Patent · US9352661B2 · B2 · US

Induction power transfer system with coupling and reactance selection

(11) Publication number

US9352661B2

(21) Application number

14/075,688

(22) Filing date

2013-11-08

(30) Priority date

2013-04-29

(43) Publication date

2016-05-31

(45) Date of grant

2016-05-31

(51) IPC

B60L 11/18; H01F 38/14; H02J 4/25; H02J 7/02

(52) CPC

B60L Propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles; supplying electric power for auxiliary equipment of electrically-propelled vehicles; electrodynamic brake systems for vehicles in general; magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles; monitoring operating variables of electrically-propelled vehicles; electric safety devices for electrically-propelled vehicles: 53/122, 11/182, 53/12, 53/126, 53/36, 53/38
H01F Magnets; inductances; transformers; selection of materials for their magnetic properties: 38/14
H02J Electric power networks; circuit arrangements or systems for supplying or distributing electric power; systems for storing electric energy: 5/005, 50/12, 50/60, 50/70, 50/80, 50/90, 7/025, 7/42
Y02T Climate change mitigation technologies related to transportation: 10/70, 10/7005, 10/7072, 90/12, 90/122, 90/14

(73) Assignee

Qualcomm Inc

(72) Inventors

Nicholas Athol Keeling; Chang-Yu Huang; Mickel Budhia; Michael Kissin; Jonathan Beaver

(54) Title

Induction power transfer system with coupling and reactance selection

(57) Abstract

A power receiver is configured to supply current to a load and to be wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter and includes a plurality of inductive elements. The power receiver further includes a circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of inductive elements and configured to be selectively switched among a plurality of coupling states. The circuit is further configured to be selectively switched such that each inductive element has a reactance state of a plurality of reactance states. The power receiver further includes a controller configured to select the coupling state and to select the reactance state of each inductive element based on one or more signals indicative of one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver and the power transmitter.

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Claims (29)

