Apparatus for dynamic control of wireless power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12081046-B2
Application number	US-202117152595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2021
Priority date	Jan 19, 2021
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A wireless power transfer (WPT) system is operative to dynamically make power-transfer efficiency optimizations based on supply power, load characteristics, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, optimizations include power-level-specific path selection, loading-based WPT voltage adjustments, and other techniques in various combinations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for a wireless power transfer (WPT) receiver, the apparatus comprising:
a power output arranged to provide WPT-received electrical power to a load;
receiver (RX) path circuitry coupled to the power output and to a set of at least one reception coil, and operative to receive WPT via the set of at least one reception coil, from at least one WPT transmission coil of a WPT transmitter, the RX path circuitry including low-power RX path circuitry including power conditioning circuitry arranged to condition the WPT-received electrical power for delivery to the load, and high-power RX path circuitry arranged to condition the WPT-received electrical power for delivery to the load, the high-power RX circuitry including power conditioning circuitry suitable for higher-power levels than the low-power RX path circuitry, wherein the low-power RX path circuitry has components which differ from components of the high-power RX path circuitry, including a shunting reactance component that, together with a reception coil of the set of at least one reception coil, provides a resonance characteristic which is operative to enable resonant power transfer from the at least one WPT transmission coil of the WPT transmitter to the set of the at least one reception coil, wherein current of the resonant power transfer counteracts magnetization current of the at least one WPT transmission coil thereby causing the low-power RX path circuitry to be operative at a greater efficiency than the high-power RX path circuitry at any power level for which the low-power RX path circuitry is suitable, wherein the high-power RX path circuitry lacks a shunting reactance component such that the high-power RX path circuitry does not have the resonant power transfer;
communication circuitry electrically coupled to the set of at least one reception coil and operative to send and receive wireless communications via the set of at least one reception coil, the communication circuitry being distinct from the load; and
controller circuitry operatively coupled to the communication circuitry and to the RX path circuitry, the controller circuitry operative to negotiate with a WPT power source a power level of the WPT power source from among a low power level and a high power level, and to select RX path circuitry from among the low-power RX path circuitry and the high-power RX path circuitry, based on the negotiated power level of the WPT power source, with which to receive WPT power from the WPT power source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is arranged to read measurements of voltage at the load and of current being drawn by the load, and to dynamically determine an opportunity for WPT optimization based on the measurements, wherein the controller circuitry is operative to make a comparison of a measured voltage at the load with a reference voltage, wherein the reference voltage is a measured voltage at a location within the receiver path circuitry, and wherein the controller circuitry is further arranged to be communicatively coupled to a WPT power source via the communication circuitry, and in response to a positive determination of the opportunity for WPT optimization, to generate a power optimization request to the WPT power source that requests a change in a power delivery characteristic to be wirelessly transmitted by the WPT power source.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the power optimization request requests the change in the power delivery characteristic which is to reduce a voltage of the WPT to be wirelessly transmitted to cause an increase of a current of the WPT while substantially maintaining the same power level as was received via the WPT prior to the power optimization request such that greater current is transmitted via the WPT.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the comparison includes determining whether the voltage measurement at the load is less than the reference voltage level by a predefined margin, and wherein the power optimization request is based on the determination of whether the voltage measurement at the load is less than the reference voltage level by a predefined margin.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the power optimization request is further based on a determination of whether the current draw is within a defined range.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the reference voltage is a voltage at coil antenna terminals, a voltage at an output of a rectifier, or a voltage at an input of a power-conditioning circuit within the RX path circuitry.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein comparing includes an addition or subtraction of a voltage offset value to or from one of the compared measured voltages.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the low-power RX path circuitry is suitable for a first power level of about 5 W or less, and wherein the high-power RX path circuitry is suitable for a second power level that is greater than about 5 W.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the low-power RX path circuitry and the high-power RX path circuitry include at least one shared portion of circuitry.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set of at least one reception coil includes a first reception coil that is part of the low-power RX path circuitry and a second reception coil that is part of the high-power RX path circuitry.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is arranged to be communicatively coupled to a WPT power source, to receive information indicating available power from the WPT power source, and to dynamically adjust a characteristic of the WPT based further on the available power from the WPT power source.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is selected from the group consisting of a microcontroller, an embedded microcontroller, an instruction processor, and a digital logic circuit.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to set a limit for the RX path circuitry for an amount of current drawn in response to receiving a message from the WPT power source indicating a power level that is available to be provided via WPT.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to negotiate with the WPT power source for a new operating point for the WPT.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to transmit a specified voltage to be transmitted by the WPT power source responsive to the measurements.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the specified voltage includes a specified increment to increase or reduce the transmitted voltage.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to:
receive a message from the WPT power source indicating an alternate proposed voltage; and
verify whether the alternate proposed voltage is within predefined safety limits, and to confirm or reject the alternate proposed voltage and/or to propose another proposed voltage to the WPT power source.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiver mode selector circuitry operatively coupled to the controller circuitry and arranged to selectively couple one of the low-power RX path circuitry and the high-power RX path circuitry between the power output and the set of at least one reception coil in response to a path selection signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the path selection signal is generated by the controller circuitry based on a power requirement of the load.

Assignees

• Datalogic IP Tech Srl

Inventors

• Rinaldi Alessandro
• Balzano Domenico Gianluca
• Marino Michele
• Moschini Roberto
• Pifferi Marco
• Pugliese Francesco

Classifications

• H04B5/79

  for data transfer in combination with power transfer · CPC title

• H02J50/40

  using two or more transmitting or receiving devices (H02J50/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  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 Primary

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