System for wireless charging of a plurality of devices

• US 9,973,240 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Array IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Golba LLC
• Inventors: Moshfeghi, Mehran
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US15/659,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20170324448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming

Abstract

A master unit for wirelessly charging a slave device includes a plurality of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) modules, each of the plurality of RFIC modules having an antenna array. The master unit is configured to select one of a single beam mode by using all or substantially all antenna arrays in the plurality of RFIC modules, a multi-beam mode by using each respective antenna array in each of the RFIC modules to form a separate beam from each RFIC module, and a customized beam pattern mode by using a customized combination of antennas in selected ones of the plurality of RFIC modules. The master unit is configured to dynamically select from one of the single beam mode, the multi-beam mode, and the customized beam pattern mode based on a location of the slave device relative to the master unit.

Claims

1. A master unit for wirelessly charging a plurality of slave devices, said master unit comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) modules, each of said plurality of RFIC modules being associated with a unique or a shared antenna array;

said master unit having at least three charging modes, at least two of said three charging modes comprising a multi-beam mode and a customized beam pattern mode;

said master unit using each respective one of said unique or said shared antenna array associated with each of said plurality of RFIC modules to form separate beams from each of said plurality of RFIC modules in said multi-beam mode;

said master unit using a customized combination of antennas in selected ones of said plurality of RFIC modules to form a customized beam pattern in said customized beam pattern mode.

2. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit is configured to dynamically select from one of said multi-beam mode and said customized beam pattern mode based on a location of each of said plurality of slave devices relative to said master unit.

3. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit is configured to coordinate with another master unit to charge said plurality of slave devices.

4. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit utilizes a channel response matrix to determine phase shift values for said customized combination of antennas used in said customized beam pattern mode.

5. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit utilizes a cost function in said customized beam pattern mode to optimize charging said plurality of slave devices.

6. The master unit of claim 5 wherein said cost function is determined at least partly based on a configurable network of capacitors in each of said plurality of slave devices.

7. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit transmits a packet header and a packet payload in a data time slot, followed by a power burst in a power time slot for charging said plurality of slave devices.

8. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit transmits a packet header and a packet payload in a data time slot, followed by another packet header and a power burst in a power time slot for charging said plurality of slave devices.

9. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit is configured to transmit a power burst in a frequency band between two data packet frequency bands.

10. The master unit of claim 1 wherein said master unit is configured to transmit a power burst in a narrow frequency band within a data packet wide frequency band.

11. A method for wirelessly charging a plurality of slave devices, said method comprising:

using a plurality of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) modules, each of said plurality of RFIC modules being associated with a unique or a shared antenna array;

using a master unit having at least three charging modes, at least two of said three charging modes comprising a multi-beam mode and a customized beam pattern mode;

forming separate beams from each of said plurality of RFIC modules in said multi-beam mode by using each respective one of said unique or said shared antenna array associated with each of said plurality of RFIC modules;

forming a customized beam pattern in said customized beam pattern mode by using a customized combination of antennas in selected ones of said plurality of RFIC modules.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit is configured to dynamically select from one of said multi-beam mode and said customized beam pattern mode based on a location of each of said plurality of slave devices relative to said master unit.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit is configured to coordinate with another master unit to charge said plurality of slave devices.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit utilizes a channel response matrix to determine phase shift values for said customized combination of antennas used in said customized beam pattern mode.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit utilizes a cost function in said customized beam pattern mode to optimize charging said plurality of slave devices.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit transmits a packet header and a packet payload in a data time slot, followed by a power burst in a power time slot for charging said plurality of slave devices.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit transmits a packet header and a packet payload in a data time slot, followed by another packet header and a power burst in a power time slot for charging said plurality of slave devices.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit is configured to transmit a power burst in a frequency band between two data packet frequency bands.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein said master unit is configured to transmit a power burst in a narrow frequency band within a data packet wide frequency band.