A power receiver configured to supply current to a load and to be wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter, the power receiver comprising: a plurality of inductive elements configured to inductively generate current in response to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter; a coupling circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of inductive elements, the coupling circuit configured to be selectively switched among a plurality of coupling states, each coupling state of the plurality of coupling states having a corresponding set of inductive elements of the plurality of inductive elements configured to provide current to the load, the coupling circuit further configured to be selectively switched such that each inductive element of the set of inductive elements has a reactance state of a plurality of reactance states; and a controller coupled to the coupling circuit and configured to select the coupling state from the plurality of coupling states and to select the reactance state of each inductive element of the set of inductive elements from the plurality of reactance states based on one or more signals indicative of one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter.
The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive elements comprises at least a first inductive element configured to inductively couple to a first portion of the magnetic field or a second inductive element configured to inductively couple to a second portion of the magnetic field.
The power receiver of claim 2, wherein the first inductive element comprises a first loop enclosing a first area and a second loop enclosing a second area, the first loop and the second loop substantially co-planar with one another.
The power receiver of claim 3, wherein the second inductive element comprises a third loop enclosing a third area, the third loop generally parallel and non-planar to the first loop and the second loop, wherein a center of the third area is positioned substantially over a point between the first loop and the second loop.
The power receiver of claim 2, wherein the plurality of coupling states comprises at least a first coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes only one of the first inductive element and the second inductive element or a second coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes both the first inductive element and the second inductive element.
The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the coupling circuit comprises a plurality of sub-circuits, each sub-circuit operatively coupled to a corresponding inductive element of the plurality of inductive elements, each sub-circuit comprising one or more switching elements and one or more capacitive elements, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the one or more switching elements of each sub-circuit of the plurality of sub-circuits to set the reactive state of the corresponding inductive element.
The power receiver of claim 6, wherein, for each reactance state of the plurality of reactance states, the corresponding inductive element has substantially the same resonant frequency.
The power receiver of claim 6, wherein the plurality of reactance states comprises at least a first reactance state having a first reactance or a second reactance state having a second reactance, wherein the second reactance is greater than the first reactance.
The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise a DC bus voltage of the power transmitter and a duty cycle of the power transmitter, wherein the controller selects the coupling state of the coupling circuit and the reactance state of each inductive element of the set of inductive elements based on the DC bus voltage and the duty cycle.
The power receiver of claim 9, wherein the power transmitter comprises a power inverter configured to convert the DC bus voltage to an alternating current, the power inverter having a bridge phase angle that generally corresponds to the duty cycle of the power transmitter.
The power receiver of claim 9, wherein the plurality of inductive elements comprises at least a first inductive element or a second inductive element, wherein the one or more operating parameters further comprise a first current generated by the first inductive element and a second current generated by the second inductive element, wherein the controller is configured to denote the first inductive element as a dominant inductive element and the second inductive element as a recessive inductive element if the first current is greater than the second current, wherein the controller is further configured to denote the second inductive element as the dominant inductive element and the first inductive element as the recessive inductive element if the second current is greater than the first current.
The power receiver of claim 11, wherein the plurality of coupling states comprises at least a first coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes only the dominant inductive element, or a second coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes both the dominant inductive element and the recessive inductive element.
A method for controlling a current supplied to a load by a power receiver wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter, the power receiver comprising a plurality of inductive elements configured to inductively generate current in response to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter, the method comprising: adjusting a coupling state of the power receiver based on one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter, the coupling state selected from a plurality of coupling states, each coupling state of the plurality of coupling states having a corresponding set of inductive elements of the plurality of inductive elements configured to provide current to the load; and adjusting a reactance state for each inductive element of the set of inductive elements based on the one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter, the reactance state selected from a plurality of reactance states.
The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of coupling states comprises at least a first coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes only one of a first inductive element or a second inductive element of the plurality of inductive elements, or a second coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes both the first inductive element and the second inductive element.
The method of claim 14, wherein adjusting the coupling state of the power receiver comprises placing the power receiver in either the first coupling state or the second coupling state.
The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise a first current generated by the first inductive element and a second current generated by the second inductive element, wherein adjusting the coupling state of the power receiver comprises denoting the first inductive element as a dominant inductive element and the second inductive element as a recessive inductive element if the first current is greater than the second current, and denoting the second inductive element as the dominant inductive element and the first inductive element as the recessive inductive element if the second current is greater than the first current.
The method of claim 16, wherein, in the first coupling state, the set of inductive elements includes only the dominant inductive element, and in the second coupling state, the set of inductive elements includes both the dominant inductive element and the recessive inductive element.
The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the reactance state comprises keeping a resonant frequency of each inductive element of the set of inductive elements to be unchanged.
The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the reactance state comprises placing each inductive element of the set of inductive elements in either a first reactance state having a first reactance or a second reactance state having a second reactance, wherein the second reactance is greater than the first reactance.
The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise a DC bus voltage of the power transmitter and a duty cycle of the power transmitter, and adjusting the coupling state comprises selecting the set of inductive elements based on the DC bus voltage and the duty cycle, and adjusting the reactance state comprises selecting a reactance state for each inductive element of the set of inductive elements based on the DC bus voltage and the duty cycle.
The method of claim 13, wherein the load comprises a battery being charged by the current supplied to the load.
The method of claim 21, wherein adjusting the coupling state and adjusting the reactance state comprise optimizing charging of the battery while preventing oscillations of the current supplied to the load.
The method of claim 21, further comprising adjusting a current of the power transmitter such that the power receiver is within a predetermined operating zone defined at least by a maximum current provided to the battery, a maximum voltage provided to the battery, or a maximum power provided to the battery.
A power receiver configured to supply current to a load and to be wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter and, the power receiver comprising: means for inductively generating current in response to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter; first means for selectively switching among a plurality of coupling states, each coupling state of the plurality of coupling states having a corresponding portion of the means for inductively generating current configured to provide current to the load; second means for selectively switching the means for inductively generating current among a plurality of reactance states; and means for controlling the first means for selectively switching and for controlling the second means for selectively switching based on one or more signals indicative of one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter.
The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the means for inductively generating current comprises at least a first inductive element or a second inductive element.
The power receiver of claim 25, wherein the first inductive element is configured to inductively couple to a first portion of the magnetic field and the second inductive element is configured to inductively couple to a second portion of the magnetic field.
The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the first means for selectively switching comprises a first sub-circuit operatively coupled to the means for inductively generating current.
The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the second means for selectively switching comprises a plurality of second sub-circuits, each second sub-circuit operatively coupled to a corresponding portion of the means for inductively generating current, each second sub-circuit comprising one or more switching elements and one or more capacitive elements, wherein the one or more switching elements are configured to be adjusted to set the reactive state of the corresponding portion of the means for inductively generating current.
The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the means for controlling the first means for selectively switching and for controlling the second means for selectively switching comprises a processor.

