U.S. patent application number 15/584085 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-17 for power supply.
The applicant listed for this patent is Access Business Group International LLC. Invention is credited to David W. Baarman, Hai D. Nguyen, William T. Stoner, JR..
Application Number | 20170237280 15/584085 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43088188 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170237280 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baarman; David W. ; et
al. |
August 17, 2017 |
POWER SUPPLY
Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention provides a universal power
supply for wired and wireless electronic devices. In a second
aspect, the present invention provides a universal power supply
that is reconfigurable to provide a wide range of power supply
options.
Inventors: |
Baarman; David W.;
(Fennville, MI) ; Stoner, JR.; William T.; (Ada,
MI) ; Nguyen; Hai D.; (Grand Rapids, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Access Business Group International LLC |
Ada |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
43088188 |
Appl. No.: |
15/584085 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14027481 |
Sep 16, 2013 |
9673634 |
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15584085 |
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12842421 |
Jul 23, 2010 |
8558411 |
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14027481 |
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61228192 |
Jul 24, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
320/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 7/0044 20130101;
H02J 7/0042 20130101; H02J 50/40 20160201; H02J 50/90 20160201;
H02J 7/0027 20130101; H02J 7/025 20130101; H02J 50/12 20160201 |
International
Class: |
H02J 7/02 20060101
H02J007/02; H02J 50/90 20060101 H02J050/90; H02J 7/00 20060101
H02J007/00; H02J 50/12 20060101 H02J050/12; H02J 50/40 20060101
H02J050/40 |
Claims
1. A system for charging electronic devices, the system comprising:
a power adaptor having one or more electrical power outputs,
wherein the power adaptor is configured to receive electrical power
from a power source via a wired connection; one or more wireless
power transmitters, each wireless power transmitter having at least
one primary coil, wherein the one or more wireless power
transmitters are configured to receive electrical power from the
power source via the wired connection of the power adaptor. one or
more wireless power receiving electronic devices, each wireless
power receiving electronic device including a secondary coil,
wherein the wireless power transmitter and wireless power receiving
electronic devices are configured to transfer electrical power
wirelessly between the primary coils and secondary coils; one or
more wired electronic devices electrically detachably connectable
to the one or more electrical power outputs of the power adaptor,
wherein the one or more wired electronic devices are configured to
receive electrical power from the power source via the wired
connection of the power adaptor.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more
wireless power transmitters is integrated into the power
adaptor.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more
wireless power transmitters are mounted within a housing of the
power adaptor and disposed beneath a top surface of the
housing.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the one or more electrical power
outputs are one or more power outlet ports for detachably
connecting wired electronic devices electrically to the power
adaptor disposed about at least one of an external side surface of
the power adaptor.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein a primary coil of one or more
wireless power transmitters are integrated into a first connector
and wherein a secondary coil of one of the one or more wireless
power receiving electronic devices is integrated into a second
connector, wherein the first connector and second connector fit
together to provide close alignment between the integrated primary
coil and the integrated secondary coil.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the first connector is a moveable
panel and the second connector is a slot.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein the first connector and second
connector each include a magnet.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more electrical power
outputs are one or more USB ports for detachably connecting wired
electronic devices electrically to the power adaptor are disposed
about an external surface of the power adaptor.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the power adaptor includes a AC/DC
rectifier for converting AC power received from the power source
into DC power and a dual channel DC/DC step down converter having a
first output for electrical connection to the one or more wireless
power transmitters and a second output for connection to the one or
more wired electronic devices.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein two or more of the wireless power
transmitters are electrically connected to the power adaptor.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the two or more wireless power
transmitters are disposed beneath a support surface.
12. A universal power supply capable of supplying power to both
wired and wireless electronic devices, the universal power supply
comprising: power supply circuitry; one or more wireless power
transmitters configured to provide wireless power to a remote
device, wherein said one or more wireless power transmitters are in
electrical connection with said power supply circuitry; and one or
more power outlet ports configured to provide wired power to the
remote device, wherein said one or more power outlet ports are
electrically connected to said power supply circuitry.
13. The universal power supply of claim 12 wherein said universal
power supply includes a housing, wherein said one or more wireless
power transmitters and said one or more power outlet ports are
disposed in said housing.
14. The universal power supply of claim 13 wherein at least one of
the one or more wireless power transmitters are mounted to the
internal top surface of the housing.
15. The universal power supply of claim 13 wherein the one or more
power outlet ports are disposed about an external side surface of
the housing.
16. The universal power supply of claim 12 wherein a primary coil
of one or more wireless power transmitters are integrated into a
connector, wherein the connector interfits together to provide
close alignment between the primary coil and a secondary coil of an
electronic device.
17. The universal power supply of claim 12 wherein the one or more
power outlet ports are USB ports disposed about an external surface
of the universal power supply.
18. The universal power supply of claim 12 including an AC/DC
rectifier for converting AC power received from a power source into
DC power and a dual channel DC/DC step down converter having a
first output for electrical connection to the one or more wireless
power transmitters and a second output for connection to the one or
more power outlet ports.
19. The system of claim 12 wherein two or more of the wireless
power transmitters are electrically connected to the power
adaptor.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the two or more wireless power
transmitters are disposed beneath a support surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to power supplies and more
particularly to power supplies capable of supplying power to a
variety of alternative devices.
[0002] There continues to be dramatic growth in the use of portable
electronic devices, such as laptops, personal digital assistants,
cellular phones, smart phones and portable media players. Although
a variety of standards have been developed for providing wireless
communication with electronic devices, many of these devices
continue to be plagued by the need for a power supply that is
connected to the electronic device by a cord. Typically, each power
supply includes a power adapter for converting AC mains power into
the DC power required by the device along with cords for connecting
the input of the adapter to a wall outlet and the output of the
adapter to the electronic device. In some cases, a plug extends
from the adapter so that the adapter plugs directly into a wall
outlet and only a single cord from the adapter to the electronic
device is required (See FIG. 1). Power adapters (often referred to
as "bricks") are relatively heavy and occupy a large amount of
space. Conventional power supply systems suffer from a variety of
disadvantages. For example, the power supply with adapter and
associated cords is a burden to use, store and carry around as
needed. In use, cords create an unsightly and often unmanageable
mess. Further, when connected, cords impede device mobility. With
multiple portable devices, a user may be required to carry around
multiple power supplies, including multiple power adapters and
multiple cord sets. This only compounds the problem.
[0003] In an effort to reduce the problem, "universal" power
supplies have been developed. Efforts to provide a universal power
solution are complicated by a variety of practical difficulties.
One of these difficulties arises because different portable
electronic devices have different power requirements. A
conventional universal power supply includes a single power adapter
that is capable of providing power to multiple devices. For
example, a conventional universal power supply is illustrated in
FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the power supply includes a power
adapter having multiple power outlet ports. The power adapter is
configured to supply a predetermined amount of power to each outlet
port. Various electronic devices, such as laptops and smart phones
can be connected to the power adapter using conventional cords.
Although a marked improvement, this solution still requires a
separate cord for each device connected to the power supply.
Further, typical solutions require the electronic devices to be
preconfigured to accept the predetermined power output by the power
supply.
[0004] As an alternative to corded power supply solutions, there
has recently been dramatic growth in the pursuit of wireless power
solutions. Wireless power supply systems eliminate the need for
power cords and therefore eliminate the many inconveniences
associated with power cords. For example, wireless power solutions
can eliminate: (i) the need to retain and store a collection of
power cords, (ii) the unsightly mess created by cords, (iii) the
need to repeatedly physically connect and physically disconnect
remote devices with cords, (iv) the need to carry power cords
whenever power is required, such as recharging, and (v) the
difficulty of identifying which of a collection of power cords is
used for each device.
