PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10770921-B2
Application Number: US-201815883415-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Wireless charging system with start-up negotiation

Abstract:
A wireless power transmission system has a wireless power receiving device that is located on a charging surface of a wireless power transmitting device. The wireless power transmitting device uses measurement circuitry such as coil impedance measurement circuitry or impulse-response circuitry that makes coil inductance measurements to monitor the charging surface for the presence of the wireless power receiving device. In response to detecting that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface, the wireless power transmitting device and the wireless power receiving device establish a wireless communications link. The wireless power transmitting device transmits information on wireless power transmission capabilities of the wireless power transmitting device to the wirelessly power receiving device. The receiving device selects desired settings and transmits these to the transmitting device.

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 wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 a wireless power transmitting coil; 
 inverter circuitry coupled to the wireless power transmitting coil, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply a drive signal to the wireless power transmitting coil to produce the wireless power signals; 
 measurement circuitry coupled to the wireless power transmitting coil to detect when the wireless power receiving device is present; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 detect that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface using the measurement circuitry; 
 in response to detecting that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface, establish a wireless communications link with the wireless power receiving device; and 
 wirelessly receive a wireless power transmission sleep timer setting over the wireless communications link. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly transmit information on wireless power transmission capabilities of the wireless power transmitting device over the wireless communications link, wherein the wirelessly received wireless power transmission sleep timer setting is selected by the wireless power receiving device based on the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities. 
 
     
     
       3. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 2  wherein the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities includes at least one wireless power transmission frequency for use in providing the drive signal to the wireless power transmitting coil with inverter and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly receive a wireless power transmission frequency setting over the wireless communications link, wherein the wirelessly received wireless power transmission frequency setting is selected by the wireless power receiving device based on the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities. 
 
     
     
       4. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 2  wherein the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities includes information on at least one wireless power transmission modulation scheme and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly receive a wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting over the wireless communications link, wherein the wirelessly received wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting is selected by the wireless power receiving device based on the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities. 
 
     
     
       5. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 4  wherein the wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting comprises a wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting selected from the group consisting of: a pulse-width modulation scheme setting, an amplitude modulation scheme setting, and a phase shift modulation scheme setting. 
     
     
       6. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 2  wherein the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities includes: information on a wireless power transmission pulse-width modulation scheme, a wireless power transmission amplitude modulation scheme setting, and a wireless power transmission phase shift modulation scheme setting. 
     
     
       7. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to wirelessly receive wireless power transmission duty cycle settings over the wireless communications link. 
     
     
       8. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 1  wherein the measurement circuitry comprises impulse response measurement circuitry and wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface by using the measurement circuitry to measure a coil inductance associated with the wireless power transmitting coil. 
     
     
       9. 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 wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 a wireless power transmitting coil; 
 inverter circuitry coupled to the wireless power transmitting coil, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply a drive signal to the wireless power transmitting coil to produce the wireless power signals; 
 measurement circuitry coupled to the wireless power transmitting coil to detect when the wireless power receiving device is present; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 detect that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface using the measurement circuitry; 
 in response to detecting that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface, establish a wireless communications link with the wireless power receiving device; and 
 wirelessly receive a wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting over the wireless communications link. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 9  wherein the wireless power transmission modulation scheme comprises a wireless power transmission modulation scheme selected from the group consisting of:
 a pulse-width modulation scheme setting, an amplitude modulation scheme setting, and a phase shift modulation scheme setting. 
 
     
     
       11. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 10  wherein the measurement circuitry comprises impulse response measurement circuitry and wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface by using the measurement circuitry to measure a coil inductance associated with the wireless power transmitting coil. 
     
     
       12. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 11  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly transmit information on wireless power transmission capabilities of the wireless power transmitting device over the wireless communications link, wherein the wirelessly received wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting is selected by the wireless power receiving device based on the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities. 
 
     
     
       13. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 12  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to wirelessly receive a wireless power transmission duty cycle setting from the wireless power receiving device over the wireless communications link. 
     
     
       14. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 12  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to wirelessly receive a wireless power transmission sleep timer setting from the wireless power receiving device over the wireless communications link. 
     
