Automobile Seat Wireless Charging System

Abstract

Systems and methods for wirelessly charging one or more electronic devices in a vehicle (e.g., electronic devices in a vehicle seat or charging occupant devices from a charging system embedded in the vehicle) are described. One method includes receiving a direct current (DC) signal from a power source, amplifying the received DC signal to generate an amplified alternating current (AC) signal, monitoring an internal signal within the power amplifier, and adjusting one or more characteristics of the power amplifier in response to the monitored signal. The amplified AC signal is transmitted by one or more transmit antennas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Related Application) This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 985,742, filed on March 5, 2020, entitled "AUTOMOTIVE CAR SEAT WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] As the vehicle cabin changes with the progress in vehicle design, there is a need to incorporate a flexible and efficient wireless charging system into future vehicles.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0003] Various designs of vehicle console wireless charging systems are described.

[0004] In one aspect, the disclosed technology provides a system and method for introducing an additional wireless charging system inside the floorboard of a vehicle to charge electronic devices in a vehicle seat (e.g., an automobile seat), thereby enabling the elimination of some of the vehicle's wiring harnesses. The wireless charging system transmitter can also be additionally introduced inside the vehicle seat to wirelessly charge the passenger device.

[0005] In another aspect, a wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle includes a first transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, the first transmitter comprising an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas; a first receiver embedded in the vehicle seat of the vehicle, the first receiver comprising one or more receiver antennas wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas for wirelessly receiving power from the first transmitter; a rectifier circuit coupled to the one or more receiver antennas, the rectifier circuit being configured to convert alternating current to direct current; and a regulator circuit coupled to the rectifier circuit, the regulator circuit being configured to generate a constant output voltage.

[0006] In another aspect, a method for wirelessly charging one or more electronic devices within a vehicle includes receiving a direct current (DC) signal from a power source; amplifying the received DC signal by a switching power amplifier to generate an amplified alternating current (AC) signal; monitoring, by a detector circuit, an internal signal within the power amplifier; adjusting, by a controller, one or more characteristics of the power amplifier in response to the monitored signal; and transmitting, by one or more transmitter antennas, the amplified AC signal.

[0007] These and other aspects are disclosed throughout this document. The present invention provides, for example, the following. (Item 1) A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, the wireless charging system comprising: A first transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, the first transmitter comprising an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas; a first transmitter; A first receiver embedded in a vehicle seat of the vehicle, the first receiver comprising one or more receiver antennas wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas for wirelessly receiving power from the first transmitter; a first receiver; A rectifier circuit coupled to the one or more receiver antennas, the rectifier circuit being configured to convert alternating current to direct current; a rectifier circuit; A regulator circuit coupled to the rectifier circuit, the regulator circuit being configured to generate a constant output voltage; a regulator circuit A wireless charging system comprising. (Item 2) The wireless charging system according to item 1, wherein at least one of the one or more transmitter antennas or at least one of the one or more receiver antennas comprises a planar antenna, an electrodeposited antenna, or a three-dimensional antenna. (Item 3) The wireless charging system according to item 2, wherein the electrodeposited antenna comprises a continuous conductor deposited directly on a floor plate or vehicle part embedded in the vehicle without interruption or radio frequency discontinuity. (Item 4) The three-dimensional antenna according to item 2, comprising a surface spiral coil comprising a continuous conductor without interruption or radio frequency discontinuity, the conductor being wound around a dielectric material at an angle to reduce proximity effects at the operating frequency of the wireless charging system and to maintain a high quality factor (Q) of the surface spiral coil at the operating frequency. (Item 5) The wireless charging system according to item 1, wherein the regulator circuit is configured to provide at least one regulated output to at least one of an electronic device or a rechargeable battery disposed in the vehicle seat. (Item 6) The wireless charging system according to item 1, further comprising one or more additional receivers, the first receiver and the one or more additional receivers being configured to provide power to one or more electronic devices embedded in the vehicle seat. (Item 7) The wireless charging system according to item 1, wherein the first transmitter is disposed above the floorboard of the vehicle. (Item 8) The wireless charging system according to item 1, wherein at least one of the one or more transmitter antennas has a curvature of at least 10 degrees. (Item 9) The wireless charging system according to item 1, wherein at least one of the one or more receiver antennas is disposed under the vehicle seat at an angle of 0 to 180 degrees. (Item 10) The wireless charging system according to item 1, wherein at least one of the first transmitter or the first receiver includes a ferrite sheet disposed between the conductive surface of the vehicle and the first transmitter or the first receiver. (Item 11) The wireless charging system according to item 1, wherein the amplifier includes at least one of a class D amplifier or a class E amplifier. (Item 12) The first transmitter is an amplifier printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the amplifier is included in the amplifier PCB, an amplifier printed circuit board, and one or more filters included in a filter PCB, wherein the filter PCB is physically separated from the amplifier PCB, one or more filters included in the filter PCB, and one or more resonance capacitors included in a resonance capacitor PCB, wherein the resonance capacitor PCB is physically separated from the filter PCB and the amplifier PCB, one or more resonance capacitors included in the resonance capacitor PCB The wireless charging system according to item 1, comprising. (Item 13) The wireless charging system according to item 1, further comprising a second transmitter disposed within a back support portion of the vehicle seat, wherein the second transmitter is configured to wirelessly transfer power to one or more passenger devices located behind the vehicle seat, and the second transmitter is powered by the first receiver. (Item 14) A method for wirelessly charging one or more electronic devices in a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving a direct current (DC) signal from a power source; amplifying the received DC signal to generate an amplified alternating current (AC) signal by a switching power amplifier; monitoring an internal signal within the power amplifier by a detector circuit; adjusting one or more characteristics of the power amplifier in response to the monitored signal by a controller; Transmitting the amplified AC signal by one or more transmitter antennas A method comprising: (Item 15) The method according to item 14, wherein monitoring the internal signal in the power amplifier includes measuring the drain voltage of a switching transistor in the power amplifier. (Item 16) Adjusting one or more characteristics of the power amplifier in response to the monitored signal includes increasing or decreasing the value of one or more shunt capacitors coupled between the source node and the drain node of a switching transistor in the power amplifier in response to the internal signal monitored by the detector circuit that exceeds or falls below a threshold level pre-programmed in the controller. The method according to item 14. (Item 17) Adjusting one or more characteristics of the power amplifier in response to the monitored signal includes enabling one or more switches coupled to a capacitor array to increase the value of a shunt capacitor coupled between the source node and the drain node of a switching transistor of the power amplifier in response to the voltage monitored by the detector circuit exceeding a voltage level pre-programmed in the controller. The method according to item 14. (Item 18) The switching power amplifier includes a differential amplifier, the detector circuit includes first and second peak detector circuits, the first peak detector circuit is configured to measure the voltage between a first source node and a first drain node of a first switching transistor of the power amplifier, and the second peak detector circuit is configured to measure the voltage between a second source node and a second drain node of a second switching transistor of the power amplifier. The method according to item 14. (Item 19) A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, The wireless charging system includes a transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, The transmitter includes an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas, The transmitter is configured to wirelessly charge one or more electronic devices, A wireless charging system. (Item 20) The wireless charging system according to item 19, wherein the transmitter is embedded in a vehicle seat cushion. (Item 21) The wireless charging system according to item 19, wherein the transmitter is disposed on the bottom of the vehicle seat. (Item 22) The wireless charging system according to item 19, wherein at least one of the one or more transmitter antennas comprises a planar antenna, an electrodeposited antenna, or a three-dimensional antenna. (Item 23) The wireless charging system according to item 19, further comprising a second transmitter disposed within a back support portion of the vehicle seat, the second transmitter being configured to wirelessly transfer power to one or more electronic devices. (Item 24) The wireless charging system according to item 23, wherein the one or more electronic devices comprise wireless devices that are not connected to the vehicle seat.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The disclosed technology provides a system and method for designing or retrofitting a wireless charging system inside the floorboard of a vehicle to charge electronic devices in a vehicle seat, thereby enabling the elimination of some of the vehicle's wiring harness. The wireless charging system transmitter can also be included inside the vehicle seat for wireless charging of electronic devices (e.g., passenger devices). The disclosed technology can be used in automotive seats and in seats in other vehicles or restraints for other drivers / passengers, where the other vehicles include personal automobiles, commercial vehicles (e.g., buses), aircraft, trains, boats, and other ships, and other modes of transportation or mobility such as motorcycles, bicycles, wagons, agricultural equipment such as tractors, and industrial equipment such as forklifts.