[0005] The introduction of wireless power solutions has in one
respect made power management across multiple devices more
complicated--at least in the short term. For example, a user that
has both wirelessly powered/charged devices and devices that are
powered/charged using wires will be required to carry both wired
and wireless power supplies. Even if the user has invested in a
universal power supply for all of the users wired devices, a
separate wireless power supply will be required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In one aspect, the present invention provides a universal
power supply that is capable of supplying power to a variety of
both wired and wireless electronic devices. In one embodiment, the
power supply includes an integrated wireless power transmitter and
one or more power outlets for wired power supply. In those
embodiments in which the power supply includes multiple power
outlets, different power outlets may supply different amounts of
power. Different plug shapes may be provided to differentiate
between different amounts of power. In other embodiments, all of
the power outlets may provide the same amount of power. In
embodiments of this nature, the power ports may be conventional USB
ports that include power in accordance with USB standards.
[0007] In an alternative embodiment, the power supply may include
power outlets configured to receive removable wireless power
transmitters, such as removable primary coils. In some embodiments,
different plug shapes may be provided to differentiate between
power outlets for wireless transmitters and power outlets for wired
devices. In some embodiments, the plug shapes may be the same and
the electronics of the power adapter may be capable of determining
what has been plugged into a given power outlet and provide that
power outlet with the appropriate power.
[0008] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a
universal wireless power supply having a plurality of wireless
power transmitters powered by a single power adapter. In one
embodiment, the power adapter includes a plurality of integrated
power transmitters and is configured to provide freedom of movement
of the power transmitters. In one embodiment, the power
transmitters may be connected to the power adapter by flexible
connectors that permit the assembly to be folded up to reduce
space. The flexible connectors may also provide the power
transmitters with some degree of positional freedom.
[0009] In another embodiment of the second aspect, the power
adapter may include a plurality of sections that are movably
connected to one another. Separate power transmitters may be
located in different sections so that movement of one section with
respect to another provides positional freedom between power
transmitters. The sections may be joined by a hinge, a pivot joint
or other suitable mechanical structure.
[0010] In another embodiment, the power supply may include a power
adapter having power outlet ports capable of selectively receiving
a plurality of wireless power transmitters. One or more power
transmitters may be selectively connected to the power supply, as
desired. In one embodiment, each wireless power transmitter may
include one or more power outlet ports for further wireless power
transmitters so that wireless power transmitters may be
daisy-chained.
[0011] In the first aspect, the present invention provides a
universal power supply that is capable of supplying power to both
wired and wireless electronic devices. In this aspect, the present
invention provides a convenient, easy to use power supply that can
be used for a wide variety of devices, thereby eliminating the need
to carry multiple power supplies even when a user would like to
power both wired and wireless devices. In a second aspect, the
present invention provides a wireless power supply that is
adaptable to different applications. In those embodiments with
movable power supply sections, the power supply can be configured
for easy storage and reconfigured to provide convenient wireless
charging for devices of various types. In those embodiments with
removable power supply transmitters, the size of the power supply
can be kept to a minimum by adding only those power supply
transmitters needed. The wireless power supply also adds the
additional benefit of allowing inherent intrinsic safety. This
element allows for high voltage within the power supply to be used
with an inherent intrinsic safety. Power supply grounding and
insulation can be more simple and cost effective that traditional
power supplies. This also increases the safety and reliability of
such power supplies. These power supplies can also include the an
ultra low power option for minimum standby, such as the system
described in U.S. Patent Publication 2010/0084918, filed on Oct. 2,
2009 entitled Power System, which is herein incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
[0012] These and other objects, advantages, and features of the
invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by
reference to the description of the current embodiment and the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an electronic device with a
conventional wired power supply.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a pair of electronic devices
with a conventional multiple output wired power supply.
[0015] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a power supply in accordance
with an embodiment of the first aspect of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a first alternative power
supply in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is an illustration of the first alternative power
supply with a detachable coil folded onto the power adapter.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a partially sectional illustration of the
removable power transmitter.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a partially sectional illustration of an
alternative removable power transmitter.
[0020] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a second alternative power
supply.
[0021] FIG. 9 is an illustration of the second alternative power
supply with a wireless computer expansion module.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of a circuit for the
power supply.
[0023] FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a first alternative
circuit for the power supply.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of a second
alternative circuit for the power supply.
[0025] FIG. 13 is a series of illustrations showing a power supply
in accordance with an embodiment of the second aspect of the
present invention.
[0026] FIG. 14 is an illustration showing the placement of
electronic devices on the power supply of FIG. 13.
[0027] FIG. 15 is an illustration of an alternative power supply in
accordance with the second aspect of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 16 is a series of illustrations showing movement of the
second alternative embodiment between different configurations.
[0029] FIG. 17 is end and side views of a connector for joining
power adapter sections.
[0030] FIGS. 18A-E are illustrations showing various uses of the
power supply of FIG. 15.
[0031] FIG. 19 is an illustration showing how the power supply of
FIG. 15 may be used with a computer.
[0032] FIG. 20 is an illustration showing the power supply of FIG.
15 in place adjacent a computer.
[0033] FIG. 21 is an illustration showing the power supply of FIG.
15 incorporated into a computer dock.
[0034] FIG. 22 is an illustration showing the power supply of FIG.
15 incorporated into a computer bag.
[0035] FIG. 23 is an illustration of a third alternative power
supply in accordance with the second aspect of the present
invention.
[0036] FIG. 24 is an illustration of a fourth alternative power
supply in accordance with the second aspect of the present
invention.
[0037] FIG. 25 is an illustration showing the power supply of FIG.
24 in a folded configuration.
[0038] FIG. 26 is an illustration of a fifth alternative power
supply in accordance with the second aspect of the present
invention.
[0039] FIG. 27 is an illustration showing the power supply of FIG.
26 in a folded configuration.
[0040] FIG. 28 is a schematic representation of a circuit for a
power supply in accordance with a second aspect of the present
invention.
[0041] FIG. 29 is an illustration of a power brick with an extended
panel wireless power transmitter being positioned to power a
laptop.
[0042] FIG. 30 is an illustration of the power brick with
extendable panel of FIG. 29.
[0043] FIG. 31 is an illustration of a power brick with a rotatable
panel wireless power transmitter being positioned to power a
laptop.
[0044] FIG. 32 is an illustration of a perspective and bottom view
of the power brick of FIG. 31.
[0045] FIG. 33 is a schematic representation of a circuit for a
multi-input wireless power supply.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT
[0046] A power supply in accordance with an embodiment of one
aspect of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. The power
supply 10 generally includes a power adapter 13 with a wireless
power transmitter 14 to provide power to wireless electronic
devices D and a plurality of power outlet ports 16 to provide power
to wired electronic devices WD. The power adapter 13 includes the
electronics required to convert AC mains power into the power
required by the electronic devices. The wireless power transmitter
14 may be integrated into the power adapter 13 or may be attached
to the power adapter 13 via a port 18 (shown in FIG. 4). In use, a
user can attach a wired device WD to the power supply 10 using a
conventional cord C inserted into the appropriate power outlet port
16. The wired device WD may use the power for operation and/or for
charging an internal battery. Multiple wired devices WD can be
connected to the power supply 10 using separate cords C inserted
into different power outlet ports 16. Wireless devices D can be
placed in close proximity to the wireless power transmitter 14 to
wirelessly receive power (for example, for charging or operating).
A variety of alternative embodiments of this first aspect of the
present invention are disclosed.