Description

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless power transfer, and more specifically to devices, systems, and methods related to wireless power transfer to remote systems such as vehicles including batteries by controlling the coupling of a receiver with a transmitter and controlling a reactance of the receiver.

Remote systems, such as vehicles, have been introduced that include locomotion power derived from electricity received from an energy storage device such as a battery. For example, hybrid electric vehicles include on-board chargers that use power from vehicle braking and traditional motors to charge the vehicles. Vehicles that are solely electric generally receive the electricity for charging the batteries from other sources. Battery electric vehicles (electric vehicles) are often proposed to be charged through some type of wired alternating current (AC) such as household or commercial AC supply sources. The wired charging connections require cables or other similar connectors that are physically connected to a power supply. Cables and similar connectors may sometimes be inconvenient or cumbersome and have other drawbacks. Wireless charging systems that are capable of transferring power in free space (e.g., via a wireless field) to be used to charge electric vehicles may overcome some of the deficiencies of wired charging solutions. As such, wireless charging systems and methods that efficiently and safely transfer power for charging electric vehicles.

Citations (9)

US20120026726A1
WO2009045847A2
US20100201189A1
US20100244583A1
US20120098330A1
US20110184842A1
US20120049861A1
WO2012039635A1
US20120119699A1

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US9352661B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Induction power transfer system with coupling and reactance selection",
  "abstract": "A power receiver is configured to supply current to a load and to be wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter and includes a plurality of inductive elements. The power receiver further includes a circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of inductive elements and configured to be selectively switched among a plurality of coupling states. The circuit is further configured to be selectively switched such that each inductive element has a reactance state of a plurality of reactance states. The power receiver further includes a controller configured to select the coupling state and to select the reactance state of each inductive element based on one or more signals indicative of one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver and the power transmitter.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A power receiver configured to supply current to a load and to be wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter, the power receiver comprising: a plurality of inductive elements configured to inductively generate current in response to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter; a coupling circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of inductive elements, the coupling circuit configured to be selectively switched among a plurality of coupling states, each coupling state of the plurality of coupling states having a corresponding set of inductive elements of the plurality of inductive elements configured to provide current to the load, the coupling circuit further configured to be selectively switched such that each inductive element of the set of inductive elements has a reactance state of a plurality of reactance states; and a controller coupled to the coupling circuit and configured to select the coupling state from the plurality of coupling states and to select the reactance state of each inductive element of the set of inductive elements from the plurality of reactance states based on one or more signals indicative of one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter.",
    "2. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive elements comprises at least a first inductive element configured to inductively couple to a first portion of the magnetic field or a second inductive element configured to inductively couple to a second portion of the magnetic field.",
    "3. The power receiver of claim 2, wherein the first inductive element comprises a first loop enclosing a first area and a second loop enclosing a second area, the first loop and the second loop substantially co-planar with one another.",
    "4. The power receiver of claim 3, wherein the second inductive element comprises a third loop enclosing a third area, the third loop generally parallel and non-planar to the first loop and the second loop, wherein a center of the third area is positioned substantially over a point between the first loop and the second loop.",
    "5. The power receiver of claim 2, wherein the plurality of coupling states comprises at least a first coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes only one of the first inductive element and the second inductive element or a second coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes both the first inductive element and the second inductive element.",
    "6. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the coupling circuit comprises a plurality of sub-circuits, each sub-circuit operatively coupled to a corresponding inductive element of the plurality of inductive elements, each sub-circuit comprising one or more switching elements and one or more capacitive elements, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the one or more switching elements of each sub-circuit of the plurality of sub-circuits to set the reactive state of the corresponding inductive element.",
