Method, apparatus and system for power transmission

• US 20060199620A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powercast, Llc
• Original Assignee: Firefly Power Technologies LLC (Powercast Corporation)
• Inventors: Shearer, John G., Greene, Charles E., Harrist, Daniel W.
• Application Number:
  US11/356,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20060199620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/28 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0408 with power amplifiers

Abstract

A transmitter for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load, where the receiver does not have a DC-DC converter. The transmitter comprises a pulse generator for producing pulses of power. The transmitter comprises an antenna in communication with the pulse generator through which the pulses are transmitted from the transmitter. A system for power transmission which transmits only pulses of power without any data. A method for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load. An apparatus for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load comprises a plurality of transmitters, each of which produce pulses of power which are received by the receiver to power the load. A system for power transmission which receives pulses of power transmitted by the power transmitter to power a load but does not use the pulses as a clock signal.

Claims

1. A transmitter for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load, where the receiver does not have a DC-DC converter, comprising:

a pulse generator for producing pulses of power; and

an antenna in communication with the pulse generator through which the pulses are transmitted from the transmitter.

2. A transmitter as described in claim 1 wherein the pulse generator includes a frequency generator having an output, and an amplifier in communication with the frequency generator and the antenna.

3. A transmitter as described in claim 2 including an enabler which controls the frequency generator or the amplifier to form the pulses.

4. A transmitter as described in claim 3 wherein the enabler defines a time duration between pulses as a function of a transmitting frequency of the pulses.

5. A transmitter as described in claim 4 wherein the time duration is greater than one-half of one cycle of the frequency generator output.

6. The transmitter as described in claim 5 wherein the power of the transmitted pulses is equivalent to an average power of a continuous wave power transmission system.

7. A transmitter as described in claim 6 wherein the average power Pavg of the pulses is determined by

$P_{\mathrm{AVG}}=\frac{P_{\mathrm{PEAK}}}{}$

( T PULSE ) T PERIOD .

8. A transmitter as described in claim 7 wherein the pulses are transmitted in any ISM band.

9. A transmitter as described in claim 7 wherein the pulses are transmitted in an FM radio band.

10. A transmitter as described in claim 1 wherein the pulse generator produces a continuous amount of power between pulses.

11. A transmitter as described in claim 1 wherein the pulse generator produces pulses at different output frequencies sequentially.

12. A transmitter as described in claim 1 wherein the pulse generator produces pulses at different amplitudes.

13. A transmitter as described in claim 12 wherein the pulse generator includes a plurality of frequency generators;

an amplifier; and

a frequency selector in communication with the frequency generators and the amplifier, that determines and routes the correct frequency from the frequency generators to the amplifier.

14. A transmitter as described in claim 1 wherein the pulse generator transmits data between the pulses.

15. A transmitter as described in claim 1 wherein the pulse generator transmits data in the pulses.

16. A transmitter as described in claim 2 including a gain control which controls the frequency generator or the amplifier to form the pulses.

17. A transmitter as described in claim 16 wherein the gain control defines a time duration between pulses as a function of a transmitting frequency of the pulses.

18. A system for power transmission comprising:

a transmitter which transmits only pulses of power without any data; and

a receiver which receives the pulses of power transmitted by the power transmitter to power a load.

19. A system as described in claim 18 wherein the receiver includes a rectifier.

20. A system as described in claim 19 wherein the rectifier efficiency is increased by over 5 percent as compared to a corresponding continuous wave power transmission system by receiving the pulses of power.

21. A system as described in claim 20 wherein the rectifier efficiency is increased by over 100 percent as compared to a corresponding continuous wave power transmission system.

22. A method for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load comprising the steps of:

producing pulses of power with a pulse generator; and

transmitting the pulses through an antenna in communication with the pulse generator to the receiver to power the load.

23. A method for transmitting power comprising the steps of:

transmitting pulses of power with a transmitter; and

receiving the pulses of power transmitted by the power transmitter with a receiver to power a load, the receiver has a rectifier whose efficiency is increased as compared to a corresponding continuous wave power transmission system by receiving the pulses of power.

24. An apparatus for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load comprising:

a plurality of transmitters, each of which produce pulses of power which are received by the receiver to power the load.

25. An apparatus as described in claim 24 including a controller in communication with each transmitter, each transmitter is assigned an associated time slot by the controller so that only one pulse from the plurality of transmitters is transmitted at a given time.

26. An apparatus as described in claim 25 including a plurality of time slot selectors, each transmitter in communication with a corresponding time slot selector of the plurality of time slot selectors, the controller issues a control signal to each selector which activates the corresponding transmitter for its assigned time slot.

27. A method for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load comprising:

producing pulses of power from an apparatus having a plurality of transmitters which are received by the receiver to power the load.

28. A system for power transmission comprising:

a transmitter which transmits pulses of power; and

a receiver which receives the pulses of power transmitted by the power transmitter to power a load but does not use the pulses as a clock signal.

29. A system for power transmission comprising:

means for transmitting pulses of power; and

means for receiving the pulses of power transmitted by the transmitting means to power a load but does not use the pulses for a clock signal.

30. A system for power transmission comprising:

means for transmitting only pulses of power without any data; and

means for receiving the pulses of power transmitted by the transmitting means to power a load.

31. A transmitter for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load, where the receiver does not have a DC-DC converter, comprising:

means for producing pulses of power; and

an antenna in communication with the pulsing means through which the pulses are transmitted from the transmitter.

32. An apparatus for transmitting power to a receiver to power a load comprising:

a transmitter which produces only pulses of power without any data; and

an antenna in communication with the transmitter through which the pulses are transmitted from the transmitter.