| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090212637 | MAGNETIC POSITIONING FOR INDUCTIVE COUPLING - A magnetic positioning system for use in inductive couplings. The magnetic positioning system having a magnet that provides sufficient magnetic force, but does not have enough electrical conductivity to overheat in the presence of the anticipated electromagnetic field. The magnet may be a bonded magnet or a shielded magnet. In another aspect a plurality of magnets are used to provide magnetic attraction forces and said magnetic repulsion forces that cooperate to align the inductive power supply and the remote device. In another aspect, a sensor allows differentiation between different positions of the remote device or inductive power supply. In another aspect, multiple magnets in the inductive power supply interact with multiple magnets in the remote device to position the remote device in different positions. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090212736 | INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM WITH BATTERY TYPE DETECTION - An inductive power supply system to wirelessly charge a remote device based on detected battery characteristics. The system includes an inductive power supply with a primary coil capable of inductively providing power to a secondary coil in a remote device. The inductive power supply and remote device include communication means for wirelessly communicating. The system further includes a remote device, having a battery with detectable battery characteristics. In operation, the remote device is capable of detecting the battery characteristics by applying a qualification charge to the battery. The inductive power supply system is capable of identifying the battery installed in the remote device by analyzing the detected battery characteristics. The inductive power supply system selects an appropriate charging algorithm based on the analyzed characteristics. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20100007307 | WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM - The present invention provides wireless power supply systems that wirelessly supply power to a remote device for rapidly charging a charge storage capacitor, which charges a battery with the power stored in the charge storage capacitor. This allows the remote device to be positioned near the inductive power supply for rapid charging of the charge storage capacitor and allows battery charging to continue even after the remote device is removed from the inductive power supply. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100171369 | COMMUNICATION ACROSS AN INDUCTIVE LINK WITH A DYNAMIC LOAD - The present invention provides a load used for communication in a remote device having a dynamic communication load configuration. In one embodiment, the dynamic communication load configuration vanes as a function of a characteristic of power in the remote device. The remote device toggles between load configurations to communicate with the inductive power supply. A sensor in the remote device detects a characteristic of power in the remote device and configures the communication load based on the sensor output. In another embodiment, the remote device adjusts the dynamic communication load configuration in the remote device in response to a failure to receive a response from the inductive power supply. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20110006611 | INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY - In one aspect, the present invention provides a wireless power supply having a plunger for mechanically interconnecting a remote device with the power supply. The plunger may be extendable/retractable to interfit with the remote device. In a second aspect, the present invention provides a wireless power supply with a movable primary that allows for close alignment between the primary and the secondary when the remote device is disposed within a range of different positions with respect to the charging surface. The movable primary may, for example, be coupled to the remote device by a peg, a plunger or a magnet. Alternatively, the position of the movable primary may be adjusted manually. In a third aspect, the present invention provides a charging bowl having a plurality of charging stations disposed about a common axis. Each charging station may include a movable primary that permits some freedom in positioning of the remote device on the charging surface. In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a wireless power supply having a manually movable primary. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110050382 | FLUX CONCENTRATOR AND METHOD OF MAKING A MAGNETIC FLUX CONCENTRATOR - A flux concentrator and method for manufacturing a flux concentrator is provided. The method can include combining powdered soft magnetic material, a binder, a solvent, a internal lubricant; mixing the materials to create a mixture, evaporating the solvent from the mixture, molding the mixture to form a flux concentrator, and curing the flux concentrator. The flux concentrator may be laminated and broken into multiple pieces, which makes the flux concentrator more flexible. Breaking the flux concentrator does not significantly affect the magnetic properties. Since the permeability of the binder is very similar to that of air, adding tiny air gaps between the fractions is not significantly different than adding more binder. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110204711 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING DATA COMMUNICATION OVER A WIRELESS POWER LINK - A wireless power supply system that detects communications in the input power to the switching circuit. In this aspect of the invention, the wireless power supply includes a detector for generating a signal indicative of the current in the input to the switching circuitry, a band-pass filter for filtering the detected signal, an amplifier for amplifying the filtered signal, a filter for filtering the amplified signal and a comparator for converting the final signal into a stream of high and low signals that can be passed to a controller for processing as binary data stream. In a second aspect, the wireless power supply system includes a detector for generating a signal that varies in dependence on changes in the phase relationship between the current and the voltage in the primary-side tank circuit, a band-pass filter for filtering the signal, an amplifier for amplifying the filtered signal, a filter for filtering the amplified signal and a comparator for converting the final signal into a stream of high and low signals that can be passed to a controller for processing as binary data stream. | 08-25-2011 |
