Adaptive inductive power supply with communication

• US 8,346,167 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/180,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20110275319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/571, 455/572, 455/573, 455/127.1, 363/16, 363/24, 363/26, 375/239, 235/492, 340/10.4
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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
• 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: H02M 3/015 with means for adaptation of resonance frequency, e.g. by modification of capacitance or inductance of resonance circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33571 Half-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/001 : Current supply source at the exchanger providing current to substations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 : Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/25 : Circuit arrangements for protecting against overcurrent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 : Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 : the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

An adaptive inductive ballast is provided with the capability to communicate with a remote device powered by the ballast. To improve the operation of the ballast, the ballast changes its operating characteristics based upon information received from the remote device. Further, the ballast may provide a path for the remote device to communicate with device other than the adaptive inductive ballast.

Claims

1. A method for supplying power from an inductive power supply, said method comprising:

receiving, in the inductive power supply, load information from a remote device;

maintaining a remote device list in memory, the remote device list capable of including a plurality of present remote devices;

configuring at least one of the inductive power supply and the remote device based on the load information in order to supply power; and

in response to a change in status, reconfiguring at least one of the inductive power supply and the remote device in order to supply power.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the change in status occurs when there is a change in status of a rechargeable battery.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the change in status occurs when the rechargeable battery is fully charged.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the rechargeable battery is located in the remote device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the inductive power supply supplies power to at least one of the plurality of present remote devices.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the inductive power supply supplies power to the remote device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said reconfiguring includes disabling operation of the remote device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining at least one of an amount of voltage and an amount of current required to power the remote device from a database of remote device power information maintained in memory, wherein the load information includes a remote device ID that is a key to the database.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving load information includes receiving, in the inductive power supply, at least one of an amount of voltage required to power the remote device, an amount of current required to power the remote device, and power requirements of the remote device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving load information from a different remote device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein both of the remote devices are the same type of device and have the same load information.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein both of the remote devices are the same type of device and have different load information.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising assigning a different device number to each remote device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the remote device list includes updating the remote device list in response to at least one of the change in status of the remote device and a change in presence of the remote device.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all remote devices on the remote device list.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining inductive power supply settings in response to determining that the inductive power supply can be configured to adequately power all remote devices on the remote device list.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining inductive power supply settings and instructing at least one remote device on the remote device list to change power consumption.

18. An inductive power supply for supplying power to a remote device, said inductive power supply comprising:

a receiver configured to receive power usage information from said remote device;

a primary configured to transfer power to said remote device; and

a controller in communication with said receiver, said primary, and said memory, said controller programmed to;

maintain a remote device list in memory, said remote device list capable of including a plurality of present remote devices;

configure at least one of said inductive power supply and said remote device based on said power usage information in order to supply power;

reconfigure, in response to a change in status of said remote device, at least one of said inductive power supply and said remote device in order to supply power.

19. The inductive power supply of claim 18, wherein said controller is programmed to adjust power consumption characteristics of said remote device in response to said power usage information.

20. The inductive power supply of claim 18 wherein the change in status occurs when a battery of the remote device is fully charged.

21. The inductive power supply of claim 18 wherein the inductive power supply supplies power to at least one of the plurality of present remote devices.

22. The inductive power supply of claim 18 wherein the inductive power supply supplies power to the remote device.

23. The inductive power supply of claim 18 wherein said controller reconfigures said remote device by disabling said remote device.