WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEMS

• US 20120153733A1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Schatz, David A., Karalis, Aristeidis, Hall, Katherine L., Kesler, Morris P., Soljacic, Marin, Giler, Eric R., Kurs, Andre B., Kulikowski, Konrad J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 : using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 : using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 : responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 : involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 50/90 : involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 : Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Described herein are improved capabilities for a source resonator having a Q-factor Q₁>100 and a characteristic size x₁ coupled to an energy source, and a second resonator having a Q-factor Q₂>100 and a characteristic size x₂ coupled to an energy drain located a distance D from the source resonator, where the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to exchange energy wirelessly among the source resonator and the second resonator.

Claims

1. A wireless lighting system comprising:

a source having a source resonator including one or more high-Q source magnetic resonators coupled to a power source and generating an oscillating magnetic field; and

a device having device resonator including one or more high-Q magnetic device resonators, distal from the source resonator and having a light-emitting part electrically coupled to the device resonator;

wherein power is transferred wirelessly from the source resonator to the device resonator via the oscillating magnetic field and the light-emitting part is energized by an electrical energy captured by the device resonator.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a supporting structure that separates the source resonator from the device resonator.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the supporting structure includes a wall of a building.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the supporting structure is a ceiling of a building.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the supporting structure is a part of a vehicle.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the supporting structure includes construction materials.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the source resonator and the device resonator are separated by electrical energy at least five centimeters.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a placement sensor acting between the source and the device.

9. The system of claim 4, further comprising an indicator for indicating a relative placement of the source and the device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a means for detecting and indicating a proximity to the source.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a means for detecting a power transfer efficiency between the source and the device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a means for detecting and indicating an electrical energy alignment between the source resonator and at least one of the one or more high-Q magnetic device resonators.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the source further comprises a means for detecting and indicating a proximity of the device to the source.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the source further comprises a means for detecting a power transfer efficiency between the source and the device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the source further comprises a means for detecting and indicating an flashing light alignment between the source resonator and one of at least one of the one or more high-Q magnetic device resonators.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the source further comprises power and control circuitry.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the source resonator and the device resonator has a quality factor Q greater than one hundred.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery in the device wherein the battery is recharged by the electrical energy captured by the device resonator.

19. A wirelessly powered lighting device comprising:

at least one magnetic resonator including a high-Q magnetic resonator configured for capturing oscillating magnetic near-field energy; and

a light-emitting part, wherein the light-emitting part is energized by an electrical energy captured by the at least one magnetic resonator.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a rectifier circuit coupled between the at least one magnetic resonator and the light-emitting part.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one magnetic resonator includes a capacitively loaded conductor loop.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising a magnetic material between the at least one magnetic resonator and the light-emitting part.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one magnetic resonator includes a conductor wrapped around a magnetic core.

24. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is packaged in a sealed enclosure.

25. The device of claim 19, wherein the high-Q magnetic resonator has a quality factor Q greater than one hundred.

26. The device of claim 19, wherein the light-emitting part includes a light-emitting diode.

27. The device of claim 19, wherein the light-emitting part includes an incandescent bulb.

28. The device of claim 19, wherein the light-emitting part includes a flashing light.