    "7. The power receiver of claim 6, wherein, for each reactance state of the plurality of reactance states, the corresponding inductive element has substantially the same resonant frequency.",
    "8. The power receiver of claim 6, wherein the plurality of reactance states comprises at least a first reactance state having a first reactance or a second reactance state having a second reactance, wherein the second reactance is greater than the first reactance.",
    "9. The power receiver of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise a DC bus voltage of the power transmitter and a duty cycle of the power transmitter, wherein the controller selects the coupling state of the coupling circuit and the reactance state of each inductive element of the set of inductive elements based on the DC bus voltage and the duty cycle.",
    "10. The power receiver of claim 9, wherein the power transmitter comprises a power inverter configured to convert the DC bus voltage to an alternating current, the power inverter having a bridge phase angle that generally corresponds to the duty cycle of the power transmitter.",
    "11. The power receiver of claim 9, wherein the plurality of inductive elements comprises at least a first inductive element or a second inductive element, wherein the one or more operating parameters further comprise a first current generated by the first inductive element and a second current generated by the second inductive element, wherein the controller is configured to denote the first inductive element as a dominant inductive element and the second inductive element as a recessive inductive element if the first current is greater than the second current, wherein the controller is further configured to denote the second inductive element as the dominant inductive element and the first inductive element as the recessive inductive element if the second current is greater than the first current.",
    "12. The power receiver of claim 11, wherein the plurality of coupling states comprises at least a first coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes only the dominant inductive element, or a second coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes both the dominant inductive element and the recessive inductive element.",
    "13. A method for controlling a current supplied to a load by a power receiver wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter, the power receiver comprising a plurality of inductive elements configured to inductively generate current in response to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter, the method comprising: adjusting a coupling state of the power receiver based on one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter, the coupling state selected from a plurality of coupling states, each coupling state of the plurality of coupling states having a corresponding set of inductive elements of the plurality of inductive elements configured to provide current to the load; and adjusting a reactance state for each inductive element of the set of inductive elements based on the one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter, the reactance state selected from a plurality of reactance states.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of coupling states comprises at least a first coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes only one of a first inductive element or a second inductive element of the plurality of inductive elements, or a second coupling state in which the set of inductive elements includes both the first inductive element and the second inductive element.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, wherein adjusting the coupling state of the power receiver comprises placing the power receiver in either the first coupling state or the second coupling state.",
    "16. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise a first current generated by the first inductive element and a second current generated by the second inductive element, wherein adjusting the coupling state of the power receiver comprises denoting the first inductive element as a dominant inductive element and the second inductive element as a recessive inductive element if the first current is greater than the second current, and denoting the second inductive element as the dominant inductive element and the first inductive element as the recessive inductive element if the second current is greater than the first current.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, wherein, in the first coupling state, the set of inductive elements includes only the dominant inductive element, and in the second coupling state, the set of inductive elements includes both the dominant inductive element and the recessive inductive element.",
    "18. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the reactance state comprises keeping a resonant frequency of each inductive element of the set of inductive elements to be unchanged.",
    "19. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the reactance state comprises placing each inductive element of the set of inductive elements in either a first reactance state having a first reactance or a second reactance state having a second reactance, wherein the second reactance is greater than the first reactance.",
    "20. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise a DC bus voltage of the power transmitter and a duty cycle of the power transmitter, and adjusting the coupling state comprises selecting the set of inductive elements based on the DC bus voltage and the duty cycle, and adjusting the reactance state comprises selecting a reactance state for each inductive element of the set of inductive elements based on the DC bus voltage and the duty cycle.",
