Wireless power system modules
Wireless power receivers include a first inductive element featuring a planar coil occupying a first plane and having first and second terminals, a first capacitive element connected to the first terminal, a second capacitive element connected to the first capacitive element at a third terminal and to the second terminal, a rectifier connected to the second terminal and third terminal such that an oscillating magnetic field will induce a current in the first inductive element, resulting in a voltage across the input of the rectifier, a communications modulation circuit, and a layer of magnetic material centered over the planar coil in a second plane parallel to the first plane.
1. A wireless power receiver, comprising:
a first inductive element comprising a planar coil occupying a first plane and having first and second terminals;
a first capacitive element connected to the first terminal;
a second capacitive element connected to the first capacitive element at a third terminal and to the second terminal;
a rectifier connected to the second terminal and third terminal such that an oscillating magnetic field will induce a current in the first inductive element, resulting in a voltage across the input of the rectifier;
a communications modulation circuit; and
a layer of magnetic material centered over the planar coil in a second plane parallel to the first plane.
2. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the rectifier comprises a class-D rectifier.
3. The receiver of claim 2 , wherein the rectifier comprises a four-diode full-bridge rectifier.
4. The receiver of claim 1 , further comprising a buck converter connected to an output of the rectifier.
5. The receiver of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a DC/DC converter and a DC/AC converter connected to an output of the rectifier.
6. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the communications modulation circuit is configured to modulate a component of the wireless power receiver to communicate wirelessly with a source power transmitter.
7. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the communications modulation circuit is connected to measurement circuitry configured to measure an impedance of a resonator comprising the planar coil.
8. The receiver of claim 7 , wherein the measurement circuitry is configured to modulate capacitance values of one or more capacitive elements of the resonator.
9. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the communications modulation circuit is configured to receive control signals from a source power transmitter.
10. The receiver of claim 9 , wherein the communications modulation circuit is configured to detect the control signals as a modulation applied to the oscillating magnetic field by the source power transmitter.
11. The receiver of claim 9 , wherein the communications modulation circuit is configured to detect the control signals encoded in an auxiliary magnetic field generated by the source power transmitter.
12. The receiver of claim 9 , wherein the communications modulation circuit is configured to transmit control instructions to adjust one or more components of the receiver in response to the control signals received from the source power transmitter.