[0019] As the interior of vehicles continues to change with advancements in technologies such as artificial intelligence, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) redesign the interior of vehicles to include new product features. For example, in autonomous vehicles, it may not be necessary for the driver to face the front of the vehicle. Thus, an exemplary feature could be that the seat can rotate so that the driver can communicate with other passengers inside the rear of the vehicle. However, this would be difficult to implement using current vehicles due to the wiring harness within the vehicle's interior. If seat electronics such as fans (e.g., SVS fans), sensors, and actuators (i.e., electronic devices embedded in the vehicle seat or electronic devices that electronically control seat functions) could be wirelessly charged, the seat would be easier to remove or rotate. Thus, there is a need for systems and methods for charging vehicle electronics and passenger devices within the interior of a vehicle to overcome these and other challenges.

[0020] Various embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described herein. The following description provides specific details for a complete understanding and effective description of these embodiments. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the associated description of the various embodiments. The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner even when used in conjunction with a detailed description of a particular embodiment of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a representative illustration of a wireless charging vehicle seat system 100. In system 100, a single transmitter antenna (Tx) 120 is installed on or within the floor of the vehicle, and a receiver (Rx) 130 is embedded within the vehicle seat 110. The transmitter 120 consists of an amplifier, which converts a DC signal into an amplified AC signal, and the amplified AC signal is driven to a resonant antenna at a radio frequency. This antenna then wirelessly couples to a receiver antenna at the receiver 130 inside the vehicle seat at approximately the same resonant frequency. The amplifier drives a signal to a resonant capacitor, and the resonant capacitor substantially excites one or more transmitter antennas into resonance. The frequency at which the amplifier operates is approximately equal to the resonant frequency of the antenna or antennas.

[0022] The receiver 130 includes an AC / DC converter for the voltage input of various electronic systems (e.g., fans, sensors, actuators, and motors) in the seat, and a voltage regulator. This enables the vehicle OEM to potentially eliminate a portion of the wiring harness within the vehicle and include new features (removable vehicle seats for a wider range of cabin layouts, and rotating seats, etc.). The transmitter antenna and the receiver antenna can be planar antennas, electrodeposited antennas directly electrodeposited on the vehicle seat portion or the floorboard, or three-dimensional antennas.

[0023] In one embodiment, the three-dimensional antenna can be a surface spiral coil with a continuous conductor without interruptions or radio frequency discontinuities, wound around a dielectric material at an angle to reduce proximity effects at the operating frequency of the wireless charging transmitter device and to maintain a high quality factor ( "Q") of the surface spiral coil at the operating frequency. The conductor can have a thickness of about 10 μm to 40 μm. The three-dimensional antenna can be utilized for a transmitter or a receiver to improve wireless power transfer efficiency. In addition, the planar antenna and the electrodeposited antenna also comprise a continuous conductor without interruptions or radio frequency (RF) discontinuities. The electrodeposited antenna can be deposited on a part of a vehicle, for example, on the floorboard. For example, a transmitter including a transmitter antenna can be mounted above the floorboard of a vehicle in an aftermarket application.

[0024] In some embodiments, the wireless charging vehicle seat system is fabricated to utilize an isolated switched amplifier system topology, in which the wireless charging vehicle seat system components are sufficiently isolated to improve overall system performance. For example, the amplifier in the amplifier printed circuit board (PCB) is attached to a first area of an electrically non-conductive support structure of the vehicle seat, around the vehicle seat, or a conductive structure (e.g., a floorboard of the vehicle) with sufficient insulation using, for example, an RF shielding layer or an absorption sheet. The filter in the filter PCB is attached to a second area of the support structure, and the filter in the filter PCB is electrically coupled to the amplifier in the amplifier PCB. The filter receives the amplified signal from the amplifier. One or more capacitors in the resonant capacitor PCB are attached to a third area of the support structure. The resonant capacitor in the resonant capacitor PCB is electrically coupled to the filter and one or more antennas. The resonant capacitor receives the filtered signal from the filter and drives the filtered signal onto one or more antennas. To improve performance (e.g., reduce coupling loss, hysteresis loss, switching loss, etc.), the first area, the second area, and the third area of the support structure are selected to maintain a physical separation (e.g., 10 mm or more) between the amplifier PCB, the resonant capacitor PCB, the filter PCB, and one or more antennas. In some embodiments, the amplifier PCB is coupled to at least one physically separated filter PCB to physically separate the passive components of the system to reduce switching loss, hysteresis loss, and other losses, and that filter PCB is coupled to a physically separated resonant capacitor PCB coupled to one or more antennas. The antenna can be a three-dimensional antenna, a planar antenna, or an electrodeposited antenna as described above, in which the antenna conductor is directly electrodeposited on the support structure or other mechanical parts of the vehicle. Further, a second filter PCB can be included in the system for differential applications in which the second filter PCB is differentially coupled to the amplifier PCB and the resonant capacitor PCB.In addition, while the resonant capacitor PCB can be installed in a separate second structure, the amplifier PCB and the filter PCB are installed in the first structure to reduce the distance between the resonant capacitor PCB and the antenna, thereby reducing the resistance between the antenna and its resonant capacitor. Maintaining physical separation as described above minimizes or reduces cross-coupling losses, switching losses, hysteresis losses, etc., thereby improving the overall performance of the wireless charging system. In some embodiments, the components of the insulated switched power amplifier system are included in a modular structure embedded in a vehicle seat, floorboard, or other part of the vehicle.

[0025] Figure 2 is a representative illustration of a wireless charging vehicle seat system 200 with multiple transmitter antennas in a wireless charging transmitter system. The multiple transmitter antennas 220A and 220B can increase the charging area of the vehicle seat 110. In addition, the receiver (Rx) 130 can directly provide power to electronic devices (e.g., actuators, electronic control units (ECUs), and fans) in the vehicle seat or provide power to a rechargeable battery (not shown in Figure 2) that functions as a buffer between the receiver device and the electronic system in the seat. For example, the rechargeable battery can serve rapid peak loads for items (such as vehicle seat actuators) that are rarely used but have high power consumption. The number of transmitters in the system can vary depending on the application. For example, it may be desirable to include multiple transmitters to increase the charging target range. Figure 2 visually illustrates an exemplary embodiment of two transmitters, but it may be desirable to include three or more transmitters. In addition, or alternatively, the system can include two or more transmitter antennas driven by the same amplifier system.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a representative illustration of a wireless charging vehicle seat system 300 with a plurality of receiver antennas. The plurality of receiver antennas 330A, 330B, and 330C may enable the wireless charging system 300 to charge a plurality of electronic systems such as sensors and fans at various positions or orientations in the seat. This can be beneficial from a cost and implementation perspective since the types of electronic devices in a vehicle seat can vary. Further, it may be desirable to include a plurality of receiver antennas at various distances from the transmitter to improve the coupling between the transmitter and the receiver.

[0027] In some embodiments, a plurality of transmitter antennas (e.g., transmission antennas 220A and 220B in FIG. 2) on the vehicle floor can be combined with a plurality of receiver antennas (e.g., receiver antennas 330A, 330B, and 330C in FIG. 3) in the vehicle seat.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a representative illustration of a wireless charging vehicle seat system 400 for charging a passenger device rather than an electronic device in the vehicle seat. For example, the charging wireless electronic device is not connected to the vehicle seat (e.g., held by a passenger located in front of, above, or behind the seat). In one embodiment, the wireless charging vehicle system 400 includes two transmitter antennas: a transmitter antenna (Tx1) 420 under the seat or in the bottom seat cushion of the vehicle seat 110, and a transmitter antenna (Tx2) 440 at the rear of the vehicle seat 110 (e.g., behind or inside the back support portion of the vehicle seat). By having these two antennas embedded in the vehicle seat 110 substantially orthogonal to each other, the receiver device 430 can achieve degrees of freedom exceeding three dimensions. In the present embodiment, it may be beneficial to install the transmitter antennas (Tx1 420 and Tx2 440) on the front of the metal frame of the seat (e.g., a steel frame), rather than on the injection-molded plastic behind or directly below the seat. This is because the metal frame of the seat does not block the magnetic flux from penetrating into the passenger device. Further, in order to avoid interference by the metal frame and other parts in the vehicle seat, to improve the inherent quality of the antenna, or to increase the amount of flux penetrating into the receiver device, the antenna can be directly embedded in the seat cushion. The wireless charging vehicle seat system illustrated in FIG. 4 can be a single transmitter system or a plurality of transmitter systems. That is, the system of FIG. 4 can include only Tx1, only Tx2, or both transmitters Tx1 and Tx2. Further, Tx1 and Tx2 can be separate transmitter antennas driven by the same power amplifier.