[0047] A power supply in accordance with a second aspect of the
present invention is shown in FIG. 13. In this embodiment, the
power supply 510 generally includes a power adapter 513 with a
plurality of wireless power transmitters 514. The power adapter 513
includes a plurality of sections that are movable with respect to
one another. In this embodiment, the sections are joined along a
hinge or fold line that permits the two sections to be folded and
unfolded as desired. Each section includes one or more wireless
power transmitters so that movement of the sections results in
selective variation in the position and orientation of the wireless
power transmitters. As with the first aspect of the present
invention, a variety of alternative embodiments of the second
aspect of the present invention are disclosed.
[0048] As noted above, the first aspect of the present invention
provides a power supply 10 that is capable of wirelessly providing
power to at least one wireless electronic device D using a wireless
power transmitter and to at least one wired electronic device WD
using one or more power outlet ports 16. One embodiment of this
aspect of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a
power supply 10 having an integrated wireless power transmitter 14
and a plurality of power outlet ports 16 disposed in a housing 12.
The power supply 10 includes a power input cord 19 for connecting
the power supply 10 to AC mains, for example, via a wall plug (not
shown). The internal circuitry (described in more detail below) of
the power supply 10 transforms the AC mains power into the power
for a plurality of wired and wireless electronic devices.
[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the power supply 10 is
configured to wirelessly supply power using generally conventional
inductive power transfer techniques and apparatus. For example, the
wireless power transmitter 14 may produce an electromagnetic field
that may be picked up and used to generate power in a wireless
electronic device D. The wireless power transmitter 14 of this
embodiment is a primary coil of wire 20 configured to produce an
electromagnetic field suitable for inductively transmitting power
to a wireless electronic device D. Similarly, the wireless
electronic device of this embodiment includes a secondary coil 22
of wire configured to generate power when placed in the presence of
a suitable electromagnetic field. Although the illustrated
embodiments utilize inductive techniques to wirelessly transfer
power to the wireless device, the power supply 10 may alternatively
(or in addition) use other forms of wireless power transfer.
[0050] In this illustrated embodiment, the power supply 10 includes
a generally rectangular housing 12. The size, shape and
configuration of the housing 12 may vary from application to
application. A plurality of power outlet ports 16 are mounted
within the housing 12 for supplying power to wired devices. The
power outlet ports 16 may be conventional USB ports that receive
conventional USB plugs and supply power in accordance with
applicable USB standards. This permits the power supply 10 to
provide power to essentially any wired device capable of being
charged through a conventional USB port. The number and type of
power output ports 16 may vary from application to application
depending on the number and types of devices to be powered by the
power supply 10. For example, the type of ports may vary to allow
the power supply to power devices that are not compatible with USB
standards. In the illustrated embodiment, the power outlet ports 16
are disposed in the end wall of the housing opposite the end wall
in which the power cord 19 enters the housing 12. The power outlet
ports may, however, be disposed in essentially any location about
the housing 12.
[0051] The wireless power transmitter 14 is mounted within the
housing 12 and is disposed beneath the top surface 24 in the
illustrated embodiment. This permits a wireless device to be placed
on top of the housing 12 to wirelessly receive power. Although the
top surface 24 of the housing 12 is planar in the illustrated
embodiment, the top surface may by shaped to correspond with the
shape of intended wireless devices. For example, the bottom surface
of the wireless device D and the top surface 24 of the housing 12
may have corresponding contours so that the wireless device D nests
with the top surface 24 of the housing 12. As noted above, the
wireless power transmitter 14 of this embodiment is a primary coil
20. The size, shape and configuration of the primary coil 20 may
vary from application to application. For example, the diameter of
the primary coil 20, the number of turns of wire in the coil 20 and
the size of the wire used to form the coil 20 may vary based on the
specific application. If desired, a magnet (not shown) may be
located in the housing 12, for example, in the center of the
primary coil 20, to assist in aligning the primary coil 20 with the
secondary coil 22 in a wireless device D. The magnet (not shown)
may also assist in holding the wireless device D in position on the
housing 12.
[0052] FIG. 4 is directed to an alternative embodiment of the power
supply 10 in which one or more wireless power transmitters 14 may
be selectively connected to the power adapter 13. In this
embodiment, a plurality of power outlet ports 16 are provided for
supplying power to wired devices, and a plurality of wireless
transmitter ports 18 are provided for selectively attaching
detachable wireless power transmitters 14. As with the embodiment
of FIG. 3, the power outlet ports 16 may be conventional USB ports
that receive conventional USB plugs and supply power in accordance
with applicable USB standards. This permits the power supply 10 to
provide power to essentially any wired device capable of being
charged through a conventional USB port. Although this embodiment
includes power outlet ports 16, the ports may in some embodiments
be eliminated, such that the power supply 10 is configured to
supply power only wirelessly. The wireless transmitter ports 18 may
be essentially any port capable of selectively receiving a
detachable wireless power transmitter. The number and type of
wireless transmitter ports 18 may vary from application to
application, as desired.
[0053] Although the design and configuration of the detachable
wireless power transmitters may vary, one embodiment is described
with reference to FIG. 6. The detachable transmitter 14 of the
illustrated embodiment generally includes a plug 28, a connector
section 30 and a coil assembly 32. The plug 28 may be essentially
any plug 28 suitable for selectively electrically connecting the
detachable transmitter to the power adapter 13. To prevent
connection to the wrong port, the plug 28 may be different from the
plugs used for the power outlet ports 16. In this embodiment, the
connector section 30 may include flexible leads 34 that extend
between the plug 28 and the primary coil 20. The flexible leads 34
permit the wireless power transmitters 14 to be folded up onto the
power adapter to reduce size, for example, during storage (See FIG.
5). The flexible leads may be essentially any flexible, foldable or
otherwise adjustable structure for electrically connecting the plug
28 to the primary coil 20. For example, the flexible leads 34 may
simply be a pair of wires or may be a more complicated set of
traces on a flexible circuit board substrate. The connector section
30 may be overmolded with a flexible material that protects the
connector section 30 while still allowing a high degree of
flexibility.
[0054] The coil assembly 32 of the illustrated embodiment generally
includes a coil 20, a magnet 26 and an overmold 36. In one
embodiment, the coil 20 is a spiral-round coil of Litz wire. The
size, shape and configuration of the coil 20 may vary from
application to application depending in part on the amount of power
to be transmitted. For example, the diameter of the coil 20, the
number of turns of wire in the coil 20 and the size of the wire
used to form the coil 20 may vary based on the specific
application. If desired, the coil assembly 32 may include a magnet
26. The magnet 26 may be located at the center of the coil 20 and
may provide a way to assist in aligning the coil 20 with the
secondary coil 22 in a remote device. The magnet 26 may also assist
in holding the coil assembly 32 in a folded configuration for
storage (See FIG. 5). The coil assembly 32 may be overmolded for
protection and/or for aesthetic reasons. The coil assembly 32 may
alternatively be housed in essentially any suitable housing. The
overmold or housing 33 may be contoured to correspond in shape with
the intended wireless device. This may assist in providing close
alignment between the primary coil 20 and the secondary coil 22,
and may help to retain the wireless device D in place on the coil
assembly 32.
[0055] An alternative detachable wireless power transmitter 14 is
shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the detachable wireless power
transmitter 14 is essentially identical to the embodiment shown in
FIG. 6, except that it is shielded. As shown, a shield 38 is
disposed in the coil assembly 32 beneath the coil 20. The shield 38
allow a wireless device D placed on top of the transmitter 14 to
receive power, while reducing electromagnet interference and other
problems that may be caused by stray electromagnetic field lines.
The size, shape and configuration of the shield may vary from
application to application, as desired. For example, the shielding
material, the diameter of the shielding material and the thickness
of the shielding material may vary to provide the desired balance
between cost and shielding performance.
