System and method for a self-system analysis in a wireless power transmission network

• US 10,063,106 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Douglas, Leabman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Application Number:
  US14/286,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20150340909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

A system and method for a self-system analysis in a wireless power transmission network is disclosed. According to some aspects of this disclosure a wireless power transmission network may include one or more wireless power transmitter managers, one or more wireless power receivers, servers, and clouds within a local network to provide wireless power transfer to electronic devices. Wireless power devices in the network may establish, but is not limited to a WiFi connection to share information among all the wireless power devices in the system. Wireless power transmitter managers may monitor everything that happens in the network. If a problem is detected by the wireless power transmitter manager, an analysis of the issue may be done by any device in the network with a copy of the device database. Then a recommendation may be generated for enhancing the system.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly providing power, comprising:

controlling, at a wireless power transmitter manager, transmission of radio frequency (RF) waves by a wireless power transmitter for providing power to a wireless power receiver;

detecting a fault affecting at least one of wireless power transmission by the wireless power transmitter and wireless power reception by the wireless power receiver;

analyzing, by the wireless power transmitter manager, the fault to determine a recommendation for resolving the fault;

transmitting the detected fault and the recommendation to a server that is remote from the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power transmitter manager via a communication apparatus; and

receiving and storing information for a device associated with the wireless power receiver that is registered with a wireless power network that includes the wireless power transmitter manager, wherein;

the information is stored in a device database that is accessible by other wireless power transmitter managers in addition to the wireless power transmitter manager,

each of the other wireless power transmitter managers is included in the wireless power network, and

the wireless power receiver is configured to convert the RF waves into usable electricity that is used to power or charge the device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the recommendation to an individual in charge of managing a wireless power network that includes the wireless power transmitter manager, wherein the sending is in response to detecting the fault.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the stored information for the device by the wireless power transmitter manager in response to the detected fault, wherein the updated stored information is also communicated to the other wireless power transmitter managers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device information comprises at least two of:

(1) a power schedule for the device, (2) location of the device, (3) movement of the device, (4) configuration of the device, (5) amount of power used by the device, (6) amount of power transmitted to the device from the wireless power transmitter, (7) pairing of the device with wireless power transmitter, and (8) other wireless power devices registered with the device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting the fault, providing, by the wireless power transmitter manager, a visual indication that a fault has been detected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless power receiver communicates an advertisement signal,

the wireless power receiver is assigned to the wireless power transmitter manager based at least in part on a determination that a signal strength level of the advertisement signal as detected by the wireless power transmitter manager is higher than respective signal strength levels of the advertisement signal as detected by each of the other wireless power transmitter managers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless power transmitter manager, while the wireless power receiver is assigned to the wireless power transmitter manager, has exclusive control over updating information for the device in the device database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing of the fault is performed locally by the wireless power transmitter manager.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF waves transmitted from the wireless power transmitter converge at the wireless power receiver to form constructive interference patterns as three-dimensional pockets of energy.

10. A system for wirelessly providing power, comprising:

a wireless power transmitter;

a wireless power receiver configured to receive radio frequency (RF) waves transmitted from the wireless power transmitter;

a wireless power transmitter manager configured to;

control the RF waves transmitted from the wireless power transmitter for providing power, at the wireless power receiver;

detect a fault affecting at least one of wireless power transmission by the wireless power transmitter and wireless power reception by the wireless power receiver; and

analyze the fault to determine a recommendation for resolving the fault; and

a communication apparatus configured to transmit the detected fault and the recommendation to a server that is remote from the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power transmitter manager,

wherein the communication apparatus is further configured to receive information for a device associated with the wireless power receiver and store it in a device database, and further wherein;

the device database is configured to be accessible by other wireless power transmitter managers in addition to the wireless power transmitter manager,

each of the other wireless power transmitter managers and the wireless power transmitter manager is included in a wireless power network, and

the wireless power receiver is configured to convert the RF waves into usable electricity that is used to power or charge the device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless power transmitter manager is further configured to update the stored information for the device in response to the detected fault, wherein the communication apparatus is also configured to communicate the updated stored information to the other wireless power transmitter managers.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the device information comprises at least two of:

(1) a power schedule for the device, (2) location of the device, (3) movement of the device, (4) configuration of the device, (5) amount of power used by the device, (6) amount of power transmitted to the device from the wireless power transmitter, (7) pairing of the device with wireless power transmitter, and (8) other wireless power devices registered with the device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication apparatus is further configured to send the recommendation to an individual in charge of managing a wireless power network that includes the wireless transmitter manager, wherein the sending is in response to the detecting of the fault.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless power transmitter manager is also configured to:

in response to detecting the fault, provide a visual indication that a fault has been detected.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the wireless power receiver is configured to communicate an advertisement signal,

the wireless power receiver is configured to be assigned to the wireless power transmitter manager based at least in part on a determination that a signal strength level of the advertisement signal as detected by the wireless power transmitter manager is higher than respective signal strength levels of the advertisement signal as detected by each of the other wireless power transmitter managers.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless power transmitter manager, while the wireless power receiver is assigned to the wireless power transmitter manager, is configured to have exclusive control over updating information for the device in the device database.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless power transmitter manager is configured to perform the analyzing of the fault locally.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the RF waves transmitted from the wireless power transmitter converge at the wireless power receiver to form constructive interference patterns as three-dimensional pockets of energy.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a wireless power transmitter, cause the wireless power transmitter to perform operations comprising:

controlling, at a wireless power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter, transmission of radio frequency (RF) waves by a wireless power transmitter for providing power to a wireless power receiver;

detecting a fault affecting at least one of wireless power transmission by the wireless power transmitter and wireless power reception by the wireless power receiver;

analyzing, by the wireless power transmitter manager, the fault to determine a recommendation for resolving the fault;

transmitting the detected fault and the recommendation to a server that is remote from the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power transmitter manager via a communication apparatus; and

receiving and storing information for a device associated with the wireless power receiver that is registered with a wireless power network that includes the wireless power transmitter manager, wherein;

the information is stored in a device database that is accessible by other wireless power transmitter managers in addition to the wireless power transmitter manager,

each of the other wireless power transmitter managers is included in the wireless power network, and

the wireless power receiver is configured to convert the RF waves into usable electricity that is used to power or charge the device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein:

the wireless power receiver is configured to communicate an advertisement signal,

the wireless power receiver is configured to be assigned to the wireless power transmitter manager based at least in part on a determination that a signal strength level of the advertisement signal as detected by the wireless power transmitter manager is higher than respective signal strength levels of the advertisement signal as detected by each of the other wireless power transmitter managers.