PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11876383-B1
Application Number: US-202117313589-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Wireless power system with voltage regulation

Abstract:
A wireless charging system having a power transmitting device may wirelessly transfer power to a power receiving device. The power receiving device may include a voltage regulator that operates independently from the power transmitting device. The voltage regulator may output a rectified voltage and may activate pull-down rectifier switches during zero voltage crossings to boost the rectified voltage. The power receiving device may send control error packets to the power transmitting device to direct the power transmitting device to adjust the transmit power level.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless power receiving device, comprising:
 a wireless charging coil having a first coil terminal and a second coil terminal; 
 a rectifier having rectifier switches, a first rectifier input coupled to the first coil terminal, a second rectifier input coupled to the second coil terminal, and a rectifier output on which a rectifier output voltage is generated; 
 a rectifier controller configured to control the rectifier switches; 
 a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the first rectifier input and a second terminal coupled to the second rectifier input; and 
 voltage regulator circuitry configured to:
 receive a voltage across the capacitor, 
 receive the rectifier output voltage, and 
 override the rectifier controller by activating a subset of the rectifier switches when the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a zero crossing detection circuit configured to detect when the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero, wherein the voltage regulator circuitry is further configured to:
 upon detecting that the rectifier output voltage is below a threshold and that the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero, activate the subset of the rectifier switches. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 2 , wherein activating the subset of the rectifier switches comprises activating pull-down switches within the rectifier. 
     
     
       4. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse signal in response to the zero crossing detection circuit detecting that the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero. 
 
     
     
       5. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an integrator configured to receive the pulse signal and to generate a corresponding ramp signal. 
 
     
     
       6. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a subtractor configured to receive the rectifier output voltage, to receive a rectifier set point voltage, and to generate an error voltage. 
 
     
     
       7. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a proportional integration controller configured to receive the error voltage and to generate a proportional integrator output voltage. 
 
     
     
       8. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an operational amplifier having a first input configured to receive the proportional integrator output voltage, a second input configured to receive the ramp signal, and an output that is coupled to the rectifier. 
 
     
     
       9. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 8 , wherein the voltage regulator circuit is further configured to:
 activate the subset of rectifier switches in response to the pulse generator generating the pulse signal; and 
 deactivate the subset of rectifier switches in response to the ramp signal exceeding the proportional integrator output voltage. 
 
     
     
       10. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display; and 
 a battery between the display and the wireless charging coil. 
 
     
     
       11. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a data transmitter configured to transmit a control error packet to a wireless power transmitting device, wherein the control error packet directs the wireless power transmitting device to adjust an amount of wireless power being transferred to the wireless charging coil. 
 
     
     
       12. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the control error packet regulates the rectifier output voltage at a first speed; and 
 the voltage regulator circuitry regulates the rectifier output voltage at a second speed greater than the first speed. 
 
     
     
       13. A method of operating a wireless power receiving device, comprising:
 using a wireless charging coil to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitting device; 
 using a rectifier having rectifier inputs coupled to the wireless charging coil to generate a rectifier output voltage, wherein a capacitor is coupled across the rectifier inputs; 
 using a synchronous rectifier controller to control switches within the rectifier; 
 with voltage regulator circuitry, receiving a voltage from the capacitor and receiving the rectifier output voltage; and 
 with the voltage regulator circuitry, activating a subset of the switches by overriding the synchronous rectifier controller when the received voltage is equal to zero. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 using a zero crossing detection circuit to detect when the received voltage is equal to zero. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein activating the subset of the switches comprises activating only pull-down switches within the rectifier without activating any pull-up switches within the rectifier. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining when the received voltage is equal to zero; 
 in response to determining that the received voltage is equal to zero, generating a pulse signal; and 
 using the pulse signal to generate a ramp signal. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 generating an error signal by computing a difference between the rectifier output voltage and a rectifier set point voltage; and 
 using a proportional integrator to receive the error signal and to generate a corresponding proportional integrator output voltage. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 using an operational amplifier to compare the ramp signal to the proportional integrator output voltage and to generate a corresponding amplifier output signal for activating the subset of the switches, wherein the amplifier output signal is asserted upon generating the pulse signal and is deasserted upon the ramp signal exceeding the proportional integrator output voltage. 
 
     
     
       19. A wireless power receiving device, comprising:
 a wireless charging coil having a first coil terminal and a second coil terminal; 
 a rectifier having a first pull-down switch, a second pull-down switch, a first pull-up switch, and a second pull-up switch; 
 a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a first node between the first pull-down switch and the first pull-up switch and having a second terminal coupled to a second node between the second pull-down switch and the second pull-up switch; and 
 voltage regulator circuitry configured to receive a voltage across the capacitor and a rectifier output voltage output from the rectifier, wherein the voltage regulator circuitry is configured to raise the rectifier output voltage closer to a set point voltage level by activating the pull-down switches without activating the pull-up switches when the voltage across the capacitor crosses zero volt. 
 
