Method and Apparatus for Implementation of a Wireless Power Supply

• US 20110031821A1
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Original Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Inventors: Shearer, John G., Greene, Charles E., Harrist, Daniel W.
• Application Number:
  US12/901,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20110031821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/154
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus, for wirelessly powering a device having an enclosure for a charge storage component, includes a wireless power supply which fits into the enclosure. The apparatus includes an antenna connected to the wireless power supply. A battery. A cell phone cover for a cell phone. A headphone. A wireless power adapter for a DC jack. Alternatively, the apparatus includes a substrate having discrete components and integrated circuits disposed in the device. A method for wirelessly powering a device having an enclosure for a charge storage component.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having energy harvesting circuitry formed thereon, the energy harvesting circuitry configured to convert electro-magnetic energy to a direct current, the substrate configured to be disposed external to a device and to be in electrical communication with the device to provide the direct current to the device; and

an antenna operatively coupled to the energy harvesting circuitry via the substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy harvesting circuitry is configured to be electrically coupled to the device via the substrate such that the energy harvesting circuitry, when operating, provides the direct current to the device as operational power.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy harvesting circuitry includes at least one of discrete components or integrated circuits.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy harvesting circuitry is configured to receive the electro-magnetic energy via the antenna.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna is connected to the substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is operatively coupled to at least one of surface mounding pads or pins such that the substrate is connectable to another substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing within which the substrate and the antenna are disposed, the housing configured to be external to the device and in electrical communication with the device such that the direct current is provided to the device from the housing when the energy harvesting circuitry is operational.

8. A system, comprising:

a first substrate;

a wireless power supply formed on the first substrate, the wireless power supply configured to convert electro-magnetic energy to a direct current; and

a second substrate configured to be disposed within a device and electrically connected to components of the device, the second substrate electrically connectable to the first substrate such that the direct current is provided to the components of the device when the second substrate is connected to the first substrate.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first substrate includes at least one of discrete components or integrated circuits, the wireless power supply configured to provide direct current to the at least one of discrete components or integrated circuits of the first substrate.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second substrate is connected to the first substrate via at least one surface mounting pads or pins.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first substrate is configured to be disposed within the device when the first substrate is connected to the second substrate.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the second substrate is electrically connected to a charge storage component of the device such that the direct current is provided to the charge storage component when the second substrate is connected to the first substrate.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate is a printed circuit board.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an antenna configured to be disposed at least partially external to the device and operatively coupled to the wireless power supply via the first substrate, the wireless power supply configured to receive the electro-magnetic energy from the antenna.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an antenna configured to be disposed within the device and connected to the first substrate, the wireless power supply configured to receive the electro-magnetic energy from the antenna.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a connection port, the housing being electrically connectable to a device via the connection port, the housing being external to the device when the housing is electrically connected to the device;

a wireless power supply disposed within the housing, the wireless power supply configured to provide operational power to the device via the connection port when the housing is electrically connected to the device; and

an antenna disposed at least partially within the housing, the antenna being operatively coupled to the wireless power supply.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the connection port includes a SMA connector.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the wireless power supply is configured to convert electro-magnetic energy to direct current power such that the wireless power supply provides the direct current power to the device as the operational power via the connection port.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the wireless power supply is configured to receive electro-magnetic energy from the antenna.

20. A system, comprising:

a wireless power supply having a first connector and a second connector, the wireless power supply being electrically connectable to an external device via the first connector, the wireless power supply configured to provide direct current power to the external device via the first connector when the wireless power supply is electrically connected to the external device; and

an antenna electrically connectable to the wireless power supply via the second connector, the wireless power supply configured to receive electro-magnetic energy from the antenna via the second connector and convert the electro-magnetic energy to the direct current power.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the antenna has a connector configured to matingly couple with the second connector of the wireless power supply such that the antenna is electrically coupled to the wireless power supply via the connector of the antenna and the second connector.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the wireless power supply is an in-line coaxial wireless power supply.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first connector or the second connector is a SMA connector.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the antenna is operatively coupled to the external device via the wireless power supply.

25. A system, comprising:

an antenna;

a wireless power supply electrically coupled to the antenna, the wireless power supply configured to receive electro-magnetic energy from the antenna and convert the electro-magnetic energy to direct current; and

a cable configured to electrically and removably connect the wireless power supply to a device separate from the wireless power supply and the antenna, the wireless power supply configured to provide the direct current to the device via the cable.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the cable is configured to transmit data signals from the device to the wireless power supply.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the wireless power supply is configured to store at least a portion of the direct current.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the cable is electrically connectable to a charge storage component of the device such that the cable provides the direct current from the wireless power supply to the charge storage component when the wireless power supply is operative and the cable is connected to the device.

29. An apparatus, comprising:

a battery having a first connector and a second connector, the first connector configured to electrically connect the battery to an antenna, the second connector configured to electrically connect the battery to a device; and

a wireless power supply embedded within the battery, the wireless power supply configured to receive electro-magnetic energy from the antenna via the first connector and convert the electro-magnetic energy to direct current, the wireless power supply configured to provide the direct current to the device via the second connector.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the battery is configured to removably fit within a portion of the device.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the battery is a cell phone battery.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the battery is separate and apart from the antenna.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein at least one of the first connector or the second connector is a metallic pad.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having at least one integrated circuit formed thereon; and

a wireless power supply formed on the substrate, the wireless power supply configured to convert electro-magnetic energy to a direct current, the wireless power supply configured to provide at least a portion of the direct current to the at the least one integrated circuit of the substrate.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the wireless power supply is configured to provide at least a portion of the direct current to a sensor formed on the substrate.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the wireless power supply is a first wireless power supply, the apparatus further comprising:

a second wireless power supply formed on the substrate.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the substrate is connectable to at least one external component.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the substrate is connectable to an impedance matching network.