Hybrid transmitter for non-contact energy and data transmission

• US 8,369,780 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Bauer, Hans-Achim, Zybala, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US12/772,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 307/10.1, 307/104
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• 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 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A system is provided for non-contacting energy and data transmission from a first vehicle part to a second vehicle part. In this arrangement apart from a first inductive part in a hybrid transmitter for transmission of first data and energy an additional, second, data channel is installed in the first hybrid transmitter in such a manner that the second data channel is influenced as little as possible by the electromagnetic fields of the inductive part of the transmitter. To this effect a magnetic void can be created in the hybrid transmitters used. For the purpose of reception of not only the first data but also the energy and the second data a corresponding second hybrid transmitter is stated.

Claims

1. A system comprising two hybrid transmitters for non-contact energy and data transmission between a first vehicle part and a second vehicle part, the system comprising:

a first hybrid transmitter as a transmitter unit;

a second hybrid transmitter as a receiver unit;

wherein the transmitter unit comprises a first transmitter device and a second transmitter device;

wherein the receiver unit comprises a first receiver device and a second receiver device;

wherein the first transmitter device is designed for non-contact transmission of energy and first data;

wherein the second transmitter device is designed for non-contact transmission of second data;

wherein the first receiver device is designed for non-contact reception of the energy and of the first data from the first transmitter device;

wherein the second receiver device is designed for non-contact reception of the second data from the second transmitter device;

wherein the first transmitter device further comprises;

a first control unit with a voltage input, a data input and a signal output,

wherein the first receiver device further comprises;

a second control unit with a signal input, a data output and a voltage output;

wherein the first control unit is equipped, from an electrical voltage that is present at the voltage input, to generate an alternating voltage at the signal output,

wherein the first control unit modulates the alternating voltage on a basis of the first data received at the data input; and

wherein the second control unit is designed, from the modulated alternating voltage that is present at the signal input, to demodulate the first data and to provide it at the data output, and to provide a voltage at the voltage output, which voltage has been prepared for use in an electrical consumer.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first transmitter device comprises a primary coil and a primary core;

wherein the first receiver device comprises a secondary coil and a secondary core;

wherein the first transmitter device transmits the energy and the first data inductively by means of the primary coil and the primary core to the secondary coil and to the secondary core of the first receiver device.

3. The system of claim 2,

wherein from a point of view of construction the second transmitter device is integrated in the primary core of the first transmitter device.

4. The system of claim 2,

wherein from a point of view of construction the second transmitter device is integrated in the secondary core of the first receiver device.

5. The system of claim 2,

wherein at least one device of the second transmitter device and of the second receiver device is arranged in a region in which in a state in which current flows through the primary coil there is a minimum of a magnetic field.

6. The system of claim 2,

wherein at least part of the first transmitter device is encapsulated in a primary housing;

and

wherein at least part of the first receiver device is encapsulated in a secondary housing.

7. The system of claim 6,

wherein the primary housing and the secondary housing each comprise an aperture;

wherein the second transmitter device is arranged in the aperture of the primary housing; and

wherein the second receiver device is arranged in the aperture of the secondary housing.

8. The system of claim 1, with the system further comprising:

a magnetic isolation;

wherein the magnetic isolation is placed in such a way that as a result of the magnetic isolation the second transmitter device and the second receiver device are protected from a magnetic field of the first transmitter device and of the first receiver device.

9. The system of claim 1, with the system further comprising:

the first vehicle part and the second vehicle part;

wherein the first vehicle part comprises the transmitter unit; and

wherein the second vehicle part comprises the receiver unit.

10. The system of claim 9,

wherein the first vehicle part is adapted to be arranged at a floor of a vehicle;

and

wherein the floor of the vehicle is arranged between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein the second vehicle part is selected from the group comprising a seat;

a passenger service unit (PSU);

an in-flight entertainment system;

a cargo container;

a galley, or an on-board toilet.

12. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first vehicle part is adapted to be arranged so as to be affixed to a vehicle;

and

wherein the second vehicle part can be positioned in different positions relative to the first vehicle part.