     
       15. 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 wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 a wireless power transmitting coil; 
 inverter circuitry coupled to the wireless power transmitting coil, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply a drive signal to the wireless power transmitting coil to produce the wireless power signals; 
 measurement circuitry coupled to the wireless power transmitting coil to detect when the wireless power receiving device is present; 
 control circuitry configured to:
 detect that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface using the measurement circuitry; 
 in response to detecting that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface, establish a wireless communications link with the wireless power receiving device; and 
 wirelessly receive minimum and maximum duty cycle wireless power transmission settings over the wireless communications link. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 15  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly transmit information on wireless power transmission capabilities of the wireless power transmitting device over the wireless communications link, wherein the minimum and maximum duty cycle wireless power transmission settings comprise wireless power transmitting settings selected by the wireless power receiving device based on the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities. 
 
     
     
       17. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 16  wherein the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities includes a wireless power transmission frequency setting for the inverter to provide the drive signal to the wireless power transmitting coil and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly receive the wireless power transmission frequency setting over the wireless communications link. 
 
     
     
       18. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 16  wherein the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities includes a wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting for use in providing the drive signal to the wireless power transmitting coil with the inverter and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly receive the wireless power transmission modulation scheme setting over the wireless communications link. 
 
     
     
       19. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 16  wherein the transmitted information on the wireless power transmission capabilities includes a wireless power transmission sleep timer setting for the control circuitry and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 wirelessly receive the wireless power transmission sleep timer setting over the wireless communications link. 
 
     
     
       20. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 15  wherein the measurement circuitry comprises impulse response measurement circuitry and wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface by using the measurement circuitry to measure a coil inductance associated with the wireless power transmitting coil.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/457,727, filed 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. 
     SUMMARY 
     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. 
     A wireless power transmission system has a wireless power receiving device that is received on a charging surface of a wireless power transmitting device. The wireless power transmitting device uses measurement circuitry such as coil impedance measurement circuitry or impulse-response circuitry that makes coil inductance measurements to monitor the charging surface for the presence of the wireless power receiving device. In response to detecting that the wireless power receiving device is present on the charging surface, the wireless power transmitting device and the wireless power receiving device establish a wireless communications link. 
     Using the communications link, the wireless power transmitting device transmits information on wireless power transmission capabilities of the wireless power transmitting device to the wirelessly power receiving device. The transmitted information includes, e.g., minimum and maximum duty cycle settings, wireless power transmission power modulation scheme settings information such as one or more power modulation scheme settings (e.g., a pulse width modulation scheme setting, an amplitude modulation scheme setting, a phase shift modulation scheme setting, etc.), a wireless power transmission sleep timer setting, a wireless power transmission frequency setting, power limits and thresholds, and/or other wireless power transmission settings supported by the transmitting device. 
     The receiving device uses sensor readings, battery charge state information, and information on which components are active in the receiving device to select desired operating settings. The receiving device transmits the selected settings to the wireless power transmitting device over the wireless communications link. 
     The information transmitted to the transmitting device by the receiving device includes, e.g., minimum and maximum duty cycle settings, wireless power transmission power modulation scheme settings information such as one or more power modulation scheme settings (e.g., a pulse width modulation scheme setting, an amplitude modulation scheme setting, a phase shift modulation scheme setting, etc.), a wireless power transmission sleep timer setting, a wireless power transmission frequency setting, power limits and thresholds, and/or other wireless power transmission settings for use by the wireless power transmitting device. 
    
    
     
