Transmission of energy and data using a collimated beam

• US 10,601,255 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Finlay Patrick
• Original Assignee: iBIONICS Inc.
• Inventors: Pigeon, Michel, Prawer, Steven, Bruneau, Anne Louise
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US16/317,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20190229558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• 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: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal

Abstract

A system, device and method for wirelessly providing power and data to a remote device having a source apparatus generating a modulated collimated beam and a steerable optical element. A remote device with a receiver to convert the modulated collimated beam into an electrical signal which provides a power component for powering the device and a signal component. An uplink channel relays feedback data to position the collimated beam onto the receiver.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly providing power and data to a remote device, the system comprising:

a source apparatus comprising;

a light source for generating a modulated collimated beam;

a steerable optical element; and

a wireless uplink receiver; and

a remote device comprising;

a receiver for receiving modulated light from the modulated collimated beam and converting the modulated light into an electrical power component and a signal component, the receiver comprising a photovoltaic cell and a splitter for splitting the output from the photovoltaic cell into an electrical power component and a signal component;

a processing unit for processing a signal component of the modulated light;

a power conditioning unit for conditioning electrical energy from the power component for powering the device;

an illumination detector for determining an illumination of the optical signal reaching the receiver and aligning the collimated beam; and

an uplink channel in communication with the wireless uplink receiver to relay feedback data related to collimated beam alignment to position the steerable optical element.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic cell is for receiving the electrical power component and the receiver further comprises a photodiode for receiving the signal component.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the uplink channel consists of radiofrequency, light emitting diode, or optical reflection modulation transmission.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflecting optical element comprises a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) mirror, e curved mirror, or lens.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the source of the collimated beam is a laser, near infrared laser, or light emitting diode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote device is a bioimplant.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote device comprises an electrode array.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote device is a retinal implant, visual cortex stimulator, spinal cord stimulator, cochlear implant, neuronal recorder, mid-brain implant, neuronal stimulator, cardiac pacemaker, cardioverter defibrillator, recording device, neuromuscular stimulator, or drug pump.

9. A wireless device for receiving power and data from a modulated collimated beam, the device comprising:

a receiver for receiving modulated light from the modulated collimated beam and converting the modulated light into an electrical power component and a signal component, the receiver comprising a photovoltaic cell for converting an optical signal from the modulated collimated beam into an electrical signal and a splitter for splitting the electrical signal from the photovoltaic cell into a power component and a signal component;

a processing unit for processing the received signal;

a power conditioning unit for processing electrical energy from the power component for powering the device;

an illumination detector for determining an intensity of the optical signal reaching the photovoltaic cell; and

an uplink channel to relay feedback data related to collimated beam alignment for positioning the modulated collimated beam on the receiver.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the photovoltaic cell is for receiving the electrical power component and the receiver further comprises a photodiode for receiving the signal component.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the source of the collimated beam is a laser beam or a light emitting diode.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising at least two electrodes for delivering at least one electrical pulse to tissue based on received data, for sensing an electric field around the electrodes, or both.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the remote device comprises an electrode array.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the remote device is a retinal implant, visual cortex stimulator, spinal cord stimulator, cochlear implant, neuronal recorder, mid-brain implant, neuronal stimulator, cardiac pacemaker, cardioverter defibrillator, recording device, neuromuscular stimulator, or drug pump.

15. A method for fine tracking a location of a wireless device by a collimated beam, the method comprising:

directing the collimated beam onto a receiver divided in a plurality of segments;

measuring an illumination received by each of the plurality of segments;

reverse linking each of the plurality of segments to feedback values related to measured beam intensity; and

aligning the collimated beam onto the receiver based on the feedback values using a steerable optical element,

wherein the illumination of each of the plurality of segments is computed by a processing unit and sent through the reverse link to align the position of the beam on the plurality of segments.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver comprises at least one PV photovoltaic cell.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the source of the collimated beam is a laser or a light emitting diode.