Adaptive Sliding-Mode Control for a Multiple-User Inductive Power Transfer System Without Need for Communication

A complicating aspect in the control design of resonant inductive power transfer systems is the absence of a direct communication link between primary and (multiple) secondary system sides. This paper introduces a new adaptive sliding-mode control surface, which continuously adapts the inductive system's input power to the required, but unknown, variable load power. As a result, an indirect communication link is redundant. Furthermore, due to matching input and output power, optimum relative system efficiency is automatically guaranteed in the entire system's output power range. The controller design, which has a simple analog implementation, has been verified with a dual-load experimental contactless system.