Adaptive inductive power supply with communication
An adaptive inductive ballast is provided with the capability to communicate with a remote device powered by the ballast. To improve the operation of the ballast, the ballast changes its operating characteristics based upon information received from the remote device. Further, the ballast may provide a path for the remote device to communicate with device other than the adaptive inductive ballast.
1. A wireless power supply for communicating with a plurality of devices, each of the devices capable of communicating with said wireless power supply using a respective communication protocol, said wireless power supply comprising:
a primary for transferring contactless power to at least one of the devices; and
a control system operatively coupled to said primary, said control system configured to control transfer of contactless power; and
a communication system for establishing a communication link between at least two of the plurality of devices, wherein said communication system manages protocol conversion of communication received from at least one first device of the plurality of devices and transferred to a second device of the plurality of devices, wherein said communication system of said wireless power supply manages protocol conversion within the wireless power supply.
2. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one first device of the plurality of devices includes at least one remote device, wherein the second device of the plurality of devices includes a workstation;
wherein said primary is configured to transfer power to the at least one remote device; and
wherein said communication system manages protocol conversion of communication transferred between the at least one remote device and the workstation.
3. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 2 wherein said communication system exchanges information between the at least one remote device and the workstation.
4. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication system manages at least one of code conversion, buffering, data compression, error checking, synchronization, and route selection.
5. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication system collects management information.
6. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control system includes said communication system.
7. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein an interface of said communication link includes at least one of USB, Firewire, RS-232, Ethernet, WIFI, infrared, Bluetooth, and cellular.
8. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication system communicates with at least one of the plurality of devices via an inductive coupling between said primary and a secondary of the at least one device.
9. The wireless power supply as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication received from the plurality of devices includes at least one of calendar information, address information, and encoded music.
10. A method for communicating from a wireless power supply to a plurality of devices, each of the devices capable of communicating with the wireless power supply using a respective communication protocol, said method comprising:
transferring contactless power to at least one of the devices;
establishing a communication link between at least two of the plurality of devices, wherein communication is received from at least one first device of the at least two devices and transferred to a second device of the at least two devices;
managing, in the wireless power supply, protocol conversion of communication received from the at least one first device and transferred to the second device.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one first device includes at least one remote device, wherein the second device includes a workstation.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
transferring power to the at least one remote device; and
managing protocol conversion of communication received from the at least one remote device and transferred to the workstation.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising exchanging information between the at least one remote device and the workstation.
14. The method of claim 10 further comprising managing at least one of code conversion, buffering, data compression, error checking, synchronization, and route selection.
15. The method of claim 10 further comprising collecting management information related to communication transferred to the second device.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising collecting management information related to communication received from the second device.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein an interface of the communication link includes at least one of USB, Firewire, RS-232, Ethernet, infrared, Bluetooth, and cellular.
18. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating with at least one of the plurality of devices via an inductive coupling between a primary of the wireless power supply and a secondary of the at least one device.
19. The method of claim 10 wherein communication received from the at least one first device includes at least one of calendar information, address information, and encoded music.
20. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless power supply includes a control system.