Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100259217 | SELECTABLE COIL ARRAY - An inductive wireless power system using an array of coils with the ability to dynamically select which coils are energized. The coil array can determine the position of and provide power to one or more portable electronic devices positioned on the charging surface. The coils in the array may be connected with series resonant capacitors so that regardless of the number of coils selected, the resonance point is generally maintained. The coil array can provide spatial freedom, decrease power delivered to parasitic loads, and increase power transfer efficiency to the portable electronic devices. | 10-14-2010 |
20120112552 | SELECTIVELY CONTROLLABLE ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING - A selectively controllable electromagnetic shield having an electromagnetic shielding material and a mechanism for selectively generating an aperture in the shield. The mechanism for selectively generating an aperture may be a magnetic field source that generates a magnetic field of sufficient strength to substantially saturate all or a portion of the shielding material. For example, a permanent magnet or DC electromagnet may be used to selectively saturate the shield. In its un-saturated state, the magnetic shield has a high permeability and functions as a flux path for the magnetic field. Once saturated, the permeability of the shield is substantially reduced so that the magnetic field lines are no longer drawn into the shield to the same degree. As a result, once saturated, a substantially greater amount of the electromagnetic field may flow through or around the shield in the saturated region. | 05-10-2012 |
20120112553 | WIRELESS POWER SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH IMPROVED ALIGNMENT - A wireless power system that may align a portable electronic device with an inductive wireless power supply. The induction coils used for transferring power wirelessly may be used as DC electromagnets to align the portable electronic device with the inductive wireless power supply. A DC current may be supplied to the primary coil and to the secondary coil to generate DC electromagnetic fields and attractive force between the primary and secondary coils. This attractive force may be used for alignment. | 05-10-2012 |
20120149303 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COMMUNICATIONS IN A WIRELESS POWER SUPPLY - A wireless power transfer system with a remote device having a communication transmitter configured to initiate communications with a framing pulse to prevent noise from being mistaken for legitimate data. The communication system may employ a bi-phase modulation scheme, and the framing pulse may be generated to present no transitions in the communication signal during a specified period of time. The communication transmitter may produce the framing pulse by applying a load in the remote device. The present invention also provides a method for transmitting communication signals in a wireless power supply system including the general steps of: (a) preceding each communication with a framing pulse configured to present a bit sequence that does not exist in legitimate data communications, (b) maintaining the framing pulse for a period of time sufficient to effectively “reset” the communications receiver and (c) transmitting communications following the framing pulse. | 06-14-2012 |
20120313577 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING, CHARACTERIZING, AND TRACKING AN INDUCTIVE POWER RECEIVER - A system and method for detecting, characterizing, and tracking an inductive power receiver proximate to an inductive charging surface of an inductive charger. One or more resonators and one or more sensors provide information that can be utilized to detect, characterize, and track the inductive power receiver. The resonators can be configured to determine position of a remote device using magnitude or phase of sensors associated with resonators. In addition, by monitoring the inductive power transmitter and the resonators, the charger can differentiate between whether parasitic metal is present, a remote device is present, or both are present. | 12-13-2012 |
20130082536 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED CONTROL IN WIRELESS POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS - A wireless power supply with an adaptive control system that is capable of adjusting various operating characteristics and that avoids operating at those operating characteristics that present adverse affects, such as impaired communications or interference with operation of the remote device. In one embodiment, the control system is capable of adjusting two or more of the operating frequency, duty cycle, rail voltage and switching circuit phase. In one embodiment, the wireless power supply control system is configured to detect operating characteristics that present adverse affects, maintain a record of those operating characteristics and avoid those operating characteristics once detected. In another embodiment, the remote device may be configured to advise the wireless power supply control system of certain “keep-out” ranges that adversely affect operation of the remote device. | 04-04-2013 |
20130093252 | COUNTER WOUND INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY - A contactless power supply is provided. The contactless power supply includes two or more primary coils for generating a region of cooperative magnetic flux generally therebetween. A portable device having a secondary coil can be positioned proximate this region of magnetic flux to receive wireless power from the contactless power supply. The spaced-apart primary coils can be wound in alternating directions about a common axis and driven in phase, or can be wound in a single direction about a common axis and driven approximately 180 degrees out of phase. The contactless power supply can include a plurality of primary coils in an adjustable array to accommodate multiple portable devices each with different secondary configurations and power consumption needs. | 04-18-2013 |
20130093253 | COUNTER WOUND INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY - A contactless power supply is provided. The contactless power supply includes two or more primary coils for generating a region of cooperative magnetic flux generally therebetween. A portable device having a secondary coil can be positioned proximate this region of magnetic flux to receive wireless power from the contactless power supply. The spaced-apart primary coils can be wound in alternating directions about a common axis and driven in phase, or can be wound in a single direction about a common axis and driven approximately 180 degrees out of phase. The contactless power supply can include a plurality of primary coils in an adjustable array to accommodate multiple portable devices each with different secondary configurations and power consumption needs. | 04-18-2013 |
20140015336 | VARIABLE MODE WIRELESS POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS - The present invention provides a wireless power supply system in which a remote device is provided with different control methodologies depending on one or more factors. One type of wireless power supply can selectively control one or more remote devices according to a first control methodology and another type of wireless power supply can control the remote device according to a second control methodology. In one embodiment, a wireless power supply system is provided for wirelessly powering a display circuit in a product located at a point of display differently than when charging at a point of use, or when the device is in use. In another embodiment, a wireless power supply is programmed to operate a remote device according to a primary control methodology and the remote device is programmed to operate the remote device according to a secondary control methodology where the remote device includes circuitry for enabling the primary control methodology instead of the secondary control methodology. | 01-16-2014 |
20140292101 | SELECTIVE SHIELDING FOR PORTABLE HEATING APPLICATIONS - A wireless power supply and a portable heating device are provided. The wireless power supply includes an electromagnetic shield and the portable heating device includes a magnetic field source. Placement of the magnetic field source proximate the electromagnetic shield can create a local flux window in the electromagnetic shield. The transfer of electromagnetic flux through the local flux window energizes the portable heating device at various locations along the wireless power supply. The effectiveness of the electromagnetic shield is generally maintained away from the flux window, and the electromagnetic shield reduces stray flux that might otherwise damage nearby objects and/or reduce the efficiency of the wireless power supply. | 10-02-2014 |
20140295199 | COMPOSITE METAL SURFACE - A composite metal surface that looks metallic, but permits effective transmission of an electromagnetic field. The composite metal surface can be integrated into various electronic equipment, such as telephones, remote controls, battery doors, keyboards, mice, game controllers, cameras, laptops, inductive power supplies, and essentially any other electronic equipment. The composite metal surface can also be integrated into non-electrically conductive heat sinks, high permeability shielding, and polished metal non-electrically conductive surfaces. | 10-02-2014 |
20140300206 | MULTI-BRIDGE TOPOLOGY - A power supply with a multi-bridge topology configured to provide multiple different bridge topologies during operation. The power supply includes a plurality of half-bridge circuits connected to a controller. The controller can selectively configure the power supply between a plurality of different bridge topologies during operation by controlling the half-bridge circuit. | 10-09-2014 |
20140335490 | BEHAVIOR TRACKING AND MODIFICATION SYSTEM - A behavior modification system includes a network of components that interact to collect various data and provide user feedback. The network may include a personal device, an Internet-enabled storage device and a hub capable of receiving communications from the personal device and communicating to the storage device. The personal device may include bio-impedance measurement circuitry, an accelerometer and a processor for determining energy expenditure based on data from the accelerometer(s). The system may include a smart hub capable of routing communications between various components within the system. The hub may include different transceivers for different communication protocols. The system may incorporate a low-power RF wake-up system. The system may include bio-impedance measurement circuitry that is reconfigurable to function as an alternative type of sensor. In other aspects, the present invention provides a method for measuring bio-resonance and a method for determining caloric intake from body composition and caloric expenditure. | 11-13-2014 |
