Developer kit combines wireless power and data transmission
In addition to being able to transfer data from the receiver device to the charging station, Würth Elektronik announces that its Wireless Power 200W Extended Medium Power Solution developer kit now combines bidirectional data transfer with the charging process. During wireless power transmission, the device and charging station exchange data through amplitude and frequency modulation.
Software is available from Würth Elektronik free of charge and includes a checksum control. A display board is available as an optional hardware extension of the developer kit.
Würth Elektronik claims to offer the widest range of wireless power coils. The ability to offer fast connection without cables and being able to build devices encapsulated and without plug connections are advantages for developers in the industrial or medical technology sectors, says the company. They also appeal to manufacturers of smartphones, lawn mower robots or electric scooters. Cem Som, division manager, wireless power transfer at Würth Elektronik, said: “With our developer kit we now offer options beyond the charging process and use inductive energy transfer as a communication channel.”
Autonomous vehicles and drones, portable devices and tools can provide feedback via the charging connection as either measurement data or status messages from the battery or other components. This feedback is crucial for predictive/preventive maintenance. In turn, the device can receive commands or provide feedback to the user which it can use, in the simplest case, for optimal alignment of the charging coils.
The Wireless Power 200W developer kit has been developed in co-operation with Infineon. It has an I²C interface for sensors on the receiver board, and radio modules which can be connected on the transmitter board. By transferring data during charging, devices can become part of a cost-effective IoT without having to be permanently online. “We are excited to see what ideas we can bring to our customers with the kit,” says Som.
The kit represents a 200W charger, but can also serve as a template for higher power solutions. Würth Elektronik advises developers on selecting suitable components and provides free samples.