     
     
       20. The wireless power receiving device of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a data transmitter configured to send, via the wireless charging coil, a control error packet to a wireless power transmitting device, wherein the control error packet causes the wireless power transmitting device to increase a wireless power level so that the rectifier output voltage rises further towards the set point voltage level.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/123,931, filed Dec. 10, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to power systems, and, more particularly, to wireless power systems for charging electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a wireless charging system, a wireless power transmitting device such as a charging mat wirelessly transmits power to a wireless power receiving device such as a battery-powered, portable electronic device. The wireless power transmitting device has a coil that produces electromagnetic flux. The wireless power receiving device has a coil and rectifier circuitry that uses electromagnetic flux produced by the transmitter to generate direct-current power that can be used to power electrical loads in the battery-powered portable electronic device. It can be challenging to design a wireless charging system. 
     SUMMARY 
     A wireless power system has a wireless power transmitting device that uses an inverter to supply alternating-current signals at a carrier frequency to a coil and thereby transmit wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving circuit of a wireless power receiving device. The transmitted wireless power signals may be used to charge a battery in the power receiving device. 
     In some embodiments, a wireless power receiving device can include: a wireless charging coil having a first coil terminal and a second coil terminal; a rectifier having rectifier switches, a first rectifier input coupled to the first coil terminal, a second rectifier input coupled to the second coil terminal, and a rectifier output on which a rectifier output voltage is generated; a rectifier controller configured to control the rectifier switches; a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the first rectifier input and a second terminal coupled to the second rectifier input; and voltage regulator circuitry configured to receive a voltage across the capacitor, to receive the rectifier output voltage, and to override the rectifier controller by activating a subset of the rectifier switches when the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero. 
     The voltage regulator circuitry can include: a zero crossing detection circuit configured to detect when the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero, where the voltage regulator circuitry is further configured to activate the subset of the rectifier switches upon detecting that the rectifier output voltage is below a threshold and that the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero; a pulse generation circuit configured to generate a pulse signal in response to the zero crossing detection circuit detecting that the voltage across the capacitor is equal to zero; an integration circuit configured to receive the pulse signal and to generate a corresponding ramp signal; a difference circuit configured to receive the rectifier output voltage, to receive a rectifier set point voltage, and to generate an error voltage; a proportional integration controller configured to receive the error voltage and to generate a proportional integrator output voltage; and an operational amplifier having a first input configured to receive the proportional integrator output voltage, a second input configured to receive the ramp signal, and an output that is coupled to the rectifier. 
     The wireless power receiving device can further include a synchronous rectifier controller configured to control pull-down switches and pull-up switches within the rectifier. The wireless power receiving device can further include a data transmitter configured to transmit a control error packet to a wireless power transmitting device. The control error packet can direct the wireless power transmitting device to adjust an amount of wireless power being transferred to the wireless charging coil. The control error packet regulates the rectifier output voltage at a first speed, whereas the voltage regulator circuitry regulates the rectifier output voltage at a second speed greater than the first speed. 
     In accordance with some embodiments, a method of operating a wireless power receiving device is provided that includes: using a wireless charging coil to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitting device; using a rectifier having rectifier inputs coupled to the wireless charging coil to generate a rectifier output voltage, where a capacitor is coupled across the rectifier inputs; using a synchronous rectifier controller to control switches within the rectifier; using voltage regulator circuitry to receive a voltage from the capacitor and to receive the rectifier output voltage; and using the voltage regulator circuitry to activate a subset of the switches by overriding the synchronous rectifier controller when the received voltage is equal to zero. Only pull-down switches within the rectifier are activated without activating any pull-up switches within the rectifier when the received voltage is equal to zero. 
