PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10320241-B2
Application Number: US-201815967285-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Wireless charging system with object recognition

Abstract:
A wireless power transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device using output circuitry that includes an array of wireless power transmitting coils that form a wireless charging surface. During wireless power transmission operations, wireless power signals are transmitted from the array of coils to a wireless power receiving device on the charging surface. Inductance measurement circuitry such as impulse response measurement circuitry and other measurement circuitry is coupled to the output circuitry. Control circuitry in the wireless power transmitting device analyzes signals from the measurement circuitry to produce two-dimensional signal profiles across the wireless charging surface and to compare patterns in these signal profiles to predetermined signal patterns associated with the presence of known power receiving equipment on the wireless charging surface. Based on the analysis, charging parameters may be adjusted or other actions taken.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless power transmitting device with a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device that has a wireless power receiving coil, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 an array of coils; 
 output circuitry coupled to the array of coils and configured to transmit wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device with at least a selected one of the coils; 
 oscillator circuitry that supplies the output circuitry with an oscillator output signal; 
 at least one measurement circuitry coupled to the output circuitry; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 gather at least first and second different two-dimensional signal measurement profiles with a plurality of coils including at least the selected one of the coils in the array of coils using signals from the measurement circuitry obtained as the oscillator output signal is supplied to the output circuitry at respective first and second different frequencies, wherein the two-dimensional signal measurement profiles comprise measurements gathered as a function of coil location across the charging surface of the wireless power transmitting device; and 
 cause an action in response to comparison of the first and second two-dimensional signal measurement profiles to predetermined two-dimensional signal measurement profile information. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the measurement circuitry comprises a peak detector and an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the peak detector. 
     
     
       3. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 2  wherein the control circuitry is configured to control transmission of wireless power to the wireless power receiving device with the output circuitry based at least partly on the comparison of the first and second two-dimensional signal measurement profiles to the predetermined two-dimensional signal measurement profile information. 
     
     
       4. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 3  wherein the predetermined two-dimensional signal measurement profile information comprises two-dimensional information on at least one pattern of signal measurements on the array of coils gathered in the presence of a device with a wireless power receiving coil when no objects incompatible with wireless power transfer operations are present on the array of coils. 
     
     
       5. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 4  further comprising impulse response measurement circuitry coupled to the output circuitry. 
     
     
       6. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 5  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to gather inductance measurements from the array of coils using the impulse response measurement circuitry. 
     
     
       7. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 6  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate a two-dimensional inductance profile for the charging surface based on the inductance measurements. 
     
     
       8. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 7  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to compare the two-dimensional inductance profile to predetermined inductance profile information associated with inductance patterns for predetermined electronic devices oriented for wireless charging on the charging surface. 
     
     
       9. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 8  wherein the control circuitry is configured to take the action at least partly in response to comparing the two-dimensional inductance profile to the predetermined inductance profile information. 
     
     
       10. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 9  wherein the action comprises an action selected from the group consisting of: issuing an alert, adjusting wireless power transmission settings for the wireless power transmitting circuitry, transmitting wireless communications signals. 
     
     
       11. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 9  wherein the action comprises issuing an alert, wherein the wireless power transmitting device includes an output component, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to present the alert with the output component. 
     
     
       12. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 9  wherein the action comprises issuing an alert and wherein the control circuitry is configured to wirelessly transmit information on the alert to the wireless power receiving device. 
     
     
       13. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 9  wherein the action comprises selecting a coil in the array of coils and wherein the control circuitry is configured to select the coil and is configured to use the output circuitry to transmit the wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device with the selected coil. 
     
     
       14. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 1  wherein the measurement circuitry comprises coil inductance measurement circuitry coupled to the array of coils that produces coil inductance measurements, wherein the action comprises generating an alert, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether to generate the alert based on analysis of the coil inductance measurements and comparison of at least the first and second two-dimensional signal measurement profiles to the predetermined two-dimensional signal measurement profile information, wherein the first two-dimensional signal measurement profile corresponds to signals from the measurement circuitry obtained when the oscillator signal has a first frequency, and wherein the second two-dimensional signal measurement profile corresponds to signals from the measurement circuitry obtained when the oscillator signal has a second frequency that is different from the first frequency. 
     
     
       15. A wireless power transmitting device with a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device that has a wireless power receiving coil, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 an array of coils; 
 output circuitry coupled to the array of coils and configured to transmit wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device with at least a selected one of the coils; 
 oscillator circuitry that supplies the output circuitry with an oscillator output signal; 
 signal measurement circuitry coupled to the output circuitry that is configured to make measurements on the output circuitry while the oscillator circuitry supplies the output circuitry with the oscillator output signal;
 impulse response measurement circuitry coupled to the output circuitry; and 
 
 control circuitry configured to:
 gather a two-dimensional signal measurement profile with the array of coils using signals from the signal measurement circuitry obtained as the oscillator output signal is supplied to the output circuitry, wherein the two-dimensional signal measurement profile comprises measurements gathered using a plurality of coils in the array of coils across the charging surface of the wireless power transmitting device; 
 gather a two-dimensional coil inductance profile with the impulse response measurement circuitry; and 
 analyze at least the two-dimensional coil inductance profile and the two-dimensional signal measurement profile to determine an action to take in response to comparing the two-dimensional inductance profile and the two-dimensional signal measurement profile to predetermined two-dimensional profiles of inductance and measured signals obtained from a coil array in the presence of wireless power receiving equipment overlapping the coil array. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 15  wherein the action to take comprises an action selected from the group consisting of: issuing an alert, adjusting a wireless power transmission setting associated with transmitting the wireless power signals, initiating wireless communications with the wireless power receiving device, and gathering additional signal measurements from the output circuitry. 
     
     
       17. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 15  wherein the action comprises issuing an alert indicating that the wireless power receiving device is upside down on the charging surface. 
     
     
       18. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 15  wherein the signal measurement circuitry comprises
 a first peak detector coupled to a node in the output circuitry; and 
 a second peak detector coupled to the node in the output circuitry. 
 
