Power density control for wireless power transfer

• US 10,148,131 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: uBeam, Inc.
• Original Assignee: uBeam, Inc.
• Inventors: Perry, Meredith, Reynolds, Paul, Taffler, Sean, Joyce, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Cavallari, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/805,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0207 Driving circuits specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclass, e.g. G01; circuits for steering transducer arrays G10K11/34; basic circuits H03
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 2201/51 Electrostatic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/346 using phase variation
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/348 using amplitude variation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A signal generator generates an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier, which increases the power of the signal using power from a power source. The amplified signal is fed to a sender transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that can be focused and sent to a receiver. The receiver transducer converts the ultrasonic waves back into electrical energy and stores it in an energy storage device, such as a battery, or uses the electrical energy to power a device. In this way, a device can be remotely charged or powered without having to be tethered to an electrical outlet.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a sender comprising;

a first signal generator;

a first amplifier coupled to the first signal generator, said first amplifier configured to receive power from a power source and to generate an electrical transmission signal adapted to be used to generate ultrasonic waves;

a sender transducer coupled to the first amplifier, the sender transducer adapted and configured to generate ultrasonic waves based on the electrical transmission signal received from the amplifier;

a sender controller coupled to at least one of the first signal generator, the first amplifier and the sender transducer, the sender controller adapted and configured to adjust the power density at a receiver of the ultrasonic waves generated by the sender transducer based on a control signal received from the receiver; and

a sender communications device adapted to communicate with a receiver communications device and receive the control signal from the receiver; and

the receiver comprising;

a receiver transducer adapted and configured to receive ultrasonic waves generated by the sender transducer, to generate a receiver electrical signal based on the received ultrasonic waves, and to connect to a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver transducer;

the receiver communications device adapted and configured to send input to the sender communications device, the input comprising a control signal comprising an indication that at least a portion of the receiver transducer is obstructed from the sender transducer, wherein the indication that the at least a portion of the receiver transducer is obstructed to the sender transducer further comprises a location of the at least a portion of the receiver transducer that is obstructed; and

a receiver controller coupled to at least one of the receiver transducer and the receiver electrical storage device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver further comprises:

a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver transducer.

3. A system, comprising:

a signal generator;

an amplifier coupled to the signal generator, said amplifier configured to receive power from a power source and to generate an electrical transmission signal adapted to be used to generate ultrasonic waves;

a sender transducer coupled to the amplifier, the sender transducer adapted and configured to generate ultrasonic waves based on the electrical transmission signal received from the amplifier;

a sender controller coupled to at least one of the signal generator, the amplifier and the sender transducer, sender controller adapted and configured to adjust the power density at a receiver of the ultrasonic waves generated by the sender transducer based on a control signal received from the receiver; and

a sender communications device adapted to communicate with a receiver and receiver and receive a control signal comprising an indication that at least a portion of the receiver transducer is obstructed from the sender transducer, wherein the indication that the at least a portion of the receiver transducer is obstructed to the sender transducer further comprises a location of the at least a portion of the receiver transducer that is obstructed.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sender controller is further adapted and configured to adjust the degree of focus of the ultrasonic waves from the sender transducer based on the control signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sender controller is further adapted and configured to adjust the degree of focus of the ultrasonic waves from the sender transducer to cause the ultrasonic waves to be focused on a portion of the receiver transducer that is not obstructed from the sender transducer.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the sender controller is further adapted and configured to increase the power density of the ultrasonic waves.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the sender controller is further adapted and configured to adjust the value of a steering parameter based on the control signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sender controller is further adapted and configured to adjust the value of the steering parameter to direct the ultrasonic waves from the sender transducer to a portion of the receiver transducer that is not obstructed from the sender transducer.

9. A system comprising:

a receiver transducer adapted and configured to receive ultrasonic waves generated by a sender transducer and to generate a receiver electrical signal based on the received ultrasonic waves, the receiver transducer further adapted and configured to be connected to a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver transducer;

a receiver communications device adapted and configured to send input to a sender communications device, the input comprising a control signal comprising an indication that at least a portion of the receiver transducer is obstructed from the sender transducer, wherein the indication that the at least a portion of the receiver transducer is obstructed to the sender transducer further comprises a location of the at least a portion of the receiver transducer that is obstructed; and

a receiver controller coupled to at least one of the receiver transducer and the receiver electrical storage device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the receiver controller is further adapted and configured to determine that the at least a portion of the receiver transducer is obstructed from the sender transducer.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the receiver controller is further adapted and configured to determine that the at least a portion of the sender transducer is not receiving ultrasonic waves directed to the at least a portion of the sender transducer by the sender transducer.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver transducer.

13. A method comprising:

emitting ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic transducer of a sender, the ultrasonic waves directed at a receiver;

receiving a communication at the sender from the receiver, the communication comprising a control signal comprising an indication that at least a portion of an ultrasonic transducer of a receiver is obstructed from the ultrasonic transducer of the sender, wherein the indication that the at least a portion of the ultrasonic transducer of the receiver is obstructed to the ultrasonic transducer of the sender further comprises a location of the at least a portion of the ultrasonic transducer of the receiver that is obstructed; and

adjusting the power density at the receiver of the ultrasonic waves generated by the sender transducer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

steering the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic transducer of the sender away from the at least a portion of the ultrasonic transducer of the receiver that is obstructed and to at least a portion of ultrasonic transducer of the receiver that is not obstructed.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

adjusting the focus of the ultrasonic waves to increase the power density of the ultrasonic waves at a portion of the ultrasonic transducer of the receiver that is not obstructed.

16. A method comprising:

receiving ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic transducer of a sender at a receiver;

determining that at least a portion of ultrasonic transducer of the receiver is obstructed to the ultrasonic transducer of the sender; and

sending a communication to the sender, the communication comprising a control signal comprising an indication that the at least a portion of ultrasonic transducer of the receiver is obstructed to the ultrasonic transducer of the sender, wherein the indication that the at least a portion of ultrasonic transducer of the receiver is obstructed to the ultrasonic transducer of the sender further comprises an indication of a location of the at least a portion of the ultrasonic transducer of the receiver that is obstructed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that at least a portion of ultrasonic transducer of the receiver is obstructed to the ultrasonic transducer of the sender further comprises determining that the at least a portion the ultrasonic transducer of the receiver did not receive ultrasonic waves directed to the at least a portion the ultrasonic transducer of the receiver by the ultrasonic transducer of the sender.