Controlling field distribution of a wireless power transmitter

• US 8,934,857 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Low, Zhen Ning, Wheatley, Charles E. III, Mudrick, Adam A., Von Novak, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US12/951,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20110281535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/129
• 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 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to control of field distribution of a wireless power transmitter. A transmitter may include a transmit antenna configured to generate a field. The transmitter may further include least one parasitic antenna proximate the transmit antenna and configured to modify a distribution of the generated field.

Claims

1. A transmitter for wireless power transfer to a receiver, comprising:

a transmit antenna configured to generate a first field for wirelessly transferring power, the first field at a power level sufficient to charge the receiver; and

at least one parasitic antenna configured to modify a distribution of the first field, the at least one parasitic antenna comprising a loop configured to be selectively open-circuited when the receiver is positioned substantially within the loop or be selectively closed-circuited when the receiver is positioned substantially outside the loop, the at least one parasitic antenna configured to generate a second field that opposes the first field based on an induced current in the at least one parasitic antenna when the loop of the at least one parasitic antenna is closed-circuited.

2. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna comprising at least one parasitic antenna in a first orientation and at least one other parasitic antenna in another orientation substantially perpendicular to the first orientation.

3. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna comprising a multi-dimensional array of parasitic antennas.

4. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna configured to induce a current to oppose the generated first field.

5. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna shorted and detuned to oppose the generated first field.

6. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna reactively loaded to modify the distribution of the generated first field.

7. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna being positioned above the transmit antenna, being positioned below the transmit antenna, or co-planar with the transmit antenna.

8. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna being smaller than the transmit antenna or larger than the transmit antenna.

9. The transmitter of claim 1, the at least one parasitic antenna configured to strengthen a portion of the first field.

10. A method for wireless power transfer to a receiver, comprising:

generating a first field for wirelessly transferring power with a wireless transmit antenna of a transmitter, the first field at a power level sufficient to charge the receiver;

open-circuiting a parasitic antenna when the receiver is within an associated loop, where the parasitic antenna is configured to modify a distribution of the first field; and

short-circuiting the parasitic antenna if the receiver is not within the associated loop, the parasitic antenna configured to generate a second field that opposes the first field based on an induced current in the parasitic antenna when the associated loop is short-circuited.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

wherein the short-circuiting of the parasitic antenna is in response to the receiver not being a compatible device within the associated loop.

12. The method of claim 10, the parasitic antenna comprising an array of parasitic antennas and configured to induce a current in at least one short-circuited, detuned parasitic antenna of the array of parasitic antennas, the at least one short-circuited, detuned parasitic antenna without the receiver within an associated loop.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising analyzing at least one of a power transfer efficiency and an unloaded receiver voltage to determine a location of the receiver.

14. The method of claim 10, the parasitic antenna configured to create a null field zone in one or more areas within a charging region of the wireless transmit antenna.

15. The method of claim 10, the parasitic antenna with a fixed reactance.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selectively short and open circuiting the parasitic antenna to determine a location of receiver.

17. The method of claim 10, the receiver not comprising a near-field communication device.

18. A device for wireless power transfer to a receiver, comprising:

means for generating a first field for wirelessly transferring power, the first field at a power level sufficient to charge the receiver; and

means for modifying a distribution of the first field configured to be selectively open-circuited when the receiver is positioned substantially within the means for modifying or be selectively closed-circuited when the receiver is positioned substantially outside the means for modifying, wherein the means for modifying generates a second field that opposes the first field based on an induced current in the means for modifying when the means for modifying is closed-circuited.

19. The device of claim 18, the means for modifying a distribution of the generated field having a fixed reactance.

20. The device of claim 18, the receiver not comprising a near-field communication device.