Wireless power transmission
First Claim
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1. A method for wireless power transmission between a plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure and a wireless transmission device comprising a piezoelectric generator attached to said structure, said piezoelectric generator being arranged to generate vibrations in said structure, said method comprising the steps of:
- controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at a first test generation frequency to power the plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices;
receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a first plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response messages in the first plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective piezoelectric harvesting device in the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in said structure at the first test generation frequency generated by said piezoelectric generator;
controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at a second test generation frequency to power the plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices, the second test generation frequency being different to the first test generation frequency;
receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a second plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response message in the second plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective piezoelectric harvesting device in the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in said structure at the second test generation frequency generated by said piezoelectric generator;
selecting a generation frequency from one of said first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency based on said first plurality of response messages and said second plurality of response messages, and in accordance with a predetermined formula applied to the first plurality of response messages and the second plurality of response messages; and
controlling said piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at said generation frequency.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus and software are disclosed for wireless power transmission in which the power transmission frequency is optimised.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for wireless power transmission between a plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure and a wireless transmission device comprising a piezoelectric generator attached to said structure, said piezoelectric generator being arranged to generate vibrations in said structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at a first test generation frequency to power the plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a first plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response messages in the first plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective piezoelectric harvesting device in the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in said structure at the first test generation frequency generated by said piezoelectric generator; controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at a second test generation frequency to power the plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices, the second test generation frequency being different to the first test generation frequency; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a second plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response message in the second plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective piezoelectric harvesting device in the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in said structure at the second test generation frequency generated by said piezoelectric generator; selecting a generation frequency from one of said first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency based on said first plurality of response messages and said second plurality of response messages, and in accordance with a predetermined formula applied to the first plurality of response messages and the second plurality of response messages; and controlling said piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at said generation frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for wireless power transmission between a plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure and a wireless transmission device comprising a piezoelectric generator attached to said structure, said piezoelectric generator being arranged to generate vibrations in said structure, said method comprising:
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receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a first plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response messages in the first plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective piezoelectric harvesting device in the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to a first test generation frequency generated by said piezoelectric generator; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a second plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response message in the second plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a piezoelectric power harvesting device in the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to a second test generation frequency, different from the first test generation frequency, generated by said piezoelectric generator; selecting a generation frequency from one of said first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency based on said first plurality of response messages and said second plurality of response messages, and in accordance with predetermined formula applied to the first plurality of response messages and the second plurality of response messages, wherein said predetermined formula comprises selecting said generation frequency as the first test generation frequency or the second test generation frequency corresponding to a higher cumulative voltage from all of said plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, and driving said piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at said generation frequency.
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17. A method for wireless power transmission between a plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure and a wireless transmission device comprising a piezoelectric generator attached to said structure, said piezoelectric generator being arranged to generate vibrations in said structure, said method comprising:
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receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, first plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response messages in the first plurality response messages indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to a first test generation frequency generated by said piezoelectric generator; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, second plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response messages in the second plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to a second test generation frequency, different from the first test generation frequency, generated by said piezoelectric generator; selecting a generation frequency from one of said first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency by applying a predetermined formula to the first plurality of response messages and the second plurality of response messages; and driving said piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at said generation frequency, wherein said determining of the harvested voltages and said selecting of said generation frequency is repeated at a higher test frequency resolution for a predetermined frequency band comprising said selected generation frequency.
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18. An apparatus for wireless power transmission to a plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure, the apparatus comprising a piezoelectric generator attachable to said structure, said generator being arranged to generate vibrations in said structure, said apparatus being operable to:
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control the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at a first test generation frequency to power the plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices; receive a first plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response messages in the first plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage transmitted a respective one the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, in response to the vibrations in said structure at the first test generation frequency applied by said generator to the structure; control the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at a second test generation frequency to power the plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices, the second test generation frequency being different to the first test generation frequency; receive a second plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response messages in the second plurality of response message being indicative of a harvested voltage transmitted by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, in response to the vibrations in said structure at the second test generation frequency generated by said piezoelectric generator; select a generation frequency from one of said first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency based on said first plurality of response messages and the second plurality of response messages in accordance with a predetermined formula; and control said generator to generate vibrations in said structure at said generation frequency. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for wireless power transmission to a plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure, the apparatus comprising a piezoelectric generator attachable to said structure, said generator being arranged to generate vibrations in said structure, said apparatus being operable to:
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receive a first plurality of response messages each indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, in response to a first test generation frequency applied by said generator to the structure; receive a second plurality of response messages each indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, in response to a second test generation frequency, different from the first test generation frequency, apply by the generator to the structure; select a generation frequency from one of said first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency based on said first plurality of response messages and said second plurality of response messages in accordance with a predetermined formula, wherein said predetermined formula comprises selecting said generation frequency as whichever of the first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency produces the highest cumulative voltage from all of said piezoelectric power harvesting devices, and drive said generator to generate vibrations in said structure at said generation frequency.
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32. An apparatus for wireless power transmission to a plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure, the apparatus comprising a piezoelectric generator attachable to said structure, said generator being arranged to generate vibrations in said structure, said apparatus being operable to:
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receive a first plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response message in the first plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage transmitted by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, in response to a first test generation frequency applied by said generator to the structure; receive a second plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response message in the second plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, in response to a second test generation frequency, different from the first test generation frequency, apply by the generator to the structure; select a generation frequency from one of said first test generation frequency and said second test generation frequency based on said first plurality of response messages and said second plurality of response messages, in accordance with a predetermined formula; and drive said generator to generate vibrations in said structure at said generation frequency, wherein said determining of the harvested voltage and said selecting said generation frequency is repeated at a higher test frequency resolution for a predetermined frequency band comprising said selected generation frequency.
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33. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and loadable into the internal memory of a computer, comprising software code portions arranged, when said program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of wireless power transmission comprising:
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controlling a piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in a structure at a first test generation frequency to power a plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices attached to said structure; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a first plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response message in the first plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in said structure at the first test generation vibration frequency applied by the piezoelectric generator to the structure; controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure at a second test generation frequency to power the plurality of piezoelectric harvesting devices, the second test generation frequency being different to the first test generation frequency; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a second plurality of response messages from the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices, each response message in the second plurality of response messages being indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in said structure at the second test generation frequency applied by the piezoelectric generator to the structure; selecting a generation frequency from one of the first test generation frequency and the second test generation frequency based on a predetermined formula applied to the first plurality of response messages and the second plurality of response messages; and subsequent to the selection of the generation frequency, controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in said structure in said structure at said generation frequency.
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34. A method for wireless power transmission between piezoelectric power harvesting devices attached to a structure and a wireless transmission device comprising a piezoelectric generator attached to said structure, the method comprising:
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controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in the structure at a first test generation frequency to power the piezoelectric harvesting devices; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a first set of response messages from the piezoelectric power harvesting devices, wherein each of the response messages in the first set is indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one the piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in the structure at the first test generation frequency generated by the piezoelectric generator; controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in the structure at a second test generation frequency to power the piezoelectric harvesting devices, the second test generation frequency being different to the first test generation frequency; receiving, at the wireless power transmission device, a second set of response messages from the piezoelectric harvesting devices, wherein each of the response messages in the second set is indicative of a harvested voltage generated by a respective one the piezoelectric power harvesting devices in response to the vibrations in the structure at the second test generation frequency generated by the piezoelectric generator; selecting a generation frequency from one of the first test generation frequency and the second test generation frequency based on the first and second sets of response messages; and after the selection, controlling the piezoelectric generator to generate vibrations in the structure at the generation frequency to power the piezoelectric power harvesting devices. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification