Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100176937 | HARDWARE CONTINUITY LOOP FOR PREVENTING VEHICLE MISAPPROPRIATION - The specification and drawing figures describe and show a hardware continuity loop that is installable in a vehicle for preventing vehicle misappropriation. In one embodiment, the hardware continuity loop includes a plurality of cables that is operatively connected across selected components of a mobile computing platform, and a relay for controlling vehicle response to an attempted vehicle misappropriation. In another embodiment, the hardware continuity loop includes as detection circuit located in the mobile application server adapted to process a signal on sensing vehicle misappropriation, a plurality of programmable general purpose modules, and one or more low side drivers, for causing a vehicle response to attempted vehicle misappropriation. | 07-15-2010 |
20100181961 | ADAPTIVE POWER CONTROL FOR WIRELESS CHARGING - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmitter generates an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency with a transmit antenna to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmit antenna. The transmitter defines a beginning of a recurring period by on-off keying the electromagnetic field during a synchronization portion of the recurring period. During a power transmission portion of the recurring period, the transmitter couples portions of the electromagnetic field to different receive antennas of various receiver devices within the coupling-mode region. The transmitter also determines a power allocation within the recurring period for the various receiver devices disposed within the coupling-mode region and adjusts a power level of the near field radiation responsive to power requirements received from the receiver devices. | 07-22-2010 |
20100194335 | WIRELESS POWER AND DATA TRANSFER FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A wireless charging device may comprise a charging region configured for placement of one or more chargeable devices. The charging device may further include at least one transmit antenna configured for transmitting wireless power within the charging region. Furthermore, the charging device is configured to exchange data between at least one chargeable device of the one or more chargeable devices. | 08-05-2010 |
20100201202 | WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER FOR FURNISHINGS AND BUILDING ELEMENTS - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A power transmitting device is attached to an existing furniture item or is embedded in a host furnishing. The power transmitting device includes a transmit antenna to wirelessly transfer power to a receive antenna by generating a near field radiation within a coupling-mode region. An amplifier applies a driving signal to the transmit antenna. A presence detector detects a presence of a receiver device within the coupling-mode region. The presence detector may also detect a human presence. An enclosed furnishing detector detects when the furnishing item is in a closed state. A power output may be adjusted in response to the closed state, the presence of a receiver device, and the presence of a human. | 08-12-2010 |
20100201312 | WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER FOR PORTABLE ENCLOSURES - Exemplary embodiments are directed to portable wireless charging. A portable charging system may comprise at least one antenna positioned within a portable enclosure. The at least one antenna may be configured to receive power from a power source and wirelessly transmit power to a receive antenna coupled to a chargeable device positioned within a near-field of the at least one antenna. | 08-12-2010 |
20100217553 | IMPEDANCE CHANGE DETECTION IN WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. Energy from a transmit antenna is coupled to internal signals on a transmitter. An impedance measurement circuit generates an impedance indication signal for indicating an impedance difference between the coupled internal signals by comparing them. A controller samples the impedance indication signal and determines digital signaling values responsive to changes in the impedance indication signal. The impedance measurement circuit measures one or more of magnitude difference of the internal signals, phase difference of the internal signals, and changes in power consumed by an amplifier coupled between the RF signal and the transmit antenna. A transmitter generates the electromagnetic field with a transmit antenna responsive to a Radio Frequency (RF) signal to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmit antenna. | 08-26-2010 |
20120153731 | WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER FOR FURNISHINGS AND BUILDING ELEMENTS - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A power transmitting device is attached to an existing furniture item or is embedded in a host furnishing. The power transmitting device includes a transmit antenna to wirelessly transfer power to a receive antenna by generating a near field radiation within a coupling-mode region. An amplifier applies a driving signal to the transmit antenna. A presence detector detects a presence of a receiver device within the coupling-mode region. The presence detector may also detect a human presence. An enclosed furnishing detector detects when the furnishing item is in a closed state. A power output may be adjusted in response to the closed state, the presence of a receiver device, and the presence of a human. | 06-21-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090284245 | WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER FOR APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENTS - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmitting device or a receiving device for use in a wireless transfer system may be equipment or a household appliance. The transmitting device includes a transmit antenna to wirelessly transfer power to a receive antenna by generating a near field radiation within a coupling-mode region. An amplifier applies an RF signal to the transmit antenna. A presence detector detects a presence of a receiver device within the coupling-mode region. A controller adjusts a power output of the amplifier responsive to the presence of a receiver device. The presence detector may also detect a human presence. The power output may be adjusted at or below the regulatory level when the presence signal indicates human presence and above a regulatory level when the presence signal indicates human absence. | 11-19-2009 |
