Wireless power and switch for variable load

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for utilizing wireless power in an apparatus such as a kitchen appliance having a motor with sectioned winding. The apparatus may include a wireless power circuit configured to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitter. The apparatus may include a control switch (such as a rotary switch on a blender) configured to selectively couple different sections of the sectioned winding of the motor to the wireless power circuit such that the control switch controls power supplied to a load (e.g., the motor) of the apparatus.

Description

Docket No. GE24835WO01WIRELESS POWER AND SWITCH FOR VARIABLE LOADCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority benefit of India Provisional Application No. 202411062101, filed August 16, 2024, entitled “WIRELESS POWER AND SWITCH FOR VARIABLE LOAD” and assigned to the assignee hereof. The disclosure of the aforementioned application is considered part of and is incorporated by reference in this Patent Application.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to wireless power and, in some implementations, to an apparatus that can use wireless power with a switch to operate a variable load (such as a motor).DESCRIPTION OF RELATED TECHNOLOGY

[0003] Some kitchen appliances (such as blenders or food processors) are intended to be used with an external wired power plug-in power source or with a wireless source. In another technical field, technology has been developed to enable wireless power transfer to electronic devices (such as mobile devices, computers, tablets, gadgets, or the like). Wireless power transfer also may be referred to as a contactless power transmission or a non-contact power transmission. The wireless power may be transferred using inductive coupling or resonant coupling between a primary coil of a Power Transmitter and a secondary coil of a Power Receiver. For example, the primary coil of the Power Transmitter may produce an electromagnetic field that induces an electromotive force in the secondary coil of the Power Receiver when the secondary coil is placed in proximity to the primary coil. The electromagnetic force in the secondary coil may generate wireless power to operate or charge the electronic device.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] The systems, methods, and apparatuses of this disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the attributes disclosed herein.

[0005] An innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as a method of a Power Receiver. The method includes the Power Receiver communicating, to a Power Transmitter, a first request to stop or pause a wireless powerDocket No. GE24835WO01 transmission, changing a load from a first power level to a second power level, and communicating, to the Power Transmitter, a second request to resume the wireless power transmission after changing the load.

[0006] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as a method of a Power Receiver. The method includes the Power Receiver receiving wireless power from a Power Transmitter, providing output power to a variable load, coupling a dump load temporarily during a change from a first power level of the variable load to a second power level of the variable load, and providing the output power to the variable load after the change.

[0007] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as an apparatus. In some aspects, the apparatus may include a Power Receiver configured to: receive wireless power from a Power Transmitter, convert, using a rectifier, the wireless power from alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power, and provide the DC power to a control switch. The apparatus may further include a motor having a plurality of terminals, each terminal corresponding to a subset of a plurality of coil sections. The control switch may be configured to: connect the DC power to one of the plurality of terminals and disconnect the DC power from the motor when the control switch is in an OFF position or between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0008] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as a method of a Power Receiver. The method may include receiving wireless power from a Power Transmitter. The method may further include converting, using a rectifier, the wireless power from alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power. The method may further include providing, via a control switch, the DC power to one of a plurality of terminals of a motor, each terminal corresponding to a subset of the plurality of coil sections. The method may further include disconnecting the DC power from the motor when the control switch is in an OFF position or between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0009] Details of one or more aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. Note that the relative dimensions of the figures may not be drawn to scale.Docket No. GE24835WO01

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example apparatus capable of utilizing wired power or wireless power.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example wireless power transfer system.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance utilizing wired power.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the example appliance of FIG. 3 utilizing wireless power.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance utilizing wireless power in accordance with some implementations.

[0016] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance and an example switch status sensor.

[0017] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance capable of utilizing wireless power and wired power.

[0018] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wired power or wireless power in accordance with some implementations.

[0019] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wired power or wireless power.

[0020] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wired power or wireless power.

[0021] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wired power or wireless power.

[0022] FIG. 12 illustrates a method for wireless power transfer.

[0023] FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wireless power.

[0024] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wireless power.

[0025] FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram illustrating a communications process.

[0026] FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wireless power in accordance with some implementations.

[0027] FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example apparatus in accordance with some implementations.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONDocket No. GE24835WO01

[0028] The following description is directed to certain implementations for the purpose of describing innovative aspects of this disclosure. However, a person having ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in a multitude of different ways. The described implementations can be implemented in any means, apparatus, system, or method for transmitting or receiving wireless power.

[0029] A traditional apparatus may be configured to use a wired power source (such as a plug-in electrical connection) to operate a load or other component. Technology is advancing rapidly such that an apparatus may be capable of operating using wireless power. Some types of apparatuses (sometimes referred to as a hybrid power device) may be capable of using both wired power and / or wireless power. Examples of such apparatuses may include kitchen appliances or other consumer electronics. Wireless power has become relatively common in consumer electronics (such as mobile devices or smartphones, among other examples). Wireless power transfer typically involves a Power Transmitter (PTx) and a Power Receiver (PRx). A PTx may include one or more primary coils that transmit wireless energy (as a wireless power signal) to one or more corresponding secondary coils in the PRx. A primary coil refers to a source of wireless energy (such as inductive or magnetic resonant energy producing an electromagnetic field) in the Power Transmitter. An apparatus may include a PRx and other components. The secondary coil in the PRx may receive the wireless energy via the electromagnetic field and provide the wireless energy as power for the other components of the apparatus.

[0030] In addition to consumer electronics, wireless power transfer capability is being developed for use in kitchen applications. For example, some types of kitchen appliances may be intended to operate on a wireless power transmitting surface configured with one or more primary coils. As an example, a kitchen countertop or stovetop (sometimes referred to as a cooktop or a hob) may include one or more induction coils. Other examples might include blenders, food processors, and more. An induction coil may be operated as a primary coil for wireless power transfer to a cordless kitchen appliance. Another example, a PTx may be embedded or added to a countertop, table, or other surface on which a cordless kitchen appliance may be placed. The cordless kitchen appliance is an example of an apparatus that may include a PRx capable of receiving wireless power and providing the wireless power to a load in the cordless kitchen appliance. The load may include a motor, a timer, a screen, or a combination thereof, among other examples.

[0031] This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for managing power transfer based on power source and variable load. In some aspects, the disclosed techniques enable selective utilization of wired power or wireless power in an apparatus. The apparatusDocket No. GE24835WO01 may include a wired power circuit associated with the wired power and a wireless power circuit configured to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitter. In some aspects, the apparatus may include a power source switch (such as a rotary switch on a blender) configured to selectively manage power to a load coupled to the wired power circuit or the wireless power circuit. A controller may control the power source switch based on availability of the wired power or the wireless power. Tn some aspects, the power source switch can control how the power is coupled to a variable load.

[0032] In some implementations, the power source switch may be set to couple the load to the wired power by default. For example, the power source switch may normally be closed to a connector associated with a wired power circuit. The power source switch may be changed to a wireless power circuit based on a power source switch signal from a controller. The controller may be activated by the presence of a PTx. For example, the controller may be operated by a bias power that is harvested (e.g., obtained) from a communication signal received from the PTx. In the absence of the PTx, the controller may remain dormant and thus does not cause the power source switch to change to the wireless power circuit. In some implementations, the controller is powered by the wireless power. In some implementations, the controller may be powered using energy drawn from the wired power circuit, energy harvested from a communication coil of the wireless communication interface, energy tapped from the secondary coil of the PRx, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, even when the wireless power is available, the controller may determine whether to cause the power source switch to change to the wireless power circuit based on whether the wired power is available. The controller may determine whether the wired power is available based on a voltage sensor associated with the wired power circuit.

[0033] In some implementations, a rotary switch may be part of the wired power circuit. For example, in some implementations, the rotary switch is a rotational knob or protrusion that is operated by the user to initiate the powering of the appliance. The rotary switch may be configured to open the wired power circuit to disconnect a powering element (as the load) when desired by the operator. This causes the cessation of powering of the apparatus. For example, when the rotary switch is facing the off terminal, power will discontinue flowing through the appliance. In some implementations, when operated from a wired power source, the current from the wired power source responsible for power in the appliance flows through the contact made by the rotary switch and terminal coupled to the motor. When using power from the wired power source, the power from the source is stopped when the rotary switch opens the wired power circuit. When using power drawn from wireless power source, a controller may obtain a status of the rotary switch and manage wireless power operationsDocket No. GE24835WO01 based on the status of the rotary switch. For example, the appliance may open the overload switch to prevent further damage.

[0034] In some implementations, the voltage sensor, the switch position circuit, or both, may be realized using one or more analog circuits. Thus, the wireless power capability may be added to the appliance with less complex or costly components. This disclosure includes example analog circuits for implementing the voltage sensor or the switch position circuit.

