System and method for a multi-coil wireless power transfer

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for multi-coil wireless power transfer. The system includes a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger, and a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger. The system further includes a communications module configured to receive a signal from an information handling system. The information handling system includes a receiving coil. The system additionally includes a transmit module configured to determine an orientation of the receiving coil, and provide a first current to the first transmitting coil and a second current to the second transmitting coil based on the orientation of the receiving coil.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless charging system comprising:
 a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger;   a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger;   a communications module configured to receive a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil; and   a processor configured to determine an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with the first transmitting coil or the second transmitting coil.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil;
 determine a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector; and   provide the first current to the first transmitting coil and the second current to the second transmitting coil.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide the first current and the second current based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the wireless charger is configured to transfer power to the information handling system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the power transfer is occurring at an optimum charging rate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the first current based on a changed direction of the target flux vector. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the side portion is configured such that the second transmitting coil is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting coil. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal includes identification information of the information handling system. 
     
     
         9 . A method for wireless charging comprising:
 receiving a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil;   determining an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger or a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil;
 determining a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector; and   providing the first current to the first transmitting coil and the second current to the second transmitting coil.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing the first current and the second current is further based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transferring power to the information handling system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining if the power transfer is occurring at an optimum charging rate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising adjusting the first current based on a changed direction of the target flux vector. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the side portion is configured such the second transmitting coil is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting coil. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the signal includes identification information of the information handling system. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by one or more processors to perform one or more operations, the one or more operations comprising:
 receiving a signal from an information handling system, the information handling system including a receiving coil;   determining an orientation of the receiving coil, wherein the receiving coil is not oriented coaxially with a first transmitting coil disposed within a lower portion of a wireless charger or a second transmitting coil disposed within a side portion of the wireless charger.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , the one or more operations further comprising determining a target flux vector based on the orientation of the receiving coil;
 determining a first current to provide to the first transmitting coil and a second current to provide to the second transmitting coil based on the target flux vector; and   providing the first current to a first transmitting coil and the second current to a second transmitting coil.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein providing the first current and the second current is further based on a direction of a resultant flux vector approximating the direction of the target flux vector. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , further comprising transferring power to the information handling system.