INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FOR TRANSMITTING WIRELESS POWER, RECEIVING WIRELESS POWER, AND/OR COMMUNICATING WIRELESSLY

• US 20170141621A1
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Inventors: Shylendra, Prithvi, Johnson, Anthony L., Williams, Douglas Wayne, Mayes, Dale, Zeine, Hatem
• Granted Patent: US 11,031,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

The disclosed technology relates to wireless communication and wireless power transmission. In some implementations, the disclosed technology is directed to an integrated circuit having a transmitter that transmits radio frequency (RF) based wireless power and receives signals for detecting the location of a client device. The disclosed technology is also directed to an integrated circuit for a client device that receives power from the transmitter and transmits beacon signals, which the transmitter can use to locate the client device.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit configured to receive radio frequency (RF) wireless power, the integrated circuit comprising:

multiple antenna ports configured to receive RF wireless power,

wherein at least one of the multiple antenna ports is further configured to transmit a beacon signal to a wireless power transmitter, and

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit RF wireless power using multiple open paths from the transmitter to the integrated circuit;

a beacon signal unit configured to transmit the beacon signal to the transmitter to thereby permit the transmitter to determine an identity and location of the integrated circuit,

wherein the beacon signal unit is configured to transmit the beacon signal according to a beacon signaling schedule, and

wherein the beacon signaling schedule is partially based on a time slot when the transmitter is to send wireless RF power to the integrated circuit;

a detection unit, for each of the multiple antenna ports, configured to detect received RF wireless power;

a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) unit electronically coupled to the detection unit;

a rectifying unit, for each of the multiple antenna ports, configured to convert received RF wireless power to direct current (DC) power and to output the DC power to an external device or battery; and

a control unit configured to switch the integrated circuit between rectifying RF power and transmitting a beacon signal,

wherein the control unit is configured to send a predetermined voltage to a switch configured to cause at least one of the multiple antenna ports to switch from transmitting the beacon signal to receiving wireless RF power.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, the integrated circuit further comprising:

a buck-boost converter or flyback converter unit,

wherein the buck-boost converter or flyback converter unit is physically and electrically coupled to the MPPT unit,

wherein the MPPT unit is configured to communicate with the buck-boost converter or flyback converter unit to cause the buck-boost converter or flyback converter unit to modify a charging voltage for a client device physically coupled to the integrated circuit, and

wherein modifying the charging voltage is partially based on detected RF wireless power values.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1, the integrated circuit further comprising:

a temperature sensor physically coupled to the integrated circuit and configured to sense temperature information of the integrated circuit and send the sensed temperature information to a processor physically coupled to the integrated circuit,

wherein the processor is configured to stop or partially prevent the integrated circuit from converting RF wireless power to DC power based on determining that the sensed temperature information exceeds a threshold value.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1, the integrated circuit further comprising:

a memory unit physically coupled to the integrated circuit,

wherein the memory stores instructions for implementing a cold start algorithm,

wherein the cold start algorithm enables a client device physically coupled to the integrated circuit to operate in a low power mode until a sufficient amount of power is available, and

wherein a sufficient amount of power is based on operating power of the client device.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1, the integrated circuit further comprising:

a communication unit configured to filter data from received RF wireless power.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is physically and electrically coupled to at least one of the following:

a ZigBee chip;

an 802.11abgn Wi-Fi chip;

or

a Bluetooth communications chip.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is incorporated into a:

smartphone,

laptop computer,

tablet computer,

display device,

battery,

wearable device, or

game controller.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 1,

wherein the integrated circuit operates in a range of 2.4 to 2.48 GHz or 5.72 to 5.87 GHz, and

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to concurrently receive the RF wireless power and transmit the beacon signal.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the multiple antenna ports, detection unit, rectifying unit, beacon signal unit, and control unit are monolithically integrated.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is directly coupled to a battery of a client device or physically and electrically coupled to a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) of the client device.

11. An apparatus for supplying power to a client device, the apparatus comprising:

multiple antenna ports, for connection to multiple antennas, and configured to receive wireless power, and configured to transmit a beacon signal to a wireless power transmitter,

wherein the beacon signal includes a calibration signal,

wherein the calibration signal is received by the transmitter and in response provides a waveform for transmitting radio frequency (RF) wireless power to the client device, and

wherein the transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit RF power using multiple, differing paths from the transmitter to the client device;

a detection circuit for each of the multiple antennas, configured to detect power wirelessly received from the transmitter;

a rectifying circuit for each of the multiple antennas and configured to convert the received wireless RF power to direct current (DC) power;

a communication circuit configured to filter data from the received wireless power;

a beacon signal circuit configured to transmit the beacon signal to the transmitter to thereby permit the transmitter to determine an identity and location of the client device; and

a processor coupled to the detection circuit and the communication circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the apparatus further comprising:

a power storage unit, coupled to the rectifying circuit, and receiving the DC power; and

a buck-boost converter or flyback converter circuit configured to electrically communicate with the power storage unit,

wherein the buck-boost converter or the flyback converter circuit is electrically coupled to the MPPT circuit,

wherein the MPPT circuit is configured to communicate with the buck-boost converter or the flyback converter circuit to cause the buck-boost converter or the flyback converter circuit to modify a charging voltage for the apparatus, and

wherein modifying the charging voltage is partially based on detected RF wireless power values.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor receives detected power level information from the detection circuit and analyzes the information to determine which of the two or more antennas are receiving power, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a maximum power point (MPPT) tracking circuit electronically coupled to the detection unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the apparatus further comprising:

a memory unit configured to store strength signal indicator values associated with received RF wireless power, and maximum power point (MPP) values associated with converting RF wireless power to DC power,

wherein the processor is configured to access the memory unit and transmit the stored values to a networked device or network.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, the apparatus further comprising:

a buck-boost converter circuit to provide the client with approximately constant voltage/current; and

a switch configured to switch at least one of the multiple antennas from transmitting the beacon signal to receiving RF power,

wherein the switch is configured to receive a predetermined voltage signal that causes the switch to switch the at least one of the multiple antennas from transmitting the beacon signal to receiving RF power.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, the apparatus further comprising:

at least three additional rectifying circuits;

a buck-boost converter circuit; and

at least four maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuits electronically coupled to the rectifying circuit, the at least three additional rectifying circuits, and the buck-boost converter circuit,

wherein the three additional rectifying circuits, the buck-boost converter circuit, and the at least four MPPT circuits are monolithically integrated.

17. A method for receiving wireless power at a client device, the method comprising:

at a client device, transmitting, from at least one of multiple antennas of the client device, a beacon signal,

wherein the beacon signal includes a calibration signal,

wherein a wireless power transmitter employs the calibration signal, part, to generate a waveform for transmitting radio frequency (RF) wireless power to the client device, and

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit RF wireless power using multiple differing and reflecting paths from the transmitter to the client device;

at the client device, receiving, via the multiple antennas, RF wireless power;

at the client device, converting the received RF wireless power to direct current (DC) power to power the client device; and

,

at the client device, monitoring received power and modifying an operating voltage of the client device based on the monitored power.

18. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

determining the client device has limited available battery power;

in response to determining the client device has limited available battery power, implementing a cold start algorithm,

wherein the cold start algorithm causes the client device to turn off or operate in a low power consumption mode until the client device determines the battery has sufficient power to operate the client device.

19. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

determining a first antenna of the multiple antennas is receiving more power than another antenna of the multiple antennas, and

in response to determining the first antenna is receiving more power than the second antenna, switching the second antenna to receiving communication data or stopping conversion of RF wireless power received from the second antenna, and

at the client device, switching at least one of the multiple antennas from receiving wireless RF power to transmitting a beacon signal.

20. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

sending received RF wireless power values associated with the multiple antennas to a cloud storage device.