Systems and methods for determining optimal charging positions to maximize efficiency of power received from wirelessly delivered sound wave energy

• US 9,893,535 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baghdasaryan, Hovhannes
• Application Number:
  US14/622,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20160240186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/34 using electrical steering of transducer arrays, e.g. beam steering constructional aspects B06B1/0607, B06B1/085
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a methodology for tracking position and orientation of one or more electronic devices, which may receive charge through wireless sound power transmission based on pocket-forming. This methodology 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 transmitter may identify and locate the device to which the receiver is connected for subsequently charge and/or charge it. In order to increase charging and/or powering of electronic devices, a plurality of sensors may provide information determining the optimal position and/or orientation aimed to receive charge and/or power at the maximum available efficiency.

Claims

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

generating two or more sound waves from a transmitter with at least two sound wave transmit transducers;

transmitting, via the at least two sound wave transmit transducers, the two or more sound waves to cause formation of a controlled constructive interference pattern and a destructive interference pattern from the generated sound waves, wherein;

the destructive interference pattern forms a null space that surrounds the controlled constructive interference pattern, wherein energy or power is in the form of the controlled constructive interference pattern as a pocket of sound wave energy in proximity to a targeted electronic device;

receiving information used to determine power level of the pockets of sound wave energy and efficiency of power received by the targeted electronic device from the pocket of sound wave energy; and

in accordance with determining that the information used to determine the power level of the pocket of sound wave energy and the efficiency of the power received by the targeted electronic device indicates that the targeted electronic device is receiving power at less than a maximum available efficiency, instructing a user of the targeted electronic device to change the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation until a level of efficiency that is no less than the maximum available efficiency is achieved for the power level received by the targeted electronic device via a receiver connected to the targeted electronic device, the receiver having at least one antenna for powering the targeted electronic device using energy from the pocket of sound wave energy.

2. The method for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 1, wherein the receiving is accomplished through accelerometers, infrared or GPS sensor circuits for tracking and positioning the targeted electronic device.

3. The method for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 1, further comprising receiving signals at the transmitter for comparing voltage level and power received at the targeted electronic device to guide the user to change the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation until the level of efficiency that is no less than the maximum available efficiency is achieved for the power level received by the targeted electronic device via the receiver connected to the targeted electronic device.

4. The method for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 3, wherein the transmitter includes communicating circuitry that uses Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi or FM radio signals for communication between the transmitter and the receiver.

5. The method for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 1, further comprising processing the information used to determine the power level of the pockets of sound wave energy and the efficiency of the power received by the targeted electronic device to determine whether the targeted electronic device is receiving power at less than the maximum available efficiency.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in accordance with determining that the information used to determine the power level of the pockets of sound wave energy and the efficiency of the power received by the targeted electronic device indicates that the targeted electronic device is receiving power at the maximum available efficiency, notifying the user to maintain the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation.

7. A system for transmitting wireless sound power, comprising:

a transmitter for generating two or more sound waves, the transmitter having at least two sound wave transmit transducers, via the at least two sound wave transmit transducers, to form a controlled constructive interference pattern and a destructive interference pattern from the generated sound waves, wherein;

the destructive interference pattern forms a null space that surrounds the controlled constructive interference pattern, wherein energy or power is in the form of the controlled constructive interference pattern as a pocket of sound wave energy in proximity to a targeted electronic device;

a processor within the transmitter controlling formation of the constructive interference pattern from the generated sound waves to form the pocket of sound wave energy;

a receiver with at least one sensor for receiving and collecting power from the pockets of sound wave energy to power the targeted electronic device connected to the receiver;

a wireless communication network connected between the transmitter and the receiver for utilizing antennas located on the transmitter and the receiver for broadcasting signals from one or more sensors located on the transmitter, the receiver, or the targeted electronic device, the broadcasting signals including information used to determine the power level of the pocket of sound wave energy and efficiency of charging power received by the targeted electronic device from the pockets of sound wave energy; and

a software application installed on the targeted electronic device or the receiver that is configured to, in accordance with a determination that the information used to determine the power level of the pocket of sound wave energy and the efficiency of the charging power received by the targeted electronic device indicates that the targeted electronic device is receiving power at less than a maximum available efficiency, instruct a user of the targeted electronic device to change the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation until a level of efficiency that is no less than the maximum available efficiency is achieved for the power level received by the targeted electronic device via the receiver.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the software application is further configured to:

in accordance with determining that the information used to determine the power level of the pockets of sound wave energy and the efficiency of the power received by the targeted electronic device indicates that the targeted electronic device is receiving power at the maximum available efficiency, notifying the user to maintain the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation.

9. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the communication network is used to exchange Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi or FM radio signals.

10. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the one or more sensors are accelerometers, infrared, proximity, motion detector or GPS circuits.

11. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the one or more sensors provide information concerning a plurality of electronic devices ready to be charged.

12. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the targeted electronic device is a cellphone, iPad, iPod, Tablet, iPhone, an Android device, or other electronic device, and a battery associated with the targeted electronic device is charged using power from the pockets of sound wave energy.

13. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the transmitter is configured to produce a plurality of pockets of sound wave energy over a plurality of electronic devices.

14. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the processor is a computer, an ASIC, a controller, a microprocessor or other similar device that is capable of processing instructions.

15. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the transmitter creates the pocket of sound wave energy in 3-D space in a direction based on the broadcasting signals.

16. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the processor dynamically adjusts formation of the pocket of sound wave energy to regulate power on the targeted electronic device.

17. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 7, wherein the processor includes instructions for processing the broadcasting signals to determine the tracking and positioning of the targeted electronic device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions for transmitting wireless sound power that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating two or more sound waves from a transmitter with at least two sound wave transmit transducers;

transmitting, via the at least two sound wave transmit transducers, the two or more sound waves to cause formation of a controlled constructive interference pattern and a destructive interference pattern from the generated sound waves, wherein;

the destructive interference pattern forms a null space that surrounds the controlled constructive interference pattern, wherein energy or power is in the form of the controlled constructive interference pattern as a pocket of sound wave energy in proximity to a targeted electronic device;

receiving signals used to determine power level of the pocket of sound wave energy and efficiency of power received by the targeted electronic device from the pocket of sound wave energy; and

in accordance with determining that the signals used to determine the power level of the pocket of sound wave energy and the efficiency of the power received by the targeted electronic device indicates that the targeted electronic device is receiving power at less than a maximum available efficiency, instructing a user of the targeted electronic device to change the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation until a level of efficiency that is no less than the maximum available efficiency is achieved for the power level received by the targeted electronic device via a receiver connected to the targeted electronic device, the receiver having at least one antenna for powering the targeted electronic device using energy from the pocket of sound wave energy.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the receiver or the targeted electronic device includes sensors generating signals representing the power level of the pocket of sound wave energy and position and orientation of the targeted electronic device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the executable instructions include predetermined instructions for determining the optimal position and orientation of the targeted electronic device at which the level of efficiency that is no less than the maximum available efficiency is achieved for the power level received by the targeted electronic device via the receiver connected to the targeted electronic device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising receiving signals at the transmitter for comparing voltage level and power received at the targeted electronic device to guide the user to change the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation until the level of efficiency that is no less than the maximum available efficiency is achieved for the power level received by the targeted electronic device via the receiver connected to the targeted electronic device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising:

in accordance with determining that the information used to determine the power level of the pockets of sound wave energy and the efficiency of the power received by the targeted electronic device indicates that the targeted electronic device is receiving power at the maximum available efficiency, notifying the user to maintain the targeted electronic device'"'"'s position and orientation.