[0035] In some implementations, the techniques of this disclosure can prevent a dangerous condition associated with fire, overheating, or electrical damage to components of the apparatus. Furthermore, in some implementations, the apparatus is configured to utilize a single power source (wired power or wireless power) at a time. The techniques and example apparatuses described herein may adapt to changes in availability of different power sources. For example, the techniques in this disclosure may handle a situation where an appliance is placed on a wireless power source while it is plugged in to a wired power source, and vice versa. The techniques also handle situations where a power source is removed during wired power operation or wireless power operation.

[0036] Particular implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to realize one or more of the following potential advantages. A hybrid power device may support both wired power and wireless power options. The apparatus may include traditional components for wired power with a load while adding wireless power as an alternative option to power the load. In some implementations, the load may include a powering element traditionally controlled by a rotary switch in a wired power circuit. In some implementations, the techniques of this disclosure enable a controller to control the wireless power transfer based on the status of the rotary switch, even in implementations in which the wireless power circuit bypasses the rotary switch.

[0037] The following description is directed to some implementations for the purpose of describing innovative aspects of this disclosure. For example, this disclosure describes an apparatus with a variable speed motor having section windings. However, a person having ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the disclosure will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in a multitude of different ways. The implementations described can be implemented in any means, apparatus, system, or method for an apparatus that can utilize wireless power for a load (such as a variable speed motor). Furthermore, while some examples of this disclosure are based on a kitchen appliance, it should be understood that the techniques can apply to a variety of wireless power systems beyond those developed for a kitchen environment.Docket No. GE24835WO01

[0038] FIG. 1 is a diagram 100 illustrating examples of an apparatus capable of utilizing wired power or wireless power. The appliance 140 may include a motorized element that can be powered using wired power or wireless power. In some examples, the appliance 140 may be a blender (as shown), a food processor, a hand blender, or any type of appliance that includes a multi section universal motor. Alternatively, the appliance 140 may be an apparatus found outside of the kitchen such as an industrial fan. For brevity, the examples in this disclosure are described in the context of a kitchen appliance (such as a blender). The appliance 140 may be a hybrid power device capable of operating on either wired power or wireless power. FIG. 1 shows examples 103 and 105 in which the appliance 140 is operated using various power sources.

[0039] In some implementations, a first example 103 of the appliance 140 may utilize wireless power to operate the load. For example, appliance 140 may include components for wireless power transfer. The appliance 140 may include a Power Receiver 152. When the appliance 140 is placed on a Power Transmitter 102, the Power Receiver 152 may receive wireless power from an electromagnetic field generated by a primary coil 110 of the Power Transmitter 102.

[0040] In a second example 105, the appliance 140 is shown placed on the Power Transmitter 102 and also plugged into a wired power source 118 via a power cord 104. The wired power source 118 may be an alternating current (AC) power source on an outlet or a direct current (DC) power source such as a battery bank.

[0041] As described herein, a controller (not shown in FIG. 1) of the appliance 140 may select whether the appliance 140 can use the wired power or the wireless power. In some implementations, the appliance 140 can “latch” to a selected power source (wired power or wireless power) so that introduction of a different power source is ignored. For example, the appliance 140 may stay selected to the first power source that is encountered when a rotary switch is in a first state. The first state may be indicative that the rotary switch has been activated by a user and a power associated with the appliance is below a power threshold. Additionally, or alternatively, the first state may be indicative that the rotary switch is below a time limit. The appliance 140 may remain latched to a selected power source until that power source is no longer available, until a switch reaches a second state, or until a user action that removes one of the available sources or that switches off the appliance. For example, the appliance may use one of wired power or wireless power until the selected source becomes unavailable or is automatically switched to the other available source. The second state may be indicative that the rotary switch has been deactivated by the user, the power associated with the appliance is above a power threshold, the rotary switch has remained in a sameDocket No. GE24835WO01 position for a time that is above a time limit, or any combination thereof. In some implementations, the power threshold may be associated with a target power level of a battery or battery bank or other power level of a component of the appliance 140.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an example wireless power system 200. The wireless power system 200 may include a Power Transmitter 102 capable of wireless power transfer to an appliance 140. Appliance 140 may include components of the Power Receiver 152 (FIG. 1), such as a secondary coil 212, a wireless communication interface 218, and a controller 214, as described further herein.

[0043] In some implementations, the Power Transmitter 102 includes a primary coil 110. The primary coil 110 may be associated with a power signal generator 202. The primary coil 110 may be a wire coil which transmits wireless power (which also may be referred to as wireless energy). The primary coil 110 may transmit wireless energy using an inductive or magnetic resonant field. Together, the power signal generator and the primary coil are configured to generate a primary magnetic field during wireless power transfer. The power signal generator 202 may include components (not shown) to provide power to the primary coil 110 causing the primary coil 110 to produce the wireless power signal 222. For example, the power signal generator 202 may include one or more switches, drivers, series capacitors, rectifiers, or other components. The Power Transmitter 102 also may include a PTx control unit 204 that controls the components of the power signal generator 202. For example, the PTx control unit 204 may determine an operating point (such as voltage, current or power) and control the power signal generator 202 according to the operating point.

[0044] In some implementations, the power signal generator 202, the PTx control unit 204 and other components (not shown) may be collectively referred to as a Power Transmitter circuit. Some, or all, of the power transmitter circuit may be embodied as an integrated circuit (IC) that implements features of this disclosure for controlling and transmitting wireless power to one or more Power Receivers. The PTx control unit 204 may be implemented as a microcontroller, dedicated processor, integrated circuit, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or any other suitable electronic device.

[0045] In some implementations, a power source 206 may provide power to the Power Transmitter circuit in the Power Transmitter 102. The power source 206 may convert alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power. For example, the power source 206 may include a converter that receives an AC power from an external power supply (such as a supply mains) and converts the AC power to a DC power used by the power signalDocket No. GE24835WO01 generator 202. In some implementations, the power source may be a DC power source such as a battery bank.

[0046] The Power Transmitter 102 may include a wireless communication interface 208 configured to communicate with a wireless communication interface 218 associated with the PRx of the appliance 140. The wireless communication interface 208 and the wireless communication interface 218 may communicate via a wireless communication signal 224 according to a communication protocol. For example, wireless communication signal 224 may be a short-range radio frequency communication using Bluetooth™ or Near Field Communication (NFC), among other examples. NFC is a technology by which data transfer occurs on a carrier frequency of 13.56 MHz. The wireless communication interface 208 also may support any suitable communication protocol. The wireless communication interface 208 may be connected to a first communication coil 210 (which may be a coil or a loop antenna, among other examples). The wireless communication interface 208 may include logic for controlling one or more switches and other components that cause transmission and reception of wireless communication signals via the first communication coil 210.

[0047] A wireless power transfer system may operate in different phases, such as an idle phase, a configuration phase, a connected phase, and a power transfer phase. A technical specification may define how the Power Transmitter and a PRx can transition between the operating phases. For example, the Power Transmitter typically begins in the idle phase after being turned on. In the idle phase, the Power Transmitter may power the PTx control unit 204, the wireless communication interface 208, a driver, or other components of the Power Transmitter 102 alternatively from the primary coil. The primary coil may be energized in the power transfer phase after a communication to do so from a controller of a PRx.

[0048] In some implementations, the PTx control unit 204 may detect the presence or proximity of an appliance based on an impedance change in response to a periodic low power signal generated by the power signal generator and the primary coil. In some implementations, the presence or proximity of the appliance may happen during a periodic pinging process of the wireless communication interface in the Power Transmitter. Alternatively, or additionally, the Power Transmitter may detect the presence or proximity of the appliance based on a communication via the wireless communication signal. For example, the Power Transmitter may periodically or continually transmit a communication or polling signal via the wireless communication signal. In some implementations, the wireless communication signal may include a low voltage of power (which may be referred to as a communication bias power or bias power) to power a wireless communication interface and the controller of the appliance. Upon receiving a response fromDocket No. GE24835WO01 the appliance via the wireless communication signal, a handshaking process occurs between the Power Transmitter and the appliance. Based on the successful handshaking, the Power Transmitter and appliance transition from the idle phase to the configuration phase.

[0049] In the configuration phase, the Power Transmitter may perform or receive further communication to confirm the compatibility and power requirement of the appliance. The PTx control unit 204 may control characteristics of wireless power that the Power Transmitter provides to the appliance. The PTx control unit 204 may receive configuration or control information from the appliance (such as via the wireless communication interface). For example, in a configuration phase, the PTx control unit 204 may receive configuration information during a handshaking process with the appliance. The configuration information may include information about the appliance (such as a power rating, the manufacturer, the model, or parameters of the receiver when operating on a standard transmitter, among other examples). The PTx control unit 204 may use this information to determine at least one operating control parameter (such as frequency, duty cycle, voltage, etc.) for wireless power it provides to the appliance 140. To configure the wireless power, the PTx control unit 204 may modify the frequency, duty cycle, voltage, or any other suitable characteristic of the power signal generator 202. Once the configuration has been completed, the PTx control unit 204 may transition to a connected phase.

