Method and apparatus for enhancing the power efficiency of wireless communication devices

• US 9,538,469 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marcellus Chen
• Original Assignee: Marcellus Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Marcellus
• Primary Examiner(s): Elallam, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US14/331,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and system for enhancing the power efficiency of a first wireless device that includes an energy receiver. In one implementation, the method includes receiving a transmitted signal at the first wireless device, converting the transmitted signal into power through the energy receiver, and providing the power to the first wireless device.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing the power efficiency of a first wireless device, the first wireless device including an energy receiver, the method comprising:

receiving a transmitted signal at the first wireless device;

converting the transmitted signal into power through the energy receiver; and

providing the power to a component of the first wireless device,

wherein a frequency of the energy receiver is set to substantially one of a transmission frequency of a transmitter of the first wireless device, a transmission frequency range center of a wireless communication standard, or a transmission frequency of a transmitter of a second wireless device obtained from information transmitted by the second wireless device to the first wireless device, and

wherein the frequency of the energy receiver is set to match the transmission frequency range center of the wireless communication standard in response to determining that the transmitter of the first wireless device is not active.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calibrating the energy receiver via calibration control signals to maximize the power.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the energy receiver is set to match the transmission frequency of the transmitter of a second wireless device in response to determining that a transmitter signal power of the transmitter of the second wireless device is greater than a transmitter signal power of the transmitter of the first wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication standard is one of GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, Bluetooth, and IEEE 802.11.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal is a signal transmitted from another wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal is a signal transmitted from the second wireless device, and wherein the second wireless device communicates in accordance with a different wireless communication standard than the first wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the transmitted signal into power includes converting AC power associated with a time variant signal into DC power through an AC to DC converter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless device is one of a cellular phone, a wireless headset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop or desktop computer, a router, or a key fob.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first wireless device further includes an electrical shield to absorb electromagnetic interference (EMI); and

the method further includes converting the EMI absorbed through the electrical shield into power through the energy receiver.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is one of a touch pad, a light, a display screen, a digital signal processor, a receiver, a transmitter, or a battery.

11. A wireless device comprising:

at least one of an antenna and an electrical shield to receive a transmitted signal;

an energy receiver to convert the transmitted signal into power and provide the power to a component of the wireless device; and

a control circuit to set a frequency of the energy receiver to substantially one of a transmission frequency of a transmitter of the wireless device, a transmission frequency range center of a wireless communication standard, or a transmission frequency of a transmitter of an other wireless device obtained from information transmitted by the other wireless device to the wireless device,

wherein the control circuit sets the frequency of the energy receiver to match the transmission frequency of the transmitter of the other wireless device in response to determining that a transmitter signal power of the transmitter of the other wireless device is greater than a transmitter signal power of the transmitter of the wireless device.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the control circuit further calibrates the energy receiver via calibration control signals to maximize the power.

13. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication standard is one of GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, Bluetooth, and IEEE 802.11.

14. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the transmitted signal is a signal transmitted from the other wireless device.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the wireless device communicates in accordance with a different wireless communication standard than the other wireless device.

16. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein converting the transmitted signal into power includes converting AC power associated with a time variant signal into DC power through an AC to DC converter.

17. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the wireless device is one of a cellular phone, a wireless headset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop or desktop computer, a router, or a key fob.

18. A wireless device comprising:

at least one of an antenna and an electrical shield to receive a transmitted signal;

an energy receiver to convert the transmitted signal into power and provide the power to a component of the wireless device; and

a control circuit to set a frequency of the energy receiver to substantially one of a transmission frequency of a transmitter of the wireless device, a transmission frequency range center of a wireless communication standard, or a transmission frequency of a transmitter of an other wireless device obtained from information transmitted by the other wireless device to the wireless device,

wherein the control circuit sets the frequency of the energy receiver to match the transmission frequency range center of the wireless communication standard in response to determining that the transmitter of the wireless device is not active.

19. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the wireless communication standard is one of GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, Bluetooth, and IEEE 802.11.

20. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the wireless device is one of a cellular phone, a wireless headset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop or desktop computer, a router, or a key fob.