KR20120134072A - System and method for contactless power transfer in portable image detectors - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system and a method for contactless power transfer in portable image detectors are provided to reduce maintenance costs by using a portable charging device. CONSTITUTION: A first coil(30) is connected to a power source(18). A first coil generates magnetic field. A second coil(34) is connected to a rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery is arranged in a portable image detector. The second coil transfers power to the rechargeable battery. [Reference numerals] (20) First rectifier; (26) HF inverter; (36) Rechargeable battery; (38) Second rectifier; (46) High frequency modulator; (53) Power filter; (54) Demodulator; (56) Data filter; (58) Inverter controller

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTACTLESS POWER TRANSFER IN PORTABLE IMAGE DETECTORS

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to contactless power delivery systems, and more particularly to systems for contactless power delivery in portable image detectors.

Typically, imaging devices are used for medical diagnosis. Imaging devices include an image detector that is used to detect an image for diagnosis. Image detectors are fixed or portable image detectors. Portable image detectors operate with batteries that may include non-rechargeable or rechargeable batteries.

Non-rechargeable batteries are typically replaced after a period of time. In general, rechargeable batteries are used and cost effective to extend the time between battery replacements. Typically, rechargeable batteries are recharged by an inductive connection system operating at a frequency measured in kilohertz. The operating frequency of the inductive connection system affects the image detector and generates enough electromagnetic waves to degrade the quality of the image by introducing artifacts into the images.

There is a need for improved systems and methods for battery charging.

In one embodiment, a system is provided for contactless power transfer in a portable image detector to charge a rechargeable battery disposed within the portable image detector. The system includes a first coil connectable to a power source, where the first coil is configured to generate a magnetic field. The system further includes a second coil connected to the rechargeable battery disposed in the portable image detector and configured to receive power from the first coil via a magnetic field and transfer the power to the rechargeable battery. The system is also a field disposed between the first coil and the second coil and configured as a self-resonant coil having a standing wave current distribution to focus a magnetic field on the second coil and to strengthen the connection between the first coil and the second coil. It includes a field focusing element.

In another embodiment, a method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery disposed in a portable image detector is provided. The method includes generating a magnetic field through a first coil connected to a power source. The method further includes focusing the magnetic field through the field focusing element to the second coil. The method also includes transferring power from the first coil to the second coil via a magnetic field. The method further includes transmitting power from the second coil to a rechargeable battery disposed in the portable image detector.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals represent like parts throughout the figures.
1 is a block diagram representation of a system for contactless power delivery in a portable image detector comprising two channel field-focusing elements in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram representation of an alternative configuration of a system for contactless power delivery in a portable image detector comprising two channel field-focusing elements in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is another alternative of a system for contactless power transfer in a portable image detector comprising a radio channel antenna and a single channel field focusing element configured to transfer digital image data from a portable image detector to an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram of the composition of is also represented.
4 is a block diagram representation of an alternative configuration of a system for contactless power delivery in a portable image detector including a single channel field focusing element in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart showing the steps involved in a method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery disposed in a portable image detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention include a system for contactless power transfer in a portable image detector that charges a rechargeable battery disposed within the portable image detector. The system includes a first coil connectable to a power source. The first coil generates a magnetic field that is connected to a second coil that is connected to a rechargeable battery disposed within the portable image detector. The second coil receives power from the first coil via a magnetic field and further transfers the power to the rechargeable battery. The contactless power delivery system also includes a field-focusing element disposed between the first coil and the second coil. The field-focusing element acts as a self-resonant coil with standing wave current distribution to focus the magnetic field on the second coil and to strengthen the connection between the first coil and the second coil. As used herein, the terms "a" and "an" do not represent a positive limitation, but rather, indicate the presence of at least one of the reference items. As used herein, “connected” means connected by any suitable means, whether directly or indirectly.

1 is a block diagram representation of a system 10 for contactless power delivery in a portable image detector 12 that includes two channel field-focusing elements 14 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, the portable image detector 12 may comprise an X-ray image detector or an ultrasound scanner. System 10 further includes a charging device 16. Charging device 16 includes a docking station in one example.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a power source 18 is connected to the first rectifier 20 of the charging device 16 which converts AC power 22 received from the power source 18 into DC power 24. do. DC power 24 provided by the first rectifier 20 is supplied to a high frequency inverter 26. The high frequency inverter 26 converts the DC power 24 into the high frequency AC power 28. The high frequency AC power 28 is further transmitted to the first coil 30 provided to the charging device 16. The first coil 30 receives the high frequency AC power 28 and generates the magnetic field 32 based on the high frequency AC power 28. Charging device 16 may comprise a stationary charging device or a portable charging device.

