System and method for a multi-coil wireless power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10320222-B2
Application number	US-201715414018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2017
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for multi-coil wireless power transfer. The system includes a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger, and a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger. The system further includes a communications module configured to receive a signal from an information handling system. The information handling system includes a receiving coil. The system additionally includes a transmit module configured to determine an orientation of the receiving coil, and provide a first current to the first transmitting coil and a second current to the second transmitting coil based on the orientation of the receiving coil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless charging system comprising:
a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger;
a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger;
a communications module configured to receive a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil; and
a processor configured to:
determine an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with the first transmitting coil or the second transmitting coil;
determine a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil; and
determine a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide the first current to the first transmitting coil and the second current to the second transmitting coil.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide the first current and the second current based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the wireless charger is configured to transfer power to the information handling system.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the power transfer is occurring at an optimum charging rate.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the first current based on a changed direction of the target flux vector.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the side portion is configured such that the second transmitting coil is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting coil.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal includes identification information of the information handling system.

9. A method for wireless charging comprising:
receiving a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil;
determining an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger or a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger;
determining a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil; and
determining a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising wherein providing the first current to the first transmitting coil and the second current to the second transmitting coil.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein providing the first current and the second current is further based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transferring power to the information handling system.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining if the power transfer is occurring at an optimum charging rate.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising adjusting the first current based on a changed direction of the target flux vector.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the side portion is configured such the second transmitting coil is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting coil.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the signal includes identification information of the information handling system.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by one or more processors to perform one or more operations, the one or more operations comprising:
receiving a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil;
determining an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger or a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger;
determining a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil; and
determining a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising providing the first current to a first transmitting coil and the second current to a second transmitting coil.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein providing the first current and the second current is further based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising transferring power to the information handling system.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Knepper Lawrence E

Classifications

• H02J7/42 Primary

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J50/90

  involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• H02J50/80

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title