Impedance transformation network for improved driver circuit performance

• US 9,166,562 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Low, Zhen Ning, Wheatley, Charles Edward III
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US14/108,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 455/125, 455/115, 455/110
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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: H03H 11/28 Impedance matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of impedance networks, resonating circuits, resonators
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for reducing harmonic emissions. One aspect of the disclosure provides a transmitter apparatus. The transmitter apparatus includes a driver circuit characterized by an efficiency and a power output level. The driver circuit further includes a filter circuit electrically connected to the driver circuit and configured to modify the impedance of the transmit circuit to maintain the efficiency of the driver circuit at a level that is within 20% of a maximum efficiency of the driver circuit when the impedance is within the complex impedance range. The filter circuit is further configured to maintain a substantially constant power output level irrespective of the reactive variations within the complex impedance range. The filter circuit is further configured to maintain a substantially linear relationship between the power output level and the resistive variations within the impedance range.

Claims

1. A transmitter apparatus, comprising:

a driver circuit characterized by an efficiency and a power output level, the driver circuit electrically connected to a transmit circuit having an impedance, the impedance of the transmit circuit within a complex impedance range including resistive and reactive variations, the complex impedance range defined by a minimum real impedance value, a maximum real impedance, a minimum imaginary impedance value, and a maximum imaginary impedance value, a ratio between the minimum and maximum real impedance value being at least two to one, a magnitude of the difference between the maximum and minimum imaginary impedance values being at least twice a magnitude of the difference between the minimum and maximum real impedance values; and

a filter circuit electrically connected to the driver circuit and configured to modify the impedance of the transmit circuit to maintain the efficiency of the driver circuit at a level that is within 20% of a maximum efficiency of the driver circuit when the impedance is within the complex impedance range,

the filter circuit further configured to maintain a substantially constant power output level irrespective of the reactive variations within the complex impedance range, and

the filter circuit further configured to maintain a substantially linear relationship between the power output level and the resistive variations within the complex impedance range.

2. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ratio is one of at least five to one or at least ten to one.

3. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the minimum real impedance value is substantially 1 ohm, the maximum real impedance value is substantially 50 ohms, the minimum imaginary impedance value is substantially −

50 j ohms, and the maximum imaginary impedance value is substantially +50 j ohms.

4. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the minimum real impedance value is substantially 1 ohm, the maximum real impedance value is substantially 100 ohms, the minimum imaginary impedance value is substantially −

100 j ohms, and the maximum imaginary impedance value is substantially +100 j ohms.

5. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmit circuit comprises a transmit coil electrically connected to the output of the filter circuit, the transmit coil configured to wirelessly transmit power at a level sufficient to charge or power one or more receiver devices.

6. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmit circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit power at a level sufficient to charge or power one or more receiver devices, and wherein positioning of the one or more receiver device to receive power from the transmit circuit causes the real and reactive variations in the impedance of the transmit circuit.

7. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver circuit comprises a class E amplifier circuit comprising switch, a switch shunt capacitor, and a series inductor.

8. The transmitter apparatus of claim 7, wherein the filter circuit comprises one or more reactive components, wherein the values of the one or more reactive components and the series inductor are selected to cause the modification of the impedance to maintain the efficiency and the power output level.

9. The transmitter apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more reactive components consists of a single shunt capacitor network electrically coupled to ground and between the driver circuit and the transmit circuit.

10. The transmitter apparatus of claim 7, wherein the series inductor is configured to cause a reactive shift of the impedance between the driver circuit and the filter circuit.

11. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the minimum and maximum real impedance values correspond to the resistive variations, and wherein the minimum and maximum imaginary impedance values correspond to reactive variations.

12. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power output level increases as an amount of a resistive portion of the impedance increases.

13. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the transmit circuit, comprising a coil having an inductance electrically connected in series to a capacitor to form a resonant circuit,

wherein the driver circuit comprises a switching amplifier circuit comprising a switch, a switch shunt capacitor, and a series inductor electrically connected to the output of the driver circuit,

the filter circuit electrically connected between the driver circuit and the transmit circuit, the filter circuit comprising solely of a single shunt capacitor network.

14. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter circuit comprises one or more reactive components with values selected from:

a first value, Rd, corresponding to a radius of a half circle, the half circle defined by a set of complex impedance values along the perimeter of the half circle that correspond to values for which efficiency of the driver circuit is at least within 20% of the maximum efficiency of the driver circuit; and

a second value, R0, corresponding to a real impedance value at a load at an output of the filter circuit that results in a desired transformed impedance being equal to Rd at an input of the filter circuit.

15. A method of selecting component values of one or more reactive components of a filter circuit for a wireless power transmitter device, the filter circuit electrically connected between a driver circuit and a transmit circuit, the method comprising:

determining a first set of complex impedance values for which efficiency of the driver circuit is above a threshold, the first set of complex impedance values substantially mapping to complex impedance values along a half circle path;

determining a second set of complex impedance values for which power output of the driver circuit is substantially constant, the second set of complex impedance values substantially mapping to values along a full circle path that is orthogonal to the half circle and which crosses the half circle at a maximum; and

selecting the component values to provide an impedance transformation that modifies a variable complex impedance of the transmit circuit to complex impedance values derived from the first and second sent of complex impedance values.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein selecting the component values comprises:

determining a first value, Rd, corresponding to radius of the half circle;

determining a second value, R0, corresponding to a real impedance value at a load of the filter circuit that results in a desired transformed impedance between equal to the value Rd at the input of the filter circuit; and

selecting component values of the one or more reactive components of the filter circuit based on the values derived from Rd and R0.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a first component value of a first reactive component X1 is selected according to the equation:

X₁(R₀)=(2·

Rd·

R0)^0.5−

Rd.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a second component value of a second reactive component X2 is selected according to the equation:

X₂(R₀)=−

(2·

Rd·

R0)^0.5.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a third component value of a third reactive component X3 is selected according to the equation:

X₃(R₀)=(2·

Rd·

R0)^0.5−

R0.

20. A method of adjusting an impedance of a driver circuit characterized by an efficiency and a power output level, the driver circuit electrically connected to a transmit circuit having an impedance, the impedance of the transmit circuit within a complex impedance range including resistive and reactive variations, the complex impedance range defined by a minimum real impedance value, a maximum real impedance, a minimum imaginary impedance value, and a maximum imaginary impedance value, a ratio between the minimum and maximum real impedance value being at least two to one, a magnitude of the difference between the maximum and minimum imaginary impedance values being at least twice a magnitude of the difference between the minimum and maximum real impedance values, the method comprising:

modifying the impedance of the transmit circuit to maintain the efficiency of the driver circuit at a level that is within 20% of a maximum efficiency of the driver circuit when the impedance is within the complex impedance range;

maintaining a substantially constant power output level irrespective of the reactive variations within the complex impedance range; and

maintaining a substantially linear relationship between the power output level and the resistive variations within the complex impedance range.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the ratio is one of at least five to one or at least ten to one.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the minimum real impedance value is substantially 1 ohm, the maximum real impedance value is substantially 50 ohms, the minimum imaginary impedance value is substantially −

50 j ohms, and the maximum imaginary impedance value is substantially +50 j ohms.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the minimum real impedance value is substantially 1 ohm, the maximum real impedance value is substantially 100 ohms, the minimum imaginary impedance value is substantially −

100 j ohms, and the maximum imaginary impedance value is substantially +100 j ohms.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising wirelessly transmitting power at a level sufficient to charge or power one or more receiver devices.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising wirelessly transmitting power at a level sufficient to charge or power one or more receiver devices, and wherein positioning of the one or more receiver device to receive power from the transmit circuit causes the real and reactive variations in the impedance of the transmit circuit.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the driver circuit comprises a class E amplifier circuit comprising switch, a switch shunt capacitor, and a series inductor.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said modifying is at a filter circuit comprising one or more reactive components, wherein the values of the one or more reactive components and the series inductor are selected to cause the modification of the impedance to maintain the efficiency and the power output level.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the one or more reactive components consists of a single shunt capacitor network electrically coupled to ground and between the driver circuit and the transmit circuit.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising causing a reactive shift of the impedance between the driver circuit and the filter circuit.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the minimum and maximum real impedance values correspond to the resistive variations, and wherein the minimum and maximum imaginary impedance values correspond to reactive variations.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising increasing a power output level as an amount of a resistive portion of the impedance increases.