Powermat Technologies

Powermat Technologies Ltd. is a developer of wireless power techniques. The company licenses intellectual property (IP), selling charging spots to public venues along with the software to support their maintenance, management, and consumer interaction. The company's inductive charging technology has been adopted by the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) and is the platform adopted by Duracell, General Motors, Starbucks and AT&T.[1]

Products

Powermat manufactures both receivers and transmitters for the mobile industry, consumers, and public venues. It licenses its technology, which enables compliance with the AirFuel (formally PMA) and the Qi standard. Furthermore, Powermat operates a software service system to allow venue owners to control and manage their installed wireless power networks, each of which consists of charging spots and a gateway.

Technology

The company's technology is based upon Inductively Coupled Power Transfer. As the block diagram shows, varying the current in the primary induction coil within a transmitter generates an alternating magnetic field from within a charging spot. The receiver is a second induction coil in the handheld device that takes power from the magnetic field and converts it back into electric current to charge the device battery. An additional part of the technology is the System Control Communication: Data over Coil (DoC) – the Rx sends feedback to Tx by changing the load seen by the Tx coil. The protocol is frequency-based signaling, which enables fast response by the transmitter. Each receiver is equipped with a unique ID (RxID), enabling the system, when installed in public venues, to recognize users and communicate with them. The RxID is communicated as part of the data over coil to the Tx.

History

The company was founded in 2006 by Ran Poliakine. Its first products were launched in 2009. In 2011, General Motors announced that it would integrate Powermat's wireless charging technology into certain vehicles in its 2013 Chevrolet Volt line and would also invest in the private company.[2] In the same year, Powermat also partnered with Leyden Energy, manufacturer of advanced lithium-imide (Li-imide) batteries, in order to develop wireless chargeable batteries,[3] and with Arconas, provider of public seating, to incorporate wireless charging directly into airport seating and lounge areas. Among the first integrations with airports were those at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Aspen–Pitkin Airport, Eppley Airfield in Omaha, and Toronto Pearson International Airport.[4] Powermat and Procter & Gamble created a joint venture under the Duracell Powermat brand[5]