WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER

• US 20190097447A1
• Filed: 10/19/2018
• Published: 03/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mojo Mobility, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mojo Mobility, Inc.
• Inventors: Partovi, Afshin
• Granted Patent: US 11,005,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2823 Wires H01F27/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/288 Shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/36 Electric or magnetic shields or screens movable for varying inductance H01F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/361 made of combinations of electrically conductive material and ferromagnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/363 made of electrically conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/366 made of ferromagnetic material
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• 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 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Provided is a base unit for wireless power transfer or charging through a time varying magnetic field, comprising. The unit may include one or more components including a magnetic material or layer, that guide a corresponding magnetic flux generated by a coil in the base unit in one or multiple dimensions and/or to guide the magnetic flux in such a manner as to create a preferential path for returning flux flow in one or multiple dimensions. When one or more power receivers, each having one or more receiver coils or receivers associated therewith, is placed in proximity to a base unit, the coil in the base unit is used to inductively generate a current in the one or more receiver coils or receivers associated with the one or more power receivers. The base unit and the one or more receivers communicate uni-directionally or bi-directionally through the coils by load modulation or another RF communication method including NFC, Bluetooth or WiFi communication to control and optimize the power transfer between the base unit and the one or more receivers.

Claims

1. A base unit for wireless power transfer or charging through a time varying magnetic field, comprising:

one or more components including a magnetic material or layer, that guide a corresponding magnetic flux generated by a coil in the base unit in one or multiple dimensions and/or to guide the magnetic flux in such a manner as to create a preferential path for returning flux flow in one or multiple dimensions,

wherein, when one or more power receivers, each having one or more receiver coils or receivers associated therewith, is placed in proximity to a base unit, the coil in the base unit is used to inductively generate a current in the one or more receiver coils or receivers associated with the one or more power receivers, and

further wherein the base unit and the one or more receivers communicate uni-directionally or bi-directionally through the coils by load modulation or another RF communication method including NFC, Bluetooth or WiFi communication to control and optimize the power transfer between the base unit and the one or more receivers.

2. The base unit of claim 1, provided as or integrated within a pad, bag, container, case, table, furniture, vehicle or similar apparatus for use in receiving and charging or powering one or more mobile devices, mobile vehicles or robots, cases, skins, battery doors, dongles, or batteries.

3. The base unit of claim 1, including multiple charger sections or charger coils that are tiled to be adjacent or overlapping to provide a continuous or larger active charging surface.

4. The base unit of claim 1, wherein the coil in the base unit and each of the one or more power receivers have a magnetic coupling coefficient therebetween of less than about 0.55.

5. The base unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more receivers are a component of, or is attached to a shell, case, housing, skin, door or other cover of the device, vehicle or robot and is provided as an after-market accessory for use with the device, vehicle or robot and replaces an original shell, case, skin or cover of the device, vehicle or robot.

6. The base unit of claim 1, provided within an automobile, bus, motorcycle, truck or other vehicle or train, airplane or boat or ship or other transport system or vehicle, for use in charging or powering one or more mobile devices, cases, skins, battery doors, dongles, or batteries within the automobile, bus, motorcycle, truck or other vehicle or train, airplane or boat or ship or other transport system or vehicle.

7. The base unit of claim 1, used to charge the automobile, bus, motorcycle, truck or other vehicle or train or other transport system or vehicle.

8. The base unit of claim 1, is provided as a kiosk or publicly installed charger that allows users to purchase or receive an occasional charge for their mobile devices or batteries.

9. The base unit of claim 1, used to charge any of batteries, cell phones, smart phones, cordless phones, communication devices, pagers, personal data assistants, portable media players, global positioning (GPS) devices, Bluetooth headsets and other devices, head-up or display glasses, 3-d display glasses, shavers, watches, tooth brushes, calculators, cameras, optical scopes, infrared viewers, computers, laptops, tablets, netbooks, key boards, computer mice, book readers or email devices, pagers, computer monitors, televisions, music or movie players and recorders, storage devices, radios, clocks, speakers, gaming devices, game controllers, toys, remote controllers, power tools, scanners, construction tools, office equipment, robots including vacuum cleaning robots, floor washing robots, pool cleaning robots, gutter cleaning robots or robots used in hospital, clean room, military or industrial environments, industrial tools, mobile vacuum cleaners, medical or dental tools, military equipment or tools, kitchen appliances, mixers, cookers, can openers, food or beverage heaters or coolers such as electrically powered beverage mugs, massagers, adult toys, lights or light fixtures, signs or displays, or advertising applications, electronic magazines or newspapers, or magazines or newspapers containing an electronic part, printers, fax machines, scanners, automobiles, buses, trains, motorcycles or bicycles, personal mobility (e.g., Segway) devices, or other vehicles or mobile transportation machines, and other battery or electrically powered devices or products or a product that is a combination of the products listed above that can include or be attached to the one or more power receivers.

10. The base unit of claim 1, forming a system configured as a multi-protocol system for use with different communication and/or control protocols, or different means of communication.

11. The base unit of claim 1, whereby one or more metal layer or conductive paint, polymer, nano material, dielectric or alike or a thin layer of metal or conductive material or conductive containing material is incorporated to provide reduced electromagnetic interference in the vicinity of the base unit.

12. The base unit of claim 1, whereby the frequency of the time varying magnetic field from the base unit is varied or dithered in a controlled manner to provide lower electromagnetic emissions and interference with nearby devices.

13. The base unit of claim 1, whereby the frequency of the time varying magnetic field from the base unit is set within values that will not cause interference with other nearby electronics, vehicles or components.

14. The base unit of claim 1 where the one or more power receivers are integrated into mobile devices, mobile vehicles or robots, cases, skins, battery doors, dongles, or batteries cases to charge or power the mobile devices, mobile vehicles or robots or batteries.

15. A method for wireless power transfer through a magnetic field, comprising:

providing a base unit for wireless power transfer or charging through a time varying magnetic field, comprising;

one or more components including a magnetic material or layer, that guide a corresponding magnetic flux generated by a coil in the base unit in one or multiple dimensions and/or to guide the magnetic flux in such a manner as to create a preferential path for returning flux flow in one or multiple dimensions,

wherein, when one or more power receivers each having one or more receiver coils or receivers associated therewith, is placed in proximity to a base unit, the coil in the base unit is used to inductively generate a current in the one or more receiver coils or receivers associated with the one or more power receivers, and

when the coil in the base unit includes a multiple charger sections or charger coils, the sections or coils are tiled to be adjacent or overlapping to provide a continuous or larger active charging surface, and

the base unit and the one or more receivers communicate uni-directionally or bi-directionally through the coils by load modulation or another RF communication method including NFC, Bluetooth or WiFi communication to control and optimize the power transfer between the base unit and the one or more receivers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more power receivers are integrated into mobile devices, mobile vehicles or robots, cases, skins, battery doors, dongles, or batteries, to charge or power the mobile devices, mobile vehicles or robots or batteries.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the coil in the base unit and each of the one or more power receivers have a magnetic coupling coefficient therebetween of less than 0.55.

18. The method of claim 15, whereby the frequency of the time varying magnetic field from the base unit is varied or dithered in a controlled manner to provide lower electromagnetic emissions and interference with nearby devices or the frequency of the time varying magnetic field from the base unit is set within values that will not cause interference with other nearby electronics, vehicles or components.