Abstract: A water treatment system is provided with an untreated water reservoir having a cavity through which a filter assembly may traverse such that untreated water in the cavity passes through the filter assembly into a treated water reservoir. Traversal of the filter assembly may be facilitated by a pressure control assembly configured to generate a vacuum.

Abstract: A product interaction monitor includes sensors for measuring characteristics related to the product and/or product package or other type of container. The product interaction monitor can be installed in a container cap and used to monitor events associated with the container such as product usage. The product interaction monitor can utilize multiple sensor outputs to increase the accuracy of the detection of the events. The product interaction monitor can be used to estimate product inventory or product usage and communicate information regarding the product and/or product usage to a local display or a remote computer.

Abstract: A product interaction monitor includes sensors for measuring characteristics related to the product and/or product package or other type of container. The product interaction monitor can be installed in a container cap and used to monitor events associated with the container such as product usage. The product interaction monitor can utilize multiple sensor outputs to increase the accuracy of the detection of the events. The product interaction monitor can be used to estimate product inventory or product usage and communicate information regarding the product and/or product usage to a local display or a remote computer.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A water treatment system is provided with an untreated water reservoir having a cavity through which a filter assembly may traverse such that untreated water in the cavity passes through the filter assembly into a treated water reservoir. Traversal of the filter assembly may be facilitated by a pressure control assembly configured to generate a vacuum.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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 duty cycle of the switching between modes, the amount of energy received by the adaptive receiver may be controlled to communicate to the wireless power supply. This control is a form of adaptive resonance communication or Q control communication. Distortion can be reduced or eliminated by ramping between duty cycles with adjustment to intermediate duty cycle values.

Abstract: A communication system that uses keyed modulation to encode fixed frequency communications on a variable frequency power transmission signal in which a single communication bit is represented by a plurality of modulations. To provide a fixed communication rate, the number of modulations associated with each bit is dynamic varying as a function of the ratio of the communication frequency to the carrier signal frequency. In one embodiment, the present invention provides dynamic phase-shift-keyed modulation in which communications are generated by toggling a load at a rate that is a fraction of the power transfer frequency. In another embodiment, the present invention provides communication by toggling a load in the communication transmitter at a rate that is phase locked and at a harmonic of the power transfer frequency. In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides frequency-shift-keyed modulation, including, for example, modulation at one of two different frequencies.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A wireless power receiver capable of receiving wireless power from close-coupled and mid-range wireless power supplies. The wireless power receiver includes a principal and supplemental receiver circuits. The principle receiver circuit is adjustable to operate in a close-coupled mode or a resonator mode. In close-coupled mode, the principle receiver circuit is coupled to the power input of a remote device and functions as the principle power source. In resonator-mode, the principle power circuit is electrically disconnected/isolated from the remote device and forms a closed resonant loop to function as a resonator that amplifies an electromagnetic field from a mid-range wireless power supply. The supplemental receiver circuit is coupled to the power input of the remote device and is configured to receive wireless power from the resonator and function as the power source when the principle receiver circuit is in the resonator mode.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A dispenser or dispensing system. The dispenser can be a screw conveyor pill dispenser, tumbler pill dispenser, push-to-operate pill cap dispenser, twist-to-operate pill cap dispenser, or push-to-operate pill cap dispenser. The pill dispenser may include a pill dispenser control system that can interact with a personal device, such as a smart phone. The pill dispenser control system can implement communication with a personal device, pill identification, user identification and security, scheduling functions, and notifications. The pill dispenser can dispense pills manually, semi-automatically, or automatically.

Abstract: A product interaction monitor includes sensors for measuring characteristics related to the product and/or product package or other type of container. The product interaction monitor can be installed in a container cap and used to monitor events associated with the container such as product usage. The product interaction monitor can utilize multiple sensor outputs to increase the accuracy of the detection of the events. The product interaction monitor can be used to estimate product inventory or product usage and communicate information regarding the product and/or product usage to a local display or a remote computer.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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 duty cycle of the switching between modes, the amount of energy received by the adaptive receiver may be controlled to communicate to the wireless power supply. This control is a form of adaptive resonance communication or Q control communication. Distortion can be reduced or eliminated by ramping between duty cycles with adjustment to intermediate duty cycle values.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.