Patent Application
20100327801
Inductive proximity power pads utilize a transmitter coil to provide power to one or more devices having receiver coils. Power is transmitted from the transmitter coil to the receiver coil when the device is placed in proximity to the transmitter coil on or about the power pad. Each power pad has a connector to connect to a power supply, such as an outlet. If several people are meeting in a room with a limited number of outlets, there can be contention for use of the outlets to recharge their devices, such as laptop computers and various wireless devices.
A power pad includes a power network and at least one power connector coupled to the power network and disposed on a periphery of the pad and operable to exchange power to a provided adjacent pad. At least one power transfer mechanism is embedded in the pad and coupled to the power network to transfer power to a device proximate the pad. An optional connector may be provided to connect to a power supply.
In one embodiment, a method includes embedding at least one proximity power transfer mechanism in a polygonal pad. A power transfer network is formed in the polygonal pad that is coupled to the at least one proximity power transfer coil. At least one power transfer connector is provided on a peripheral portion of the polygonal pad to mate with a power transfer connector on an adjacent polygonal pad to transfer power between the two polygonal pads.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments which may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, logical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following description of example embodiments is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
Various embodiments of inductive proximity power pads of various shapes are described. The power pads include transmitter coils to transfer power to receiver coils that are in proximity to the power pads. The power pads may be thought of as jigsaw puzzle pieces with power connector on their edges that may be coupled to form different shapes of sets of power pads that share or exchange power between them. One of the power pads may be coupled to a power supply to provide power to all the connected power pads.
In one embodiment, the power connectors may be coupled to power connectors on adjacent pads which may be provided by others in one embodiment, and operate to exchange power by either receiving or providing, or receiving and providing power to such adjacent pads having a mating power connector. In various embodiments, power connectors on different sides of the power pad may have female connectors, and others have male connectors that retentatively engage when pad are assembled adjacent each other such that the power networks 115 in each pad receive power. In further embodiments, genderless connector may be used. Many different types of connectors may be used that provide sufficient power transfer. The ground connector may be separate or integrated into the power connector as desired.
In one embodiment, a switch 140 may be used to detect whether connector 120 is engaged with a connector on an adjacent pad. Switch 140 may be part of the connector 120, or may be in line with it, and sense whether a connection has been made with an adjacent pad. In one embodiment, switch 140 is disposed between connector 120 and power network 115. Similarly, switches 142, 146 and 148 may be provided to operate with power connectors 130, 132 and 134 respectively. In one embodiment, any one switch may operate to connect power to the power network and enable operation of the power pad 100. In one embodiment, power and ground lines run to the edges of the pad. No power is available at such edges until another pad is detected. Once a connected pad is detected, then the switch operates to provide current to the connected pad. The switch may be a mechanical, electrical or MEMs switch in various embodiments.
Power pad 100 in one embodiment has one or more power transfer mechanisms such as power coils 150, 152, 154, 156, 158 and 160 coupled to the power network 115. Six such power coils are shown in
In a further embodiment, the power transfer mechanisms comprise a set of conductors that mate with corresponding conductors on a device to obtain power from the power pad 100. The power coils illustrated in block form in
In one embodiment, the power connector 120 includes a latch to securely physically couple an adjacent polygonal pad with a mating power connector and latch. The power pad in some embodiments has a thickness of between 1 and 1.5 cm. The power connectors may be used to couple multiple adjacent power pads to provide a parallel power supply connection. In further embodiments, multiple switches may be provided on one side of the power pad, and multiple power connectors may also be provided on one side of the power pad.
Power pad 100 may be formed by embedding at least one proximity power transfer coil in a polygonal pad. A power transfer network is formed in the polygonal pad and is coupled to the at least one proximity power transfer coil. At least one power transfer connector is provided on a peripheral portion of the polygonal pad to mate with a power transfer connector on an adjacent polygonal pad to transfer power between the two polygonal pads.
Layout 220 includes four rectangular power pads, with power pad 240 having a connection 242 to an electrical outlet. Power pad 240 thus provides power to each adjacent power pad. Layout 220 also includes two triangular shaped power pads indicated at 245 and 250. The triangular shaped power pads may have one or more power connectors on different sides, and may further be coupled to yet further power pads forming sets of power pads that provide more than a single dimensional layout. In one embodiment, the triangular shaped power pads are right triangles with approximately 45 degree angles for the remaining two angles. Right triangles having different size adjacent legs may be used in further embodiments. In still further embodiments, different types of triangle shapes, such as equilateral and isosceles triangle shapes may be used. In further embodiments, polygons may be used having one or more straight edges and one or more curved edges may be used. While shapes having curved sides may not be true polygons, the term polygon as used herein is meant to encompass such shapes, and in further embodiments, may include three dimensional shapes.
A multidimensional layout of power pads is shown in
The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