The magnetic field 32 is focused on the second coil 34 provided to the portable image detector 12 via a field-focusing element 14 disposed between the first coil 30 and the second coil 34. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the field-focusing element 14 is located in the charging device 16. In another embodiment, the field-focusing element 14 may be disposed in a portable image detector. In a particular embodiment, the field focusing element operates at 1 megahertz or more. Field-focused element 14 is commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 12/731497, filed March 25, 2010 and 12/914512, filed October 28, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. As a self-resonant coil having a standing wave current distribution to focus the magnetic field 32 on the second coil 34 and to strengthen the connection between the first coil 30 and the second coil 34 as described in FIG. Works. In one embodiment, the field-focusing element 14 comprises at least one resonator. At least one resonator may be configured to focus at least one of an electric field, a magnetic field, or an electromagnetic field. In a more particular embodiment, the at least one resonator comprises a split ring structure, a circular loop structure, a helical structure, a Koch fractal, an omega structure, or a helical structure. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one resonator is disposed in at least one of a dielectric medium, a magnetic medium, or a self-dielectric medium. Further, in a particular embodiment, at least one resonator includes a plurality of resonators, and at least two of the plurality of resonators have different resonant frequencies. In one embodiment, different resonant frequencies enable simultaneous delivery of power and data signals.

The second coil 34 disposed in the portable image detector 12 receives the high frequency AC power 28 from the first coil 30 via the magnetic field 32 generated by the first coil 30. The second coil 34 delivers high frequency AC power 28 to the rechargeable battery 36 connected to the second coil 34 in the portable image detector 12. The second rectifier 38 can be disposed between the second coil 34 and the rechargeable battery 36, so that the second coil 34 before transferring the DC power 40 to the rechargeable battery 36. ) Receives the high frequency AC power 28 and converts the high frequency AC power into DC power 40. In one embodiment, the DC power 40 delivered to the rechargeable battery 36 is within a range of about 1 watt to about 100 watts. The range of DC power 40 delivered to the rechargeable battery depends on whether the power is used to charge the portable image detector, or whether the power is used for both providing the power for charging and imaging operation of the portable image detector. The same changes based on the type of operating conditions of the portable image detector 12. In addition, the DC power 40 required for operation also varies based on the detector configuration.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, rechargeable battery 36 is connected to a battery management system (BMS) 42 that manages the charging of the rechargeable battery 36. In one embodiment, BMS 42 tracks signals 48 indicative of power levels in rechargeable battery 36 and calculates the power and time required to charge rechargeable battery 36. In another embodiment, the BMS 42 regulates the voltage of the DC power 40 entering the rechargeable battery 36. In some embodiments, the BMS 42 communicates with a high frequency inverter 26 disposed within the charging device 16 to provide data 44 regarding the voltage and charge level of the rechargeable battery 36.

The BMS 42 receives the data signals 44 generated by the BMS 42 and modulates the data signals 44 to provide modulated data signals 50. Is communicatively connected to. The high frequency modulator 46 is connected to the second coil 34. The second coil 34 converts the modulated data signals 50 into a data magnetic field 52 that is focused on the first coil 30 via the field-focusing element 14. In this embodiment, the field-focusing element 14 comprises two channel field-focusing comprising one channel for carrying AC power 28 and a second channel for carrying modulated data signals 50. Contains an element. The power filter 53 may be disposed between the second coil 34 and the high frequency modulator 46 to separate the high frequency AC power 28 received from the first coil 30 from the high frequency modulator 46. have.

The first coil 30 receives the data magnetic field 52 and transmits signals 150 representing the modulated data signals 50 to the demodulator 54. A power filter 56 at the charging device 16 may be used to limit the high frequency AC power 28 entering from the demodulator 54 into the first coil 30. Demodulator 54 extracts signals 144 representing data signals 44 from modulated data signals 150 and forwards data signals 144 to inverter controller 58. Inverter controller 58 controls the voltage and frequency of power operating at charging device 16 by high frequency inverter 26 providing control signals 60 based on data signals 144. Inverter controller 58 identifies the voltage and state of charge from data signals 144 and adjusts inverter operation accordingly to provide the desired charge to rechargeable battery 36.

