SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR NULLIFYING ENERGY LEVELS FOR WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION WAVES

• US 20170085127A1
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,135,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein may generate and transmit power waves that, as result of their physical waveform characteristics (e.g., frequency, amplitude, phase, gain, direction), 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 pockets of energy and then convert that energy into usable electric power for the electronic device associated with a receiver. The pockets 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.

Claims

1. A method for wireless power transmission, the method comprising:

receiving, by a transmitter, location data about a location associated with one or more objects within a transmission field of the transmitter;

transmitting, by the transmitter, one or more power waves to converge to form a pocket of energy at a location of an electronic device; and

transmitting, by the transmitter, one or more power waves to converge destructively to form a null space at the location of the one or more objects.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, receiving by the transmitter, from a sensor device, the location data about the location associated with the one or more objects, wherein the sensor device comprises one or more types of sensors.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sensor device is externally located outside of the transmitter and electronically sends the location data to the transmitter, and wherein the sensor device comprises one or more types of sensors.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sensor device comprises a millimeter wave sensor, and wherein the millimeter wave sensor is configured to send the exact location of a receiver to the transmitter.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sensor device comprises a proximity sensor configured to send the location data of the one or more objects within a maximum permissible exposure level (MPE) area of a transmission field.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the transmitter, location of a receiver based on heat mapping data; and

generating, by the transmitter, the null space proximate to the location of the receiver.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising,

receiving, by the transmitter, a location of a receiver from an internal or external sensor device;

and

generating, by the transmitter, the null space proximate to the location of the receiver.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the null space comprises a space where a pocket of energy by the one or more power waves does not form.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using, by the transmitter, the generated null space to cancel a pocket of energy in a certain direction or dimension.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated null space is cancelled when the one or more objects moved outside a pre-defined distance from the transmission field.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intensity of the one or more power waves is approximately five thousand times less at the generated null space in relation to pocket of energy zone.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a subset of the one or more antennas of antenna array generate a null in the transmission field.

13. A system for wireless power transmission, the system comprising:

one or more transmitters, each of the one or more transmitters comprising one or more antenna arrays, each of the one or more antenna arrays comprising one or more antennas to transmit one or more power waves to generate a null space at a location based on received location data that the location of one or more objects is within a transmission field of the one or more transmitters.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a sensor device configured to determine the location associated with the one or more objects is within the transmission field.

15. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a sensor device configured to determine the location data associated with the one or more objects in a pre-defined distance from the transmitter, receiver, or the one or more power waves travelling between the transmitter and the receiver.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more antenna arrays comprises a first antenna array and a second antenna array, and wherein the first antenna array is configured to create a pocket of energy and the second antenna array is configured to create the null space.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more antenna arrays comprises a first antenna array and a second antenna array, and wherein the first antenna array and the second antenna array is configured to create both a pocket of energy and the null space.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more transmitters receive a location of a receiver based on heat mapping data, and generate the null space proximate to the location of the receiver.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more transmitters receive location of a receiver from an internal or external sensor device, and generate the null space proximate to the location of the receiver.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more transmitters select a size and a depth of a pocket of energy formed at one or more receivers based on the location data of the one or more objects received.