PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10326316-B2
Application Number: US-201715804596-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Wireless charging system with inductance imaging

Abstract:
A wireless power transmission system has a wireless power receiving device that is located on a charging surface. The wireless power transmitting device has an array of wireless power transmitting coils that overlap the charging surface. The wireless power transmitting device uses inductance measurement circuitry that is coupled to the coil array to measure coil inductances for the wireless power transmitting coils. The wireless power receiving device may contain a communications integrated circuit, display circuitry, or other sensitive components. The location and orientation of the wireless receiving device on the charging surface can be determined by analyzing the coil inductances. This information and information on the location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device can be used to select a wireless power transmitting coil to transmit wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device without exposing the sensitive component to excessive wireless power signals.

Claims:
What is Claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless power transmitting device having a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device, wherein the wireless power receiving device has a sensitive component that is sensitive to exposure to wireless power signals and that has a wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device while the sensitive component is at a location on the charging surface, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 an array of wireless power transmitting coils; 
 inverter circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply drive signals to the array of wireless power transmitting coils to produce the wireless power signals; 
 inductance measurement circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 gather coil inductance measurements from the array of wireless power transmitting coils with the inductance measurement circuitry; 
 determine the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface by analyzing the coil inductance measurements to identify an area in the wireless power receiving device that is sensitive to wireless power signal exposure; and 
 select at least a given wireless power transmitting coil from among the array of wireless power transmitting coils to transmit the wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving coil based on the location of the sensitive component and based on coil inductance measurements. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry is configured to analyze the coil inductance measurements to determine a location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device on the charging surface. 
     
     
       3. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 2  wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface using the location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device on the charging surface and using information on a location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device. 
     
     
       4. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 3  further comprising storage, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device by retrieving information on the location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device from the storage. 
     
     
       5. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 4  wherein the control circuitry is configured to retrieve the information on the location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device based on information identifying the wireless power receiving device. 
     
     
       6. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 5  wherein the control circuitry is configured to produce the information identifying the wireless power receiving device by analyzing the coil inductance measurements. 
     
     
       7. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 5  wherein the control circuitry is configured to obtain the information identifying the wireless power receiving device from the wireless power receiving device over a wireless communications link. 
     
     
       8. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 1  wherein the inductance measurement circuitry comprises impulse response measurement circuitry. 
     
     
       9. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 8  wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface using the impulse response measurement circuitry. 
     
     
       10. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 9  wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
 establish a wireless communications link with the wireless power receiving device in response to detecting that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface; and 
 obtain information identifying where the sensitive component is located within the wireless power receiving device from the wireless power receiving device over the communications link. 
 
     
     
       11. A wireless power transmitting device having a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device, wherein the wireless power receiving device has a sensitive component that includes circuitry that is sensitive to radio-frequency interference when exposed to wireless power signals and that has a wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device while the sensitive component is at a location on the charging surface, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 an array of wireless power transmitting coils; 
 inverter circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply drive signals to the array of wireless power transmitting coils to produce the wireless power signals that are received by the wireless power receiving device; 
 inductance measurement circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 measure coil inductances for the wireless power transmitting coils using the inductance measurement circuitry; and 
 analyze the coil inductances to select a wireless power transmitting coil to transmit the wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving coil, wherein when the wireless power receiving coil overlaps a first of the wireless power transmitting coils by a first amount and overlaps a second of the wireless power transmitting coils by a second amount that is less than the first amount and when the first wireless power transmitting coil is coupled to the sensitive component more than the second wireless power transmitting coil, the second coil is the selected coil. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 11  wherein the control circuitry is configured to select the wireless power transmitting coil to transmit the wireless power signals based at least partly on the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface. 
     
     
       13. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 12  wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface by analyzing the coil inductances. 
     
     
       14. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 12  wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface based at least partly on information received wirelessly from the wireless power receiving device over a wireless communications link. 
     
     
       15. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 11  wherein the control circuitry is configured to analyze the coil inductances to determine a location and orientation for the wireless power receiving device on the charging surface and is configured to use the location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device to select the wireless power transmitting coil. 
     
     
       16. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 15  wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface using the location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device on the charging surface and using information on a location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device. 
     
     
       17. A wireless power transmitting device configured to supply wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device that contains a sensitive component that is sensitive to interference from the wireless power signals, comprising:
 an array of wireless power transmitting coils overlapping a charging surface; 
 inverter circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply drive signals to the array of wireless power transmitting coils to produce the wireless power signals; 
 impulse response measurement circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 measure coil inductances for the wireless power transmitting coils using the impulse response measurement circuitry; 
 determine a location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device on the charging surface from the measured coil inductances; and 
 identify a given one of the wireless power transmitting coils to use to transmit the wireless power signals without interfering with the sensitive component based on the location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 17  wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
 determine a location at which the sensitive component overlaps the charging surface by analyzing the measured coil inductances; and 
 identify the given one of the wireless power transmitting coils to transmit the wireless power signals based at least partly on the location at which the sensitive component overlaps the charging surface. 
 
     
     
       19. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 17  wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
 determine a location at which the sensitive component overlaps the charging surface based on the location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device; and 
 identify the given one of the wireless power transmitting coils to use in transmitting the wireless power signals based at least partly on the location at which the sensitive component overlaps the charging surface.

