Recharging method and associated apparatus

• US 7,403,803 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Original Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Inventors: Mickle, Marlin H., Capelli, Christopher C., Swift, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Pablo N
• Application Number:
  US10/843,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20040259604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455572-574, 455 411- 412, 455 901- 903, 455/343.1, 455/344, 455/454, 455128-129, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/333, 455/343.5, 455/343.6, 455291-292, 320101-102, 320/124, 320/127, 320137-138, 343701-703, 343/722, 343/720
• US Class Current: 455/573
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus and an associated method for remotely energizing power storage devices. Energization may preferably be effected through the use of RF energy within frequencies of the wireless fidelity standards. The remote station preferably has at least one antenna having an effective area greater than its physical area. The invention may advantageously be used on wireless fidelity products which are energized by the power storage device.

Claims

1. A method of energizing a power storage device comprising

providing a base station and a remote station having at least one antenna for receiving power and a power storage device,

transmitting energy in space from the base station to said remote station,

employing as said at least one antenna an antenna having an effective antenna area greater than its physical area,

employing an LC tank circuit in said antenna to establish said effective area of the antenna greater than said physical area, said LC tank circuit being formed by providing the antenna with specific electrode and interelectrode dimensions and covering the antenna with a film of material having a specific capacitance, thereby causing said LC tank circuit to be formed,

receiving said transmitted energy by said antenna and converting said energy to DC power, and

energizing said power storage device with said DC power.

2. The method of claim 1 including

said power storage device being operatively associated with a hand held wireless fidelity product.

3. The method of claim 1 including

transmitting said energy in a frequency of about 2.4 to 5.0 gigahertz.

4. The method of claim 1 including

said remote station having a width of less than about 12 inches

a length of less than about 12 inches and a thickness of less than about 2 inches.

5. The method of claim 1 including

transmitting said energy in space from said base station to said remote station at frequencies within wireless fidelity standards.

6. The method of claim 1 including

transmitting said energy in space from said base station to said remote station as RF energy within wireless fidelity standards.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein

said remote station includes a wireless fidelity product.

8. The method of claim 1 including

said remote station being a component of a wireless fidelity product.

9. The method of claim 1 including

said remote station being operatively associated with and energizing a wireless fidelity product.

10. The method of claim 1 including

employing as said antenna an antenna formed on an electronic chip.

11. The method of claim 1 including

employing as said remote station a remote station that is printed on a substrate using conductive and insulating portions.

12. The method of claim 1 including

employing as said remote station a monolithic chip assembly which contains said antenna and circuitry employed to effect said energy receipt and conversion.

13. The method of claim 1 including

employing as said remote station a station having printed circuitry and said antenna which is printed on a substrate.

14. The method of claim 11 including

employing as said antenna a conductive antenna printed onto a nonconductive substrate.

15. The method of claim 1 including

employing said method on a power storage device for a hand held wireless fidelity product.

16. The method of claim 1 including said LC tank circuit being formed by an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the antenna.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said antenna.

18. The method of claim 1 including said LC tank circuit being formed by an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the antenna and also by a parasitic capacitance and inductance of a substrate on which the antenna is formed.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said antenna.

20. The method of claim 1 including said LC tank circuit also being formed by a parasitic capacitance and inductance of a chip on which the antenna is formed.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said antenna.

22. The method of claim 20 including said step of employing said LC tank circuit comprising employing an LC tank circuit formed by the parasitic capacitance and inductance of the chip on which the antenna is formed and an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the antenna.

23. The method of claim 1 including said LC tank circuit also being formed by a parasitic capacitance and inductance of a substrate on which the antenna is formed.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said antenna.

25. The method of claim 23 including said step of employing said LC tank circuit comprising employing an LC tank circuit formed by the parasitic capacitance and inductance of the substrate on which the antenna is formed and an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the antenna.

26. Apparatus for remote energizing of power storage devices comprising

a base station for transmitting energy in space,

a remote station having a means for receipt of said transmitted energy and for energizing power storage devices,

said remote station having one or more antennae with at least one antenna having an effective antenna area greater than its physical area, wherein the effective area of the at least one antenna is made greater than its physical area through the use of an LC tank circuit in said at least one antenna, said LC tank circuit being formed by providing the at least one antenna with specific electrode and interelectrode dimensions and covering the at least one antenna with a film of material having a specific capacitance, thereby causing said LC tank circuit to be formed, and

said remote station being structured to convert said transmitted energy into DC power for energizing said power storage devices.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 including

said base station being structured to transmit energy in space to said remote station at frequencies within the wireless fidelity standards.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 including

said base station is structured to transmit energy in space to said remote station in the form of RF falling within wireless fidelity standards.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 including

said remote station includes a wireless fidelity product.

30. The apparatus of claim 26 including

said remote station being a component of a wireless fidelity product.

31. The apparatus of claim 26 including

said remote station being operatively associated with and structured to energize a power storage device of a wireless fidelity product.

32. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein

the remote station having an electronic chip on which said at least one antenna is formed.

33. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein

the remote station is printed on a substrate using conductive and insulating compositions.

34. The apparatus of claim 26 including

said remote station having a monolithic chip assembly which contains said at least one antenna and circuitry employed to effect said energy receipt and conversion.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 including

said remote station having said circuitry and said at least one antenna printed on a substrate.

36. The apparatus of claim 26 including

said power storage devices including a power source for a hand held wireless fidelity product.

37. The apparatus of claim 26 including said LC tank circuit being formed by an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the at least one antenna.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said at least one antenna.

39. The apparatus of claim 26 including said LC tank circuit being formed by an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the at least one antenna and also by a parasitic capacitance and inductance of a substrate on which the at least one antenna is formed.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said at least one antenna.

41. The apparatus of claim 26 including said LC tank circuit also being formed by a parasitic capacitance and inductance of a chip on which the at least one antenna is formed.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said at least one antenna.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 including said LC tank circuit being formed by the parasitic capacitance and inductance of the chip on which the at least one antenna is formed and an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the at least one antenna.

44. The apparatus of claim 26 including said LC tank circuit also being formed by a parasitic capacitance and inductance of a substrate on which the at least one antenna is formed.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said LC tank circuit is formed without any additional discrete circuitry being electrically connected to said at least one antenna.

46. The apparatus of claim 44 including said LC tank circuit being formed by the parasitic capacitance and inductance of the substrate on which the at least one antenna is formed and an inter-electrode capacitance and inductance of the at least one antenna.

47. A method of energizing a power storage device comprising

providing a base station and a remote station having at least one antenna for receiving power and a power storage device,

transmitting energy in space from the base station to said remote station,

employing as said at least one antenna an antenna having an effective antenna area greater than its physical area,

employing an LC tank circuit in said antenna to establish said effective area of the antenna greater than said physical area, said LC tank circuit being formed by providing the antenna with specific electrode and interelectrode dimensions and depositing the antenna on a substrate having a specific capacitance, thereby causing said LC tank circuit to be formed,

receiving said transmitted energy by said antenna and converting said energy to DC power, and

energizing said power storage device with said DC power.

48. Apparatus for remote energizing of power storage devices comprising

a base station for transmitting energy in space,

a remote station having a means for receipt of said transmitted energy and for energizing power storage devices,

said remote station having one or more antennae with at least one antenna having an effective antenna area greater than its physical area, wherein the effective area of the at least one antenna is made greater than its physical area through the use of an LC tank circuit in said at least one antenna, said LC tank circuit being formed by providing the at least one antenna with specific electrode and interelectrode dimensions and depositing the at least one antenna on a substrate having a specific capacitance, thereby causing said LC tank circuit to be formed, and

said remote station being structured to convert said transmitted energy into DC power for energizing said power storage devices.