       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 circuit diagram of an illustrative wireless charging system output circuit with an inverter coupled to one or more coils in an array of coils in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a graph of illustrative signals associated with operation of the circuit of  FIG. 5  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a circuit diagram of another illustrative wireless charging system output circuit with an inverter coupled to one or more coils in an array of coils in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a graph of illustrative signals associated with operation of the circuit of  FIG. 5  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in using a wireless charging 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, electronic equipment storage case, 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 (e.g., transistors in an inverter circuit) that are turned on and off based on control signals provided by control circuitry  42  to create AC signals (drive signals) through coil(s)  36 . As the AC signals pass through coil(s)  36 , 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, minimum and maximum duty cycle settings, coil settings (e.g., which coils are active and weights for active coils) in a multi-coil array, wireless power transfer modulation scheme settings (e.g., one or more desired modulation schemes and power thresholds associated with switching between these scheme(s)), wireless charging sleep interval settings, 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 , the 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 location(s) of coil(s)  14  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.). 
     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, 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, about 240 kHz, 100-500 kHz, 50-250 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 (e.g., coils  36  are arranged in a two-dimensional array that lie in a planar housing such as a housing associated with a wireless charging mat. In this type of configuration, coils  36  of device  12  are covered by a planar dielectric structure such as a plastic member or other structure forming a charging surface. The lateral dimensions (X and Y dimensions in an arrangement in which the coils lie in an X-Y plane) 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 on the charging surface or may be arranged on the charging surface 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. 
     System  8  can support one or more wireless power modulation schemes. Illustrative output circuitry (see, e.g., output circuitry  71  of  FIG. 2 ) for device  12  to support pulse-width modulation (PWM) and amplitude modulation (AM) power modulation schemes is shown in  FIG. 5 . The output circuitry of  FIG. 5  includes inverter  70 . Inverter  70  has transistors TI 1  and TI 2  that supply alternating-current drive signals such as the square wave pulses of  FIG. 6  onto coil  36  and capacitor  72 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , in PWM modulation schemes, control circuitry  42  adjusts the control signals supplied to the gates of transistors TI 1  and TI 2  in inverter  70  to vary the duty cycle (pulse width) of the control signals (e.g., to duty cycle T 1 /T 2  in a high duty cycle scenario or to duty cycle T 3 /T 2  in a low duty cycle scenario). In amplitude modulation schemes, control circuitry  42  adjust the magnitude of supply voltage Vsup to inverter  70 , thereby adjusting the corresponding magnitude (amplitude) Vm of the drive signals supplied by inverter  70  to coil  36  and capacitor  72 . If desired, system  8  can support a phase modulation scheme by incorporating output circuitry such as inverter  70  of  FIG. 7  into device  12 . In this configuration, control circuitry  42  adjusts switches SW (e.g., power field-effect transistors) to supply a phase-modulated drive signal to coil  36  and capacitor  72 , as shown by the illustrative drive signal of  FIG. 8 . Control circuitry  42  adjust the magnitude of time periods T 4  and T 5  to control the amount of power transfer to device  10  from device  12 . Phase-modulated power transfer schemes produce fewer signal harmonics during power transfer operations but are generally less efficient than PWM schemes (e.g., at lower power transfer levels). Output circuitry of the type shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7  and/or other output circuitry controlled by control circuitry  42  is included in device  12  so that device  12  supports multiple different modulation schemes (e.g., PWM, AM, phase modulation, etc.). 
     A user may have multiple devices  10  each of which has different charging requirements. For example, some devices may have batteries that are fully charged and other devices may have depleted batteries. Some devices may have large maximum power transfer capabilities and other devices may have only modest power transfer capabilities. Sensitive devices may be operating in some devices (e.g., wireless communications circuitry that is sensitive to radio-frequency interference, sensitive components such as a touch sensor in a display, display driver circuitry in a display, etc.) while other devices may be sleeping or may not contain any currently operating sensitive devices. Due to these various operating conditions, system  8  negotiates optimum operating settings for device  12  and/or device  10  (e.g., during set-up when device  10  is first receiving power and/or at other times during the operation of system  8 ). Wireless power transfer settings information is determined by device  12  using measurement circuitry  102  (e.g., to detect device  10 , to measure coil inductance L, etc.) and/or using wireless communications circuitry  58  to communicate wirelessly with wireless communications circuitry  56  (e.g., so that wireless power transmitting device  12  can provide wireless power receiving device  10  with a list of available wireless power transmission capabilities for the transmitting device and so that wireless power receiving device  10  can, after analyzing these capabilities and information on the current operating environment of device  10 , provide device  12  with corresponding selected power transmission settings). 