     
     
       19. A wireless power transmitting device with a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device that has a wireless power receiving coil, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
 an array of power transmitting coils; 
 output circuitry coupled to the array of power transmitting coils and configured to transmit wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device with at least a selected one of the power transmitting coils; 
 oscillator circuitry that supplies the output circuitry with an oscillator output signal; 
 signal measurement circuitry coupled to the output circuitry that is configured to make measurements on the output circuitry while the oscillator circuitry supplies the output circuitry with the oscillator output signal; 
 impulse response measurement circuitry coupled to the output circuitry; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 gather first signal measurements from the signal measurement circuitry for at least some of the power transmitting coils in the array when the oscillator output signal has a first frequency; 
 gather second signal measurements from the signal measurement circuitry for at least some of the power transmitting coils in the array when the oscillator output signal has a second frequency; 
 gather coil inductance measurements for at least some of the power transmitting coils in the array with the impulse response measurement circuitry; and 
 analyze patterns in the first signal measurements, second signal measurements, and coil inductance measurements to determine whether to take an action selected from the group consisting of: initiating wireless communications with the wireless power receiving device, issuing an alert, and transmitting the wireless power signals. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 19 , wherein the signal measurement circuitry comprises at least one peak detector, wherein the control circuitry is configured to analyze the patterns by generating two-dimensional profiles of the first signal measurements, second signal measurements, and coil inductance measurements, and wherein the two-dimensional profiles comprise measurements gathered using different coils in the array of power transmitting coils across the charging surface. 
     
     
       21. The wireless power transmitting device defined in  claim 19 , wherein each coil in the array of power transmitting coils is coupled in series with a respective switch, wherein the first and second signal measurements are gathered while the switches associated with the at least some of the power transmitting coils are turned off, and wherein the coil inductance measurements are gathered while the switches associated with the at least some of the power transmitting coils are turned on.

