Establishing connections with chargers in multi-charger wireless power delivery environments

• US 10,566,852 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2019
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• 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): Skibinski, Tomi
• Application Number:
  US16/259,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20190157915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 307149, 307 43, 320107-115, 320137, 4554561- 6, 455 6714
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Techniques for establishing RF power connections with wireless power transmission systems in multi-wireless power transmission system environments are described herein. More specifically, the techniques describe a method for establishing a connection with an optimal wireless power transmission system when multiple wireless power transmission systems are within range.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver apparatus comprising:

means for entering a listening mode to actively listen for connection invitations broadcast by wireless power transmission systems in a wireless power delivery environment, the wireless power transmission systems each including multiple antennas configured to transmit coherent wireless power signals for delivery to wireless power receiver apparatuses;

means for receiving, during the listening mode, the connection invitations;

means for processing the connection invitations to identify attributes associated with the wireless power transmission systems;

means for generating or updating one or more scores associated with the wireless power transmission systems based on the corresponding attributes; and

means for establishing a connection with at least one of the wireless power transmission systems based on the generated or updated one or more scores.

2. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for generating or updating the one or more scores associated with the wireless power transmission systems further comprise:

means for identifying a client classification associated with a wireless device in which the wireless power receiver apparatus is embedded, the client classification identifying one or more classification weights associated with the attributes; and

means for applying the classification weights to the attributes.

3. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for accessing scores associated with other wireless power transmission systems in the wireless power delivery environment; and

means for ranking the wireless power transmission systems according to the corresponding scores.

4. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

means for making a determination to accept at least one connection invitation associated with the at least one wireless power transmission system based on the ranking of the wireless power transmission systems.

5. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for processing the connection invitations to identify attributes associated with the wireless power transmission systems further comprises:

means for measuring signal strengths of the connection invitations.

6. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for processing the connection invitations to identify attributes associated with the wireless power transmission systems further comprises:

means for identifying a number of other wireless power receiver clients associated with the first wireless power transmission system.

7. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for, prior to receiving the connection invitation, receiving an indication to enter an invitation listen mode and responsively entering the listen mode and commencing a listen mode timer.

8. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection invitations are broadcast periodically by one or more of the wireless power transmission systems for reception by wireless power receiver apparatuses in the wireless power delivery environment.

9. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means entering the listening mode further comprise:

directing one or more antennas of the wireless power receiver apparatus or a wireless device in which the wireless power receiver apparatus is embedded to listen for the connection invitations broadcast by the wireless power transmission systems.

10. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for directing one or more transceivers of the wireless power receiver apparatus or a wireless device in which the wireless power receiver apparatus is embedded to transmit a response to at least one of the connection invitations that indicates an acceptance of the connection invitation.

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

during listening mode, process connection invitations broadcast by wireless power transmission systems in a wireless power delivery environment to identify attributes associated with the wireless power transmission systems,

wherein the wireless power transmission systems each include multiple antennas configured to transmit coherent wireless power signals for delivery to wireless power receiver apparatuses;

generate or update one or more scores associated with the wireless power transmission systems based on the corresponding attributes; and

establish a connection with at least one of the wireless power transmission systems based on the generated or updated one or more scores.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless power receiver apparatus to:

access scores associated with other wireless power transmission systems in the wireless power delivery environment; and

rank the wireless power transmission systems according to the corresponding scores.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein to generate or update the one or more scores, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless power receiver apparatus to:

identify a client classification associated with a wireless device in which the wireless power receiver apparatus is embedded,

wherein the client classification identifies one or more classification weights associated with the attributes; and

apply the classification weights to the attributes.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless power receiver apparatus to:

accept at least one connection invitation associated with the at least one wireless power transmission system based on the ranking of the wireless power transmission systems.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein to process the connection invitations to identify attributes associated with the wireless power transmission systems, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless power receiver apparatus to:

measure signal strengths of the connection invitations.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless power receiver apparatus to:

directing one or more transceivers of the wireless power receiver apparatus or a wireless device in which the wireless power receiver apparatus is embedded to transmit a response to the at least one of the connection invitations that indicates an acceptance of the connection invitation message.

17. A wireless power receiver apparatus comprising:

one or more radio frequency (RF) transceivers;

control circuitry configured to direct the one or more RF transceivers to establish a connection with at least one wireless power transmission system of multiple wireless power transmission systems in a wireless power delivery environment, the control circuitry including;

listen mode reception logic configured to receive, via the one or more RF transceivers, connection invitations and responsive process the connection invitations to identify attributes associated with the multiple wireless power transmission systems;

wireless power transmission selection logic configured to generate or update one or more scores associated with the wireless power transmission systems based on the corresponding attributes; and

connection establishing logic configured to establish the connection with the at least one wireless power transmission system based on the generated or updated one or more scores.