on the basis of a change in amplitude of the transmission signal received exceeding a threshold.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the inductively received signal comprises:

a modulated poll signal, a modulated charging signal or a modulated status query signal.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit inductively a first signal;

a receiver configured to receive inductively a second signal in response to the first signal; and

adjuster configured to adjust a power of the transmitted signal on the basis of the received signal.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said transmitter is configured to transfer power inductively, on the basis of the received signal comprises a modulation.