[0029] The power amplifier can be a switching amplifier such as a series or parallel resonant or non-resonant class D or class E amplifier. In addition, the power amplifier can be single-ended or differential and can have an isolated switching amplifier topology. In a parallel-tuned power amplifier, the load network and the matching network are adjusted such that the transmitter antenna is in parallel rather than in series with the resonant capacitor, and the load network of the amplifier is also adjusted at the same resonant frequency. That is, the entire power amplifier network operates resonantly and fully, rather than using a non-resonant load network. In this way, the voltage across the transmitter is maximized and the harmonics are reduced. By maximizing the voltage, a higher oscillating current flows through the transmitter antenna, or a stronger magnetic field to be coupled to the receiver exists, particularly in a loosely coupled resonant induction system such as when the transmitter and the receiver are physically far apart. In some embodiments, a transformer may also be included to further increase the oscillating voltage across the transmitter antenna, thereby further improving the magnetic flux linkage and power transfer between the transmitter and the receiver. Additionally, the parallel resonant power amplifier is better protected from receiver movement or position changes, and capacitive or inductive reflections from the surrounding environment (which can cause significant variations in the efficiency of the power amplifier).

[0030] The wireless charging vehicle seat system 400 can also charge a receiver device located behind the vehicle seat 110. This is particularly important for Tx2 440 because the direction of the beam from the transmitter is more aligned with the rear of the mobile device where the receiver is likely to be located, and can be a more applicable use case for Tx2 in a system for mobile device charging (e.g., charging a mobile phone). At the current position of the Rx in system 400, the front of the mobile device is angled and potentially parallel to Tx2. This is likely when a passenger is using a mobile device while sitting in an automobile seat or vehicle seat. Thus, the Rx antenna is likely to be behind the mobile device in a typical electronic device, which positions the Tx2 antenna better with respect to the receiver behind the vehicle seat rather than in front of the vehicle seat. Thus, Tx1 and Tx2 can potentially be implemented for the purpose of charging passenger devices on both the front and rear of the vehicle seat.

[0031] Both the transmitter antenna and the receiver antenna can be a planar antenna, an electrodeposited antenna formed directly on a vehicle seat portion or floorboard, or a three-dimensional antenna. For example, a three-dimensional antenna may be particularly suitable for the transmitter and / or receiver antennas of system 400 due to the loose coupling between the receiver antenna and the transmitter antenna. Additionally, it may be desirable to include a highly permeable material such as a ferrite sheet between the transmitter and the conductive surface of the vehicle (e.g., metal within the vehicle seat). This can further improve the performance of the transmitter antenna in the system.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a representative illustration of a wireless charging vehicle seat system 500 for charging vehicle electronics and passenger devices. In the wireless charging vehicle seat system 500, a transmitter (Tx1) 120 on the floorboard within the vehicle emits a safe magnetic field that is captured by a receiver 130 in the vehicle seat 110. This receiver (Rx) 130 may include an AC / DC converter to provide power to various vehicle seat electronic systems such as sensors, fans, actuators, etc., or may include a battery as a buffer for the peak current requirements of the vehicle seat electronics and / or transmitters Tx2 and Tx3.

[0033] The wireless charging vehicle seat system 500 includes a transmitter (Tx3) 540 within the vehicle seat cushion to charge a passenger electronic device for a passenger in the vehicle seat 110 (e.g., to charge the electronic device RX3 550). The vehicle seat system 500 includes a transmitter (Tx2) 440 embedded in the rear of the vehicle seat 110 to charge the electronic device of a passenger sitting behind the vehicle seat 110 (e.g., the passenger charges their mobile device while using them to watch online movies on, for example, Netflix or YouTube™). The transmitters (Tx3) 540 and (Tx2) 440 can be powered by the receiver (Rx) 130 or by a rechargeable battery buffer to which the receiver Rx130 is electrically connected.

[0034] In the representative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, transmitters (Tx2) 440 and (Tx3) 540 include an antenna and an amplifier that generate a secure magnetic field that can be captured by receivers (Rx2) 530 or (Rx3) 550. Receivers (Rx2) 530 and (Rx3) 550 can be, for example, smartphone or tablet receivers. In some embodiments, the bottom seat cushion of seat 110 can include a single antenna that can function as both a receiver and a transmitter antenna, or both a transmitter and a receiver (e.g., passenger device receiver (Rx3) 550) for charging a passenger device.

[0035] Wireless charging vehicle seat system 500 can include a plurality of receiver antennas (e.g., receive antennas 330A, 330B, and 330C in FIG. 3) and a plurality of transmitter antennas (e.g., transmit antennas 220A and 220B in FIG. 2). The power amplifier in wireless charging vehicle seat system 500 can be a switching amplifier such as a series or parallel resonant or non-resonant class D or class E amplifier. The power amplifier can also be single-ended or differential and can be based on an isolated switching amplifier topology.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a representative block diagram of a wireless charging vehicle seat system 600 (e.g., the vehicle seat system of FIG. 1). The system 600 is a simplified representation of a wireless charging vehicle seat system that includes a DC power source 610 (e.g., a vehicle power source), a power amplifier 620, a radio frequency (RF) filter 630, a transmission resonant capacitor 640, a transmission antenna 642, a receiving antenna 644, a receiver resonant capacitor 646, an alternating current / direct current (AC / DC) converter 650 (e.g., a rectifier circuit), a regulator 670, and a battery or electronic system 680 to be charged. The transmission resonant capacitor 640 and the receiver resonant capacitor 646 are matching networks necessary to substantially excite the transmitter antenna 642 and the receiver antenna 644 at resonance, respectively. The regulator 670 is configured to maintain a constant output voltage. The constant output voltage is used, for example, to power vehicle seat electronics or to charge a battery (e.g., a battery used by the vehicle seat electronics). In some embodiments, the receiver chain 607 is embedded in an electronic device (e.g., a mobile electronic device such as a phone) or is a separate wireless charging receiver accessory (e.g., a wireless charging device in a phone case).