Description:
This patent application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/507,684, filed on May 17, 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 or to power the device. 
     SUMMARY 
     A wireless power system includes a wireless power transmitting device and a wireless power receiving device. The wireless transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device using output circuitry that includes an array of wireless power transmitting coils that form a wireless charging surface. The wireless charging surface is configured to receive the wireless power receiving device. 
     During wireless power transmission operations, wireless power signals are transmitted from the array of coils to the wireless power receiving device. Inductance measurement circuitry such as impulse response measurement circuitry and other measurement circuitry is coupled to the output circuitry. The measurement circuitry includes an adjustable-frequency oscillator so that signal measurements may be made to the coils in the output circuitry at one or more frequencies of interest. 
     Control circuitry in the wireless power transmitting device analyzes signals from the measurement circuitry to produce two-dimensional signal profiles of inductance and other signal measurements across the wireless charging surface and to compare patterns in these signal profiles to predetermined signal patterns associated with the presence of known power receiving equipment on the wireless charging surface. Based on the analysis, charging parameters may be adjusted or other actions taken. For example, the control circuitry can determine whether wireless power transmission operations should be performed, can determine whether a foreign object such as a coin or a sensitive radio-frequency identification device is present indicating that wireless power transmission operations should not be performed, can determine whether an alert should be issued to a user to inform the user that a device on the charging surface should be reoriented (e.g., flipped) prior to wireless power transmission operations, may perform additional signal measurements at one or more frequencies, may initiate wireless communications with the wireless power receiving device, or may take other suitable actions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative wireless charging system in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of an illustrative wireless power transmitting device with an array of coils that forms a wireless charging surface in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram of illustrative wireless power transmitting circuitry with output circuit signal measurement circuitry in a wireless power transmitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a graph showing the response of various illustrative objects on the surface of a wireless power transmitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a graph of an illustrative impulse response of the type that may be used to characterize objects on a wireless power transmitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a graph showing output signal traces of the type that may be associated with placing a sensitive object such as a radio-frequency identification device on the surface of a wireless power transmitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a graph of illustrative signal measurements taken by output circuit signal measurement circuitry across multiple coils in output circuitry an illustrative wireless power transmitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  shows graphs of signal measurements taken using different types of measurement circuitry in a wireless power transmitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in operating a wireless power transfer system such as the wireless charging system of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A wireless power system has a wireless power transmitting device that transmits power wirelessly to a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power transmitting device is a device such as a wireless charging mat, wireless charging puck, wireless charging stand, wireless charging table, or other wireless power transmitting equipment. The wireless power transmitting device has one or more coils that are used in transmitting wireless power to one or more wireless power receiving coils in the wireless power receiving device. The wireless power receiving device is a device such as a cellular telephone, watch, media player, tablet computer, pair of earbuds, remote control, laptop computer, other portable electronic device, or other wireless power receiving equipment. 
     During operation, the wireless power transmitting device supplies alternating-current signals to one or more wireless power transmitting 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 may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     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 AC-DC power converter  40  can convert power from a mains power source or other AC power source into 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 coils  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 current signals through appropriate coils  36 . As the AC currents pass through a coil  36  that is being driven by the inverter circuit, alternating-current electromagnetic fields (wireless power signals  48 ) are produced that are received by one or more corresponding coils  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 one or more coils  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 control circuitry  42  of 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 information from circuitry  34  and/or  46  such as signal measurements on output circuitry in circuitry  34  and other information from circuitry  34  and/or  46  to determine when to start and stop wireless charging operations, adjusting charging parameters such as charging frequencies, coil assignments in a multi-coil array, and wireless power transmission levels, and performing other control functions. 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. Devices  10  and  12  may, for example, have wireless transceiver circuitry in control circuitry  42  and  20  (and/or wireless communications circuitry such as circuitry  56  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.). 
     With one illustrative configuration, 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. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG. 2 . In the example of  FIG. 2 , device  12  has an array of coils  36  that lie in the X-Y plane. Coils  36  of device  12  are covered by a planar dielectric structure such as a plastic member or other structure forming charging surface  60 . The lateral dimensions (X and Y dimensions) of the array of coils  36  in device  36  may be 1-1000 cm, 5-50 cm, less than 5 cm, more than 5 cm, more than 20 cm, less than 200 cm, less than 75 cm, or other suitable size. Coils  36  may overlap or may be arranged in a non-overlapping configuration. Coils  36  can be placed in a rectangular array having rows and columns and/or may be tiled using a hexagonal tile pattern or other pattern. There may be N×M coils  36  in the coil array, where N and M may be 1-100, 1-10, 2-4, 2-8, 3-7, 4-6, 5-20, less than 40, less than 30, less than 20, less than 10, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, at least 10, at least 15, or other suitable value. The values of N and M may be the same or may be different. 
     During operation, a user places one or more devices  10  on charging surface  60 . Foreign objects such as coils, paper clips, scraps of metal foil, and/or other foreign conductive objects may be accidentally placed on surface  60 . System  8  automatically detects whether conductive objects located on surface  60  correspond to devices  10  or incompatible foreign objects and/or performs other analysis on the object or objects on surface  60  and takes suitable action. With one illustrative arrangement, system  8  checks whether objects located on surface  60  include sensitive items such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices or other potentially sensitive electronic equipment that could be potentially damaged upon exposure to large fields from coils  36  before system  8  allows wireless power to be transmitted to those objects. System  8  may also determine whether an electronic device is oriented satisfactorily for charging and may issue alerts to a user or take other suitable action (e.g., system  8  may proceed with wireless charging if no foreign objects are present and if device  10  is oriented satisfactorily for wireless power transfer operations, system  8  may select appropriate coils  36  to use in wireless power transfer operations, device  12  may adjust wireless power transfer settings such as wireless power signal frequency, a maximum power setting, etc., device  12  may initiate and conduct wireless communications operations that request that device  10  provide device  12  with authentication information, device type information, preferred wireless charging settings information, and/or other information). 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 2 , external objects such as external object  62  and object  64  may overlap one or more coils  36 . In some situations, objects  62  and  64  will be portable electronic devices  10 . In other situations, one or more of objects  62  and  64  will be incompatible external objects (e.g., conductive foreign objects such as metallic coins, sensitive devices such as RFID devices, etc.). Situations may also arise in which incompatible external objects and portable electronic devices overlap the same coil or coils  36 . 
