Mobile wireless charging station

• US 10,575,198 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quantenna Communications, Inc. (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Dash, Debashis, Amiri, Bahador
• Primary Examiner(s): Aung, Sai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schnell, Richard
• Application Number:
  US15/635,170
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/00 Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects ambulances or other vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00; hearses A61G21/00; fire-fighting land vehicles A62C27/00; refuse-collecting vehicles B65F3/00, B65F7/00; snow-removing vehicles E01H; armoured or armed vehicles F41H7/00; self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles F41H11/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods and systems for mobile charging of wireless stations with wireless communications on a wireless local area network (WLAN). A mobile charging unit is operable with coordinated wireless asset management for navigation and mobile charging capabilities to service wireless stations. In an example implementation, a mobile charging unit identifies stations on the WLAN are battery operated and support wireless charging, determines when a charging operation is needed, provides automated navigation to the associated stations, and initiates wireless charging of the identified stations.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless charging unit comprising:

a wireless asset management circuit to manage a mobile power resupply for one or more stations of a plurality of stations associated with a wireless local area network (WLAN) having a wireless access point (WAP) to identify stations of the plurality of stations which support wireless charging, and determine a charging schedule for one or more target stations of the plurality of stations that support wireless charging by monitoring transmissions from the one or more target stations of the plurality of stations to determine when to charge the one or more target stations based on degradation over time of a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI);

a navigation circuit coupled to the wireless asset management circuit to control movement of the mobile wireless charging unit into one or more positions proximate to the one or more target stations based on the charging schedule; and

a wireless charger circuit coupled to the wireless asset management circuit to initiate wireless charging of one of the one or more target stations of the plurality of stations from the associated position proximate.

2. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a mobility component coupled to the navigational circuit and responsive thereto, and the mobility component transporting the mobile wireless charging unit by changing the position of the mobile wireless charging unit.

3. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a power component integral coupled to the wireless charger circuit circuits to provide power thereto.

4. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless asset management circuit is to further determine the charging schedule based on a history of each of the one or more target stations'"'"' prior charge amount and intervals at which charging is required.

5. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless asset management circuit is to determine the charging schedule based on monitoring at least one of:

amount of traffic sent by one or more target stations or the duration of communications by the one or more target stations.

6. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless asset management circuit is to further determine when to charge the one or more target stations based on information sent by the one or more target stations.

7. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless asset management circuit is to further identify any of the plurality of stations which support wireless charging based on information received by the WAP during a wireless capabilities exchange with each of the plurality of stations.

8. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the navigation circuit to navigate the mobile wireless charging unit into the position proximate to the one of the one or more target stations by navigating a path to maximize RSSI of the received communications.

9. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger circuit further includes:

an inductive electromagnetic circuit to inductively couple to the one or more target stations.

10. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger circuit further includes:

a directional antenna to electromagnetically couple to the one or more target stations.

11. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger circuit is coupled to at least one antenna to electromagnetically couple to the one or more target stations.

12. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a mobility component coupled to the navigational circuit and responsive thereto, and including;

motorized wheels to provide translational movement of the mobile wireless charging unit on a floor of a structure surrounding said WLAN under control of the navigational circuit.

13. The mobile wireless charging unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a mobility component coupled to the navigational circuit and responsive thereto, and including;

motorized propellers to provide translational movement of the mobile wireless charging unit within an airspace of a structure surrounding said WLAN under control of the navigational circuit.

14. A method for operating a mobile wireless charging unit comprising:

managing a mobile power resupply for one or more stations of a plurality of stations associated with a wireless local area network (WLAN) having a wireless access point (WAP) by;

identifying stations of the plurality of stations that support wireless charging;

determining a charging schedule for one or more target stations of the plurality of stations that support wireless charging by monitoring transmissions from the one or more target stations of the plurality of stations to determine when to charge the one or more target stations based on degradation over time of a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI);

controlling the mobile wireless charging unit into one or more positions proximate to the one or more target stations based on the charging schedule; and

wirelessly charging the one or more target stations from the associated position proximate.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

regulating a mobile power component to provide wireless charging to the one or more target stations.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the charging schedule is based on a history of each of the one or more target stations'"'"' charging needs, frequency, time required, and amount of charge required.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the charging schedule is based on monitoring at least one of:

amount of traffic sent by each of the one or more target stations or the duration of communications by each of the one or more target stations.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the charging schedule is based on information sent by each of the one or more target stations.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying comprises:

identifying any of the plurality of stations which support wireless charging based on information received by the WAP during a wireless capabilities exchange with each of the plurality of stations.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the mobile wireless charging unit comprises:

navigating a path to maximize RSSI of the communications.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless charging comprises:

inductively coupling to one of the one or more target stations of the plurality of stations.

22. The method for of claim 14, wherein the wireless charging further comprises:

electromagnetically coupling to one of the one or more target stations of the plurality of stations.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless charging further comprises:

electromagnetically coupling to one of the one or more target stations of the plurality of stations via at least one antenna to charge said station.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the mobile wireless charging unit further comprises:

controlling motorized wheels to provide translational movement of said wireless station on a floor of a structure surrounding said WLAN.

25. The method for operating a wireless station of claim 14, wherein controlling the mobile wireless charging unit further comprises:

controlling motorized propellers to provide translational movement of said wireless station within an airspace of a structure surrounding said WLAN.