Description:
This patent application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 62/457,739 filed on Feb. 10, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to wireless systems, and, more particularly, to systems in which devices are wirelessly charged. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a wireless charging system, a wireless power transmitting device such as a device with a charging surface wirelessly transmits power to a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device receives the wirelessly transmitted power and uses this power to charge an internal battery and to power components in the portable electronic device. 
     It can be challenging to regulate the flow of wireless power in a wireless charging system. For example, in a wireless charging system having adjustable operating settings, it can be difficult to determine which settings to use to effectively transmit wireless power to an electronic device. 
     SUMMARY 
     A wireless power transmitting device has an array of wireless power transmitting coils that overlap a charging surface. The charging surface is configured to receive a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power receiving device has a wireless power receiving coil that receives wireless power signals transmitted by the wireless power transmitting device. The wireless power receiving device may also contain a communications integrated circuit, display circuitry, or other component that is sensitive to radio-frequency interference, a metal component that can become heated when exposed to wireless power signals, or other sensitive component. The wireless power transmitting device can select a given one of the array of wireless power transmitting coils to transmit the wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device without exposing a sensitive component in the wireless power receiving device to excessive wireless power signals. 
     The wireless power transmitting device uses inductance measurement circuitry that is coupled to the coil array to measure coil inductances for the wireless power transmitting coils. The location and orientation of the wireless receiving device on the charging surface can be determined by analyzing the coil inductances. Information on the location and orientation of the wireless receiving device on the charging surface and information on the location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device can be used to select the given wireless power transmitting coil to transmit wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device without exposing the sensitive component to excessive wireless power signals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative wireless charging system in accordance with embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram of an illustrative wireless charging system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a graph of an illustrative impulse response to an applied impulse signal in a wireless charging system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of illustrative wireless power transmitting and wireless power receiving circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of an illustrative wireless power transmitting device with an array of coils that forms a wireless charging surface in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a graph showing illustrative inductances produced in first and second wireless power transmitting coils in a wireless power transmitting device as a function of wireless power receiving device coil location in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in operating a wireless power transmission system in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A wireless power system has a wireless power transmitting device that transmits power wirelessly to a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power transmitting device is a device such as a wireless charging mat, wireless charging puck, wireless charging stand, wireless charging table, or other wireless power transmitting equipment. The wireless power transmitting device has one or more coils that are used in transmitting wireless power to one or more wireless power receiving coils in the wireless power receiving device. The wireless power receiving device is a device such as a cellular telephone, watch, media player, tablet computer, pair of earbuds, remote control, laptop computer, other portable electronic device, or other wireless power receiving equipment. 
     During operation, the wireless power transmitting device supplies alternating-current drive signals to one or more wireless power transmitting coils in an array of coils. This causes the coils to transmit alternating-current electromagnetic signals (sometimes referred to as wireless power signals) to one or more corresponding coils in the wireless power receiving device. Rectifier circuitry in the wireless power receiving device converts received wireless power signals into direct-current (DC) power for powering the wireless power receiving device. 
     An illustrative wireless power system (wireless charging system) is shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , wireless power system  8  includes wireless power transmitting device  12  and one or more wireless power receiving devices such as wireless power receiving device  10 . Device  12  may be a stand-alone device such as a wireless charging mat, may be built into furniture, or may be other wireless charging equipment. Device  10  is a portable electronic device such as a wristwatch, a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, or other electronic equipment. Illustrative configurations in which device  12  is a mat or other equipment that forms a wireless charging surface and in which device  10  is a portable electronic device that rests on the wireless charging surface during wireless power transfer operations are sometimes be described herein as examples. 
     During operation of system  8 , a user places one or more devices  10  on the charging surface of device  12 . Power transmitting device  12  is coupled to a source of alternating-current voltage such as alternating-current power source  50  (e.g., a wall outlet that supplies line power or other source of mains electricity), has a battery such as battery  38  for supplying power, and/or is coupled to another source of power. A power converter such as alternating-current-to-direct current (AC-DC) power converter  40  can convert power from a mains power source or other alternating-current (AC) power source into direct-current (DC) power that is used to power control circuitry  42  and other circuitry in device  12 . During operation, control circuitry  42  uses wireless power transmitting circuitry  34  and one or more coil(s)  36  coupled to circuitry  34  to transmit alternating-current electromagnetic signals  48  to device  10  and thereby convey wireless power to wireless power receiving circuitry  46  of device  10 . 
