IP Library Granted Patent US 10,153,661
Granted Patent B2
US 10,153,661 · App. 15/362,563 · Granted Dec 11, 2018

Methods and apparatus to increase efficiency for wireless power transfer

Inventors: Kosha Mahmodieh (Campbell, CA); Gianpaolo Lisi (Los Gatos, CA); Ali Djabbari (Saratoga, CA); Jingwei Xu (Plano, TX); Vijayalakshmi Devarajan (Plano, TX)
Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
H02J50/10H02J7/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,153,661
App. No.
15/362,563
Granted
Dec 11, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to efficiently transfer power wirelessly are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a feedback loop to when a second current value is greater than a first current value, change a direction value, the second current value being obtained after the first current value; when the second current value is less than the first current value, maintain the direction value; and a summer to when the direction value corresponds to a first direction value, increase a reference signal by a step size; and when the direction value corresponds to a second direction value different than the first direction value, decrease the reference signal by the step size.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a feedback loop to:

when a second current value is greater than a first current value, change a direction value, the second current value being obtained after the first current value; and

when the second current value is less than the first current value, maintain the direction value; and

a summer to:

when the direction value corresponds to a first direction value, increase a reference signal by a step size; and

when the direction value corresponds to a second direction value different than the first direction value, decrease the reference signal by the step size.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a power converter to adjust a voltage across an inductor of a wireless power transmitter based on the reference signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the step size is a fraction of the reference signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein increasing the reference signal increases the voltage across the inductor and decreasing the reference signal decreases the voltage across the inductor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein adjusting the voltage across the inductor adjusts the second current value.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein minimizing the second current value maximizes efficiency the wireless power transmitter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second current values change based on at least one of a load of a wireless power receiver or fluctuation of the reference signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a register to store the first current value, the first current value corresponding to a direct current at a first time and the second current value corresponding to the direct current at a second time later than the first time.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a comparator to:

compare the first current value to the second current value; and

output a logic value based on the comparison.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the feedback loop includes a multiplexer to output the direction value based on the logic value output by the comparator.

11. A method comprising:

when a second current value is greater than a first current value, changing a direction value, the second current value being obtained after the first current value; and

when the second current value is less than the first current value, maintaining the direction value; and

when the direction value corresponds to a first direction value, increasing a reference signal by a step size; and

when the direction value corresponds to a second direction value different than the first direction value, decreasing the reference signal by the step size.

12. The method of claim 11 , further including adjusting a voltage across an inductor of a wireless power transmitter based on the reference signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step size is a fraction of the reference signal.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein increasing the reference signal increases the voltage across the inductor and decreasing the reference signal decreases the voltage across the inductor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the voltage across the inductor adjusts the second current value.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein minimizing the second current value maximizes efficiency the wireless power transmitter.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second current values change based on at least one of a load of a wireless power receiver or fluctuation of the reference signal.

18. The method of claim 11 , further including storing the first current value, the first current value corresponding to a direct current at a first time and the second current value corresponding to the direct current at a second time later than the first time.

19. The method of claim 11 , further including:

comparing the first current value to the second current value; and

outputting a logic value based on the comparison.

20. The method of claim 19 , further including outputting the direction value based on the logic value.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2016
From: MAHMODIEH, KOSHA; LISI, GIANPAOLO; DJABBARI, ALI; XU, JINGWEI; DEVARAJAN, VIJAYALAKSHMI
To: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 040512/0184 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180152048A1 · May 31, 2018