     Conditions that affect optimum power transmission settings include the current operating temperature for device  10 , battery charge level, and sensitive component operating states (e.g., whether a touch screen display, wireless communications circuit, or other component that is sensitive to radio-frequency interference is currently operating). Adjustable wireless power transmission settings that may be adjusted in device  12  include the frequency of the drive signals applied to coil  36  by inverter  70 , duty cycle settings such as the minimum and maximum duty cycle associated with the drive signals, drive signal amplitude, modulation scheme (e.g., PWM, AM, or phase shift), maximum transmitted power, sleep timer period (e.g., a wireless power transmission sleep timer setting that determines a period of time after which device  12  awakes from sleep to restart wireless power transmission operations with device  10 , sometimes referred to as a restart interval or wireless power transmission sleep timer interval), and other settings associated with the transmission of wireless power in system  8 . Device  12  can advertise its capabilities to device  10  (e.g., by transmitting information on wireless power transmission capabilities for device  12  to device  10 ) and device  10  can analyze its current operating conditions (temperature, list of active components, battery charge level, etc.) to select from among these capabilities (e.g., to select an optimum charging frequency, modulating scheme, duty cycle settings, maximum transmitted power level, etc.). Device  10  can then transmit these selected settings to device  10  to use in transmitting wireless power to device  10 . 
     Consider, as an example, a scenario in which device  10  is a cellular telephone with an active sensitive component such as a touch screen display. The touch screen display (in this example) is sensitive to interference from 140 kHz noise. When device  10  asks device  12  to advertise its power transmission capabilities, device  12  informs device  10  that its only available wireless power transmission frequency is 140 kHz. Because this is the only available wireless power transmission frequency, device  10  accepts this wireless power transmission frequency (e.g., device  10  informs device  12  to proceed with wireless power transmission operations at 140 kHz), but also directs device  12  to limit transmitted power to less than 3 W (e.g., device  10  provides device  12  with a selected maximum transmit power setting), which is lower than the cellular telephone&#39;s power receiving capability (e.g., of 10 W). Because power transmission is restricted in this way, wireless interference from device  12  will be maintained at acceptable levels and the touch screen display of device  12  will not be adversely affected during wireless power transmission operations. 
     If, on the other hand, device  10  is a wristwatch device with a touch screen display that is currently not active, device  10  can instruct device  12  to proceed to transmit at the maximum power reception capability of device  10  (e.g., 5 W). 
     Anther possible scenario involves an arrangement in which device  12  supports wireless power transmission at a range of frequencies (e.g., at least two frequencies). In this arrangement, device  12  informs device  10  that frequencies from 100-200 kHz are available and device  10  choses from these frequencies based on information such as information on which (if any) sensitive components in device  10  are operating. As an example, a receiving device such as a cellular telephone with an active sensitive device such as a touch screen display or wireless communication circuit that is sensitive to interference at 120 kHz (whether directly at this frequency or because this transmitted frequency is associated with interfering harmonic frequencies), may direct device  12  to transmit wireless power using a frequency of 128 kHz (which is different than 120 kHz) at a maximum power transmission level of 5 W (which is somewhat reduced from the maximum wireless power reception capability of device  10  of 10 W). 
     Duty cycle settings can likewise be established to enhance wireless power transfer performance. Large duty cycle values may be associated with potentially high amounts of transmitted power. If device  10  is a device with low power reception capabilities, device  10  can direct device  12  to use a maximum duty cycle setting of 30% (as an example) to prevent scenarios in which too much power is transmitted. If device  10  is in need of power to operate (e.g., because device  10  has a fully depleted battery), device  10  can instruct device  12  to use a minimum duty cycle setting of 5% (as an example) to ensure that sufficient power is wirelessly transmitted from device  12  to device  10  to allow device  10  to operate its components while the battery in device  10  is being replenished. 