     Power transmitting circuitry  34  has switching circuitry (inverter circuitry) that supplies AC signals (drive signals) to one or more of coils  36  during wireless power transfer operations. One or more coils  36  may be used at a time for wireless power transfer. For example, a single coil  36  may supply power to a single receiving device that overlaps that coil, two coils  36  (e.g., adjacent coils) may supply power to a single device overlapping those two coils or to a pair of devices overlapping those coils, three or more coils may be driven to supply power to a single overlapping receiving device or to multiple overlapping receiving devices, two or more coils or three or more coils that are not adjacent to each other may be driven simultaneously to supply power to two or more or three or more devices at different respective locations on the coil array, etc. 
     The inverter circuitry that supplies the drive signals to coils  36  may include a single pair of transistors or other inverter circuit coupled to multiple coils  36  through multiplexer circuitry (e.g., to allow those transistors to be shared between multiple coils), may include a pair of transistors or other inverter circuit associated with each coil, and/or may include other inverter circuit arrangements that allow alternating-current drive signals to be supplied to one or more selected coils  36 . 
     During power transfer operations, transistors in the inverter circuitry are turned on and off based on control signals provided by control circuitry  42 . In configurations in which multiple coils have multiple respective inverter circuits, the transistors in the active coils (coils selected for wireless power transfer) may be turned on and off without turning on and off the transistors in the inactive coils. In configurations in which multiplexing circuitry is used to couple the inverter circuitry to selected coils, the multiplexing circuitry is configured appropriately to route AC signals from the inverter circuitry to the selected coils. As the AC signals pass through one or more coils  36  that have been selected for supplying wireless power, alternating-current electromagnetic fields (wireless power signals  48 ) are produced that are received by corresponding coil(s)  14  coupled to wireless power receiving circuitry  46  in receiving device  10 . When the alternating-current electromagnetic fields are received by coil  14 , corresponding alternating-current currents and voltages are induced in coil  14 . Rectifier circuitry in circuitry  46  converts received AC signals (received alternating-current currents and voltages associated with wireless power signals) from coil(s)  14  into DC voltage signals for powering device  10 . The DC voltages are used in powering components in device  10  such as display  52 , touch sensor components and other sensors  54  (e.g., accelerometers, force sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors, pressure sensors, gas sensors, moisture sensors, magnetic sensors, etc.), wireless communications circuits  56  for communicating wirelessly with corresponding wireless communications circuitry  58  in control circuitry  42  of wireless power transmitting device  12  and/or other equipment, audio components, and other components (e.g., input-output devices  22  and/or control circuitry  20 ) and are used in charging an internal battery in device  10  such as battery  18 . 
     Devices  12  and  10  include control circuitry  42  and  20 . Control circuitry  42  and  20  includes storage and processing circuitry such as microprocessors, power management units, baseband processors, digital signal processors, microcontrollers, and/or application-specific integrated circuits with processing circuits. Control circuitry  42  and  20  is configured to execute instructions for implementing desired control and communications features in system  8 . For example, control circuitry  42  and/or  20  may be used in determining power transmission levels, processing sensor data, processing user input, processing other information such as information on wireless coupling efficiency from transmitting circuitry  34 , processing information from receiving circuitry  46 , using sensing circuitry to measure coil inductances and other parameters, processing measured inductance values, using information from circuitry  34  and/or  46  such as signal measurements on output circuitry in circuitry  34  and other information from circuitry  34  and/or  46  to determine when to start and stop wireless charging operations, adjusting charging parameters such as charging frequencies, coil settings (e.g., which coils are active and weights for active coils) in a multi-coil array, and wireless power transmission levels, and performing other control functions. Control circuitry  42  and  20  may be configured to support wireless communications between devices  12  and  10  (e.g., control circuitry  20  may include wireless communications circuitry such as circuitry  56  and control circuitry  42  may include wireless communications circuitry such as circuitry  58 ). Control circuitry  42  and/or  20  may be configured to perform these operations using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry) and/or software (e.g., code that runs on the hardware of system  8 ). Software code for performing these operations is stored on non-transitory computer readable storage media (e.g., tangible computer readable storage media). The software code may sometimes be referred to as software, data, program instructions, instructions, or code. The non-transitory computer readable storage media may include non-volatile memory such as non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM), one or more hard drives (e.g., magnetic drives or solid state drives), one or more removable flash drives or other removable media, other computer readable media, or combinations of these computer readable media or other storage. Software stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media may be executed on the processing circuitry of control circuitry  42  and/or  20 . The processing circuitry may include application-specific integrated circuits with processing circuitry, one or more microprocessors, or other processing circuitry. 
     Device  12  and/or device  10  may communicate wirelessly over a wireless communications link established during operation of system  8 . Devices  10  and  12  may, for example, have wireless transceiver circuitry in control circuitry  20  and  42  (see, e.g., wireless communications circuitry such as circuitry  56  and  58  of  FIG. 1 ) that allows wireless transmission of signals between devices  10  and  12  (e.g., using antennas that are separate from coils  36  and  14  to transmit and receive unidirectional or bidirectional wireless signals, using coils  36  and  14  to transmit and receive unidirectional or bidirectional wireless signals, etc.). 
     A circuit diagram of illustrative circuitry for wireless power transfer (wireless power charging) system  8  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , wireless power transmitting circuitry  34  includes an inverter such as inverter  70  or other drive circuit that produces alternating-current drive signals such as variable-duty-cycle square waves or other drive signals for implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) power modulation scheme, variable amplitude square waves or other drive signals for implementing an amplitude modulation (AM) power modulation scheme, or phase-shift modulated drive signals for implementing a phase shift power modulation scheme (as examples). These signals are driven through an output circuit such as output circuit  71  that includes coil(s)  36  and capacitor(s)  72  to produce wireless power signals that are transmitted wirelessly to device  10 . 
