Transducer sound arrangement for pocket-forming

• US 9,859,758 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert
• Application Number:
  US15/237,478
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 307151
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a plurality of transducer 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 transducer 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 plurality of transducers of a transmitter, a plurality of sound waves such that at least a portion of the plurality of sound waves constructively interfere at a location of a receiver;

receiving, by a communications component of the transmitter, a communication signal from the receiver; and

adjusting, by a controller of the transmitter, gain and phase of at least one of the plurality of the sound waves based upon the communication signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting, by the controller, gain and phase of at least one of the plurality of sound waves such that at least a portion of the plurality of sound waves destructively interfere to form a null space.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a transducer array including 64 to 256 sound wave transducers distributed in an equally spaced grid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication signal indicates the location of the receiver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transducers comprises flat transducers.

6. A wireless power transmitter comprising:

a plurality of transducers configured to transmit a plurality of sound waves such that at least a portion of the plurality of sound waves constructively interfere at a location of a receiver;

a communications component configured to receive a communication signal from the receiver; and

a controller configured to adjust gain and phase of at least one of the plurality of sound waves based upon the communication signal.

7. The transmitter of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust gain and phase of at least one of the plurality of sound waves such that at least a portion of the plurality of sound waves destructively interfere to form a null space.

8. The transmitter of claim 6, wherein the plurality of transducers forms a part of a transducer array including 64 to 256 sound wave transducers distributed in an equally spaced grid.

9. The transmitter of claim 6, wherein the communication signal indicates the location of the receiver.

10. The transmitter of claim 6, wherein the plurality of transducers comprises flat transducers.

11. A system for transmitting wireless power, comprising:

a plurality of transducers configured to transmit a plurality of sound waves such that at least a portion of the plurality of sound waves constructively interfere at a location of a receiver;

a communications component configured to receive a communication signal from the receiver; and

a controller configured to adjust gain and phase of at least one of the plurality of sound waves based upon the communication signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust gain and phase of at least one of the plurality of sound waves such that at least a portion of the plurality of sound waves destructively interfere to form a null space.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of transducers forms a part of a transducer array including 64 to 256 sound wave transducers distributed in an equally spaced grid.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication signal indicates the location of the receiver.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of transducers is arranged in an arrangement selected from the group consisting of a circular pattern and a polygon configuration.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of transducers is configured to operate in frequency bands from about 10 KHz to about 50 KHz.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust gain and phase of at least one of the plurality of the sound waves such that at least a portion of the plurality of sound waves constructively interfere to form a pocket of energy at a location of a second receiver.

18. The system for transmitting wireless power of claim 11, wherein

the plurality of transducers is configured to operate in an array configuration selected from the group consisting of a single array, pair array, and quad array.

19. The system for transmitting wireless power of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of transducers is configured to be virtually divided into a first transducer element and a second transducer element, and

wherein the first transducer element and the second transducer element operate at different frequencies.

20. The system for transmitting wireless power of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically select an array of transducers to adjust the pocket of energy.