Modular mechanism enabled by mid-range wireless power

• US 10,317,963 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• 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): Cox, Cassandra F
• Application Number:
  US14/941,136
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

A computer system includes at least one power transmitter that includes a first resonator to generate an oscillating field at a resonant frequency in response to receiving power from a power source. The at least one power transmitter provides a wireless power delivery system within a spatial bound. The computer system also includes a plurality of modular computer components. Each modular computer component includes a power receiver that includes a second resonator to be wirelessly coupled to the at least one power transmitter. The second resonator resonates at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first resonator. Each modular component also includes a wireless communication interface. The respective wireless communication interfaces of the plurality of modular computer components provide a wireless data communication network that allows each modular computer component to communicate data with at least another of the plurality of modular computer components.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

at least one power transmitter including;

a first resonator configured to generate an oscillating field at a resonant frequency in response to receiving power from a power source, wherein the at least one power transmitter provides a wireless power delivery system within a spatial bound; and

a first wireless communication interface; and

a plurality of modular computer components, at least one of the plurality of modular computer components including;

a power receiver including a second resonator configured to be wirelessly coupled to the at least one power transmitter for wirelessly powering the at least one modular computer component when the at least one modular computer component is disposed within the spatial bound, the second resonator configured to resonate at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter; and

a second wireless communication interface configured to communicate data with the at least one power transmitter via the first wireless communication interface,

wherein the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter includes at least a first common mode capacitor formed between a first common mode conductor and ground, the first common mode capacitor configured to generate the oscillating field at the resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source,

the second resonator includes a second common mode capacitor formed between a second common mode conductor and ground, the second common mode capacitor configured to resonate at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first common mode capacitor,

the at least one power transmitter is configured to determine, based on the data communicated from the at least one modular computer component, that the at least one modular computer component is not a parasitic load, and

the at least one power transmitter wirelessly powers the at least one modular computer component in response to determining that the at least one modular computer component is a not a parasitic load.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising a central computer control component for controlling the plurality of modular computer components, the plurality of modular computer components configured to communicate data with the central control component via a wireless data communication network.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the central control component identifies the plurality of modular computer components via the wireless data communication network in response to the plurality of modular computer components being disposed within the spatial bound.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modular computer components includes at least one of a graphics processing unit, one or more hard disks, a secondary optical read/write device, or a network card.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising a hard case including an interior space that defines the spatial bound.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first and second wireless communication interfaces provide at least one of radio frequency (RF) communications or optical freespace communications.

7. A computer system, comprising:

at least one power transmitter including;

a first resonator configured to generate an oscillating field at a resonant frequency in response to receiving power from a power source, wherein the at least one power transmitter provides a wireless power delivery system within a spatial bound; and

a first wireless communication interface; and

a plurality of modular computer components, at least one of the plurality of modular computer components including;

a power receiver including a second resonator configured to be wirelessly coupled to the at least one power transmitter for wirelessly powering the at least one modular computer component when the at least one modular computer component is disposed within the spatial bound, the second resonator configured to resonate at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter; and

a second wireless communication interface configured to communicate data with the at least one power transmitter via the first wireless communication interface,

wherein the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter includes a first differential mode capacitor formed between two first differential mode conductors, the first differential mode capacitor configured to generate the oscillating field at the resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source,

the second resonator includes a second differential mode capacitor formed between two second differential mode conductors, the second differential mode capacitor configured to resonate at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first differential mode capacitor,

the at least one power transmitter is configured to determine, based on the data communicated from the at least one modular computer component, that the at least one modular computer component is not a parasitic load, and

the at least one power transmitter wirelessly powers the at least one modular computer component in response to determining that the at least one modular computer component is a not a parasitic load.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising a central computer control component for controlling the plurality of modular computer components, the plurality of modular computer components configured to communicate data with the central control component via a wireless data communication network.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the central control component identifies the plurality of modular computer components via the wireless data communication network in response to the plurality of modular computer components being disposed within the spatial bound.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of modular computer components includes at least one of a graphics processing unit, one or more hard disks, a secondary optical read/write device, or a network card.

11. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising a hard case including an interior space that defines the spatial bound.

12. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the first and second wireless communication interfaces provide at least one of radio frequency (RF) communications or optical freespace communications.

13. A computer system, comprising:

at least one power transmitter including;

a first resonator configured to generate an oscillating field at a resonant frequency in response to receiving power from a power source, wherein the at least one power transmitter provides a wireless power delivery system within a spatial bound; and

a central computer control component including;

a power receiver including a second resonator configured to be wirelessly coupled to the at least one power transmitter for wirelessly powering the central computer control component when the central computer control component is disposed within the spatial bound, the second resonator configured to resonate at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter; and

a wireless communication interface configured to communicate data, via a wireless data communication network, with at least one modular computer component disposed in the spatial bound,

wherein in response to the at least one modular computer component being disposed in the spatial bound, the central computer control component is configured to identify the at least one modular computer component via the wireless data communication network, and

the at least one power transmitter is configured to determine that the at least one modular computer component is not a parasitic load, and

the at least one power transmitter is configured to transfer power to the at least one modular computer component in response to determining that the at least one modular computer component is a not a parasitic load.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the at least one power transmitter communicates with the power receiver of the central computer control component via the wireless data communication network to coordinate power transfer to the central computer control component.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter includes at least a first common mode capacitor formed between a first common mode conductor and ground, the first common mode capacitor configured to generate the oscillating field at the resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source, and

the second resonator includes a second common mode capacitor formed between a second common mode conductor and ground, the second common mode capacitor configured to resonate at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first common mode capacitor.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter includes a first differential mode capacitor formed between two first differential mode conductors, the first differential mode capacitor configured to generate the oscillating field at the resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source, and

the second resonator includes a second differential mode capacitor formed between two second differential mode conductors, the second differential mode capacitor configured to resonate at the resonant frequency in response to the oscillating field generated by the first differential mode capacitor.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first resonator of the at least one power transmitter includes a first inductor, the first inductor configured to generate the oscillating field at the resonant frequency in response to receiving the power from the power source, and

the second resonator further includes a second inductor, the second inductor configured to resonate at the inductive mode resonant frequency in response to the inductive mode oscillating field generated by the first inductor.

18. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising a hard case including an interior space that defines the spatial bound.

19. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the at least one modular computer component is a graphics processing unit, one or more hard disks, a secondary optical read/write device, or a network card.