Power harvesting

• US 9,949,219 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Belogolovy, Andrey
• Primary Examiner(s): O CONNOR, BRIAN T
• Application Number:
  US14/971,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20170181110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/58 Format of the TPC bits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties

Abstract

Techniques for forming a wireless RF power harvesting and data network are described. An example electronic device includes an antenna array, a processor, and instructions to direct the actions of the processor. The instructions control the processor to perform a registration process for a power harvesting device. The registration process is to obtain information that enables the transmission of a targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming. The instructions also direct the processor transmit the targeted power packet to the power harvesting device.

Claims

1. An electronic device to provide a wireless RF power harvesting and data network, the electronic device comprising:

an antenna array;

a processor; and

a controller to control the processor to;

perform a registration process for a power harvesting device to obtain information that enables transmission of a targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming, wherein the registration process comprises broadcasting a schedule of time slots to be used by the power harvesting device; and

cause the targeted power packet to be transmitted to the power harvesting device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the information that enables transmission of the targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming is location information received from the power harvesting device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the information that enables transmission of the targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming is characteristics of a signal received by the antenna array from the power harvesting device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the power harvesting device randomly selects one of the time slots to send power harvester identification information to the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein, prior to each of the time slots, the electronic device broadcasts a power waveform to power the power harvesting device.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the power harvester identification information received during a previous one of the time slots is encoded in the power waveform.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a wireless network access device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a device selected from a group that includes a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, and a smart phone.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the power harvesting device is a wearable device or an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

10. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to control a wireless charging device, the instructions to control the processor to:

determine a schedule of time slots for broadcasting to a power harvesting device;

broadcast wireless power to enable the power harvesting device to activate;

receive, from the power harvesting device, information that enables transmission of a targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming; and

transmit the targeted power packet to the power harvesting device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the information that enables transmission of the targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming is location information received from the power harvesting device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the information that enables transmission of the targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming is characteristics of a signal received by an antenna array from the power harvesting device.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the power harvesting device randomly selects one of the time slots to transmit power harvester identification information to be received by the processor.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, comprising instructions to control the processor to broadcasts a power waveform to power the power harvesting device prior to each of the time slots.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, comprising instructions to control the processor to encode the power harvester identification information received during a previous one of the time slots into the power waveform.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable medium is included in a wireless network access device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable medium is included in a device selected from a group that includes a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, and a smart phone.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the power harvesting device is a wearable device or an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

19. A method comprising:

determining a schedule of time slots for broadcasting to a power harvesting device;

broadcasting wireless power to enable the power harvesting device to activate;

receiving information from the power harvesting device that enables transmission of a targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming; and

transmitting the targeted power packet to the power harvesting device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information that enables the transmission of targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming is location information received from the power harvesting device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the information that enables the transmission of targeted power packet to the power harvesting device through beamforming is characteristics of a signal received by an antenna array from the power harvesting device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the power harvesting device randomly selects one of the time slots to transmit power harvester identification information.