Methods for Adjusting the Power of an External Reader

• US 20150188607A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twenty Twenty Therapeutics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Otis, Brian, Nelson, Andrew, Pletcher, Nathan, Honore, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 9,973,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for adjusting the power level of an external reader of an electronic device. The external reader transmits power to the electronic device with a radio frequency electromagnetic signal. The electronic device may rectify the radio frequency electromagnetic signal and create a rectified voltage. The rectified voltage may be positively correlated to the power level transmitted by the external device. The rectified power can be used to power a component of the electronic device, such as a component configured to measure either a voltage or power associated with the rectified voltage. The electronic device may communicate the measured voltage or power back to the external reader. Based on the communicated voltage or power, the external reader may adjust its power level of the transmitted power.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to;

receive electromagnetic radiation to form a supply signal,

output a backscatter signal based on the received electromagnetic radiation, and

adjust an antenna impedance to cause the backscatter of the received electromagnetic radiation;

a rectifier configured to rectify the supply signal into a supply voltage;

a measurement unit configured to measure the supply voltage; and

a control unit configured to cause the antenna impedance to communicate the measured supply voltage via the backscatter of received electromagnetic radiation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply voltage provides power to the components of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine a voltage requirement threshold.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the voltage requirement threshold is based on a function performed by the apparatus.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply voltage is greater than or equal to a threshold voltage of the power unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an eye-mountable device.

7. A reader apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to;

transmit electromagnetic radiation with a power level, and

receive backscatter electromagnetic radiation and output a voltage-indication signal based on the backscatter electromagnetic radiation;

a control unit configured to;

analyze the voltage-indication signal to determine a voltage of a device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation;

determine a voltage requirement for the device; and

responsively adjust the power level based on the voltage requirement.

8. The reader apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit determines the voltage requirement based on a threshold power requirement for the device.

9. The reader apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit determines the voltage requirement based on a function the device will perform.

10. The reader apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is further configured to responsively adjust the power level based on both the voltage requirement and a power usage of the reader apparatus.

11. The reader apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is further configured to responsively increase the power level based on not receiving backscatter.

12. The reader apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is further configured to responsively increase the power level based on analyzing the voltage-indication signal to determine the voltage of the device is not high enough to power a power unit of the device.

13. The reader apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a speaker, wherein the speaker is configured to output a sound based on the voltage-indication signal.

14. An method comprising:

receiving electromagnetic radiation with an antenna to form a supply signal;

rectifying the supply signal into a supply voltage;

measuring the supply voltage with a measurement unit; and

adjusting an antenna impedance based on the measured supply voltage to cause a backscatter of the received electromagnetic radiation based on both the received electromagnetic radiation and the antenna impedance.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising powering components of an apparatus with the supply voltage.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising determining a voltage requirement threshold.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the voltage requirement threshold is based on a function performed by an apparatus.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the supply voltage is greater than or equal to a threshold voltage of the electronic unit.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the backscatter radiation communicates the supply voltage.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the antenna is disposed on an eye-mountable device.