System and method for multi-coil dual backbone dynamic inductive power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9698608-B2
Application number	US-201414584667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 29, 2014
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for wirelessly transferring power to a receive coupler is provided. The apparatus comprises a first coupler connected to a second coupler. The apparatus further comprises a third coupler overlapping the first and second couplers. The apparatus further comprises a controller configured to receive power from at least one power supply, provide a first current to the first coupler and the second coupler in a first charging mode, and provide the first current to the first coupler and the second coupler and provide a second current to the third coupler in a second charging mode. A magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a first portion is constructively additive with a magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a second portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring power to a receive coupler, the apparatus comprising:
a first coupler connected to a second coupler;
a third coupler overlapping the first coupler and the second coupler; and
a controller configured to:
receive power from at least one power supply,
provide a first current to the first coupler and the second coupler in a first charging mode, wherein a magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a first portion of the first coupler is constructively additive with a magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a second portion of the second coupler,
provide the first current to the first coupler and the second coupler and provide a second current to the third coupler in a second charging mode, and
reverse a polarity of the second current provided to the third coupler in the second charging mode based on a location of the receive coupler.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third coupler is symmetrically positioned over each of the first coupler and the second coupler.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide the second current having a first polarity in the second charging mode when the receive coupler is located over the second coupler and the third coupler.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide the second current having a second polarity in the second charging mode when the receive coupler is located over the first coupler and the third coupler.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to alternately reverse a polarity of the first current provided to the first and second couplers in the second charging mode based on a location of the receive coupler.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the location based on a level of power transferred by the first and second couplers or a level of power transferred by the third coupler.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one power supply comprises a first power backbone and a second power backbone, the controller further configured to:
receive at least a first portion of the power from the first power backbone for providing the first current to the first coupler and the second coupler, and
receive at least a second portion of the power from the second power backbone for providing the second current to the third coupler.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide the first current 90° out of phase with respect to the second current.

9. A method for wirelessly transferring power to a receive coupler, the method comprising:
receiving power from at least one power supply,
providing a first current to a first coupler and to a second coupler connected to the first coupler in a first charging mode,
providing the first current to the first and second couplers and a second current to a third coupler that overlaps the first coupler and the second coupler in a second charging mode, and
reverse a polarity of the second current provided to the third coupler in the second charging mode based on a location of the receive coupler,
wherein a magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a first portion of the first coupler is constructively additive with a magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a second portion of the second coupler.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the third coupler is symmetrically positioned over each of the first coupler and the second coupler.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing the second current having a first polarity in the second charging mode when the receive coupler is located over the second coupler and the third coupler.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing the second current having the second polarity in the second charging mode when the receive coupler is located over the first coupler and the third coupler.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising alternately reversing a polarity of the first current provided to the first and second couplers in the second charging mode based on a location of the receive coupler.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining the location based on a level of power transferred by the first and second couplers or a level of power transferred by the third coupler.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein receiving power from at least one power supply comprises:
receiving at least a first portion of the power from a first power backbone for providing the first current to the first coupler and the second coupler, and
receiving at least a second portion of the power from a second power backbone for providing the second current to the third coupler.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first current is 90° out of phase with respect to the second current.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:
receive power from at least one power supply,
provide a first current to a first coupler and to a second coupler connected to the first coupler in a first charging mode,
provide the first current to the first and second couplers and a second current to a third coupler that overlaps the first coupler and the second coupler in a second charging mode, and
reverse a polarity of the second current provided to the third coupler in the second charging mode based on a location of the receive coupler,
wherein a magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a first portion of the first coupler is constructively additive with a magnetic flux generated by the first current passing through a second portion of the second coupler.

18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the third coupler is symmetrically positioned over each of the first coupler and the second coupler.

19. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to provide the second current having a first polarity in the second charging mode when the receive coupler is located over the second coupler and the third coupler.

20. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to provide the second current having the second polarity in the second charging mode when the receive coupler is located over the first coupler and the third coupler.

21. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to alternately reverse a polarity of the first current provided to the first and second couplers in the second charging mode based on a location of the receive coupler.

22. The medium of claim 21 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to determine the location based on a level of power transferred by the first and second couplers or a level of power transferred by the third coupler.

23. The medium of claim 17 , wherein receiving power from at least one power supply comprises:
receiving at least a first portion of the power from a first power backbone for providing the first current to the first coupler and the second coupler, and
receiving at least a second portion of the power from a second power backbone for providing the second current to the third coupler.

24. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the first current is 90° out of phase with respect to the second current.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Keeling Nicholas Athol
• Budhia Mickel Bipin
• Huang Chang-Yu
• Kissin Jr Michael Le Gallais
• Beaver Jonathan
• Camasca Ramirez Claudio Armando

Classifications

• H02J50/90

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

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• B60L5/005

  without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line · CPC title

• B60L53/12

  Inductive energy transfer · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title