Boost-charger-boost system for enhanced power delivery

• US 9,876,394 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US14/584,964
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• 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 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters

Abstract

A controlled-power delivery system may operate with RF waves for supplying continuous and suitable power to a load. The controlled-power delivery system may include one or more receiving antennas, one or more rectifiers, a first boost converter, a charger, a storage element, and a second boost converter. The first boost converter may step up the rectified DC voltage obtained from the receiving antenna and rectifier to supply a suitable voltage level that can be used for charging the storage element. The second boost converter may increase the voltage from the storage element to a suitable level that may satisfy the power requirements of the load. The charger in conjunction with the first and second boost converters may be configured to allow a plurality of modes of operation for delivering power to the load and charging the storage element.

Claims

1. A receiver comprising:

an antenna configured to convert received radio frequency (RF) waves into an alternating current (AC) voltage;

a rectifier coupled to the antenna, wherein the rectifier is configured to rectify the AC voltage into a first direct current (DC) voltage;

a first boost converter, distinct from the rectifier, that is coupled to the rectifier, wherein;

the rectifier is electrically positioned between the antenna and the first boost converter; and

the first boost converter is configured to boost the first DC voltage from the rectifier to a second DC voltage that is greater than the first DC voltage;

a charger coupled to the first boost converter, wherein the charger is configured to;

receive the second DC voltage from the first boost converter; and

control, via circuitry included in the charger, distribution of voltage using a plurality of conduction paths (i) to a load and (ii) to and from at least one storage element coupled with the charger, wherein the circuitry controls distribution of the second DC voltage to the at least one storage element based at least in part on an operational characteristic of the at least one storage element; and

a second boost converter, distinct from the rectifier, coupled to the charger, wherein;

the charger is electrically positioned between the first boost converter and the second boost converter, and

the second boost converter is configured to boost the second DC voltage from the charger to a third DC voltage, greater than the second DC voltage, that matches at least one of an impedance and a power requirement for the load.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to convert the RF waves into the AC voltage by extracting energy from a constructive interference pattern formed by the RF waves proximate to the antenna.

3. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the storage element comprises at least one of a battery and a capacitor.

4. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first boost converter is configured with a synchronous topology to increase a power conversion efficiency.

5. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first boost converter is configured to execute a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) process to maximize an amount of power extracted from the RF waves by the first boost converter.

6. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the circuitry included in the charger is configured to select a first or a second conduction path of the plurality of conduction paths for distributing voltage (i) to the load and (ii) to and from the at least one storage element, respectively, based at least in part on respective power requirements of the load and the at least one storage element.

7. The receiver of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of conduction paths is used to distribute voltage to the load without distributing voltage to the at least one storage element.

8. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the circuitry included in the charger is configured to select the at least one conduction path upon determining that there is insufficient voltage to provide power to both of the at least one storage element and the load.

9. The receiver of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of conduction paths are used to simultaneously distribute voltage to the load and to the at least one storage element.

10. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the circuitry included in the charger is configured to select the at least two conduction paths upon determining that there is sufficient voltage to provide power to both of the at least one storage element and the load.

11. A method of providing power, the method comprising:

converting, by an antenna of a receiver, received radio frequency (RF) waves into an alternating current (AC) voltage;

rectifying, by a rectifier of the receiver, the AC voltage into a first direct current (DC) voltage, wherein the rectifier is coupled to the antenna;

boosting, by a first boost converter that is distinct from the rectifier, the first DC voltage from the rectifier to a second DC voltage that is greater than the first DC voltage, wherein;

the first boost converter is coupled to the rectifier; and

the rectifier is electrically positioned between the antenna and the first boost converter;

receiving, by a charger of the receiver, the second DC voltage from the first boost converter, wherein the charger is coupled to the first boost converter;

controlling, via circuitry included in the charger, distribution of voltage using a plurality of conduction paths (i) to a load and (ii) to and from at least one storage element coupled with the charger, wherein the circuitry controls distribution of the second DC voltage to the at least one storage element based at least in part on an operational characteristic of the at least one storage element; and

boosting, by a second boost converter distinct from the rectifier, the second DC voltage from the charger to a third DC voltage, greater than the second DC voltage, that matches at least one of an impedance and a power requirement for the load, wherein;

the second boost converter is coupled to the charger so that the charger is electrically positioned between the first boost converter and the second boost converter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein converting the RF waves comprises converting the RF waves into the AC voltage by extracting energy from a constructive interference pattern formed by the RF waves proximate to the antenna.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage element comprises at least one of a battery and a capacitor.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first boost converter comprises a synchronous topology to increase a power conversion efficiency.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

executing, by the first boost converter, a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) process to maximize an amount of power extracted from the RF waves by the first boost converter.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling distribution of voltage comprises selecting a first or a second conduction path of the plurality of conduction paths for distributing voltage (i) to the load and (ii) to and from the at least one storage element, respectively, based at least in part on respective power requirements of the load and the at least one storage element.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of conduction paths is used to distribute voltage to the load without distributing voltage to the at least one storage element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein controlling distribution of voltage comprises selecting the at least one conduction path upon determining that there is insufficient voltage to provide power to both of the at least one storage element and the load.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein at least two of the plurality of conduction paths are used to simultaneously distribute voltage to the load and to the at least one storage element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein controlling distribution of voltage comprises selecting the at least two conduction paths upon determining that there is sufficient voltage to provide power to both of the at least one storage element and the load.