Adaptive inductive power supply with communication

• US 8,831,513 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US13/210,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20110298298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455571-572, 455/573, 455/127.1, 363/21.02, 363/24, 363/26, 235/492, 342/42, 342/51, 251/129.04, 250/221, 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 contactless power supply for inductively providing power to a remote device comprising:

an inverter, the inverter having a duty cycle and an operating frequency;

a resonant circuit coupled to the inverter, the resonant circuit having a primary for transferring power to the remote device by an inductive coupling, wherein part of the primary is a communication coil configured to transfer information with the remote device;

a power source coupled to the inverter, the power source having a rail voltage; and

a controller coupled to the communication coil, wherein the controller is programmed to communicate with the remote device via the communication coil.

2. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the communication coil is configured to receive information from the remote device.

3. The contactless power supply of claim 2 wherein the information includes power usage information, and wherein the controller is programmed to control operation of the power supply in response to the power usage information received from the remote device via the communication coil.

4. The contactless power supply of claim 3 wherein the controller varies the operating frequency in response to the power usage information received from the remote device.

5. The contactless power supply of claim 3 wherein the controller varies a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit and varies at least one of the operating frequency, duty cycle, and rail voltage.

6. The contactless power supply of claim 5, wherein the controller varies the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit by adjusting at least one of (1) a capacitance of a variable capacitor of the resonant circuit and (2) an inductance of a variable inductor of the resonant circuit.

7. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the information communicated via the communication coil includes at least one of encoded audio information, calendar information, and address list information.

8. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed to reconfigure the power supply to either (1) transfer the power to the remote device or (2) communicate with the remote device via the communication coil.

9. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the primary includes a non-communication portion, and wherein the non-communication portion and the communication coil are adapted to transfer power to the remote device.

10. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the information is transferred using RF communications.

11. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the information is transferred using a standard communication protocol, wherein the standard communication protocol includes at least one of WIFI, blue tooth, and cellular.

12. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the contactless power supply is configured to provide inductive power to a plurality of remote devices.

13. A method of operating an inductive power supply for a remote device, the method including the steps of:

configuring the inductive power supply to inductively couple to the remote device via a resonant circuit having a primary;

configuring the inductive power supply to communicate with the remote device via a communication coil, wherein the communication coil is part of the primary; and

communicating information via the communication coil.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the information includes power usage information, and further comprising controlling operation of the inductive power supply in response to the power usage information communicated via the communication coil.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the information communicated via the communication coil includes at least one of encoded audio information, calendar information, and address list information.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising sensing a characteristic of power in the inductive power supply, and controlling operation of the inductive power supply in response to (1) the information communicated via the communication coil and (2) the sensed characteristic of power in the inductive power supply.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said sensing step is further defined as sensing current in the tank circuit.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said controlling step includes adjusting a frequency in the power supply as a function of the information.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said communicating information via the communication coil includes at least one of transmitting information via the communication coil and receiving information via the communication coil.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said configuring the inductive power supply to inductively couple includes using the communication coil and a non-communication portion of the primary to transfer power.

21. A contactless power system for transmitting power from a contactless power supply to a remote device, the contactless power supply system comprising:

an inverter, the inverter having a duty cycle and an operating frequency;

a resonant circuit coupled to the inverter, the resonant circuit having a resonant frequency and a primary for transferring power to the remote device;

a power source coupled to the inverter, the power source having a rail voltage;

a secondary coupled to a load in the remote device, the secondary inductively coupled to the primary, wherein a part of at least one of the secondary and the primary is a communication coil for communicating information;

a sensor generating a sensor output; and

a controller programmed to control whether the communication coil transfers power or information.

22. The contactless power system of claim 21, wherein the part of the secondary is the communication coil, and a part of the primary is another communication coil.

23. The contactless power system of claim 21, wherein the controller controls the transfer of power to the remote device based on the information communicated via the communication coil, wherein the information includes power usage information.

24. The contactless power system of claim 21, wherein information transferred via the communication coil includes at least one of information received via the communication coil and information transmitted via the communication coil.

25. The contactless power system of claim 21, wherein a part of the primary is the communication coil and the primary includes a non-communication portion, and wherein the communication coil and the non-communication portion are adapted to transfer power to the remote device.

26. The contactless power system of claim 21, wherein information communicated via the communication coil includes at least one of encoded audio information, calendar information, and address list information.

27. A remote device for receiving inductive power from a contactless power supply, said remote device comprising:

a secondary configured to at least one of receive wireless power and communicate with said inductive power supply;

a load selectively coupled to said secondary, said load configured to receive wireless power from said secondary;

a receiver configured to communicate with said inductive power supply via said secondary; and

a controller coupled to said load and said receiver, said controller for reconfiguring said secondary to at least one of (a) transfer wireless power to said load and (b) transfer communication to said receiver, wherein said controller couples said load to said secondary for transferring wireless power to said load.

28. The remote device of claim 27 wherein communication between said receiver and said inductive power occurs through an inductive coupling between said secondary and said inductive power supply.

29. The remote device of claim 27 wherein a part of said secondary is a communication coil used for communication with said inductive power supply.

30. The remote device of claim 27 wherein said remote device is configured to communicate at least one of encoded audio information, calendar information, and address information.

31. The remote device of claim 27 wherein said remote device is configured to vary an impedance of said secondary.