     In accordance with some embodiments, a wireless power receiving device is provided that includes: a wireless charging coil having a first coil terminal and a second coil terminal; a rectifier having a first pull-down switch, a second pull-down switch, a first pull-up switch, and a second pull-up switch; a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a first node between the first pull-down switch and the first pull-up switch and having a second terminal coupled to a second node between the second pull-down switch and the second pull-up switch; and voltage regulator circuitry configured to receive a voltage across the capacitor and a rectifier output voltage output from the rectifier. The voltage regulator circuitry can be configured to raise the rectifier output voltage closer to a set point voltage level by activating the pull-down switches without activating the pull-up switches when the voltage across the capacitor crosses zero volt. The wireless power receiving device can further include a data transmitter configured to send, via the wireless charging coil, a control error packet to a wireless power transmitting device. The control error packet can cause the wireless power transmitting device to increase a wireless power level so that the rectifier output voltage rises further towards the set point voltage level. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  is a block diagram of an illustrative wireless charging system that includes a wireless power transmitting device and a wireless power receiving device in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  1 B  is an exploded view of an illustrative wireless power receiving device in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  2    is a circuit schematic of wireless power transmitting and receiving circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram of illustrative voltage regulator circuitry in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  4    is a timing diagram showing illustrative signal waveforms involved in operating the voltage regulator circuitry of  FIG.  3    in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    is a timing diagram showing how rectified power changes in response to a load step change in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  6    is a timing diagram showing how rectified power changes in response to a rectified voltage set point adjustment in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  7    is a flow chart of illustrative steps for operating a wireless charging system in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A wireless power system includes a wireless power transmitting device. The wireless power transmitting device wirelessly transmits power to one or more wireless power receiving devices. The wireless power receiving devices may include electronic devices such as wristwatches, cellular telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers, ear buds, battery cases for ear buds and other devices, tablet computer styluses (pencils) and other input-output devices, wearable devices, or other electronic equipment. The wireless power transmitting device may be an electronic device such as a wireless charging mat or puck, a tablet computer or other battery-powered electronic device with wireless power transmitting circuitry, or other wireless power transmitting device. The wireless power receiving devices use power from the wireless power transmitting device for powering internal components and for charging an internal battery. Because transmitted wireless power is often used for charging internal batteries, wireless power transmission operations are sometimes referred to as wireless charging operations. 
     An illustrative wireless power system, sometimes referred to as a wireless charging system, is shown in  FIG.  1 A . As shown in  FIG.  1 A , wireless power system  8  includes a wireless power transmitting device such as wireless power transmitting device  12  and includes a wireless power receiving device such as wireless power receiving device  24 . Wireless power transmitting device  12  includes control circuitry  16 . Wireless power receiving device  24  includes control circuitry  30 . Control circuitry in system  8  such as control circuitry  16  and control circuitry  30  is used in controlling the operation of system  8 . This control circuitry may include processing circuitry associated with microprocessors, power management units, baseband processors, application processors, digital signal processors, microcontrollers, and/or application-specific integrated circuits with processing circuits. The processing circuitry implements desired control and communications features in devices  12  and  24 . 
     For example, the processing circuitry may be used in selecting coils, determining power transmission levels, processing sensor data and other data, processing user input, handling negotiations between devices  12  and  24 , sending and receiving in-band and out-of-band data, making measurements, and otherwise controlling the operation of system  8 . As another example, the processing circuitry may include one or more processors such as an application processor that is used to run software such as internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, power management functions for controlling when one or more processors wake up, game applications, maps, instant messaging applications, payment applications, calendar applications, notification/reminder applications, etc. 
     Control circuitry in system  8  may be configured to perform operations in system  8  using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware and/or software. Software code for performing operations in system  8  is stored on non-transitory computer readable storage media (e.g., tangible computer readable storage media) in control circuitry  8 . 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, or the like. Software stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media may be executed on the processing circuitry of control circuitry  16  and/or  30 . The processing circuitry may include application-specific integrated circuits with processing circuitry, one or more microprocessors such as an application processor, a central processing unit (CPU) or other processing circuitry. 
