Coordinated wireless communication and power delivery

• US 9,408,155 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rajakarunanayake, Yasantha
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US14/872,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 455/573, 370/318
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/288 taking into account the usage mode, e.g. hands-free, data transmission, telephone
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method, apparatus, and system for managing wireless communications between wireless devices, including providing radiative power delivery to the wireless devices. The wireless devices may include a communication transceiver to wireless communicate with other wireless devices and a radiative power harvester to receive radiative power transmissions from the other wireless devices. The wireless devices may also include a switching unit to selectively provide a connection to the communication transceiver and the wireless power harvester based on the mode of operation of the wireless devices.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising

a communication transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit and/or receive communications to and/or from at least one other wireless communication device;

and

a controller, coupled to the communication transceiver, configured to;

control entry of the wireless communication device into a communication mode and a wireless power transfer (WPT) mode based on a predetermined sequence,

determine, based on a current charge of a battery, a frequency and a duration that the wireless communication device should operate in the WPT mode, and

adjust the predetermined sequence based on the determined frequency and duration that the wireless communication device should operate in the WPT mode.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit and/or receive the communications to and/or from the at least one other wireless communication device via an antenna during the communication mode.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2, further comprising:

a radiative power harvester configured to;

receive radiative power transmissions from the at least one other wireless communication device via the antenna during the WPT mode, and

convert the received radiative power transmissions to a charge, the charge capable of charging the battery.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3, further comprising:

a switching unit configured to selectively connect the antenna to one of the communication transceiver or the radiative power harvester.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the switching unit connects the antenna to the communication transceiver during the communication mode and connects the antenna to the radiative power harvester during the WPT mode.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the selective connection of the antenna to the communication transceiver or the radiative power harvester by the switching unit.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the predetermined sequence establishes a transmission power at which the radiative power transmissions are transmitted.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the communications transmitted from the wireless communication device to the at least one other wireless communication device include a notification indicative of entry into the WPT mode by the wireless communication device, wherein the notification includes at least one time of entry into the WPT mode and at least one corresponding duration of operation in the WPT mode.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine the frequency and the duration that the wireless communication device should operate in the WPT mode based on the current charge of the battery and an operating condition of the wireless communication device.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine the frequency and the duration that the wireless communication device should operate in the WPT mode based on the current charge of the battery and a plurality of operating conditions of the wireless communication device, wherein the plurality of operating conditions of the wireless communication device include a quality of service (QoS) of the wireless communication device and remaining ampere-hours (Ah) of the battery.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

adjust the predetermined sequence in response to detecting a change in a connectivity status of an alternative power source.

12. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a switching unit configured to selectively connect an antenna to one of a communication transceiver or a radiative power harvester; and

a controller, coupled to the switching unit, configured to;

determine, based on a current charge of a battery, a frequency and a duration that the wireless communication device should operate in a wireless power transfer (WPT) mode, and

adjust a rate at which a switching unit selectively connects the antenna based on the determined duration that the wireless communication device should operate in the WPT mode.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein:

the communication transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit and/or receive communications to and/or from a second wireless communication device via the antenna during a communication mode.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 13, wherein the switching unit connects the antenna to the communication transceiver during the communication mode and connects the antenna to the radiative power harvester during the WPT mode.

15. A method, to wirelessly receive power at a first wireless communication device from a second wireless communication device, the method comprising:

negotiating with the second wireless communication device to establish a wireless power transfer (WPT) sequence in which the first and second wireless communication devices operate in a WPT mode;

determining, at the first wireless communication device, a frequency and a duration that the first wireless communication device should operate in the WPT mode based on a current charge of a battery; and

adjusting, at the first wireless communication device, the WPT sequence based on the determined duration that the first wireless communication device should operate in the WPT mode.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

switching from a communication mode to the WPT mode based on the WPT sequence.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the switching from the communication mode to the WPT mode comprises:

disconnecting an antenna connected to a communication transceiver of the first wireless communication device; and

connecting the antenna to a radiative power harvester of the first wireless communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, by the radiative power harvester, a transmission from the second wireless communication device;

converting, by the radiative power harvester, the received transmission to a charge; and

storing the charge converted from the received transmission in the battery.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of:

the transmission received by the radiative power harvester is transmitted at a first frequency and a transmission received by the communication transceiver is transmitted at a second frequency different from the first frequency; and

the transmission received by the radiative power harvester is transmitted at a first transmission power and the transmission received by the communication transceiver is transmitted at a second transmission power different from the first transmission power.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the WPT sequence includes at least one of:

a transmission output power of a transmission to be received by the first wireless communication device;

a transmission frequency of the transmission to be received by the first wireless communication device; and

at least one time period in which the first and second wireless communication devices are to operate in the WPT mode.