Parasitic devices for wireless power transfer

• US 9,013,141 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cook, Nigel P., Sieber, Lukas, Widmer, Hanspeter
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US12/756,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/113, 320/115, 320/137, 307/104
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/005 Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A method may include wirelessly receiving power from a near field in a first near field coupling mode region with at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing having a chargeable device positioned therein. The method may further include generating an enhanced near field from the near field with the at least one parasitic antenna and wirelessly receiving power from the enhanced near field at an at least one receive antenna coupled to the chargeable device.

Claims

1. A device configured to wirelessly relay power, the device comprising:

a housing comprising a sleeve or case configured to receive a chargeable electronic device; and

a repeater antenna coupled to the housing, at least a portion of the repeater antenna positioned within the housing, the repeater antenna configured to receive charging power from a first coupling mode region generated by a transmit antenna and configured to generate a second coupling mode region for coupling the received charging power to a receive antenna of the chargeable electronic device to power or charge the chargeable electronic device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeater antenna is displaceable relative to the housing.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a non-conductive material.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the non-conductive material comprises at least one of plastic or rubber.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one of a cover, a shell, or a cage.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeater antenna comprises at least one of a capacitively loaded coil or a capacitively loaded multi-turn coil.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the chargeable electronic device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, or a camera.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to fit at least partially around the chargeable electronic device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one access opening configured to enable a device user to access at least one of an input device or an output device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeater antenna is configured to at least one of refocus an associated near field coupling mode region to generate a second near field coupling mode region around the repeater antenna or reshape the associated near field coupling mode region to generate the second near field coupling mode region around the repeater antenna.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmit antenna is configured for a loosely coupled regime.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeater antenna is configured to be positioned less than 10 centimeters from the receive antenna.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeater antenna includes a portion thereof extending beyond an outer edge of the housing.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the receive antenna is configured for a strongly coupled regime.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeater antenna is configured to enhance a near field coupling region.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeater antenna is configured to increase an amount of power received by the receive antenna from the transmit antenna.

17. A method for wirelessly relaying power, comprising:

wirelessly receiving charging power from a first coupling mode region generated by a transmit antenna at a repeater antenna coupled to a housing comprising a sleeve or a case configured to receive a chargeable electronic device, at least a portion of the repeater antenna positioned within the housing;

generating a second coupling mode region via the repeater antenna; and

wirelessly coupling the charging power to a receive antenna of the chargeable electronic device via the second coupling mode region to charge or power the chargeable electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the repeater antenna is displaceable relative to the housing.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein wirelessly receiving power comprises wirelessly receiving power at the repeater antenna coupled to the housing comprising a non-conductive material.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein wirelessly receiving power comprises wirelessly receiving power at the repeater antenna coupled to the housing comprising at least one of a rubber material or a plastic material.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein wirelessly receiving power comprises wirelessly receiving power at the repeater antenna coupled to the housing comprising at least one of a cover, a shell, a sheath, or a cage.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein wirelessly receiving power comprises wirelessly receiving power at the repeater antenna comprising at least one of a capacitively loaded coil or a capacitively loaded multi-turn coil.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the chargeable electronic device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, or a camera.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the repeater antenna is configured to at least one of refocus a near field coupling mode region from the transmit antenna to generate a second near field coupling mode region around the repeater antenna or reshape the near field coupling mode region from the transmit antenna to generate the second near field coupling mode region around the repeater antenna.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein wirelessly receiving power comprises wirelessly receiving power from the transmit antenna configured for a loosely coupled regime.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein wirelessly relaying the wirelessly received power comprises wirelessly relaying the wirelessly received power to the receive antenna configured for a strongly coupled regime.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising enhancing a near field coupling region using the repeater antenna.

28. The method of claim 17, further comprising increasing an amount of power received by the receive antenna from the transmit antenna using the repeater antenna.

29. A device that facilitates charging a chargeable electronic device, the device comprising:

means for selectively encasing a chargeable electronic device; and

means for wirelessly receiving charging power from a first coupling mode region generated by a transmit antenna, the receiving means configured to generate a second coupling mode region for coupling the received charging power to a receive antenna of the chargeable electronic device to power or charge the chargeable electronic device, the receiving means being coupled to the encasing means, at least a portion of the receiving means positioned within the encasing means.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the receiving means comprises a repeater antenna.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the encasing means comprises a housing comprising a sleeve or a case.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the receiving means is displaceable relative to the encasing means.

33. The device of claim 29, wherein the encasing means comprises a non-conductive material.

34. The device of claim 29, wherein the receiving means comprises at least one of a capacitively loaded coil or a capacitively loaded multi-turn coil.

35. The device of claim 29, wherein the encasing means comprises means for providing access to a user to at least one of an input device or an output device.

36. The device of claim 29, wherein the transmit antenna is configured for a loosely coupled regime.

37. The device of claim 29, wherein the receive antenna is configured for a strongly coupled regime.

38. The device of claim 29, wherein the receivng means includes a portion thereof extending beyond an outer edge of the encasing means.

39. The device of claim 29, wherein the receiving means is configured to enhance a near field coupling region of the transmit antenna.

40. The device of claim 29, wherein the receiving means is configured to increase an amount of power received by the receive antenna from the transmit antenna.