Overview
IEC TR 63231:2019 - "Consideration of energy efficiency in wireless power transfer technology" is a Technical Report from IEC TC 100 that surveys the current state of energy efficiency in wireless power transfer (WPT) for audio, video and multimedia systems. Rather than prescribing mandatory requirements, the report documents technical background, commercially available WPT product use‑cases (e.g., smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, vehicle and furniture chargers), national regulatory trends, and standardization activity by other SDOs. It concludes with observations and recommendations to guide potential future standards development related to energy efficiency within the scope of TC 100.
Key Topics
- WPT technologies covered: magnetic induction (tightly coupled), magnetic resonance (loosely coupled/high-Q resonance), microwave/RF power beaming, and capacitive transfer.
- Efficiency considerations: power transfer efficiency, standby power losses, and energy impacts of real‑world use cases and placements.
- Use cases and products: WPT transmitters (vertical charging pads, car-installed and car-mounted chargers, furniture-mounted transmitters) and receivers (smartphones, smartwatches, laptops).
- Standardization landscape: review of national movements (Europe, USA, Korea, China, Japan) and SDOs such as the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), AirFuel Alliance, Consumer Technology Association (CTA), and ETSI.
- Practical test factors: pairing of WPT Tx and Rx, receiver placement on charging pads, and testing equipment considerations.
- Reference to measurement methods: Annex A summarizes ANSI/CTA-2042.3 approaches for measuring power transfer efficiency and standby power for wireless power systems.
Applications and who uses it
This Technical Report is useful for:
- Product designers and manufacturers of wireless chargers and receiver-equipped devices seeking to understand energy-efficiency tradeoffs in WPT design choices.
- Test laboratories and compliance teams evaluating WPT power transfer efficiency and standby consumption.
- Standards writers and SDOs planning future normative standards or measurement methods related to WPT energy performance.
- Regulators and policymakers reviewing national regulations and energy labeling for wireless charging solutions.
- Systems integrators embedding WPT into furniture, vehicles, and consumer electronics.
Related standards and activities
- ANSI/CTA-2042.3 (measurement methods for power transfer efficiency and standby power) - summarized in Annex A.
- Ongoing work and specifications from SDOs such as WPC, AirFuel Alliance, CTA, and ETSI, and national regulatory developments in Europe, the USA, Korea, China and Japan.
- The report provides recommendations to inform future IEC standardization within TC 100 on energy efficiency for wireless charging systems.
Keywords: IEC TR 63231, wireless power transfer, WPT, wireless charging, energy efficiency, power transfer efficiency, WPT Tx, WPT Rx, magnetic induction, magnetic resonance, capacitive WPT, RF power beaming.