     Coil(s)  36  are electromagnetically coupled with coil(s)  14 . A single coil  36  and single corresponding coil  14  are shown in the example of  FIG. 2 . In general, device  12  may have any suitable number of coils (1-100, more than 5, more than 10, fewer than 40, fewer than 30, 5-25, etc.) and device  10  may have any suitable number of coils. Switching circuitry (sometimes referred to as multiplexer circuitry) that is controlled by control circuitry  42  can be located before and/or after each coil (e.g., before and/or after each coil  36  and/or before and/or after the other components of output circuit  71  in device  12  to couple the inverter of output circuit  71  to the array) and can be used to switch desired sets of one or more coils (e.g., coils  36  and output circuits  71  in device  12 ) into or out of use. For example, if it is determined that device  10  is located in a position that overlaps a particular coil  36  in device  12 , then the particular coil  36  overlapping device  10  may be activated during wireless power transmission operations while other coils  36  (e.g., coils not overlapped by device  10  in this example) are turned off. 
     Control circuitry  42  and control circuitry  20  contain wireless transceiver circuits (e.g., circuits such as wireless communication circuitry  56  and  58  of  FIG. 1 ) for supporting wireless data transmission between devices  12  and  10 . In device  10 , control circuitry  20  (e.g., communications circuitry  56 ) can use path  91  and coil  14  to transmit data to device  12 . In device  12 , paths such as path  74  may be used to supply incoming data signals that have been received from device  10  using coil  36  to demodulating (receiver) circuitry in communications circuitry  58  of control circuitry  42 . If desired, path  74  may be used in transmitting wireless data to device  10  with coil  36  that is received by receiver circuitry in circuitry  56  of circuitry  20  using coil  14  and path  91 . Configurations in which circuitry  56  of circuitry  20  and circuitry  58  of circuitry  42  have antennas that are separate from coils  36  and  14  may also be used for supporting unidirectional and/or bidirectional wireless communications between devices  12  and  10 , if desired. 
     During wireless power transmission operations, transistors (switches) in inverter  70  are controlled using AC control signals from control circuitry  42 . Control circuitry  42  uses control path  76  to supply control signals to the gates of the transistors in inverter  70 . The duty cycle and/or other attributes of these control signals and therefore the corresponding characteristics of the drive signals applied by inverter  70  to coil  36  and the corresponding wireless power signals produced by coil  36  can be adjusted dynamically. Using switching circuitry, control circuitry  42  selects which coil or coils to supply with drive signals. Using duty cycle adjustments and/or other adjustments (e.g., drive frequency adjustments, amplitude adjustments, phase shift modulation scheme adjustments, etc.), control circuitry  42  can adjust the strength of the drive signals applied to each coil. A single selected coil may be used in transmitting power wirelessly from device  12  to device  10  or multiple coils  36  may be used in transmitting power. One or more devices  10  may receive wireless power and each of these devices may have one or more wireless power receiving coils that receive power from one or more corresponding wireless power transmitting coils. 
     Wireless power receiving device  10  has wireless power receiving circuitry  46 . Circuitry  46  includes rectifier circuitry such as rectifier  80  (e.g., a synchronous rectifier controlled by signals from control circuitry  20 ) that converts received alternating-current signals from coil  14  (e.g., wireless power signals received by coil  14 ) into direct-current (DC) power signals for powering circuitry in device  10  such as load  100 . Load circuitry such as load  100  may include battery  18 , a power circuit such as a battery charging integrated circuit or other power management integrated circuit(s) that receives power from rectifier circuitry  80  and regulates the flow of this power to battery  18 , and/or other input-output devices  22 . Load circuitry  100  may contain a display, a touch sensor that overlaps the display, one or more touch sensors that are separate from the display, temperature sensors, accelerometers, pressure sensors, force sensors, compasses and gyroscopes, light-based proximity sensors and other proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, and/or other sensors, buttons, a keyboard, audio components such as speakers and microphones, integrated circuits for implementing control circuitry and communications circuitry (e.g., wireless communications circuitry), and/or other components. One or more capacitors C 2  are used to couple coil  14  in input circuit  90  of device  10  to input terminals for rectifier circuitry  80 . Rectifier circuitry  80  produces corresponding output power at output terminals that are coupled to load  100 . If desired, load  100  may include sensor circuitry (e.g., current and voltage sensors) for monitoring the flow of power to load  100  from rectifier  80 . 
     The properties (e.g., impedance) of each wireless power transmitting coil  36  in device  12  can be affected (e.g., increased) by the presence of overlapping coil(s)  14  and associated magnetic material (e.g., ferrite core material, etc.) in device  10 . For example, the inductance L of one or more coils  36  can increase when device  10  is present in a position on the charging surface that overlaps those coils. The structures in device  10  such as metal housing walls and other metal structures, speakers, vibrators, and other components in device  10  that contain magnetic materials, and/or other electrical and structural components of device  10  can also affect measured coil inductance. The location(s) of coil(s)  14  and, in some configurations, the locations of other device structures (housing structures, components with magnetic materials, and other components) can therefore be determined by making inductance measurements or other signal measurements on each of coils  36  and processing these measurements (e.g., using interpolation techniques, etc.). This allows the location and orientation of device  10  on coils  36  to be determined. Based on information such as the location and orientation of device  10  and information on the locations of sensitive portions of device  10 , one or more coils  36  may be selected in transmitting wireless power signals and the magnitude of the wireless power signals transmitted by each of these coils can be adjusted appropriately. For example, device  12  can select a given coil to use in transmitting wireless power signals that exhibits satisfactory coupling with the wireless receiving coil in device  10  while avoiding excessive exposure of the sensitive portions of device  10  to wireless power signals. The locations of the sensitive portions of device  10  may be measured by device  12  or may be determined by device  12  based on information on the location of the sensitive portions within device  10  and other information such as the location and orientation of device  10  on coils  36 . A sensitive portion of device  10  may be a metal structure that is subject to heating when exposed to transmitted wireless power signals, may be associated with a sensitive component having magnetic materials that may influence the wireless power signals transmitted by device  12 , and/or may be the positions of other electrical and/or structural components in device  10  for which it may be desired to limit exposure to wireless power signals (e.g., because the circuitry of a sensitive component may be sensitive to radio-frequency interference from the transmitted wireless power signals). 