20140349573 | INTERFERENCE MITIGATION FOR MULTIPLE INDUCTIVE SYSTEMS - A system and method for mitigating interference between two or more inductive systems. Interference can be mitigated by, in response to an interference causing event, temporarily adjusting operation of one or more of the inductive sub-systems to reduce interference. A controller can receives communication from multiple inductive systems and instruct the systems to operate so as to reduce interference. The inductive systems can coordinate to operate out of phase with respect to one another to reduce interference. Communication from a data transfer inductive system can be mimicked by another inductive system so that both systems transmit the communication. Interference between multiple inductive systems can be mitigated by specific physical positioning of the transmitters of the inductive sub-systems. | 11-27-2014 |
20150022980 | PRINT MEDIA WITH INDUCTIVE SECONDARY - An item of print media ( | 01-22-2015 |
20150035376 | WIRELESS POWER CONTROL SYSTEM - A wireless power transfer component with a selectively adjustable resonator circuit having a Q control subcircuit that varies the Q factor of the resonator circuit to control the amount of power relayed by the resonator circuit. The resonator circuit may be in the wireless power supply, the wireless power receiver, an intermediate resonator or any combination thereof. The resonator circuit may be actively configured based on a feedback circuit. The feedback circuit may sense a characteristic in the secondary circuit or elsewhere and actively operate the control subcircuit based on the sensed characteristic. The feedback circuit may cause the Q control subcircuit to change (reduce or increase) the Q factor when the sensed characteristic crosses a threshold value. The Q control subcircuit may include a variable resistor having a value that can be varied to adjust the Q factor of the resonator circuit. | 02-05-2015 |
20150048752 | WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER THROUGH CONDUCTIVE MATERIALS - An electrical component with conductive material(s) that is suitable for use within the electromagnetic field path of a wireless power transfer system. The electronic component includes conductive materials that are sufficiently thin to absorb no more than an acceptable amount of the electromagnetic field, yet thick enough to remain sufficiently conductive to perform the desired electrical function. In embodiments in which the wireless power supply delivers up to 20 watts of power, the conductive materials are not substantially thicker than about 1/10 the skin depth of the material at the anticipated wireless power frequency. The electrical component may be disposed at any location between the wireless power supply transmitter and the remote device receiver. The present invention permits the use of a wide rang of electrical components in the field path, such as a display, a sensor or a component capable of selectively operating as both. | 02-19-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080231764 | Writing surface with video display - A system of a video display and a writing surface. In one embodiment, the system includes a writing surface, a video display and a service interface for coupling the system to an appliance surface. In another embodiment, the system includes a main body, a video display attached to the main body, and a writing surface on the main body disposed adjacent to and parallel to the video display. | 09-25-2008 |
20080232053 | Writing surface with removable portable electronic device - A system for removably mounting a consumer electronic device to a vertical surface, an adapter, as well as adapters and appliance for use with the system. The system has a writing surface which is at least partially coverable by a removable consumer electronic device. The adapter has a writing surface and an interface for removably mounting an electronic device to at least partially cover the writing surface. The appliance has a writing surface and interface on surface of the appliance, such as, for example, the surface of a door of a refrigeration appliance. | 09-25-2008 |
20080247141 | System for slidably coupling consumer electronic devices to an appliance - A system of an appliance host with at least a pair of generally parallel elongated interface structures cooperatively defining alternative pairs of locations for removably coupling a portable device to the outer wall and a potable device for use with the appliance. The interface structures may be rails, slots or elongated electrical connectors. | 10-09-2008 |
20090009316 | FUNCTIONAL UNIT OF A CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND WRITING SURFACE - A portable functional unit having a main body and a consumer electronic device coupled to the main body. The main body includes an erasable writing surface, a physical storage compartment for storing articles used with the white board surface, a first service port for selective communication of data, and a second service port for selective communication of power. The main body is adapted to receive the service from the service port. | 01-08-2009 |
20100182753 | SYSTEM FOR MOUNTING A DEVICE TO A HOST - A system for mounting a device to a host, such as an appliance, includes elongated, substantially parallel device interfaces for removably mounting the device to the host. The device interfaces can include rails, slots and/or electrical conductors. | 07-22-2010 |