Mobile hybrid transmit/receive node for near-field wireless power delivery

• US 10,181,729 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: DeVaul, Richard Wayne, Adolf, Brian John, Apte, Raj B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dinh T
• Application Number:
  US14/940,417
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/83 Electronic components structurally integrated with aircraft elements, e.g. circuit boards carrying loads
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/10 for generating power to be supplied to a remote station, e.g. UAVs with solar panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/35 by wireless transmission, e.g. by induction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A system and method for a mobile hybrid transmitter/receiver (TX/RX) node for wireless resonant power delivery is disclosed. A hybrid TX/RX can be configured to travel to remote, wirelessly-powerable receivers and deliver power to them wirelessly. A hybrid TX/RX device can include a transmitter component (TX), a receiver (RX) component, and a power store for storing power for supply to remote receivers. The TX/RX device can be configured in an autonomous unmanned vehicle operational to travel between a fixed source transmitter devices and one or more specified locations that may be host to one or more remote receivers. In the location of the one or more remote receivers, the TX component may function to wirelessly transfer power from the power store to the one or more remote receivers. In the location of the fixed source transmitter device, RX component can be configured to receive power via wireless power transfer, and to use the received power to at least partially replenish the power store.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless power-delivery device (MWPD) comprising:

an autonomous mobile vehicle;

a controller communicatively coupled to the autonomous mobile vehicle and configured to carry out operations including causing the autonomous mobile vehicle to move the MWPD to specified geographic locations;

a power source including a rechargeable component;

a transmitter including;

a transmit-resonator configured to couple power from the power source into a first oscillating field generated by the transmit-resonator resonating at a first resonant frequency, wherein the first oscillating field is at least one of an oscillating electric field or an oscillating magnetic field; and

a receiver including;

a receive-resonator configured to resonate at a second resonant frequency in response to coupling to a second oscillating field generated by a power-supply transmitter other than the transmitter of the MWPD, wherein the second oscillating field is at least one of an oscillating electric field or an oscillating magnetic field,

wherein the receiver is configured to, in response to the receive-resonator resonating at the second resonant frequency, transfer at least a portion of power of the second oscillating field to the rechargeable component of the power source,

and wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the power source, the transmitter, and the receiver, and the operations carried out by the controller further include;

(a) causing the MWPD to (i) move, by navigation of the autonomous mobile vehicle, to a first location in sufficient proximity to a remote receiver to cause the remote receiver to couple with the first oscillating field, and (ii) transfer power to the remote receiver via the first oscillating field, and

(b) causing the MWPD to (i) move, by navigation of the autonomous mobile vehicle, to a second location in sufficient proximity to the power-supply transmitter to cause the receive-resonator to couple with the second oscillating field, and (ii) receive power from the power-supply transmitter via the second oscillating field.

2. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the autonomous mobile vehicle is one of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured for moving by flying, an unmanned terrestrial vehicle (UTV) configured for moving by traveling on solid ground, or an unmanned marine vehicle (UMV) configured for moving by traveling on or under water.

3. The MWPD of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal generator communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to transmit one or more electromagnetic test signals;

a test-signal receiver communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to receive a reflection of any given transmitted test signal reflected by one or more reflecting entities remote from the MWPD,

wherein the operations carried out by the controller further include determining one or more electromagnetic properties of a reflecting entity of the one or more reflecting entities based on at least a corresponding reflection from the reflecting entity.

4. The MWPD of claim 3, wherein the operations carried out by the controller further include determining a distance to the reflecting entity by determining a round-trip propagation delay of a transmitted test signal and a corresponding reflection from the reflecting entity,

and wherein the reflecting entity is one of the remote receiver or the power-supply transmitter.

5. The MWPD of claim 3, wherein each test signal has an amplitude and phase, and the corresponding reflection has an amplitude and phase,

and wherein the operations carried out by the controller further include determining the one or more electromagnetic properties of the reflecting entities based further on a comparison of at least one transmitted test signal and a corresponding reflection, wherein the comparison comprises a comparison of the amplitude and phase of the at least one transmitted test signal with the amplitude and phase of the corresponding reflection.

6. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to provide power both for recharging remote receivers and for powering operations of the MWPD.

7. The MWPD of claim 6, wherein the power source includes one of a fuel cell or a liquid fuel cell.

8. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the MWPD is configured to transfer power to the remote receiver via the first oscillating field while the MWPD is in motion on a first path that passes in sufficient proximity to the remote receiver to cause the remote receiver to couple with the first oscillating field.

9. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the MWPD is configured to receive power from the power-supply transmitter via the second oscillating field while the MWPD is in motion on a second path that passes in sufficient proximity to the power-supply transmitter to cause the receive-resonator to couple with the second oscillating field.

10. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the first location includes at least one repeater, and the MWPD transfers power to the remote receiver by way of the at least one repeater.

11. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the second location includes at least one repeater, and the MWPD receives power from the power-supply transmitter by way of the at least one repeater.

12. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the MWPD further comprises a communication interface communicatively coupled to the controller,

and wherein the operations carried out by the controller further include authenticating the remote receiver via the communication interface prior to transferring more than an initial amount of power to the remote receiver via the first oscillating field.

13. The MWPD of claim 1, wherein the MWPD further comprises a communication interface communicatively coupled to the controller,

and wherein the operations carried out by the controller further include authenticating with the power-supply transmitter via the communication interface prior to receiving more than an initial amount of power from the power-supply transmitter via the second oscillating field.