[0037] In some embodiments, the transmitter chain 605, the receiver chain 607, or both may include insulated components to provide operational and thermal stability. For example, components of the transmitter chain 605 such as an amplifier PCB (including amplifier 620), a filter PCB (including filter 630), and a resonant capacitor PCB (including resonant capacitor 640), and the antenna can be physically insulated from each other (e.g., by at least 10 mm as described in the insulated switching amplifier embodiments described in U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 985,692).

[0038] In some embodiments, the amplifier 620 can be a switching amplifier that includes a single-ended or differential parallel resonant or non-resonant class D or E amplifier.

[0039] In some embodiments, amplifier 620 can be capacitively adjusted because the movement of the seat causes an increase or decrease in the reflections returning to the amplifier. These reflections occur because as the seat moves, the coupling between the transmitter (e.g., represented by transmitter chain 605) and the receiver (e.g., represented by receiver chain 607) changes with an increase or decrease in the separation distance and angular positioning. For example, changes in the separation distance or orientation between the transmitter and the receiver can occur by using seat position and angle / reclining actuators within a vehicle seat. These reflections can shift the target or optimal performance point and create more thermal stress on the switching components of the amplifier. For example, the reflections can cause greater overlap in the current and voltage waveforms in zero voltage switching (ZVS) amplifier topologies such as class E and class D amplifiers. In some embodiments, amplifier 620 can be capacitively adjusted using the feedback system described in connection with FIG. 7.

[0040] FIG. 7 is a representative block diagram of a transmitter 700 for a wireless charging vehicle seat system (e.g., wireless charging vehicle seat system 100 in FIG. 1). A feedback system 730 can be coupled to the wireless charging transmitter. In feedback system 730, a detector circuit 732 (e.g., a peak detector circuit and a voltage divider) monitors an internal signal in power amplifier 720 (e.g., measures the drain voltage of a switching transistor in the power amplifier) and provides the monitored signal (e.g., voltage or current) to a controller 734 (e.g., a microcontroller (MCU) or other control unit). Controller 734 is configured to adjust one or more characteristics of power amplifier 720 in response to the monitored signal. For example, controller 734 can capacitively adjust the power amplifier in response to movement or tilt of the vehicle seat that causes a change in the monitored signal.

[0041] For example, in some embodiments, the controller 734 is programmed (e.g., pre-programmed prior to operation of the wireless power transmitter) to adjust a shunt capacitor in the power amplifier 720 based on the peak voltage or drain / source voltage ratio of the switching transistor in the power amplifier 720 (e.g., increase or decrease the total capacitance value of one or more shunt capacitors). That is, for a switching power amplifier such as a class D or class E, differential or single-ended series resonance or parallel resonance amplifier, the controller 734 can adjust the value of a shunt capacitor coupled between the source node and the drain node of the main switching transistor. The controller 734 can adjust the value of the shunt capacitor by enabling or disabling (e.g., turning on or off) electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical switching to enable or disable series or parallel capacitors that make up the shunt capacitor.

[0042] In some embodiments, the detector circuit 732 can include a peak detector circuit and a voltage divider. The peak detector circuit can be a current limiting resistor coupled to the drain voltage of a switching transistor and can be coupled in series with a diode and a parallel capacitor. The output of the peak detector circuit can be electrically coupled to the controller 734 through a voltage divider, a bypass capacitor, and an operational amplifier (op-amp) that functions as an impedance buffer. When the signal monitored by the detector circuit 732 exceeds a threshold (e.g., when the measured voltage is higher than a pre-determined / pre-programmed voltage level), the controller 734 can enable more capacitors to increase the shunt capacitor value (e.g., by enabling switches coupled to a capacitor array). Conversely, when the signal monitored by the detector circuit 732 is below the threshold (e.g., when the measured voltage is lower than a pre-determined / pre-programmed voltage level), the controller 734 can decrease the shunt capacitor value by removing capacitors (e.g., by disabling switches of a capacitor array). With respect to a differential power amplifier, two peak detector circuits can be used to measure the drain voltages of both switching transistors in a power amplifier circuit. It should be understood that any of the wireless charging vehicle seat systems described in connection with FIGS. 1-5 can be capacitively adjusted as described above in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7. The feedback system described in FIG. 7 can more generally be used for switching amplifier applications where it is important to dynamically adjust potential changes to reflection.

[0043] FIG. 8A is a representative illustration of a wireless charging vehicle seat system (e.g., wireless charging vehicle seat system 100 in FIG. 1) that includes a transmitter antenna 810 and a receiver antenna 830 mounted at the bottom of vehicle seat 820. FIG. 8A depicts an exemplary installation of transmitter antenna 810 (e.g., on the vehicle floor under the vehicle seat) and receiver antenna 830 inside or under the vehicle seat, where receiver antenna 830 is positioned to completely or partially overlap the transmitter antenna.

[0044] In some embodiments, transmitter antenna 810 can be curved, flexed, or bent as illustrated in FIG. 8A. Curving the transmitter antenna can increase electromagnetic induction on receiver antenna 830 at a further offset distance compared to a transmitter antenna without the curve shown in FIG. 8A. The increased electromagnetic induction can be desirable, for example, when the receiver antenna in or under the vehicle seat does not completely overlap transmitter antenna 810 (e.g., only partially overlaps). In such applications without complete overlap between the transmitter and receiver antennas, it is desirable to receive more power in areas or regions where the vehicle seat receiver antenna and the transmitter antenna do not overlap or only partially overlap. In some embodiments, transmitter antenna 810 can be flexed by about 20 degrees (e.g., a curvature of 10 degrees or more). That is, section A812 and section C816 in transmitter antenna 810 are at the same level, and section B814 is raised above sections A and C such that the central angle with respect to the end of the arc defined by AC is about 10 degrees or more in the vertical direction (i.e., the direction towards receiver antenna 830). The flexure or bend in the curvature of the transmitter antenna can be applied to a three-dimensional antenna or a planar antenna (e.g., an electrodeposited antenna) with the goal of improving the beam distribution at a further distance (compared to an antenna embodiment without the bend or flexure).

