Apple Inc.

Ye Li

Adam L Schwartz

Gianpaolo Lisi

Stephen Christopher Terry

Sumant Ranganathan

Saining Ren

Rohan Dayal

Antoin J Russell

Eric X Zhou

Zaki Moussaoui

Liang Chen

Jukka-pekka J Sjoeroos

Gaurav Kalra

Bingyao Sun

Makiko K Brzezinksi

A device can include a wireless power transfer coil configured to be magnetically coupled to a wireless power transfer coil of a complementary device, wireless power transfer circuitry, a processing and communications system, and a wireless communications coil coupled to the processing and communications system. The communications coil can include a Double-D winding configured to be magnetically coupled to a parallel Double-D communications coil of the complementary device to allow communications between the processing and communications system and the complementary device.

Magnetics configurations for wireless power transfer and communications in electronic device

A device can include a wireless power transfer coil couplable to a complementary wireless power transfer coil of another device. The device can further include wireless power transmitting and/or receiving circuitry. The device can still further include a processing and communications system, and a wireless communications coil coupled to the processing and communications system. The communications coil can include a winding magnetically couplable to a corresponding communications coil of the complementary device to allow communications between the processing and communications system and the complementary device. The wireless communications coil can be separated from the power transfer coil along a longitudinal axis of the device.

A device can include a wireless power transfer coil configured to be magnetically coupled to a wireless power transfer coil of a complementary device, wireless power transfer circuitry, a processing and communications system, and a wireless communications coil coupled to the processing and communications system, the communications coil comprising one or more windings configured to be magnetically coupled to a vertical communications coil of the complementary device to allow communications between the processing and communications system and the complementary device, wherein the one or more windings of the communications coil are disposed in at least one plane parallel to the plane of the vertical communications coil.

A wireless power transfer transmitter can include a transmitter coil configured to deliver power to an inductively coupled receiver coil in a wireless power transfer receiver, a power converter configured to drive the transmitter coil, and means for driving the transmitter coil with a common-mode coupled communication signal to the wireless power transfer receiver. The means for driving the transmitter coil with the common-mode coupled communication signal to the wireless power transfer receiver can include a common mode signal driver configured to receive a data input signal and generate therefrom a signal to be injected into the transmitter coil. Alternatively, the means for driving the transmitter coil with the common-mode coupled communication signal to the wireless power transfer receiver can include a controller configured to drive the inverter with alternating complementary duty cycles.

Inductive power transfer system with common mode channel communication

A wireless power system can include a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver. The transmitter can include a transmit coil, an inverter, and inverter control circuitry that can operate one or more switching devices of the inverter to communicate information to the receiver by controlling a delay between receipt of the burst request pulse and initiating operation of the inverter and/or controlling a polarity of a first pulse of the inverter. The receiver can include a receive coil magnetically coupled to the transmit coil, a rectifier, and rectifier control circuitry that initiates a burst request pulse to initiate operation of a transmitter. The rectifier control circuitry can operate one or more switching devices of the rectifier to communicate information to the transmitter by at least one of short circuiting an LC tank including the receive coil or controlling a polarity of the burst request pulse.

Wireless power transfer with integrated communications

A wireless power transmitter can include a coil, an inverter coupled to the coil, and control circuitry coupled to the inverter that, responsive to receiving a burst request pulse from a wireless power receiver, initiates inverter operation, driving the coil and powering the receiver. The control circuitry can operate inverter switches so bandwidth of the wireless power transfer signal falls within a specified range by: (a) extending a minimum on time of the switches, (b) modifying pulse width modulation (PWM) drive signals supplied to the switches to shape a coil current burst envelope, and/or (c) modifying PWM signal amplitude supplied to the switches. Modifying the PWM drive signals can include using a symmetrical PWM scheme in which the positive and negative pulses are symmetrical in width on a cycle-by-cycle basis or using a complementary PWM scheme in which the positive and negative pulse widths are complementary on a cycle-by-cycle basis.

Frequency management for wireless power transfer

Electronic apparatuses according to embodiments of the present technology may include an enclosure having a lid. The enclosure may define a first cavity and a second cavity, and may include an enclosure battery. The apparatuses may include a first enclosure wireless charging coil extending about the first cavity. The apparatuses may include a second enclosure wireless charging coil extending about the second cavity. The apparatuses may include a first earbud having a first earbud battery and a first earbud wireless charging coil operably coupleable with the first enclosure wireless charging coil for wireless charging of the first earbud battery. The apparatuses may include a second earbud having a second earbud battery and a second earbud wireless charging coil operably coupleable with the second enclosure wireless charging coil for wireless charging of the second earbud battery.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Ye Li