Wireless power system

• US 9,577,438 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Nalbant, Mehmet K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Comber, Kevin J
• Application Number:
  US14/671,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20150280452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

The present disclosure relates wireless power transfer. In some embodiments, DC power is received through one or more inductors and switched to provide alternating current through a TX coil with a pair of power FETs coupled between opposite sides of the TX coil and ground such that current flows through one of the pair of FETs at a time. In some embodiments, the pair of FETs can be driven in adaptive resonant mode to operate at a resonance. In some embodiments, the pair of FETs are driven at a particular frequency.

Claims

1. A transmitter for wireless power transfer, comprising:

a TX coil;

a capacitor coupled across the TX coil;

at least one inductor coupled between a power source and the TX coil;

a pair of switching FETs including a first switching FET coupled between a first side of the capacitor and ground and a second switching FET coupled between a second side, opposite the first side, of the capacitor and ground, the gates of the first switching FET and the second switching FET being driven to provide an oscillating current through the TX coil,

wherein the gate of the first switching FET is switched from off to on and the gate of the second switching FET is switched from on to off when a first voltage across the second switching FET decreases to zero volts; and

a resonant frequency shifting circuit coupled between drains of the first switching FET and the second switching FET, the resonant frequency shifting circuit being driven by a modulator.

2. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the TX coil includes a center-tap, the inductor is coupled between the power source and the center tap, and the switching FETs have drains coupled to the first side and the second side of the capacitor.

3. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the at least one inductor includes two inductors, a first inductor coupled between the power source and the first switching FET and a second inductor coupled between the power source and the second switching FET.

4. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the gate of the second switching FET is switched from off to on and the gate of the first switching FET is switched from on to off when a second voltage across the first switching FET decreases to zero volts.

5. The transmitter of claim 1, further including a buck-boost circuit coupled between the power source and the at least one inductor.

6. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein data is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver through resonant frequency shifts in power transmitted by the TX coil.

7. A method of wirelessly transmitting power, comprising:

receiving DC power through one or more inductors; and

switching the DC power to provide alternating current through a TX coil with a pair of power FETs coupled between opposite sides of the TX coil and ground such that current flows through one of the pair of FETs at a time,

wherein switching the pair of power FETs to transmit power using the TX coil includes

monitoring a voltage at a drain of a first FET of the pair of power FETs coupled to a first side of the TX coil, and

switching the first FET from off to on and a second FET of the pair of power FETs from on to off when the voltage decreases to zero volts;

driving, through a modulator, a resonant frequency shifting circuit coupled between drains of the power FETs to provide resonant frequency shifts in the TX coil; and

transmitting data through the resonant frequency shifts in the power transmitted by the TX coil.

8. The method of claim 7, further including

monitoring a second voltage at a drain of the second FET coupled to a second side of the TX coil;

and

switching the first FET from on to off and the second FET from off to on when the second voltage decreases to zero volts.

9. The method of claim 7, further including providing a buck-boost between the power source and the one or more inductors.

10. The method of claim 7, further including encoding digital data via the resonant frequency shifts of the transmitted power.

11. A transmitter for wireless power transfer, comprising:

a TX coil;

a capacitor coupled across the TX coil;

a pair of switching FETs including a first switching FET coupled between a first side of the capacitor and ground and a second switching FET coupled between a second side, opposite the first side, of the capacitor and ground, the gates of the first switching FET and the second switching FET being driven to provide an oscillating current through the TX coil;

at least one inductor coupled between a power source and the TX coil, wherein the at least one inductor includes two inductors, a first inductor coupled between the power source and a first drain of the first switching FET and a second inductor coupled between the power source and a second drain of the second switching FET; and

a resonant frequency shifting circuit coupled between drains of the first switching FET and the second switching FET, the resonant frequency shifting circuit being driven by a modulator.

12. The transmitter of claim 11, wherein the pair of switching FETs are driven in adaptive resonance mode.

13. The transmitter of claim 11, wherein the pair of switching FETs are driven at a resonant frequency or near the resonant frequency.

14. The transmitter of claim 11, further including a buck-boost circuit coupled between the power source and the at least one inductor.

15. The transmitter of claim 11, wherein data is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver through resonant frequency shifts in power transmitted by the TX coil.