[0050] In the connected phase, the Power Transmitter and the appliance 140 may exchange further communications to negotiate the parameters that govern the power transfer phase. After negotiating the parameters, the Power Transmitter may be prepared to transfer wireless power and the appliance may be prepared to receive the wireless power. However, the Power Transmitter (e.g., the PTx control unit 204) may wait for a request or command from the appliance (the controller) before transitioning to the power transfer phase. This may be useful, for example, when a cordless appliance is configured for use pending a user interaction. The user may initiate the power transfer phase by a user interface such as setting a target power level or activating a rotary switch. In the power transfer phase, the Power Transmitter may transfer wireless power to the appliance 140. The idle phase, the configuration phase, and the connected phase may be collectively referred to as pre-power phases, while the power transfer phase may be referred to as a during-power phase.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows an example appliance 140 that includes components of a PRx (such as a secondary coil 212, a wireless communication interface 218, and a controller 214). The appliance 140 also includes a motor 216 and a power source switch 232A and a power source switch 232B (collectively referred to as power source switches 232). The appliance 140 may also support traditional wired power from a wired power source 118. A wired power circuitDocket No. GE24835WO01226 may include a power line to connect to the wired power source 118. Traditionally, the motor 216 may connect to the wired power circuit 226. The power source switches 232 may be part of the wired power circuit 226. The power source switches 232 are configured to complete (also referred to as close or connect) the power circuit based on a user action. The power source switch 232A is configured to break (also referred to as open or disconnect) the wired power circuit 226 when a power reaches a power threshold or when an operating time exceeds a time limit. In some implementations, the power source switches 232 may include a bimetallic element that warps when the power reaches a power threshold. Additionally, or alternatively, either or both of the power source switches 232 may include a timer-based switch.

[0052] As described herein, the appliance 140 may include power source switches 232 (illustrated as power source switches 232A and 232B). The power source switches 232 may be configured to switch the motor 216 from coupling to the wired power circuit 226 or to a wireless power circuit 228. For example, the wireless power circuit 228 may include the secondary coil 212, one or more additional components such as series capacitors (not shown), rectifiers (not shown) of the Power Receiver 152 (FIG. 1) in the appliance 140. When the power source switch 232B is set to couple the motor 216 to the wireless power circuit 228 and the secondary coil 212 is aligned to the primary coil 110, the secondary coil 212 may generate an induced voltage based on a received wireless power signal 222 from the primary coil 110. The induced voltage may be referred to as wireless power since the source of the power is the secondary coil 212 of the wireless power transfer system. The wireless power can be used by the motor 216 when the power source switch 232B is set to couple the motor 216 to the wireless power circuit 228. In some implementations, the motor 216 may be external to the appliance 140 and coupled via electrical lines (not shown) from the power source switches 232. FIG. 2 shows each of the power source switches 232 as a single pole switch that couples one end of the motor 216 to either the wired power circuit 226 or the wireless power circuit 228, for example, by opening and closing the respective power source switches 232. The motor 216 receives power from either the wired power source 118 or the wireless power transmitter 102 by closing the appropriate circuit (e.g., wired power circuit 226 or wireless power circuit 228) and allowing power to flow through the circuit. For example, if the user desires to use the wired power source 118, the power source switch 232A can close the wired power circuit 226. Other types of power source switches 232 may be used with the concepts in this disclosure, including double pole switches, or a relay, among other examples. In some implementations, when operating from the wireless power circuit 228, the power source switches 232 also may be used as a protection switch to offer protection fromDocket No. GE24835WO01 any abnormalities during wireless power transfer phase. Under such conditions, the power source switch 232 may be changed to disconnect the wireless power circuit 228 and connect the wired power circuit 226.

[0053] The appliance 140 may include a wireless communication interface 218. The wireless communication interface 218 may contain modulation and demodulation circuits to wirelessly communicate via a second communication coil 220 (which may be a coil or a loop antenna, among other examples). Thus, the controller 214 may wirelessly communicate with the PTx control unit 204 via the wireless communication signal 224 using NFC communications or Bluetooth. Tn some implementations, the wireless communication interface 218 (and possibly also the controller 214) may be powered by harvesting energy from the wireless communication signal 224. For example, the wireless communication interface 218 may harvest energy from the wireless communication signal 224 via the second communication coil 220 in the form of bias power. The bias power may be enough to power the wireless communication interface 218 and, in some implementations, also may be used by other components of the appliance 140, such as the controller 214.

[0054] The controller 214 may be configured to control the power source switches 232 to select which power source (wired power or wireless power) is used to operate the motor 216. In some implementations, the controller 214 may use bias power from the wireless communication signal 224 to operate the power source switches 232. In some implementations, the bias power may be harvested from the wireless communication signal 224 prior to a wireless power transfer phase. In some implementations, the bias power may be harvested from one, or both, of the wireless communication signal 224 or the wireless power from the secondary coil 212 during the wireless power transfer phase.

[0055] As described further herein, the controller 214 may select the wireless power source based on whether the wired power source is available or unavailable. Furthermore, the controller 214 may control the wireless power transfer based on a status of the power source switches 232. In some implementations (as shown in FIG. 2), the wireless power circuit 228 may include the secondary coil 212 but may bypass either or both of the power source switches 232. For example, when the motor 216 is operated from the wireless power circuit 228, the power source switch 232A is bypassed and the current from the wireless power circuit 228 responsible for powering the motor 216 does not flow though the contact made by the power source switch 232A. When the motor 216 is operated from the wired power circuit 226, the current from the wired power source 118 is responsible for powering the motor 216 flows through the contact made by the power source switch 232A and the motor 216. Thus, the power source switch 232A may be used as part of the wired power circuit 226. However,Docket No. GE24835WO01 power source switch 232A may not be in the electrical path between the motor 216 and the secondary coil 212 when the power source switch 232B is set to use the wireless power circuit 228. Thus, the controller 214 may obtain the status of the power source switches 232 or the position of the control switch 310 (described further in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6). The controller 214 may communicate messages (such as start power transfer messages or end power transfer messages) to the PTx control unit 204 to control whether the wireless power transfer is activated based on the status of the power source switches 232. Because the power source switches 232 and control switch 310 may be user activated (for turning-on) and power- activated (for turning off), the status of the power source switches 232 may change based on user action and power even when the power source switches 232 have decoupled the wired power circuit 226 or the wireless power circuit 228 from the motor 216.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an example appliance 300 capable of utilizing power received via either or both a wired or wireless power source.. The appliance 300 may be an example of the appliance 140 described with reference to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. The appliance 300 includes the components having like numbers as those described with reference to the appliance 140. For example, the appliance 300 includes a motor 216 and a power source switch 232. In some implementations, a control switch 310 may be part of the circuit. In some aspects, control switch 310 may be a rotary switch having a plurality of switch positions, including an “off’ position. In some other implementations described below, control switch 310 may be a logic circuit and / or firmware coupled to a user interface. The power source 332 supplies power to the control switch 310 through the circuit which directs the power to the user’s desired terminal. Power source 332 may be, for instance, wired power source 118 (FIGs. 1 and 2) or a wireless power source. The control switch 310 may be a rotational knob or protrusion that is operated by the user to initiate the powering of the appliance 300. The control switch 310 may be configured to open the circuit to disconnect a powering element (such as the load 330) when desired by the operator. For example, when the control switch 310 is facing the off terminal 312, power can discontinue flowing through the appliance 300 and cause the cessation of powering of the appliance 300.

[0057] In some implementations, the control switch 310 may be configured to close the circuit to a first terminal 314. The first terminal 314 may be located between the off terminal312 and the second terminal 316 and may be the first power option to connect the powering element to the motor 216. The control switch 310 may be operated by a user to close the circuit and allow power from the power source 332 to flow through. For example, when the control switch 310 is facing the first terminal 314, power is supplied through the first terminal 314 to the load 330. When the first terminal 314 supplies power to the load 330, the motorDocket No. GE24835WO01216 is activated. The power received by the motor 216 is harvested through a series of coil segments (such as LI, L2, or L3) coupled to the terminals. The power is directed through all available coil segments following the coil segment correlating to the selected terminal such as the first terminal 314, the second terminal 316, the third terminal 318, and any additional terminals (not shown). For example, if the user selects the first terminal 314, the power will flow through the first coil segment LI in addition to any following coil segments such as the second coil segment L2 and the third coil segment L3. In some implementations, the appliance 300 may include more than the three example terminals seen in FIG. 3. Due to the power being directed through all of the possible coil segments, the power is distributed through a larger range of coil segments causing this to be the first speed setting for the motor 216 and for the appliance 300.

