IP Library Granted Patent US 7,932,630
Granted Patent B2
US 7,932,630 · App. 12/400,703 · Granted Apr 26, 2011

Packaging and details of a wireless power device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,932,630
App. No.
12/400,703
Granted
Apr 26, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wireless power system includes a power source, power receiver, and components thereof. A current sensor senses the amount of current through the antenna. That amount of current is then used to adjust characteristics of the transmitting or receiving.

Claims (54)

1. A wireless power transmitter, comprising

a magnetically resonant antenna;

a transmit system that creates a driving signal at a frequency that is substantially resonant with said magnetically resonant antenna;

a current sensor, sensing an amount of current that flows through said magnetically resonant antenna and creates a current sense signal indicative thereof; and

wherein said signal indicative of current is used by said transmit system to change said driving signal based on a characteristic of transmitting by said magnetically resonant antenna.

2. A transmitter as in claim 1 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 13.56 Mhz.

3. A transmitter as in claim 1 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 135 Khz.

4. A transmitter as in claim 1 , further comprising a controller that monitors said current sense signal, and uses said signal to change said driving signal.

5. A transmitter as in claim 4 , further comprising a power indicator meter, and wherein said controller changes said signal based on an output of said power indicator meter.

6. A transmitter as in claim 4 , further comprising an inverter that creates said signal at said frequency of said antenna.

7. A transmitter as in claim 6 , wherein said controller controls characteristics of said inverter.

8. A transmitter as in claim 7 , wherein said controller controls pulse width and electronic fine-tuning of said inverter.

9. A transmitter as in claim 1 , wherein said magnetically resonant antenna includes at least one component with a specified voltage and/or current rating, and further comprising an overload protection part, responsive to said amount of current, that prevents currents higher than a predetermined level based on ratings of electronic components.

10. A wireless power receiver, comprising

a magnetically resonant antenna;

a receive system that receives a signal at a frequency that is substantially resonant with said magnetically resonant antenna, and creates electrical power from said signal;

a current sensor, sensing an amount of current that flows through said magnetically resonant antenna and creates a signal indicative thereof; and

wherein said signal indicative of current is used by said receive system to change a characteristic of receiving based on said signal from said current sensor.

11. A receiver as in claim 10 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 13.56 Mhz.

12. A receiver as in claim 10 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 135 Khz.

13. A receiver as in claim 10 , further comprising a controller that monitors said signal from said current sensor, and uses said signal to change said driving signal.

14. A receiver as in claim 13 , further comprising a power indicator meter, and wherein said controller also changes said signal based on an output of said power indicator meter.

15. A receiver as in claim 13 , wherein said receive system further comprises a rectifier that rectifies an said signal to create said electrical power, said rectifier having characteristics of rectifying, that are controlled by said controller.

16. A receiver as in claim 15 , wherein said rectifier is a synchronous rectifier, and said controller controls a frequency of the synchronous rectification.

17. A receiver as in claim 15 , wherein said rectifier is a synchronous rectifier, and said controller controls characteristics of the adaptive load presented by the rectifier.

18. A receiver as in claim 10 , further comprising an overload protection part, responsive to said amount of current, that prevents currents higher than a predetermined level based on ratings of electronic components.

19. A receiver as in claim 18 , wherein said ratings are ratings of components forming the antenna.

20. A method, comprising using an antenna which is tuned to have a magnetic resonance at a first frequency to receive a wireless magnetic signal;

using electrical circuitry connected to said antenna to convert the received magnetic signal to electrical power;

sensing an amount of current that flows through said antenna and creating a current sense signal indicative thereof; and

said electrical circuitry changing a way that it interfaces with said antenna, based on said current sense signal, wherein said current sense changes the characteristics of said wireless power receiving based on a sensed current, where said changing changes an amount of received power between a source and a recipient.

21. A method as in claim 20 , wherein said using comprises using said antenna to receive wireless power.

22. A method as in claim 20 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 13.56 Mhz.

23. A method as in claim 20 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 135 Khz.

24. A method as in claim 20 , wherein said antenna includes at least one component with a specified voltage and/or current rating, and further comprising an overload protection part, responsive to said amount of current, that prevents currents higher than a predetermined level based on ratings of electronic components.

25. A method, comprising

using electrical circuitry to convert electrical power to a magnetic signal at a first frequency;

using an antenna which is tuned to have a magnetic resonance at said first frequency to transmit a wireless magnetic signal based on said magnetic signal;

sensing an amount of current that flows through said antenna and creating a current sense signal indicative thereof; and

said electrical circuitry changing a way that it interfaces with said antenna based on said current sense signal, wherein said current sense changes the characteristics of said wireless power transmitting based on a sensed current, where said changing changes an amount of transmitted power between a source and a recipient.

26. A method as in claim 25 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 13.56 Mhz.

27. A method as in claim 25 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 135 Khz.

28. A method as in claim 25 , wherein said antenna includes at least one component with a specified voltage and/or current rating, and further comprising an overload protection part, responsive to said amount of current, that prevents currents higher than a predetermined level based on ratings of electronic components.

29. A wireless power receiver, comprising

a magnetically resonant antenna;

a receive system that receives a signal at a frequency that is substantially resonant with said magnetically resonant antenna, and creates electrical power from said signal, said receive system including a power supply that changes a characteristic of creation of electrical power to improve matching with the antenna.

30. A receiver as in claim 29 , wherein said receive system includes a synchronous rectifier.

31. A receiver as in claim 30 , wherein said receive system changes a frequency of said synchronous rectifier to change said matching.

32. A receiver as in claim 29 , wherein said receive system includes a DC to DC converter.

33. A receiver as in claim 32 , wherein said receive system changes a characteristic of said DC to DC convert to change said matching.

34. A receiver as in claim 32 , further comprising a current sensor, sensing an amount of current that flows through said magnetically resonant antenna and creates a signal indicative thereof.

35. A receiver as in claim 34 , wherein said receive system more aggressively receives power during a time when said signal indicative of current indicates that more power is being received.

36. A receiver as in claim 29 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 13.56 Mhz.

37. A receiver as in claim 29 , wherein said antenna is tuned to 135 Khz.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2010
From: COOK, NIGEL P; SIEBER, LUKAS; WIDMER, HANSPETER
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 025491/0571 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2009
From: NIGEL POWER LLC
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 023445/0266 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2009
From: COOK, NIGEL P; SIEBER, LUKAS; WIDMER, HANSPETER
To: NIGEL POWER LLC
Reel/Frame 022687/0307 →