    "21. The method of claim 13, wherein the load comprises a battery being charged by the current supplied to the load.",
    "22. The method of claim 21, wherein adjusting the coupling state and adjusting the reactance state comprise optimizing charging of the battery while preventing oscillations of the current supplied to the load.",
    "23. The method of claim 21, further comprising adjusting a current of the power transmitter such that the power receiver is within a predetermined operating zone defined at least by a maximum current provided to the battery, a maximum voltage provided to the battery, or a maximum power provided to the battery.",
    "24. A power receiver configured to supply current to a load and to be wirelessly operatively coupled to a power transmitter and, the power receiver comprising: means for inductively generating current in response to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter; first means for selectively switching among a plurality of coupling states, each coupling state of the plurality of coupling states having a corresponding portion of the means for inductively generating current configured to provide current to the load; second means for selectively switching the means for inductively generating current among a plurality of reactance states; and means for controlling the first means for selectively switching and for controlling the second means for selectively switching based on one or more signals indicative of one or more operating parameters of at least one of the power receiver or the power transmitter.",
    "25. The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the means for inductively generating current comprises at least a first inductive element or a second inductive element.",
    "26. The power receiver of claim 25, wherein the first inductive element is configured to inductively couple to a first portion of the magnetic field and the second inductive element is configured to inductively couple to a second portion of the magnetic field.",
    "27. The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the first means for selectively switching comprises a first sub-circuit operatively coupled to the means for inductively generating current.",
    "28. The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the second means for selectively switching comprises a plurality of second sub-circuits, each second sub-circuit operatively coupled to a corresponding portion of the means for inductively generating current, each second sub-circuit comprising one or more switching elements and one or more capacitive elements, wherein the one or more switching elements are configured to be adjusted to set the reactive state of the corresponding portion of the means for inductively generating current.",
    "29. The power receiver of claim 24, wherein the means for controlling the first means for selectively switching and for controlling the second means for selectively switching comprises a processor."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to wireless power transfer, and more specifically to devices, systems, and methods related to wireless power transfer to remote systems such as vehicles including batteries by controlling the coupling of a receiver with a transmitter and controlling a reactance of the receiver.\n\nRemote systems, such as vehicles, have been introduced that include locomotion power derived from electricity received from an energy storage device such as a battery. For example, hybrid electric vehicles include on-board chargers that use power from vehicle braking and traditional motors to charge the vehicles. Vehicles that are solely electric generally receive the electricity for charging the batteries from other sources. Battery electric vehicles (electric vehicles) are often proposed to be charged through some type of wired alternating current (AC) such as household or commercial AC supply sources. The wired charging connections require cables or other similar connectors that are physically connected to a power supply. Cables and similar connectors may sometimes be inconvenient or cumbersome and have other drawbacks. Wireless charging systems that are capable of transferring power in free space (e.g., via a wireless field) to be used to charge electric vehicles may overcome some of the deficiencies of wired charging solutions. As such, wireless charging systems and methods that efficiently and safely transfer power for charging electric vehicles.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60L 53/122",
    "B60L 11/182",
    "B60L 53/12",
    "B60L 53/126",
    "B60L 53/36",
    "B60L 53/38",
    "H01F 38/14",
    "H02J 5/005",
    "H02J 50/12",
    "H02J 50/60",
    "H02J 50/70",
    "H02J 50/80",
    "H02J 50/90",
    "H02J 7/025",
    "H02J 7/42",
    "Y02T 10/70",
    "Y02T 10/7005",
    "Y02T 10/7072",
    "Y02T 90/12",
    "Y02T 90/122",
    "Y02T 90/14"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60L 11/18",
    "H01F 38/14",
    "H02J 4/25",
    "H02J 7/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Qualcomm Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Nicholas Athol Keeling",
    "Chang-Yu Huang",
    "Mickel Budhia",
    "Michael Kissin",
    "Jonathan Beaver"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-11-08",
  "publication_date": "2016-05-31",
  "grant_date": "2016-05-31",
  "priority_date": "2013-04-29",
  "application_number": "US-201314075688-A",
  "family_id": "51788715",
  "cited_by_count": 24,
  "citations": [
    "US20120026726A1",
    "WO2009045847A2",
    "US20100201189A1",
    "US20100244583A1",
    "US20120098330A1",
    "US20110184842A1",
    "US20120049861A1",
    "WO2012039635A1",
    "US20120119699A1"
  ]
}

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