Wireless power transmitter circuit and control circuit and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a wireless power transmitter circuit which includes a power converter circuit, a power inverter circuit, a resonant transmitter circuit and a power control circuit. The power conversion circuit converts an input power to a conversion output power which includes a conversion output voltage. The power inverter circuit converts the conversion output power to an AC output power. The resonant transmitter circuit converts the AC output power to a resonant wireless power. The power control circuit generates a current reference signal according to the conversion output voltage, and generates a conversion control signal according to a difference between the current reference signal and a resonant current related signal, to control the power converter circuit such that the resonant wireless power is regulated substantially at a predetermined power level.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A wireless power transmitter circuit, comprising:
 a power conversion circuit, configured to operably convert an input power to a conversion output power, wherein the conversion output power includes a conversion output voltage;   a power inverter circuit, configured to operably convert the conversion output power to an AC output power, wherein the AC output power includes an AC output current;   a resonant transmitter circuit which includes at least a transmitter coil, and is configured to operably convert the AC output power to a resonant wireless power, wherein the resonant transmitter circuit has a resonant current; and   a power control circuit, configured to operably generate a voltage reference signal according to a resonant current related signal, and generate a conversion control signal according to a difference between the voltage reference signal and the conversion output voltage, so as to control the power conversion circuit by the conversion control signal to regulate the resonant wireless power substantially at a predetermined first power level.   
     
     
         11 . The wireless power transmitter circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the power control circuit includes:
 a voltage reference signal generator circuit, configured to operably generate the voltage reference signal according to a reference current signal and a signal related to the resonant current (resonant current related signal); and   a conversion control signal generator circuit, configured to operably generate the conversion control signal according to a difference between the voltage reference signal and the conversion output voltage.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless power transmitter circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the resonant current decreases when the conversion output voltage increases, and the resonant current increases when the conversion output voltage decreases. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless power transmitter circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the conversion control signal controls the power conversion circuit to regulate the AC output power or the conversion output power substantially at a predetermined second power level which is related to the first power level. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless power transmitter circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the power conversion circuit is a switching buck converter circuit, a switching boost converter circuit, a switching buck-boost converter circuit, or an AC-DC converter circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless power transmitter circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the power inverter circuit is a class D inverter circuit, or a class E inverter circuit. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless power transmitter circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the conversion control signal controls the power conversion circuit to regulate the resonant current or the AC output current substantially at a predetermined current level when the conversion output voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage threshold. 
     
     
         17 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A power control circuit, configured to operably control a wireless power transmitter circuit which comprises: a power conversion circuit, configured to operably convert an input power to a conversion output power, wherein the conversion output power includes a conversion output voltage; a power inverter circuit, configured to operably convert the conversion output power to an AC output power, wherein the AC output power includes an AC output current; and a resonant transmitter circuit which includes at least a transmitter coil, and is configured to operably convert the AC output power to a resonant wireless power, wherein the resonant transmitter circuit has a resonant current; the power control circuit including:
 a voltage reference signal generator circuit, configured to operably generate a voltage reference signal according to a reference current signal and the resonant current related signal; and   a conversion control signal generator circuit, configured to operably generate a conversion control signal according to a difference between the voltage reference signal and the conversion output voltage, so as to control the power conversion circuit by the conversion control signal to regulate the resonant wireless power substantially at a predetermined first power level.   
     
     
         24 . The power control circuit of  claim 23 , wherein the resonant current decreases when the conversion output voltage increases, and the resonant current increases when the conversion output voltage decreases. 
     
     
         25 . The power control circuit of  claim 23 , wherein the conversion control signal controls the power conversion circuit to regulate the AC output power or the conversion output power substantially at a predetermined second power level which is related to the first power level. 
     
     
         26 . The power control circuit of  claim 23 , wherein the conversion control signal controls the power conversion circuit to regulate the resonant current or the AC output current substantially at a predetermined current level when the conversion output voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage threshold. 
     
     
         27 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A control method, for use in controlling a wireless power transmitter circuit which comprises: a power conversion circuit, configured to operably convert an input power to a conversion output power, wherein the conversion output power includes a conversion output voltage; a power inverter circuit, configured to operably convert the conversion output power to an AC output power, wherein the AC output power includes an AC output current; and a resonant transmitter circuit which includes at least a transmitter coil, and is configured to operably convert the AC output power to a resonant wireless power, wherein the resonant transmitter circuit has a resonant current; the control method comprising:
 generating a voltage reference signal according to a signal related to the resonant current;   generating a conversion control signal according to a difference between the voltage reference signal and the conversion output voltage; and   controlling the power conversion circuit by the conversion control signal to regulate the resonant wireless power substantially at a predetermined first power level.   
     
     
         34 . The control method of  claim 33 , wherein the resonant current decreases when the conversion output voltage increases, and the resonant current increases when the conversion output voltage decreases. 
     
     
         35 . The control method of  claim 33 , further comprising: controlling the power conversion circuit to regulate the AC output power or the conversion output power substantially at a predetermined second power level which is related to the first power level. 
     
     
         36 . The control method of  claim 33 , further comprising: controlling the power conversion circuit by the conversion control signal to regulate the resonant current or the AC output current substantially at a predetermined current level when the conversion output voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage threshold.