Powermat is the wireless charging pioneer, who started developing inductive wireless charging technology back in 2006, before the formation of the standard organizations. Powermat has been granted over 95 related patents and has submitted over 200 patents for review along the years. It has more than 12,000 Charging Spots, 3.2 million cars and over 500 million smartphones.
Users use an application called “Powermat” as an interface for wireless power location indications. The company offers a software service system to allow venue owners to control and manage the wireless power network they had installed.
Technology
The technology is called Inductively Coupled Power Transfer.
- An alternating magnetic field is generated from a charging spot, which acts as a transmitter by varying the current in the primary induction coil –
- Mobile acts as a receiver and it has a second induction coil that takes power from the magnetic field and converts it back into electric current to charge the device battery.
- Additionally, System Control Communication helps phones to send feedback to Charging spots. In public spaces, it helps recognize users and communicate with them.
Later, Powermat acquired Powerkiss, a company that developed wireless charging hot spots.
Powermat launched their first product in 2009 and soon it integrated its technology with many other organizations.
- In 2011, General Motors(GM) announced integrating Powermat‘s wireless charging technology into certain vehicles.
- In 2011, Powermat partnered with Leyden Energy, manufacturer of advanced lithium-imide (Li-imide) batteries to develop wireless chargeable batteries
- It partnered with Arconas(provider of public seating in airports and lounge areas) to incorporate wireless charging.
- In 2012, Powermat and P&G created a joint venture under the Duracell Powermat brand
- In late 2012, Powermat and Starbucks announced a pilot program to install Powermat charging surfaces in the table tops, which was later brought to other cafes as well.
Currently, it works along with OEMs such as General Motors, AT&T, Samsung, LG and Motorola to integrate our superior wireless technology into their products and also with companies like Starbucks, McDonalds and Whole Foods to integrate Powermat products with their services.
In 2014, Powermat along with Flextronics created & embedded wireless power in electronic mobile devices and in 2015, Samsung included wireless charging embedded in the Galaxy S6 series
Recently, Powermat has joined the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), developers of Qi wireless charging. Powermat is a founding and a current member of the PMA/Airfuel alliance — known for the PMA standard, which is the only major outstanding rival to the dominant Qi brand.