Wireless Mesh Energy Network

• US 20170025857A1
• Filed: 07/25/2016
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uncharted Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uncharted Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Matthews, Jessica Osemudiamen Idoni
• Granted Patent: US 10,027,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

An energy distribution system is provided with a plurality of energy harvesting devices and a plurality of power draining devices in a wireless mesh energy network. One or more of the energy harvesting devices wirelessly transmits electrical energy to one or more of the power draining devices to power the power draining devices. The energy harvesting devices have harvesting mechanisms that harness and converts kinetic energy of motion, mechanical energy or other forms of energy from other sources into electrical energy. The power draining devices are configured to communicate a signal requesting for power and power data to the energy harvesting devices. The energy harvesting devices utilize the power data to prioritize which power draining devices will wirelessly receive electrical energy. This system would decrease or eliminate the need for attachment to the energy grid.

Claims

1. A wireless energy network system comprising:

at least one energy harvesting device configured to harvest electrical energy from at least one external source, the at least one energy harvesting device having a first transceiver for communication and a power transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit said electrical energy;

at least one power draining device having a second transceiver which is communicatively connected to the first transceiver of the at least one energy harvesting device via a wireless mesh network, the at least one power draining device having a power receiver configured to wirelessly receive said electrical energy;

the at least one power draining device generating a request signal which indicates that the power draining device requires power to maintain functional operation, the request signal being communicated from the power draining device over the wireless mesh network and received by the at least one energy harvesting device;

wherein, upon receiving the request signal, the at least one energy harvesting device dynamically allocates said electrical energy to the at least one power draining device and uses said power transmitter to transmit said electrical energy to the at least one power draining device.

2. The wireless energy network system of claim 1, wherein said power transmitter converts said electrical energy, which is harvested by the at least one energy harvesting device, into radio waves before being transmitted, and

wherein the power receiver intercepts said radio waves and converts said radio waves back into said electrical energy for consumption by the at least one power draining device.

3. The wireless energy network system of claim 2, wherein the power transmitter and the power receiver each include an omnidirectional antenna.

4. The wireless energy network system of claim 2, wherein the power transmitter and the power receiver each include a directional antenna.

5. The wireless energy network system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver use at least one of Bluetooth technology, ANT technology, or ZigBee technology.

6. The wireless energy network system of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy harvesting device includes a harvesting mechanism to harvest electrical energy from the at least one external source by converting different forms of energy into said electrical energy.

7. The wireless energy network system of claim 6, wherein the harvesting mechanism comprises at least one of:

a generator which converts rotational motion into said electrical energy;

a piezoelectric generator which converts mechanical energy into said electrical energy, said piezoelectric generator produces voltage differential when a deformation is detected by the piezoelectric generator;

a thermoelectric generator or a Peltier element, which converts thermal energy into said electrical energy, the thermoelectric generator or the Peltier element being configured to generate power from a temperature difference;

a vibration-powered generator or a piezoelectric element, which converts kinetic energy of shocks and vibrations into said electrical energy;

inductive coils, which generates said electrical energy by moving a magnet through said inductive coils, thereby inducing a current;

or

a device utilizing triboelectric effect to create said electrical energy when two dissimilar materials contact one another.

8. The wireless energy network system of claim 7, wherein the at least one energy harvesting device is a ball, the generator of the harvesting mechanism harnessing kinetic energy from rotation of the ball and converting the kinetic energy into said electrical energy.

9. The wireless energy network system of claim 6, wherein the at least one energy harvesting device includes a first controller configured to control the harvesting mechanism, and in response to the first transceiver receiving the request signal, the first controller transfers the electrical energy from the harvesting mechanism to the power transmitter to be wirelessly transmitted to the at least one power draining device;

and

wherein the at least one power draining device includes a second controller configured to monitor a power status of the at least one power draining device and configured to generate the request signal when the power status meets a threshold requirement.

10. The wireless energy network system of claim 9, wherein the second controller is configured to compile power data of the at least one power draining device and send said power data to the at least one energy harvesting device;

and

wherein the first controller utilizes the power data to prioritize wireless transmission of said electrical energy to one device of said at least one power draining device relative to other devices of said at least one power draining device.

11. The wireless energy network system of claim 10, wherein the power data from the second controller includes an amount of power that said at least one power draining device needs;

and

wherein the first controller compares the amount of power with power data of said at least one energy harvesting device to determine if said at least one energy harvesting device has a quantity of said electrical energy that meets the amount of power needed by said at least one power draining device.

12. The wireless energy network system of claim 9, wherein said first controller includes a regulator to regulate current flow in said at least one energy harvesting device.

13. The wireless energy network system of claim 9, wherein said first controller includes an amplifier to boost a voltage of said electrical energy harvested by the harvesting mechanism before being transmitted to said at least one power draining device.

