Apparatus and method for controlling wireless power transfer to mobile devices

• US 9,685,791 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoon, In-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US13/544,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20140008990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for controlling wireless power transfer to mobile devices is disclosed. The system includes a power transmitter configured to transmit power via a wireless coupling to the mobile devices. Each of the mobile devices includes a power receiver configured to receive the power from the power transmitter via the wireless coupling with the power transmitter. Each power receiver is configured to transmit control data modulated with a spreading code via the wireless coupling to the power transmitter.

Claims

1. A power receiver, comprising:

a power pick-up unit configured to receive power from a power transmitter via a wireless coupling with the power transmitter; and

a control unit configured to adjust the power received from the power transmitter by determining and transmitting modulated control data to the power transmitter via the power pick-up unit,

wherein the power pick-up unit is further configured to retransmit the same modulated control data without determining additional control data and regardless of whether the modulated control data is received by the power transmitter conditioned on the modulated control data being determined by the control unit to include power status information.

2. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the control unit comprises a first modulator, and

the modulated control data comprises a spreading code that is shared by the first modulator and a second modulator of a second power receiver.

3. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the power pick-up unit is further configured to provide the received power to a load, and

the control unit is further configured to determine the modulated control data based on at least one of a status of the load or the received power.

4. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a first modulator configured to modulate data with a shared spreading code to determine the modulated control data.

5. The power receiver of claim 4, wherein the power pick-up unit comprises a second modulator configured to modulate the power being received via the wireless coupling.

6. The power receiver of claim 4, wherein the power pick-up unit comprises an impedance modulator configured to modulate an impedance of the power pick-up unit based on the modulated control data.

7. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the control unit is further configured to modulate data with a shared spreading code to determine the modulated control data, and

the shared spreading code is included in second modulated control data from a second power receiver.

8. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the power pick-up unit is further configured to retransmit the same modulated control data at a first random time interval that is different than a second random time interval associated with a transmission by a second power receiver of second modulated control data to the power transmitter.

9. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the power pick-up unit is further configured to retransmit the same modulated control data at a first time interval,

the first time interval is based on an identification number assigned to the power receiver, and

the first time interval is different than a second time interval associated with a transmission by a second power receiver of second modulated control data to the power transmitter.

10. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the modulated control data comprises one or more data packets, each of the one or more data packets including power adjustment information or information indicating the power status information.

11. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the modulated control data comprises at least one data packet, and

the power pick-up unit is further configured to retransmit the same modulated control data if the at least one data packet includes information indicating the power status information.

12. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless coupling includes at least one of magnetic resonance, magnetic field induction, magnetic field radiation, electric field radiation, or electromagnetic field radiation, and

the power pick-up unit is further configured to retransmit the same modulated control data to the power transmitter via the wireless coupling a plurality of times.

13. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the power transmitter comprises a pad-type wireless power transmitter or a pod-type wireless power transmitter.

14. The power receiver of claim 1, further comprising a load that is associated with charging a battery in a mobile device or with supplying power to the mobile device.

15. A power transmitter for supplying power to a power receiver, the power transmitter comprising:

a power conversion unit configured to transmit power to the power receiver via a wireless coupling with the power receiver; and

a control unit configured to;

receive a first signal via the wireless coupling and determine if the first signal includes a transmission of control data, the control data determined and sent by the power receiver and configured to include power status information; and

receive a second signal via the wireless coupling and determine if the second signal includes a retransmission of the same control data, the retransmission sent by the power receiver without the power receiver determining additional control data and regardless of whether the first signal is received by the power transmitter conditioned on the control data including the power status information.

16. The power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the control data is modulated with a spreading code that is shared by the power receiver and a second power receiver.

17. The power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the power conversion unit comprises a demodulator configured to detect modulation of the power.

18. The power transmitter of claim 17, wherein the control unit comprises a second demodulator configured to demodulate the control data with a shared spreading code.

19. The power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the control data comprises a data packet from the power receiver, the data packet including power adjusting information or information indicating the power status information.

20. The power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the control unit is further configured to receive two or more data packets partially overlapping in time from the power receiver and a second power receiver and to recover the two or more data packets by demodulating the two or more data packets with a shared spreading code.

21. The power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the power conversion unit is further configured to be wirelessly coupled to the power receiver and to a second power receiver via at least one of magnetic resonance, magnetic field induction, magnetic field radiation, electric field radiation, or electromagnetic field radiation.

22. The power transmitter of claim 15, further comprising a pad-type wireless power transmitter or a pod-type wireless power transmitter.

23. A system for controlling wireless power transfer, the system comprising:

a power receiver, wherein the power receiver is configured to;

receive power from a power transmitter via a wireless coupling;

determine and transmit modulated control data via the wireless coupling to the power transmitter;

retransmit the same modulated control data without determining additional control data and regardless of whether the modulated control data is received by the power transmitter conditioned on the modulated control data being determined by the power receiver to include power status information; and

receive adjusted power via the wireless coupling.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising the power transmitter, wherein the power transmitter is further configured to:

receive the modulated control data via the wireless coupling;

adjust the power based on the modulated control data; and

transmit the adjusted power via the wireless coupling to the power receiver.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising the power transmitter, wherein the power transmitter is configured to receive and recover portions of the modulated control data that are simultaneously transmitted from the power receiver and a second power receiver.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the power receiver comprises:

a first modulator configured to modulate data with a spreading code to determine the modulated control data; and

a second modulator configured to modulate the power being received via the wireless coupling.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second modulator includes an impedance modulator configured to modulate an impedance of the power receiver based on the modulated control data.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the power receiver is further configured to retransmit the same modulated control data a plurality of times.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the modulated control data comprises at least one data packet, the at least one data packet including power adjusting information or information indicating the power status information.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the power receiver is further configured to retransmit the same modulated control data a plurality of times if the at least one data packet includes information indicating the power status information.

31. The system of claim 23, further comprising the power transmitter, wherein the power transmitter comprises:

a first demodulator configured to detect a modulation of the power; and

a second demodulator configured to demodulate the modulated control data with a shared spreading code.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the power receiver is further configured to be wirelessly coupled with the power transmitter via at least one of magnetic resonance, magnetic field induction, magnetic field radiation, electric field radiation, or electromagnetic field radiation.

33. The system of claim 23, further comprising the power transmitter, wherein the power transmitter comprises a pad-type wireless power transmitter or a pod-type wireless power transmitter.

34. A method for controlling power transmission to a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a power receiver in the mobile device, power from a power transmitter via a wireless coupling between the power transmitter and the power receiver;

determining and transmitting, by the power receiver, modulated control data via the wireless coupling to adjust the power; and

retransmitting the same modulated control data without determining additional control data and regardless of whether the modulated control data is received by the power transmitter if conditioned on the modulated control data is being determined by the power receiver to include power status information.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein determining the modulated control data comprises:

generating data to be transmitted to the power transmitter as the modulated control data; and

modulating the data with a shared spreading code.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein transmitting the modulated control data comprises modulating an impedance of the power receiver based on the modulated control data.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the modulated control data is retransmitted a plurality of times.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein:

the modulated control data comprises at least one data packet including power adjusting information or information indicating the power status information of the power receiver,

the modulated control data is modulated with a shared spreading code, and

the shared spreading code is shared by a first modulator of the mobile device and a second modulator of a second mobile device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the modulated control data is retransmitted a plurality of times if the at least one data packet includes the information indicating the power status information.

40. An apparatus for controlling wireless power transfer, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving power, from means for transmitting power, via a wireless coupling;

means for determining and transmitting modulated control data via the wireless coupling to the means for transmitting; and

means for retransmitting the same modulated control data without determining additional control data, and regardless of whether the modulated control data is received by the means for transmitting, conditioned on the modulated control data being determined to include power status information,

wherein the means for receiving is configured to receive adjusted power via the wireless coupling.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the means for receiving comprises:

first means for modulating configured to modulate data with a spreading code to determine the modulated control data; and

second means for modulating configured to modulate the power being received via the wireless coupling.