[0058] In some implementations, the control switch 310 may be configured to close the circuit to a second terminal 316. The second terminal 316 is located between the first terminal 314 and the third terminal 318 and is the second power option to connect the powering element to the motor 216. For example, when the control switch 310 is operated by the user to close the connection between the control switch 310 and the second terminal 316, power is supplied through the second terminal 316 to the load 330. The control switch 310 closes the circuit to the second terminal 316 and opens the circuit to the first terminal 314. By opening the circuit to the first terminal 314, power is no longer directed through the coil segments associated with the first terminal such as the first coil segment LI. Alternatively, the power is channeled through the remaining coil segments (such as L2 and L3) to power the motor 216. For example, if the user selects the second terminal 316, the power will flow through the second coil segment L2 in addition to any following coil segments such as the third coil segment L3. Due to the power received from the second terminal 316 being directed through fewer coil segments than when the connection to the first terminal 314 is closed, the power is applied to fewer coil segments causing a stronger current through the connected coil segments. As a result, the power through coil segments L2 and L3 will cause a higher speed setting (stronger than the first speed setting) for the motor 216.

[0059] In some implementations, the control switch 310 may be configured to close the circuit to a third terminal 318. The third terminal 318 is located between the second terminal 316 and any possible fourth terminals (not shown) and is the third power option to connect the powering element to the motor 216. For example, when the control switch 310 is operated by the user to close the connection between the control switch 310 and the third terminal 318, power is supplied through the third terminal 318 to the load 330. The control switch 310 closes the circuit to the third terminal 318 and opens the circuits to the first terminal 314 andDocket No. GE24835WO01 second terminal 316. In addition to the first terminal 314 and the first coil segment LI, by opening the circuit to the second terminal 316, power is no longer directed through the coil segments associated with the second terminal 316 such as the second coil segment L2. Alternatively, the power is channeled through the remaining coil segment (for example, L3) to the motor 216. For example, if the user selects the third terminal 318, the power will flow through the third coil segment L3 in addition to any following coil segments (not shown). Due to the power received from the third terminal 318 being directed through fewer coil segments than the first terminal 314 and second terminal 316, the power is more condensed causing this to be the next speed setting (stronger than the first and second speed settings) for the motor 216 in the appliance 300.

[0060] In some implementations, the appliance 300 may include an overload switch 320. FIG. 3 shows the overload switch 320 as a single pole switch that is coupled to one end of the circuit line and can be either opened or closed. In some implementations, the overload switch 320 in this appliance 300 can prevent a dangerous condition associated with fire, overheating, or electrical damage to components of the apparatus. An example of this might be sparking due to an excess amount of standby power. The overload switch 320 is typically closed in order to allow the power to flow through the circuit to the motor 216 when desired by the user but can open in some instances where the flow of power is to be stopped. The motor 216 or other component of appliance 300 may sense the current and open the overload switch 320 when the current exceeds a power threshold. For example, if the appliance 300 exceeds a power threshold, the overload switch 320 may open and protect the appliance 300 from possible damage, such as damage caused by sparking (among other examples).

[0061] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the example appliance 400 utilizing wireless power. Example appliance 400 may be an implementation of appliance 140 of FIGs. 1 and 2 or appliance 300 of FIG. 3. To receive wireless power, the appliance 400 may be placed in proximity to a Power Transmitter 102 (not shown). In some implementations, the secondary coil 212 can connect to the Power Transmitter 102 (described in FIG. 2) and harvest energy for the appliance 400. The secondary coil 212 may receive a wireless power signal 222 (FIG. 2) from the primary coil 110 in the Power Transmitter 102. In order to utilize the wireless power, the appliance 400 includes a series capacitor (Cr) 404, a rectifier 410, and a load capacitor (Cdc) 412. The secondary coil 212 receives AC power from the Power Transmitter 102 while the Cr 404 and the rectifier 410 work together to convert the AC power to DC power. The DC power is then channeled through the circuit to the control switch 310 which can be used by an operator to select a terminal to receive power. Power may be sent through the coil segments thereby powering the motor 216 (FIG. 3). Power is then sent through theDocket No. GE24835WO01 circuit to the Cdc 412. The higher the voltage in the circuit, the more likely the Cdc 412 may not be able to support it and may become damaged. In such cases, appliance 400 may open the overload switch (if present) to protect the Cdc 412 (and the appliance 400) from damage.

[0062] In some implementations, FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3. For example, control switch 310 may include the off terminal 312, the first terminal 314, the second terminal 316, the third terminal 318, and any additional terminals (not shown). As noted above, control switch 310 is included to facilitate the user to activate the desired terminals. For example, if the user desires the motor 216 (shown in FIG. 2) to be set at a first speed setting, the user may operate the control switch 310 to close the connection between the control switch 310 and the first terminal 314. The control switch 310 may be manufactured to support AC power so when DC power is channeled through the circuit, the control switch 310 may be at risk of melting or damage. This can cause potential danger to the appliance 400. Typically switches rated to interrupt DC have current rating that are approximately ten times lower than the corresponding AC supportive rotary switches. For example, DC supportive rotary switches with the same current rating can be costly compared to AC supportive rotary switches with the same rating.

[0063] In some aspects, appliance 400 may sense current and voltage characteristics and provide feedback to Power Transmitter 102 (for example, at 20 ms intervals). Power Transmitter 102 can utilize this feedback to perform, for example, voltage hysteresis control (e.g., turning off high frequency (HF) switching of Power Transmitter 102) when one or more of the voltage characteristics exceed an upper threshold and resuming HF switching when the one or more voltage characteristics fall below a lower threshold.

[0064] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an example appliance utilizing wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 500 may be an example of any one of the appliances 140, 300, or 400 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, respectively. In some implementations the appliance 500 may include a plurality of diodes positioned between the plurality of terminals associated with the plurality of coil sections. In some implementations, FIG. 5 may resemble FIG. 4 with an addition of a set of diodes to offer more stability to the circuit. Each terminal has its own loop circuit including a coil segment (such as LI, L2, and L3) and a diode (such as the first diode 502, the second diode 504, and the third diode 506). Each diode works to keep the current flowing in one direction after the control switch 310 has either moved to another terminal or is between terminals. In some implementations, the diodes utilize the standby power when the control switch 310 opens the circuit to a terminal and allows the current to continue without damaging the appliance 500. For example, if the user desires to rotate the control switch 310 from the firstDocket No. GE24835WO01 terminal 314 to the second terminal 316, the left over power in the first coil segment LI can continue flowing through the first diode 502 until the energy is spent. This prevents potential damage to the control switch 310, the terminals, the coil segments, and the appliance 500. In some aspects, the diodes may be used if the connection between the circuit in a terminal and a control switch 310 is broken. This also prevents power exceeding the threshold from being sent to the Cdc 412 and the appliance 500.

[0065] FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an example appliance 600 and an example switch status sensor. The appliance 600 may be an example of any one of the appliances 140, 300, 400, or 500 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 5, respectively. The FIG. 6 may resemble FIG. 5 in accordance with an addition of a switch position circuit 604. The switch position circuit 604 may be used to determine the terminal to which the control switch 310 is connected. The switch position circuit 604 may be coupled to the communication unit 602 and to the control switch 310. In some implementations, the switch position circuit 604 may include a bias voltage 612 and a voltage sensor 614 found inside, or coupled to, the communication unit 602. The switch position circuit 604 may include a resistor or other components. It should be understood that the switch position circuit 604 is one possible realization of an analog circuit that can generate a switch status based on the position of the control switch 310. Advantageously, the switch position circuit 604 illustrated in FIG. 6 can utilize relatively fewer components compared to other types of sensors or circuits. Similarly to FIG. 5, the appliance 600 includes a set of diodes correlating with the coil segments. Although not shown, the circuit may have additional protections and voltage limiters to prevent the DC power received from the wireless power source from driving the electronics involving the bias voltage 612, the voltage sensor 614 and other components of appliance 500 beyond their safety limits.

