SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR SIMULTANEOUS WIRELESS AND WIRED POWER TRANSFER

• US 20180006555A1
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Inventors: Abu Qahouq, Jaber A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,468,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/06 Two-wire systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/14 Arrangements for reducing ripples from dc input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems, devices, controllers, and methods for simultaneous transfer of wireless and wired power are described herein. An example device can include a power converter or inverter circuit having a switch, a power inductor, a wired power output loop for delivering wired power to a wired load, and a wireless power output loop for delivering wireless power to a wireless load. The wired power can be a function of a direct current (DC) component of a current of the power inductor, and the wireless power can be a function of an induced and/or switching alternating current (AC) ripple component of the current of the power inductor. In addition, the device can include a controller operably coupled to the power converter or inverter circuit. The controller can include a processing unit and a memory and can be configured to independently regulate the wired power and the wireless power.

Claims

1. A device for simultaneous transfer of wireless and wired power, comprising:

a power converter or inverter circuit comprising;

a switch,

a power inductor,

a wired power output loop for delivering wired power to a wired load, wherein the wired power is a function of a direct current (DC) component of a current of the power inductor, and

a wireless power output loop for delivering wireless power to a wireless load through an additional winding, wherein the wireless power is a function of an alternating current (AC) ripple component of the current of the power inductor; and

a controller operably coupled to the power converter or inverter circuit, wherein the controller comprises a processing unit and a memory operably coupled to the processing unit, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed the processing unit, cause the controller to independently regulate the wired power and the wireless power.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a respective closed control loop for regulating each of the wired power and the wireless power.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to independently regulate the wired power and the wireless power by altering at least one of a signal that controls a duty cycle or a switching frequency of the switch.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the wireless power by perturbing a signal that controls the duty cycle of the switch, and wherein the perturbation causes a change in the AC ripple component of the current of the power inductor.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein perturbing the signal that controls the duty cycle of the switch further comprises introducing a time-varying perturbation to the signal, and wherein the controller is configured to regulate the wireless power by adjusting a peak-to-peak value or frequency of the time-varying perturbation.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the wireless power by adjusting a frequency of a signal that controls the switching frequency of the switch, and wherein the adjustment causes a change in the AC ripple component of the current of the power inductor.

9. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the wired power by adjusting a signal that controls the duty cycle of the switch.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the power converter or inverter circuit further comprises pulse width modulation (PWM) generator operably coupled to the controller, the PWM generator being configured to transmit control signals to the switch of the power converter or inverter circuit.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the power inductor comprises a variable inductor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the wireless power by adjusting an inductance value of the variable inductor, and wherein the adjustment causes a change in the AC ripple component of the current of the power inductor.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of power converter or inverter circuits, wherein respective wired power output loops or respective wireless power output loops of the power converter or inverter circuits are connected in series or parallel.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the power converter or inverter circuit further comprises a plurality of power inductors and a plurality of wireless power output loops, each wireless power output loop being configured to deliver wireless power to a wireless load, and wherein the wireless power is a function of an AC ripple component of the current of a respective power inductor.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless power receiver circuit operably coupled to the wireless power output loop, wherein the wireless power receiver circuit is configured to receive the wireless power and convert the wireless power to at least one of radiofrequency (RF) energy, sound, or light.

24. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power source, wherein the controller is further configured to control a bidirectional flow of the wired power or the wireless power between the power source and the wired power output loop or the wireless power output loop.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to control the bidirectional flow of the wired power or the wireless power to maximize efficiency of the device or to control the bidirectional flow of the wired power or the wireless power to perform maximum power point tracking.

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27. A method for simultaneous transfer of wireless and wired power, comprising:

regulating wired power delivered to a wired load via a wired power output loop of a power converter or inverter circuit, wherein the wired power is a function of a direct current (DC) component of a current of a power inductor; and

regulating wireless power delivered to a wireless load via a wireless power output loop of the power converter or inverter circuit, wherein the wireless power is a function of an alternating current (AC) ripple component of the current of the power inductor, and wherein the wired power and the wireless power are regulated independently of one another.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the wired power and the wireless power are regulated independently of one another by altering at least one of a signal that controls a duty cycle or a switching frequency of a switch of the power converter or inverter circuit.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising perturbing a signal that controls the duty cycle of the switch, and wherein the perturbation causes a change in the AC ripple component of the current of the power inductor.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising adjusting a frequency of a signal that controls the switching frequency of the switch, and wherein the adjustment causes a change in the AC ripple component of the current of the power inductor.

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38. A system for simultaneous transfer of wireless and wired power, comprising:

a wireless powered device; and

a power transfer device that is inductively coupled with the wireless power receiving device, the power transfer device comprising;

a power converter or inverter circuit including;

a switch,

a power inductor,

a wired power output loop for delivering wired power to a wired powered device, wherein the wired power is a function of a direct current (DC) component of a current of the power inductor, and

a wireless power output loop for delivering wireless power to the wireless powered device through an additional winding, wherein the wireless power is a function of an alternating current (AC) ripple component of the current of the power inductor.

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