[0056] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the power supply
circuitry (not shown) is included in the housing 12. Alternatively,
portions of the power supply circuitry may be incorporated into the
detachable wireless power transmitters 14. For example, if desired,
the DC/DC rectifier, microcontroller, drivers or switching circuits
may be integrated into the detachable wireless power transmitter 14
instead of within the housing 12 of the power adapter 13. In one
embodiment, the wireless transmitter port may supply a high DC rail
output from the AC/DC rectifier to the wireless power transmitter
14, and the wireless power transmitter may include a DC/DC
converter, a microcontroller (with an integrated or separate
driver) and a switching circuit. This approach may offer more
variety in the power supply characteristics available from
detachable wireless power transmitters 14 as each one can be
designed with the appropriate circuit components rather than
relying on multi-channel components.
[0057] FIG. 8 shows another alternative embodiment of the power
supply 10. In this embodiment, the power supply 10 generally
includes an integrated wireless power transmitter 14, a plurality
of wireless transmitter ports 18 for selectively attaching wireless
power transmitters 14 and a plurality of power outlet ports 16 for
supplying power to wired devices. The integrated wireless power
transmitter 14 permits at least one wireless device to receive
power without the need for attaching a detachable wireless power
transmitter. However, if it is desirable to wirelessly charge more
than a single wireless device, additional detachable wireless power
transmitters may by connected to the power adapter 13, as desired.
In this embodiment, the power supply 10 may include a plurality of
different power outlet ports 16. The different power outlet ports
16 may provide different amounts of power to allow power supply to
a broader range of wired devices. To facilitate correct attachment
of wired devices, the different power outlet ports 16 may have
different plug configurations for different amounts of power. For
example, in the illustrated embodiment, the power outlet ports 16
may include two conventional USB ports 40, a circular port 42 and a
trapezoidal port 44.
[0058] FIG. 9 shows the power supply 10 of FIG. 8 with an
alternative detachable wireless power transmitter 14 configured for
use with larger wireless devices, such as laptop L. In this
embodiment, the detachable wireless power transmitter 14 is
essentially identical to the detachable wireless power transmitter
14 of FIG. 6, except that it includes a longer connector section 30
and a larger support surface 31 housing the coil assembly 32. The
support surface 31 of this embodiment is configured to provide a
wide support for devices that might teeter on a smaller support. In
this embodiment, the coil 20 (along with any desired magnet or
shielding) is disposed in a relatively thin, rectangular support
surface 31. The support surface 31 may be overmolded onto the coil
or the coil 20 may be inserted into a cavity in a premanufactured
support surface. Although FIG. 9 shows a single primary coil 20
located in the center of the support, the number and position of
primary coils 20 may vary from application to application.
[0059] FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of a circuit suitable
for supplying power to the power supply of FIG. 3. The power supply
10 includes an AC/DC rectifier 60 for converting the AC power
received from the AC mains into DC power. The power supply 10 also
includes a dual-channel DC/DC step down converter 62 for converting
the DC output of the AC/DC rectifier 60 to the desired level. The
dual-channel converter 62 includes two different outputs--one for
the power output port 16 and one for the wireless power transmitter
14. In applications where additional levels of DC power are
required, the DC/DC step down converter may include a
multiple-channel DC/DC step down converter or multiple step down
converters. The power supply 10 also includes a microcontroller 64
and a switching circuit 66. The microcontroller 64 is programmed to
control the switching circuit 66 to generate the appropriate AC
power for the coil 20. In this embodiment, the microcontroller 64
also controls operation of the dual-channel converter 62. For
example, the microcontroller 64 may send control signals to the
dual-channel converter 62 specifying the level of the DC power
being supplied to the switching circuit 66. The microcontroller 64
may determine the appropriate DC power level based on signals
received from the wireless device. These signals may be
communicated from the wireless device to the power supply 10 by
reflected impedance or through a separate communications systems,
such as a separate inductive coupling, infrared communications,
WiFi communications, Bluetooth communications or other
communication schemes. The microcontroller 64 may follow
essentially any of a wide variety of inductive power supply control
algorithms. In some embodiments, the microcontroller 64 may vary
one or more characteristics of the power applied to the coil 20
based on feedback from the portable device D. For example, the
microcontroller 64 may adjust the resonant frequency of the tank
circuit (e.g. the coil and capacitor combination), the operating
frequency of the switching circuit 66, the rail voltage applied to
the coil 20 or the duty cycle of the power applied to coil 20 to
affect the efficiency or amount of power inductively transferred to
the portable device D. A wide variety of techniques and apparatus
are known for controlling operation of an inductive power supply.
For example, the microcontroller may be programmed to operate in
accordance with one of the control algorithms disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,825,620, which is entitled "Inductively Coupled Ballast
Circuit" and issued Nov. 30, 2004, to Kuennen et al; the adaptive
inductive power supply of U.S. Pat. No. 7,212,414, which is
entitled "Adaptive Inductive Power Supply" and issued May 1, 2007,
to Baarman; the inductive power supply with communication of U.S.
Ser. No. 10/689,148, which is entitled "Adaptive Inductive Power
Supply with Communication" and filed on Oct. 20, 2003 to Baarman;
the inductive power supply for wirelessly charging a LI-ION battery
of U.S. Ser. No. 11/855,710, which is entitled "System and Method
for Charging a Battery" and filed on Sep. 14, 2007 by Baarman; the
inductive power supply with device identification of U.S. Ser. No.
11/965,085, which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Device
Identification" and filed on Dec. 27, 2007 by Baarman et al; or the
inductive power supply with duty cycle control of U.S. Ser. No.
61/019,411, which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Duty
Cycle Control" and filed on Jan. 7, 2008 by Baarman--all of which
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0060] Although the schematic shows only a single power outlet port
16, the number of power outlet ports 16 may be increased to the
desired number. For example, to implement the power supply 10 of
FIG. 3, the power supply 10 may include four power output ports
16.
[0061] For purposes of disclosure, FIG. 10 also shows a wireless
electronic device D positioned adjacent to the power adapter 13.
The wireless electronic device D generally includes a wireless
power receiver 80, an AC/DC rectifier 70, a microcontroller 74, a
battery 76 and a load 78. The wireless power receiver 80 of this
embodiment may be a secondary coil 22. The secondary coil 22 is
configured to inductively receive power from the primary coil 20 in
the power supply 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the secondary
coil 20 is a split-winding, spiral-wound coil of wire. The size,
shape and configuration of the secondary coil 22 may be selected to
correspond with the characteristics of the primary coil 20.
Although the wireless power receiver 80 of this embodiment is a
coil, the wireless device may include other forms of wireless power
receivers. The secondary coil 22 is electrically coupled to the
AC/DC rectifier 70. AC power generated in the secondary coil 22
passes into the rectifier 70 where it is converted to DC power. The
rectifier 70 may be configured to scale the DC power to the
appropriate level or the microcontroller 74 may include a DC/DC
converter for adjusting the output of the rectifier 70 before
applying it to the battery 76 or the load 78. The secondary
microcontroller 74 may follow essentially any of a wide variety of
inductive power supply control algorithms. In some embodiments, the
secondary microcontroller 74 may send communications to the primary
microcontroller 64 that permit the primary microcontroller 64 to
vary one or more characteristics of the power applied to the coil
20. For example, the secondary microcontroller 74 may send
communication signals indicative of the amount of power being
received from the primary coil 20 or indicating whether more or
less power is required. A wide variety of techniques and apparatus
are known for controlling operation of an inductive power supply in
the wireless electronic device. For example, the secondary
microcontroller may be programmed to operate in accordance with one
of the control algorithms disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,620,
which is entitled "Inductively Coupled Ballast Circuit" and issued
Nov. 30, 2004, to Kuennen et al; the adaptive inductive power
supply of U.S. Pat. No. 7,212,414, which is entitled "Adaptive
Inductive Power Supply" and issued May 1, 2007, to Baarman; the
inductive power supply with communication of U.S. Ser. No.
10/689,148, which is entitled "Adaptive Inductive Power Supply with
Communication" and filed on Oct. 20, 2003 to Baarman; the inductive
power supply for wirelessly charging a LI-ION battery of U.S. Ser.
No. 11/855,710, which is entitled "System and Method for Charging a
Battery" and filed on Sep. 14, 2007 by Baarman; the inductive power
supply with device identification of U.S. Ser. No. 11/965,085,
which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Device
Identification" and filed on Dec. 27, 2007 by Baarman et al; or the
inductive power supply with duty cycle control of U.S. Ser. No.
61/019,411, which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Duty
Cycle Control" and filed on Jan. 7, 2008 by Baarman--all of which
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0062] The circuitry may vary from application to application to
provide power to the desired number of wireless power transmitters
and power outlet ports. For example, FIG. 11 shows an alternative
circuit in which the power supply 10 includes a single power output
port 16 and a pair of integrated wireless power transmitters 14. In
this embodiment, the power supply 10 includes a multi-channel DC/DC
step down converter 92 that is capable of providing a variety of
different DC power outputs. In the illustrated embodiment, the
multi-channel converter 92 is capable of providing three different
DC power outputs--one for the power output jack, one for the first
primary coil and one for the second primary coil. In this
embodiment, the microcontroller 94 controls operation of the
switching circuits 96 and may also direct the multi-channel
converter 92 to individually set the DC power level based on
signals from the wireless device. For example, if the wireless
device needs more power, it may send an appropriate signal to the
microcontroller 94 and the microcontroller 94 may direct the
multi-channel converter 92 to increase the DC power output to the
corresponding switching circuit 96. On the other hand, if less
power is required, the wireless device may send an appropriate
signal to the microcontroller 94 and the microcontroller 94 may
direct the multi-channel converter 92 to decrease the DC power
output to the corresponding switching circuit 96.
[0063] FIG. 12 shows a schematic diagram representing a circuit
suitable for use with the power supply of FIG. 8. In this
embodiment, the power supply 10 supplies power to one integrated
wireless power transmitter 14, four power output ports 16 and four
wireless power transmitter ports 18. As with the previously
described embodiments, the circuit includes an AC/DC rectifier 60
for converting the AC power received from the AC mains into DC
power, a multiple-channel DC/DC step down converter 100 for
converting the DC output of the AC/DC rectifier 60 to a plurality
of DC outputs, a microcontroller 98 for controlling operation of
the power supply 10, a plurality of switching circuits 104 for
controlling the application of power to the integrated and
detachable wireless power transmitters 14 and a plurality of
drivers 102 for controlling the timing of the switching circuits
104. The microcontroller 98 is programmed to control both the DC/DC
converter and the drivers 102. With regard to the DC/DC converter,
the microcontroller 98 may send control signals to the DC/DC
converter 100 to individually dictate the levels of the different
DC power outputs for the power outlet ports 16 and/or the wireless
power transmitters 14. With this functionality, the microcontroller
98 can individually adjust the DC output of the power output ports
16 to accommodate a wider variety of wired electronic devices. The
DC outputs for the wireless power transmitters 14 function as the
rail voltage for the switching circuits 104. Accordingly, the
microcontroller 98 can individually adjust the power output of the
wireless power transmitters 14 by individually adjusting the DC
outputs for the wireless power transmitters 14. In application
where this functionality is not desired, the DC/DC converter output
levels for the power output ports 16 and the wireless power
transmitters 14 can be fixed. With regard to the drivers 102, the
microcontroller 98 can adjust the timing of the drivers 102 to vary
the timing of the switching circuits 104. This can, in turn, be
used to adjust the operating frequency and/or duty cycle of the
power applied to the wireless power transmitters 14. As noted
above, the microcontroller 98 may operate the wireless power
transmitters 14 in accordance with a wide variety of control
schemes. For example, the microcontroller 98 may adjust the rail
voltage of the power applied to the primary coil 20, the operating
frequency of the wireless power transmitters or the duty cycle of
the appropriate DC power level based on information relating to the
power level desired by the wireless device and/or the efficiency of
the inductive coupling with the wireless device. As another
example, each wireless power transmitter 14 may be contained in a
tank circuit (e.g. the subcircuit containing the coil 20 and the
resonant capacitor 21 (which may be located in the power adapter 13
or one of the plug in coil modules or wireless transmitters 14),
and the microcontroller may be configured to adjust the resonant
frequency of the tank circuit to allow the tank circuit to operate
efficiently through a broader range of operating frequencies. The
microcontroller may adjust the resonant frequency of the tank
circuit by adjusting the inductance and/or capacitance of the tank
circuit. The inductance may be adjusted using a variable inductor
or a bank of inductors that may be switched into or out of the tank
circuit. Similarly, the capacitance may be adjusted using a
variable capacitor or a bank of capacitors that may be switched
into or out of the tank circuit.
[0064] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a power
supply 510 that can be adapted to provide different wireless power
supply configurations. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and 14,
the power supply 510 includes two wireless power transmitters 514
located in different sections 512 of the power adapter 513. The two
section 512 are joined to one another along a hinge 517 so that
they may be pivoted to change the position and orientation of the
two power transmitters with respect to one another. FIG. 13 shows
the power adapter 13 being unfolded into a flat configuration that
provides two side-by-side charging regions. FIG. 14 shows how two
wireless electronic devices D can be placed on the two side-by-side
power transmitters 514. In this embodiment, the power adapter 513
includes two housing sections 512. The power supply circuitry may
be incorporated into one or both of the housing sections. In one
embodiment, a single multi-channel circuit is provided for
supplying power to both wireless power transmitters. In another
embodiment, separate power supply circuits are provided for each
wireless power transmitter. The hinge 517 is configured to allow
the passage of electrical leads from one housing section 512 to the
other housing section 512. For example, the bulk of the power
supply circuitry may be located in one housing section 512 and
electrical leads passing through the hinge 517 may deliver power to
the primary coil 20 in the second housing section 512.
[0065] FIG. 15 shows a first alternative embodiment of the second
aspect of the present invention. In this embodiment, power supply
510 includes two sections that are coupled together at rotating
joint. A separate wireless power transmitter 514 is located in each
section 512. The two sections 512 can be rotated into different
positions to vary the position and orientation of the two wireless
power transmitters 514. For example, FIG. 16 includes a series of
illustrations that show one of the two sections being increasingly
rotated with respect to the other until the coil of one of the
wireless power transmitters 514 is rotated 180 degrees. In the
initial position, the power supply 510 can be used to wirelessly
supply power to two adjacent wireless devices placed on top of the
power adapter 513. In the rotated position, the power supply 510
can be used to wirelessly supply power to two wireless devices
placed on opposite sides of the power adapter 513. Although a wide
variety of connectors may be used to join the two sections 512. For
example, in one embodiment, the connector may be generally tubular
and may include a central bore for routing wiring from one section
to the other. In an alternative embodiment, the connector 520 may
create an electrical connection between the two sections 512, such
as is the case with the connector illustrated in FIG. 17. As with
the embodiment of FIG. 14, the power supply circuitry may be
incorporated into one or both of the housing sections, and a single
multi-channel power supply circuit or separate independent circuits
may be use to supply power to the wireless power transmitters.
[0066] FIGS. 18A-E show various charging configurations of the
power supply 10 of FIG. 15. FIG. 18A shows a single wireless device
D placed over and receiving power from one of the two coils 522.
FIG. 18B shows two wireless devices D--each placed over and
receiving power from a separate coil 522. FIG. 18C shows a single
wireless device D placed over and receiving power from both coils
522. In this embodiment, the wireless device D includes two
secondary coils 524 so that the device D can simultaneously receive
power from two primary coils 522. FIGS. 18D and 18E show the power
supply 10 reconfigured with the two coils 522 on opposite sides of
the power adapter 513. In FIG. 18D, separate wireless devices D are
placed on opposite sides of the power adapter 513 to receive power
from opposite coils 522. In FIG. 18E, the power adapter 513 is
placed on a wireless-enabled surface 526. In this embodiment, a
wireless device D may be placed over and receive power from the
upward facing coil, while the downward facing coil 522 supplies
power to a secondary coil mounted in the surface 526.
[0067] Another potential application for the power supply 10 of
FIG. 15 is shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. In this embodiment, a laptop
computer L includes a power supply notch 528 configured to receive
the outer section of the power adapter 513. As shown in FIG. 20,
the power supply notch 528 may be sized and shaped to closely
receive the outer section 512. In this embodiment, the inner
section 512 can support and provide power to a wireless device
D.
[0068] FIG. 21 shows a wireless computer dock C configured to
receive the wireless power supply 510 of FIG. 15. In this
embodiment, the computer support surface defines a channel 530
adapted to receive the power adapter 513. The channel 530 may be
longer than the adapter 513 so that the adapter 513 can be slid
along the channel to vary the position of the coils 522 beneath the
laptop L. In this embodiment, the laptop L may include two
secondary coils (not shown) to receive power from both primary
coils 522. Alternatively, the power adapter 13 may be positioned so
that one coil is beneath the laptop L and the other extend past the
edge of the laptop L to potentially provide power to another
wireless device (not shown).
[0069] FIG. 22 shows a computer bag B configured to receive the
wireless power supply 10 of FIG. 15. In this embodiment, the
computer bag B includes a central flap 532 with a pocket 534 to
receive the power adapter 513. The power supply 510 may be
configured so that the primary coils face in the same or opposite
directions. In the current embodiment, the pocket 534 is positioned
to hold the power adapter 513 in a position where it can supply
power to a laptop L placed on one side of the flap 532 and to a
wireless device D placed on the other side of the flap 532. In
alternative embodiments, the pocket may be placed elsewhere in the
bag. For example, the pocket may be oriented horizontally and
located in one of the bag walls. In such an embodiment, the middle
flap of the bag may be eliminated.
[0070] FIG. 23 shows an alternative power supply 510 in which
multiple wireless power transmitters 514 maybe attached to a single
power supply. In this embodiment, the principle circuitry of the
power supply 510 is contained in the power adapter 513. The
wireless power transmitters 514 are provided in modules 514 that
can be added to the power adapter 513 as desired. For example, as
shown in FIG. 23, each module 513 may include a male connector 520
and one or more female connectors (not shown). The male and female
connectors may be positioned as desired. For example, each module
514 may include a male connector 520 extending from the center of
one side and three female connectors centered on the other three
sides. In this embodiment, the male connector 520 allows a module
514 to be secured to the power adapter 513 or to another module
514. The modules 514 may be daisy-chained to build almost any
arrangement of primary coils. Although a wide variety of connectors
maybe used to join the modules 514, FIG. 17 shows end and side
views of one potential male connector for joining adjacent modules.
In this embodiment, the connector 514 is a two conductor connector
in which an upper contact 540 and a lower contact 542 are separated
by an insulator 544. Although not shown, the female connector
includes two contacts that separately engage the upper contact 540
and the lower contact 542. A snap-fit catch, such as a
spring-loaded bearing, may be used to secure the male connector
with the female connector. The bearing is configured to snap fit
into the channel around the insulator when the male connector is
fitted properly into the female connector. The bearing may be
manufactured from a non-conductive material to so that it does not
create a short circuit between the upper contact and the lower
contact.
[0071] Another embodiment of a power supply in accordance with a
second aspect of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 24 and 25.
In this embodiment, the power supply 510 includes a power adapter
513 with a plurality of folding arms that contain the wireless
power transmitters 514. As shown, the power adapter 513 may include
a central section 515 that contains the bulk of the power supply
circuitry (not shown). Four folding sections 512 may be hingedly
coupled to the central section 515 using hinges 550. In this
embodiment, two folding sections 512 may be foldable onto the top
surface of the central section 515 and two folding sections 552 may
be foldable under the bottom surface of the central section (See
FIG. 25). In the illustrated embodiment, a separate wireless power
transmitter 514 (e.g. a primary coil) is disposed within each
folding section 512. The folding sections 512 may be unfolded to
provide a relatively large charging arrangement or folded to
provide compact storage.
[0072] FIGS. 26 and 27 show another embodiment of a power supply in
accordance with a second aspect of the present invention. In this
embodiment, the power supply 510 includes a power adapter 513 with
a plurality of folding arms that contain the wireless power
transmitters 514. As shown, the power adapter 513 may include a
central section 515 that contains the bulk of the power supply
circuitry (not shown). Three coil assemblies 562 may be coupled to
the central section 515 by flexible connector sections 564. All
three coil assemblies 562 may be foldable onto the top surface of
the central section 515 in a stacked configuration (See FIG. 27,
which shows two of the three coil assemblies folded onto the
central section 515). If desired, a magnet (not shown) may be
disposed within each coil assembly 562. The magnets may help align
the coils when a wireless device is place over a coil assembly.
Plus, the magnets may help to hold the coil assemblies 562 in the
stacked configuration. The coil assemblies 562 may be fixedly
coupled to the central section or they may be detachably coupled
using the plugs and ports as described in previously described
embodiments.
[0073] FIGS. 29 and 30 show another embodiment of a power supply in
accordance with a second aspect of the present invention. In this
embodiment, the power supply 510 includes a power adapter 513 with
a thin panel that slides out to fit under a laptop L. The thin
panel 600 includes a coil 20. In one embodiment, the coil 20 is a
spiral-round coil of Litz wire. The size, shape and configuration
of the coil 20 may vary from application to application depending
in part on the amount of power to be transmitted. For example, the
diameter of the coil 20, the number of turns of wire in the coil 20
and the size of the wire used to form the coil 20 may vary based on
the specific application. If desired, the panel 600 may include a
magnet 26. The panel could include essentially any or all of the
power supply circuitry. Alternatively, some or all of the power
supply circuitry could be included in the power adapter 513, except
for coil 20. In one embodiment, a coil assembly, as described in
previous embodiments, is included in the panel and power supply
circuitry is included in the power adapter. The panel 600 may be
contoured to correspond in shape with the intended wireless device.
In the current embodiment, the panel presents a thin structure
capable of fitting under a slot provided in the Laptop L. This may
assist in providing close alignment between the primary coil 20 and
the secondary coil 22, and may help to retain the laptop L in place
on the coil 20. The panel may be selectably retractable from the
power adapter 513 so that when the coil is not in use the panel may
be placed in a retractable position. In some embodiments, the panel
may be locked in the retractable position. In its retracted
position, the power adapter 513 of the current embodiment is
similar to the FIG. 3 embodiment. Although not illustrated, in
alternative embodiments, wired power connectors could be included
in the power adaptor. There may be an electrical connection between
the power adapter and the power circuitry in the panel that is
maintained when the panel is extended or retracted. For example,
there may be sufficient slack in a wire so that when the panel is
extended the electrical connection between the coil or power supply
circuitry in the panel is maintained with the power supply
circuitry in the power adapter. In one embodiment, the wall cord
itself has sufficient slack to maintain electrical connection
directly to the power supply circuitry in the panel.