     During wireless power transmission operations, transistors in inverter  70  are driven by AC control signals from control circuitry  42 . Control circuitry  42  uses measurement circuitry  102  to make measurements on coils  36  (e.g., to monitor the charging surface of device  12  for the presence of objects such as device  10  and/or incompatible foreign objects). Measurement circuitry  102  may be coupled to node N in output circuit  71  using path  104 . Measurement circuitry  102  includes oscillatory circuitry that applies alternating-current probe signals while measuring corresponding signals on node N (e.g., to measure coil impedance and/or changes in coil impedance as the probe signal frequency is maintained at one or more fixed frequencies and/or is swept between first and second frequencies). If desired, measurement circuitry  102  can include impulse response circuitry. For impulse response measurements, control circuitry  42  uses inverter  70  to apply square wave impulse pulses or other impulses to each coil  36  while using impulse response measurement circuitry in circuitry  102  to make measurements on output circuit  71  (e.g., measurements on the inductance L of coil  36 , measurements of quality factor Q, which is associated with a resonating signal decay rate when a resonant circuit including coil  36  is stimulated with an impulse, etc.). 
     Each coil  36  in device  12  (e.g., a coil such as coil  36  of  FIG. 2  that has been selected by control circuitry  42  using multiplexing circuitry in wireless transmitter circuitry  34 ) has an inductance L. One or more capacitors in output circuit  71  such as capacitor  72  exhibit a capacitance C 1  that is coupled in series with inductance L in output circuit  71 . When supplied with alternating-current drive signals from inverter  70 , the output circuit formed from coil  36  and capacitor  72  will produce alternating-current electromagnetic fields that are received by coil(s)  14  in device  10 . The inductance L of each coil  36  is influenced by magnetic coupling with external objects, so measurements of inductance L for each coil  36  in device  12  can reveal information on device(s)  10  on the charging surface of device  12 . 
     During impulse response measurements, circuitry  42  uses impulse response measurement circuitry  102  (sometimes referred to as inductance measurement circuitry and/or Q factor measurement circuitry) to perform measurements of inductance L and quality factor Q. Impedance measurements and other measurements with circuitry  102  may be initiated in response to detection of an external object on device  12  using a foreign object detection sensor (e.g., a sensor using coils  36  and/or other coils, a sensor using light-based sensing, capacitive based sensing, or other sensing techniques, etc.). Impedance measurements and other measurements with circuitry  102  may also be initiated in response to manual input, based on wirelessly received commands, etc. During the measurements, control circuitry  42  directs inverter  70  to supply one or more excitation pulses (impulses) to each coil  36 , so that the inductance L and capacitance C 1  of the capacitor  72  in the output circuit  71  that includes that coil  36  form a resonant circuit. The impulses may be, for example, square wave pulses of 1 μs in duration. Longer or shorter pulses and/or pulses of other shapes may be applied, if desired. The resonant circuit resonates at a frequency near to the normal wireless charging frequency of coil  36  (e.g., about 120 kHz, 50-300 kHz, about 240 kHz, 100-500 kHz, or other suitable wireless charging frequency) or may resonate at other frequencies. 
     The impulse response (e.g., the voltage V(N) at node N of circuit  71 ) to the applied pulse(s) is as shown in  FIG. 3 . The frequency of the impulse response signal of  FIG. 3  is proportional to 1/sqrt(LC1), so L can be obtained from the known value of C 1  and the measured frequency of the impulse response signal. Q may be derived from L and the measured decay of the impulse response signal. As shown in  FIG. 3 , if signal V(N) decays slowly, Q is high (e.g., HQ) and if signal V(N) decays more rapidly, Q is low (e.g., SQ). Measurement of the decay envelope of V(N) and frequency of V(N) of the impulse response signal of  FIG. 3  with circuitry  102  will therefore allow control circuitry  42  to determine Q and L. 
       FIG. 4  shows how wireless power transmitting circuitry  34  includes switching circuitry  110 . Signals from inverter circuitry  70  are applied to switching circuitry  110  at input  112 . Switching circuitry  110  forms part of wireless power transmitting circuitry  34  (sometimes referred to as inverter circuitry). Control signals applied to control input  116  by control circuitry  42  direct switching circuitry  110  to route the signals from input  112  to a selected one of coils  36  in an array of coils  36  in device  12 . Wireless power receiving circuitry  46  of device  10  includes one or more coils  14 . In configurations for device  10  that include multiple coils  14 , coils  14  are coupled to switching circuitry  120 . Control circuitry  20  applies control signals to control input  122  that direct switching circuitry  120  to route signals from a selected one of coils  14  to rectifier  80  via output terminals  124 . 
     With one illustrative configuration for wireless transmitting device  12 , wireless transmitting device  12  is a wireless charging mat or other wireless power transmitting equipment that has an array of coils  36  that supply wireless power over a wireless charging surface that overlaps the array of coils. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , device  12  has an array of coils  36  that lie in the X-Y plane. There are 15 coils C 1  . . . C 15  in the example of  FIG. 5 . Device  12  may have more coils  36  or fewer coils  36  if desired and, in some embodiments, coils C 1  . . . C 15  include overlapping coils. 
     Coils  36  of device  12  are covered by a planar dielectric structure such as a plastic member or other structure forming charging surface  60 . The lateral dimensions (X and Y dimensions) of the array of coils  36  in device  36  may be 1-1000 cm, 5-50 cm, more than 5 cm, more than 20 cm, less than 200 cm, less than 75 cm, or other suitable size. Coils  36  may overlap or may be arranged in a non-overlapping configuration. Coils  36  can be placed in a rectangular array having rows and columns and/or may be tiled using a hexagonal tile pattern, a pattern with square tiles, or other pattern. 