     Wireless power transmitting device  12  may be a stand-alone power adapter (e.g., a wireless charging mat or puck that includes power adapter circuitry), may be a wireless charging mat or puck that is coupled to a power adapter or other equipment by a cable, may be a battery-powered electronic device (cellular telephone, tablet computer, laptop computer, removable case, etc.), may be equipment that has been incorporated into furniture, a vehicle, or other system, or may be other wireless power transfer equipment. Illustrative configurations in which wireless power transmitting device  12  is a wireless charging puck or battery-powered electronic device are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Wireless power receiving device  24  may be a portable electronic device such as a wristwatch, a cellular telephone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, an accessory such as an earbud, a tablet computer input device such as a wireless tablet computer stylus (pencil), a battery case, or other electronic equipment. Wireless power transmitting device  12  may be coupled to a wall outlet (e.g., an alternating current power source), may have a battery for supplying power, and/or may have another source of power. Device  12  may have an alternating-current (AC) to direct-current (DC) power converter such as AC-DC power converter  14  for converting AC power from a wall outlet or other power source into DC power. 
     In some configurations, AC-DC power converter  14  may be provided in an enclosure (e.g., a power brick enclosure) that is separate from the enclosure of device  12  (e.g., a wireless charging puck enclosure or battery-powered electronic device enclosure) and a cable may be used to couple DC power from the power converter to device  12 . DC power may be used to power control circuitry  16 . During operation, a controller in control circuitry  16  may use power transmitting circuitry  52  to transmit wireless power to power receiving circuitry  54  of device  24 . Power transmitting circuitry  52  may have switching circuitry (e.g., inverter circuitry  60  formed from transistors) that is turned on and off based on control signals provided by control circuitry  16  to create AC current signals through one or more transmit coils  42 . Coils  42  may be arranged in a planar coil array (e.g., in configurations in which device  12  is a wireless charging mat) or may be arranged to form a cluster of coils (e.g., in configurations in which device  12  is a wireless charging puck). In some arrangements, device  12  (e.g., a charging mat, puck, battery-powered device, etc.) may have only a single coil. In other arrangements, wireless charging device  12  may have multiple coils (e.g., two or more coils, 5-10 coils, at least 10 coils, 10-30 coils, fewer than 35 coils, fewer than 25 coils, or other suitable number of coils). 
     As the AC currents pass through one or more coils  42 , the coils  42  produce electromagnetic field signals  44  in response to the AC current signals. Electromagnetic field signals (sometimes referred to as wireless power signals)  44  can then induce a corresponding AC current to flow in one or more nearby receiver coils such as coil  48  in power receiving device  24 . When the alternating-current electromagnetic fields are received by coil  48 , corresponding alternating-current currents are induced in coil  48 . Rectifier circuitry such as rectifier  50 , which contains rectifying components such as synchronous rectification metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors arranged in a bridge network, converts received AC signals (received alternating-current signals associated with electromagnetic field  44 ) from coil  48  into DC voltage signals for powering loads in device  24  such powering application processors as well as charging a battery in the device. This principle of wireless power transfer can be referred to as the transmitting and receiving of wireless power signals. 
     The DC voltages produced by rectifier  50  can be used in powering an energy storage device such as battery  58  and can be used in powering other components in device  24 . For example, device  24  may include input-output devices  56  such as a display, touch sensor, communications circuits, audio components, sensors, components that produce electromagnetic signals that are sensed by a touch sensor in tablet computer or other device with a touch sensor (e.g., to provide stylus (pencil) input, etc.), and other components and these components may be powered by the DC voltages produced by rectifier  50  (and/or DC voltages produced by battery  58  or other energy storage device in device  24 ). Wireless power transmitting device  12  may also include one or more input-output devices  62  (e.g., input devices and/or output devices of the type described in connection with input-output devices  56 ) or input-output devices  62  may be omitted (e.g., to reduce device complexity). In addition to battery  58 , device  24  may also include an adjustable load such as ballast load  59 . Ballast load  59  may be used to help ensure that there is always a constant load at the output of rectifier  50 , even before the charging circuitry for battery  58 , the display, input-output output devices  56 , or control circuitry  30  begin to draw significant current. Ballast load  59  may therefore serve as an adjustable current sink to support operations on device  24 . 
