Contactless power transfer system and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11764609-B2
Application number	US-202217707819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2022
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A contactless power transfer system is provided. The contactless power transfer system includes a first power exchanger coil configured to exchange power. The contactless power transfer system also includes a first power converter operatively coupled to the first power exchanger coil and configured to convert a direct current power to an alternating current power at a system frequency. The contactless power transfer system further includes a controller configured to control an operating state of the first power converter to vary an alternating current power provided to the first power exchanger coil at the system frequency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for contactless power transfer, the method comprising:
generating an alternating current (AC) power at a fixed system frequency;
transmitting, by a first power exchanger coil, the AC power at the fixed system frequency during a plurality of intermittent first time periods of an activated state in which the first power exchanger coil is configured to transmit the AC power to a wireless power receiving device via a magnetic field, wherein each first time period of the plurality of intermittent first time periods is followed by a second time period of a deactivated state in which the first power exchanger coil does not transmit the AC power; and
changing a duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods in response to a change in a power requirement of the wireless power receiving device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
refraining from generating and transmitting the AC power during a plurality of intermittent second time periods of the deactivated state.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods based on the power requirement of the wireless power receiving device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the power requirement associated with a load of the wireless power receiving device; and
controlling the duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods to generate pulses of AC power transmitted to the wireless power receiving device such that an average of the pulses satisfies the power requirement.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixed system frequency remains constant for different power requirements of the wireless power receiving device, and wherein an amount of power transfer is controlled by varying the duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the duration of intermittent first time periods based, at least in part, on a direct current power measured at a first node located between a second power exchanger coil of the wireless power receiving device and a load of the wireless power receiving device.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving, via a wireless communication unit, a communication from the wireless power receiving device that indicates at least a sensed voltage indicative of the direct current power measured at the first node.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a bias power and transmitting the bias power from the first power exchanger coil to a second power exchanger coil of the wireless power receiving device; and
receiving a signal from the wireless power receiving device after transmitting the bias power; and
detecting the wireless power receiving device is available for power transfer based, at least in part on the signal.

9. A contactless power transfer system comprising:
a power converter configured to generate an alternating current (AC) power at a fixed system frequency;
a first power exchanger coil operatively coupled with the power converter and configured to transmit the AC power at the fixed system frequency during a plurality of intermittent first time periods of an activated state in which the first power exchanger coil is configured to transmit the AC power to a wireless power receiving device via a magnetic field, wherein each first time period of the plurality of intermittent first time periods is followed by a second time period of a deactivated state in which the first power exchanger coil does not transmit the AC power; and
a controller operatively coupled with the power converter and configured to control a duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods, wherein the controller changes the duration of the intermittent first time periods in response to a change in a power requirement of the wireless power receiving device.

10. The contactless power transfer system of claim 9 , further comprising:
wherein the controller is configured to control the duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods based on the power requirement of the wireless power receiving device.

11. The contactless power transfer system of claim 9 , further comprising:
wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine the power requirement associated with a load of the wireless power receiving device; and
control the duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods to generate pulses of AC power transmitted to the wireless power receiving device such that an average of the pulses satisfies the power requirement.

12. The contactless power transfer system of claim 9 ,
wherein the controller is configured to control an amount of power transfer to the wireless power receiving device by varying the duration of the plurality of intermittent first time periods, wherein the fixed system frequency remains constant for different power requirements of the wireless power receiving device.

13. The contactless power transfer system of claim 9 , further comprising:
wherein the controller is configured to control the duration of intermittent first time periods based, at least in part, on a direct current power measured at a first node located between a second power exchanger coil of the wireless power receiving device and a load of the wireless power receiving device.

14. The contactless power transfer system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a wireless communication unit configured to receive a communication from the wireless power receiving device that indicates at least a sensed voltage indicative of the direct current power measured at the first node.

15. The contactless power transfer system of claim 9 ,
wherein the power converter is further configured to generate a bias power;
wherein the first power exchanger coil is further configured to transmit the bias power to a second power exchanger coil of the wireless power receiving device; and
wherein the contactless power transfer system further comprises:
a communication unit configured to receive a signal from the wireless power receiving device after transmitting the bias power,
wherein the controller is further configured to detect that the wireless power receiving device is available for power transfer based, at least in part, on the signal.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Vijayan Pradeep
• Naik Rajendra
• Raghunathan Arun Kumar
• Mahadeva Iyer Vishnu

Classifications

• H02J50/12 Primary

  of the resonant type · CPC title

• H02J50/10 Primary

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• H02J50/80

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

• H02J50/90

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