     The wireless power receiving coil of device  10  may have a circular shape (see, e.g., coil  14 ), a rectangular shape (see, e.g., coil  14 R), or other suitable shape. When a user places device  10  on charging surface  60 , coil  14  (or multiple coils  14  in configurations in which device  10  contains multiple coils) will overlap one or more coils  36 . Control circuitry  42  uses impedance measurement circuitry such as impulse response measurement circuitry  102  and switching circuitry  110  to measure L for each of coils  36  under charging surface  60 . If the measured value of L for a given coil matches the normal (nominal) L value expected for each of coils  36  in the array of coils  36  overlapping surface  60  (e.g., when the measured L value is not influenced by the presence of coil  14  or other portions of device  10 ), control circuitry  42  can conclude that device  10  is not present on the array of coils  36  in device  12 . If a given measured value of L is larger than expected, control circuitry  42  can conclude that a portion of the housing of device  10  is present (e.g., if a decrease in L has been measured) or that coil  14  is present (e.g., if an increase in L has been measured). The locations and L values of each measured coil  36  can be analyzed by control circuitry  42  to help detect which type of device  10  is present (e.g., impedance-change patterns, which may sometimes be referred to as impedance images or impedance patterns, can be used to help identify different types of device and/or particular devices). Impedance patterns can also be analyzed by device  12  to determine the location of device  10  (e.g., the center of coil  14  and/or center of device  10 ) and to determine the angular orientation A of device  12 . Using information on the location and orientation of device  10  and information on where a component that is sensitive to interference or heating from exposure to wireless power signals such as sensitive component  160  is located within device  10  and/or other information, device  12  selects a given coil for transmitting wireless power signals to device  10 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 5 , coil  14  of device  10  is overlapping coils C 7  and C 8 . Device  10  (e.g., the housing of device  10 ) in the example of  FIG. 5  has a rectangular footprint (outline when viewed from above) and is characterized by longitudinal axis  130 . Axis  130  is aligned at an angle A with respect to horizontal axis X in  FIG. 5  (e.g., an angle of 0-360°). Knowledge of the location of the center of coil  14  and the value of angle A (the angular orientation of device  10  relative to device  12 ) can be used to adjust charging system parameters (e.g., to make transmitting coil selections, to adjust maximum transmit powers, and/or to adjust other system settings). For example, after a wireless link has been established between device  10  and device  12 , device  10  can inform device  12  of the location of components that are potentially sensitive to exposure from wireless power signals relative to coil  14  and the outline of device  10  such as sensitive component  160  (e.g. radio-frequency-sensitive components that are sensitive to radio-frequency interference due to the wireless power signals or other sensitive components). 
     Device  12  can also use impedance measurements of coils  36  to detect the locations of sensitive components (e.g., by measuring where metal components are located, by measuring where magnetic material is located in device  10  that is not overlapped by coil  14 , etc.). Control circuitry  42  in device  12  can also use impedance measurements on coils  36  to determine the position of device  10  (e.g., the location of coil  14  and the orientation of device  10  in the X-Y plane). Based on knowledge of the location of sensitive component  160  within device  10  and information on the location and orientation of device  12  and/or other suitable information, the location of sensitive component  160  relative to each of coils  36  can be determined. This information and information on the amount that each of coils  36  are overlapped by coil  14  (e.g., coupling information obtained from measured inductance values), control circuitry  42  can determine appropriate settings for transmitting wireless power to device  10  (e.g., a desired transmitting coil selection). 
     Consider, as an example, the scenario of  FIG. 5  in which power receiving coil  14  overlaps power transmitting coils C 7  and C 8 . Coil  14  overlaps coil C 7  more than coil C 8 , so coil C 7  has more electromagnetic coupling with coil  14  than coil C 8  and is therefore to be preferred over coil C 8  in transmitting wireless power signals to device  10  in the absence of other considerations. In the absence of sensitive components in device  10  such as sensitive component  160 , device  12  could select coil C 7  for transmitting wireless power to device  10  to maximize wireless power transfer efficiency. In device  10  of  FIG. 5 , however, sensitive component  160  is present and is located adjacent to coil C 7  and relatively far from coil C 8 . Sensitive component  160  is partly overlapped by coil C 7  and is therefore in a position where interference and/or heating from wireless power transmission signals from coil C 7  are not desired. Even though coil C 7  would normally be preferred over coil C 8  in transmitting wireless power to device  10  because coil C 7  is more coupled to coil  14  than coil C 8 , device  12  is aware of the location of sensitive component  160  and therefore can determine the amounts of overlap and coupling between coil C 7  and sensitive component  160  and between coil C 8  and sensitive component  160 . Coil C 7  is more coupled to sensitive component  160  than coil C 8 , so if the difference between the coupling of coils C 7  and C 8  to coils  14  is not too great (e.g., if satisfactory wireless power transfer performance can be obtained using either of these coils), device  12  can select coil C 8  to use in wirelessly transmitting power to device  10  in order to minimize exposure of component  160  to wireless power signals from coil C 7 . 
     Device  12  may obtain information on the location of component  160  (sometimes referred to as sensitive component location information) from device  10  (e.g., device  10  may provide information such as lateral coordinates defining the position of component  160  relative to the position of coil  14  and/or the edges of device  10  or other reference structures such as speakers, that can be detected by the measurement circuitry of device  12 ). Device  12  may also obtain sensitive component location information (e.g., information on where component  160  is located within device  10 ) by identifying device  10  and retrieving appropriate sensitive component information for the identified device from a database maintained in device  12 . 
     Device  12  may identify device  10  based on an inductance-based image of device  10  obtained from coil inductance measurements made with inductance measurement circuitry  102  or based on wirelessly transmitted information from device  10 . Information on sensitive component locations within various power receiving devices may be maintained for each device  10  owned by a user, for each device  10  registered with device  12 , for each known device or each commonly used device that is that is available to consumers, etc. 