     Device  12  operates in a normal (wake) mode in which wireless power is being transmitted from device  12  to device  10  and, when power is not being wirelessly transmitted (e.g., because device  10  contains a battery that is fully charged), one or more coils  36  can enter a sleep mode. In the sleep mode, power consumption is reduced, because operations such as wireless power transmission operations and coil measurement operations with measurement circuit  102  are temporarily halted (inverter  70  does not supply drive signals to coil  36 ). A sleep timer is active during sleep mode. The sleep timer runs to a sleep timer interval (e.g., 30 seconds or other sleep time period, sometime referred to as a reset timer setting or sleep timer setting). When the sleep timer expires (e.g., when the sleep time setting is reached by a sleep timer implemented with control circuitry  42 ), device  12  (e.g., one or more coils  36 ) wakes up from sleep mode and is again available to wirelessly communicate with device  10  and wirelessly transmit power to device  10 . 
     The value of the sleep timer setting can be adjusted (e.g., to a value of 1 ms to 10 minutes, more than 1 ms, more than 1 s, more than 10 s, more than 100 s, more than 1 minute, more than 10 minutes, less than 10 minutes, less than 1 minute, 1-10 minutes, less than 10 s, 10-1000 s, less than 1 s, etc.). Device  10  can select an appropriate sleep time based on its status when charging is complete (e.g., based on its battery capacity, battery charge level, bias current level, operating temperature, etc.). If, for example, device  10  is a device with a relatively small battery, device  10  may direct device  12  to set the sleep timer to 1 minute. With this setting, after the battery in device  10  is charged, device  12  wakes up every 1 minute to check with device  10  (e.g., over a wireless communications link between device  10  and device  12 ) to check with device  10  whether more power is needed by device  10 . If more power is needed, device  12  wirelessly transmits power to device  10 . If more power is not needed, device  12  returns to sleep. If, as another example, device  10  is a device with a relatively large battery, device  10  may direct device  12  to set the sleep timer of device  10  a longer time period (e.g., 5 minutes). Because the battery in device  10  (in this example) is larger, the battery can sustain a longer period of time without being refreshed by power transmission from device  12 . 
     In this way, if a user places device  10  onto device  12  for an extended period of time relative to the amount needed to fully charge device  10  (e.g., device  10  is left on device  12  for days), device  12  can sleep after fully charging device  10 , and periodically awake to see whether the battery level of device  10  requires further charging in an efficient manner. 
     As described in connection with  FIGS. 5-8 , system  8  may support multiple different power transmission modulation schemes. During set-up operations in which device  10  and device  12  are communicating over a wireless communications link or at other suitable times, device  12  informs device  10  of the modulation schemes supported by device  12 . Device  10  selects appropriate modulation scheme(s) based on the available schemes and based on current operating conditions for device  10  (operating temperature measured with a temperature sensor, battery charge level, information on which components in device  10  are currently active, etc.). As an example, if device  12  informs device  10  that device  12  only supports a PWM power transfer modulation scheme, device  10  can direct device  12  to use this scheme in wirelessly transferring power to device  10 . If, as another example, device  12  informs device  10  that device  12  supports both AM and PWM schemes and device  10  has a partially charged battery, device  10  can provide device  12  with wireless power transmission modulation scheme settings information (e.g., one or more modulation schemes and one or more associated power threshold settings) that directs device  12  to use an AM power transfer modulation scheme to help rapidly charge the battery. In directing device  12  to use the AM scheme, device  10  can inform device  12  to use the AM scheme so long as the power consumed by load  100  is greater than a threshold amount (e.g., 3 W) and to drop back to PWM for enhanced power transfer efficiency once the power consumed by load  100  is less than 3 W. By providing device  12  with power modulation scheme settings such as these or other suitable power modulation scheme settings information, device  10  can configure system  8  for optimum power transfer (e.g., based on sensor data, battery charge level, information on currently active components, based on the capabilities of device  12 , etc.). 
     Another example related to adjustable power transfer settings involves temperature measurements with a temperature sensor in components  100  of device  10 . If operating temperature is measured to be low, device  10  can direct device  12  to provide device  10  with wireless power using a PWM scheme (as an example). Phase-modulation schemes may generate fewer signal harmonics and fewer eddy currents in conductive structures in device  10  that can raise the temperature of device  10 . Accordingly, if operating temperature of device  10  is high, device  10  can direct device  12  to supply wireless power using a phase-shifted wireless power transfer modulation scheme. Phase-shifted modulation can also be favored in situations in which sensitive components are operating device  10 . 
