Enhanced wireless power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11081911-B1
Application number	US-202017122727-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2020
Priority date	Aug 21, 2020
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

Wireless power transfer devices may be configured to negotiate with each other to operate. For example, a wireless power standard may provide for various levels of power delivery, various frequencies for power transfer, various operating voltages, and so forth. There may be instances in which it is desirable to provide wireless power transfer devices (both PTx and PRx) that are capable of enhanced performance when paired with a compatible device. For example, devices can be configured to operate at higher or more granular power levels, different frequencies, and so forth.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wireless power receiver comprising:
a receiver coil configured to receive power from a wireless power transmitter;
a rectifier coupled to the receiver coil configured to convert an AC voltage appearing across the receiver coil to a DC voltage delivered to a load; and
a control and communications module coupled to the receiver coil and the rectifier, wherein the control and communications module is configured to:
receive in-band communication signals from the wireless power transmitter via the receiver coil; and
operate the rectifier to generate in-band communication signals delivered to the power transmitter via the receiver coil;
wherein the in-band communication signals delivered to the power transmitter via the receiver coil include communications in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode including an indication that the receiver is capable of operating at a frequency different than prescribed by the standard communication protocol.

2. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein the enhanced or extended operating mode includes operating at one or more of a frequency and a power level different than a frequency or power level prescribed by the standard communication protocol.

3. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 further comprising an NFC communication module coupled to the control and communication module, wherein the enhanced or extended operating mode includes delaying wireless power transfer to permit NFC communication with a corresponding NFC communication module in the wireless power transmitter.

4. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode include communications indicating one or more enhanced capabilities of the wireless power receiver.

5. The wireless power receiver of claim 4 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode further include communications requesting one or more enhanced capabilities of the wireless power transmitter.

6. The wireless power receiver of claim 5 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode further include communications acknowledging one or more enhanced capabilities of the wireless power transmitter.

7. The wireless power receiver of claim 1 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode include communications relating to a user interface capability of at least one of the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver.

8. A wireless power transmitter comprising:
a transmitter coil configured to deliver power to a wireless power receiver;
an inverter coupled to the transmitter coil configured to convert an input voltage into an AC voltage delivered to the transmitter coil; and
a control and communications module coupled to the transmitter coil and the inverter, wherein the control and communications module is further configured to:
receive in-band communication signals from the wireless power receiver via the transmitter coil;
operate the inverter to generate in-band communication signals delivered to the power receiver via the transmitter coil;
wherein the in-band communication signals received from the wireless power receiver include communications in compliance with a standard communication protocol indicating that the receiver is capable of operating at a frequency different than prescribed by the standard communication protocol and the in-band communication signals delivered to the power receiver include an acknowledgement that the receiver is capable of operating at a frequency different than prescribed by the standard communication protocol and negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode that includes operating at a frequency different than prescribed by the standard communication protocol.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 8 wherein the enhanced or extended operating mode further includes operating at a power level different than a power level prescribed by the standard communication protocol.

10. The wireless power transmitter of claim 8 further comprising an NFC communication module coupled to the control and communication module, wherein the enhanced or extended operating mode includes delaying wireless power transfer to permit NFC communication with a corresponding NFC communication module in the wireless power receiver.

11. The wireless power transmitter of claim 8 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode include communications indicating one or more enhanced capabilities of the wireless power transmitter.

12. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode further include communications requesting one or more enhanced capabilities of the wireless power receiver.

13. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode further include communications acknowledging one or more enhanced capabilities of the wireless power receiver.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 8 wherein the communication in compliance with a standard communication protocol negotiating a transition to an enhanced or extended operating mode include communications relating to a user interface capability of at least one of the wireless power transmitter and wireless power receiver.

15. A method of negotiating wireless power transfer between a device that is a wireless power transmitter or a wireless power receiver and a counterpart device, the method comprising:
initiating communication with the counterpart device using a standard communication protocol;
communicating one or more enhanced capabilities of the device to the counterpart device using the standard communication protocol, the one or more enhanced capabilities including a capability to operate at a frequency different than prescribed by the standard communication protocol;
determining whether the counterpart device is also capable of operating in accordance with each of the one or more enhanced capabilities; and
if the counterpart device is not capable of operating in accordance with one or more of the enhanced capabilities, operating in a standard mode; or
if the counterpart device is capable of operating in accordance with one or more of the enhanced capabilities, negotiating a transition to an agreed enhanced mode including one or more of the enhanced capabilities.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the communications between the device and its counterpart are in-band communications.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the enhanced capabilities include an ability to operate at a power level different than a power level prescribed by the standard communication protocol.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the enhanced capabilities include NFC communications capabilities and the enhanced mode includes delaying wireless power transfer to permit NFC communication.

19

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Nalbant Mehmet K
• Safaee Alireza
• Sjoeroos Jukka-Pekka J
• Abukhalaf Zaid A
• Pastrana Juan Carlos
• Kosut Alexei E

Classifications

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/92

  with prioritisation of loads or sources · CPC title

• H02J7/42 Primary

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

• H04B5/45

  Transponders · CPC title

• H04B5/266

  One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils · CPC title