20090284369 | TRANSMIT POWER CONTROL FOR A WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer including generating an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency of a transmit antenna to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmit antenna. A receive antenna placed within the coupling-mode region resonates at or near the resonant frequency. The receive antenna extracts energy from a coupling between the two antennas. A load sensing circuit coupled to an amplifier driving the transmit antenna can detect a change in power consumed by the amplifier in response to the energy extracted by the receive antenna. The transmit antenna adjusts to a high-power charging mode when one or more receivers are present in the coupling-mode region and adjusts to a low-power beacon mode when there are no receivers in the coupling-mode region. | 11-19-2009 |
20090286475 | SIGNALING CHARGING IN WIRELESS POWER ENVIRONMENT - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer including generating an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency of a transmitter to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmitter during a synchronization portion of a time-multiplexed recurring period. During a power transmission portion of the recurring period, the electromagnetic field will continue to be generated when there is a receiver within the coupling-mode region, or the electromagnetic field will be disabled when there are no receivers within the coupling-mode region. Different segments of the power transmission portion are allocated to different receivers. The transmitter issues serial commands to the receivers by on/off keying the electromagnetic field. The receivers issue serial replies by changing the amount of power consumed from the electromagnetic field between two different states. The serial commands and serial replies are used to determine the number of receivers, their power requirements, and the allocation of segments. | 11-19-2009 |
20090286476 | REVERSE LINK SIGNALING VIA RECEIVE ANTENNA IMPEDANCE MODULATION - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer including generating an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency of a transmit antenna to create a coupling-mode region within a near-field of the transmit antenna. A receive antenna placed within the coupling-mode region resonates at or near the resonant frequency. The receive antenna extracts energy from a coupling between the two antennas. Signaling from the receive antenna to the transmit antenna is performed by generating a first power consumption state for the receive antenna to signal a first receive signal state and generating a second power consumption state for the receive antenna to signal a second receive signal state. Signaling from the transmit antenna to the receive antenna is performed by enabling the resonant frequency on the transmit antenna to signal a first transmit signal state and disabling the resonant frequency on the transmit antenna to signal a second transmit signal state. | 11-19-2009 |
20100277003 | ADAPTIVE IMPEDANCE TUNING IN WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A wireless power receiver includes a receive antenna for coupling with near field radiation in a coupling-mode region generated by a transmit antenna operating at a resonant frequency. The receive antenna generates an RF signal when coupled to the near filed radiation and a rectifier converts the RF signal to a DC input signal. A direct current (DC)-to-DC converter coupled to the DC input signal generates a DC output signal. A pulse modulator generate a pulse-width modulation signal to the DC-to-DC converter to adjust a DC impedance of the wireless power receiver by modifying a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal responsive to at least one of a voltage of the DC input signal, a current of the DC input signal, a voltage of the DC output signal, and a current of the DC output signal. | 11-04-2010 |
20100323616 | DEVICES FOR CONVEYING WIRELESS POWER AND METHODS OF OPERATION THEREOF - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A method may comprise receiving wireless power with a receiver and charging an accumulator with energy from the received wireless power. The method may further include conveying energy from the accumulator to an energy storage device upon a charging level of the accumulator reaching a threshold level. | 12-23-2010 |
20110124305 | FORWARD LINK SIGNALING WITHIN A WIRELESS POWER SYSTEM - Exemplary embodiments are directed to forward link signaling. A method may include modulating an input bias signal of a power amplifier according to data to be transmitted on a wireless power transmit signal. The method may further include modulating an amplitude of the wireless power transmit signal generated by the power amplifier in response to the modulated input bias signal. | 05-26-2011 |
20110260682 | WIRELESS POWER DISTRIBUTION AMONG A PLURALITY OF RECEIVERS - Exemplary embodiments are directed to power distribution among a plurality of receivers. A method may include requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers. The method may further include requesting each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by the transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers. | 10-27-2011 |
20110281535 | CONTROLLING FIELD DISTRIBUTION OF A WIRELESS POWER TRANSMITTER - Exemplary embodiments are directed to control of field distribution of a wireless power transmitter. A transmitter may include a transmit antenna configured to generate a field. The transmitter may further include least one parasitic antenna proximate the transmit antenna and configured to modify a distribution of the generated field. | 11-17-2011 |
20120155136 | WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER CIRCUITRY - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power receivers. A device may include a power converter configured to receive an input voltage. The device may further include circuitry configured to limit a pulse width modulation duty cycle of the power converter to prevent the input voltage from dropping below a threshold voltage. | 06-21-2012 |
20130099585 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LIMITING VOLTAGE IN WIRELESS POWER RECEIVERS - This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for the limiting of voltage in wireless power receivers. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a power transfer component configured to receive power wirelessly from a transmitter. The apparatus further includes a circuit coupled to the power transfer component and configured to reduce a received voltage when activated. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to activate the circuit when the received voltage reaches a first threshold value and configured to deactivate the circuit when the received voltage reaches a second threshold value. The apparatus further includes an antenna configured to generate a signal to the transmitter that signals to the transmitter that the received voltage reached the first threshold value. | 04-25-2013 |
20130099807 | LOAD IMPEDANCE DETECTION FOR STATIC OR DYNAMIC ADJUSTMENT OF PASSIVE LOADS - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for detecting an impedance of a wireless power transmitter load. In one aspect, a method of determining a reactive condition of a wireless power transmitter apparatus is provided. The method comprises determining a value correlated to a voltage of a drain of a switching element of a driver circuit of the wireless power transmitter. The method further comprises determining a reactance load change based on the determined voltage. | 04-25-2013 |
20130113299 | ADAPTIVE IMPEDANCE TUNING IN WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A wireless power receiver includes a receive antenna for coupling with near field radiation in a coupling-mode region generated by a transmit antenna operating at a resonant frequency. The receive antenna generates an RF signal when coupled to the near filed radiation and a rectifier converts the RF signal to a DC input signal. A direct current (DC)-to-DC converter coupled to the DC input signal generates a DC output signal. A pulse modulator generate a pulse-width modulation signal to the DC-to-DC converter to adjust a DC impedance of the wireless power receiver by modifying a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal responsive to at least one of a voltage of the DC input signal, a current of the DC input signal, a voltage of the DC output signal, and a current of the DC output signal. | 05-09-2013 |
20130147429 | WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER FOR PORTABLE ENCLOSURES - Exemplary embodiments are directed to portable wireless charging. A portable charging system may comprise at least one antenna positioned within a portable enclosure. The at least one antenna may be configured to receive power from a power source and wirelessly transmit power to a receive antenna coupled to a chargeable device positioned within a near-field of the at least one antenna. | 06-13-2013 |
20130300358 | WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER FOR APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENTS - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmitting device or a receiving device for use in a wireless transfer system may be equipment or a household appliance. The transmitting device includes a transmit antenna to wirelessly transfer power to a receive antenna by generating a near field radiation within a coupling-mode region. An amplifier applies an RF signal to the transmit antenna. A presence detector detects a presence of a receiver device within the coupling-mode region. A controller adjusts a power output of the amplifier responsive to the presence of a receiver device. The presence detector may also detect a human presence. The power output may be adjusted at or below the regulatory level when the presence signal indicates human presence and above a regulatory level when the presence signal indicates human absence. | 11-14-2013 |
20130300375 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HIGH POWER FACTOR CHARGING - In one aspect, an apparatus for charging a device includes a charger and a controller. The charger includes a capacitance and has a charger input and a charger output. The charger input receives an AC input voltage waveform, and the charger output outputs an output voltage waveform and an output current waveform. The controller determines whether an amplitude of the output voltage waveform is within a voltage range. In response to determining that the amplitude of the output voltage waveform is within the voltage range, the controller directs an amplitude of the output current waveform to be substantially proportional to an amplitude of the AC input voltage waveform. In response to determining that the amplitude of the output voltage waveform is not within the voltage range, the controller increases the capacitance of the charger to adjust the amplitude of the output voltage waveform to be within the voltage range. | 11-14-2013 |
