| CPC H02J 50/10 (2016.02) [G06F 1/1683 (2013.01); H02J 7/00041 (2020.01); H02J 7/0013 (2013.01); H02J 7/0047 (2013.01); H02J 7/00714 (2020.01); H02J 50/05 (2016.02); H02J 50/12 (2016.02); H02J 50/402 (2020.01); H02J 50/70 (2016.02); H02J 50/80 (2016.02); H02J 50/90 (2016.02); H02J 2300/22 (2020.01)] |
| AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT: |
| The patentability of claims 1, 2, 28 and 30 is confirmed. |
| Claims 3-27 and 29 were not reexamined. |
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a system for providing power inductively to a portable device comprising a battery and an inductive receiver unit including a receiver coil and a receiver circuit, the system comprising:
a first primary coil that is substantially planar and substantially parallel to a surface of the system for providing power inductively to the portable device;
a first drive circuit, including a FET driver, a capacitor, and a FET switch, coupled to a DC voltage input and coupled to the first primary coil, wherein during operation the first drive circuit in configured to apply an alternating electrical current to the first primary coil at an operating frequency and duty cycle to generate an alternating magnetic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first primary soil and the surface of the system to provide power inductively to the portable device, wherein the operating frequency is within a range of frequencies (i) that are near a resonance frequency of a circuit comprising the first primary coil and the capacitor. (ii) such that increasing values of the operating frequency within the range of frequencies would correspond to a lower voltage or current induced in ad output of the receiver circuit and (iii) that allow activation and powering of the receiver unit and charging the battery of the portable device;
a first sense circuit to monitor current flow through the first primary coil during operation of the first drive circuit, wherein the first sense circuit includes a low pass filter and an amplifier to assist in detecting and amplifying a signal corresponding to a current modulation in the first primary coil induced by modulation of current in the receiver coil; and
a communication and control circuit, including a microcontroller coupled to the first drive circuit and the first sense circuit, configured to:
detect, through the first sense circuit, a received communication of information in the current modulation in the first primary coil;
operate the first drive circuit to inductively transfer power from the first primary coil to the receiver coil to activate and power the receiver unit to enable the receiver circuit to communicate the information detected in the current modulation in the first primary coil, wherein the communication of information includes information to enable the communication and control circuit to configure the inductive transfer of power to the portable device, wherein the received communication of information includes:
information corresponding to a voltage or current induced by the first primary coil at the output of the receiver circuit;
a unique identification code;
a manufacturer code;
a charge algorithm profile; and
a power requirement; and
operate the first drive circuit according to the power requirement and charge algorithm profile to provide the power from the first primary coil to the receiver coil to power the receiver unit and charge the battery of the port e rice, wherein to charge the battery of the portable device the communication and control circuit further configured to:
receive additional information in the current modulation in the first primary coil from the modulation of the current in the receiver coil corresponding to the voltage or current at the output of the receiver circuit while charging the battery of the portable device;
regulate in a closed loop feedback manner the voltage or current at the output of the receiver circuit in accordance with the received additional information corresponding to the voltage or current at the out of the receiver circuit by adjusting at least ones of the operating frequency and the duty cycle of the first drive circuit while charging the battery of the portable device;
monitor for continued presence of the portable device and completion of the charging of the battery of the portable device based on the communication from the receiver circuit and detected by the communication and control circuit through the first sense circuit; and
if the portable device is no longer present of charging is complete, stop operation of the first drive circuit for the provision of power inductively to the portable device.
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