# US 12,003,115 B2 · Dual receiver detection apparatus and method for wireless power transfer system

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- Number: US 12,003,115 B2
- Document ID: US12003115B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/328,070
- Filed: 2021-05-24
- Published: 2022-11-17
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-17
- Assignees: NuVolta Technologies (Hefei) Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Nuvolta Technologies (Hefei) Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Lei Huang; Chaoxi Wang; Zeng Li; Jun Liu; Shi Song
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003115B2

## CPC

- H02J 50/40: using two or more transmitting or receiving devices (H02J50/50 takes precedence)
- H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling
- H02J 50/402: {the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas}
- H02J 50/90: involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
- H02J 50/80: involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
- H02J 2105/44: Portable electronic devices
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY

## Abstract

A method includes applying a plurality of detection signals to a plurality of receivers, receiving a plurality of echo signals resulted from the plurality of receivers, comparing the plurality of echo signals with a predetermined echo signal distribution pattern, determining the number of the plurality of receivers, and charging the plurality of receivers sequentially using a movable transmitter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
applying a plurality of detection signals to a plurality of receivers;
receiving a plurality of echo signals resulted from the plurality of receivers;
comparing the plurality of echo signals with a predetermined echo signal distribution pattern;
determining the number of the plurality of receivers through comparing a distance between a first group of echo signals and a second group of echo signals with a predetermined threshold value if the plurality of echo signals comprises two groups of echo signals, and comparing the number of echo signals with a threshold number of echo signals in one group if the plurality of echo signals comprises one group of echo signals; and
charging the plurality of receivers sequentially using a movable transmitter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting the plurality of receivers using a detection grid comprising a plurality of first detection coils oriented to a first direction and a plurality of second detection coils oriented to a second direction;
determining a location of a first receiver to be charged; and
moving the movable transmitter toward the location of the first receiver to be charged using a two dimensional moving apparatus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein:
the two dimensional moving apparatus comprises a first motor configured to move the movable transmitter along the first direction and a second motor configured to move the movable transmitter along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
after determining the number of the plurality of receivers, determining whether a first receiver is in parallel with a second receiver based on comparing the plurality of echo signals with the predetermined echo signal distribution pattern.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising:
after determining the first receiver is in parallel with the second receiver, determining two locations of the first receiver and the second receiver;
charging the first receiver by moving the movable transmitter toward a first location of the two locations; and
after fully charging the first receiver, charging the second receiver by moving the movable transmitter toward a second location of the two locations.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
after determining the number of the plurality of receivers, determining whether a first receiver and a second receiver are arranged in a misalignment manner based on comparing the plurality of echo signals with the predetermined echo signal distribution pattern.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
after determining that the first receiver and the second receiver are arranged in a misalignment manner, determining four possible locations of the first receiver and the second receiver;
finding a first location of the first receiver;
charging the first receiver by moving the movable transmitter toward the first location of the first receiver;
after fully charging the first receiver, finding a second location of the second receiver; and
charging the second receiver by moving the movable transmitter toward the second location of the second receiver.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
receiving a plurality of echo signals through a detection grid over a movable transmitter;
comparing a distance between a first group of echo signals and a second group of echo signals with a predetermined threshold value if the plurality of echo signals comprises two groups of echo signals, and comparing the number of echo signals with a threshold number of echo signals in one group if the plurality of echo signals comprises one group of echo signals;
determining whether a plurality of receivers is in parallel or in a misalignment manner; and
charging the plurality of receivers sequentially using a movable transmitter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
determining whether a receiver is placed adjacent to the movable transmitter using a detection grid over the movable transmitter, the detection grid comprising a plurality of first detection coils oriented to a first direction and a plurality of second detection coils oriented to a second direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
determining whether one receiver or two receivers are placed adjacent to the movable transmitter using a detection grid over the movable transmitter, the detection grid comprising a plurality of first detection coils oriented to a first direction and a plurality of second detection coils oriented to a second direction.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
after determining two receivers have been placed adjacent to the movable transmitter, searching a location of a first receiver of the two receivers;
charging the first receiver by moving the movable transmitter toward the location of the first receiver;
after fully charging the first receiver, searching a location of a second receiver of the two receivers; and
charging the second receiver by moving the movable transmitter toward the location of the second receiver.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
after determining one receiver has been placed adjacent to the movable transmitter, charging the one receiver by moving the movable transmitter toward a location of the one receiver.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
after determining two receivers have been placed adjacent to the movable transmitter, determining whether the two receivers are in parallel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
after determining that the two receivers are in parallel, finding two locations of the two receivers; and
charging the two receivers sequentially according to a state machine having two states, wherein the step of charging the two receivers sequentially is accomplished within one state transition.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
after determining that the two receivers are arranged in a misalignment manner, finding four possible locations of the two receivers; and
charging the two receivers sequentially according to a state machine having four states, wherein the step of charging the two receivers sequentially is accomplished in a range from one state transition to three state transitions.

### Claim 16

An apparatus comprising:
a movable transmitter;
a detection grid over the movable transmitter; and
a controller configured to apply a plurality of detection signals to a plurality of receivers over the detection grid, receive a plurality of echo signals resulted from the plurality of receivers, compare the plurality of echo signals with a predetermined echo signal distribution pattern, and determine the number of the plurality of receivers through comparing a distance between a first group of echo signals and a second group of echo signals with a predetermined threshold value if the plurality of echo signals comprises two groups of echo signals, and comparing the number of echo signals with a threshold number of echo signals in one group if the plurality of echo signals comprises one group of echo signals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a two dimensional moving apparatus, wherein:
after finding two receivers over the detection grid, the movable transmitter is moved to a first location underneath a first receiver by the two dimensional moving apparatus, and the movable transmitter is configured to charge the first receiver; and
after fully charging the first receiver, the movable transmitter is moved from the first location to a second location underneath a second receiver by the two dimensional moving apparatus, and the movable transmitter is configured to charge the second receiver.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the two dimensional moving apparatus comprises:
a first motor configured to move the movable transmitter along a first direction; and
a second motor configured to move the movable transmitter along a second direction, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:
the first receiver is inside a first mobile phone;
the second receiver is inside a second mobile phone; and
the movable transmitter, the detection grid and the controller are inside a charging pad.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:
the charging pad, the first mobile phone and the second mobile phone form a wireless power transfer system.