14. The wireless energy network system of claim 9, wherein said at least one energy harvesting device and said at least one power draining device each include a GPS module to provide position information;

wherein the first controller uses the position information of said at least one power draining device and the position information of said at least one energy harvesting device to calculate a distance and direction from said at least one energy harvesting device to said at least one power draining device; and

wherein the first controller uses the calculated distance and direction to configure the power transmitter.

15. The wireless energy network system of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy harvesting device includes a first battery to store said electrical energy prior to being wirelessly transmitted to the at least one power draining device, and

wherein the at least one power draining device includes a second battery to store said electrical energy after being wirelessly received by the power receiver.

16. The wireless energy network system of claim 1, further comprising at least one intermediate node in the wireless mesh network, the intermediate node interconnecting the at least one energy harvesting device and the at least one power draining device and being configured to relay communications between the at least one energy harvesting device and the at least one power draining device.

17. The wireless energy network system of claim 16, wherein the at least one intermediate node is configured to relay said electrical energy from the power transmitter to the power receiver.

18. A wireless energy network system comprising:

a plurality of energy harvesting devices each configured to harvest electrical energy from at least one external source, each energy harvesting device having a first transceiver for communication, a power transmitter configured to convert said electrical energy into radio waves and wirelessly transmit said radio waves, and a first controller configured to control transfer of said electrical energy to the power transmitter and conversion of said electrical energy;

a plurality of power draining devices each having a second transceiver which is communicatively connected to the first transceivers of the plurality of energy harvesting devices via a wireless mesh network, each power draining device having a power receiver configured to wirelessly receive said electrical energy of one or more of said plurality of energy harvesting devices, each power draining device having a second controller configured to monitor a power status of the power draining device and to generate a request signal when the power status meets a threshold requirement;

one device of said plurality of power draining devices generating said request signal which indicates that said one device requires power to maintain functional operation, the request signal being communicated from said one device over the wireless mesh network and received by one of said plurality of energy harvesting devices;

wherein, upon receiving the request signal, said one of said plurality of energy harvesting devices dynamically allocates said electrical energy to said one device and uses said power transmitter to transmit said electrical energy to said one device.

19. The wireless energy network system of claim 18, wherein said one device receives power from a group of said plurality of energy harvesting devices.

20. The wireless energy network system of claim 18, wherein two or more devices of said plurality of power draining devices generate said request signals, the request signals being communicated from said two or more devices over the wireless mesh network and received by said one of said plurality of energy harvesting devices;

and

wherein said one of said plurality of energy harvesting devices wirelessly transmits said electrical energy to said two or more devices of said plurality of power draining devices.

21. A method of wirelessly transmitting electrical energy over a wireless mesh network having at least one energy harvesting device and at least one power draining device, said method comprising the steps of:

sending power data of said power draining device to said energy harvesting device via a first transceiver of said energy harvesting device and a second transceiver of said power draining device;

using said power data to determine, via a first controller in said energy harvesting device, how much electrical energy said power draining device needs to maintain functional operation;

collecting said electrical energy using a harvesting mechanism in said energy harvesting device, said harvesting mechanism being configured to harvest said electrical energy from an external source by converting different forms of energy into electrical energy;

transferring said electrical energy from said harvesting mechanism to a power transmitter of said energy harvesting device;

transmitting wirelessly said electrical energy using said power transmitter and receiving said electrical energy using a power receiver in said power draining device;

transferring said electrical energy received by said power receiver to a second controller of said power draining device; and

processing, via the second controller, said electrical energy received by said power receiver into form usable by the power draining device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of transmitting wirelessly said electrical energy comprises converting said electrical energy into radio waves and radiating said radio waves via said power transmitter;

and

wherein said step of receiving said electrical energy comprises receiving said radio waves and converting said radio waves back into said electrical energy.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said energy harvesting data is configured to receive power data of multiple power draining devices;

and

wherein said method further comprises the steps of;

using said power data to organize said multiple power draining devices into groups based on power needs of each one of said multiple power draining devices and signal strength of each one of said multiple power draining devices; and

determining, on a basis of said groups, an order in which said energy harvesting device wirelessly transmits said electrical energy to said multiple power draining devices.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said order provides for those of said multiple power draining devices requiring high power emission to have priority in receiving said electrical energy over those of said multiple power draining devices requiring medium power emission or low power emission.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

determining, via said second controller, if said power draining device is fully charged;

sending a confirmation signal to said first controller, said confirmation signal being indicative of said power draining device being fully charged; and

upon receipt of said confirmation signal by said first controller, ending wireless transmission of said electrical energy to said power draining device;

wherein, after ending said wireless transmission, said energy harvesting device is configured to operate as a power draining device.