Inductive Wireless Power Back-Channel Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inductive wireless power transfer systems are limited to one-way communication from the receiver to the transmitter, requiring additional components for two-way communication, which increases cost, complexity, and space requirements.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a modulator in the transmitter and a demodulator in the receiver to modulate and demodulate the wireless power signal, enabling two-way communication through conversion gain modulation, switching frequency, duty cycle, or impedance adjustments, allowing data transmission between the transmitter and receiver using the same coils.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate RF coils are used for two-way communication, then communication capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing transmit and receive coils perform dual functions: power transfer and bidirectional communication. The transmit coil not only transfers power but also serves as a communication antenna by modulating the power signal, while the receive coil receives both power and communication signals simultaneously. This eliminates the need for separate RF communication coils, reducing device complexity while maintaining full-duplex communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the power transfer function and communication function into a single integrated system using the same electromagnetic coupling path. By combining these functions, the patent avoids adding separate communication hardware, thereby reducing device complexity, cost, and space requirements while enabling bidirectional communication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional components are added for two-way communication, then communication functionality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables existing components (transmit and receive coils) to serve multiple purposes: power transfer and bidirectional communication. This eliminates the need for additional RF communication components, reducing bill of materials cost and simplifying manufacturing processes while providing full-duplex communication functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own power transfer electromagnetic field for communication purposes, making the power transfer infrastructure serve dual purposes. The transmit coil modulates the power signal to encode communication data, and the receive coil extracts both power and communication information from the same received signal, eliminating the need for separate communication infrastructure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional components are added for two-way communication, then communication capability is improved, but device area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing power transfer coils serve dual functions as communication antennas, eliminating the need for additional RF communication coils and associated components. This significantly reduces the device area required for communication functionality while maintaining bidirectional communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines power transfer and communication functions into the same physical infrastructure (the coils), allowing both functions to share the same spatial resources. This merging eliminates the need for separate communication hardware, thereby reducing overall device area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables secure two-way communication, authenticating devices and sharing performance data, while reducing the need for additional components and maintaining efficient energy transfer, thus enhancing the functionality and efficiency of inductive wireless power transfer systems.
Implementation Method 1
Wireless power transmission using inductive coil is one method considered as an untethered method for transferring power wirelessly through a coupled electromagnetic field. In inductive wireless power transmission, power is transferred by transmitting an electromagnetic field through a transmit coil.
Implementation Method 2
On the receiver side, a receiver coil may couple with the transmit coil through the electromagnetic field, thus receiving the transmitted power wirelessly.
Implementation Method 3
a modulator configured to modulate the wireless power signal and encode data with the wireless power signal to establish a back-channel communication link from the transmitter to a receiver
Implementation Method 4
a demodulator configured to demodulate the modulated wireless power signal from an established back-channel communication link from the transmitter to a receiver
Data Source
AI summary
An inductive wireless power transfer device comprises a transmitter that comprises a transmit coil configured to generate a wireless power signal to a coupling region in response to an input voltage, and a modulator configured to modulate the wireless power signal and encode data with the wireless power signal to establish a back-channel communication link from the transmitter to a receiver. An inductive wireless power receiving device comprises a receiver that comprises a receive coil configured to generate a time varying signal in response to receiving a modulated wireless power signal from a transmitter in a coupling region, and a demodulator configured to demodulate the modulated wireless power signal from an established back-channel communication link from the transmitter to a receiver. Related inductive wireless power transfer systems and methods for back-channel communication from the transmitter to the receiver of an inductive wireless power transfer system are disclosed.