Access Business Group International LLC

Philips IP Ventures B.v.

Other

Hollymatic Corporation

Philips I.p. Ventures

Benjamin C Moes

David W Baarman

Colin J Moore

Matthew J Norconk

Neil W Kuyvenhoven

Joshua K Schwannecke

Joshua B Taylor

Joseph C Van Den Brink

William T Stoner, Jr

Kaitlyn J Turner

Scott A Mollema

John James Lord

Hai D Nguyen

Sean T Eurich

Ryan D Schamper

Dale R Liff

Richard J Weber

A Esai Umenei

Thomas Jay Leppien

Robert D Gruich

Scott J Anderson

Ronald L Stoddard

Carolyn E Johnson

Joseph S Melton, Jr

Kristen J Blood

Scott A Tiedemann

Bradley J Pippel

Michael E Miles

Roy M Taylor, Jr

Karlis Vecziedins

Mark C Smith

Jason L Amistadi

Ziqi Wu

Mark A Blaha

Andrew C Zeik

Gregory L Clark

Cody D Dean

Mark S Bartrum

David S Vachon

Merdad Veiseh

Robert Wolford

Andrew Zup

Induction-heated vessels, and processes for manufacturing induction-heated vessels and vessel components, are provided. The vessels can include a ceramic outer layer and a conductive heating element, which can be provided as a conductive glaze or coating, a conductive inner layer, or a label comprising a conductive element and an RFID tag, to allow the thermal transfer or conduction of heat from the heated surface directly to the contents of the vessel, while the ceramic outer layer of the vessel insulates the contents of the vessel. Also, systems and methods for heating and controlling induction-heated vessels and for tracking loyalty, use, and/or sales using RFID-enabled induction-heated vessels are provided.

Induction-heated vessel

An acoustic module with a transducer and a solid waveguide. The transducer and waveguide may be curved to focus the acoustic energy along a focal line. The transducer, the top surface of the waveguide and the bottom surface of the waveguide may extend along coaxial curves. The waveguide may include a recess closely receiving the transducer. The waveguide may include an integral skirt that provides a thermal mass. The acoustic module may include a space to accommodate thermal management options. For example, the acoustic module may include a heatsink, an active ventilation system and/or a phase change material. The ultrasound device may include a controller configured to perform a uniformity scan sweep during supply of operating power to the transducer. The uniformity scan sweep can extend through a frequency range that includes the operating point of the acoustic module and does not exceed an acceptable efficiency loss.

Acoustic module and control system for handheld ultrasound device

The present invention provides a wireless power supply system in which a remote device is provided with different control methodologies depending on one or more factors. One type of wireless power supply can selectively control one or more remote devices according to a first control methodology and another type of wireless power supply can control the remote device according to a second control methodology. In one embodiment, a wireless power supply system is provided for wirelessly powering a display circuit in a product located at a point of display differently than when charging at a point of use, or when the device is in use. In another embodiment, a wireless power supply is programmed to operate a remote device according to a primary control methodology and the remote device is programmed to operate the remote device according to a secondary control methodology where the remote device includes circuitry for enabling the primary control methodology instead of the secondary control methodology.

Variable mode wireless power supply systems

An inductive wireless power system using an array of coils with the ability to dynamically select which coils are energized. The coil array can determine the position of and provide power to one or more portable electronic devices positioned on the charging surface. The coils in the array may be connected with series resonant capacitors so that regardless of the number of coils selected, the resonance point is generally maintained. The coil array can provide spatial freedom, decrease power delivered to parasitic loads, and increase power transfer efficiency to the portable electronic devices.

Selectable coil array

A remote device in accordance with the present invention includes an adaptive power receiver that receives wireless power from the wireless power supply by induction. The adaptive power receiver may be switched among two or more modes of operation, including, for example, a high-Q mode and a low-Q mode. By controlling the switching between modes, the amount of energy received by the adaptive receiver may be controlled. This control is a form of adaptive resonance control or Q control.

Wireless power control

A wireless remote sensor () that is powered by an inductive transmitter () and is configured to produce an oscillating wave that varies based on one or more sensed parameters. The oscillating wave is communicated to the inductive transmitter () by reflected impedance, where it can be detected to determine the sensed value(s). In another aspect, the present invention provides a wireless remote sensor with a Wheatstone bridge arrangement having an internal resonant circuit to produce an electromagnetic field indicative of the sensed value. In a third aspect, the present invention provides a wireless remote sensor with optical feedback from a reference circuit and a sensor circuit. In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a wireless remote temperature sensor having coils printed on a material with a high coefficient of thermal expansion so that the size and/or shape of the coils varies as the temperature increases or decreases.

System and method for measuring variable impedance elements in a wireless sensor

The present invention relates to wireless power supplies adapted to supply power and communicate with one or more remote devices. The systems and methods of the present invention generally relate to a communication timing system that may ensure information being communicated does not overlap with that of another device, preventing data collisions and information from going undetected. With information being communicated in a way that addresses or avoids potential communication issues in multiple device systems, the wireless power supply may control operation to effectively supply wireless power.

System and method for communication in wireless power supply systems

A composite metal surface that looks metallic, but permits effective transmission of an electromagnetic field. The composite metal surface can be integrated into various electronic equipment, such as telephones, remote controls, battery doors, keyboards, mice, game controllers, cameras, laptops, inductive power supplies, and essentially any other electronic equipment. The composite metal surface can also be integrated into non-electrically conductive heat sinks, high permeability shielding, and polished metal non-electrically conductive surfaces.

Composite metal surface

The present invention relates to a wireless power supply system including a remote device capable of both transmitting and receiving power wirelessly. The remote device includes a self-driven synchronous rectifier. The wireless power supply system may also include a wireless power supply configured to enter an OFF state in which no power, or substantially no power, is drawn, and to wake from the OFF state in response to receiving power from a remote device.

System and method for bidirectional wireless power transfer

A power supply with a multi-bridge topology configured to provide multiple different bridge topologies during operation. The power supply includes a plurality of half-bridge circuits connected to a controller. The controller can selectively configure the power supply between a plurality of different bridge topologies during operation by controlling the half-bridge circuit.

Multi-bridge topology

A wireless power transfer component with a selectively adjustable resonator circuit having a Q control subcircuit that varies the Q factor of the resonator circuit to control the amount of power relayed by the resonator circuit. The resonator circuit may be in the wireless power supply, the wireless power receiver, an intermediate resonator or any combination thereof. The resonator circuit may be actively configured based on a feedback circuit. The feedback circuit may sense a characteristic in the secondary circuit or elsewhere and actively operate the control subcircuit based on the sensed characteristic. The feedback circuit may cause the Q control subcircuit to change (reduce or increase) the Q factor when the sensed characteristic crosses a threshold value. The Q control subcircuit may include a variable resistor having a value that can be varied to adjust the Q factor of the resonator circuit.

Wireless power control system

An electrical component with conductive material(s) that is suitable for use within the electromagnetic field path of a wireless power transfer system. The electronic component includes conductive materials that are sufficiently thin to absorb no more than an acceptable amount of the electromagnetic field, yet thick enough to remain sufficiently conductive to perform the desired electrical function. In embodiments in which the wireless power supply delivers up to 20 watts of power, the conductive materials are not substantially thicker than about 1/10 the skin depth of the material at the anticipated wireless power frequency. The electrical component may be disposed at any location between the wireless power supply transmitter and the remote device receiver. The present invention permits the use of a wide rang of electrical components in the field path, such as a display, a sensor or a component capable of selectively operating as both.

Wireless power transfer through conductive materials

Growing community of inventors

Wyoming, MI, United States of America

Benjamin C Moes