# US 10,483,797 B2 · Contactless connector and contactless connector system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,797 B2 - Document ID: US10483797B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/380,275 - Filed: 2016-12-15 - Published: 2017-06-22 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-18 - Assignees: TE Connectivity Nederland BV - Applicants: TE Connectivity Nederland BV - Inventors: Gied Habraken - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483797B2 ## CPC - H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling - H01F 38/14: Inductive couplings - H02J 50/80: involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices - H04B 5/26: using coils - H04B 5/266: {One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils} - H04B 5/70: specially adapted for specific purposes - H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer - H01F 2038/143: {for signals} - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A power receiving connector for a contactless connector system is disclosed. The power receiving connector comprises a secondary inductive coupler electromagnetically coupled with a primary inductive coupler of a power transmitting connector, the secondary inductive coupler receiving electric power from the primary inductive coupler, a terminal connected to a secondary external component and outputting the electric power to the secondary external component, a switch connected to the terminal and controlling the electric power output at the terminal, a secondary data transceiver forming a data link with a primary data transceiver of the primary inductive coupler, and a secondary data communication interface connected to the secondary data transceiver and communicating with the secondary external component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power receiving connector for a contactless connector system, comprising: a secondary inductive coupler electromagnetically coupled with a primary inductive coupler of a power transmitting connector, the secondary inductive coupler receiving electric power from the primary inductive coupler; a terminal connected to a secondary external component, outputting the electric power to the secondary external component, and receiving power from an external power source different from the power transmitting connector connected to the terminal to supply power to the power receiving connector; a switch connected to the terminal and controlling the electric power output at the terminal; a secondary data transceiver forming a data link with a primary data transceiver of the primary inductive coupler; and a secondary data communication interface connected to the secondary data transceiver and communicating with the secondary external component, the secondary external component and the external power source are external to a structure of the power receiving connector containing the secondary inductive coupler, the switch, the secondary data transceiver, and the secondary data communication interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power receiving connector of claim 1, further comprising a secondary control unit connected to and controlling an operation of the secondary data communication interface and the secondary data transceiver. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power receiving connector of claim 2, wherein the secondary control unit has a power supply line through which the secondary control unit is supplied with electric power, the switch selectively connecting the power supply line either to the secondary inductive coupler or the terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The power receiving connector of claim 3, wherein the switch has a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor with a gate terminal, a source terminal, and a drain terminal, the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor capable of connecting the secondary inductive coupler to the terminal and the terminal to the power supply line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The power receiving connector of claim 4, wherein the terminal and the power supply line are connected via an intrinsic body diode of the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The power receiving connector of claim 5, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor is a p-channel enhancement metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The power receiving connector of claim 5, wherein a switch diode is disposed between the power supply line and the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The power receiving connector of claim 4, wherein the secondary control unit is connected to and controls an operation of the switch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power receiving connector of claim 8, wherein the gate terminal is connected to a drive circuit controlled by the secondary control unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The power receiving connector of claim 9, wherein the drive circuit comprises a level shifter having a bipolar transistor providing a control voltage to the gate terminal. ### Claim 11 A contactless connector system, comprising: a power transmitting connector having a primary inductive coupler connected to an input power source, a resonant circuit generating a magnetic field at the primary inductive coupler, a primary data transceiver, a primary data communication interface connected to the primary data transceiver and communicating with a primary external component, and a primary control unit controlling an operation of the resonant circuit, the primary data communication interface, and the primary data transceiver; and a power receiving connector having a secondary inductive coupler electromagnetically coupled with the primary inductive coupler, the secondary inductive coupler receiving electric power from the primary inductive coupler, a terminal connected to a secondary external component, outputting the electric power to the secondary external component, and receiving power from an external power source different from the power transmitting connector connected to the terminal to supply power to the power receiving connector, a switch connected to the terminal and controlling the electric power output at the terminal, a secondary data transceiver forming a data link with the primary data transceiver, and a secondary data communication interface connected to the secondary data transceiver and communicating with the secondary external component, the secondary external component and the external power source are external to a structure of the power receiving connector containing the secondary inductive coupler, the switch, the secondary data transceiver, and the secondary data communication interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The contactless connector system of claim 11, wherein the primary data transceiver has a primary antenna and the secondary data transceiver has a secondary antenna, the primary antenna and the secondary antenna in radio communication. ### Claim 13 A method of controlling a contactless connector system for inductively transmitting power between a power transmitting connector and a power receiving connector, comprising in a first operational mode: generating a magnetic field at a primary inductive coupler of the power transmitting connector by transforming an input power using a resonant circuit; receiving electric power at a secondary inductive coupler of the power receiving connector electromagnetically coupled with the primary inductive coupler and outputting the electric power to a secondary external component connected to a terminal of the power receiving connector; and establishing a data link between the power transmitting connector and the power receiving connector to provide communication with the secondary external component via a secondary data communication interface of the power receiving connector; the method further comprising, in a second operational mode: controlling a switch of the power receiving connector to disconnect a power supply line of a secondary control unit of the power receiving connector from the secondary inductive coupler and connect the power supply line to the terminal of the power receiving connector connected to an external power source, the secondary external component and the external power source are external to a structure of the power receiving connector containing the secondary inductive coupler, the switch, and the secondary data communication interface, the secondary control unit is supplied with power received by the secondary inductive coupler electromagnetically coupled to the primary inductive coupler in the first operational mode, and the secondary inductive coupler is not coupled to the primary inductive coupler in the second operational mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the switch is controlled by the secondary control unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the secondary control unit controls the switch to be non-conductive and output no power at the terminal when a power level received from the power transmitting connector exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the switch is a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor which is conductive in the first operational mode and non-conductive in the second operational mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the terminal and the power supply line are connected via an intrinsic body diode of the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the external power source is connected to the terminal in the second operational mode.