     In some configurations, sensitive component  160  may be formed from one or more integrated circuits such as a wireless communications integrated circuit (e.g., a radio-frequency transceiver, baseband processor, or other communications circuitry), display driver circuitry, touch sensor circuitry, or other circuitry that is sensitive to signal interference when wireless power signals are transmitted by device  12 . 
       FIG. 6  is a graph showing how measured inductance L varies as a function of the position of coil  14  on charging surface  60 . In the example of  FIG. 6 , a first of coils  36  (e.g., coil C 7  of  FIG. 5 ) is located at position (X,Y)=(0,0) and a second of coils  36  (e.g., coil C 8  of  FIG. 5 ) is located at position (X,Y)=(X1, 0). Curve  150  shows how the inductance of the first coil is highest when coil  14  is aligned with the first coil  36  and decreases as coil  14  is located at increasing distances X from the first coil. Curve  152  shows how the inductance of the second coil is highest when coil  14  is aligned with the second coil and decreases as coil  14  is located at increasing distances from the second coil (decreasing values of X). Curves  150  and  152  represent the non-linear relationships between L and receiver coil position relative to transmitter coil position. These non-linear relationships may be stored in device  12  using non-linear equations (e.g., non-linear expressions such as curve-fit nth-order polynomials where n is 2-7, more than 3, more than 2, less than 5, or other suitable value) and/or numerical look-up table entries. During non-linear interpolation operations, control circuitry  42  measures the inductance of the first and second coils and uses these inductance measurements to determine the locations of coil  14 . In the example of  FIG. 6 , the measured inductance of the first coil (C 7 ) is L1 and the measured inductance of the second coil (C 8 ) is L2. Control circuitry  42  uses interpolation (e.g., expression-based non-linear interpolation or look-up-table-based non-linear interpolation) to determine coil position XD (e.g., the position of center  14 CP of coil  14  of  FIG. 5  relative to the first and second coils  36 ) from the measured values of L1 and L2. 
     In the  FIG. 6  example, device  10  has a coil  14  that partly overlaps two coils  36 . If desired, interpolation techniques may be used to determine the position of coil  14  (X,Y) on charging surface  60  from more than two coil inductance measurements. For example, the position of coil  14  can be determined by measuring the changes in inductance of three of coils  36  that are affected by the presence of coil  14 , changes in inductance of four coils  36 , changes in inductance of 5-20 coils  36 , changes in inductance of more than 10 coils, fewer than 10 coils, 2-7 coils, etc. 
     Inductance measurements can be analyzed to determine the location and orientation of device  10  on charging surface  60 . For example, inductance measurements can be made to determine the location and orientation (angular orientation A) of the housing for device  10 , the location of the center of coil  14  and the location of asymmetrically located component(s) in device  10 , the outline of a coil that is not rotationally symmetric, and/or other information on the position of device  10  on charging surface. Device  10  may, for example, have a housing formed from metal or other material that tends to lower the measured inductance for transmitting coils  36  that are overlapped by the housing. In scenarios in which the outline of device  10  is rectangular, the array of coils  36  under surface  60  may experience a corresponding rectangular set of inductance decreases. The outline of device  10  can be measured by using control circuitry  42  to recognize a rectangular pattern (inductance image) of lowered L values or other changed L values. By measuring the location of a rectangular set of reduced inductance values (e.g., a pattern of reduced coil inductances that have the shape of a known device  10 ), the location (X,Y position) and angular orientation (angle A of  FIG. 5 ) of device  10  and therefore sensitive component  160  may be determined. Information on the location and angular orientation of device  10  and information on the position of component  160  within device  10  and/or other information can be used to determine where component  160  is located relative to each of coils  36  can be used by control circuitry  42  to adjust system parameters (e.g., to set maximum charging powers, to select a given coil for transmitting wireless power without producing undesired interference for component  160 , etc.). 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in using charging system  8 . During the operations of block  200 , the circuitry of device  12  and device  10  of system  8  may be characterized. During the characterization operations of block  200 , the response of coils  36  to the presence of electronic device  10  can be measured. In particular, device  10  (or a representative test structure) can be placed at multiple different locations and can be oriented at multiple different angular orientations across the charging surface of device  12  while measurement circuitry such as circuitry  102  is used to measure the resulting patterns of inductances on coils  36 . Device  10  can, as an example, be stepped across the surface of device  12  in 1 mm steps or larger or smaller steps and can be rotated by 1° angular rotations or larger or smaller angular orientations while the inductances of coils  36  are measured. Through this process, the inductance patterns on the coil array that are produced when device  10  is present can be obtained. In scenarios in which device  10  exhibits an asymmetrical impact on the inductance of underlying coils  36 , the characterization information that is obtained can reveal whether device  10  is in a normal portrait orientation or is rotated by 180° relative to this normal orientation on charging surface  60 . 
     During characterization operations, measurements from coils  36  and from the circuitry in device  10  can be used to identify the locations of sensitive components such as sensitive component  160  and can be used to determine the operating conditions at which the sensitive components are sensitive to wireless power transmission. For example, temperature measurements and other measurements can be performed while transmitting wireless power from each of coils  36  to determine which portions of device  10  are sensitive to induced temperature rises. The sensitivity of wireless communications devices, touch sensors, displays, and other sensitive electrical components to interference from transmitted wireless power signals can also be measured. In this way, a database of inductance patterns (inductance images) for each device  10  can be developed and corresponding sensitive component location information identifying where sensitive components such as component  160  are located within each device can be obtained. Characterization information for system  8  may be obtained for various devices  10  and this information stored in control circuitry  42  for future use by device  12  in recognizing devices  10 . If desired, devices  12  and  10  can be characterized using test equipment. Test measurements from the test equipment can be used instead of using data gathered with device  12  and/or this data can be used in combination with data gathered using device  12 . 
     Following characterization operations (e.g., during normal operations), device  12  uses monitoring circuitry to monitor for the presence of device  10  on charging surface  60  (block  202 ). For example, device  12  may use sensors that overlap coils  36  and/or measurement circuitry such as impulse-response measurement circuitry  102  that is coupled to coils  36  to monitor for device  10  (e.g., by making one or more measurements of impedance changes on coils  36 , by measuring inductance changes to coils  36  with impulse response circuitry  102 , etc.). 
     In response to detection of device  10 , control circuitry  42  applies impulses (square wave pulses or other pulses) to output circuit  71  and an associated wireless power transmitting coil  36  in output circuit  71  using inverter  70  (block  204 ). This process is performed for each coil  36  in the array of wireless power transmitting coils in wireless charging surface  60  or for an appropriate subset of coils  36  (e.g., a subset of coils that were identified as being overlapped by device  10  during the operations of block  202 ). Switching circuitry  110  is adjusted by control circuitry  42  so that each coil  36  (or an appropriate subset of coils  36 ) is provided with a respective impulse from control circuitry  42 . As each impulse is applied to the output circuit associated with a respective coil  36 , control circuit  42  uses impulse response measurement circuit  102  to determine parameters such as coil inductance L, resonant frequency, Q-factor, etc. For example, control circuitry  42  can derive inductance L from a measurement of the resonant frequency of the signal measured at node N by circuitry  102  in response to an impulse applied to output circuit  71 . 
     After measuring L and, if desired, other parameters associated with each output circuit  71  and coil  36  in charging surface  60  or in an appropriate subarea of charging surface  60 , control circuitry  42  analyzes these measurements. For example, control circuitry  42  may use non-linear interpolation techniques during the operations of block  206  to identify the center of coil  14 . Control circuitry  42  may also analyze the inductance measurements from coils  36  to determine the location and orientation of the outline (housing) of device  10 . In some situations, these operations may be sufficient for control circuitry  42  to determine the location and orientation of device  10 . If desired, control circuitry  42  may use pattern recognition techniques or other comparison techniques during the operations of block  206  to compare the pattern of measured inductances from coils  36  to the database of device inductance patterns obtained during characterization operations such as the operations of block  200 . The pattern recognition operations of block  206  allow control circuitry  42  to determine the location and orientation of device  10  and may allow control circuitry  42  to identify device  10  (e.g., by device model, device type, etc.). 
     During the operations of block  208 , control circuitry  42  determines which of coils  36  in the array of coils  36  on charging surface  60  is to be used in transmitting wireless power to device  10 . Control circuitry  42  may, as an example, identify a given one of coils  36  that is overlapped by coil  14  and can transmit wireless power signals to coil  14  from that coil  36  using default wireless power transmission settings. If device  10  has battery power available and/or if device  10  receives sufficient wireless power from device  12 , device  10  and device  12  can then establish a wireless communications link. 
     During the operations of block  210 , device  12  identifies a given coil  36  to use in transmitting wireless power to device  10  to charge the battery in device  10  and/or to otherwise power device  10  while avoiding excessive exposure of sensitive components such as sensitive component  160  in device  10  to wireless power signals. 
     With one illustrative configuration, device  12  analyzes inductance measurements from coils  36  to directly measure the location of sensitive component  160 . Device  12  may, as an example, determine that a particular area within the perimeter of device  10  has elevated amounts of metal present from the coil inductance measurements. During the operations of block  210 , device  12  may select a wireless power transmitting coil  36  from the coil array that couples sufficient wireless power into coil  14  without exposing the area with the elevated amounts of metal to wireless power signals. 
     With another illustrative configuration, device  12  uses the wireless link that has been established with device  10  to obtain information from device  10  such as a device identifier, sensitive component location information, and/or other information on the characteristics of device  10 . This information (e.g., information on the location of sensitive component  160  within device  10 ) is used by device  12  to select an appropriate coil  36  to supply wireless power to coil  14  without exposing sensitive component  160  to excessive wireless power. Device  12  may also obtain sensitive component location information and other information on the characteristics of device  10  by looking up this information in a database of device information maintained in control circuitry  42  (e.g., information from the characterization operations of block  200  and/or other device information). Control circuitry  42  can retrieve information from the database using the device identifier or other identifying information from device  10  that is obtained over the wireless communications link or by identifying device  10  from the pattern of measured inductances obtained during block  204  and using this information on the identity of device  10  to retrieve information on the location of sensitive component  60  from a database of device information maintained by control circuitry  42 . 
     As described in connection with the example of  FIG. 5 , device  12  can weigh competing considerations in selecting which coil  36  to use in transmitting wireless power to device  12  such as the desire to enhance wireless coupling between the transmitting coil of device  12  and the wireless receiving coil of device  10  and the desire to avoid exposing sensitive component  160  to wireless power signals (e.g., by avoiding use of a wireless power transmitting coil that overlaps component  16 . The resulting coil selection may, as an example, favor a coil such as coil C 8  of  FIG. 5  that overlaps coil  14  less than coil C 7 , but that helps minimize exposure of sensitive component  160  to wireless power signals transmitted by device  12  during battery charging operations. 
     The foregoing is illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20171106
Publication Date: 20190618
Grant Date: 20190618
Priority Date: 20170210
Inventors: YANG, HENG
QIU, WEIHONG
MOUSSAOUI, ZAKI
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H02J7/00034", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B5/0087", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/00034", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/402", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/402", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B5/263", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B5/263", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 63105485