[0066] In some implementations, the bias voltage 612 may be associated with the power harvested by the wireless communication interface 218 through the second communication coil 220. The appliance 600 shown in FIG. 6 includes a communication unit 602 to assist the appliance 600 in supporting wireless power. For example, as specified in FIG. 2, the wireless communications interface 218 may receive a wireless communication signal (shown in FIG. 2) through the second communication coil 220. In some implementations, the communication unit 602 can send the bias voltage 612 through the switch position circuit 604 to the control switch 310. When the control switch 310 closes the connection to the off terminal 312, the switch position circuit 604 is closed and the voltage sensor 614 can receive the bias voltage 612. When the control switch 310 closes the connection to the first terminal 314, the second terminal 316, the third terminal 318, or any additional terminals (not shown), the voltageDocket No. GE24835WO01 sensor 614 may cease to receive the bias voltage 612. For example, if the bias voltage 612 (such as five volts) is sent through the switch position circuit 604 and the voltage sensor 614 receives the bias voltage 612 (such as five volts), the control switch 310 is positioned to close the off terminal 312. If the bias voltage 612 (such as five volts) is sent through the switch position circuit 604 and the voltage sensor 614 does not receive the bias voltage and receives zero volts, the control switch 310 is facing a different terminal such as the first terminal 314. In some implementations, if the control switch is positioned to close a terminal that powers the motor 216, the bias voltage 612 will continue flowing through the circuit and may be used to power the motor 216 in addition to the wireless power.

[0067] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an example appliance 700 capable of utilizing wireless power and wired power. The appliance 700 may be referred to as a “hybrid device.” The appliance 700 may be an example of any one of the appliances 140, 300, 400, 500, or 600 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, respectively. The appliance 700 includes a secondary coil 212 to receive wireless power from the Power Transmitter 102 (not shown) and a circuit to receive wired power from the wired power source 118. In some implementations, the wireless power is received from the Power Transmitter 102 (not shown) through the secondary coil 212 and is sent through the Cr 404 and the rectifier 410 to the control switch 310. In some implementations, the wired power source 118 is connected to the circuit with a power line 704 (P) and a neutral line 708 (N). The power line 704 is coupled to the circuit in between the Cr 404 and the rectifier 410 while the neutral line 708 is coupled lower on the circuit after the Cdc 412 and rectifier 410. For example, if the user desires wired power, the power received from the wired power source 118 can be directed through the rectifier 410 but not the Cr 404. Alternatively, or additionally, the wireless power may be directed through both the Cr 404 and the rectifier 410. The rectifier 410 ensures that the power received is DC power. The appliance 700 includes a control switch 310 to direct the wired power and wireless power to the desired terminal such as the off terminal 312, the first terminal 314, the second terminal 316, the third terminal 318, or any additional terminals (not shown). As specified in FIG. 2, one power source may be used to power the appliance 700 at a time. Similarly to FIG. 4, the control switch 310 may not be configured to support DC power which may cause the hybrid power device to become damaged. For example, the control switch 310 may be prone to melting or causing sparking in the appliance 700.

[0068] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of an example appliance for controlling wired power or wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 800 may describe operation of any one of the appliances 140, 300, 400, 500, 600, or 700 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, respectively. The appliance 800 may include alternate, orDocket No. GE24835WO01 additional, implementations to the appliance 700 found in FIG. 7. Alternatively, or additionally, the appliance 800 connects the power line 704 and neutral line 708 closer to the control switch 310 so the wired power does not pass through the Cr 404, rectifier 410, and Cdc 412 (as shown in Figures 4-7). This allows the DC power from the wired power source to continue to the control switch 310 without causing potential additional damage to the wireless power circuit. For example, if the wired power and wireless power were both directed through the rectifier, this could potentially exceed the power threshold and cause damage to the appliance 800. By moving the power line 704 coupled to the wired power source 118 (not shown) outside of the wireless power circuit, the Cr 404, rectifier 410, and Cdc 412 (as shown in Figures 4-7) have less strain put on them and serve as additional protection to the appliance 800.

[0069] In some implementations, the appliance 800 may include power source switches 232 (e.g., power source switch 232A and power source switch 232B) to connect the wireless power source and wired power source 118 (not shown) to the control switch 310. For example, the power source switch 232 A is connected to the power line 704 and the power source switch 232B connects the wireless power source to the circuit leading to the control switch 310. The power source switches 232 are shown in FIG. 8 as single pole switches that are coupled to one end of the circuit and operate to open and close the circuit. This facilitates the appliance 800 to harvest power from one source at a time, preventing the appliance 800 from exceeding the power threshold. For example, if the appliance 800 detects a wired power source 118 (not shown) but not a wireless power source, it can close the power source switch 232A to allow power to be sent to the control switch 310 and to the appliance 800. As another example, if the appliance 800 detects wireless power but not wired power, it can open the power source switch 232A and close the power source switch 232B to allow wireless power to be sent to the control switch 310 and to the appliance 800. In some implementations, one power source switch 232 may be closed at a time to prevent an overabundance of power being sent through the appliance 800.

[0070] In some implementations, the appliance 800 can include a set of diodes connected to the terminals and to the coil segments. For example, as described with respect to Figure 5, each terminal has its own loop circuit including a coil segment and a diode such as the first diode 502, the second diode 504, and the third diode 506 (shown in Figures 5 and 6). Each diode works to keep the current of power flowing in one direction after the control switch 310 is operated to close the connection to another terminal or is between terminals. In some implementations, the diodes utilize the standby power when the control switch 310 opens the circuit to a terminal and allows the current to continue without damaging the appliance 800.Docket No. GE24835WO01For example, if the user desires to operate the control switch 310 to open the connection to the first terminal 314 to close the connection to the second terminal 316, the left-over power in the first coil segment LI (not shown) will continue flowing through the first diode 502 (not shown) until the energy is spent. This prevents potential damage to the control switch 310, the terminals, the coil segments, and the appliance 800. The diodes may be used if the connection between the circuit in a terminal and a control switch 310 is broken. This also prevents power exceeding the threshold from being sent to the appliance 800. The configurations of components described above can operate collectively to offer additional protection to the control switch 310, the wired and wireless power source, the coil segments, among other examples.

[0071] FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of an example appliance for controlling wired power or wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 900 may describe operation of any one of the appliances 140, 300, 600, 700, or 800 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 8, respectively. In some implementations, the appliance 900 may resemble the appliance 800 found in FIG. 8 in addition to an alternate set of diodes (e.g., first diode 906 shown as diode Tl, second diode 908 shown as T2, and third diode 910 shown as T3). The appliance 900 includes a wireless power source connected to a circuit that leads to the control switch 310. In some implementations, the wireless power circuit may include a power source switch 232B. For example, if the user desires to use the wireless power option, the power source switch 232B can close and allow the wireless power to flow to the control switch 310. In some implementations, the appliance 900 may also include a power line 704 and a neutral line 708 that connects to the wired power source 118 (not shown). The power line 704 is coupled to the power source switch 232 A which connects the circuit to the control switch 310. For example, if the user desires to utilize the wired power option, the user may operate power source switch 232A to close and allow the wired power to flow to the control switch 310.

[0072] In some implementations, the appliance 900 may look similar to the appliance 800 in FIG. 8. Alternatively, or additionally, the appliance 900 includes a set of diodes connected to both a terminal and the control switch 310. Alternatively, from the off terminal 312, each terminal has a diode coupled to the circuit leading to the coil section and to the control switch 310. For example, the first terminal 314 connects a first diode (Tl) 906 to the circuit before the first coil segment LI. The first diode 906 is placed on a circuit directly back to the control switch 310. In some implementations, each possible terminal may have a diode. Each diode works to keep the current of power flowing in one direction after the control switch 310 has been operated to close a different terminal or is between terminals. In some implementations,Docket No. GE24835WO01 the diodes utilize the standby power when the rotary switch opens the circuit to a terminal and allows the current to be directed back to the control switch 310 which prevents further damage to the appliance 900. For example, if the user desires to operate the control switch 310 to open the connection to the first terminal 314 to close the connection to the second terminal 316, the left over power in the first terminal 314 may continue flowing through the first diode 906 to the control switch 310. After it reaches the control switch 310 it will be directed to the next closed circuit available such as the terminal selected by the user. This prevents potential damage to the control switch 310, the terminals, the coil segments, and the appliance 900. The diodes may be used if the connection between the circuit in a terminal and a control switch 310 is broken. This also prevents power from exceeding the power threshold and damaging the appliance 900.

[0073] In some implementations, the appliance 900 may include a multitude of diodes. For example, if the appliance 900 includes four terminal options (as shown in FIG. 9), the appliance 900 can also include up to four diodes. In some implementations, the off terminal 312 may not include a diode due to the terminal not receiving power. For example, if the off terminal 312 is not connected to any additional circuits or units (such as a communication unit 602 or voltage sensor 614 shown in FIG. 6), the circuit may be left open causing the off terminal 312 to not be supportive of power. Advantageously, this causes the off terminal 312 to not require a diode connecting a circuit back to the control switch 310. In some implementations, if the appliance 900 includes any terminals in addition to the off terminal 312, these additional terminals may also be coupled to a diode.