[0045] In some embodiments, a high magnetic permeability material such as a ferrite sheet can be inserted between the transmitter antenna 810 or the receiver antenna 830 and a conductive structure (e.g., metal) within the vehicle or vehicle seat 820. This can be beneficial, particularly for the transmitter antenna 810 due to the metal frame of the vehicle. For example, in an aftermarket application, the transmitter antenna 810 can be mounted within a plastic enclosure above the floorboard carpet directly above the metal frame of the vehicle. As a result, a layer of a high magnetic permeability material such as a ferrite sheet can be useful when installed between the transmission antenna enclosure and the carpet. In other embodiments where the transmitter antenna 810 is not available as an aftermarket accessory but is integrated within the vehicle, it can be useful to have a layer of a high magnetic permeability material between the transmitter antenna and a nearby metallic mechanical part of the vehicle. The high magnetic permeability material can better improve the inherent quality of the antenna in the vehicle seat environment and reduce the thermal stress on the amplifier components.

[0046] In some embodiments, the receiver antenna 830 can be mounted at the bottom of the vehicle seat 820 at an angle that can improve the received power at a certain offset distance (i.e., the angled mounting can provide higher power at a further lateral distance compared to a horizontal mounting). The mounting angle can be adjusted for a particular application, for example, based on the amount of physical clearance between the vehicle floor and the bottom of the vehicle seat (or based on the available overlap between the transmitter antenna 810 and the receiver antenna 830). In some embodiments, the receiver antenna 830 can be mounted at the bottom of the vehicle seat 820 at an angle between 0 and 180 degrees. U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 759,473 (published as US2018 / 0262050), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes some examples of coil configurations that can be used for transmitter and receiver antennas in the automotive charging system described herein.

[0047] FIG. 8B is a photograph of a prototype constructed in accordance with the disclosed design technique. Due to the placement under the pad (which is not part of the charging system), the bent nature of the coil is more prominent in this figure at both the proximal end (below reference numeral 814) and the diametrically opposite end. As depicted, the transmitter antenna can contact the bottom surface at two diametrically opposite points, while the maximum points are diametrically opposite and are 90 degrees away from a location (e.g., contacting the pad in FIG. 8B) that is in the same plane as the bottom surface and can be curved upward.

[0048] A list of solutions, preferably implemented by some embodiments, can be described using the following appendices.

[0049] Appendix 1. A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, the wireless charging system comprising: a first transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, the first transmitter comprising an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas; a first receiver embedded in the vehicle seat of the vehicle, the first receiver comprising one or more receiver antennas wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas for wirelessly receiving power from the first transmitter; a rectifier circuit coupled to the one or more receiver antennas, the rectifier circuit being configured to convert alternating current to direct current; and a regulator circuit coupled to the rectifier circuit, the regulator circuit being configured to generate a constant output voltage.

[0050] Appendix 2. The wireless charging system according to Appendix 1, wherein at least one of the one or more transmitter antennas or at least one of the one or more receiver antennas comprises a planar antenna, an electrodeposited antenna, or a three-dimensional antenna.

[0051] Appendix 3. The wireless charging system according to Appendix 2, wherein the electrodeposited antenna comprises a continuous conductor deposited directly on a floor panel or vehicle part embedded in the vehicle without interruption or radio frequency discontinuity.

[0052] Appendix 4. The 3D antenna comprises a surface spiral coil with a continuous conductor without interruption or radio frequency discontinuity, and the conductor is wound around the dielectric material at an angle in order to reduce the proximity effect at the operating frequency of the wireless charging system and to maintain a high quality factor (Q) of the surface spiral coil at the operating frequency, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 2.

[0053] Appendix 5. The tuning circuit is configured to provide at least one tuned output to at least one of an electronic device or a rechargeable battery disposed in a vehicle seat, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 1.

[0054] Appendix 6. Further comprising one or more additional receivers, and the first receiver and the one or more additional receivers are configured to provide power to one or more electronic devices embedded in a vehicle seat, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 1.

[0055] Appendix 7. The first transmitter is disposed above the floorboard of the vehicle, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 1.

[0056] Appendix 8. The curvature of at least one of the one or more transmitter antennas is at least 10 degrees, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 1.

[0057] Appendix 9. At least one of the one or more receiver antennas is disposed under the vehicle seat at an angle of 0 to 180 degrees, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 1.

[0058] Appendix 10. At least one of the first transmitter or the first receiver comprises a ferrite sheet disposed between the conductive surface of the vehicle and the first transmitter or the first receiver, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 1.

[0059] Appendix 11. The amplifier comprises at least one of a class D amplifier or a class E amplifier, for the wireless charging system described in Appendix 1.

[0060] Appendix 12. The first transmitter is an amplifier printed circuit board (PCB). The amplifier includes an amplifier printed circuit board contained within the amplifier PCB, and one or more filters contained within a filter PCB, where the filter PCB is physically separated from the amplifier PCB, and one or more resonance capacitors contained within a resonance capacitor PCB, where the resonance capacitor PCB is physically separated from the filter PCB and the amplifier PCB. The wireless charging system according to Appendix 1.

[0061] Appendix 13.

[0062] The wireless charging system according to Appendix 1, further comprising a second transmitter configured to wirelessly transfer power to one or more passenger devices disposed within a rear support portion of a vehicle seat and positioned behind the vehicle seat, and the second transmitter is powered by the first receiver.

[0063] Appendix 14. A method for wirelessly charging one or more electronic devices within a vehicle (e.g., as depicted in FIG. 9), the method including receiving (902) a direct current (DC) signal from a power source, amplifying (904) the received DC signal by a switching power amplifier to generate an amplified alternating current (AC) signal, monitoring (906) an internal signal within the power amplifier by a detector circuit, adjusting (908) one or more characteristics of the power amplifier in response to the monitored signal by a controller, and transmitting (910) the amplified AC signal by one or more transmitter antennas.

