Multi-coil selection in a charging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12500448-B2
Application number	US-202117790896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2021
Priority date	Jan 6, 2020
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus for wireless charging are disclosed. A method for operating a wireless charging device includes determining that a chargeable device is positioned proximate to a plurality of charging coils provided at a charging surface of the wireless charging device, identifying two or more charging configurations for the chargeable device, determining power loss while wirelessly transmitting power to the chargeable device for each charging configuration in the two or more charging configurations, and initiating charging of the chargeable device using a charging configuration associated with a lowest power loss to configure the wireless charging device. Each charge configuration includes at least one of the plurality of charging coils.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for operating a wireless charging device, comprising:
determining that a chargeable device is positioned proximate to a plurality of charging coils provided at a charging surface of the wireless charging device; identifying two charging configurations for the chargeable device, wherein each charging configuration includes at least one charging coil that is determined to be aligned with or located close to the chargeable device; determining power loss while wirelessly transmitting power to the chargeable device in accordance with a first charging configuration; determining power loss while wirelessly transmitting power to the chargeable device in accordance with a second charging configuration; charging the chargeable device through a first charging coil when power loss associated with the first charging configuration is lower than power loss associated with the second charging configuration, wherein the first charging coil is included in the first charging configuration; and charging the chargeable device through a second charging coil when power loss associated with the second charging configuration is lower than power loss associated with the first charging configuration, wherein the second charging coil is included in the second charging configuration.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining power loss comprises:
configuring the plurality of charging coils based on a current charging configuration; and receiving a reported power from the chargeable device while the chargeable device is being charged using the current charging configuration.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
calculating power loss as a difference between the reported power and power expended by the charging device while charging the chargeable device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a charging configuration after detecting that the chargeable device is located on the charging surface.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a charging configuration after detecting that the chargeable device has been relocated on the charging surface.

6 . A wireless charging device, comprising:
a plurality of charging cells; and a controller configured to:
determine that a chargeable device is positioned proximate to a plurality of charging coils provided at a charging surface;
identify two charging configurations for the chargeable device, wherein each charging configuration includes at least one charging coil that is determined to be aligned with or located close to the chargeable device;
determine power loss while wirelessly transmitting power to the chargeable device in accordance with a first charging configuration;
determine power loss while wirelessly transmitting power to the chargeable device in accordance with a second charging configuration;
charge the chargeable device through a first charging coil when power loss associated with the first charging configuration is lower than power loss associated with the second charging configuration, wherein the first charging coil is included in the first charging configuration; and
charge the chargeable device through a second charging coil when power loss associated with the second charging configuration is lower than power loss associated with the first charging configuration, wherein the second charging coil is included in the second charging configuration.

7 . The wireless charging device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
configure the plurality of charging coils based on a current charging configuration; and receive a reported power from the chargeable device while the chargeable device is being charged using the current charging configuration.

8 . The wireless charging device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to:
calculate power loss as a difference between the reported power and power expended by the charging device while charging the chargeable device.

9 . The wireless charging device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
select a charging configuration after detecting that the chargeable device is located on the charging surface.

10 . The wireless charging device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
select a charging configuration after detecting that the chargeable device has been relocated on the charging surface.

11 . A non-transitory processor readable storage medium, comprising code for:
determining that a chargeable device is positioned proximate to a plurality of charging coils provided at a charging surface of a wireless charging device; identifying two charging configurations for the chargeable device, wherein each charging configuration includes at least one charging coil that is determined to be aligned with or located close to the chargeable device; determining power loss while wirelessly transmitting power to the chargeable device in accordance with a first charging configuration; determining power loss while wirelessly transmitting power to the chargeable device in accordance with a second charging configuration; and charging the chargeable device through a first charging coil when power loss associated with the first charging configuration is lower than power loss associated with the second charging configuration, wherein the first charging coil is included in the first charging configuration; and charging the chargeable device through a second charging coil when power loss associated with the second charging configuration is lower than power loss associated with the first charging configuration, wherein the second charging coil is included in the second charging configuration.

12 . The storage medium of claim 11 , wherein determining power loss comprises:
configuring the plurality of charging coils based on a current charging configuration; and receiving a reported power from the chargeable device while the chargeable device is being charged using the current charging configuration.

13 . The storage medium of claim 12 , further comprising:
calculating power loss as a difference between the reported power and power expended by the charging device while charging the chargeable device.

14 . The storage medium of claim 11 , further comprising:
selecting a charging configuration after detecting that the chargeable device is located on the charging surface.

15 . The storage medium of claim 11 , further comprising:
selecting a charging configuration after detecting that the chargeable device has been relocated on the charging surface.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first charging coil and the second charging coil are assigned to different charging cells.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
charging the chargeable device through a third charging coil while charging the chargeable device through the first charging coil when the first charging coil and the third charging coil are included in the first charging configuration.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
charging the chargeable device through a fourth charging coil while charging the chargeable device through the second charging coil when the second charging coil and the fourth charging coil are included in the first charging configuration.

Assignees

• Aira Inc

Inventors

• Goodchild Eric Heindel
• Winters John
• Slatnick Jake

Classifications

• H01F38/14 Primary

  Inductive couplings {(for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10)} · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• H02J50/12

  of the resonant type · CPC title

• H02J50/90

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

• H02J50/80

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