Systems and methods for decoupling multiple wireless charging transmitters

• US 9,275,791 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wheatley, Charles Edward III, Low, Zhen Ning, Li, Meng
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/841,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/005 with inductive power transfer for charging H02J7/025
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for decoupling multiple wireless charging transmitters. In one aspect, a device is configured to transmit wireless power to a first receiver. The device includes a first driver coil and a second driver coil. The device further includes a common reactance element connected to the first driver coil and the second driver coil. The reactance element is configured to at least partially cancel mutual inductance between the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

Claims

1. A device configured to transmit wireless power to a first receiver, comprising:

a first driver coil;

a second driver coil; and

a common reactance element connected to the first driver coil and the second driver coil, configured to at least partially cancel mutual inductance between the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the common reactance element comprises a passive reactance element.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the common reactance element comprises a capacitor bridging the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the common reactance element comprises an inductor cross-connecting the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a gamma loop configured to invert the input impedance of the first driver coil.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising an inductor common to the first driver coil and the gamma loop, configured to increase the mutual inductance between the first driver coil and the gamma loop.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to selectively adjust a characteristic of the first driver coil and/or the second driver coil.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a position of the first receiver, and to selectively adjust a characteristic of the first driver coil and the second driver coil based on the determined position of the first receiver.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the adjusted characteristic comprises one of a transmit power and a phase.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more additional driver coils; and

one or more additional reactance elements,

wherein the reactance elements are configured to at least partially cancel mutual inductance between neighboring driver coils.

11. A method of transmitting wireless power to a first receiver, comprising:

determining, at a transmitter comprising a first driver coil and a second driver coil, a position of the first receiver;

transmitting wireless power to the first receiver; and

adjusting a characteristic of the first driver coil and/or a second driver coil, based on the determined position of the first receiver,

wherein the transmitter further comprises a common reactance element connected to the first driver coil and the second driver coil, configured to at least partially cancel mutual inductance between the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the common reactance element comprises a passive reactance element.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the common reactance element comprises a capacitor bridging the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the common reactance element comprises an inductor cross-connecting the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitter further comprises a gamma loop configured to invert the input impedance of the first driver coil.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitter further comprises an inductor common to the first driver coil and the gamma loop, configured to increase the mutual inductance between the first driver coil and the gamma loop.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusted characteristic comprises one of a transmit power and a phase.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitter further comprises:

one or more additional driver coils; and

one or more additional reactance elements,

wherein the reactance elements are configured to at least partially cancel mutual inductance between neighboring driver coils.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the common reactance element comprises an active reactance element, the method further comprising adjusting a capacitance and/or inductance of the reactance element.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a position of a second receiver;

simultaneously transmitting wireless power to the first and second receiver; and

adjusting a characteristic of at least one driver coil, based on the determined position of the second receiver.

21. An apparatus for transmitting wireless power to a first receiver, comprising:

first means for transmitting wireless power;

second means for transmitting wireless power; and

means for at least partially decoupling the first means for transmitting wireless power and the second means for transmitting wireless power.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for inverting the input impedance of the first means for transmitting wireless power.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for increasing the mutual inductance between the first means for transmitting wireless power, and the means for inverting the input impedance of the first means for transmitting wireless power.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for selectively adjusting a characteristic of the first means for transmitting wireless power and/or the second means for transmitting wireless power.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for determining a position of the first receiver, and means for selectively adjusting a characteristic of the first driver coil and the second driver coil based on the determined position of the first receiver.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the adjusted characteristic comprises a transmit power.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the adjusted characteristic comprises a phase.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

one or more additional means for transmitting wireless power; and

one or more means for decoupling neighboring means for transmitting wireless power.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for a position of the first receiver; and

means for adjusting a characteristic of the first means for transmitting wireless power and/or the second means for transmitting wireless power, based on the determined position of the first receiver.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for determining a position of a second receiver;

means for simultaneously transmitting wireless power to the first and second receiver; and

means for adjusting a characteristic of at least one driver coil, based on the determined position of the second receiver.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:

transmit wireless power, from a transmitter comprising a first driver coil and a second driver coil, to a first receiver

determine a position of the first receiver; and

adjust a characteristic of the first driver coil and/or a second driver coil, based on the determined position of the first receiver,

wherein the transmitter further comprises a common reactance element connected to the first driver coil and the second driver coil, configured to at least partially cancel mutual inductance between the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

32. The medium of claim 31, wherein the common reactance element comprises a passive reactance element.

33. The medium of claim 31, wherein the common reactance element comprises a capacitor bridging the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

34. The medium of claim 31, wherein the common reactance element comprises an inductor cross-connecting the first driver coil and the second driver coil.

35. The medium of claim 31, wherein the transmitter further comprises a gamma loop configured to invert the input impedance of the first driver coil.

36. The medium of claim 31, wherein the transmitter further comprises an inductor common to the first driver coil and the gamma loop, configured to increase the mutual inductance between the first driver coil and the gamma loop.

37. The medium of claim 31, wherein the adjusted characteristic comprises one of a transmit power and a phase.

38. The medium of claim 31, wherein the transmitter further comprises:

one or more additional driver coils; and

one or more additional reactance elements,

wherein the reactance elements are configured to at least partially cancel mutual inductance between neighboring driver coils.

39. The medium of claim 31, wherein the common reactance element comprises an active reactance element, the medium further comprising adjusting a capacitance and/or inductance of the reactance element.

40. The medium of claim 31, further comprising code that, when executed, causes the apparatus to:

determine a position of a second receiver;

simultaneously transmit wireless power to the first and second receiver; and

adjust a characteristic of at least one driver coil, based on the determined position of the second receiver.