Systems and methods for authorization and billing of users for wireless charging

• US 9,972,037 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Sridharan, Srinivasan
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US15/615,308
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 455406, 4555521, 455572, 455573
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing wireless charging via radio-frequency (RF) carrier wave. The system can enable user equipment (UE) to charge wirelessly using RF waves when the UE is not it use. The system can activate wireless charging based in part on the battery level of the UE. The system can also initiate wireless charging when the UE is sufficiently idle (e.g., not being used for a call or web browsing). The system can also ensure that the signal strength of the carrier waves at the UE is sufficiently strong to support wireless charging. One or more system components can ensure that the threshold charge level, threshold signal strength, and threshold utilization rate are met and that the UE is authorized for wireless charging on the network. Wireless charging may be billed to the user according to usage (e.g., kWh), at a flat rate, or per instance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a wireless charging algorithm stack of a user equipment (UE), a first signal from a battery meter of the UE indicating a current charge level for a battery of the UE;

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a second signal from a signal meter of the UE indicating a current signal strength at the UE from a wireless communications network;

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a third signal from one or more components of the UE, one or more applications on the UE, or both indicating a current utilization rate of the UE;

determining, with a processor of the UE, that the current charge level is below a first threshold charge level;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the current signal strength exceeds a threshold signal strength;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the current utilization rate is below a threshold utilization rate; and

sending a first request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to a wireless charging feature associated with the wireless communications network to initiate wireless charging.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, the third signal from the one or more components of the UE indicating the current utilization rate of the UE comprises receiving a signal from a transceiver of the UE indicating whether the transceiver is sending or receiving data to the wireless communications network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, the third signal from the one or more components of the UE indicating the current utilization rate of the UE comprises receiving a signal from the one or more applications on the UE indicating that the one or more applications are in standby mode on the UE.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, with the processor of the UE, that the current utilization rate is below a threshold utilization rate comprises:

calculating a utilization score for each of the one or more components, each of the one or more applications, or both; and

combining the utilization score for each of the one or more components, each of the one or more applications, or both to calculate a total utilization score.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the one or more components, each of the one or more applications, or both comprise an active utilization score and a standby utilization score;

and

wherein the active utilization score is higher than the standby utilization score.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, with the processor of the UE, that a current charge level exceeds a second threshold charge level; and

sending a second request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to a wireless charging feature associated with the wireless communications network to stop wireless charging.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second threshold charge level is higher than the first threshold charge level.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, at a wireless charging algorithm stack of a user equipment (UE), a first signal from a battery meter of the UE indicating a first charge level at a first time for a battery of the UE;

determining, with a processor of the UE, that the first charge level is above a first threshold charge level;

starting a first timer in the wireless charging algorithm stack to recheck a current charge level in a predetermined amount of time;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the first timer has expired;

receiving, at a wireless charging algorithm stack of the UE, a second signal from the battery meter of the UE indicating a second charge level at a second time for the battery of the UE; and

determining, with a processor of the UE, that the second charge level is below the first threshold charge level;

wherein the first threshold charge level is associated with a charge level at which the wireless charging algorithm stack is programmed to start wireless charging via a radio frequency (RF) carrier wave of a wireless communications network.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a third signal from a signal meter of the UE indicating a first signal strength at a first time from the wireless communications network at the UE;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the first signal strength is below a threshold signal strength;

starting a second timer in the wireless charging algorithm stack to recheck a current signal strength in a predetermined amount of time;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the second timer has expired;

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a fourth signal from the signal meter of the UE indicating a second signal strength at the UE at a second time from the wireless communications network; and

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the second signal strength is above the threshold signal strength;

wherein the threshold signal strength is associated with a signal strength from the wireless communications network at which the wireless charging algorithm stack is programmed to start wireless charging via a radio frequency (RF) carrier wave of a wireless communications network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a fifth signal from one or more components of the UE, one or more applications on the UE, or both indicating a first utilization rate of the UE;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the first utilization rate is above a threshold utilization rate;

starting a third timer in the wireless charging algorithm stack to recheck a current utilization rate in a predetermined amount of time;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the third timer has expired;

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a sixth signal from the one or more components of the UE, the one or more applications on the UE, or both indicating a second utilization rate of the UE;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the second utilization rate is below a threshold utilization rate; and

sending a request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to a wireless charging feature associated with the wireless communications network to start wireless charging.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at a wireless charging algorithm stack of a user equipment (UE), a seventh signal from the battery meter of the UE indicating a third charge level at a third time for a battery of the UE;

determining, with a processor of the UE, that the third charge level is above a second threshold charge level; and

sending a request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to the wireless charging feature to stop wireless charging.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a sixth signal from the signal meter of the UE indicating a third signal strength at a third time from the wireless communications network at the UE;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the third signal strength is below the threshold signal strength; and

sending a request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to the wireless charging feature to stop wireless charging.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at the wireless charging algorithm stack, a sixth signal from one or more components of the UE, one or more applications on the UE, or both indicating a third utilization rate of the UE;

determining, with the processor of the UE, that the third utilization rate is above the threshold utilization rate; and

sending a request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to the wireless charging feature to stop wireless charging.

14. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a display;

one or more input devices to receive inputs from a user;

one or more transceivers to send and receive one or more wireless transmissions;

one or more processors in communication with at least the display, the one or more transceivers, and the one or input devices; and

memory storing a wireless charging algorithm stack that, when executed, causes the one or more processors to;

display, on the display, a prompt to solicit a response from the user regarding using wireless charging;

receive, from the one or more input devices, a signal indicating that the user would like to use wireless charging;

determine that a current charge level is below a first threshold charge level;

determine that a current signal strength exceeds a threshold signal strength;

determine that a current utilization rate is below a threshold utilization rate; and

send, with the one or more transceivers, a first request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to a wireless charging feature associated with a wireless communications network to initiate wireless charging.

15. The UE of claim 14, the memory further causing the one or more processors to:

send, with the one or more transceivers, a second request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to the wireless charging feature associated with the wireless communications network to update a billing status of the UE to include wireless charging.

16. The UE of claim 14, the memory further causing the one or more processors to:

determine that a current charge level is above a second threshold charge level; and

send, with the one or more transceivers, a second request from the wireless charging algorithm stack to the wireless charging feature associated with the wireless communications network to stop wireless charging.

17. The UE of claim 16, wherein the first threshold charge level indicates that a battery on the UE is between 50-80% charged;

and

wherein the second threshold charge level indicates that a battery on the UE is between 90-100% charged.

18. The UE of claim 14, wherein the display comprises a touchscreen;

and

wherein receiving, from the one or more input devices, the signal indicating that the user would like to use wireless charging comprises receiving an output from the touchscreen.

19. The UE of claim 14, wherein determining that the current utilization rate is below the threshold utilization rate comprises determining that the UE is not currently being used for a voice call or a text message.

20. The UE of claim 14, wherein determining that the current signal strength exceeds the threshold signal strength comprises determining that the current signal strength is between −

55 dBm and −

85 dBm.