     Power receiving circuitry  54  may further include voltage regulator circuitry such as voltage regulator  64  that helps stabilize the rectified voltage produced by rectifier  50  during the operation of system  8 . Ballast  59  can sometimes be considered to be part of or a type of voltage regulator circuitry. Voltage regulator  64  may, for example, be used to regulate the rectified voltage in response to a load step change such that the change in rectified power output by rectifier  50  is proportional to the amount of the load step change. Voltage regulator  64  may operate independently from power transmitting device  12  (e.g., voltage regulator  64  can boost the rectified voltage without having to actively increase the power level of wireless power signals  44 ). 
     During wireless power transfer operations, wireless transceiver circuitry  40  can use one or more coils  42  to transmit in-band signals to wireless transceiver circuitry  46  that are received by wireless transceiver circuitry  46  using coil  48 . Suitable modulation schemes may support communications between device  12  and device  24 . With one illustrative configuration, frequency-shift keying (FSK) is used to convey in-band data from device  12  to device  24  and amplitude-shift keying (ASK) is used to convey in-band data from device  24  to device  12 . In some embodiments, FSK conveys data in both directions between devices  12  and  24 . Power may be conveyed wirelessly from device  12  to device  24  during these FSK and ASK transmissions. Other types of in-band communications may be used, if desired. 
     During wireless power transmission operations, circuitry  52  supplies AC drive signals to one or more coils  42  at a given power transmission frequency (sometimes referred to as a carrier frequency, power carrier, or drive frequency). The power carrier frequency may be, for example, a predetermined frequency of about 125 kHz, about 128 kHz, about 200 kHz, about 326 kHz, about 360 kHz, at least 80 kHz, at least 100 kHz, less than 500 kHz, less than 300 kHz, or other suitable wireless power frequency. Devices operating under the Qi wireless charging standard established by the Wireless Power Consortium generally operate between 110-205 kHz or between 80-300 kHz. In some configurations, the power transmission frequency may be negotiated in communications between devices  12  and  24 . In other configurations, the power transmission frequency is fixed. 
       FIG.  1 B  shows an exploded view of power receiving device  24 . As shown in  FIG.  1 B , power receiving device  24  may include a device housing such as housing layer  300 , coil  48  disposed over housing  300 , shielding layers  302  and  304 , battery  58  disposed over the shielding layers, a display layer such as display  306  disposed over battery  58 , and a cover layer such as cover glass  308  disposed over display  306 . Device housing  300  and cover glass  308  serve as lower and upper external protective layers, respectively. 
     Housing  300 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. Housing  300  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  300  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). Cover glass  308  may be formed from crystalline material such as sapphire, ceramic, or other chemically strengthened glass material that is transparent and allows the user to view the content output by display  306 . 
     Electronic components within device  24  such as circuitry on a printed circuit board within device  24  or circuitry within display  306  are subject to signal interference. Shielding layer  302  can be a metal shield configured to suppress electromagnetic interference. Shielding layer  302  of this type can be formed from materials such as copper, nickel, silver, gold, other metals, a combination of these materials, or other suitable conductive material that suppress signals at radio frequencies and may sometimes be referred to as radio-frequency shields. 
     Shielding layer  304  may be configured to suppress magnetic fields at relatively lower frequencies. Layer  304  may be a layer of magnetic material that can serve as a magnetic shield (i.e., layer  304  can block magnetic flux and may have a relative permeability of 500 or more 1000 or more, or other suitable value). An example of a magnetic material that can be used in forming magnetic shielding layer  304  is ferrite. Another example of a magnetic material that can be used in forming magnetic shielding layer  304  is a high permeability nickel-iron magnetic alloy that is sometimes referred to as mu-metal or permalloy. 
     If desired, battery  58  may serve as an additional electromagnetic shielding component interposed between coil  48  and display  306 . Display  306  may be a touchscreen display that includes both display components (e.g., an array of display pixels and associated display driver circuitry) and touch sensor components (e.g., an array of touch sensor electrodes overlapping with the array of display pixel and associated touch sensing circuitry). Although not explicitly shown, additional printed circuit board(s), communications circuitry, other storage and processing components may be included within the stackup of device  24 . The order of the layers shown in  FIG.  1 B  is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of the present embodiments. 
     Data can be transmitted from device  12  to device  24  using frequency shift keying (FSK) or other suitable modulation scheme. During wireless power transfer operations, while power transmitting circuitry  52  is driving AC signals into one or more of coils  42  to produce signals  44  at the power transmission frequency, wireless transceiver circuitry  40  uses FSK modulation to modulate the power transmission frequency of the driving AC signals and thereby modulate the frequency of signals  44 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , FSK modulator  40 T may modulate the power transmission frequency that is being supplied by controller  16 M to input  74  of inverter  60 . Operated in this way, FSK data is transmitted from device  12  to device  24 . 