     Illustrative wireless power transmitting circuitry  34  that includes circuitry to detect and characterize external objects on surface  60  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , circuitry  34  may include an inverter such as inverter  72  or other drive circuit that produces wireless power signals that are transmitted through an output circuit that includes one or more coils  36 . A single coil  36  is shown in the example of  FIG. 2 . In general, device  12  may have any suitable number of coils  36  (1-100, more than 5, more than 10, fewer than 40, fewer than 30, 5-25, etc.). Switching circuitry MX (sometimes referred to as multiplexer circuitry) that is controlled by control circuitry  42  can be located before and/or after each coil  36  and/or before and/or after the other components of output circuit  71  and can be used to switch desired sets of one or more coils  36  (desired output circuits  71 ) into or out of use. 
     For example, if it is determined that object  62  of  FIG. 2  is a wireless power receiving device  10  and object  64  is an incompatible foreign object such as a coin, the coils overlapping object  62  may be activated during wireless power transmission operations and the coils under object  64  may be deactivated so that these coils do not transmit wireless power. Other coils  36  (e.g., coils not overlapped by object  64  in this example) can also be turned off during wireless power transmission operations, if desired. Output circuitry such as output circuit  71  of  FIG. 3  (e.g., capacitor  96 ) may be shared among multiple coils  36  using multiplexer circuitry MX and/or there may be multiple respective output circuits  71  each with components such as capacitor  96  and each coupled by multiplexer MX to a respective coil  36 . Control circuitry  42  can control multiplexer MX to select one or more coils  36  in the coil array for wireless power transmission operations. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 3 , during wireless power transmission operations, transistors  74  of inverter  72  are driven by time-varying control signals from control circuitry  42 . Control circuitry  42  may also use transistors  74  of inverter  72  to apply square wave pulses or other impulses to coil  36  (e.g., during impulse response measurements). If desired, a capacitor such as capacitor C 2  may be placed at the output of inverter  72  to smooth the square wave pulses. The value of C 2  may be, for example, 4.7 nF, more than 2 nF, less than 6 nF or other suitable smoothing capacitance value. 
     Coil  36  (e.g., a coil that has been selected using multiplexing circuitry MX) has an inductance L. Capacitor  96  has a capacitance C 1  that is coupled in series with inductance L in output circuit  90 . When supplied with alternating-current drive signals from inverter  72  while switch (transistor) TP is closed, the output circuit formed from coil  36  and capacitor  96  produces alternating-current electromagnetic fields that are received by one or more coils  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 one or more of coils  36  in device  12  at various frequencies can reveal information on objects on charging surface  60 . 
     To conserve power, device  12  may be operated in a standby mode while awaiting use to supply wireless power to devices  10 . The signal measurement circuitry of  FIG. 3  (sometimes referred to as output circuit signal measurement circuitry, external or foreign object detection circuitry, etc.) monitors for the presence of external objects during standby. The power consumption of the measurement circuitry in transmitter circuitry  34  during standby operations may be less than 50 mW, less than 200 mW, more than 1 mW, or other suitable value. 
     In standby mode, device  12  periodically scans coils  36  (e.g., device  12  scans each of coils  36 ) for the presence of external objects (e.g., devices  10 , foreign objects such as coins, etc.). To probe a selected coil for changes in inductance L due to external objects, a probe signal is driven onto node N 1  with oscillator circuitry  84  while control circuitry  42  turns off inverter  72  (e.g., transistors  74  are not used to drive signals onto node N 2 ). Control circuitry  42  uses, for example, oscillator circuitry  84  (e.g., one or more voltage controlled oscillators, one or more other adjustable oscillators, and/or other oscillatory circuitry) to produce an alternating-current probe signal (e.g., a sine wave, square wave, etc.) at a probe frequency fr (e.g., 4 MHz or other suitable frequency such as a frequency of at least 500 kHz, at least 1 MHz, at least 2 MHz, less than 10 MHz, between 1 MHz and 10 MHz, or other suitable frequency). The probe frequency (oscillator output frequency) fr that is used during standby mode is a frequency that differs from RFID frequencies such as 13.56 MHz and that differs from the normal alternating-current frequency supplied to output circuit  71  by inverter  72  during wireless charging operations, which may be, for example, 100-500 kHz, more than 50 kHz, more than 100 kHz, more than 200 kHz, less than 450 kHz, less than 400 kHz, less than 300 kHz, or other suitable wireless power alternating-current drive frequency. 
     The signal at frequency fr is applied to node N 1  from oscillator circuitry  84  via impedance injection network  132  and capacitor  86  and is coupled to coil  36  via capacitor  96  while inverter  72  is held in an off state by control circuitry  42 . Impedance injection network  132  includes resistor RI and inductor LI and has an impedance that helps oscillator  84  effectively inject alternating-current signals (e.g., probe signals at one or more frequencies or a swept frequency signal) onto node N 1  for detection by the measurement circuitry of  FIG. 3 . Control circuitry  42  controls multiplexer(s) MX to select the coil to which the signal at frequency fr is applied (e.g., coil  36  of  FIG. 3 ) from the array of coils  36  of device  12  shown in  FIG. 2 . Capacitance C 1  may have a value of 150 μF, more than 10 μF, less than 1000 μF, or other suitable value. Transistor TP may have a parasitic capacitance Cp (e.g., a parasitic capacitance of 85 pF, more than 10 pF, less than 800 pF, or other suitable value) when open. 
     With one illustrative configuration, direct-current voltage source  130  applies a 20 V direct-current bias voltage to node N 1  when transistor TP is open, which reduces the parasitic capacitance of transistor TP from about 150 pF to about 85 pF (as an example). For standby operations, control circuitry  42  opens transistor TP so that so that oscillator output signals from oscillator  84  are routed through coil  36 . When transistor TP is open, the presence of low parasitic capacitance Cp helps reduce the capacitance in parallel with coil  36  and reduces the potential negative impact of the potentially large parasitic capacitances of transistors T 1  and T 2  (e.g., 150 pF or more) and smoothing capacitor C 2  (e.g., 4.7 nF, more than 2 nF, less than 6 nF or other suitable smoothing capacitance value) on the detection sensitivity of measurement circuits  78  and  94  (e.g., signal attenuation on node N 1  will be avoided). This allows transistors T 1  and T 2  to be optimized for use in inverter  74  (e.g., the parasitic capacitances of field-effect transistors T 1  and T 2  can be large when lowering drain-source “on resistance” Rds-on to optimize field-effect transistors T 1  and T 2  for power transfer applications) and allows smoothing capacitor C 2  to be used at the output of inverter  74 . 
     With TP open, output circuit  71  (coil  36  in series with C 1  and Cp) will be characterized by a resonance at frequency fres of equation 1.
 
