Method and apparatus for wireless power transfer

• US 9,948,149 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Muurinen, Jari Juhani
• Primary Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/503,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a wireless power receiver configured to receive a wireless power signal, a communication circuitry configured to transmit one or more change requests associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal, and a control circuit configured to measure a plurality of reception levels associated with the quantity of the wireless power signal and to determine whether the plurality of reception levels corresponds to the one or more change requests.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless power receiver configured to receive a wireless power signal;

communication circuitry configured to transmit one or more change requests associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal; and

control circuitry configured to;

measure a plurality of reception levels associated with the quantity of the wireless power signal;

determine, based on the one or more change requests, a linear model of expected reception levels; and

in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model, transmit a request that is configured to cause a decrease in a transmit power of the wireless power signal, a suspension in transmission of the wireless power signal for a time period, or a stop to transmission of the wireless power signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quantity of the wireless power signal is a power of the wireless power signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the linear model comprises a linear regression over the plurality of reception levels, and wherein determining that the at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model is based on a residual error of the linear regression exceeding a residual threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine an estimated transmission power of the wireless power signal, and wherein determining that the at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model is based on an error between the at least one of the plurality of reception levels and the linear model exceeding an error threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the estimated transmission power based on a current reception power of the wireless power signal and at least one of the one or more change requests.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry is further configured to receive information indicating the transmit power of the wireless power signal, and wherein causing the apparatus to transmit the request is based on a difference between the at least one of the plurality of reception levels and the transmit power exceeding an error threshold.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the request is configured to cause the suspension in transmission of the wireless power signal for the time period, or the stop to transmission of the wireless power signal.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless power signal;

transmitting one or more change requests associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal;

measuring a plurality of reception levels associated with the quantity of the wireless power signal; and

determining, based on the one or more change requests, a linear model of expected reception levels; and

in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model, transmitting a request that is configured to cause a decrease in a transmit power of the wireless power signal, a suspension in transmission of the wireless power signal for a time period, or a stop to transmission of the wireless power signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the quantity of the wireless power signal is a power of the wireless power signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the linear model comprises a linear regression over the plurality of reception levels, and wherein determining that the at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model is based on a residual error of the linear regression exceeding a residual threshold.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining an estimated transmission power of the wireless power signal, and wherein determining that the at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model is based on an error between the at least one of the plurality of reception levels and the linear model exceeding an error threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining, based on a current reception power of the wireless power signal and at least one of the one or more change requests, the estimated transmission power.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving information indicating the transmit power of the wireless power signal, and wherein transmitting the request is based on a difference between the at least one of the plurality of reception levels and the transmit power exceeding an error threshold.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the request is configured to cause the decrease in the transmit power of the wireless power signal.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the request is configured to cause the decrease in the transmit power of the wireless power signal.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the request is configured to cause the suspension in transmission of the wireless power signal for the time period.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the request is configured to cause the stop to transmission of the wireless power signal.

18. One or more computer-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to at least:

receive a wireless power signal;

transmit one or more change requests associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal;

measure a plurality of reception levels associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal;

determine, based on the one or more change requests, a linear model of expected reception levels; and

in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model, transmit a request that is configured to cause a decrease in a transmit power of the wireless power signal, a suspension in transmission of the wireless power signal for a time period, or a stop to transmission of the wireless power signal.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the quantity of the wireless power signal is a power of the wireless power signal.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the linear model comprises a linear regression over the plurality of reception levels, and wherein determining that the at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model is based on a residual error of the linear regression exceeding a residual threshold.

21. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to at least determine an estimated transmission power of the wireless power signal, and wherein determining that the at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model is based on an error between the at least one of the plurality of reception levels and the linear model exceeding an error threshold.

22. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to at least determine, based on a current reception power of the wireless power signal and at least one of the one or more change requests, the estimated transmission power.

23. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to at least receive information indicating the transmit power of the wireless power signal, and wherein causing the apparatus to transmit the request is based on a difference between the at least one of the plurality of reception levels and the transmit power exceeding an error threshold.

24. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to at least;

receive a wireless power signal;

transmit one or more change requests associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal;

measure a plurality of reception levels associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal;

determine, based on the one or more change requests, a linear model of expected reception levels; and

in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model, transmit a request that is configured to cause a decrease in a transmit power of the wireless power signal, a suspension in transmission of the wireless power signal for a time period, or a stop to transmission of the wireless power signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the quantity of the wireless power signal is a power of the wireless power signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to at least determine an estimated transmission power of the wireless power signal, and wherein determining that the at least one of the plurality of reception levels is different from the linear model is based on an error between the at least one of the plurality of reception levels and the linear model exceeding an error threshold.