2 shows a system 10 for contactless power transfer in a portable image detector 12 comprising two channel field-focusing elements 14 connected to a first coil 30 according to an embodiment of the invention. A block diagram of an alternative configuration is also represented. In the particular embodiment of FIG. 2, the high frequency inverter 26 and the controller 58 are replaced with a linear amplifier 59 and a signal generator 61. Signal generator 61 includes a high frequency oscillator that generates high frequency sine waves 63 and delivers the sine waves to linear amplifier 59. The linear amplifier 59 combines the high frequency sine waves 63 provided by the signal generator 61 with the DC power 24 provided by the first rectifier 20 to provide a high frequency AC power 28.

3 is a single channel field focusing element configured to carry data signals 44 from a battery management system 42 and image data 43 from an image storage device 45, if desired, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A block diagram representation of another alternative configuration of the system 10 for contactless power transfer in a portable image detector 12 that includes 62 and radio frequency antennas 64 and 66. In this embodiment, the portable image detector 12 includes an image storage device 45 that stores image data 43 generated for diagnostic purposes. Image data 43 may be used by electronic device 47 for other analysis, such as, for example, detection of diseases and pathological studies of the skeletal system. In one embodiment, the image storage device 45 is an image data 43 with a multiplexer 49 which multiplexes the image data 43 together with the data signals 44 transmitted by the BMS 42 to the multiplexer 49. ). Multiplexer 49 generates multiplexed signal 51 which is passed to high frequency modulator 46 for modulation. The single channel field-focusing element 62 focuses high frequency AC power 28 from the first coil 30 to the second coil 34, but in contrast to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, the single channel field-focusing element 62. The focusing element 62 does not transmit the modulated data signals from the second coil 34 to the first coil 30. Although a single channel field-focusing element 62 is shown located in the portable image detector 12, the single channel field-focusing element 62 may alternatively be located in the charging device 16.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the modulated data signals 50 received from the high frequency modulator 46 may be transmitted to an RF transmitter antenna 64 disposed within the portable image detector 12. RF transmitter antenna 64 transmits the modulated data signals 50 to receiver antenna 66 disposed within charging device 16. The RF receiver antenna 66 receives modulated data signals 150 representing the modulated data signals 50 from the portable image detector 12 and demodulates the modulated data signals 150. To send.

Demodulator 54 demodulates modulated data signals 150 and sends it to de-multiplexer 55. The de-multiplexer 55 separates the image data 143 and the data signals 143 from the multiplexed signal 151 representing each of the image data 43 and the data signals 44 in the portable image detector 12. do. The data signals 144 may be sent to the inverter controller 58 as described above, and the image data 143 may be sent to an electronic device 47 provided outside the charging device 16 for further analysis.

4 is a block diagram representation of an alternative configuration of system 10 for contactless power delivery in portable image detector 12, where no data is required to be sent back to charging device 16. System 10 includes a single channel field-focusing element 62 to focus high frequency AC power 28 from first coil 30 to second coil 34. Although the single channel field-focusing element 62 is shown as being located in the charging device, the single channel field-focusing element 62 may alternatively be located in the portable image detector 12. The high frequency AC power 28 from the second coil 34 is converted into DC power by the second rectifier 38, which is delivered to a DC-DC converter 68 providing DC power 40. DC power 40 is supplied to rechargeable battery 36 for charging. Rechargeable battery 36 is connected to BMS 42 that regulates the charge of rechargeable battery 36. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the BMS 42 connects to the DC-DC converter 68 through a feedback loop that regulates the voltage of the DC power 40 entering the rechargeable battery 36 from the portable image detector 12. Connected. The DC-DC converter 68 receives the data signals 44 from the BMS 42 via a feedback loop and adjusts accordingly to provide an optimal charge to the rechargeable battery 36.

