Systems, apparatus and method for adaptive wireless power transfer

1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power from a wireless power transmitter, the apparatus comprising:

an active switching rectifier operably connected to a coupler and configured to operate in a first bridge mode and a second bridge mode; and

a controller configured to:

adjust an input resistance of the rectifier to a first value that provides a first wireless power transfer efficiency in response to configuring the rectifier in the first bridge mode, and

adjust the input resistance of the rectifier to a second value that provides a second wireless power transfer efficiency less than the first wireless power transfer efficiency while operating within one or more operating limitations in response to configuring the rectifier in the second bridge mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first bridge mode is a half bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the rectifier is greater than the first value if the coupler is series tuned.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first bridge mode is a full bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the rectifier is less than the first value if the coupler is parallel tuned.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust a switching duty cycle of the rectifier based on a current in the wireless power transmitter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to select one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the rectifier based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of the rectifier and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to select one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the rectifier based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of a rectifier in the wireless power transmitter and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless power transfer efficiency is a substantially maximum attainable wireless power transfer efficiency when the input resistance of the rectifier has the first value and the rectifier is operating in the first bridge mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust a ratio between a current circulating in the apparatus and a current circulating in the wireless power transmitter in order to adjust the input resistance of the rectifier.

9. A method for wirelessly receiving power from a wireless power transmitter, the method comprising:

adjusting an input resistance of an active switching rectifier operably connected to a coupler to a first value that provides a first wireless power transfer efficiency in response to configuring the rectifier in a first bridge mode,

adjusting the input resistance of the rectifier to a second value that provides a second wireless power transfer efficiency less than the first wireless power transfer efficiency while operating within one or more operating limitations in response to configuring the rectifier in a second bridge mode, and

receiving the wireless power from the wireless power transmitter.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first bridge mode is a half bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the rectifier is greater than the first value if the coupler is essentially series tuned.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first bridge mode is a full bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the rectifier is less than the first value if the coupler is essentially parallel tuned.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting a switching duty cycle of the rectifier based on a current in the wireless power transmitter.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising selecting one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the rectifier based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of the rectifier and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising selecting one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the rectifier based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of a rectifier in the wireless power transmitter and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first wireless power transfer efficiency is a substantially maximum attainable wireless power transfer efficiency when the input resistance of the rectifier has the first value and the rectifier is operating in the first bridge mode.

16. The method of claim 9 , comprising adjusting a ratio between a current circulating in the coupler and a current circulating in the wireless power transmitter in order to adjust the input resistance of the rectifier.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus configured to wirelessly receive power from a wireless power transmitter to:

adjust an input resistance of an active switching rectifier operably connected to a coupler to a first value that provides a first wireless power transfer efficiency in response to configuring the rectifier in a first bridge mode,

adjust the input resistance of the rectifier to a second value that provides a second wireless power transfer efficiency less than the first wireless power transfer efficiency while operating within one or more operating limitations in response to configuring the rectifier in a second bridge mode, and

receive the wireless power from the wireless power transmitter.

18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the first bridge mode is a half bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the rectifier is greater than the first value if the coupler is essentially series tuned.

19. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the first bridge mode is a full bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the rectifier is less than the first value if the coupler is essentially parallel tuned.

20. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to adjust a switching duty cycle of the rectifier based on a current in the wireless power transmitter.

21. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to select one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the rectifier based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of the rectifier and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.

22. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to select one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the rectifier based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of a rectifier in the wireless power transmitter and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.

23. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the first wireless power transfer efficiency is a substantially maximum attainable wireless power transfer efficiency when the input resistance of the rectifier has the first value and the rectifier is operating in the first bridge mode.

24. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to adjust a ratio between a current circulating in the apparatus and a current circulating in the wireless power transmitter in order to adjust the input resistance of the rectifier.

25. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power from a wireless power transmitter, the apparatus comprising:

means for rectifying an input from a coupler configured to operate in a first bridge mode and a second bridge mode;

means for adjusting an input resistance of the means for rectifying to a first value that provides a first wireless power transfer efficiency in response to configuring the means for rectifying in the first bridge mode, and

means for adjusting the input resistance of the means for rectifying to a second value that provides a second wireless power transfer efficiency less than the first wireless power transfer efficiency while operating within one or more operating limitations in response to configuring the means for rectifying in the second bridge mode.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the first bridge mode is a half bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the means for rectifying is greater than the first value if the coupler is essentially series tuned.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the first bridge mode is a full bridge mode and the second value of the input resistance of the means for rectifying is less than the first value if the coupler is essentially parallel tuned.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising means for adjusting a switching duty cycle of the means for rectifying based on a current in the wireless power transmitter.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising means for selecting one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the means for rectifying based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of the means for rectifying and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.

30. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising means for selecting one of the first bridge mode and the second bridge mode of the means for rectifying based on a comparison between a switching duty cycle of a means for rectifying in the wireless power transmitter and one or both of an associated maximum allowable duty cycle and an associated minimum allowable duty cycle.