[0074] FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of an example appliance 1000 for controlling wired power or wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 1000 may describe operation of any one of the appliances 140, 300, 600, 700, 800, or 900 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 9, respectively. The appliance 1000 combines several conditions and associated operations based on availability of wired power or wireless power transfer. In some implementations, the appliance 1000 may include a hybrid power device, a set of diodes, a set of rectifiers, among other examples seen in Figures 1-8, respectively. In addition to the appliance 700 found in FIG. 7, the appliance 1000 may include an additional rectifier coupled to the wired power source 118 (not shown).

[0075] In some implementations, a power line 704 and a neutral line 708 may be coupled to a rectifier 1006. Similarly to the rectifier found in the wireless power circuit, the rectifier 1006 is configured to convert wired power to DC power and provide DC power to the control switch 310 and to the appliance 1000. This ensures that the power received from the wired and wireless power sources are both DC power. Alternatively, from the appliance 700 shownDocket No. GE24835WO01 in FIG. 7, the wired and wireless power sources are each coupled to separate rectifiers (410 and 1006). This allows the DC power from the wired power source 118 to continue to the control switch 310 without causing potential additional damage to the wireless power circuit. For example, if the wired power and wireless power were both directed through the rectifier, this could potentially exceed the power threshold and cause damage to the appliance 1000. By moving the power line 704 coupled to the wired power source 118 outside of the wireless power circuit, the rectifiers (410 and 1006) have less strain on them. This serves as additional protection to the appliance 1000. Similarly, to Figures 5, 6, and 8, the appliance 1000 may include a set of diodes located between the terminals and the coil segments.

[0076] FIG. 11 shows a diagram of an example appliance 1100 for controlling wired power or wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 1100 may describe operation of any one of the appliances 140, 300, 600, 700, 800, or 1000 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 10, respectively. In some implementations, the appliance 1100 may be an alternate to the appliance 1000 found in FIG. 10. The appliance 1100 combines several conditions and associated operations based on availability of wired power or wireless power transfer. In some implementations, the appliance 1100 may include a hybrid power device, a set of diodes, a set of rectifiers, among other examples seen in Figures 1-10, respectively. Alternatively, or additionally, to the appliance 1000 seen in FIG. 10, the appliance 1100 may include a power source switch 232A controlling wired power into the rectifier 1006 and a power source switch 232B controlling direct current power from the rectifier 410 to the control switch 310. For example, the power source switch 232A is connected to the power line 704 and the power source switch 232B connects the wireless power source to the circuit leading to the control switch 310. The power source switches 232 may be single pole switches that are coupled to one end of the circuit and operate to open and close the circuit. This allows the appliance 1100 to harvest power from one source at a time without exceeding the power threshold. For example, if the appliance 1100 detects a wired power source 118 but not a wireless power source, it can close the power source switch 232A to allow power to be sent to the control switch 310 and to the appliance 1100. Another example is if the appliance 1100 detects wireless power but not wired power, it can open the power source switch 232A and close the power source switch 232B to allow wireless power to be sent to the control switch 310 and to the appliance 1100. In some implementations, one power source switch 232 may be closed at a time to prevent an overabundance of power being sent through the appliance 1100.

[0077] FIG. 12 illustrates a method for wireless power transfer in accordance with some implementations. In block 1202, routine 1200 receives wireless power from a PowerDocket No. GE24835WO01Transmitter. In block 1204, routine 1200 converts, using a rectifier, the wireless power from alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power. In block 1206, routine 1200 provides, via a control switch, the DC power to one of a plurality of terminals of a motor, each terminal corresponding to a subset of the plurality of coil sections. In block 1208, routine 1200 disconnects the DC power from the motor when the control switch is in an OFF position or between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0078] FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance for controlling wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 1300 may be an example of any one of the appliances 140, 300, or 400 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, respectively. Appliance 1300 is similar to appliance 500 of FIG. 5, except that the control switch 310 includes a converter 1305. Additionally, a controller 1301, an optional user interface 1302, switch 1303 and a dump load 1304 (sometimes also referred to as a resistance load or a dummy load) are included in the example shown in FIG. 13.

[0079] User interface 1302, when present can provide a mechanism for a user to provide input to control the amount of power to be applied to load 330. For example, user interface 1302 may be a mechanical, electromechanical, analog, or digital user interface that can turn power on and off for the appliance, and can control power settings, for example, low, medium or high power.

[0080] Controller 1301 includes logic circuitry to receive input from user interface 1302 and to provide control input to converter 1305 based in the input received from the user interface 1302. For example, controller 1301 may provide signals to converter 1305 indicating which power setting has been selected via user interface 1302.

[0081] In some implementations, the converter 1305 includes circuitry configured to control the amount of power delivered to the load 330 based on input from controller 1301. In some implementations, converter 1305 may have three output terminals 1306, 1307, and 1308. Each of the output terminals may correspond to a different output power to be supplied to the load 330. As an example, if load 330 is a motor, the output power for each terminal may correspond to a different speed setting for the motor. Each terminal has its own loop circuit including a coil segment (such as LI, L2, and L3) and may have a diode (such as the first diode 502, the second diode 504, and the third diode 506). Each diode works to keep the current flowing in one direction after the logic circuitry of converter 1305 has directed current to flow through one of the three output terminals 1306, 1307 or 1428. In some implementations, the diodes utilize the standby power when the converter 1305 opens the circuit to a terminal and allows the current to continue without damaging the appliance 1300.Docket No. GE24835WO01For example, if the controller 1301 receives input from the user (via user interface 1302) indicating a first power setting, the controller 1301 can provide control signaling directing the converter 1305 to provide power via terminal 1306. If the controller 1301 receives an input (such as via user interface 1302) that changes the power setting from the first setting to a second setting, the controller 1301 can provide control signaling to the converter 1305 to change output from the first terminal 1306 to the second terminal 1307. In this scenario, any leftover power in the first coil segment LI can continue flowing through the first diode 502 until the energy is spent. This can prevent potential damage to the converter 1305, the terminals, the coil segments, and the appliance 1300. In some aspects, the diodes may be used if the connection between the circuit in a terminal and a converter 1305 is broken.

[0082] In some cases, there may be a time lag for the converter 1305 to switch output between the different terminals. During this output, in the absence of the techniques disclosed herein, the Power Transmitter (e.g., Power Transmitter 102 of FIGs. 1 and 2) may see a zero load, which may cause an overvoltage condition (e.g., an undesirable high voltage) or current spike in the Power Transmitter 102. To prevent the Power Transmitter 102 from seeing a zero load, in some implementations, the controller 1301 may close switch 1303 when instructing the converter 1305 to switch power output from one terminal to another terminal. When switch 1303 is closed, wireless power is routed to dump load 1304. This may prevent the Power Transmitter 102 from experiencing an overvoltage condition due to zero load while also preventing power from flowing through any of the terminals 1306, 1307, or 1308 via converter 1305. When converter 1305 has completed the switch from one terminal to another terminal, controller 1301 can open switch 1303 so that power resumes flowing through converter 1305 and the selected output terminal. In some aspects, dump load 1304 may be one or more resistors, for example, a resistor bank. The presence of the dump load 1304 can effect a smooth transition from one terminal to another and can prevent the Power Transmitter 102 from seeing a zero load at the Power Receiver (e.g., appliance 1300) thereby preventing voltage or current spikes in the Power Transmitter 102.

[0083] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance 1400 for controlling wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 1400 may be an example of any one of the appliances 140, 300, or 400 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, respectively. Appliance 1400 is similar to appliance 1300 of FIG. 13, with the addition of a PRx communication interface 1406 and PRx tank circuit 1402. The PRx tank circuit 1402 can include a capacitor or other components to enable the secondary coil 212 to receive the wireless power signal 222 during a power state.Docket No. GE24835WO01

[0084] As described above with respect to FIG. 13, in some cases, there may be a time lag for the converter 1305 to switch output between the different terminals which may cause the Power Transmitter 102 to see a zero load at the Power Receiver 152 of appliance 1500. To prevent the Power Transmitter 102 from seeing a zero load, in some implementations, the controller 1301 may communicate with the Power Transmitter via PRx communication interface 1406 requesting the Power Transmitter to transition to a zero power state (sometimes also referred to as a zero power transmission state, or low power). In some implementations, the controller 1301 may communicate a request to the Power Transmitter 102 to transition to a connected state. In the connected state, the Power Transmitter 102 typically goes to a zero power state. Alternatively, the controller 1301 may communicate a request to pause power transfer or change the transmit power level to the zero power state. While the Power Transmitter is in the zero power state, the Power Receiver can adjust the output to the load. When the converter 1305 has completed the switch between output terminals, the converter 1305 can communicate a request to the Power Transmitter 102 to transition to a “power state” (also referred to as a non-zero power state) in which case the Power Transmitter 102 can resume power transmission to the Power Receiver 152 of appliance 1400. The terms “zero power state” and “power state” can refer to states of in a power transfer phase.

