Patents by Inventor Andreas Daetwyler
Andreas Daetwyler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240077633Abstract: A multi-purpose detection circuit for object detection and vehicle position determination is described. For example, the circuit is configurable for detecting foreign metallic objects, living objects, and a vehicle or type of vehicle above an inductive wireless power transmitter. The circuit is also configurable for determining the vehicle's position relative to the inductive wireless power transmitter. An example apparatus includes a measurement circuit including a multiplexer, electrically connected to a plurality of inductive and capacitive sense circuits, for measuring one or more electrical characteristics in each of the inductive and capacitive sense circuits according to a predetermined time multiplexing scheme.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler
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Patent number: 11914094Abstract: A multi-purpose detection circuit for object detection and vehicle position determination is described. For example, the circuit is configurable for detecting foreign metallic objects, living objects, and a vehicle or type of vehicle above an inductive wireless power transmitter. The circuit is also configurable for determining the vehicle's position relative to the inductive wireless power transmitter. An example apparatus includes a measurement circuit including a multiplexer, electrically connected to a plurality of inductive and capacitive sense circuits, for measuring one or more electrical characteristics in each of the inductive and capacitive sense circuits according to a predetermined time multiplexing scheme.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, José Pedro Castro Fonseca, Andreas Daetwyler, Lukas Frank Sieber
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Patent number: 11874423Abstract: A multi-purpose detection circuit for object detection and vehicle position determination is described. For example, the circuit is configurable for detecting foreign metallic objects, living objects, and a vehicle or type of vehicle above an inductive wireless power transmitter. The circuit is also configurable for determining the vehicle's position relative to the inductive wireless power transmitter. An example apparatus includes a measurement circuit including a multiplexer, electrically connected to a plurality of inductive and capacitive sense circuits, for measuring one or more electrical characteristics in each of the inductive and capacitive sense circuits according to a predetermined time multiplexing scheme.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler
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Systems, methods, and apparatus for detecting ferromagnetic foreign objects in a predetermined space
Patent number: 11719847Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a presence of an object includes an inductive sensing coil that is configurable to generate a magnetic field. The inductive sensing coil is configured to have an electrical characteristic that is detectable when generating the magnetic field. The apparatus comprises a controller configured to detect a change in the electrical characteristic and determine a presence of the object based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2022Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler -
Patent number: 11691522Abstract: Systems and methods are described for an extended-range positioning system based on foreign-object detection (FOD). In particular, a power-transfer apparatus is disclosed that includes a coil and a foreign-object-detection (FOD) system. The coil is configured to generate a magnetic field based on an electric current running through the coil for transferring power to a receiver device. the FOD system includes a plurality of FOD sense loops, FOD circuitry, and active-beacon receive circuitry. The FOD sense loops detect metal objects within the magnetic field based on changes to an electrical characteristic(s) of one or more of the FOD sense loops. The FOD circuitry processes a modulation pattern of the electrical characteristic(s) of the one or more FOD sense loops and provides first positioning information. The active-beacon receive circuitry processes induced voltage in at least two sense loops to provide second positioning information.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler, Marcel Fischer
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Publication number: 20230003914Abstract: A multi-purpose detection circuit for object detection and vehicle position determination is described. For example, the circuit is configurable for detecting foreign metallic objects, living objects, and a vehicle or type of vehicle above an inductive wireless power transmitter. The circuit is also configurable for determining the vehicle's position relative to the inductive wireless power transmitter. An example apparatus includes a measurement circuit including a multiplexer, electrically connected to a plurality of inductive and capacitive sense circuits, for measuring one or more electrical characteristics in each of the inductive and capacitive sense circuits according to a predetermined time multiplexing scheme.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, José Pedro Castro Fonseca, Andreas Daetwyler, Lukas Frank Sieber
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Patent number: 11536869Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
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Patent number: 11513250Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
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SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FERROMAGNETIC FOREIGN OBJECTS IN A PREDETERMINED SPACE
Publication number: 20220326406Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a presence of an object includes an inductive sensing coil that is configurable to generate a magnetic field. The inductive sensing coil is configured to have an electrical characteristic that is detectable when generating the magnetic field. The apparatus comprises a controller configured to detect a change in the electrical characteristic and determine a presence of the object based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler -
Patent number: 11394253Abstract: An apparatus for determining a relative position of a wireless power transmitter from a wireless power receiver is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of sense coils, each configured to generate a respective signal under influence of an alternating magnetic field comprising a plurality of wave pulses, each wave pulse occurring in a respective time slot of a plurality of time slots. The apparatus further comprises a processor configured to determine the relative position of the wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver based on the respective signal from each of the plurality of sense coils.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler, Lukas Sieber
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Systems, methods, and apparatus for detecting ferromagnetic foreign objects in a predetermined space
