NETWORK PROTOCOL FOR WIFI CHARGING

• US 20180034303A1
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dow, Eli M., Fitzsimmons, Thomas D., Yu, Jessie
• Granted Patent: US 10,044,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Embodiments include methods, systems, and computer program products of a Wi-Fi charging system. An example Wi-Fi charging system includes a plurality of chargeable devices (CD) configured to be charged wirelessly. The plurality of chargeable devices is grouped into a fully charged group, and a need-charging group according to a charging status of each of the plurality of chargeable devices respectively. The Wi-Fi charging system also includes at least one access point (AP) that wirelessly charges the chargeable devices using a Wi-Fi communication network. The access point uses a first AP channel to transmit a plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices in the fully charged group, and a second AP channel to transmit a plurality of data packets and a plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices in the need-charging group

Claims

1. A method of charging a device over a Wi-Fi network, the method comprising:

detecting, by a device detection module of a first access point (AP), a plurality of chargeable devices (CD) and at least one AP present in the Wi-Fi network;

retrieving, by an AP and CD management module of the first AP through a battery management module of each of the plurality of chargeable devices detected, charging status of each of the plurality of chargeable devices detected;

grouping, by the AP and CD management module of the first AP, each of the plurality of chargeable devices detected into a fully charged group and a need-charging group according to a corresponding charging status of the chargeable devices;

creating, by the first AP, a first AP channel for transmitting a plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices in the fully charged group, and creating a second AP channel for transmitting a plurality of data packets and a plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices in the need-charging group, when no additional access point is detected;

creating, by the first AP, a first AP group for transmitting the plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices in the fully charged group, and a second AP group for transmitting the plurality of data packets and the plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices in the need-charging group, in response to one or more additional access points being detected; and

directing, by a transmission management module of the first AP, the plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices through the first AP channel or the first AP group, and the plurality of data packets and the plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices through the second AP channel or the second AP group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the AP comprises:

a processor configured to perform a plurality of operations of the AP;

a memory storing an operating system and computer executable instructions for the processor;

a network interface module configured to provide network data access to the AP and manage packets transmission of the AP among the APs and the CDs within the Wi-Fi network;

the device detection module;

the access point (AP) and chargeable device (CD) management module; and

a transmission management module configured to deliver the plurality of data packets, a plurality of transmission management packets, and the plurality of charging packets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the chargeable device is a device from a group of devices consisting of:

a mobile phone;

a smartphone;

a smart thermostat;

a sensor;

a Wi-Fi camera;

a router;

a biochip transponder;

a combination thereof, and

wherein the chargeable device comprises a rechargeable battery.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the chargeable device (CD) comprises:

a processor configured to perform a plurality of operations of the CD;

a memory storing an operating system and computer executable instructions for the processor;

a network communication module configured to provide network data access to the CD;

a transmission management module configured to manage packet transmission of the CD;

a battery management module configured to report the charging status of the CD; and

a network interface module configured to receive the plurality of data packets, the plurality of transmission management packets, and the plurality of charging packets.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising halting the transmission of the plurality of charging packets until the plurality of data packets is delivered to the chargeable device when a plurality of data packets is being delivered to a chargeable device in the need-charging group through the second AP channel or the second AP group.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, transmitting the plurality of charging packets to the chargeable device through the second AP channel or the second AP group when the chargeable device in the need-charging group is an idle state of no data packet transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to detecting more than one access points in the Wi-Fi network, selecting another access point from the detected access points as the first AP.

8. A Wi-Fi charging system, comprising:

a plurality of chargeable devices (CD) configured to be charged wirelessly, wherein the chargeable devices are grouped into a fully charged group, and a need-charging group according to a charging status of each of the plurality of chargeable devices respectively; and

at least one access point (AP) that wirelessly charges the chargeable devices using a Wi-Fi communication network, wherein the access point uses a first AP channel to transmit a plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices in the fully charged group, and a second AP channel to transmit a plurality of data packets and a plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices in the need-charging group.

9. The Wi-Fi charging system of claim 8, wherein, in response to two or more access points being present in the Wi-Fi communication network, the access points are divided into a first AP group to transmit the plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices in the fully charged group, and a second AP group to transmit the plurality of data packets and the plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices in the need-charging group.

10. The Wi-Fi charging system of claim 9, wherein when a plurality of data packets is to be delivered to a chargeable device in the need-charging group through the second AP channel or the second AP group, transmission of the plurality of charging packets is halted until the plurality of data packets is delivered to the chargeable device, and wherein when the chargeable device is idle with no data packet transmission, the plurality of charging packets is to be transmitted in full strength to each of the chargeable devices in the need-charging group through the second AP channel or the second AP group.

11. The Wi-Fi charging system of claim 8, wherein the AP comprises:

a processor;

a memory;

a network interface module configured to provide network data access to the AP;

a device detection module configured to detect the access points and any chargeable devices within the Wi-Fi communication network;

an access point (AP) and chargeable device (CD) management module configured to receive a charging status of the plurality of chargeable devices; and

a transmission management module configured to deliver the plurality of data packets, a plurality of transmission management packets, and the plurality of charging packets to the plurality of chargeable devices.

12. The Wi-Fi charging system of claim 8, wherein the chargeable device is a device from a group of devices consisting of:

a mobile phone;

a smartphone;

a smart thermostat;

a sensor;

a Wi-Fi camera;

a router;

a biochip transponder;

any combinations thereof, and

wherein the chargeable devices comprises a rechargeable battery.

13. The Wi-Fi charging system of claim 9, wherein the chargeable device (CD) comprises:

a processor;

a memory;

a network communication module configured to provide network data access to the CD;

a transmission management module configured to manage packets transmission of the CD;

a battery management module configured to report the charging status of the CD; and

a network interface module configured to receive the plurality of data packets, a plurality of transmission management packets, and the plurality of charging packets.

14. A computer program product operable on a first access point (AP) capable of wirelessly charging a chargeable device over a Wi-Fi communication network, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer storage medium storing an operating system, and computer executable instructions for execution by a processor of the first AP to perform a method for Wi-Fi charging, the method comprising:

detecting, by a device detection module of a first access point (AP), a plurality of chargeable devices (CD) and at least one AP present in the Wi-Fi network;

retrieving, by an AP and CD management module of the first AP through a battery management module of each of the plurality of chargeable devices detected, charging status of each of the plurality of chargeable devices detected;

grouping, by the AP and CD management module of the first AP, each of the plurality of chargeable devices detected into a fully charged group and a need-charging group according to a corresponding charging status of the chargeable devices;

creating, by the first AP, a first AP channel for transmitting a plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices in the fully charged group, and creating a second AP channel for transmitting a plurality of data packets and a plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices in the need-charging group, when no additional access point is detected;

creating, by the first AP, a first AP group for transmitting the plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices in the fully charged group, and a second AP group for transmitting the plurality of data packets and the plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices in the need-charging group, in response to one or more additional access points being detected; and

directing, by a transmission management module of the first AP, the plurality of data packets to the chargeable devices through the first AP channel or the first AP group, and the plurality of data packets and the plurality of charging packets to the chargeable devices through the second AP channel or the second AP group.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the chargeable device is a device from a group consisting of:

a mobile phone;

a smartphone;

a smart thermostat;

a sensor;

a Wi-Fi camera;

a router;

a biochip transponder; and

any combinations thereof,

wherein the chargeable device comprises a rechargeable battery.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the AP comprises:

a processor;

a memory;

a network interface module configured to provide network data access to the AP;

the device detection module configured to detect any access points and any chargeable devices within the Wi-Fi communication network;

the access point (AP) and chargeable device (CD) management module configured to receive charging status of the one or more chargeable devices; and

a transmission management module configured to deliver the plurality of data packets, a plurality of transmission management packets, and the plurality of charging packets to the one or more chargeable devices via the Wi-Fi communication network.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the chargeable device (CD) comprises:

a processor;

a memory;

a network communication module configured to provide network data access to the CD;

a transmission management module configured to manage packets transmission of the CD;

a battery management module configured to report the charging status of the CD; and

a network interface module configured to receive the plurality of data packets, a plurality of transmission management packets, and the plurality of charging packets.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises halting the transmission of the plurality of charging packets until the plurality of data packets is delivered to a chargeable device in the need-charging group in response to a plurality of data packets being delivered to the chargeable device through the second AP channel or the second AP group.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises transmitting the plurality of charging packets to the chargeable device through the second AP channel or the second AP group in response to the chargeable device in the need-charging group being in an idle with no data packet transmission.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises, in response to detecting more than one access points in the Wi-Fi communication network, selecting a first AP from the detected access points.