     In device  24 , coil  48  is used to receive signals  44 . Power receiving circuitry  54  uses the received signals on coil  48  and rectifier  50  to produce DC power. At the same time, wireless transceiver circuitry  46  (e.g., FSK demodulator  46 R) uses FSK demodulation to extract the transmitted in-band data from signals  44 . This approach allows FSK data (e.g., FSK data packets) to be transmitted in-band from device  12  to device  24  with coils  42  and  48  while power is simultaneously being wirelessly conveyed from device  12  to device  24  using coils  42  and  48 . Transceiver circuitry  46  may be coupled to a node  80  between coil  48  and series capacitor Cs. 
     In-band communications between device  24  and device  12  uses ASK modulation and demodulation techniques. Wireless transceiver circuitry  46  includes ASK modulator  46 T coupled to coil  48  to modulate the impedance of power receiving circuitry  54  (e.g., to adjust the impedance at coil  48 ). This, in turn, modulates the amplitude of signal  44  and the amplitude of the AC signal passing through coil(s)  42 . ASK demodulator  40 R monitors the amplitude of the AC signal passing through coil(s)  42  and, using ASK demodulation, extracts the transmitted in-band data from these signals that was transmitted by wireless transceiver circuitry  46 . ASK demodulator  40 R may be coupled to a node  71  between coils  42  and capacitor  70  or may be coupled to some other node in power transmitting circuitry  52 . The use of ASK communications allows ASK data bits (e.g., ASK data packets) to be transmitted in-band from device  24  to device  12  with coils  48  and  42  while power is simultaneously being wirelessly conveyed from device  12  to device  24  using coils  42  and  48 . 
     These communications are modulated at a carrier frequency such as the operating frequency used to provide wireless power during active wireless power transfer mode. Devices operating under the Qi wireless charging standard established by the Wireless Power Consortium generally operate between 110-205 kHz or 80-300 kHz. Frequencies of about 125 kHz, about 128 kHz, about 200 kHz, about 326 kHz, about 360 kHz, at least 80 kHz, at least 100 kHz, less than 500 kHz, less than 300 kHz, or other suitable wireless power frequency are also possible. 
     Power transmitting circuitry  52  may use inverter  60  or other drive circuit that produces wireless power signals that are transmitted through an output circuit that includes one or more coils  42  and capacitors such as capacitor  70 . Control signals for inverter  60  are provided by control circuitry  16  at control input  74 . A single coil  42  is shown in the example of  FIG.  2   , but multiple coils  42  may be used, if desired. During wireless power transmission operations, transistors in inverter  60  are driven by AC control signals from control circuitry  16  (e.g., controller  16 M supplies drive signals for inverter  60  at input  74  at a desired alternating-current carrier frequency). This causes the output circuit formed from coil  42  and capacitor  70  to produce alternating-current electromagnetic fields (signals  44 ) that are received by wireless power receiving circuitry  54  formed from coil  48  in device  24 . 
     Rectifier  50  converts received power from AC to DC and supplies a corresponding direct current output voltage Vrect at rectifier output terminal  88  for powering load circuitry in device  24  (e.g., for charging battery  58 , for powering a display and/or other input-output devices  56 , and/or for powering other load circuitry). Capacitance Crect may represent the output capacitance of rectifier  50  or the capacitance of the load being driven. In the example of  FIG.  2   , rectifier  50  may be a full-wave synchronous rectifier circuit having switches S 1 -S 4  (e.g., metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors). Switch S 1  is coupled between node  82  and a ground line. Switch S 2  is coupled between node  84  and the ground line. Switch S 3  is coupled between node  82  and the rectifier output terminal  88 . Switch S 4  is coupled between node  84  and output terminal  88 . A parallel capacitor such as capacitor Cp may be coupled across nodes  82  and  84 . Nodes  82  and  84  may be connected to inputs of rectifier  50  (e.g., the node between switches S 1  and S 3  may be a first input of rectifier  50 , whereas the node between switches S 2  and S 4  may be a second input of rectifier  50 ). The voltage across parallel capacitor Cp is denoted as voltage Vp. 
     In practice, the rectified voltage Vrect should remain within an operating range specified by power receiving device  24 . The Qi mechanism for controlling the transmit power level uses the power receiving device  24  to send to power transmitting device  12  power adjustment requests such as ASK modulated packets sometimes referred to as a control error packet (CEP). The CEP feedback mechanism is open loop and sometimes take more than 800 switching cycles to finish transmitting, which is oftentimes too slow to provide sufficient regulation of Vrect. When Vrect is not properly regulated, an increase in load current (see Irect flowing into rectifier output terminal  88 ) will not be followed by a proportional change in the rectified power, resulting in conduction loss. When Vrect is not properly regulated, a large reduction in load current Irect can also cause an undesirable spike in Vrect. These scenarios impose major limitations on the design of device  24  to limit the rate of change of the rectified power level. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, power receiving device  24  may be provided with local voltage regulation circuitry such as voltage regulator  64 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , voltage regulator  64  may have one input configured to receive the rectified voltage Vrect via line  90  and another input configured to receive voltage Vp via path  86 . Path  86  may include a first line coupled to node  82  and a second line coupled to node  84 . Voltage regulator  64  provides fast voltage regulation (relative to the latency of the CEP feedback mechanism) without having to send feedback signals back to power transmitting device  12 . Voltage regulator  64  operates independently from power transmitting device  12 , which provides better voltage regulation and better over voltage protection (e.g., substantially reduced probability of exceeding voltage limits during a load release event), thus alleviating major design restrictions by allowing much higher rates of system load changes. Voltage regulator  64  can be used in conjunction with the CEP regulation loop and can help increase the power capability of the overall wireless charging system. 
