Wireless power interface and device
View Patent ↗A wireless power interface includes first coil, a plurality of coils, and a control module. Each of the plurality of coils has a different orientation with respect to at least one axis of a multi-dimensional axis system. The control module is configured to enable at least one of the plurality of coils based on electro-magnetic coupling between the first coil and the at least one of the plurality of coils such that power is derived via the electro-magnetic coupling.
1. A wireless power interface comprises:
a first coil of a first wireless power device;
a plurality of coils of a second wireless power device, wherein each of the plurality of coils having an orientation substantially aligned to a respective axis of a multi-dimensional axis system; and
a control module configured to enable at least one of the plurality of coils based on electro-magnetic coupling between the first coil of the first wireless power device and the at least one of the plurality of coils of the second wireless power device.
2. The wireless power interface of claim 1 comprises:
the first coil including at least one planer winding of a first geometry and of a first size; and
each coil of the plurality coils including at least one planer winding of the first geometry and of a second size.
3. The wireless power interface of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the first coil and the at least one of the plurality of coils by:
providing a transmit signal to one of the plurality of coils;
measuring a response from the first coil via the at least one of the plurality of coils;
comparing the response with a response threshold;
when the response compares favorably with the response threshold, utilizing the at least one of the plurality of coils to derive power via the electro-magnetic coupling;
when the response compares unfavorably with the response threshold, determining whether each of the plurality of coils has been tested; and
when each of the plurality of coils has not been tested, repeating the providing, the measuring, and the comparing for another one of the plurality of coils.
4. The wireless power interface of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on electro-magnetic coupling between the first coil and the at least one of the plurality of coils by:
providing a transmit signal to a first set of the plurality of coils, wherein an electro-magnetic field created by a coil of the first set of the plurality of coils has minimal interference with an electro-magnetic field created by another coil of the first set of the plurality of coils;
measuring a response from the first coil via the first set of the plurality of coils;
comparing the response with a response threshold;
when the response compares favorably with the response threshold, utilizing the first set of the plurality of coils to derive power via the electro-magnetic coupling; and
when the response compares unfavorably with the response threshold, repeating the providing, the measuring, and the comparing for a second set of the plurality of coils, wherein an electro-magnetic field created by a coil of the second set of the plurality of coils has minimal interference with an electro-magnetic field created by another coil of the second set of the plurality of coils.
5. The wireless power interface of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the first coil and the at least one of the plurality of coils by:
coupling the at least one of the plurality of coils as a winding of a transformer to a transmit circuit and a receive circuit.
6. The wireless power interface of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the first coil and the at least one of the plurality of coils by:
coupling the at least one of the plurality of coils as an antenna to a transmit circuit and a receive circuit.
7. A wireless power interface comprises:
a plurality of coils configured to derive wireless power, wherein each of the plurality of coils has a different orientation with respect to at least one axis of a multidimensional axis system; and
a control module configured to enable at least one of the plurality of coils based on an acceptable level of electro-magnetic coupling by the at least one of the plurality of coils with at least one coil of a wireless power device.
8. The wireless power interface of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality coils comprises:
at least one planer winding of a first geometry and of a first size, wherein the at least one coil of the wireless power device includes at least one planer winding of the first geometry and of a second size.
9. The wireless power interface of claim 7 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the wireless power device by:
providing a transmit signal to one of the plurality of coils;
measuring a response from the at least one coil of the wireless power device via the at least one of the plurality of coils;
comparing the response with a response threshold;
when the response compares favorably with the response threshold, utilizing the at least one of the plurality of coils to derive power via the electro-magnetic coupling;
when the response compares unfavorably with the response threshold, determining whether each of the plurality of coils has been tested; and
when each of the plurality of coils has not been tested, repeating the providing, the measuring, and the comparing for another one of the plurality of coils.
10. The wireless power interface of claim 7 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the wireless power device by:
providing a transmit signal to a first set of the plurality of coils, wherein an electro-magnetic field created by a coil of the first set of the plurality of coils has minimal interference with an electro-magnetic field created by another coil of the first set of the plurality of coils;
measuring a response from the at least one coil of the wireless power device via the first set of the plurality of coils;
comparing the response with a response threshold;
when the response compares favorably with the response threshold, utilizing the first set of the plurality of coils to derive power via the electro-magnetic coupling; and
when the response compares unfavorably with the response threshold, repeating the providing, the measuring, and the comparing for a second set of the plurality of coils, wherein a magnetic field created by a coil of the second set of the plurality of coils has minimal interference with a magnetic field created by another coil of the second set of the plurality of coils.
11. The wireless power interface of claim 7 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the wireless power device by:
coupling the at least one of the plurality of coils as a winding of a transformer to a transmit circuit and a receive circuit.
12. The wireless power interface of claim 7 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the wireless power device by:
coupling the at least one of the plurality of coils as an antenna to a transmit circuit and a receive circuit.
13. A wireless power device comprises:
a transmit section configured to convert outbound data into transmit near-field communications signals;
a receive section configured to convert received near-field communications signals into inbound data; and
a wireless power interface coupled to the transmit section and to the receive section, wherein the wireless power interface includes:
a plurality of coils configured to derive wireless power, wherein each of the plurality of coils has a different orientation with respect to at least one axis of a multi-dimensional axis system; and
a control module configured to enable at least one of the plurality of coils based on an acceptable level of electro-magnetic coupling by the at least one of the plurality of coils with at least one coil of another wireless power device.
14. The wireless power device of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality coils comprises:
at least one planer winding of a first geometry and of a first size, wherein the at least one coil of the another wireless power device includes at least one planer winding of the first geometry and of a second size.
15. The wireless power device of claim 13 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the another wireless power device by:
providing wireless power signals to one of the plurality of coils;
measuring a response from the at least one coil of the another wireless power device via of the plurality of coils;
comparing the response with a response threshold;
when the response compares favorably with the response threshold, utilizing the at least one of the plurality of coils to derive power via the electro-magnetic coupling;
when the response compares unfavorably with the response threshold, determining whether each of the plurality of coils has been tested; and
when each of the plurality of coils has not been tested, repeating the providing, the measuring, and the comparing for another one of the plurality of coils.
16. The wireless power device of claim 13 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the another wireless power device by:
providing the transmit near-field communications signals to a first set of the plurality of coils, wherein an electro-magnetic field created by a coil of the first set of the plurality of coils has minimal interference with an electro-magnetic field created by another coil of the first set of the plurality of coils;
measuring a response from the at least one coil of the another wireless power device via the first set of the plurality of coils;
comparing the response with a response threshold;
when the response compares favorably with the response threshold, utilizing the first set of the plurality of coils to derive power via the electro-magnetic coupling; and
when the response compares unfavorably with the response threshold, repeating the providing, the measuring, and the comparing for a second set of the plurality of coils, wherein an electro-magnetic field created by a coil of the second set of the plurality of coils has minimal interference with an electro-magnetic field created by another coil of the second set of the plurality of coils.
17. The wireless power device of claim 13 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on the electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the another wireless power device by:
coupling the at least one of the plurality of coils as a winding of a transformer to the transmit section and the receive section.
18. The wireless power device of claim 13 , wherein the control module is configured to enable the at least one of the plurality of coils based on electro-magnetic coupling between the at least one of the plurality of coils and the at least one coil of the another wireless power device by:
coupling the at least one of the plurality of coils as an antenna to the transmit section and the receive section.
19. The wireless power device of claim 18 , wherein the antenna comprises a near-field antenna.
20. The wireless power device of claim 18 , wherein the antenna comprises a radio frequency (RF) antenna.