WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER WITH REPEATER RESONATORS

• US 20140021798A1
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Kesler, Morris P., Hall, Katherine L., McCauley, Alexander P., Kurs, Andre B., Verghese, Simon, Kulikowski, Konrad J.
• Application Number:
  US13/944,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20140021798A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Described herein are systems for wireless energy transfer distribution over a defined area. Energy may be distributed over the area via a plurality of repeater, source, and device resonators. The resonators within the area may be tunable and the distribution of energy or magnetic fields within the area may be configured depending on device position and power needs.

Claims

1. A system for wireless energy distribution over a volume, the system comprising:

a source device coupled to an energy source, the source device comprising at least one source resonator that is configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field with a frequency and wherein the source device has a source energized volume; and

at least one repeater device, the repeater device comprising at least one repeater resonator and positioned in a defined area and in coupling proximity to the source device;

wherein the repeater device provides an effective wireless energy system energized volume that is larger than the source energized volume,

wherein the source device is operable to detect the presence of a repeater device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater device is positioned under a work surface and the source device is positioned on top of the work surface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater device is embedded in a work surface and the source device is positioned on top of the work surface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater device is embedded in a work surface and the source device is positioned below the work surface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater device is above a work surface and the source device is positioned below the work surface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one repeater resonator of the repeater device has a characteristic size larger than the characteristic sizes of the source resonators of the source device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the source device further comprises indicators, the indicators configured to indicate the coupling strength between the source device and the repeater device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater device further comprises a battery.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one repeater resonator of the repeater device is configurable to operate as an energy source energized at least in part by electrical energy stored in the battery.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the source device is operable to detect the repeater resonator by measuring the impedance of one or more source resonators.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the source device is operable to detect the repeater resonator by measuring a decay time of the magnetic field.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the source device is operable to detect the repeater resonator by measuring a decay time of the voltage.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the source device is operable to detect the repeater resonator by measuring a decay time of the current.

10. A method of detecting the location of a repeater device using a source device, the method comprising:

energizing a source resonator of the source device;

measuring a voltage and a current on the source resonator;

comparing the voltage and current measurements with expected measurements;

determining if a repeater resonator of the repeater device is within a coupling distance to the source resonator; and

indicating presence of a repeater resonator within the coupling distance.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

stopping the energizing of the source resonator;

measuring the voltage on the source resonator;

determining a time for the voltage to decay below a threshold; and

determining if the repeater resonator is within the coupling distance to the source resonator based at least in part on the time.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

stopping the energizing of the source resonator;

measuring a magnetic field on the source resonator;

determining a time for the magnetic field to decay below a threshold; and

determining if the repeater resonator is within the coupling distance to the source resonator based at least in part on the time.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

stopping the energizing of the source resonator;

measuring the current on the source resonator;

determining a time for current to decay below a threshold; and

determining if the repeater resonator is within the coupling distance to the source resonator based at least in part on the time.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupling distance is less than 5 cm.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupling distance is less than 10 cm.