HYBRID WI-FI AND POWER ROUTER TRANSMITTER

• US 20140376646A1
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: DvineWave, Inc.
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A., Brewer, Gregory Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,128,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

The present disclosure may provide an hybrid transmitter which may be used to provide wireless power transmission (WPT). In some embodiments, hybrid transmitters may include antenna elements designed to transmit WI-Fi signal or to function as power router which may function simultaneously. In other embodiments, hybrid transmitters may only transmit a single signal and a switch may change the operation mode. In addition, transmitters may include communications components which may allow for communication to various electronic equipment including phones, computers and others.

Claims

1. A method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device, comprising:

connecting a hybrid transmitter to a power source;

generating RF signals from a RF circuit connected to the transmitter;

controlling the generated RF signals with a controller to provide a power RF signal and Wi-Fi signals;

transmitting the power and Wi-Fi signals through an antenna connected to the transmitter; and

capturing the power RF signals in a receiver with an antenna connected to the electronic device to convert the power RF signals into a DC voltage for charging or powering the electronic device and to communicate power and receiver location information between the transmitter and receiver with the Wi-Fi signals.

2. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the hybrid transmitter includes at least two antenna for generating the power RF signals.

3. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is a digital signal processor, a micro-controller, a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit or other suitable processor for controlling the power RF signals and the communication Wi-Fi signals.

4. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising the step of switching the transmitter between sending power RF signals or sending Wi-Fi signals to the receiver for powering or communicating with the receiver, respectively.

5. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting simultaneously both signals and power RF signals from the transmitter to the receiver.

6. A method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the hybrid transmitter antennas include antenna elements to transmit Wi-Fi signals or power RF signals and wherein the hybrid transmitter further includes a switch to change transmitter operation between a power mode or a communication mode whereby only the Wi-Fi signals or the power RF signals are transmitted at the same time.

7. A method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device, comprising:

supplying power to a hybrid transmitter including at least two antenna, a digital signal processor (DSP) and a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) and a communication circuit;

generating power RF signals through the RFIC managed by the micro-controller and generating communication Wi-Fi signals through the communication circuit managed by the DSP;

transmitting the power RF signals and the communication Wi-Fi signals through the at least two antenna; and

capturing both the power RF signals and the communication signals at an antenna embedded within a receiver connected to the portable electronic device for charging the electronic device and for communicating with the transmitter.

8. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

decoding the Wi-Fi signals to identify the gain and phase of the receiver to determine the direction of the receiver;

transmitting pockets of energy consisting of power RF signals from the transmitter through the at least two RF antennas to the receiver; and

establishing channels or paths between the transmitter and the receiver for transmitting power RF signals to converge in 3-D space with phase or relative amplitude adjustments to form constructive interference patterns for pocket-forming to power the portable electronic device.

9. The method for wireless transmission of power to a. portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein each of the at least two antenna for the hybrid transmitter include antenna elements, a predetermined portion of the antenna array elements transmit the power RF signals and a predetermined portion of the remaining antenna array elements transmits the Wi-Fi signals.

10. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the hybrid transmitter is configured to transmit both the Wi-Fi signals and Power RF signals through the antenna elements simultaneously.

11. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 7, further comprising the steps of rectifying the power RF signals from pockets of energy and converting the rectified power RF signals into a constant DC voltage for charging or powering the portable electronic device.

12. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 7, further comprising the step of switching the hybrid transmitter between the transmission of either the power RF signals or the Wi-Fi signals.

13. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the hybrid transmitter is configured in a generally flat plane along with the at least two antenna, the micro-controller, the RFIC and the communication circuit in order to reduce losses due to the shorter distance between components on the transmitter.

14. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the DSP through the RFIC regulation within the hybrid transmitter controls phases and amplitudes of the power RF signals in each transmitter antenna in order to generate the desire pocket-forming and null-space steering.

15. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the step of establishing the channel or path between the hybrid transmitter and receiver is through gain and phase information coming from the receiver through the Wi-Fi signals received by the hybrid transmitter communication circuit that continuously and dynamically identifies and locates the receiver connected to the chargeable electronic device.

16. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein the hybrid transmitter determines whether a power RF signal or Wi-Fi signal is sent to the receiver through the micro-controller receiving an unique identifier from the electronic device such as a computer or smartphone MAC address.

17. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 7, further comprising the steps of identifying and locating the receiver through a path or channel established from receiver Wi-Fi signals including gain and phase information in order to utilize an adaptive pocket-forming for focusing and avoiding obstacles interfering with the power RF signals between the receiver and the hybrid transmitter.

18. The method for wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the receiver and hybrid transmitter include omni-directional antennas and the method further including allowing the power RE signals in the form of pockets of energy with null-spaces therebetween to bounce over the walls or ceiling inside a room until the path or channel is established between the transmitter and receiver.

19. A wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device, comprising:

a hybrid transmitter having a source of power, at least two RE antennas, a RF integrated circuit for generating power RF signals from the source of power, a digital signal processor for controlling the configuration of the power RE signals and a first communication circuitry for operating on Wi-Fi signals; and

a receiver having an RE antenna, power circuitry for rectifying and converting power RE signals received by the RE antenna into a constant DC voltage for the portable electronic device and a second communication circuitry for generating Wi-Fi signals with gain and phase information to send to the first communication circuitry of the transmitter for determining optimum times and locations for a pocket-forming to converge power RF signals in 3-D space to define the pockets of energy to fully or partially power the portable electronic device.

20. The wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the first and second communication circuitry is based on standard wireless communication protocols including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or ZigBee transmitted between the RE antennas of the transmitter and receiver.

21. The wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the first and second communication circuitry include radar, infrared cameras or sound devices for sonic triangulation for determining the position of the portable electronic device for the pocket-forming to converge the power RF waves in 3-d space to define the pockets of energy for charging or powering the electronic device.

22. The wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the antennas of the hybrid transmitter include antenna elements in an array, half of the antenna elements are for transmitting the power RF signals and half of the antenna elements are for transmitting the Wi-Fi signals and wherein both Wi-Fi signals and power RF signals are transmitted simultaneously.

23. The wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein all of the antenna elements of the hybrid transmitter only transmit Wi-Fi signals and further including a switch on the hybrid transmitter to change the operation mode so all of the antenna elements on the transmitter only transmit power RF signals.

24. The wireless transmission of power to a portable electronic device of claim 22, wherein the hybrid transmitter sends Wi-Fi signals in parallel with the power RF signals for powering the electronic devices.