Wireless energy transfer using object positioning for improved k

• US 8,569,914 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Karalis, Aristeidis, Kurs, Andre B., Campanella, Andrew J., Kulikowski, Konrad J., Hall, Katherine L., Soljacic, Marin, Kesler, Morris P.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US12/649,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 : using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 : responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 : involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 : Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a method and system comprising a source resonator optionally coupled to an energy source and a second resonator located a distance from the source resonator, where the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to provide near-field wireless energy transfer among the source resonator and the second resonator, and where a loss inducing object is positioned to increase the coupling the coupling factor among the resonators.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a source resonator optionally coupled to an energy source; and

a second resonator located a distance from the source resonator,

wherein the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to provide near-field wireless energy transfer among the source resonator and the second resonator,

wherein a loss inducing object is positioned to increase the coupling factor among the resonators.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the source resonator and the second resonator have a quality factor, Q>

100.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the source resonator Q is greater than 100 and the second resonator Q is greater than 100.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the square root of the source resonator Q times the second resonator Q is greater than 100.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising more than one source resonator.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising more than one second resonator.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising more than three resonators.

8. A method, comprising:

providing a source resonator optionally coupled to an energy source and

a second resonator located a distance from the source resonator,

wherein the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to provide near-field wireless energy transfer among the source resonator and the second resonator,

wherein a loss inducing object is positioned to increase the coupling factor among the resonators.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the source resonator and the second resonator have a quality factor, Q>

100.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the source resonator Q is greater than 100 and the second resonator Q is greater than 100.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the square root of the source resonator Q times the second resonator Q is greater than 100.

12. The method of claim 8, comprising more than one source resonator.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising more than one second resonator.

14. The method of claim 8, comprising more than three resonators.