[0064] Appendix 15. Monitoring the internal signal within the power amplifier includes measuring the drain voltage of a switching transistor in the power amplifier. The method according to Appendix 14.

[0065] Appendix 16. Adjusting one or more characteristics of a power amplifier in response to a monitored signal includes increasing or decreasing the value of one or more shunt capacitors coupled between the source node and the drain node of a switching transistor in the power amplifier in response to an internal signal monitored by a detector circuit that exceeds or falls below a threshold level pre-programmed in a controller, according to the method described in Appendix 14.

[0066] Appendix 17. Adjusting one or more characteristics of a power amplifier in response to a monitored signal includes enabling one or more switches coupled to a capacitor array to increase the value of a shunt capacitor coupled between the source node and the drain node of a switching transistor of the power amplifier in response to the voltage monitored by a detector circuit exceeding a voltage level pre-programmed in a controller, according to the method described in Appendix 14.

[0067] Appendix 18. The switching power amplifier includes a differential amplifier, the detector circuit includes first and second peak detector circuits, the first peak detector circuit is configured to measure the voltage between the first source node and the first drain node of the first switching transistor of the power amplifier, and the second peak detector circuit is configured to measure the voltage between the second source node and the second drain node of the second switching transistor of the power amplifier, according to the method described in Appendix 14.

[0068] Appendix 19. A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, comprising a transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, the transmitter comprising an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas, the transmitter being configured to wirelessly charge one or more electronic devices.

[0069] Appendix 20. The transmitter is embedded in the vehicle seat cushion, according to the wireless charging system described in Appendix 19.

[0070] Supplementary Note 21. The transmitter is the wireless charging system according to Supplementary Note 19, which is arranged on the bottom of the vehicle seat.

[0071] Supplementary Note 22. At least one of the one or more transmitter antennas is equipped with a planar antenna, an electrodeposited antenna, or a three-dimensional antenna, which is the wireless charging system according to Supplementary Note 19.

[0072] Supplementary Note 23.

[0073] The wireless charging system according to Supplementary Note 19 further includes a second transmitter arranged in the back support part of the vehicle seat and configured to wirelessly transfer power to one or more electronic devices.

[0074] Supplementary Note 24. The one or more electronic devices include a wireless device not connected to the vehicle seat, which is the wireless charging system according to Supplementary Note 23. (Remarks)

[0075] The figures and the foregoing description provide a brief general description of a suitable environment in which the invention may be implemented. The foregoing detailed description of the examples of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed above. Specific examples of the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, but various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art. For example, although a process or block is shown in a given order, alternative implementations can perform a routine having steps / blocks or employ a system having blocks in a different order, and some processes or blocks can be deleted, moved, added, further divided, combined, or modified to provide alternative or sub - ordinate combinations. Each of these processes or blocks can be implemented in a variety of different ways. Although a process or block is shown as being performed continuously at any time, these processes or blocks can instead be performed or implemented in parallel or at different times. Further, any specific numbers referred to herein are merely examples. Alternative implementations can employ different values or ranges.

[0076] These and other modifications can be made to the present invention in light of the above detailed description. The above description illustrates an example of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, but no matter how detailed the above may appear in the text, the present invention can be practiced in many ways. While the details of the system can vary significantly in its specific implementation, it still remains encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As described above, the terminology used when describing a certain feature or aspect of the present invention should not be construed as implying that the terminology is redefined herein so as to be limited to any specific property, feature, or aspect of the present invention with which the terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed as limiting the present invention to the specific examples disclosed herein unless the sections of the above detailed description explicitly define such terms. Thus, the actual scope of the present invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the present invention under the claims.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, the wireless charging system comprising: A first transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, the first transmitter comprising an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas; A first receiver embedded in the vehicle seat of the vehicle, the first receiver comprising one or more receiver antennas wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas for wirelessly receiving power from the first transmitter, wherein the one or more receiver antennas and the one or more transmitter antennas are substantially excited to the same frequency by a resonant capacitor; A rectifier circuit coupled to the one or more receiver antennas, the rectifier circuit being configured to convert alternating current to direct current; A regulator circuit coupled to the rectifier circuit, the regulator circuit being configured to generate a constant output voltage; A wireless charging system comprising the same.

2. The wireless charging system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more transmitter antennas or at least one of the one or more receiver antennas comprises a planar antenna, an electrodeposited antenna, or a three-dimensional antenna.