 fres= 1/(2π( LCp ) 1/2 )  (1)
 
     The expected measured signal at node N 1  (output voltage V 1 ) as a function of applied signal frequency f in the absence of external objects on coil  36  is given by curve  102  of  FIG. 4 . In the presence of an electronic device such as device  10  that contains one or more coils  14  overlapping coil  36 , curve  102  may shift to lower frequencies as shown by curve  100 . In the presence of a coin or other incompatible foreign object overlapping coil  36 , curve  102  may shift to higher frequencies as shown by curve  104 . Changes in load can be detected by monitoring the value of V 1  using measurement circuit  78  of  FIG. 3  at one or more probe frequencies. For example, oscillator circuitry  84  may be used to apply a probe signal to node N 1  at a frequency fr that has been chosen to match resonant frequency fres of equation 1. If desired, multiple probe signals may be applied to output circuit  72  while using measurement circuitry to evaluate the resulting signal on node N 1 . For example, the direction of change in curve  102  (shifting higher or lower) can be detected by taking multiple measurements of V 1  at two or more frequencies near frequency fr of  FIG. 4 ). In general, measurements can be taken at a single frequency fr, at two frequencies, at a series of frequencies ranging from a low frequency to a high frequency, at frequencies in multiple respective ranges of frequencies, in a set of three or more different frequencies, or other suitable frequencies. 
     To make measurements of V 1 , measurement circuit  78  includes peak detector  80  and analog-to-digital converter  82 . Circuit  78  measures the signal at node N 1  and supplies a corresponding digital version of this signal to control circuitry  42 . In the presence of an object overlapping coil  36  (whether from device  10 , a sensitive RFID device, or a coin or other incompatible foreign object), signal V 1  will drop. For example, the signal on node N 1  may drop from a value of P 1  (e.g., a peak value associated with curve  102 ) when coil  36  is unloaded to a reduced value of P 2  when coil  36  is loaded due to the presence of an external object (e.g., a reduced value P 2  associated with shifted curve  100  from an overlapping wireless power receiving device with a coil or a reduced value P 2  associated with shifted curve  102  from an overlapping coin). 
     During standby operations when determining whether to transition device  12  to full power operation and/or at other suitable times when it is desired to make signal measurements, control circuitry  42  can scan through coils  36  by using multiplexer circuitry MX or other switching circuitry in circuitry  34 . In some embodiments, this sequentially couples each of coils  36  to node N 1  while circuitry  78  measures signal V 1  for each selected coil  36 . If no changes in signal V 1  are detected, control circuitry  42  can conclude that no objects are present on device  12  (e.g., no objects are resting on charging surface  60 ). If a change in V 1  is detected, control circuitry  42  performs additional operations to confirm that device  10  is present rather than an incompatible foreign object such as a coin. As an example, measurements with circuitry  78  can be made at one or more frequencies, wireless communications with device  10  may be initiated to determine whether device  10  is authorized to receive wireless power signals, and/or additional measurements can be made. 
     With one illustrative approach, control circuitry  42  uses impulse response measurement circuitry  76  (sometimes referred to as inductance measurement circuitry and/or Q factor measurement circuitry) to perform low-frequency measurements of inductance L and quality factor Q in response to detection of a load on one or more coils  36  during standby. During impulse response measurements, control circuitry  42  directs inverter  72  to supply one or more excitation pulses (impulses) to coil  36  while turning on transistor TP, so that L and C 1  in output circuit  71  form a resonant circuit (e.g., a circuit where resonant current passes through T 2 , which can be turned on). The impulses may be, for example, square wave pulses of 1 μs in duration. Longer or shorter pulses may be applied, if desired. The resonant circuit may resonate at a frequency near to the normal wireless charging frequency of coil  36  (e.g., about 320 kHz, 100-500 kHz, more than 50 kHz, more than 100 kHz, more than 200 kHz, less than 450 kHz, less than 400 kHz, less than 300 kHz, or other suitable wireless charging frequency). 
     The impulse response (voltage signal V 2  on node N 1 ) of circuit  71  to the applied pulse(s) is as shown in  FIG. 5 . The frequency of the impulse response signal of  FIG. 5  is proportional to 1/sqrt(LC), 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. 5 , if signal V 2  decays slowly, Q is high (e.g., HQ) and if signal V 2  decays more rapidly, Q is low (e.g., SQ). Measurement of the decay envelope of V 2  and frequency of V 2  of the impulse response signal of  FIG. 5  with circuitry  76  will therefore allow control circuitry  42  to determine Q and L. 
     In some configurations, if the measured value of L for a given coil matches the normal L value expected for each of coils  36  in the array of coils  36  overlapping surface  60  (e.g., when the measured L value is not influenced by the presence device  10  or other external object on surface  60 ), control circuitry  42  can conclude that no external object suitable for wireless charging is present. If a given measured value of L is larger than that expected for an unloaded coil, control circuitry  42  can conclude that an external object is present that appears to be in an appropriate condition for wireless charging and can perform additional measurement operations. For example, control circuitry  42  can perform a swept-frequency measurement (sometimes referred to as an RFID checking measurement) on node N 1  to check whether a sensitive device such as an RFID device is present on surface  60 . In other configurations, two-dimensional measurements of L are gathered using the coil array formed by coils  36  and a resulting two-dimensional inductance profile is used in taking suitable action. For example, the two-dimensional profile may contain patterns that can be recognized upon comparison to predetermined patterns that are stored in device  12  during manufacturing (e.g., based on characterization of device  12  in the presence of known wireless power receiving devices  10 ). Actions may be taken when a match between a pattern in a two-dimensional inductance profile and predetermined inductance patters (e.g., actions may be taken such as adjusting charging parameters, issuing alerts to a user, etc.). Two-dimensional profiles of measurements taken at frequency fr and/or additional frequencies (e.g., measurements taken using oscillator  84  and measurement circuitry coupled to node N 1  in output circuitry  71 ) can be gathered using coils  36  and this information used in addition to or instead of the two-dimensional inductance profile in determining suitable actions to take in system  8 . 
     The measurements made by circuitry  76  are performed on one or more of coils  36  (e.g., these measurements may be performed on each of coils  36  in the array of coils in device  12 ). Circuitry  42  uses these impulse response measurements to identify spatial patterns in measured L values (and/or Q factor values) across surface  60 . Analysis of a pattern of measured inductance (L) change can help determine whether a known type of device  10  is present on coils  36 . Analysis of the spatial patterns of measured inductance L (and, if desired, Q factor, which has an inverse relationship with respect to L, and/or other patterns in the two-dimensional signal profiles gathered as a function of coil position in the X-Y plane of surface  60  using measurement circuitry coupled to node N 1 ) may be used in determining when to transit wireless power from device  12  to device  10  and/or in taking other suitable actions. If, for example, the value of L for each of coils  36  is unchanged from its nominal state, circuitry  42  can conclude that no external device suitable for wireless charging is present. If the value of L for a given one of coils  36  is elevated and this elevated coil inductance pattern matches a known pattern produced by a receiving device on charging surface  60  or other suitable pattern of measured L values is detected, circuitry  42  can conclude that an external device that is suitable for wireless charging is present on that coil and can prepare to transmit wireless power using that coil. 
     Before transmitting wireless power, it may be desirable to check whether a sensitive device such as an RFID device is present on surface  60 . Sensitive devices can potentially be harmed by excessive wireless power levels, so checking for sensitive devices helps avoid damage to sensitive devices during subsequent wireless power transfer operations. In some scenarios, both portable device  10  and a sensitive device may be present over the same coil  36  in the array of coils  36  in device  12 . A sensitive device may, as an example, be present under a cellular telephone, watch, or other portable device  10  that includes a wireless power receiving coil  14 . Even though the presence of the portable device  10  can be detected by making inductance measurements with coils  36 , it is desirable to check whether a sensitive device is also present so as to avoid damaging the sensitive device by exposure to wireless power transmissions. 
     Radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices typically have RFID coil circuits that resonate at relatively high frequencies such as a frequency of 13.56 MHz. In some embodiments, to determine if an RFID is present on surface  60 , RFID checking measurements are performed by measuring a voltage signal V 3  on node N 1  using measurement circuit  94  ( FIG. 3 ). During these checking measurements, control circuitry  42  directs oscillator circuitry  84  to sweep the frequency of the signal supplied to node N 1  between a first frequency f 1  and a second frequency f 2  covering the expected resonant frequencies of popular RFID coils. Transistor TP may remain open so that current from oscillator circuitry  84  flows through each coil  36  that has been selected during measurement operations. The value of f 1  may be, for example, 10 MHz, more than 5 MHz, less than 11 MHz, less than 12 MHz, less than 15 MHz, or other suitable value. The value of f 2  may be 30 MHz, more than 14 MHz, more than 15 MHz, more than 20 MHz, less than 45 MHz, or other suitable value. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , swept-frequency measurement circuit  94  includes a peak detector such as peak detector  88  that measures the voltage on node N 1 , band pass filter  90 , and analog-to-digital converter circuitry  92 . Analog-to-digital converter circuitry  92  supplies a digital version of its input to control circuitry  42 . 
     When no RFID device is present on charging surface  60  of device  12 , peak detector  88  will detect a signal such as the signal of curve  108  in  FIG. 6 . When an RFID device overlaps charging surface  60 , signal V 3  (see, e.g., curve  110 ) will exhibit a resonance signal such as signal  112  in as frequency f is swept between f 1  and f 2 . Resonance signal  112  may, for example, correspond to a resonance frequency such as an RFID resonant frequency of 13.56 MHz. 
     Frequency f is swept between f 1  and f 2  at a predetermined speed. For example, control circuitry  42  may sweep frequency from f 1  to f 2  in an interval of 2 ms, at least 1 ms, less than 3 ms, or other suitable time period. The pass frequency of band pass filter  90  is selected so that resonance signal  112  will pass through band pass filter  90  as band pass filtered signal  112 ′ of band pass output curve  114  when frequency f is changed between f 1  and f 2  at the predetermined speed (e.g., when the full sweep range is covered in an interval of 2 ms, etc.). The use of band pass filter  90  helps remove non-resonant signal fluctuations from curve  110  (e.g., signal tilt and slowly varying increases and/or decreases of the type shown by illustrative curve  110  of  FIG. 6 ). The resulting band-pass-filtered signal (curve  114  and filtered signal resonance  112 ′) can be processed by control circuitry  42  to confirm that an RFID resonance at a particular frequency has been detected. Control circuitry  42  can then take appropriate action. As an example, if no RFID signature is detected, control circuitry  42  can conclude that the detected external object on surface  60  is likely a portable device (device  10  with coil  14 ) without any intervening (overlapping) sensitive RFID device. If an RFID signature (e.g., resonant signal  112 ′ at an RFID frequency such as 13.56 MHz) is detected, control circuitry  42  can reduce the level of wireless power transmitted by coils  36  or can prevent wireless power from being transmitted by coils  36  (or at least the coils that are overlapped by the sensitive RFID device) so as to mitigate damage to the RFID device. Optionally, control circuit  42  can issue an alert to a user and/or take other suitable actions. 
     In some embodiments, signal processing operations may be performed on one or more two-dimensional signal measurement profiles taken with impulse response measurement circuitry  76 , circuit  78 , and/or circuit  94  to help determine which actions to take in devices  12  and/or  10 . For example, signal profiles can be analyzed by comparing signal profiles to known patterns of valid electronic devices on charging surface  60  to determine whether device  10  is right side up or upside down (and therefore whether an alert indicating this orientation information should be issued), to determine which coil or coils should be used in transmitting wireless power to device  10 , to determine what wireless power transfer settings should be used, to determine whether device  10  is covering a foreign object that is incompatible with device  10  or whether an incompatible object is otherwise present on surface  60 , to determine whether wireless charging should proceed or should be halted, etc. 
     When taking signal measurements, two-dimensional profiles may be formed from a series of discrete measurements (e.g., measurements made with respective coils  36 ) and/or curves may be fit to a series of discrete measurements to form two-dimensional profiles of measured signals. Consider, as an example, measurement of a signal MG of  FIG. 7  as a function of coil position in dimension X. As shown in  FIG. 7 , a finite number of coils  36  (e.g., four coils) at respective coil locations XA, XB, XC, and XD may make four corresponding signal measurements  116  (e.g., measurements of inductance L made with circuitry  76 , signal measurements at node N 1  made with circuit  78  or circuit  84 , etc.). The measurements (signal MG) can be plotted in dimensions X and Y to form a two-dimensional profile of MG across surface  60  and/or curves can be fit to the plotted measurements to produce a two-dimensional signal profile for signal MG, as illustrated by curve  118 , which has been fit to points  116 . 
     Curve fitting operations may use polynomial expressions for the two-dimensional profile being fit and may use a fit metric such as a least-squares fit or other metric that characterizes how well a given two-dimensional profile matches signal measurements  116 . Each measurement  116  corresponds to a measurement with a different respective coil  36  in the array of coils  36  overlapping surface  60 . Profiles can be gathered at one or more frequencies using any suitable signal measurement circuitry. As an example, a two-dimensional inductance profile can be obtained using circuitry  76 , one or more signal measurement profiles (e.g., two-dimensional profiles) can be gathered using circuit  78  while supplying one or more measurement frequencies with oscillator  84 , and one or more signal measurement profiles (e.g., two-dimensional profiles) can be gathered using circuit  94  while oscillator  84  performs one or more frequency sweeps. In general, the frequencies at which oscillator  84  operates when measuring the signal at node N 1  with circuitry such as circuit  78  may be 1 kHz to 1 GHz, 0.1 to 50 MHz, at least 10 kHz, at least 100 kHz, at least 500 kHz, less than 100 MHz, less than 10 MHz, less than 1 MHz, less than 100 GHz, etc. Multiple measurements may be made at multiple corresponding frequencies with each of coils  36 , so that two-dimensional signal measurement profiles at each of these frequencies can be obtained. These two-dimensional signal measurement profiles (signals at node N 1  measured at one or more frequencies of oscillator  84 ) can used in conjunction with inductance measurement profiles to reveal information about device  10  and other objects on surface  60 . 
     The traces of  FIG. 8  show illustrative signal measurement profiles made along one dimension (dimension X in the  FIG. 8  example) across surface  60 . Two-dimensional signal measurement profiles are made in both X and Y dimensions. 
     As shown in the upper traces of  FIG. 8 , inductance measurements can reveal whether a foreign object is present on surface  60 , can reveal the location and orientation of device  10  on surface  60 , and can reveal additional information such as whether device  10  is right side up (e.g., device  10  is facing upwards and any display on the front face of device  10  is facing upwards such as when device  10  is a cellular telephone or other device with opposing front and rear faces and a display on the front face). Inductance L of the upper traces of  FIG. 8  can vary as a function of position X, as indicated by solid curve  120 . Curve  120  is a plot of measured inductance L versus distance X across charging surface  60  when an illustrative device  10  is present. The illustrative device  10  that is associated with curve  120  of  FIG. 8  has a metal peripheral housing structure (e.g., a metal band that runs around the four sides of a rectangular device such as a cellular telephone, watch, tablet, etc.), a dielectric housing body, and a centrally mounted wireless power receiving coil  14 . Away from device  10 , in areas FS of transmitting device  12  (e.g., X values less than X 1  and more than X 6 ), measured inductance L may have a value LM. When the peripheral metal band of device  10  overlaps coil(s)  36  (e.g., between X 1  and X 2  for a left portion of the band and between X 5  and X 6  for a right portion of the band), measured inductance L may drop to lowered value LL. In the center of device  10  (e.g., X between X 2  and X 5 ), measured inductance L may be higher due to the presence of coil  14  (see, e.g., inductance LH, which may be larger than inductances LL and LM due to the presence of a ferrite or other magnetic material associated with coil  14 ). 
     Recognition of the pattern of curve  120  within the measured inductance profile extending across the surface of coils  36  (e.g., by comparing the pattern associated with curve  120  to a stored pattern in device  12  that was obtained during characterizing measurements) allows control circuitry  42  to determine that device  10  and its coil  14  are present. If a foreign object such as a coin is present under coil  14  of device  10  (in which case charging operations should not be performed), the measured inductance L may drop from LH to a lower value LH′ in the middle of coil region CL as indicated by dashed line  122  (e.g., L may decrease when an incompatible object such as a coin is present between X 3  and X 4 ). In this situation, application of pattern recognition techniques to the measured profile would not identify any matches between the measured profile and stored valid device patterns that were measured on device  12  in the presence of wireless power receiving device or other authorized wireless power receiving equipment. 
     Another possible scenario is illustrated by dashed-and-dotted curve  124 . Curve  124  corresponds to measurement of an inductance profile for surface  60  when the device of curve  120  has been flipped into an upside down configuration. In this configuration, coil  14 , which is on the rear of device  10  in this example, faces upwards and is not adjacent to charging surface  60 . As a result, the magnetic material associated with the core of coil  14  is not immediately adjacent to coils  36  and inductance L is not increased in region CL and is lower than value LH. The metal housing walls of device  10 , however, continue to lower L in regions MH relative to regions FS. Upside down device inductance patterns and other invalid (not appropriate for charging) patterns can be gathered by characterizing device  12  under a variety of these invalid charging circumstances (e.g., making inductance measurements and/or other signal measurements with the coil array while device  10  is upside down and storing the results in device  12  for use during pattern recognition operations). When control circuitry  42  detects the inductance profiles associated with curve  124 , device  12  can issue an alert to the user of system  8  (e.g., an audible or visible alert, an alert issued wirelessly to device  10 , etc.) that directs the user to turn device  10  right side up or to otherwise reposition device  10  so that satisfactory charging operations can be performed. The locations of metal walls in regions MH and analysis of the resulting shape, orientation, and location of device  10  on surface  60  that result from gathering the profile in inductance L with circuitry  42  can also be used to select one or more appropriate coils  36  to use in transmitting wireless power to device  10  (e.g., a coil aligned with the center of the metal housing wall which is aligned with coil  14 , etc.). Analysis of the shape and size of device  10  can also help identify which type of device is present on charging surface  60  (e.g., so that wireless power levels and other wireless power transmission parameters can be adjusted). 
     Measurements from swept frequency circuit  94  can be used in characterizing the environment of device  12  in addition to the inductance measurements of the upper traces of  FIG. 8 . As shown by the middle trace of  FIG. 8  (curve  126 ), the peak output of circuit  94  (peak output BPF_PEAK) can be measured for coils  36  as the output of oscillator  84  is swept in frequency (e.g., from f 1  to f 2  as described in connection with  FIG. 6 ). In the example of  FIG. 6 , the value of BPF_PEAK has been plotted as a function of coil position (e.g., X). When an object such as a RFID device is present, there will be a peak in curve  126  at the X position where the foreign object is located as shown in the example of  FIG. 8 . 
     The lower traces of  FIG. 8  correspond to measurement of the signal at node N 1  at two illustrative frequencies for oscillator  84  (e.g., frequencies fa and fb of 1 kHz-1 GHz, at least 10 kHz, at least 100 kHz, at least 1 MHz, at least 100 MHz, at least 10 GHz, less than 100 GHz, or other suitable frequencies). When coins and other foreign objects and/or a device such as device  10  is present on surface  60 , the value of output signal N 1   f  on node N 1  will vary. In the example of  FIG. 8 , curve  128  is taken at frequency fa and, due to the presence of device  10 , curve  128  rises at coil positions between X 1  and X 6  (where device  10  is located). At a different frequency (e.g., at frequency fb), the value of signal N 1   f  on node N 1  also rises where device  10  overlaps the coils of surface  60  between X 1  and X 6 , as indicated by curve  130 , which corresponds to signal N 1   f  when measured at frequency fb. Due to the presence of a structure in device  10  that has a resonance or other unique electrical characteristic when exposed to signals at frequency fb (e.g., circuitry containing one or more electrical components, housing structures, a metal structure in a portion of device  10 , etc.), curve  130  in the  FIG. 8  example exhibits peak  132  at position X 7 . 
     The measurement signal profile patterns of devices such as device  10  can be characterized by making measurements of the type shown in  FIG. 8  during manufacturing. Measurements of the type shown in the traces of  FIG. 8  may be taken for acceptable wireless power receiving devices in known acceptable charging positions such as face-up orientations on charging surface  60  and for acceptable wireless power receiving devices in known unacceptable positions (e.g., face-down positions for devices with rear-mounted coils). The signal measurement patterns resulting from this characterization information can then be provided to device  12  for use in identifying different devices such as device  10 , in determining how device  10  is oriented (e.g., by evaluating the location of asymmetrical signal characteristics such as peak  132  of  FIG. 8  and by evaluating the location of positions such as positions X 1  and X 6  where changes in the measured signal are measured as varying from nominal signal levels when coils  36  are uncovered, by identifying a match between a measured pattern and a pre-stored pattern such as the pattern of curve  124  that corresponds to an upside down device, etc.). 
     Due to peaks and/or valleys and/or other characteristics in the two-dimensional signal profiles of inductance L (upper traces of  FIG. 8 ), bandpass filter peak BPF_PEAK (middle trace of  FIG. 8 ), and/or output circuit signal N 1   f  measured at two or more frequencies, control circuitry  42  can analyze the position and orientation of device  10  on coils  36 , can identify when foreign objects such as coins are present (in the presence of device  10  and in the absence of device  10 ), can identify which type of device  10  is present (e.g., by determining the shape of device  10  from analysis of the patterns in the two-dimensional signal profiles), can identify whether device  10  is improperly oriented with respect to charging surface  60  (e.g., whether device  10  is right side up or upside down), and can otherwise characterize system  8 . This characterization information can then be used to adjust charging parameters and/or take other suitable action. 
     Illustrative operations involved in operating system  8  are shown in  FIG. 9 . During a low-power standup mode (e.g. following power-up operations and periodically after power-up), control circuitry  42  performs standby measurements. For example, device  12  may use circuitry such as circuit  78  of  FIG. 3  to monitor one or more of coils  36  (e.g., each coil  36  in the array of coils  36  in device  12 ) for the presence of an external object such as one of devices  10  which is potentially compatible for wireless power transfer or an incompatible object such as a coin or badge. A single measurement at frequency fr may be made to determine whether OUT(N 1 ) is lower than expected for any coils  36  or, if desired, multiple measurements at different frequencies near fr may be made (e.g., to determine which direction the coil resonance has shifted due to an external object and thereby help determine whether the object is an electronic device or is a coin or other incompatible foreign object). The standby operations consume a low amount of power (e.g., 50 mW or less, 100 mW or less, more than 1 mW, or other suitable amount). During measurement operations such as standby measurement operations, transistor TP is opened to help decrease the capacitance in parallel with coil  36  and thereby enhance measurement sensitivity. 
     In response to detection of an external object with control circuitry  42 , control circuitry  42  performs additional signal measurement and processing operations. 
     During the operations of block  140 , for example, control circuitry  42  may use circuit  78  and oscillator  84  to make measurements of the signal at node N 1  for each coil  36  at one or more measurement frequencies (output signal frequencies from oscillator  84 ). This allows one or more two-dimensional profiles of signal N 1   f  at the output of circuit  78  to be gathered at one or more respective oscillator frequencies (e.g., two-dimensional signal measurement maps can be gathered as a function of X and Y position across charging surface  60 , as described in connection with traces  128  and  130  of  FIG. 8 ). 
     During the operations of block  142 , control circuitry  42  uses inverter  72  or other resonant circuit drive circuitry to apply a stimulus (e.g., a square wave or other signal impulse) to the circuit formed from one or more of coils  36  (e.g., to each coil  36  in the array of coils  36  in device  12 , a subset of these coils such as those for which foreign object presence has been detected, and/or other suitable sets of one or more of coils  36 ), thereby causing that circuit (and that coil  36 ) to resonate while using a measurement circuit such as impulse response measurement circuitry  76  of  FIG. 3  to measure the response of the resonant circuit. As described in connection with  FIG. 5 , the characteristics of the resulting circuit resonance may then be measured and analyzed. For example, control circuitry  42  may use information on the measured resonant frequency to measure inductance L and may use information on the decay of the signal resonance to determine resistance R and Q factor. As described in connection with the uppermost traces of  FIG. 8 , by using circuitry  76  to make inductance measurements for each of coils  36  in the array of coils overlapping charging surface  60 , control circuitry  42  can make a two-dimensional map of variations in inductance (e.g., a two-dimensional inductance profile in dimensions X and Y of  FIG. 2 ). 