[0074] FIGS. 31 and 32 show yet another embodiment of a power
supply in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the power supply 510 includes a power adapter
513 with a thin panel 602 that rotates or fans out to an extension
position. Just as in the retractable panel embodiment, the panel
602 includes a coil 20. In one embodiment, the coil 20 is a
spiral-round coil of Litz wire. The size, shape and configuration
of the coil 20 may vary from application to application depending
in part on the amount of power to be transmitted. For example, the
diameter of the coil 20, the number of turns of wire in the coil 20
and the size of the wire used to form the coil 20 may vary based on
the specific application. If desired, the panel 602 may include a
magnet 26. The panel 600 may be contoured to correspond in shape
with the intended wireless device. In the current embodiment, the
panel presents a thin structure capable of fitting under a slot
provided in the Laptop L. The panel may be selectably rotatable
between a variety of different positions. In one position, the
panel may be locked in a home position where the power adapter 513
of the current embodiment is configured similarly to the FIG. 3
embodiment. Although not illustrated, in alternative embodiments,
wired power connectors could be included in the power adapter. As
with the retractable embodiment, any combination of power supply
circuitry may be included in the panel and or adapter. Further,
there may be an electrical connection between the power adapter and
the panel that is maintained when the panel is extended or
retracted. For example, there may be sufficient slack in a wire
between the panel and the power adapter so that when the panel is
extended the electrical connection between the coil or power supply
circuitry in the panel is maintained with the power supply
circuitry in the power adapter. In one embodiment, the wall cord
itself has sufficient slack to maintain electrical connection
directly to the power supply circuitry in the panel.
[0075] The circuitry of the power supply 10 may vary from
application to application. A wide variety of circuits and circuit
components suitable for wirelessly supplying power from the power
supply to a wireless device D are known to those skilled in the
art. For purposes of disclosure, and not by way of limitation, one
suitable circuit is described in connection with FIG. 28. FIG. 28
is a schematic of a power supply circuit for wirelessly supplying
power to two separate wireless power transmitters 14. In this
embodiment, the wireless power transmitters are primary coils 20
configured to generate an electromagnetic field in response to the
application of a varying supply of power. The power supply
circuitry generally includes an AC/DC rectifier 60 for converting
the AC power received from the AC mains into DC power. The power
supply 10 also includes a dual-channel DC/DC step down converter 65
for converting the DC output of the AC/DC rectifier 60 to the
desired level. The dual-channel DC/DC converter 62 has the ability
to provide two DC outputs at different power levels. The power
supply 10 also includes a dual microcontroller 94 and a pair of
switching circuits 96. The dual microcontroller 94 is capable of
separately operating each pair of switching circuits 96 so that the
power supplied by the two primary coils 20 can be independently
adapted to the corresponding wireless device D. The dual
microcontroller 94 is programmed to send control signals to the
dual-channel DC/DC converter to set the power level of the DC
outputs. The dual microcontroller is also programmed to control the
two switching circuits 96 to generate the appropriate AC power for
the two coils 20. For example, the dual microcontroller can control
the timing of the switches to vary the operating frequency and/or
duty cycle of the signals applied to the two primary coils. As with
previously described embodiment of the power supply circuit, the
dual microcontroller 94 of this embodiment may follow essentially
any of a wide variety of inductive power supply control algorithms.
In some embodiments, the dual microcontroller 94 may vary one or
more characteristics of the power applied to a coil 20 based on
feedback from the corresponding portable device D. For example, the
dual microcontroller 94 may adjust resonant frequency, operating
frequency, rail voltage or duty cycle to affect the efficiency or
amount of power inductively transferred to the corresponding
portable device D. A wide variety of techniques and apparatus are
known for controlling operation of an inductive power supply. For
example, the dual microcontroller may be programmed to operate in
accordance with one of the control algorithms disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,825,620, which is entitled "Inductively Coupled Ballast
Circuit" and issued Nov. 30, 2004, to Kuennen et al; the adaptive
inductive power supply of U.S. Pat. No. 7,212,414, which is
entitled "Adaptive Inductive Power Supply" and issued May 1, 2007,
to Baarman; the inductive power supply with communication of U.S.
Ser. No. 10/689,148, which is entitled "Adaptive Inductive Power
Supply with Communication" and filed on Oct. 20, 2003 to Baarman;
the inductive power supply for wirelessly charging a LI-ION battery
of U.S. Ser. No. 11/855,710, which is entitled "System and Method
for Charging a Battery" and filed on Sep. 14, 2007 by Baarman; the
inductive power supply with device identification of U.S. Ser. No.
11/965,085, which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Device
Identification" and filed on Dec. 27, 2007 by Baarman et al; or the
inductive power supply with duty cycle control of U.S. Ser. No.
61/019,411, which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Duty
Cycle Control" and filed on Jan. 7, 2008 by Baarman--all of which
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Although
the embodiment of FIG. 28 includes a dual microcontroller, the dual
microcontroller may be replaced by separate microcontrollers for
each wireless power transmitter.
[0076] FIG. 28 also shows schematic representations of the
circuitry in a pair of wireless electronic devices D. As shown,
each device D is positioned adjacent to a different primary coil
20. In this embodiment, the circuits of the two devices D are
essentially identical. Accordingly, only one will be described in
detail. The wireless electronic devices D generally include a
wireless power receiver 22, an AC/DC rectifier 70, a
microcontroller 74, a battery 76 and a load 78. The wireless power
receiver 22 of this embodiment may be a secondary coil 22. The
secondary coil 22 is configured to inductively receive power from
the primary coil 20 in the power supply 10. The size, shape and
configuration of the secondary coil 22 may be selected to
correspond with the characteristics of the primary coil 20.
Although the wireless power receiver 22 of this embodiment is a
coil, the wireless device may include other forms of wireless power
receivers. The secondary coil 22 is electrically coupled to the
AC/DC rectifier 70. AC power generated in the secondary coil 22
passes into the rectifier 70 where it is converted to DC power. The
rectifier 70 may be configured to scale the DC power to the
appropriate level or the microcontroller 74 may include a DC/DC
converter for adjusting the output of the rectifier 70 before
applying it to the battery 76 or the load 78. The secondary
microcontroller 74 may follow essentially any of a wide variety of
inductive power supply control algorithms. In some embodiments, the
secondary microcontroller 74 may send communications to the primary
microcontroller 94 that permit the primary microcontroller 94 to
vary one or more characteristics of the power applied to the coil
20. For example, the secondary microcontroller 74 may send
communication signals indicative of the amount of power being
received from the primary coil 20 or indicating whether more or
less power is required. A wide variety of techniques and apparatus
are known for controlling operation of an inductive power supply in
the wireless electronic device. For example, the secondary
microcontroller may be programmed to operate in accordance with one
of the control algorithms disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,620,
which is entitled "Inductively Coupled Ballast Circuit" and issued
Nov. 30, 2004, to Kuennen et al; the adaptive inductive power
supply of U.S. Pat. No. 7,212,414, which is entitled "Adaptive
Inductive Power Supply" and issued May 1, 2007, to Baarman; the
inductive power supply with communication of U.S. Ser. No.
10/689,148, which is entitled "Adaptive Inductive Power Supply with
Communication" and filed on Oct. 20, 2003 to Baarman; the inductive
power supply for wirelessly charging a LI-ION battery of U.S. Ser.
No. 11/855,710, which is entitled "System and Method for Charging a
Battery" and filed on Sep. 14, 2007 by Baarman; the inductive power
supply with device identification of U.S. Ser. No. 11/965,085,
which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Device
Identification" and filed on Dec. 27, 2007 by Baarman et al; or the
inductive power supply with duty cycle control of U.S. Ser. No.
61/019,411, which is entitled "Inductive Power Supply with Duty
Cycle Control" and filed on Jan. 7, 2008 by Baarman--all of which
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0077] Although not shown, power supplies in accordance with a
second aspect of the present invention may include power outlet
ports for providing power to wired electronic devices WD. For
example, the power supplies of FIGS. 13-27 may be modified to
include power outlet ports. The number, location and specifications
of the power outlet ports may vary from application to
application.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 33, one embodiment of a multi-input
wireless power supply 10. The depicted embodiment includes an AC/DC
rectifier circuit 61 capable of accepting a first input voltage or
a second input voltage. In alternative embodiments, the AC/DC
rectifier circuit 61 may be capable of accepting additional input
voltages. The input voltages can be DC or AC. The input voltages
can be a variety of different levels. For example, in the depicted
embodiment, the AC/DC rectifier can accept 110 VAC or 220 VAC. In
alternative embodiments, the AC/DC rectifier might accept 110 VAC,
220 VAC, 19 VDC, or 5 VDC. The AC/DC rectifier produces a rectified
output. Where a DC input voltage is supplied, the rectifier has
little to no effect on the signal, but a rectified DC output is
still provided.
[0079] In addition to the AC/DC rectifier 61, in the current
embodiment a low power DC/DC step down converter 63 is provided in
order to supply power to a microcontroller. The size of the DC/DC
step down converter is kept small because only a small amount of
power is needed in order to power a microcontroller, typically only
a few microwatts. It may be possible in some embodiments to
eliminate the DC/DC converter if the circuit does not require a
small DC power source, for example if the microcontroller is
powered by a battery or if the circuit is designed with analog
components instead of a microcontroller.
[0080] The multi-input wireless power supply also includes a sensor
for detecting which of the first input voltage and the second input
voltage is connected to the multi-input wireless power supply. In
the current embodiment, the sensor is included in the AC/DC
rectifier circuit. In alternative constructions, the sensor may be
a separate component or may be integrated into the microcontroller
or another component. In embodiments with more than two input
voltages, the sensor may be capable of determining which input
voltage of a plurality of different input voltages is connected. In
the current embodiment, the sensor is a voltage sensor, but in
alternative constructions a current sensor, or another type of
sensor that can reliably indicate which source voltage is connected
to the wireless power supply could be used. In the current
embodiment, the rectified voltage is being sensed in the AC/DC
rectifier circuit, in alternative embodiments, the pre-rectified
voltage may be sensed, of course the programming in the controller
would need to be modified accordingly.
[0081] The multi-input wireless power supply also includes a
plurality of switching circuits 96, 97 each coupled to the
rectified output from the AC/DC rectifier. That is, the output from
the rectifier circuit 61 is coupled directly to the switching
circuit 96, 97 without first being stepped down with a step down
converter. In the current embodiment, the switching circuits are
rated for whichever of the first input voltage and the second input
voltage is higher. In embodiments capable of accepting more than
two different input voltages, the switching circuits may be rated
for the highest input voltage. In systems that can accept multiple
input voltages instead of having all switches be rated for the
highest input voltage, there may be a single switch rated for the
highest input voltage and additional switching circuits that are
only capable of being in the electrical path once the
microcontroller has determined that the input voltage is below the
rating of that switching circuit.
[0082] The current embodiment of the multi-input wireless power
supply also includes two tank circuits or wireless power
transmitters 14, 15. Alternative embodiments may include additional
tank circuits. Each tank circuit is designed to provide wireless
power to a remote device where the tank circuit components are
selected based at least as a function of the amount of DC voltage
that is being provided to the switching circuit associated with
that tank circuit. For example, if the tank circuit is to receive
165 VDC (that is 110 VAC, rectified), the characteristics of the
inductor 20 and capacitor 21 in the tank circuit 14 are selected
such that an appropriate amount of power will be transmitted to a
remote device placed proximate to the tank circuit. Different tank
circuit components are used for different input voltages. That is,
the tank circuit components for different input voltages such as 19
VDC, 5 VDC, or 308 VDC (220 VAC, rectified) are all
selected/designed separately in order to provide a target amount of
power to the remote device. In the current embodiment, the first
tank circuit 14 is coupled to one of the plurality of the switching
circuits 96. A second tank circuit 15 is coupled to a different one
of the plurality of the switching circuits 97. The characteristics
of the second tank circuit are selected for transferring power to
the remote device as a function of the second input voltage. That
is, the shape, size, and characteristics of the inductor 23 and the
capacitor 25 in the tank circuit are selected based on the second
input voltage, just as the shape, size, and characteristics of the
inductor 20 and capacitor 21 of the first tank circuit 14 were
selected based on the first input voltage. In the current
embodiment, the characteristics of the second tank circuit 14 are
different from the characteristics of the first tank circuit 15. In
the depicted embodiment, both tank circuits are designed to accept
a high DC rail voltage that has not been stepped down by a DC/DC
converter. One advantage of the current embodiment is that a
relatively bulky DC/DC converter is unnecessary and may be
eliminated from the circuit design.
[0083] In addition, the multi-input wireless power supply may be
designed to provide different amounts of wireless power. In some
embodiments, the multi-input wireless power supply may be dynamic
and adjust the amount of power to be provided to the remote device
based on operating frequency adjustment of the switching circuit,
duty cycle adjustment of the switching circuit, rail voltage
adjustment, or any other characteristic that may affect the amount
of power to be transferred. A number of these techniques are
discussed in the references previously incorporated by reference
and mentioned above.
[0084] The multi-input wireless power supply may also include a
microcontroller 95 coupled to the low power DC/DC converter and the
switching circuits. The microcontroller is programmed to control
the plurality of switching circuits based on output from the
sensor, which indicates which input source is connected. In the
most simple embodiment, the rectified voltage is provided to all of
the switching circuits, but only the switching circuit coupled to
the tank circuit designed for that particular input voltage (or
input voltage range) is operated. In other embodiments, the AC/DC
rectifier circuit may include a switch or multiplexer so that the
rectified voltage is only provided to the DC/DC step down converter
and the appropriate switching circuit. In some embodiments, it may
be possible to include an array of tank circuits/switching circuits
for each potential input voltage or input voltage range.
[0085] Instead of a multi-input wireless power supply that has the
ability to operate with multiple inputs, a single input high DC
rail wireless power supply may be designed such that it produces an
electromagnetic field similar to the electromagnetic filed produced
by a single input low DC rail wireless power supply. That is, a
single input wireless power supply may be designed without a high
power DC/DC converter so that the DC rectified voltage is used by a
switching circuit to generate an AC signal across a tank circuit
specifically designed to produce an electromagnetic field similar
to the filed that would be produced by a wireless power supply that
uses a low DC rail voltage to generate an electromagnetic
field.
[0086] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, a
method for designing a high DC rail wireless power supply is
provided. The method includes providing a low DC rail wireless
power supply including an AC/DC rectifier for generating a high DC
rail voltage, a DC/DC converter for stepping down the high DC rail
voltage into a low DC rail voltage. Providing a switching circuit
for switching the low DC rail voltage to generate an AC signal and
providing a tank circuit coupled to the AC signal for generating an
electromagnetic field. The method includes selecting components
based on the low DC rail wireless power supply. In particular, the
method includes selecting an AC/DC rectifier for generating a high
DC rail voltage, selecting a switching circuit rated for switching
the high DC rail voltage, selecting a tank circuit having
characteristics for generating an electromagnetic field similar to
the electromagnetic field produced by the low DC rail wireless
power supply in response to the high DC rail voltage.
[0087] The above description is that of current embodiments of the
invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without
departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention.
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