Tunable wireless power architectures

1. A wireless energy receiving device for wirelessly receiving energy to drive a load, comprising:

a device resonator;

a rectifier electrically coupled to a load and to the device resonator, the rectifier comprising controllable switching elements; and

a controller coupled to the rectifier,

wherein the controller is configured to control the switching elements of the rectifier to adjust an output voltage, current, or power presented to the load; and

wherein in a first mode of operation of the system, the controller is configured so that, to approximately maintain the output voltage, current, or power presented to the load despite changes in power delivered to the device resonator by a source resonator, the controller changes a duty cycle or a phase of the switching elements of the rectifier to cause the output voltage, current, or power presented to the load to approach a target voltage demand, current demand, or power demand associated with the load.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured so that when power delivered to the device resonator is less than the power demand associated with the load, the controller increases the duty cycle of the switching elements of the rectifier to increase a percentage of the power delivered to the device resonator that is directed to the load.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the controller is communicatively coupled to the source resonator; and

the controller is configured to transmit a control signal to the source resonator to increase an output power level of the source resonator when the duty cycle of the switching elements of the rectifier is near to or above 50% and the output voltage, current, or power presented to the load is less than the target voltage demand, target current demand, or target power demand associated with the load.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured so that when the power demand associated with the load is less than a maximum load power demand, the controller reduces an output power level of the rectifier by decreasing the duty cycle or the phase of the switching elements of the rectifier.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:

the controller is communicatively coupled to the source resonator; and

the controller is configured to transmit a control signal to the source resonator to reduce an output power level of the source resonator when the duty cycle of the switching elements of the rectifier is below 40% and the output voltage, current, or power presented to the load is greater than the target voltage demand, target current demand, or target power demand associated with the load.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rectifier has a half-bridge topology and the controller is configured to control a switching duty cycle of the switching elements of the rectifier.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rectifier has a full-bridge topology and the controller is configured to control a switching phase of the switching elements of the rectifier.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust at least one dead time of the switching characteristics of the switching elements of the rectifier to substantially maintain zero voltage switching.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive information corresponding a measurement of an output voltage and an output current of the rectifier; and

adjust the at least one dead time of the switching characteristics of the switching elements based on the information.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a battery.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein during a second mode of operation of the system, the system operates bidirectionally with the load driving the device resonator through the rectifier so that the device resonator generates a magnetic field, the rectifier operates as an amplifier, and the controller is configured to adjust the duty cycle of the switching elements of the rectifier such that zero voltage switching is substantially maintained.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an impedance matching network coupled to the device resonator, to the rectifier, and to the controller, and comprising at least one tunable element, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the impedance matching network by adjusting the at least one tunable element.

13. A wireless energy transfer system, comprising:

a first resonator;

a second resonator;

a power supply; and

a first plurality of switching elements connected to the power supply and to the first resonator;

a second plurality of switching elements connected to a first load and to the second resonator; and

a first controller connected to the first plurality of switching elements and communicatively coupled to a second controller connected to the second plurality of switching elements,

wherein in a first mode of operation of the wireless energy transfer system:

the power supply drives the first resonator through the first plurality of switching elements with an oscillating voltage signal;

the first controller is configured to adjust a duty cycle or a phase of the first plurality of switching elements so that zero voltage switching is substantially maintained; and

the first controller is configured to adjust an output power level of the oscillating voltage signal driving the first resonator in response to a change in a power demand by the first load when the first load receives power wirelessly from the first resonator, by adjusting at least one of the duty cycle of the first plurality of switching elements, the phase of the first plurality of switching elements, and a bus voltage of the first plurality of switching elements.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

the second controller; and

a sensor connected to the second controller, wherein the sensor is configured to measure information about the power demand by the first load.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a first impedance matching network coupled to the first plurality of switching elements and to the first resonator, and comprising at least one tunable element.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first load comprises a battery.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising the battery, wherein during a second mode of operation of the system:

the battery drives the second resonator through the second plurality of switching elements to cause the second resonator to generate a magnetic field;

the first resonator receives power wirelessly from the second resonator through the magnetic field generated by the second resonator; and

the second controller is configured to adjust a duty cycle of the second plurality of switching elements such that zero voltage switching is substantially maintained.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a second load connected to the first resonator and configured to receive power transmitted wirelessly from the second resonator to the first resonator.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the second controller is configured to adjust the second plurality of switching elements according to a switching frequency that defines a switching period.

20. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:

a first impedance matching network coupled to the first plurality of switching elements and to the first resonator, and comprising at least one tunable element; and

a second impedance matching network coupled to the second plurality of switching elements and to the second resonator, and comprising at least one tunable element.

21. The system of claim 17 , further comprising an impedance matching network coupled to the second plurality of switching elements.