Wireless energy transfer in a multipath environment

• US 10,530,190 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2019
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teslonix Inc.
• Original Assignee: Teslonix Inc.
• Inventors: Wight, James Stuart, Amaya, Rony Everildo, Slaby, Cezary, Spokoinyi, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Cavallari, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US16/278,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20190181691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/005 using remotely controlled antenna positioning or scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/40 with phasing matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for wireless energy transfer in a multipath environment includes transmitting a first energy beam with a first one of a plurality of Power Access Points (PAPs). A second energy beam is transmitted with a second PAP. A reflected beam is formed by the first energy beam reflecting from a reflective surface, wherein the first energy beam constructively interferes with the second energy beam and the reflected beam to form at least one energy bubble. A location of the at least one energy bubble is changed with a control module by adjusting a relative phase between the first energy beam and the second energy beam, wherein the location is sequentially changed to a new location to cover a space including at least one energizable device, and the energy bubble comprises an energy level enabling the energizable device to transmit a reply signal to the first PAP.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless energy transfer in a multipath environment comprising:

a first one of a plurality of Power Access Points (PAPs) configured to transmit a first energy beam;

a second PAP configured to transmit a second energy beam;

a reflected beam formed by the first energy beam reflected from a reflective surface, wherein the first energy beam constructively interferes with the second energy beam and the reflected beam to form at least one energy bubble; and

a control module configured to sequentially change a location of the at least one energy bubble by adjusting a relative phase between the first energy beam and the second energy beam, wherein the location is sequentially changed to a new location to cover a space including at least one energizable device, and the energy bubble comprises an energy level enabling the at least one energizable device to transmit a reply signal to the first PAP.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first energy beam and the second energy beam each comprise a respective omnidirectional pattern and two or more energy bubbles are formed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein two or more energizable devices comprising different locations are concurrently energized by a respective each energy bubble.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first phase of the first energy beam and a second phase of the reflected beam are aligned with the control module for an in-phase arrival at a first one of the at least one energizable device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first polarity of the first energy beam and a second polarity of the second energy beam are aligned with the control module to have a same polarity rotation at a first one of the at least one energizable device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first energy beam has a first fundamental frequency equal to a second fundamental frequency of the second energy beam.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a first phase of the first energy beam, a second phase of the second energy beam, and a third phase of the reflected beam are aligned with the control module for an in-phase arrival at a first one of the at least one energizable device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a first polarity of the first energy beam, a second polarity of the second energy beam, and a third polarity of the reflected beam are aligned with the control module to have a same polarity rotation at a first one of the at least one energizable device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the space is a three-dimensional space.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the space comprises a warehouse environment.

11. A method for wireless energy transfer in a multipath environment comprising:

transmitting a first energy beam with a first one of a plurality of Power Access Points (PAPs);

transmitting a second energy beam with a second PAP;

forming a reflected beam by the first energy beam reflecting from a reflective surface, wherein the first energy beam constructively interferes with the second energy beam and the reflected beam to form at least one energy bubble; and

changing a location of the at least one energy bubble with a control module by adjusting a relative phase between the first energy beam and the second energy beam, wherein the location is sequentially changed to a new location to cover a space including at least one energizable device, and the energy bubble comprises an energy level enabling the energizable device to transmit a reply signal to the first PAP.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising energizing two or more energizable devices by a respective energy bubble, wherein each of the two or more energizable devices comprise a respective different location.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising aligning for an in-phase arrival at a first one of the at least one energizable device, a first phase of the first energy beam and a second phase of the second energy beam.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising aligning to have a same polarity rotation at a first one of the at least one energizable device, a first polarity of the first energy beam and a second polarity of the second energy beam.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising aligning for an in-phase arrival at a first one of the at least one energizable device, a first phase of the first energy beam, a second phase of the second energy beam and a third phase of the reflected beam.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising aligning to have a same polarity rotation at a first one of the at least one energizable device, a first polarity of the first energy beam, a second polarity of the second energy beam and a third polarity of the reflected beam.

17. A method for wireless energy transfer in a multipath environment comprising:

transmitting at first energy beam from a first Power Access Point (PAP) and a second energy beam from a second PAP;

forming a reflected beam by the first energy beam reflecting from a reflective surface, wherein the first energy beam and the second energy beam constructively interferes with the reflected beam to form a plurality of energy bubbles, and each energy bubble comprises an energy level configured to enable at least one energizable device to transmit a reply signal to the first PAP;

receiving at the first PAP, a reply signal from at least one energizable device; and

changing a location of the at least one energy bubble with a control module by adjusting a relative phase between the first energy beam and the second energy beam, wherein the location is sequentially changed to a new location to cover a three-dimensional space including at least one energizable device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising energizing two or more energizable devices by a respective energy bubble, wherein each of the two or more energizable devices comprise a respective different location.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein a received energy level of the respective two or more energizable devices is optimized by maximizing a minimum Received Signal Strength Indication received at the first PAP from each of the energizable devices.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the received energy level is optimized using a phasor decomposition method.