     Signal measurements with swept-frequency circuitry  94  can be performed during the operations of block  144 . In particular, frequency sweep measurements with circuitry such as oscillator circuitry  84  and swept-frequency measurement circuit  94  of  FIG. 3  may be performed to check for the presence of a sensitive RFID device, as described in connection with  FIG. 6 . Impedance injection network  132  helps flatten the frequency response of node N 1  during frequency sweep measurements with oscillator  84  and measurement circuit  94 . As described in connection with the center traces of  FIG. 9 , control circuitry  42  can use circuit  94  to measure the peak value of the output of bandpass filter  90  (signal BPF_PEAK) for each coil  36  as the frequency of the oscillator output signal is swept between frequencies of interest, thereby creating a two-dimensional map of these signal measurements (e.g., a two-dimensional profile of BPF_PEAK in dimensions X and Y of  FIG. 2 ). 
     During the operations of block  146 , the two-dimensional signal measurement profiles from blocks  140 ,  142 , and  146  are analyzed by circuitry  42  and suitable actions are taken in response. During manufacturing operations or during other operations prior to device usage by a user, a variety of devices such as device  10  can be characterized by placing these devices on device  12  and capturing numerous two-dimensional signal profiles. For example, a wristwatch device can be placed on charging surface  60  in a normal face up planar orientation (suitable for charging) and can be placed on charging surface  60  in a variety of other orientations (e.g., edge up and rear up configurations that are not generally desirable for charging). As another example, a cellular telephone can be placed on charging surface  60  in face up (suitable for charging) and face down (not generally suitable for charging) orientations while measurements are made. Common foreign objects such as coins can also be characterized. 
     The device and object characterization information gathered during these characterization operations can include signal measurement profiles with two-dimensional patterns in L, BPF_PEAK, and N 1   f , and/or two-dimensional patterns within two-dimensional measurement profiles associated with other measurement circuit output values (e.g., device-present profiles in X and Y) and can be stored in a database in control circuitry  14 . Using pattern recognition techniques during the operations of block  146 , device  12  can compare measured signal profile information to predetermined signal profile information to evaluate whether device  10  is present on charging surface  60  in the absence of incompatible objects such as coins and radio-frequency identification devices and is in an appropriate orientation to receive wireless power signals. 
     In some situations, device  12  can determine that device  10  is present and ready for charging (e.g., a measured profile such as the profile of curve  120  of  FIG. 8  may match a known device characteristic (the stored version of the pattern represented by curve  120 ) indicating that a device is present on charging surface  60  in a face-up configuration and no foreign objects are present). In response to this determination, device  12  can initiate wireless power transfer operations (e.g., using default settings followed by wireless handshaking and wireless power transfer settings optimization). 
     In other configurations, a foreign object will be detected (e.g., because the measured profiles do not match any patterns that are known from stored signal measurement profiles to be associated with wireless power receiving devices in the absence of foreign objects). In response to detection that an object that is incompatible with wireless charging such as a coin or other foreign object or a sensitive component such as a radio-frequency identification device, etc. is present (e.g., in a scenario in which the objects is interposed between device  10  and device  12 ), device  12  can issue an alert to the user (e.g., an alert indicating that an incompatible object is present and should be removed before charging can proceed). 
     Even in the absence of incompatible objects, it may not be appropriate to initiate wireless charging operations in configurations in which device  10  is improperly oriented (e.g., when a watch is edge up or when a cellular telephone or tablet is upside down). Accordingly, device  12  can, during the operations of step  146 , alert a user that the orientation of device  12  should be corrected. 
     In general, alerts can be issued to the user using the resources of device  12  and/or the resources of device  10 . As an example, device  12  may issue visible alerts using status-indicator light-emitting diodes, a display, or other component that emits light, may issues audible alerts using a speaker, a tone generator, or other device that emits sound, and may issue haptic alerts using a vibrator or other haptic output device. Device  12  may also present alerts to the user by sending wireless messages to device  10  that direct device  10  to issue a text alert (e.g., “reorient device for charging”) or other visible and/or audible and/or haptic alert using the circuitry of device  10 . 
     In some configurations, device  12  may establish a wireless communications link with device  10  (e.g., using wireless communications circuitry with radio-frequency transceivers and antennas in devices  10  and  12  and/or using wireless communications circuitry in which transceivers in devices  10  and  12  are coupled to coils  36  and  14 ). The wireless link may be used by device  12  to request information on the capabilities of device  10  for wireless power transfer (e.g., device type information, desired power transfer settings, authentication information, etc.). Device  12  can request that device  10  provide this information whenever the presence of a suspected electronic device is detected from measurement of the two-dimensional signal profiles or other signal measurements in device  12  and/or can request this information in situations in which analysis of two-dimensional signal profile information makes it desirable to obtain additional confirmatory information from device  10  before initiating transfer of wireless power from device  12  to device  10  (e.g., in situations in which wireless confirmation of the authorization of device  10  to receive wireless power is desired, in situations in which it is desired to set wireless charging parameters in device  12  based on information on the wireless power transfer capabilities of device  10 , battery charge state, and/or other information on device  10 , etc.). 
     In general, the operations performed during block  146  may include pattern recognition operations (e.g., comparing measured signal patterns such as two-dimensional signal measurement profiles) to predetermined two-dimensional signal measurement profiles to determine whether devices  10  and/or incompatible objects are present on charging surface  60  and are properly oriented, may include performing additional tests (e.g., additional signal measurements to gather one or more additional two-dimensional signal measurement profiles at one or more respective additional oscillator frequencies, additional inductance profiles, wireless tests involving wireless interrogation of a suspected device on surface  60  by establishing a wireless link between device  12  and device  10  and sending requests for battery charge status, device type, and other information from device  10 , and/or other additional measurements and communications operations), may include issuing alerts (visual, audible, haptic, wireless-based visual, audible, and/or haptic, etc.), may include adjusting wireless power transfer settings (e.g., lowering a maximum permitted wireless power transfer level in device  12  to ensure that device  10  is not supplied with too much power, selecting which coil or coils  36  to use in transferring wireless power signals to device  10 , adjusting settings such as wireless power transmission frequency (inverter frequency), duty cycle (inverter duty cycle), and/or otherwise adjusting the charging settings for device  10 ), and/or may include taking other suitable actions using the circuitry of device  12  and/or one or more devices  10  in system  8 . 
     If desired, pattern recognition operations may be performed using other types of measurements from coils  36 . For example, the pattern recognition operations of block  146  can be performed by comparing measured signal patterns such as one-dimensional signal measurement profiles (e.g., measurements from two adjacent coils or from more than two adjacent coils arranged along a single dimension) to predetermined one-dimensional signal measurement profiles to determine whether devices  10  and/or incompatible objects are present on charging surface  60 . 
     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: 20180430
Publication Date: 20190611
Grant Date: 20190611
Priority Date: 20170517
Inventors: CHEN, LIANG
GRAY, ANDREW
KUMAR, Arunim
HARRIS, Zachary Strachan
RUSSELL, ANTOIN J.
PATEL, BHARAT K.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H02J7/00045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08B1/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01R31/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01R31/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08B1/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/00045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 64272156