Antenna tile arrangements in electronic device enclosures

• US 9,859,757 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael, Brewer, Gregory Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hernandez, William
• Application Number:
  US14/584,800
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/293 one unit or more being an array of identical aerial elements adaptive arrays H01Q3/2605
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/28 varying the amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• 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: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/06 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/00 Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

A system for wireless power transmission is provided. The system comprises a speaker enclosure and a plurality of tiles positioned along the speaker enclosure. At least one of the tiles comprises an antenna and a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) coupled to the antenna and the RFIC is configured to engage the antenna such that the antenna emits a plurality of wireless power waves defining a pocket of energy.

Claims

1. A system for wireless power transmission, the system comprising:

an enclosure of an electronic device; and

a plurality of transmit tiles positioned along the enclosure, each of the transmit tiles comprising;

an antenna;

a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) coupled to the antenna and configured to engage the antenna such that the antenna emits a plurality of wireless power waves forming constructive and destructive interference patterns defining a pocket of energy; and

a controller that is coupled with the plurality of transmit tiles, the controller configured to;

receive (i) first information used to determine a first location of a first receiving electronic device and (ii) second information used to determine a second location of a second receiving electronic device;

based on the first location of the first receiving electronic device, select one or more first transmit tiles of the plurality of transmit tiles to use for transmitting wireless power waves to the first receiving electronic device;

based on the second location of the second receiving electronic device, select one or more second transmit tiles of the plurality of transmit tiles, distinct from the one or more first transmit tiles, to use for transmitting wireless power waves to the second receiving electronic device;

instruct respective RFICs coupled to respective antennas of the one or more first and second transmit tiles to cause the respective antennas to transmit respective pluralities of wireless power waves that constructively interfere near the first and second locations, respectively, of the first and second receiving electronic devices,

wherein the one or more first transmit tiles transmit using a first frequency, and the one or more second transmit tiles transmit using a second frequency, distinct and non-overlapping relative to the first frequency; and

receive control signals from the first and second receiving electronic devices that are used to determine adjustments to transmission of the respective pluralities of wireless power waves.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a speaker.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a television system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises an external face, wherein the transmit tiles are coupled to the external face.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises an internal face, wherein the transmit tiles are coupled to the internal face.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the transmit tiles comprises micro-antennas.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the enclosure comprises a display, and the micro-antennas are integrated within the display.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a first antenna, wherein each of the transmit tiles comprises a second antenna coupled to the RFIC, wherein the RFIC is configured to engage the second antenna to form constructive and destructive interference patterns defining the pocket of energy with the first antenna concurrently.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the transmit tiles comprises a communication component coupled to the controller, wherein the communication component is configured to receive the first information and the second information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the transmit tiles is positioned along the enclosure to avoid contact with each other.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmit tiles are coupled to each other.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmit tiles define an open shape.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmit tiles define a closed shape.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmit tiles are powered serially.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmit tiles are powered in parallel.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmit tiles identify a path via which the pocket of energy is defined.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the path comprises a trajectory of bouncing off an obstacle.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the transmit tiles comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising at least one of the antenna and the RFIC.

19. A method of using transmit tiles to wirelessly deliver power to receivers, the method comprising:

at a controller that is coupled with a plurality of transmit tiles positioned along an enclosure of an electronic device, each respective transmit tile comprising an antenna and a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) coupled to the antenna and configured to engage the antenna such that the antenna emits a plurality of wireless power waves forming constructive and destructive interference patterns defining a pocket of energy;

receiving (i) first information used to determine a first location of a first receiving electronic device and (ii) second information used to determine a second location of a second receiving electronic device;

based on the first location of the first receiving electronic device, selecting one or more first transmit tiles of the plurality of transmit tiles to use for transmitting wireless power waves to the first receiving electronic device;

based on the second location of the second receiving electronic device, selecting one or more second transmit tiles of the plurality of transmit tiles, distinct from the one or more first transmit tiles, to use for transmitting wireless power waves to the second receiving electronic device;

instructing respective RFICs coupled to respective antennas of the one or more first and second transmit tiles to cause the respective antennas to transmit respective pluralities of wireless power waves that constructively interfere near the first and second locations, respectively, of the first and second receiving electronic devices, wherein the one or more first transmit tiles transmit using a first frequency, and the one or more second transmit tiles transmit using a second frequency, distinct and non-overlapping relative to the first frequency; and

receiving control signals from the first and second receiving electronic devices that are used to determine adjustments to transmission of the respective pluralities of wireless power waves.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a controller that is coupled with a plurality of transmit tiles that each comprise an antenna and a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) coupled to the antenna, cause the controller to:

receive (i) first information used to determine a first location of a first receiving electronic device and (ii) second information used to determine a second location of a second receiving electronic device;

based on the first location of the first receiving electronic device, select one or more first transmit tiles of the plurality of transmit tiles to use for transmitting wireless power waves to the first receiving electronic device;

based on the second location of the second receiving electronic device, select one or more second transmit tiles of the plurality of transmit tiles, distinct from the one or more first transmit tiles, to use for transmitting wireless power waves to the second receiving electronic device;

instruct respective RFICs coupled to respective antennas of the one or more first and second transmit tiles to cause the respective antennas to transmit respective pluralities of wireless power waves that constructively interfere near the first and second locations, respectively, of the first and second receiving electronic devices, wherein the one or more first transmit tiles transmit using a first frequency, and the one or more second transmit tiles transmit using a second frequency, distinct and non-overlapping relative to the first frequency; and

receive control signals from the first and second receiving electronic devices that are used to determine adjustments to transmission of the respective pluralities of wireless power waves.