SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF OBJECT DETECTION IN WIRELESS POWER CHARGING SYSTEMS

• US 20170077765A1
• Filed: 02/25/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: BELL, Douglas, LEABMAN, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,941,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein discloses a wireless charging system configured to generate and transmit power waves that, due to physical waveform characteristics converge at a predetermined location in a transmission field to generate a pocket of energy. Receivers associated with an electronic device being powered by the wireless charging system, may extract energy from these pocket of energy and then convert that energy into usable electric power for the electronic device associated with a receiver. The pocket of energy may manifest as a three-dimensional field (e.g., transmission field) where energy may be harvested by a receiver positioned within or nearby the pocket of energy. Video sensors capture actual video images of fields of view within the transmission field, and a processor identifies selected objects, selected events, and/or selected locations within the captured video images.

Claims

1. A transmitter for wireless power transmission comprising:

an image processor configured to receive image data from a camera and identify a first set of coordinates of an object in the image data with respect to a location of the camera;

an ultrasound processor configured to receive ultrasound data from at least two ultrasound transducers and identify a second set of coordinates of an object in the ultrasound data with respect to a location of the camera;

a decision manager processor configured to determine a distance of the object in the first image data from a location of the transmitter based upon the first set of coordinates to the second set of coordinates; and

a set of antennas configured to transmit a power transmission signal based upon the distance of the object in the first image data.

3. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a video camera, and wherein the first processor is an image processor.

4. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the set of second sensors comprises a set of ultrasound transducers, and wherein the second processor is an ultrasound processor, and wherein the second data comprises ultrasound data.

5. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the third processor is a decision manager processor.

6. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a thermal imaging camera, and the first image data is visually continuous body temperature pixels generated within a transmission field of the transmitter.

7. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the set of ultrasound transducers comprises a first ultrasound transducer that determines a first ultrasound location vector for an ultrasound object within an ultrasound scan region, and a second ultrasound transducer that determines a second ultrasound location vector for the ultrasound object within the ultrasound scan region.

8. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first image data comprises a visual angle of a visual object within a field of view of the first sensor, and wherein the second data comprises an ultrasound angle of an ultrasound object within an ultrasound scan region.

9. The transmitter of claim 8, wherein the third processor compares the visual angle with the ultrasound angle and determines that the visual object corresponds to the ultrasound object.

10. The transmitter of claim 8, wherein a three dimensional location information includes X-Y-Z location coordinates of the visual object that corresponds to the ultrasound object, and wherein the third processor determines the X-Y-Z location coordinates of the visual object that corresponds to the ultrasound object based upon X-Y location coordinates included in the first image data, and a Z location coordinate included the ultrasound data.

2. A transmitter for wireless power transmission comprising:

a first processor configured to receive first image data of a first type from a first sensor and identify a first set of coordinates of an object in the first image data with respect to a location of the first sensor;

a second processor configured to receive second data of a second type from a set of second sensors and identify a second set of coordinates of an object in the second data with respect to a location of the first sensor;

a third processor configured to determine a distance of the object in the first image data from a location of the transmitter based upon the first set of coordinates to the second set of coordinates; and

a set of antennas configured to transmit a power transmission signal based upon the distance of the object in the first image data.

11. A method for wireless power transmission comprising:

receiving, by a first processor, first image data of a first type from a first sensor to identify a first set of coordinates of an object in the first image data with respect to a location of the first sensor;

receiving, by a second processor, second data of a second type from a set of second sensors to identify a second set of coordinates of an object in the second data with respect to a location of the first sensor;

determining, by a third processor a distance of the object in the first image data from a location of the transmitter based upon the first set of coordinates to the second set of coordinates; and

transmitting, by a set of antennas, a power transmission signal based upon the distance of the object in the first image data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first sensor is a video camera, and wherein the first processor is an image processor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of second sensors comprises a set of ultrasound transducers, and wherein the second processor is an ultrasound processor, and wherein the second data comprises ultrasound data.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the third processor is a decision manager processor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first sensor is a thermal imaging camera, and the first image data is visually continuous body temperature pixels generated within a transmission field of the transmitter.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of ultrasound transducers comprises a first ultrasound transducer that determines a first ultrasound location vector for an ultrasound object within an ultrasound scan region, and a second ultrasound transducer that determines a second ultrasound location vector for the ultrasound object within the ultrasound scan region.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first image data comprises a visual angle of a visual object within a field of view of the first sensor, and wherein the second data comprises an ultrasound angle of an ultrasound object within an ultrasound scan region.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the third processor compares the visual angle with the ultrasound angle and determines that the visual object corresponds to the ultrasound object.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a three dimensional location information includes X-Y-Z location coordinates of the visual object that corresponds to the ultrasound object, and wherein the third processor determines the X-Y-Z location coordinates of the visual object that corresponds to the ultrasound object based upon X-Y location coordinates included in the first image data, and a Z location coordinate included the ultrasound data.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the power transmission signal corresponds to radio frequency power waves.