[0085] In some implementations, the Power Receiver 152 may include the dump load 1304 and switch 1303 that may be used by controller 1301 instead of, or in addition to, the communication with the Power Transmitter 102 requesting that the Power Transmitter 102 transition to a zero power state as described above.

[0086] FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram 1500 illustrating a communications process in accordance with some implementations. Although not illustrated for the sake of illustration clarity, various acknowledgements for messages illustrated in FIG. 15 may be implemented to ensure reliable operations controlling wireless power transmission and reception.

[0087] At operation 1502, the Power Transmitter 102 transmits wireless power at a first power level to the Power Receiver 152 of appliance 1400.

[0088] At operation 1504, the Power Receiver 152 may receive an input 1504 requesting a power step change. For example, a user may provide an input via a user interface (e.g., user interface 1302) indicating the user desires to operate the appliance 1400 at a different power level than is currently being used. The power step change may be a change to a higher power level or a lower power level.

[0089] At operation 1506, the Power Receiver 152 communicates a request to change to a zero power state (or very low power state) to the Power Transmitter 102. As an example, theDocket No. GE24835WO01Power Receiver 152 may transmit a request to the Power Transmitter that the Power Transmitter 102 transition to a connected state.

[0090] At operation 1508, the Power Transmitter 102 transitions to the zero power state (e.g., the connected state), and stops (or pauses) transmitting wireless power to the Power Receiver 152. The Power Receiver 152 performs a power step change 1510, such as modifying an output to a load or adjusting the load setting. For example, the controller 1301 of Power Receiver 152 may send control signaling to the converter 1305 to cause the converter 1305 to provide power output at an output terminal of the converter 1305 corresponding to the power level requested via the user interface 1302.

[0091] At operation 1512, the Power Receiver 152 communicates a request to the Power Transmitter 102 to transition to the power state (e.g., changing to power transfer phase or resuming power transfer). Tn some implementations, the request 1512 can indicate an amount of power for the Power Transmitter 102 to transmit after the power step change 1510. In response to the request, at operation 1514, the Power Transmitter 102 resumes wireless power transfer and transmits wireless power to support load (e.g., at a second power level). The second power level may be a higher power level or a lower power level compared to the first power level at operation 1502.

[0092] FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating an example appliance 1600 for controlling wireless power in accordance with some implementations. The appliance 1600 may be any one of the appliances 140, 300, or 400 described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, respectively, appliance 1600 is similar to appliance 1400 of FIG. 14, with the exception that converter 1305 is replaced with an V by F converter 1602 (also referred to as a V / F converter), and coils L1-L3 are replaced by a single coil 1604. V by F converter 1602 has a single output to coil 1604. The V by F converter 1602 is configured to output a voltage that is proportional to the input frequency, thereby preventing power factor reductions when changing the speed of a motor (e.g., load 330).

[0093] In the example shown in FIG. 16, PRx controller 1404 may receive input indicating that a user of appliance 1600 requests a power level change via user interface 1302. PRx controller 1404 may use the techniques described herein to prevent the Power Transmitter 102 from seeing a zero load from the Power Receiver 152 during the power level change. For example, in some aspects, the PRx controller 1404 may activate a switch 1303 to cause power to be transferred to a dump load 1304 during a power level change. In some aspects, the PRx controller may communicate a request to the Power Transmitter 102 to transition to a zero power state.Docket No. GE24835WO01

[0094] FIG. 17 shows a block diagram of an example processing environment of an apparatus 1700 in accordance with some implementations. In some implementations, the appliance 1700 may be a Power Receiver (PRx). In some implementations, the apparatus 1700 may be an example of any one of the appliances 140, 300, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1300, 1400, 1600 described with reference to Figures 1-16, respectively. In some implementations, the apparatus 1700 may include a processor 1702 (possibly including multiple processors, multiple cores, multiple nodes, or implementing multi-threading, etc.). The apparatus 1700 also can include a memory 1704. The memory 1704 may be system memory or any one or more of the possible realizations of computer-readable media described herein. In some implementations, the apparatus 1700 may also include a bus 1706 (such as PCI, ISA, PCI-Express, HyperTransport®, InfiniBand®, NuBus®, AHB, AXI, etc.).

[0095] In some implementations, the apparatus 1700 may include one or more controllers 1708 configured to control wired power or wireless power operations of the appliance 1700. For example, the controller 1708 may be an example of the controller 214 described herein. In some implementations, the apparatus 1700 may include one or more switches and / or sensors 1710. Examples of the switches and / or sensors 1710 may include the power source switches 232, the voltage sensor 614, the switch position circuit 604, among other examples, or any combination thereof. In some implementations, the controllers 1708 may be distributed within the processor 1702, the memory 1704, and the bus 1706. The controllers 1708 may perform some, or all, of the operations described herein. For example, the controllers 1708 may implement any of the operations or features described with reference to Figures 1-16.

[0096] The memory 1704 can include computer instructions executable by the processor 1702 or the controller 1708 to implement the functionality of the implementations described with reference to Figures 1-16. Any one of these functionalities may be partially (or entirely) implemented in hardware or on the processor 1702. For example, the functionality may be implemented with an application specific integrated circuit, in logic implemented in the processor 1702, in a co-processor on a peripheral device or card, etc. Further, realizations may include fewer or additional components not illustrated in FIG. 17. The processor 1702, the memory 1704, and the controllers 1708 may be coupled to the bus 1706. Although illustrated as being coupled to the bus 1706, the memory 1704 may be coupled to the processor 1702.

[0097] Having described several concepts in this disclosure, it is noted that further modification and features are possible. The examples have been explained in the context of an appliance for a kitchen environment, but concepts of this disclosure can apply to other types of devices and in other environments.Docket No. GE24835WO01

[0098] For example, in some aspects, an appliance (e.g., any of appliances 140, 300, 400, 1300, 1400, or 1600) may have a display requiring relatively low power when compared to the load 330. For example, an appliance may have a display that uses as little as one to five watts of power. In some cases, the Power Transmitter 102 may not be able to measure the low power and thus may not be able to effectively control the wireless power used to power the display while the load 330 is not being used (e.g., the load 330 is currently set to receive no power). In such cases the Power Transmitter 102 may use open loop power control and perform mathematical calculation to determine the lower power level used by the appliance. For example, the Power Transmitter 102 may calculate the duty cycle and phase and generate the wireless power transmission signals based on the calculated duty cycle and phase. Because open loop power control is used, the transmitter may not measure the actual power output to perform corrections to the control loop. As a result, there may be undesirable deviations in the wireless power transmission.

[0099] In some aspects, the Power Transmitter 102 may communicate its capability regarding low and high power control. The Power Receiver 152 can then use the capability information to determine necessary actions to take to protect the Power Receiver 152 from deviations in requested power that may result from the use of open control methodology (e.g., no control loop in the Power Transmitter 102). In some aspects, the Power Receiver 152 may include additional hardware, firmware, and / or software to protect the display from overvoltage and overcurrent conditions.

[0100] The Power Receiver 152 may communicate a power control request to the Power Transmitter 102 to request that the Power Transmitter 102 transition to a higher power transfer state (e.g., when the appliance is being used). In this case, the Power Transmitter 102 can change from open loop power control to closed loop power control.

[0101] FIG. 1 through FIG. 17 and the operations described herein are examples meant to aid in understanding example implementations and should not be used to limit the potential implementations or limit the scope of the claims. Some implementations may perform additional operations, fewer operations, operations in parallel or in a different order, and some operations differently.

[0102] The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the aspects to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations may be made in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the aspects. While the aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of various examples, any combination of aspects from any of the examples is also within the scope ofDocket No. GE24835WO01 the disclosure. The examples in this disclosure are provided for pedagogical purposes. Alternatively, or in addition to the other examples described herein, examples include any combination of enumerated example implementation options.

[0103] Clause 1: An appliance, comprising: a Power Receiver configured to: receive wireless power from a Power Transmitter, convert, using a rectifier, the wireless power from alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power, and provide the DC power to a control switch; a motor having a plurality of terminals, each terminal of the plurality of terminals corresponding to a subset of a plurality of coil sections; and the control switch configured to: connect the DC power to one of the plurality of terminals, and disconnect the DC power from the motor when the control switch is in an OFF position or between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0104] Clause 2: The appliance of clause 1 , further comprising: a plurality of diodes positioned between each terminal corresponding to the plurality of coil sections.