Patent number: 11378711Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a presence of an object includes an inductive sensing coil that is configurable to generate a first magnetic field. The inductive sensing coil is configured to have an electrical characteristic that is detectable when generating the first magnetic field. The electrical characteristic is configured to vary as a function of a second time-varying magnetic field simultaneously applied to the object. The apparatus comprises a controller configured to detect a change in the electrical characteristic and determine a presence of the object based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic. The electrical characteristic comprises one or more of an equivalent resistance, an equivalent inductance, an equivalent impedance, and an impulse response of the inductive sensing coil. The object comprises one or more of a ferromagnetic object, a metallic film and a metallic foil.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler -
Patent number: 11362545Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for a hybrid foreign-object detection and position system. In an example aspect, a foreign object detection (FOD) system of the base power-transfer system detects a passive beacon of an electric vehicle power-transfer system based on a beacon loop of the passive beacon overlapping an array of FOD sense loops effective to cause a change in impedance or admittance of one or more of the FOD sense loops. In aspects, the impedance reflects a modulation signal from the passive beacon. A position detection system integrated with the FOD system determines a passive beacon response in the input data based on the modulation frequency from the passive beacon. Then, a position of the beacon loop is determined relative to the array of FOD sense loops using a result of the passive beacon response canceled from input data.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2021Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler
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Publication number: 20220085665Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
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Publication number: 20220085664Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
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Publication number: 20220041072Abstract: Systems and methods are described for an extended-range positioning system based on foreign-object detection (FOD). In particular, a power-transfer apparatus is disclosed that includes a coil and a foreign-object-detection (FOD) system. The coil is configured to generate a magnetic field based on an electric current running through the coil for transferring power to a receiver device. the FOD system includes a plurality of FOD sense loops, FOD circuitry, and active-beacon receive circuitry. The FOD sense loops detect metal objects within the magnetic field based on changes to an electrical characteristic(s) of one or more of the FOD sense loops. The FOD circuitry processes a modulation pattern of the electrical characteristic(s) of the one or more FOD sense loops and provides first positioning information. The active-beacon receive circuitry processes induced voltage in at least two sense loops to provide second positioning information.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler, Marcel Fischer
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Patent number: 11211834Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2020Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
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Patent number: 11142084Abstract: Systems and methods are described for an extended-range positioning system based on foreign-object detection (FOD). In particular, a power-transfer apparatus is disclosed that includes a coil and a foreign-object-detection (FOD) system. The coil is configured to generate a magnetic field based on an electric current running through the coil for transferring power to a receiver device. the FOD system includes a plurality of FOD sense loops, FOD circuitry, and active-beacon receive circuitry. The FOD sense loops detect metal objects within the magnetic field based on changes to an electrical characteristic(s) of one or more of the FOD sense loops. The FOD circuitry processes a modulation pattern of the electrical characteristic(s) of the one or more FOD sense loops and provides first positioning information. The active-beacon receive circuitry processes induced voltage in at least two sense loops to provide second positioning information.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler, Marcel Fischer
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Patent number: 11046193Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for detecting foreign objects by detecting changes in an electrical characteristic of an array of sense elements for detection objects based on a current measurement approach. In some aspects, an apparatus for measuring changes in current for detecting objects is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of sense circuits each comprising a sense coil, the plurality of sense circuits each electrically connected to a common output node. The apparatus further includes a driver circuit electrically connected to the plurality of sense circuits and configured to operate as a voltage source and selectively apply a voltage signal at an operating frequency to each of the plurality of sense circuits. The apparatus further includes a current measurement circuit electrically connected to the common output node. The current measurement circuit is configured to provide a measurement output proportional to an electrical current at the common output node.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer, Mircea-Florian Vancu, Andreas Daetwyler
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Publication number: 20210194294Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for a hybrid foreign-object detection and position system. In an example aspect, a foreign object detection (FOD) system of the base power-transfer system detects a passive beacon of an electric vehicle power-transfer system based on a beacon loop of the passive beacon overlapping an array of FOD sense loops effective to cause a change in impedance or admittance of one or more of the FOD sense loops. In aspects, the impedance reflects a modulation signal from the passive beacon. A position detection system integrated with the FOD system determines a passive beacon response in the input data based on the modulation frequency from the passive beacon. Then, a position of the beacon loop is determined relative to the array of FOD sense loops using a result of the passive beacon response canceled from input data.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2021Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler
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Patent number: RE49641Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improving foreign object detection for ferromagnetic wire-like objects. In particular, aspects include increasing FOD sensitivity using at least one inductive sense loop in response to detecting a change in resistance that is substantially equal to the change in reactance of a sense coil. By increasing the FOD sensitivity, objects such as ferromagnetic wire-like objects can be detected that are potentially hazardous objects. Detecting these potentially hazardous objects that were previously undetectable can reduce the chances of damage to surrounding materials or harm to humans.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler, Lukas Sieber