13. A seat rail for an aircraft for non-contact energy and data transmission between the seat rail and a seat, with the seat rail comprising:

a first hybrid transmitter as a transmitter unit;

a second hybrid transmitter as a receiving unit;

wherein the transmitter unit comprises a first transmitter device and a second transmitter device;

wherein the first transmitter device is designed for non-contact transmission of energy and first data, the first transmitter device including a first control unit with a voltage input, a data input and a signal output, and the first control unit is equipped, from an electrical voltage that is present at the voltage input, to generate an alternating voltage at the signal output and the first control unit modulates the alternating voltage on a basis of the first data received at the data input; and

wherein the receiving unit has a second control unit that is designed, from the modulated alternating voltage that is present at the signal input, to demodulate the first data and to provide it at the data output, and to provide a voltage at the voltage output, which voltage has been prepared for use in an electrical consumer.

14. An aircraft seat for non-contact energy and data transmission between the aircraft seat and a seat rail, with the aircraft seat comprising:

a hybrid transmitter as a receiver unit;

wherein the receiver unit comprises a first receiver device and a second receiver device;

wherein the first receiver device is designed for non-contact reception of the energy and of a first data from a first transmitter device;

wherein the second receiver device is designed for non-contact reception of the data from a second transmitter device;

wherein the first receiver device further comprises;

a control unit with a signal input, a data output and a voltage output; and

wherein the control unit is designed, from the modulated alternating voltage that is present at the signal input, to demodulate the first data and to provide it at the data output, and to provide a voltage at the voltage output, which voltage has been prepared for use in an electrical consumer.

15. An aircraft, comprising:

a first vehicle part;

a second vehicle part;

a system comprising two hybrid transmitters for non-contact energy and data transmission between the first vehicle part and the second vehicle part, the system comprising;

a first hybrid transmitter as a transmitter unit;

a second hybrid transmitter as a receiver unit;

wherein the transmitter unit comprises a first transmitter device and a second transmitter device;

wherein the receiver unit comprises a first receiver device and a second receiver device;

wherein the first transmitter device is designed for non-contact transmission of energy and first data;

wherein the second transmitter device is designed for non-contact transmission of second data;

wherein the first receiver device is designed for non-contact reception of the energy and of the first data from the first transmitter device;

wherein the second receiver device is designed for non-contact reception of the second data from the second transmitter device;

wherein the first transmitter device further comprises;

a first control unit with a voltage input, a data input and a signal output,

wherein the first receiver device further comprises;

a second control unit with a signal input, a data output and a voltage output;

wherein the first control unit is equipped, from an electrical voltage that is present at the voltage input, to generate an alternating voltage at the signal output,

wherein the first control unit modulates the alternating voltage on a basis of the first data received at the data input; and

wherein the second control unit is designed, from the modulated alternating voltage that is present at the signal input, to demodulate the first data and to provide it at the data output, and to provide a voltage at the voltage output, which voltage has been prepared for use in an electrical consumer.

16. A method for non-contact energy and data transmission between a first vehicle part and a second vehicle part, with the method comprising the following steps:

providing a first hybrid transmitter in the first vehicle part;

providing a second hybrid transmitter in the second vehicle part, the second hybrid transmitter acting as a receiver unit, the receiver unit including a control unit with a signal input, a data output and a voltage output;

non-contact simultaneous transmission of energy and first data from the first vehicle part to the second vehicle part by means of a first transmitter device of the first hybrid transmitter transmitting to the second hybrid transmitter, the first transmitter device including a first control unit with a voltage input, a data input and a signal output, the first transmitter device generating an alternative voltage at the signal output from an electrical voltage that is present at the voltage input and modulating the alternating voltage on a basis of the first data received at the data input;

parallel non-contacting transmission of second data from the first vehicle part to the second vehicle part by means of a second transmitter device of the first hybrid transmitter transmitting to the second hybrid transmitter;

demodulating the modulated alternating voltage present at the signal input with the control unit of the receiver unit to provide it at the data output and providing a voltage at the voltage output with the control unit of the receiver unit, which voltage has been prepared for use in an electrical consumer.