Systems and methods for dynamically tuning a wireless power transfer system

A method of operating a wireless power transmitter for use in a wireless power transfer system comprising the wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver, wherein the wireless power transmitter comprises (i) a voltage regulator that is operable to produce a supply voltage in accordance with a voltage-regulator control signal that specifies a configurable voltage level of the supply voltage, (ii) an inverter that is operable to produce an alternating current (AC) signal based on the supply voltage and a drive signal having a configurable frequency, (iii) a capacitor circuit that comprises a bank of two or more capacitors and is operable to configure the bank of two or more capacitors and tune the AC signal, and (iv) a transmission antenna that is operable to produce a wireless power signal for receipt by at least one receiver antenna of the wireless power receiver, the method comprising:

• dynamically controlling the configurable frequency of the drive signal by:
• setting the configurable frequency of the drive signal to a first operating frequency selected from an available set of two or more operating frequencies;
• and
• based on a first set of one or more system parameters associated with operation of the wireless power transfer system, (i) determining that the configurable frequency of the drive signal is to be updated from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency selected from the available set of two or more operating frequencies and (ii) updating the configurable frequency of the drive signal to the second operating frequency;
• dynamically controlling the configurable voltage level of the supply voltage by:
• providing, to the voltage regulator, a first voltage-regulator control signal that specifies a first voltage level of the supply voltage and thereby causes the voltage regulator to produce a first supply voltage having the first voltage level;
• and
• based on a second set of one or more system parameters associated with operation of the wireless power transfer system, (i) determining that the configurable voltage level of the supply voltage is to be updated from the first voltage level to a second voltage level and (ii) providing, to the voltage regulator, a second voltage-regulator control signal that specifies the second voltage level of the supply voltage and thereby causes the voltage regulator to produce a second supply voltage having the second voltage level;
• and
• dynamically controlling a configuration state of the bank of two or more capacitors by:
• providing, to the capacitor circuit, a first capacitor-circuit control signal that specifies a first configuration state of the bank of two or more capacitors and thereby causes the bank of two or more capacitors to be configured into the first configuration state;
• and
• based on a third set of one or more system parameters associated with operation of the wireless power transfer system, (i) determining that the configuration state of the bank of two or more capacitors is to be updated from the first configuration state to a second configuration state and (ii) providing, to the capacitor circuit, a second capacitor-circuit control signal that specifies the second configuration state and thereby causes the bank of two or more capacitors to be configured into the second configuration state.

A wireless power transmitter for use in a wireless power transfer system comprising the wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

• a voltage regulator that is operable to produce a supply voltage based on a voltage-regulator control signal that specifies a configurable voltage level of the supply voltage;
• an inverter that is operable to produce an alternating current (AC) signal based on the supply voltage and a drive signal having a configurable frequency;
• a capacitor circuit that comprises a bank of two or more capacitors and is operable to (i) configure the bank of two or more capacitors based on a capacitor-circuit control signal that specifies a configuration state of the bank of two or more capacitors, and (ii) tune the AC signal with the bank of two or more capacitors and thereby produce a tuned AC signal;
• a transmission antenna that is operable to produce a wireless power signal for receipt by at least one receiver antenna of the wireless power receiver based on the tuned AC signal;
• and
• a transmitter-side control system that is operable to:
• dynamically control the configurable frequency of the drive signal by:
• setting the configurable frequency of the drive signal to a first operating frequency selected from an available set of two or more operating frequencies;
• and
• based on at least a first receiver-level parameter that is reported from the wireless power receiver to the wireless power transmitter, (i) determining that the configurable frequency of the drive signal is to be updated from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency selected from the available set of two or more operating frequencies and (ii) updating the configurable frequency of the drive signal to the second operating frequency;
• dynamically control the configurable voltage level of the supply voltage by:
• providing, to the voltage regulator, a first voltage-regulator control signal that specifies a first voltage level of the supply voltage and thereby causes the voltage regulator to produce a first supply voltage having the first voltage level;
• and
• based on at least a second receiver-level parameter that is reported from the wireless power receiver to the wireless power transmitter, (i) determining that the configurable voltage level of the supply voltage is to be updated from the first voltage level to a second voltage level and (ii) providing, to the voltage regulator, a second voltage-regulator control signal that specifies the second voltage level of the supply voltage and thereby causes the voltage regulator to produce a second supply voltage having the second voltage level;
• dynamically control the configuration state of the bank of two or more capacitors by:
• providing, to the capacitor circuit, a first capacitor-circuit control signal that specifies a first configuration state of the bank of two or more capacitors and thereby causes the bank of two or more capacitors to be configured into the first configuration state;
• and
• based on a first combination of transmitter-level and receiver-level parameters, (i) determining that the configuration state of the bank of two or more capacitors is to be updated from the first configuration state to a second configuration state and (ii) providing, to the capacitor circuit, a second capacitor-circuit control signal that specifies the second configuration state and thereby causes the bank of two or more capacitors to be configured into the second configuration state;
• and
• transmit, to the wireless power receiver via the transmission antenna, an instructed receiver-level parameter that is (i) determined by the transmitter-side control system based on a second combination of transmitter-level and receiver-level parameters and (ii) utilized by the wireless power receiver to set a power level of an output delivered to a load of the wireless power receiver.