20140015478 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR SMALL DEVICE WIRELESS CHARGING MODES - Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for wirelessly charging devices that may not be able to communicate with a wireless charger. In one aspect, a wireless charging device is provided including a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit power via a wireless field at a power level sufficient to charge one or more electronic devices according to one or more charging modes including at least a first charging mode in which the transmitter is configured to vary the power level of the transmitter based on feedback received from one of the one or more electronic devices and a second charging mode in which the power level is constant. The wireless charging device includes a sensor configured to obtain input for switching between the charging modes. The wireless charging device further includes a controller configured to switch between the first charging mode and the second charging mode in response to the input. | 01-16-2014 |
20140049422 | WIRELESS POWER SYSTEM WITH CAPACITIVE PROXIMITY SENSING - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for tuning a transmit coil for operation in a plurality of frequency bands. In one aspect, a method of wireless power transmission is provided. The method includes exciting a first part of a wireless power transmission system, via a wireless power transmitter. The method further includes detecting, in the presence of a non-charging object, a first change in a first parameter. The first parameter is indicative of a coupling between the non-charging object and the first part. The method further includes varying a characteristic of the wireless power transmission based on said first change. | 02-20-2014 |
20140070621 | ADAPTIVE IMPEDANCE TUNING IN WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION - Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A wireless power receiver includes a receive antenna for coupling with near field radiation in a coupling-mode region generated by a transmit antenna operating at a resonant frequency. The receive antenna generates an RF signal when coupled to the near filed radiation and a rectifier converts the RF signal to a DC input signal. A direct current (DC)-to-DC converter coupled to the DC input signal generates a DC output signal. A pulse modulator generate a pulse-width modulation signal to the DC-to-DC converter to adjust a DC impedance of the wireless power receiver by modifying a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal responsive to at least one of a voltage of the DC input signal, a current of the DC input signal, a voltage of the DC output signal, and a current of the DC output signal. | 03-13-2014 |
20140159651 | RESOLVING COMMUNCATIONS IN A WIRELESS POWER SYSTEM WITH CO-LOCATED TRANSMITTERS - In one aspect, a wireless charger may include a wireless power antenna, a wireless power transmitter coupled to the wireless power antenna and configured to generate a wireless charging field in a charging region, a first communication antenna, a first transceiver coupled to the communication antenna and configured to communicate with the chargeable device via the communication antenna, a first signal strength detector configured to determine a signal strength of a first signal received by the transceiver, and a controller configured to determine whether the chargeable device is within the charging region based at least in part on the signal strength of the first signal. | 06-12-2014 |
20140159653 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING AVOIDANCE OF WIRELESS CHARGING CROSS CONNECTION - A system and method for charging a chargeable device is provided. The system can include a wireless charger including a wireless power antenna and a wireless power transmitter coupled to the wireless power antenna and configured to generate a wireless charging field in at least one charging region. The wireless charging field includes a plurality of power signals. The wireless charger further includes a communication antenna and a transceiver coupled to the communication antenna and configured to communicate with the chargeable device via the communication antenna. The wireless charger further includes a controller configured to facilitate avoidance of cross connection of the chargeable device with the wireless charger and at least one other wireless charger in which the chargeable device receives power from the wireless power transmitter of the wireless charger while communicating with at least one other wireless charger. The system can include a chargeable device including a controller configured to generate a load pulse configured to be received by the wireless charger. | 06-12-2014 |
20140246916 | ACTIVE AND ADAPTIVE FIELD CANCELLATION FOR WIRELESS POWER SYSTEMS - This disclosure provides methods and apparatus, including computer-readable media, for wireless power transfer and particularly active cancellation of undesirable electric or magnetic field emissions from a wireless power transmitter. In one aspect, the disclosure provides for an apparatus including a sensor, controller, and emitter, wherein the sensor is used to sense the electric or magnetic field emissions from a transmit antenna, the controller configured to determine the undesirable components of the field, and the emitter to generate a field to destructively interfere with the undesirable components. | 09-04-2014 |
20150115884 | CONTROLLING FIELD DISTRIBUTION OF A WIRELESS POWER TRANSMITTER - Exemplary embodiments are directed to control of field distribution of a wireless power transmitter. A transmitter may include a transmit antenna configured to generate a field. The transmitter may further include least one parasitic antenna proximate the transmit antenna and configured to modify a distribution of the generated field. | 04-30-2015 |