Wireless charging of devices

• US 9,219,378 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mudrick, Adam A., Lee, Kevin D., Low, Zhen Ning
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIAO, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US13/047,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20120104867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 50/40 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: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power charging. A device may include at least one sensing element for measuring at least one parameter within a receiver configured to receive wirelessly transmitted power. The device may include a switching element configured to enable the receiver to convey energy to a load when the at least one parameter exceeds a threshold value.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a receive coil configured to receive wirelessly transmitted power from a power transmitter when the receive coil is in a charging region of the power transmitter;

a rectifier coupled to the receive coil;

at least one sensing element configured to measure at least one parameter from the rectifier, the at least one parameter indicative of an amount of power available to be received from the power transmitter;

a switching element configured to convey energy from the rectifier to a load when the at least one parameter is greater than a threshold value; and

a control device coupled to the at least one sensing element, the control device configured to convey a control signal to the switching element based at least in part on the at least one parameter and to determine the threshold value based on a degree of loading of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, the at least one sensing element comprising a voltage sensor coupled to the control device and an output of the rectifier.

3. The device of claim 1, the switching element comprises a field-effect transistor.

4. The device of claim 1, the at least one sensing element comprising a voltage sensor coupled to an output of the rectifier.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the control device is further configured to notify a wireless power transmitter of at least one of a state of the switching element or a presence of a wireless power receiver.

6. The device of claim 5, the control device configured to compare the at least one parameter to the threshold value.

7. The device of claim 6, the threshold value dependent on a type of the load, a size of the load, or both a type and a size of the load.

8. The device of claim 5, the control device configured to convey the control signal to the switching element to enable the switching element to convey energy to the load if the at least one parameter exceeds the threshold value for at least a time duration.

9. The device of claim 5, the control device configured to convey the control signal to the switching element to enable the switching element to not convey energy to the load if the at least one parameter is less than the threshold value for at least a time duration.

10. The device of claim 1, further including a power converter having an output coupled to a current sensor.

11. The device of claim 1, the switching element configured to convey energy to a load upon an increase in a voltage of the rectifier.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power converter coupled to an output of the rectifier and a current sensor coupled to an output of the power converter and to the control device, wherein the current sensor is configured to convey a measured current to the control device, the measured current indicative of the degree of loading.

13. A method, comprising:

measuring at least one parameter of a rectifier within a receiver, the at least one parameter indicative of an amount of power available to be received from a wireless power transmitter;

conveying energy from the rectifier to a load if the at least one parameter is greater than a threshold value; and

determining the threshold value by a control device based on a degree of loading of the receiver.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising comparing the at least one parameter to the threshold value.

15. The method of claim 13, the measuring comprising measuring a voltage at an output of the rectifier within the receiver.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising comparing the measured voltage to the threshold value.

17. The method of claim 13, the measuring comprising measuring a current at an output of a power converter within the receiver.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising notifying a wireless power transmitter of at least one of whether energy is being conveyed from the receiver to the load or a presence of a wireless power receiver.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the load to the receiver if a voltage of the rectifier of the receiver increases.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising sensing a current at the wireless power transmitter and decreasing an amount of power transmitted from the wireless power transmitter if the current increases prior to conveying energy from the receiver to a load.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising measuring the at least one parameter while the load is decoupled from the rectifier.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising decoupling the receiver from the load if the at least one parameter is less than the threshold value for at least a time duration.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the receiver to the load if the at least one parameter is greater than the threshold value for at least a time duration.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising conveying a message to an associated transmitter if the at least one measured parameter is equal to at least the threshold value to enable the transmitter to convey an existence of a charging process.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the degree of loading by measuring an output of a power converter coupled to an output of the rectifier.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the threshold value comprises determining the threshold value while energy is conveyed from the rectifier to the load and determining the threshold value while energy is not conveyed from the rectifier to the load.

27. A device, comprising:

means for receiving and rectifying wirelessly transmitted power;

means for measuring at least one parameter of the receiving and rectifying means, the at least one parameter indicative of an amount of power available to be received from a wireless power transmitter;

means for conveying energy from the receiving and rectifying means to a load, the conveying energy means configured to convey energy from the receiving and rectifying means to the load if the at least one parameter is greater than a threshold value; and

means for determining the threshold value based on a degree of loading of the receiving and rectifying means.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for comparing the at least one parameter to the threshold value.

29. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for selectively decoupling the load from the receiving and rectifying means if the at least one measured parameter is less than the threshold value and selectively coupling the load to the receiving and rectifying means if the at least one measured parameter exceeds the threshold value.

30. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for determining the degree of loading.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein the conveying means has a first state in which the conveying means is configured to convey energy from the receiving and rectifying means to a load and a second state in which the conveying means is configured to not convey energy from the receiving and rectifying means to the load, the determining means configured to determine the threshold value while the conveying means is in the first state and to determine the threshold value while the conveying means is in the second state.

32. A device, comprising:

a receive coil configured to receive wirelessly transmitted power from a power transmitter when the receive coil is in a charging region of the power transmitter;

a rectifier coupled to the receive coil;

at least one sensing element configured to measure at least one parameter from the rectifier, the at least one parameter indicative of an amount of power available to be received from the power transmitter;

a switching element configured to convey energy from the rectifier to a load when the at least one parameter satisfies a threshold value condition; and

a control device coupled to the at least one sensing element, the control device configured to convey a control signal to the switching element based at least in part on the at least one parameter and to determine a threshold value of the threshold value condition based on a degree of loading of the device, wherein the switching element has a first state in which the switching element is configured to convey energy from the receiver to a load and a second state in which the switching element is configured to not convey energy from the rectifier to the load, the control device configured to determine the threshold value while the switching element is in the first state and to determine the threshold value while the switching element is in the second state.