5 is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in a method 80 for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery disposed in a portable image detector in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The method 80 includes generating a magnetic field through a first coil connected to a power source in step 82. In step 84, the magnetic field generated by the first coil is focused on the second coil by using a field-focusing element. In step 86, the first coil delivers power to the second coil via a magnetic field. In an exemplary embodiment, power is delivered from the first coil to the second coil within a range of about 1 watt to about 100 watts. In step 88, power from the second coil is sent to a rechargeable battery disposed within the portable image detector. In one embodiment, a processor located outside of the portable image detector, wherein data signals relating to the portable image detector, the state of charge of the rechargeable battery, or both are obtained through the field-focusing element, the first coil and the second coil. Is passed on. In another embodiment, image data is obtained from an image storage device in a portable image detector and passed through the field focusing element. In a more particular embodiment, the process is facilitated by having power, data signals and image data from the rechargeable battery and the portable image detector delivered at different resonant frequencies, respectively. In still other embodiments, no data transfer is required or performed via RF transmission.

Various embodiments of systems for contactless power transfer in a portable image detector described above include a power source, a first coil, a field focusing element and a power source that enable the transfer of power from a first coil to a second coil through a contactless medium. 2 coils. Contactless power delivery systems enable efficient contactless power transfer between the charging device and the image detector without compromising the quality of the image detector and the image. This reduces degradation of the image, leading to better efficiency and increased lifetime of the portable image detector, further reducing the cost of maintenance of the portable image detector.

Those skilled in the art will recognize the interchangeability of various features from different embodiments, and that the various features described, as well as other well-known equivalents for each feature, constitute additional systems and techniques in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. It should be understood that they may be mixed and matched by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such alterations and variations that fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Although only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such variations and modifications that fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Claims (20)

A system for contactless power delivery for charging a rechargeable battery disposed within a portable image detector in a portable image detector, comprising:
A first coil connectable to a power source, the first coil configured to generate a magnetic field;
A second coil connected to the rechargeable battery disposed within the portable image detector, the second coil configured to receive power from the first coil through the magnetic field and transfer the power to the rechargeable battery;
A standing wave current distribution disposed between the first coil and the second coil to focus the magnetic field on the second coil and to strengthen the connection between the first coil and the second coil A field focusing element configured as a self-resonant coil having
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 1,
The field focusing element is arranged in the charging device
System for contactless power delivery. The method of claim 1,
The field focusing element is disposed in the portable image detector.
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 1,
The portable image detector includes an X-ray image detector or an ultrasound scanner.
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 1,
The power delivered to the rechargeable battery is within the range of about 1 watt to about 100 watts.
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 1,
The field focusing element operates at frequencies above 1 megahertz
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 1,
Further comprising a high frequency inverter or a linear amplifier connected between the power supply and the first coil.
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 1,
The field focusing element includes at least one resonator
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 8,
The at least one resonator is disposed in at least one of a dielectric medium, a magnetic medium, or a self-dielectric medium.
System for contactless power delivery.

The method of claim 8,
The at least one resonator comprises a plurality of resonators, at least two of the plurality of resonators having different resonant frequencies
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 8,
The at least one resonator has two different resonant frequencies
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 11,
The different resonant frequencies are configured to enable the transfer of power and data signals.
System for contactless power delivery.
The method of claim 8,
The at least one resonator is configured to focus at least one of an electric field, a magnetic field, or an electromagnetic field
System for contactless power delivery.
A method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery disposed in a portable image detector, comprising:
Generating a magnetic field through a first coil connected to a power source,
Focusing the magnetic field through a field focusing element to a second coil;
Transferring power from the first coil to the second coil via the magnetic field;
Transferring the power from the second coil to the rechargeable battery disposed in the portable image detector.
Method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery.
15. The method of claim 14,
Transferring power from the first coil to the second coil includes transferring the power within a range of about 1 watt to about 100 watts.
Method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery.
15. The method of claim 14,
Focusing the magnetic field through a field focusing element operating at a frequency above 1 megahertz;
Method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery.
15. The method of claim 14,
Obtaining data signals relating to the portable image detector, the state of charge of the rechargeable battery, or both, and forwarding the data signals to a processor located external to the portable image detector
Method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery.
The method of claim 17,
Delivering the data signals further comprises delivering the power to the rechargeable battery at different resonant frequencies and delivering the data signals from the portable image detector.
Method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery.
The method of claim 17,
Using the data signals to control the magnetic field generated by the first coil
Method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery.
15. The method of claim 14,
Acquiring data signals relating to the portable image detector, the state of charge of the rechargeable battery, or both, and using the data signals to control the power transmitted from the second coil to the rechargeable battery. Including more steps
Method for contactless charging of a rechargeable battery.

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