[0105] Clause 3: The appliance of clause 1 or 2, further comprising: a switch position circuit configured to detect whether the control switch is connected to one of the plurality of terminals, and wherein a controller of the Power Receiver is configured to request the wireless power from the Power Transmitter when the control switch is connected to one of the plurality of terminals.

[0106] Clause 4: The appliance of clause 3, further comprising: a communication unit configured to harvest a bias voltage and provide the bias voltage to the switch position circuit and the controller.

[0107] Clause 5: The appliance of clause 4, wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a measured voltage (Vsw) of the switch position circuit, determine the control switch is in the OFF position when the Vsw is equal to the bias voltage, and determine that the control switch is connected to one of the plurality of terminals when the Vsw is zero or when the Vsw is less than the bias voltage.

[0108] Clause 6: The appliance of any one of clauses 1 to 5, a load capacitor (Cdc) connected to the rectifier of the Power Receiver, wherein the Cdc has a capacitance level such that the Cdc reduces a rate of voltage increase to the motor when the control switch transitions between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0109] Clause 7: The appliance of any one of clauses 1 to 6, wherein the Power Receiver is capable of using wireless power or wired power, the appliance further comprising: a wired power circuit associated with the wired power, the wired power being AC power; and a wireless power circuit configured to receive the wireless power from the Power Transmitter.Docket No. GE24835WO01

[0110] Clause 8: The appliance of clause 7, wherein the Power Receiver includes: an AC- DC rectifier configured to convert the wired power to DC power and provide the DC power to the control switch.

[0111] Clause 9: The appliance of clause 7, wherein the wired power circuit is connected to the Power Receiver across a secondary coil of the Power Receiver and before the rectifier of the Power Receiver.

[0112] Clause 10: The appliance of clause 7, wherein the control switch is configured to alternatively support either the AC power from the wired power circuit or the DC power from the Power Receiver.

[0113] Clause 11: The appliance of clause 7 or 10, further comprising: a plurality of diodes connected between each coil terminal and the control switch.

[0114] Clause 12: The appliance of clause 11, wherein the plurality of diodes comprise high voltage Zener diodes, transient-voltage-suppression diodes, or both.

[0115] Clause 13: The appliance of any one of clauses 1 to 12, wherein the control switch is a rotary switch, wherein a first position of the rotary switch connects the DC power to a first terminal of the plurality of terminals, the first terminal associated with a first subset of the plurality of coil sections, and wherein a second position of the rotary switch connects the DC power to a second terminal of the plurality of terminals, the second terminal associated with a second subset of the plurality of coil sections, and wherein first position and the second position are associated with different speeds of the motor.

[0116] Clause 14: The appliance of any one of clauses 1 to 13, wherein the Power Receiver includes: a Power Receiver (PRx) coil to receive the wireless power; and a Power Receiver capacitor (Cr) connected in series with the PRx coil; wherein the controller is further configured to control a characteristic of the wireless power by communicating feedback to the Power Transmitter.

[0117] Clause 15: The appliance of clause 1, wherein the control switch includes a converter coupled to the plurality of terminals; wherein the appliance further comprises: a controller; a dump load; and a switch coupled to the dump load and the controller, wherein the controller is configured to close the switch to cause the wireless power to flow to the dump load.

[0118] Clause 16: The appliance of clause 15, wherein the controller is configured to close the switch when the control switch is to transition between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0119] Clause 17: The appliance of clause 15, wherein the dump load comprises a resistor bank.Docket No. GE24835WO01

[0120] Clause 18: The appliance of clause 1, wherein the control switch includes a converter coupled to the plurality of terminals; wherein the appliance further comprises: a communication interface to communicatively couple the appliance to a Power Transmitter; and a controller configured to communicate a request to the Power Transmitter via the communication interface that the Power Transmitter enter a zero power state when the control switch is to transition between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0121] Clause 19: A method for wireless power transfer by a Power Receiver, the method comprising: receiving wireless power from a Power Transmitter; converting, using a rectifier, the wireless power from alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power; providing, via a control switch, the DC power to one of a plurality of terminals of a motor, each terminal of the plurality of terminals corresponding to a subset of a plurality of coil sections; and disconnecting the DC power from the motor when the control switch is in an OFF position or between two or more of the plurality of terminals.

[0122] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as a computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform any one of the above-mentioned functionalities.

[0123] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as a system having means for implementing any one of the above-mentioned functionalities.

[0124] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as an apparatus having one or more processors configured to perform one or more operations from any one of the above-mentioned methods.

[0125] The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the aspects to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations may be made in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the aspects. While the aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of various examples, any combination of aspects from any of the examples is also within the scope of the disclosure. The examples in this disclosure are provided for pedagogical purposes. Alternatively, or in addition to the other examples described herein, examples include any combination of the following implementation options (enumerated as clauses for reference).

[0126] As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of’ or “one or more of’ a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. For example, “atDocket No. GE24835WO01 least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover the possibilities of: a only, b only, c only, a combination of a and b, a combination of a and c, a combination of b and c, and a combination of a and b and c.

[0127] The various illustrative components, logic, logical blocks, modules, circuits, operations and algorithm processes described in connection with the implementations disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, firmware, software, or combinations of hardware, firmware or software, including the structures disclosed in this specification and the structural equivalents thereof. The interchangeability of hardware, firmware and software has been described generally, in terms of functionality, and illustrated in the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits and processes described above. Whether such functionality is implemented in hardware, firmware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0128] The hardware and data processing apparatus used to implement the various illustrative components, logics, logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device (PLD), discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor also may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some implementations, particular processes, operations and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function.

[0129] As described above, some aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented as software. For example, various functions of components disclosed herein, or various blocks or steps of a method, operation, process or algorithm disclosed herein can be implemented as one or more modules of one or more computer programs. Such computer programs can include non- transitory processor-executable or computer-executable instructions encoded on one or more tangible processor-readable or computer-readable storage media for execution by, or to control the operation of, a data processing apparatus including the components of the devices described herein. By way of example, and not limitation, such storage media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other mediumDocket No. GE24835WO01 that may be used to store program code in the form of instructions or data structures. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of storage media.

[0130] Various modifications to the implementations described in this disclosure may be readily apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with this disclosure, the principles and the novel features disclosed herein.

[0131] Additionally, various features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations also can be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation also can be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. As such, although features may be described above as acting in particular combinations, and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

[0132] Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Further, the drawings may schematically depict one or more example processes in the form of a flowchart or flow diagram. However, other operations that are not depicted can be incorporated in the example processes that are schematically illustrated. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the illustrated operations. In some circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

Claims

Docket No. GE24835WO01CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method of a Power Receiver, comprising: communicating, to a Power Transmitter, a first request to stop or pause a wireless power transmission; changing a load from a first power level to a second power level; and communicating, to the Power Transmitter, a second request to resume the wireless power transmission after changing the load.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first request requests a transition to a zero power state; and the second request requests a transition to a non-zero power state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first request requests a transition to a connected phase; and the second request requests a transition to a power transfer phase.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the changing the load includes performing a power step change to increase or decrease power to the load.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: coupling a dump load during the change from the first power level to the second power level.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the changing the load is in response to at least one of: a user input to change the load; a power needed for the load being above a power threshold; an expiration of a timer; or a battery of the Power Receiver reaching a target power level.

7. A method of a Power Receiver, comprising: receiving wireless power from a Power Transmitter; providing output power to a variable load; coupling a dump load during a change from a first power level of the variable load to a second power level of the variable load; andDocket No. GE24835WO01 providing the output power to the variable load after the change.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: causing the Power Transmitter to transition to a zero power state prior to initiating the change.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the causing the Power Transmitter to transition to the zero power state includes: communicating, to the Power Transmitter, a first request to transition to the zero power state; changing the output power of the Power Receiver from the first power level to the second power level; and communicating, to the Power Transmitter, a second request to resume wireless power transfer after changing the output power.

10. The method of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the dump load is designed to prevent the Power Transmitter from experiencing an overvoltage condition or a current spike in the Power Transmitter.

11. The method of any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the dump load is designed to present a non-zero load to the Power Transmitter during the change.

12. The method of any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the coupling the dump load includes closing a switch between an output of a rectifier of the Power Receiver and the dump load.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the coupling the dump load includes: closing the switch prior to the change, and opening the switch to decouple the dump load after the change is complete.

14. The method of any one of claims 7 to 13, further comprising, during the change: decoupling output terminals of the Power Receiver from a first load and coupling the output terminals to a second load.

15. A Power Receiver, comprising: a power receiving unit; a communication unit; and a controller or processor configured to perform a method of any one of claims 1 to 14.

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