Intelligent charging of multiple electric or electronic devices with a multi-dimensional inductive charger

• US 9,112,363 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mojo Mobility, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mojo Mobility, Inc.
• Inventors: Partovi, Afshin
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/710,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• 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 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• 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 50/50 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/40 Means for preventing magnetic saturation
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3376 : with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 : using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 : One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for intelligent charging of multiple electric or electronic devices with a multi-dimensional inductive charger. In accordance with an embodiment, the system comprises a base unit having one or more transmitter coils; one or more receiver coils or receivers associated with one or more mobile device; one or more components including a ferromagnetic, ferrite, or other magnetic material or layer, that modify the magnitude and/or phase of an electromagnetic field in one or multiple dimensions; and one or more components within the base unit and/or the mobile device, for intelligent charging of multiple mobile devices. In accordance with various embodiments, the base unit can determine the presence of a mobile device in proximity to the base unit, and wherein a receiver coil or receiver thereby activated performs an initiation process whereby its ID, presence, power, voltage or other requirements are communicated to the base unit.

Claims

1. A system for intelligent charging of multiple electric or electronic devices with a multi-dimensional inductive charger, comprising:

a base unit having one or more transmitter coils;

a receiver and receiver coil associated with one or more mobile device or battery, skin, case or battery door associated therewith;

a switching layer having magnetic properties and covering the one or more transmitter coils or the receiver coil, so that, during charging or powering of the mobile device, or battery, skin, case or battery door associated therewith, the switching layer is layered either

between the one or more transmitter coils and a surface of the base unit, or

between the receiver coil and a surface of the receiver; and

wherein one or more components are used to modify one or both the magnitude or phase of an electromagnetic field in one or multiple dimensions, including wherein, when the mobile device, or battery, skin, case or battery door having the receiver coil is placed close to the base unit having the one or more transmitter coils, the switching layer'"'"'s magnetic properties are locally modified, by one or more of a magnetic field of the receiver coil or transmitter coils, or by another magnetic component, to allow power transfer in the particular region of the layer proximate the coils and generally aligned both with the one or more transmitter coils and the receiver coil; and

a multiplexer within the base unit, for intelligent charging of multiple mobile devices or batteries, including

multiplexing power transfer to each of the multiple mobile devices or batteries, including one of serially or alternate powering to each receiver associated with the multiple mobile devices or batteries, and

during a period of time for each receiver, receiving one or more of an output voltage, current, or power requirement from that receiver, for use in controlling the charging or powering of its associated mobile device or battery;

wherein the base unit determines the presence of a mobile device in proximity to the base unit, and wherein a receiver coil or receiver thereby activated performs an initiation process whereby its ID, presence, power, voltage or other requirements are communicated to the base unit, including different power, voltage or other requirements for different types of mobile devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit includes a plurality of transmitter coils.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit includes a large area transmitter coil covered by the switching layer that acts to guide, confine, and shield any field, due to its high permeability.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit includes a charger circuit that comprises subcircuits or subunits whereby each subunit is responsible for powering or charging or communicating with one power receiver at a mobile device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit includes multiple charger sections that are tiled to be adjacent or overlapping to provide a continuous active charging surface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit includes a plurality of charger power or communication subunits connected through a multiplex system with multiple subunits driving a single or multiple coils in a single section or multiple receivers charged or powered in each section.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more components and the switching layer is used to provide a degree of position independence in charging or powering the one or more devices or batteries.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the modifying the magnitude or phase of the electromagnetic field in one or multiple dimensions includes locally modifying the properties of the switching layer so that it acts as a switching layer, allowing a transmitter coil electromagnetic field to be preferentially transmitted through a locally modified area.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein

the base unit is provided within an automobile, for use in charging or powering one or more mobile devices within the automobile, or

the mobile device is an automobile that can be charged by a base unit.

10. A method of intelligent charging of multiple electric or electronic devices with a multi-dimensional inductive charger, comprising the steps of:

providing a base unit having one or more transmitter coils;

a receiver and receiver coil associated with one or more mobile device or battery, skin, case or battery door associated therewith;

providing a switching layer having magnetic properties and covering the one or more transmitter coils or the receiver coil, so that, during charging or powering of the mobile device, or battery, skin, case or battery door associated therewith, the switching layer is layered either

between the one or more transmitter coils and a surface of the base unit, or

between the receiver coil and a surface of the receiver; and

wherein one or more components are used to modify one or both the magnitude or phase of an electromagnetic field in one or multiple dimensions, including wherein, when the mobile device, or battery, skin, case or battery door having the receiver coil is placed close to the base unit having the one or more transmitter coils, the switching layer'"'"'s magnetic properties are locally modified, by one or more of a magnetic field of the receiver coil or transmitter coils, or by another magnetic component, to allow power transfer in the particular region of the layer proximate the coils and generally aligned both with the one or more transmitter coils and the receiver coil; and

providing a multiplexer within the base unit, for intelligent charging of multiple mobile devices or batteries, including

multiplexing power transfer to each of the multiple mobile devices or batteries, including one of serially or alternate powering to each receiver associated with the multiple mobile devices or batteries, and

during a period of time for each receiver, receiving one or more of an output voltage, current, or power requirement from that receiver, for use in controlling the charging or powering of its associated mobile device or battery;

wherein the base unit determines the presence of a mobile device in proximity to the base unit, and wherein a receiver coil or receiver thereby activated performs an initiation process whereby its ID, presence, power, voltage or other requirements are communicated to the base unit, including different power, voltage or other requirements for different types of mobile devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the base unit includes a plurality of transmitter coils.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the base unit includes a large area transmitter coil covered by the switching layer that acts to guide, confine, and shield any field, due to its high permeability.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the base unit includes a charger circuit that comprises subcircuits or subunits whereby each subunit is responsible for powering or charging or communicating with one power receiver at a mobile device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the base unit includes multiple charger sections that are tiled to be adjacent or overlapping to provide a continuous active charging surface.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the base unit includes a plurality of charger power or communication subunits connected through a multiplex system with multiple subunits driving a single or multiple coils in a single section or multiple receivers charged or powered in each section.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more components and the switching layer is used to provide a degree of position independence in charging or powering the one or more devices or batteries.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the modifying the magnitude or phase of the electromagnetic field in one or multiple dimensions includes locally modifying the properties of the switching layer so that it acts as a switching layer, allowing a transmitter coil electromagnetic field to be preferentially transmitted through a locally modified area.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein

the base unit is provided within an automobile, for use in charging or powering one or more mobile devices within the automobile, or

the mobile device is an automobile that can be charged by a base unit.