Techniques for statically tuning retro-directive wireless power transmission systems

• US 10,223,999 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Inventors: Zeine, Hatem, Mayes, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Pinping
• Application Number:
  US15/093,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20160301256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency 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 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• 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 7/00047 : with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 : in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 : in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 : Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 : Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Techniques for static tuning retro-directive wireless power transmission systems are described herein. The techniques described herein include systems, methods and software for establishing a static tuning mode for a retro-directive wireless power transmission system. The static tuning mode can generate an extended stable power sphere that facilitates accurate RF and other measurements. Additionally, techniques are provided for characterizing the wireless power delivery paths.

Claims

1. A method of statically tuning a retro-directive wireless power transmission system for providing wireless power to client devices in a wireless power delivery environment, the method comprising:

receiving, by the wireless power transmission system, an indication to enter a static tuning mode;

responsive to receiving the indication to enter the static turning mode, suspending a dynamic tuning mode of the wireless power transmission system, and selecting a static tuning configuration indicating multiple wireless power transmission settings, each wireless power transmission setting including transmission parameters for configuring one or more transceivers of multiple transceivers of the wireless power transmission system; and

transmitting, by the wireless power transmission system, wireless power while successively transitioning through each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission parameters comprise phase settings for the one or more transceivers of multiple transceivers of the wireless power transmission system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmission parameters further comprise power settings for the one or more transceivers of multiple transceivers of the wireless power transmission system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitioning through each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings comprises:

sequentially selecting each wireless power transmission setting; and

for each wireless power transmission setting;

identifying a set of transmission parameters for configuring a set of transceivers of the multiple transceivers of the wireless power transmission system,

configuring the set transceivers according to the set of transmission parameters, and

once configured, directing the set of transceivers to transmit wireless power.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless power transmission system directs the set of transceivers to transmit the wireless power for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of transmission parameters comprise temporal parameters indicating the predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the static tuning configuration includes a sequence or pattern with which the wireless power transmission system is to transition through each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting, by the wireless power transmission system, the sequence or pattern with which the wireless power transmission system is to transition through each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless power transmission system, characteristics of a wireless power signal as measured by a test device for each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristics of the wireless power signal include measurements of an amount of wireless power received at the test device for each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristics of the wireless power signal include measurements of a shape of the wireless power signal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristics of the wireless power signal include a signal strength of the wireless power signal.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

processing the characteristics of the wireless power signal as measured by the test device to characterize multiple wireless power delivery paths over which the wireless power is transmitted.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying transmission parameters that yield maximum transfer of power.

15. A retro-directive wireless power transmission system, the system comprising:

an adaptively-phased antenna array having multiple radio frequency (RF) transceivers;

control circuitry configured to statically tune the retro-directive wireless power transmission system, the control circuitry including;

reception logic configured to receive an indication to enter a static tuning mode;

selection logic configured to suspend a dynamic turning mode of the wireless power transmission system and select a static tuning configuration indicating multiple wireless power transmission settings responsive to receiving the indication to enter the static tuning mode, and

transceiver control logic configured to direct the multiple RF transceivers to transmit wireless power while successively transitioning through each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings, wherein each wireless power transmission setting includes transmission parameters for configuring one or more transceivers of the multiple RF transceivers of the wireless power transmission system.

16. The retro-directive wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the transmission parameters comprise phase settings for the one or more transceivers of multiple transceivers of the wireless power transmission system.

17. The retro-directive wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the transceiver control logic is further configured to sequentially select each wireless power transmission setting and for each wireless power transmission setting identify a set of transmission parameters for configuring a set of transceivers of the multiple transceivers of the wireless power transmission system, configure the set transceivers according to the set of transmission parameters, and direct the set of transceivers to transmit wireless power.

18. The retro-directive wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the static tuning configuration includes a sequence or pattern with which the wireless power transmission system is to transition through each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings.

19. A computer readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors of a wireless power transmission system, cause the wireless power transmission system to:

process a received indication to enter a static tuning mode;

responsive to the received indication,

suspend a dynamic turning mode of the wireless power transmission system, and

select a static tuning configuration indicating multiple wireless power transmission settings, wherein each wireless power transmission setting includes transmission parameters for configuring one or more transceivers of multiple transceivers of the wireless power transmission system; and

direct the wireless power transmission system to transmit wireless power while successively transitioning through each of the multiple wireless power transmission settings.