Distributed resonators for wireless power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9742203-B2
Application number	US-201514630996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for wireless charging may include a casing for housing an electronic device and a plurality of power receiving elements that can couple to an externally generated magnetic field to wirelessly power or charge a load in the electronic device. At least one of the power receiving elements may comprise an electrically conductive segment of the casing.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus for wireless charging, comprising:
a casing comprising one or more electrically separate, electrically conductive segments; and
a plurality of power receiving elements configured to couple to an externally generated magnetic field to wirelessly power or charge a load, at least one of the plurality of power receiving elements comprising one of the electrically conductive segments of the casing,
at least a first power receiving element and a second power receiving element connected together and operative to produce a single output of power when coupled to the externally generated magnetic field.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of power receiving elements are connected in a resonant circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of power receiving elements comprises a coil of wire.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a top segment, wherein the first power receiving element comprises a first conductor having at least one turn wound parallel to a first plane of the top segment of the casing and the second power receiving element comprises a second conductor having at least one turn wound parallel to a second plane of a side of the casing and is non-parallel to the first plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first conductor is affixed to an inside surface of the top segment of the casing and the second conductor is affixed to an inside surface of the side of the casing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of switches selectively operable to connect together at least some of the plurality of power receiving elements in different combinations of connected power receiving elements.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the different combinations of connected power receiving elements have different degrees of mutual coupling with the externally generated magnetic field.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the different combinations of connected power receiving elements provide different output voltages.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the different combinations of connected power receiving elements have different resistances.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a controller to control the plurality of switches.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of rectifiers, each power receiving element connected to a corresponding rectifier, wherein the plurality of rectifiers are connected together in series.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of power receiving elements are connected in series.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of power receiving elements are connected together so that magnetic fields which arise in the at least some of the plurality of power receiving elements combine constructively.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the externally generated magnetic field is generated from a source that is vertically spaced apart from the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the externally generated magnetic field is generated from a source that is horizontally spaced apart from the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the casing is configured to house components of a mobile device, wherein the load comprises an electrical component of the mobile device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device is a wearable device.

18. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power, the apparatus comprising:
a casing that constitutes a portion of a housing of an electronic device, the casing having at least one electrically conductive segment;
a first power receiving element configured to wirelessly receive power via an externally generated alternating magnetic field, the first power receiving element comprising a coil of conductive material attached to the casing; and
at least a second power receiving element configured to wirelessly receive power via the externally generated alternating magnetic field, the second power receiving element comprising the at least one electrically conductive segment of the casing.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first power receiving element is connected in a resonant circuit.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the at least second power receiving element is connected in a resonant circuit.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising an electrical connection between the coil of conductive material that comprises the first power receiving element and the at least one electrically conductive segment of the casing that comprises the second power receiving element.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first power receiving element lies in a first plane and the second power receiving element lies in a second plane in non-parallel relation to the first plane.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first power receiving element is attached to a side of the casing.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising:
a plurality of power receiving elements, including the first and second power receiving elements; and
a plurality of switches selectively operable to connect together different combinations of power receiving elements.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the different combinations of power receiving elements provide different degrees of mutual coupling with the externally generated magnetic field.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the different combinations of power receiving elements have different mutual inductances.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the different combinations of power receiving elements provide different output voltages.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the different combinations of power receiving elements have different resistances.

29. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power, the apparatus comprising:
means for housing an electronic device including at least one metal segment;
first means for receiving power through an externally generated magnetic field;
second means for receiving power through the externally generated magnetic field comprising a portion of the at least one metal segment.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 , either or both the first means and the second means are connected in a resonant circuit.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 , further comprising means for connecting together the first means and the second means.

32. A method for wirelessly receiving power comprising:
producing a first current through electromagnetic induction at a first location in a device;
producing a second current through electromagnetic induction at a second location in the device; and
combining the first current and the second current to produce power for the device;
wherein producing a first current includes coupling a first coil of wire to an externally generated magnetic field and producing a second current includes coupling a portion of a metallic casing that houses the device to the externally generated magnetic field.

33. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power, the apparatus comprising:
a casing for a portable electronic device;
a plurality of power receiving elements distributed at different locations on the casing;
a combining circuit;
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Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Jeong Seong Heon

Classifications

• H02J7/70 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J50/12 Primary

  of the resonant type · CPC title

• H04B5/266

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

• H04B5/263

  Multiple coils at either side · CPC title

• H02J5/005 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic