Wireless power transmitter that selects antenna sets for transmitting wireless power to a receiver based on location of the receiver, and methods of use thereof

• US 9,843,201 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A., Brewer, Gregory Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Xuan
• Application Number:
  US14/747,946
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a plurality of antenna arrangements that may be suitable for wireless power transmission based on single or multiple pocket-forming. Single or multiple pocket-forming may include one transmitter and at least one or more receivers, being the transmitter the source of energy and the receiver the device that is desired to charge or power. ‘The antenna arrangements may vary in size and geometry, and may operate as a single array, pair array, quad arrays or any other suitable arrangement, which may be designed in accordance with the desired application.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting wireless power, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first set of a plurality of antennas of a transmitter, a first set of power waves that form a first constructive interference pattern at a first location of a receiver, wherein each antenna of the first set of the plurality of antennas is a first type of antenna;

receiving, by a communications component of the transmitter, a communication signal containing a second location of the receiver; and

upon receiving the communication signal containing the second location;

selecting, based on the second location, a second set of the plurality of antennas of the transmitter to transmit a second set of power waves to the second location of the receiver, wherein each antenna of the second set of the plurality of antennas is a second type of antenna distinct from the first type; and

adjusting, by a controller of the transmitter, the plurality of antennas such that the second set of the plurality of antennas is used to transmit the second set of power waves to form a second constructive interference pattern at the second location of the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming, by the transmitter, a destructive interference pattern from the first set or the second set of power waves, wherein the transmitter comprises an antenna array comprising the plurality of antennas.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas of the transmitter comprises a flat panel antenna array comprising a number of antennas, the number of antennas in a range from 64 to 256 antennas.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of a number and a type of antennas in the antenna array corresponds to at least one of a predetermined desired range and a power transmission capability of the transmitter so an increase in a value of the number corresponds to at least one of a wider range and a higher power delivery associated with the constructive interference pattern.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of antenna and the second type of antenna are different types selected from the group including a flat antenna type, a patch antenna type, and a dipole antenna type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second sets of antennas operate on a same frequency band.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second set of the plurality of antennas operates on a first frequency band, and the method further comprises:

while transmitting the second set of power waves using the second set of the plurality of antennas, transmitting, by a third set of the plurality of antennas that operates on a second frequency band distinct from the first frequency band, a third set of power waves to an additional receiver distinct from the receiver.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein respective numbers of antennas in the first and second sets of antennas are optimized for at least one of a transmission range and a transmission power.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas operate in a frequency range from about 900 MHz to about 5.8 GHz.

5. A system for transmitting wireless power, the system comprising:

a first device comprising a controller, a transmitter coupled to the controller, a communications component coupled to the controller, and a plurality of antennas coupled to the transmitter;

wherein the controller of the first device is configured to control the plurality of antennas of the transmitter such that a first set of the plurality of antennas transmits a first set of power waves to generate a first constructive interference pattern at a first location of a second device;

wherein each antenna of the first set of the plurality of antennas is a first type of antenna;

wherein the communications component is configured to receive a communication signal containing a second location of the second device; and

wherein upon receiving the communication signal containing the second location, the controller of the first device is further configured to;

select, based on the second location, a second set of the plurality of antennas to transmit a second set of power waves to the second location of the second device, wherein each antenna of the second set of the plurality of antennas is a second type of antenna distinct from the first type, and

control the plurality of antennas such that the second set of antennas of the plurality of antennas is used to transmit the second set of power waves to generate a second constructive interference pattern at the second location of the second device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second device comprises an antenna configured to extract energy from the constructive interference pattern so the second device is able to be charged.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of antennas are arranged in an array.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of antennas are arranged in an array comprising a number of antennas, the number of antennas in a range from 64 to 256 antennas distributed in an equally spaced grid so that the first and second constructive interference patterns are better configured for the second device.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the first type of antenna and the second type of antenna are different types selected from the group including a flat antenna type, a patch antenna type, and a dipole antenna type.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second sets of antennas operate on a same frequency band.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second set of the plurality of antennas operates on a first frequency band, and the controller is further configured to:

while transmitting the second set of power waves using the second set of the plurality of antennas, transmit, by a third set of the plurality of antennas that operates on a second frequency band distinct from the first frequency band, a third set of power waves to an additional device distinct from the first and second devices.

17. The system of claim 5, wherein respective numbers of antennas in the first and second sets of antennas are optimized for at least one of a transmission range and a transmission power.

18. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of antennas operate in a frequency range from about 900 MHz to about 5.8 GHz.