       FIG.  3    is a diagram of illustrative voltage regulator circuitry  64 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , voltage regulator circuitry  64  may include a difference circuit such as difference circuit  100 , a proportional integration control circuit such as proportional integrating (PI) controller  102 , an operational amplifier circuit such as operational amplifier  104 , a zero crossing detection circuit such as zero crossing detector  106 , a pulse generation circuit such as pulse generator  108 , an integration circuit such as integrator  110 , and associated logic gates such as logic gates  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 , and  130 . 
     Difference circuit  100  has a first (+) input configured to receive a rectifier set point voltage Vrect-setpoint, a second (−) input configured to receive rectified voltage Vrect from line  90 , and an output on which error voltage Verror is generated. Error voltage Verror may be equal to the difference between voltage Vrect-setpoint and voltage Vrect. Difference circuit  100  is therefore sometimes referred to as a subtraction circuit or a subtractor. Voltage regulator  64  keeps voltage Vrect close to Vrect-setpoint (sometimes referred to as the target rectifier voltage level or a threshold voltage level). Voltage Vrect-setpoint may be a fixed voltage level or a dynamically adjustable voltage level. Voltage Vrect-setpoint may be equal to 11 V, 11.5 V, 12 V, 12.5 V, 13 V, 13.5 V, 14 V, 11-14 V, less than 11 V, greater than 14 V, 2-11 V, 14-20 V, or other suitable target regulated voltage level. Proportional integrating controller  102  receives error voltage Verror from difference circuit  100  and generates a corresponding output voltage Vpi (sometimes referred to as a proportional integrator output voltage). 
     Zero crossing detector  106  has a input configured to receive voltage Vp from path  86 . During operation of device  24  when coil  48  is receiving wireless power signals  44  from device  12 , voltage Vp may toggle between a negative voltage level and a positive voltage level (see, e.g.,  FIG.  4   ). For example, voltage Vp might swing between −12 V and +12 V. As shown in  FIG.  4   , voltage Vp may be inversely related to Irx (i.e., the amount of current flowing through coil  48 ). Waveforms Irx and Vp may oscillate in accordance with the power carrier frequency of the wireless power/charging signals, which is typically between 110-205 kHz or 80-300 kHz. Frequencies of about 125 kHz, about 128 kHz, about 200 kHz, about 326 kHz, about 360 kHz, at least 80 kHz, at least 100 kHz, less than 500 kHz, less than 300 kHz, or other suitable wireless power frequency are also possible. The periodicity of waveforms Irx and Vp are denoted by time period T. 
     Zero crossing detector  106  may detect when voltage Vp crosses zero volts (e.g., when Vp exceeds 0 V such as at time t 0  or when Vp falls below 0 V such as at time t 3 ). In response detecting a zero crossing, detector  106  may output an asserted signal to pulse generator  108 . In response to receiving the asserted output signal from zero crossing detector  106 , pulse generator  108  may pulse signal Vpulse. Signal Vpulse may have a rising edge at time t 0  and a falling edge at time t 2 . The total pulse width of signal Vpulse is denoted as time period Δt 2 . Integrator  110  may receive signal Vpulse and generate a corresponding signal Vramp. Integrator  110  will integrate signal Vpulse, which causes signal Vramp to begin ramping up at time t 0 . At time t 2 , signal Vpulse is driven low, which resets signal Vramp down to zero. 
     Operational amplifier  104  may have a first (+) input configured to receive voltage Vpi from proportional integrating controller  102 , a second (−) input configured to receive signal Vramp from integrator  110 , and an output on which signal Vpulse_zero_state is generated. signal Vpulse_zero_state may be driven high at time t 0  when detector  106  detects a zero crossing. As described above, signal Vramp may being ramping up at time t 0 . When signal Vramp exceeds Vpi at time t 1 , operational amplifier  104  may drive signal Vpulse_zero_state low. 
     The total pulse width of signal Vpulse_zero_state is denoted as time period Δt 1 . The duration of period Δt 1  is less than the duration of period Δt 2 . Period Δt 2  should be carefully selected to minimize the risk of voltage Vrect collapsing. As an example, period Δt 2  may be 300 nanoseconds (ns), 200-300 ns, less than 200 ns, greater than 300 ns, 300-400 ns, 400-500 ns, or other suitable duration. Period Δt 1  may be 50 ns, 60 ns, 70 ns, 80 ns, 90 ns, 50-100 ns, 10-50 ns, less than 100 ns, less than 90 ns, less than 80 ns, less than 70 ns, or other suitable duration. 
     Signal Vpulse_zero_state is fed through inverter  122  to logic AND gates  124  and  126 , which control the pull-up switches S 3  and S 4 , respectively, within synchronous rectifier  50 . Signal Vpulse_zero_state is fed directly to logic OR gates  128  and  130 , which control the pull-down switches S 1  and S 2 , respectively, within synchronous rectifier  50 . Thus, when signal Vpulse_zero_state is asserted (driven high) during period Δt 1 , inverter  12  will invert the pulse which causes logic AND gates  124  and  126  to deactivate the pull-up rectifier switches S 3  and S 4  while logic OR gates  128  and  130  activate the pull-down rectifier switches S 1  and S 2 . The logic AND gates are sometimes referred to as logic gates of a first type, whereas the logic OR gates are sometimes referred to as logic gates of a second type different than the first type. 
     Since there is a zero crossing every half period, signal Vpulse_zero_state will be asserted every half cycle T/2 to turn on switches S 1  and S 2 . Turning off the pull-up switches S 3  and S 4  while turning on the pull-down switches S 1  and S 2  between time t 0  and t 1  changes the voltage applied to coil  48  from (±Vrect−Vcs) to (0−Vcs), which increases the voltage applied across coil  48  and increases current Irx. Voltage Vcs represents the amount of voltage across series capacitor Cs. This extra energy stored in coil  48  in the form of higher current Irx will be injected into capacitor Crect, which has the effect of boosting rectified voltage Vrect. At time t 1  when Vpulse_zero_state is driven low, the control of the rectifier switches S 1 -S 4  is returned to synchronous rectifier controller  120  until the next zero crossing half a cycle later. In other words, voltage regulator  64  overrides the synchronous rectifier controller  120  whenever Vp is equal to zero and relinquishes control as soon as signal Vpulse_zero_state is deasserted (driven low). Synchronous rectifier controller  120  may or may not be considered part of voltage regulator circuitry  64 . The duration between time t 0  and t 1  should be selected to provide a desired amount of boosting and regulation of rectifier voltage Vrect. 
     Configured and operated in this way, the zero state of voltage Vp is synchronized with the temporary activation of the pull-down MOSFET transistors S 1  and S 2 . Since the voltage across switches S 1  and S 2  is approximately equal to zero during the zero crossing, a soft switching transition is guaranteed. The extra zero state allows slightly higher energy storage in the magnetic link coils  42  and  48  and dynamically changes the net AC resistance seen by the magnetic interface in a way that keeps voltage Vrect close to the target Vrect-setpoint while the needed Irect is being delivered. 
       FIG.  5    is a timing diagram showing how rectified power Prect changes in response to a load step change. As shown in  FIG.  5   , load current Irect steps up at time tx while voltage Vrect-setpoint remains fixed. The load step change can cause rectifier output voltage Vrect to drop (see dip  140 ), but voltage regulator  64  may drive Vrect back up to the Vrect-setpoint level in less than 1 millisecond (as an example). Regulating Vrect locally using voltage regulator  64  independently from power transmitting device  12  is significantly faster than the CEP feedback mechanism. The speed of voltage regulation provided by voltage regulator  64  may be at least two times faster, four times faster, ten times fasters, or hundreds of times faster than that of the CEP feedback loop. The rectified power Prect waveform may initially drop (see dip  142 ) but will quickly settle to a final power level that is proportional to the change in Irect. This is a desirable behavior of a well-regulated voltage source. 
       FIG.  6    is a timing diagram showing how rectified power changes in response to an adjustment in voltage Vrect-setpoint. As shown in  FIG.  6   , voltage Vrect-setpoint is stepped up while load current Irect remains constant. Here, rectified voltage Vrect may settle to the Vrect-setpoint level in less than 1 ms (as an example) while also allowing the changes in Prect and Vrect to be proportional. 
       FIG.  7    is a flow chart of illustrative steps for operating wireless charging system  8 . At step  200 , power receiving device  24  may receive wireless power from power transmitting device  12  (e.g., device  12  may be actively transmitting power to charge device  24 ). 
     At step  202 , some component within device  24  may be activated to draw load current, which increases Irect. A step change in Irect may cause voltage Vrect to drop. When this occurs, voltage regulator  64  may be automatically activated, at step  204 , to boost Vrect (as shown by the example of  FIG.  5   ). 
     At step  206 , power receiving device  24  may send a control error packet via in-band communications to power transmitting device  12  to help compensate for any remaining residual error in voltage Vrect. In other words, voltage regulator  64  and the CEP feedback mechanism can complement one another to compensate for larger changes in Irect where the soft switching duration might not be long enough to allow Vrect to settle back to Vrect-setpoint. Voltage regulator  64  can therefore regulate Vrect during time intervals between successive CEP packets. This increases the deliverable power significantly, which results in faster charging times. The use of voltage regulator  64  also allows for much higher rates of change in load current Irect, which simplifies the design process considerably while increasing the overall reliability of system  8 . 
     The foregoing is merely 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: 20210506
Publication Date: 20240116
Grant Date: 20240116
Priority Date: 20201210
Inventors: SAFAEE, Alireza
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H02J50/10", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/10", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/80", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 89511378