3. A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, the wireless charging system comprising: A first transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, the first transmitter comprising an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas; A first receiver embedded in the vehicle seat of the vehicle, the first receiver comprising one or more receiver antennas wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas for wirelessly receiving power from the first transmitter; A rectifier circuit coupled to the one or more receiver antennas, the rectifier circuit being configured to convert alternating current to direct current; A regulator circuit coupled to the rectifier circuit, the regulator circuit being configured to generate a constant output voltage; Comprising the same, At least one of the one or more transmitter antennas or at least one of the one or more receiver antennas comprises a planar antenna, an electrodeposited antenna, or a three-dimensional antenna. The wireless charging system, wherein the electrodeposited antenna comprises a continuous conductor deposited directly on a floorboard or vehicle part embedded within the vehicle, without interruption or radio frequency discontinuities. **Claim 4** The three-dimensional antenna comprises a surface spiral coil with a continuous conductor without interruption or radio frequency discontinuity, the conductor being wound around the dielectric material at an angle to reduce proximity effects at the operating frequency of the wireless charging system and to maintain a high quality factor (Q) of the surface spiral coil at the operating frequency, the wireless charging system according to claim 2. **Claim 5** The adjustment circuit is configured to provide at least one adjusted output to at least one of an electronic device or rechargeable battery disposed in the vehicle seat, the wireless charging system according to claim 1. **Claim 6** The wireless charging system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more additional receivers, the first receiver and the one or more additional receivers being configured to provide power to one or more electronic devices embedded in the vehicle seat. **Claim 7** A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, the wireless charging system comprising: A first transmitter coupled to the power source of the vehicle, the first transmitter comprising an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas, the first transmitter; A first receiver embedded in the vehicle seat of the vehicle, the first receiver comprising one or more receiver antennas wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas for wirelessly receiving power from the first transmitter, the first receiver; A rectifier circuit coupled to the one or more receiver antennas, the rectifier circuit being configured to convert alternating current to direct current, the rectifier circuit; An adjustment circuit coupled to the rectifier circuit, the adjustment circuit being configured to generate a constant output voltage, the adjustment circuit Comprising The first transmitter is disposed above the floorboard of the vehicle and / or The curvature of at least one of the one or more transmitter antennas is at least 10 degrees and / or At least one of the one or more receiver antennas is disposed under the vehicle seat at an angle between 0 degrees and 180 degrees and / or At least one of the first transmitter or the first receiver includes a ferrite sheet disposed between the conductive surface of the vehicle and the first transmitter or the first receiver, and / or The amplifier includes at least one of a class D amplifier or a class E amplifier, a wireless charging system. **Claim 8**: A wireless charging system for a vehicle seat of a vehicle, the wireless charging system A first transmitter coupled to a power source of the vehicle, the first transmitter including an amplifier coupled to one or more transmitter antennas, the first transmitter; A first receiver embedded in the vehicle seat of the vehicle, the first receiver including one or more receiver antennas wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas to wirelessly receive power from the first transmitter, the first receiver; A rectifier circuit coupled to the one or more receiver antennas, the rectifier circuit configured to convert alternating current to direct current, the rectifier circuit; A regulator circuit coupled to the rectifier circuit, the regulator circuit configured to generate a constant output voltage, the regulator circuit Comprising The first transmitter An amplifier printed circuit board (PCB), the amplifier being included within the amplifier PCB, the amplifier printed circuit board; One or more filters included within a filter PCB, the filter PCB being physically separated from the amplifier PCB, the one or more filters; One or more resonant capacitors included within a resonant capacitor PCB, the resonant capacitor PCB being physically separated from the filter PCB and the amplifier PCB, the one or more resonant capacitors Comprising, a wireless charging system. **Claim 9** Further comprising a second transmitter disposed within a back support portion of the vehicle seat, the second transmitter configured to wirelessly transfer power to one or more passenger devices located behind the vehicle seat, the second transmitter being powered by the first receiver, the wireless charging system according to claim 1. **Claim 10** A method for wirelessly charging one or more electronic devices within a vehicle, the method Receiving a direct current (DC) signal from a power source Amplifying the received DC signal to generate an amplified alternating current (AC) signal by means of a switching power amplifier; Monitoring an internal signal within the switching power amplifier by means of a detector circuit; Adjusting one or more characteristics of the switching power amplifier in response to the monitored signal by means of a controller; Transmitting the amplified AC signal by means of one or more transmitter antennas comprising one or more receiver antennas being wirelessly coupled to the one or more transmitter antennas; the one or more receiver antennas and the one or more transmitter antennas being substantially excited to the same frequency by means of a resonant capacitor, a method. [

11. ] The method according to claim 10, wherein monitoring the internal signal within the switching power amplifier comprises measuring the drain voltage of a switching transistor in the switching power amplifier. [

12. ] A method for wirelessly charging one or more electronic devices within a vehicle, the method comprising: Receiving a direct current (DC) signal from a power source; Amplifying the received DC signal to generate an amplified alternating current (AC) signal by means of a switching power amplifier; Monitoring an internal signal within the switching power amplifier by means of a detector circuit; Adjusting one or more characteristics of the switching power amplifier in response to the monitored signal by means of a controller; Transmitting the amplified AC signal by means of one or more transmitter antennas comprising Adjusting one or more characteristics of the switching power amplifier in response to the monitored signal comprises: increasing or decreasing the value of one or more shunt capacitors coupled between the source node and the drain node of a switching transistor in the switching power amplifier in response to the internal signal monitored by the detector circuit exceeding or falling below a threshold level pre-programmed in the controller, and / or enabling one or more switches coupled to a capacitor array to increase the value of a shunt capacitor coupled between the source node and the drain node of a switching transistor of the switching power amplifier in response to the voltage monitored by the detector circuit exceeding a voltage level pre-programmed in the controller comprising, a method. **Claim 13**: A method for wirelessly charging one or more electronic devices within a vehicle, the method comprising: Receiving a direct current (DC) signal from a power source; Amplifying the received DC signal by a switching power amplifier to generate an amplified alternating current (AC) signal; Monitoring, by a detector circuit, an internal signal within the switching power amplifier; Adjusting, by a controller, one or more characteristics of the switching power amplifier in response to the monitored signal; Transmitting the amplified AC signal by one or more transmitter antennas and wherein the switching power amplifier comprises a differential amplifier, the detector circuit comprises a first peak detector circuit and a second peak detector circuit, the first peak detector circuit is configured to measure a voltage between a first source node and a first drain node of a first switching transistor of the switching power amplifier, and the second peak detector circuit is configured to measure a voltage between a second source node and a second drain node of a second switching transistor of the switching power amplifier. **Claim 14** The first transmitter is configured to wirelessly charge one or more electronic devices and / or The first transmitter is embedded within a vehicle seat cushion and / or The first transmitter is disposed on the bottom of a vehicle seat. The wireless charging system according to claim 1. **Claim 15** The wireless charging system according to claim 14, further comprising a second transmitter disposed within a back support portion of the vehicle seat, the second transmitter being configured to wirelessly transfer power to one or more electronic devices, the one or more electronic devices comprising wireless devices not connected to the vehicle seat.

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