Wireless energy transfer using variable size resonators and system monitoring

• US 9,369,182 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Kurs, Andre B., Karalis, Aristeidis, Kesler, Morris P., Campanella, Andrew J., Hall, Katherine L., Kulikowski, Konrad J., Soljacic, Marin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Application Number:
  US13/923,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/005 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna
• 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 7/025 using non-contact coupling, e.g. inductive, capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A variable type magnetic resonator includes an array of resonators each having one of at least two substantially different magnetic dipole moment orientations and at least one power and control circuit configured to selectively connect to and energize at least one of the array of resonators.

Claims

1. A variable type magnetic resonator comprising:

an array of resonators each having one of at least two substantially different magnetic dipole moment orientations; and

at least one power and control circuit configured to selectively connect to and energize at least one of the array of resonators.

2. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the resonator is a source resonator.

3. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the resonator is a device resonator.

4. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the resonator is a repeater resonator.

5. A method for varying magnetic resonators, comprising:

selecting at least one magnetic resonator from an array of resonators each having one of at least two different magnetic dipole moment orientations;

driving the selected at least one magnetic resonator at a resonant frequency;

monitoring at least one parameter of at least one of the selected resonators; and

adjusting the driving of the selected at least one magnetic resonator based on the monitoring of the at least one parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting of the driving of the at least one magnetic resonator utilizes an algorithm running on a microprocessor associated with the at least one magnetic resonator.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one parameter includes an efficiency of wireless power transfer to at least one other magnetic resonator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the efficiency of the wireless power transfer is greater than 10%.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the efficiency of the wireless power transfer is greater than 80%.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting the driving of the at least one magnetic resonator utilizes information obtained via a wireless communication link.

11. A variable effective type magnetic resonator, comprising:

a plurality of magnetic resonators comprising at least two resonators with substantially different magnetic dipole moment orientations; and

at least one power and control circuit configured to selectively connect to and energize at least one of the plurality of magnetic resonators.

12. The resonator of claim 11, wherein the variable effective type of the magnetic resonator is controlled by an algorithm.

13. The resonator of claim 11, wherein the variable effective type of the magnetic resonator is controlled by a feedback system.

14. A variable effective type magnetic resonator comprising:

an array of inductive elements each having one of at least two substantially different magnetic dipole moment orientations; and

at least one power and control circuit configured to selectively connect to and energize at least one of the array of inductive elements.

15. The resonator of claim 14, wherein the variable effective type magnetic resonator is a source resonator.

16. The resonator of claim 14, wherein the variable effective type magnetic resonator is a device resonator.

17. The resonator of claim 14, wherein the variable effective type magnetic resonator is a repeater resonator.

18. The resonator of claim 14, wherein the variable effective type magnetic resonator includes variable capacitance.

19. The resonator of claim 14, wherein the variable effective type magnetic resonator includes a variable impedance matching network.

20. The resonator of claim 19, wherein the variable impedance matching network is switchable.

21. The resonator of claim 19, wherein the variable impedance matching network is electronically variable.

22. A method for varying an effective type of magnetic resonators, comprising:

selecting at least one inductive element from a plurality of inductive elements, each having one of at least two different magnetic dipole moment orientations;

driving the selected at least one inductive element at a resonant frequency;

monitoring at least one parameter of at least one of the selected inductive elements; and

adjusting the driving of the selected at least one inductive element based on the monitoring of the at least one parameter.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein adjusting the driving utilizes an algorithm running on a microprocessor associated with the at least one inductive element.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one parameter comprises an efficiency of wireless power transfer to at least one other magnetic resonator.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the efficiency of the wireless power transfer is greater than 10%.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the efficiency of the wireless power transfer is greater than 80%.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein adjusting the driving utilizes information obtained via a wireless communication link.

28. A variable effective size magnetic resonator, comprising:

a plurality of inductive elements comprising at least two resonators with substantially different magnetic dipole moment orientations; and

at least one power and control circuit configured to selectively connect to and energize at least one of the plurality of inductive elements.

29. The resonator of claim 28, wherein a variable effective type of the variable effective size magnetic resonator is controlled by an algorithm.

30. The resonator of claim 28, wherein a variable effective type of the variable effective size magnetic resonator is controlled by a feedback system.