WIRELESS CHARGING PLATFORM USING BEAMFORMING FOR WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK

• US 20160049823A1
• Filed: 08/15/2014
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices Global Unlimited Company (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: STEIN, YOSEF, TROGAN, ROMAN, PRIMO, HAIM
• Granted Patent: US 11,322,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A wireless charging platform for a wireless sensor network is disclosed, which includes a radio frequency energy distributor and data aggregator (REDDA) system configured to aggregate data from sensor nodes and wirelessly transmit power to the sensor nodes using a beamformed RF signal. The REDDA system can set a radiation pattern for the beamformed RF signal that maximizes RF energy transfer to the sensor nodes based on an environment associated with the sensor nodes. In various embodiments, the REDDA system can include an Internet of Things (IoT) interface connected to an IoT network, and the REDDA system can use information gleaned from the IoT network to set the radiation pattern.

Claims

1. A wireless charging platform for a wireless sensor network, the wireless charging platform comprising:

a radio frequency energy distributor and data aggregator (REDDA) system that includes an Internet of Things (IoT) interface connected to an IoT network, wherein the REDDA system is configured to aggregate data from sensor nodes and wirelessly transmit power to the sensor nodes using a beamformed RF signal.

2. The wireless charging platform of claim 1, wherein the REDDA system includes an electronically steered antenna array for transmitting the beamformed RF signal, wherein the REDDA system is configured to set a radiation pattern for the beamformed RF signal that maximizes RF energy transfer to the sensor nodes based on an environment associated with the sensor nodes.

3. The wireless charging platform of claim 2, wherein the REDDA system is configured to glean information about the surrounding environment from the IoT network.

4. The wireless charging platform of claim 1, wherein the REDDA system includes an electronically steered antenna array for transmitting the beamformed RF signal, wherein the REDDA system is configured to set a radiation pattern for the beamformed RF signal that achieves a defined quality of service for RF energy transfer.

5. The wireless charging platform of claim 4, wherein each antenna of the antenna array has an associated extinction coefficient and an associated progressive phase shift, the REDDA system configured to set the associated extinction coefficients and progressive phase shifts to achieve the defined qualify of service.

6. The wireless charging platform of claim 1, the REDDA system is further configured to selectively power on/off at least one sensor node having no battery by setting a radiation pattern of the beamformed RF signal.

7. The wireless charging platform of claim 1, the REDDA system is further configured to selectively charge a battery of at least one sensor node by setting a radiation pattern of the beamformed RF signal.

8. The wireless charging platform of claim 1, wherein the REDDA system is configured to aggregate data from the sensor node and wirelessly transmit power to the sensor node on different radio bands.

9. The wireless charging platform of claim 8, wherein the REDDA system includes a wideband aggregator receiver, the REDDA system configured to aggregate data from a sensor narrowband radio using the wideband aggregator receiver in a manner that avoids data collision and minimizes data retransmission.

10. The wireless charging platform of claim 2, wherein the REDDA system includes at least one REDDA module that can be configured to provide various antenna array configurations.

11. The wireless charging platform of claim 10, wherein each REDDA module includes at least one communication port for connecting to another REDDA module, wherein connected REDDA modules form the electronically steered antenna array.

12. A wireless charging system comprising:

a gateway node that includes an Internet of Things (IoT) interface connected to an IoT network, wherein the gateway node is configured to aggregate data from sensor nodes and wirelessly transmit power to the sensor nodes using a beamformed signal, wherein the gateway node sets a radiation pattern of the beamformed signal based on an environment associated with the sensor nodes.

13. The wireless charging system of claim 12, wherein the gateway node gleans information about the environment from the IoT network.

14. The wireless charging system of claim 12, wherein the gateway node includes an electronically steered antenna array for transmitting the beamformed signal.

15. The wireless charging system of claim 12, wherein the gateway node is configured to set the radiation pattern of the beamformed signal to achieve a defined quality of service.

16. The wireless charging system of claim 12, wherein the gateway node is configured to aggregate data from the sensor nodes and wirelessly transmit power to the sensor nodes on different radio bands.

17. A method for wirelessly charging sensor nodes using a beamformed signal produced by an antenna array, the method comprising:

determining a radiation pattern for the beamformed signal based on an environment associated with the sensor nodes; and

adjusting antenna parameters of the antenna array, such that the antenna array wirelessly transmits power to the sensor nodes by producing a beamformed signal having the determined radiation pattern.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the antenna parameters includes adjusting an extinction coefficient associated with an antenna of the antenna array.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the antenna parameters includes adjusting a progressive phase shift associated with an antenna of the antenna array.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the radiation pattern achieves a defined quality of service associated with wirelessly charging the sensor nodes.