     A flow chart of illustrative operations involved in using system  8  is shown in  FIG. 9 . Device  12  may use measurement circuitry  102  and/or other detection circuitry to monitor for the presence of devices  10  that can receive wireless power. If a user places device  10  on the charging surface of device  12 , device  12  can detect device  10  (block  140 ). Device  12  may, as an example, detect a change in the impedance of one or more of coils  36 , may detect an inductance on one or more of coils  36  that is elevated relative to adjacent coils  36  using an impulse-response measurement circuit, or may otherwise sense that device  10  is present on device  12 . In response to detecting the presence of a device that appears to be compatible with wireless charging, device  12  can begin transmitting wireless power to device  10 . During these power transmission operations, device  12  can use default power transmission settings (e.g., relatively low power settings) to help power device  10  sufficiently for device  10  to use its wireless communications circuitry in the event that device  10  contains a depleted battery. Device  12  and device  10  can then establish a wireless communications link using circuitry  56  and  58  ( FIG. 1 ). If desired, device  12  can attempt to establish a wireless communications link with device  10  before transmitting power to device  10 . 
     During the operations of block  142 , device  10  may, if desired, identify itself to device  12  (e.g., with a serial number, model number, information on operating limits, etc.). Device  10  can also provide device  12  with a request that asks device  12  to supply device  10  with a list of its capabilities. 
     During the operations of block  144 , device  12  responds to the request of block  142  that asks device  12  to transmit information on the wireless power transfer capabilities of device  12  to device  10 . As an example, device  12  can transmit information to device  10  that informs device  10  of the supported duty cycle range of device  10  or other supported duty cycle settings, the supported range of wireless power transfer frequencies (for the drive signal from inverter  70 ), the supported wireless power transfer modulation schemes (e.g., PWM, AM, phase-shifted, and/or other wireless power transfer modulation scheme settings), the supported power transmission range (e.g., minimum power level and/or maximum power level), and/or other wireless power transmission capabilities of device  12 . 
     During the operations of block  146 , device  10  processes information from sensors in load  100  (e.g., temperature information from a temperature sensor, and/or other sensor information), information on which components in device  10  are operating (e.g., whether sensitive components such as a touch insensitive or touch sensitive display, touch sensor (e.g., a stand-alone touch sensor or a touch sensor in a touch sensitive display), wireless communications circuitry, or other components in device  10  that are potentially sensitive to disruption by radio-frequency signals generated during wireless power transmission, information on the current charge level of the battery in device  10  and/or other information on the current operating environment of device  10  and processes information from device  12  on the wireless power transmission capabilities of device  12  to determine appropriate settings for use in wireless power transfer operations. Device  10  may, as an example, determine desired settings based on potentially competing criteria such as criteria related to minimized interference, reduced charging time, maximized safety (e.g., reduced likelihood of circuit degradation with reduced power transmission levels), enhanced power efficiency, minimized signal harmonics (e.g., when using phase-shift modulation instead of PWM to help reduce eddy currents that might heat device  10 ), minimized user wait time, enhanced user expectations, and/or other criteria. After determining settings to use for wireless power transfer operations, device  10  transmits instructions to device  12  that contain the appropriate wireless power transfer settings information. The settings may include minimum and/or maximum duty cycle settings, frequency settings, a sleep timer setting, minimum and/or maximum power transfer level settings, modulation scheme settings (including, if desired, associated power transfer level thresholds associated with different modulation schemes) and/or other settings. The instructions direct device  12  to use these wireless power transfer settings in transferring power wirelessly to device  10 . 
     During the operations of block  148 , device  12  transfers power wirelessly to device  10  using the settings information received from device  10  at block  148 . When device  10  is fully charged, device  10  can wirelessly transmit information to device  12  that directs device  12  to stop wireless power transfer operations and to enter a low-power sleep mode. In response, device  12  sleeps for an amount of time that is specified by a sleep timer setting (e.g., a sleep interval of 1 minute, 5 minutes, more than 5 minutes, less than 5 minutes, etc.) to conserve power (block  150 ). The sleep timer setting may be established using a default setting and/or a setting received from device  10  (e.g., at step  146 ). When the sleep timer expires (e.g., when the sleep time has reached the sleep timer setting), device  12  awakes from its sleep state and transmits a request to device  10  wirelessly that asks device  10  whether more power is needed to recharge the battery in device  10  and/or to power components in device  10  (block  152 ). If no more power is needed by device  10 , device  12  can return to the sleep state and, as indicated by line  154 , control can loop back to block  150 . If, additional power is needed, processing can loop back to block  142 , as indicated by line  156 . 
     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: 20180130
Publication Date: 20200908
Grant Date: 20200908
Priority Date: 20170210
Inventors: MOUSSAOUI, ZAKI
QIU, WEIHONG
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H02J50/90", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/00045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/00045", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/00045", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/00045", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B5/79", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 63106495