Living-object protection system antenna structure
First Claim
1. A base wireless power transfer system comprising:
- a power-coupling element;
power transfer circuitry communicatively coupled to the power-coupling element and configured to provide energy to the power-coupling element to produce a magnetic field; and
a living-object protection subsystem comprising;
an antenna configured to transmit a first radio-frequency (RF) signal with a main beam directed away from the power transfer circuitry and to receive a second RF signal, the antenna comprising a radiating element and a reflector with the reflector being disposed between the radiating element and the power transfer circuitry and comprising a metal sheet disposed over an area, the metal sheet defining at least one opening within the area and between the radiating element and the power transfer circuitry; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the antenna and configured to analyze the second RF signal received by the antenna to determine whether an object is present in a region of interest proximate to the base wireless power transfer system.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for providing radio-frequency signals to a region of interest for a living-objection protection (LOP) system are provided. An example base wireless power transfer system includes a power-coupling element and a power transfer circuitry configured to provide energy to the power-coupling element to produce a magnetic field, and a living-object protection subsystem including an antenna configured to transmit a first radio-frequency (RF) signal with a main beam directed away from the power transfer circuitry and to receive a second RF signal, the antenna including a radiating element and a reflector with the reflector being disposed between the radiating element and the power transfer circuitry and comprising a metal sheet disposed over an area, the metal sheet defining at least one opening within the area and between the radiating element and the power transfer circuitry.
14 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A base wireless power transfer system comprising:
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a power-coupling element; power transfer circuitry communicatively coupled to the power-coupling element and configured to provide energy to the power-coupling element to produce a magnetic field; and a living-object protection subsystem comprising; an antenna configured to transmit a first radio-frequency (RF) signal with a main beam directed away from the power transfer circuitry and to receive a second RF signal, the antenna comprising a radiating element and a reflector with the reflector being disposed between the radiating element and the power transfer circuitry and comprising a metal sheet disposed over an area, the metal sheet defining at least one opening within the area and between the radiating element and the power transfer circuitry; and a processor communicatively coupled to the antenna and configured to analyze the second RF signal received by the antenna to determine whether an object is present in a region of interest proximate to the base wireless power transfer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A base wireless power transfer system comprising:
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coupling means for producing a magnetic field; power transfer means, communicatively coupled to the coupling means, for providing energy to the coupling means to produce the magnetic field; and living-object protection means comprising; radio-frequency (RF) means for transmitting a first RF signal with a main beam directed away from the power transfer means and for receiving a second RF signal, the RF means including radiating means and reflecting means with the reflecting means being disposed between the radiating means and the power transfer means and comprising a metal sheet disposed over an area, the metal sheet defining at least one opening within the area, at least part of the at least one opening being between the radiating means and the power transfer means, and the at least one opening extending to an edge of the area; and analyzing means communicatively coupled to the RF means for analyzing the second RF signal to determine whether an object is present in a region of interest proximate to the base wireless power transfer system. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of protecting a living object from wireless electric vehicle charging power, the method comprising:
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transmitting a radio-frequency (RF) signal from a radiator of a base wireless power transfer system, a portion of the RF signal that reaches a region of interest proximate to the base wireless power transfer system being a first RF signal, the transmitting including inhibiting the RF signal from reaching the power-transfer circuitry using a reflector comprising a metal sheet spanning an area, the metal sheet defining at least one opening within the area, at least part of the at least one opening being between the radiator and the power-transfer circuitry, and the at least one opening extending to an edge of the area; receiving a second RF signal that is a reflection of at least part of the first RF signal from the region of interest; analyzing the second RF signal to determine whether a living object is present in the region of interest; and providing, in response to determining that no living object is present in the region of interest, a magnetic field from the base wireless power transfer system for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification