Controlling inductive power transfer systems

• US 9,544,022 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stevens, Michael Craig, Knill, Alexander Charles, Dunton, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US14/082,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20140077615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An inductive power transfer system comprises a primary unit, having a primary coil and an electrical drive unit which applies electrical drive signals to the primary coil so as to generate an electromagnetic field. The system also comprises at least one secondary device, separable from the primary unit and having a secondary coil which couples with the field when the secondary device is in proximity to the primary unit. A control unit causes a circuit including said primary coil to operate, during a measurement period, in an undriven resonating condition. In this condition the application of the drive signals to the primary coil by the electrical drive unit is suspended so that energy stored in the circuit decays over the course of the period. A decay measurement unit takes one or more measures of such energy decay during the measurement period. In dependence upon said one or more energy decay measures, the control unit controls the electrical drive unit so as to restrict or stop inductive power transfer from the primary unit.

Claims

1. A portable device separable from a primary unit, said portable device comprising:

a secondary adapted to couple with a field generated by a primary unit such that power is received inductively from the primary unit without direct electrical conductive contacts;

a load capable of receiving power from said secondary;

a load connection unit operably coupled to said secondary and said load of said portable device, said load connection unit capable of selectively connecting said load and said secondary, wherein said load connection unit, in a connected state, enables said secondary to provide power to said load, wherein said load connection unit, in a disconnected state, isolates said load from said secondary; and

a communication unit operable to receive communication from the primary unit, wherein, based on communication from the primary unit, said load connection unit isolates said load from said secondary.

2. The portable device of claim 1 wherein based on said communication from the primary unit being indicative of the primary unit operating to determine presence of a parasitic load, said load connection unit isolates said load from said secondary.

3. The portable device of claim 1 wherein based on said communication from the primary unit being a synchronization signal, said load connection unit isolates said load from said secondary.

4. The portable device of claim 3 wherein said synchronization signal enables said portable device to isolate said load from said secondary while the primary unit conducts a ring-down to detect presence of a parasitic load.

5. The portable device of claim 1 wherein said communication unit is operable to communicate information to the primary unit by imposing a communication load of said portable device on the primary unit.

6. The portable device of claim 5 wherein said information relates to a friendly parasitic load imposed by said portable device on the primary unit.

7. The portable device of claim 6 wherein said communication load is a dummy load, wherein said dummy load has a resistance value selected to communicate said friendly parasitic load of said portable device.

8. A method of controlling inductive power transfer in an inductive power transfer system comprising a primary unit having a primary and electrical drive circuitry connected to the primary for applying electrical drive signals thereto so as to generate an electromagnetic field, the system including at least one portable device separable from the primary unit and having a secondary adapted to couple with the primary to receive power inductively without direct electrical conductive contacts, said method comprising:

transferring power inductively from the primary unit to the at least one portable device;

providing inductively received power from the secondary to a load of the at least one portable device, wherein the at least one portable device is capable of selectively connecting the secondary to the load;

receiving communication from the primary unit;

based on communication from the primary unit, isolating the load from the secondary; and

operating the primary unit to determine presence of a parasitic load in proximity to the primary unit.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

obtaining, in a probing period, one or more measurements in the primary unit, wherein, in the probing period, the load is isolated from the secondary; and

determining, based on the one or more measurements, presence of a parasitic load in proximity to the primary unit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the probing period is a ring-down period in which the primary is substantially undriven.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein based on communication being indicative of the primary unit operating to determine presence of a parasitic load, the load is isolated from the secondary.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the communication being indicative of the primary unit operated to determine presence of a parasitic load is a synchronization signal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising, following the synchronization signal, conducting the probing period in which the primary is substantially undriven.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising communicating to the primary unit information indicative of a friendly parasitic load of the secondary device.

15. An inductive power transfer system including a primary unit having a primary and electrical drive circuitry connected to the primary for applying electrical drive signals thereto so as to generate an electromagnetic field, the system also including at least one portable device separable from the primary unit and having a secondary adapted to couple with the primary to receive power inductively without direct electrical conductive contacts, the inductive power transfer system comprising:

a control unit operable to control the electrical drive circuitry to control application of the electrical drive signals to the primary; and

a measurement unit operable to take a first measurement in a first measurement period and a second measurement in a second measurement period, wherein a first load of the portable device is imposed on the primary unit in the first measurement period, and wherein a second load of the portable device is imposed on the primary unit in the second measurement period;

wherein the control unit is operable, in dependence upon the first measurement and the second measurement, to detect presence of a parasitic load in proximity to the primary.

16. The inductive power transfer system of claim 15 wherein based on at least one of the first measurement and the second measurement exceeding a threshold, the control unit detects presence of a parasitic load.

17. The inductive power transfer system of claim 16 wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are energy decay rates, and wherein the first measurement period and the second measurement period are ring-down periods in which the primary is substantially undriven.

18. The inductive power transfer system of claim 15 wherein based on the first measurement and the second measurement, the control unit determines a friendly parasitic load of the portable device.

19. The inductive power transfer system of claim 18 wherein the control unit increases a threshold for detecting presence of a parasitic load based on the friendly parasitic load.

20. The inductive power transfer system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the first load and the second load is representative of a friendly parasitic load of the portable device.

21. The inductive power transfer system of claim 15 wherein the first load and the second load are dummy loads.

22. The inductive power transfer system of claim 15 wherein one of the first load and the second load is zero.