# US 2017/0288471 A1 · Methods and apparatus for cross connection detection and mitigation in wireless power transfer networks

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- Number: US 2017/0288471 A1
- Document ID: US20170288471A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/087,660
- Filed: 2016-03-31
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Hooman Shirani-Mehr; Ahmad Farbod Khoshnevis; Xintian E. Lin; Sreenivas Kasturi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288471A1

## CPC

- H02J 50/80: involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
- H02J 7/42: with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones
- H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling
- H04L 41/12: Discovery or management of network topologies
- H04L 12/10: Current supply arrangements
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Methods and apparatus for cross connection detection and mitigation in wireless power transfer networks are disclosed. An example method includes receiving communication data from the second PTU, the communication data being generated by the PRU, wherein the first PTU and the second PTU are capable of providing wireless power to power receiving units; determining that the communication data is intended for the first PTU based on the connected device mapping; and transmitting the communication data to the first PTU.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving first data from a first power transmitting unit (PTU);
receiving second data from a second PTU, wherein the first PTU and the second PTU are capable of providing wireless power to power receiving units; and
generating a connected device mapping based on the first data and the second data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including receiving third data from the first PTU, the third data corresponding to a power receiving unit (PRU) connected to the first PTU.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further including determining that the PRU is cross connected by:
in response to receiving the third data from the PTU, instructing the first PTU and second PTU to run a cross connection protocol, the cross connection protocol identifying which PTU is providing power to the PRU;
when the PRU is receiving the power from the first PTU, determining that the PRU is not cross connected; and
when the PRU is not receiving the power from the first PTU, determining that the PRU is cross connected.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein, when the PRU is cross connected with the first PTU and the second PTU:
correlating the PRU with the first PTU and the second PTU; and
adding the correlation to the connected device mapping.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the PRU receives power from the first PTU and communicates with the second PTU.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further including:
receiving communication data from the second PTU, the communication data being generated by the PRU;
determining that the communication data is intended for the first PTU based on the connected device mapping; and
transmitting the communication data to the first PTU.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further including:
receiving communication data from the first PTU, the communication data being generated by the first PTU;
determining that the communication data is intended for the PRU based on the connected device mapping; and
transmitting the communication data to the second PTU.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the first data includes at least one of an identifier of the first PTU, a class of the first PTU, a power of the first PTU, a maximum power of the first PTU, a timestamp associated with power-up of the first PTU, a status of the first PTU, or a physical location of the first PTU; and
the second data includes at least one of an identifier of the second PTU, a class of the second PTU, a power of the second PTU, a maximum power of the second PTU, a timestamp associated with power-up of the second PTU, a status of the second PTU, or a physical location of the second PTU.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the third data includes at least one of an identifier of the PRU, a device type of the PRU, a cross connection status of the PRU, a timestamp, a class of the PRU, a power of the PRU, a status of the PRU, or a location of the PRU.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the communication data includes data related to the power.

### Claim 11

An apparatus comprising:
a receiver to (A) receive first data from a first power transmitting unit (PTU) and (B) second data from a second PTU, wherein the first PTU and the second PTU are capable of providing wireless power to power receiving units; and
a topology mapping generator to generate a connected device mapping based on the first data and the second data.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the receiver is to receive third data from the first PTU, the third data corresponding to a power receiving unit (PRU) connected to the first PTU.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the topology mapping generator is to determine that the PRU is cross connected by:
in response to receiving the third data from the PTU, instructing the first PTU and second PTU to run a cross connection protocol, the cross connection protocol identifying which PTU is providing power to the PRU;
when the PRU is receiving the power from the first PTU, determining that the PRU is not cross connected; and
when the PRU is not receiving the power from the first PTU, determining that the PRU is cross connected.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the topology mapping generator is to, when the PRU is cross connected with the first PTU and the second PTU:
correlate the PRU with the first PTU and the second PTU; and
add the correlation to the connected device mapping.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the PRU receives power from the first PTU and communicates with the second PTU.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, further including a virtual connection controller and a transmitter, wherein:
the receiver is to receive communication data from the second PTU, the communication data being generated by the PTU;
the virtual connection controller is to determine that the communication data is intended for the first PTU based on the connected device mapping; and
the transmitter is to transmit the communication data to the first PTU.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, further including a virtual connection controller and a transmitter, wherein:
the receiver is to receive communication data from the first PTU, the communication data being generated by the first PTU;
the virtual connection controller is to determine that the communication data is intended for the PRU based on the connected device mapping; and
the transmitter is to transmit the communication data to the second PTU.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
the first data includes at least one of an identifier of the first PTU, a class of the first PTU, a power of the first PTU, a maximum power of the first PTU, a timestamp associated with power-up of the first PTU, a status of the first PTU, or a physical location of the first PTU; and
the second data includes at least one of an identifier of the second PTU, a class of the second PTU, a power of the second PTU, a maximum power of the second PTU, a timestamp associated with power-up of the second PTU, a status of the second PTU, or a physical location of the second PTU.

### Claim 19

A computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
receive first data from a first power transmitting unit (PTU);
receive second data from a second PTU, wherein the first PTU and the second PTU are capable of providing wireless power to power receiving units; and
generate a connected device mapping based on the first data and the second data.

### Claim 20 (depends on 21)

The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions cause the machine to receive third data from the first PTU, the third data corresponding to a power receiving unit (PRU) connected to the first PTU.