US 11,588,351 B2 · Protection and control of wireless power systems

Abstract

One general aspect includes methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for fault protection of a bidirectional wireless power transfer system. The method includes the actions of detecting, by control circuitry of a wireless power transfer device, a fault for the bidirectional wireless power transfer system. Identifying an operating personality of the wireless power transfer device and a hardware configuration of the wireless power transfer device. Identifying, in response to detecting the fault and based on the operating personality and the hardware configuration, protection operations for protecting the wireless power transfer device from the fault. Controlling operations of the wireless power transfer device according to the protection operations. Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems, circuitry, controllers, apparatus, and computer programs, configured to perform the actions of the methods, encoded on computer storage devices.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of operating a bidirectional wireless power transfer system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a slave wireless power transfer device from a master wireless power transfer device, instructions to reverse a direction of power flow between the slave wireless power transfer device and the master wireless power transfer device;
in response to the instructions:
assigning a wireless power receiver operating personality to the slave wireless power transfer device;
and
controlling operation of an inverter-rectifier of the slave wireless power transfer device according to the wireless power receiver operating personality, wherein controlling operation of the inverter-rectifier comprises:
in response to a power at the inverter-rectifier being less than a threshold value, operating the inverter-rectifier in a passive rectifier mode;
and
in response to the power at the inverter-rectifier being greater than a threshold value, generating pulse width modulation (PWM) control signals for operating the inverter-rectifier in an active rectification mode;
and
sending, to the master wireless power transfer device, an indication that the slave wireless power transfer device has reconfigured to operate as a wireless power receiver.

7 more elements

A wireless power transfer device comprising:

at least one processor;
and a data store coupled to the at least one processor having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the wireless power transfer device from a master wireless power transfer device, instructions to reverse a direction of power flow between the wireless power transfer device and the master wireless power transfer device;
in response to the instructions:
assigning a wireless power receiver operating personality to the wireless power transfer device;
and
controlling operation of an inverter-rectifier of the wireless power transfer device according to the wireless power receiver operating personality, wherein controlling operation of the inverter-rectifier comprises:
in response to a power at the inverter-rectifier being less than a threshold value, operating the inverter-rectifier in a passive rectifier mode;
and
in response to the power at the inverter-rectifier being greater than a threshold value, generating pulse width modulation (PWM) control signals for operating the inverter-rectifier in an active rectification mode;
and
sending, to the master wireless power transfer device, an indication that the wireless power transfer device has reconfigured to operate as a wireless power receiver.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Protection and control of wireless power systems

Life of this patent

Protection and control of wireless power systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20