Controlled power transmission in radio frequency (RF) device network

• US 10,090,887 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Movandi Corporation
• Original Assignee: Movandi Corporation
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Yoon, Seunghwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US15/835,971
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A system, in a first radio frequency (RF) device, dynamically selects a plurality of reflector devices along a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) radio path based on a first set of criteria. The plurality of reflector devices comprises at least an active reflector device and a passive reflector device. The first RF device further controls the dynamically selected plurality of reflector devices based on a second set of criteria. A plurality of RF signals transmitted by the controlled plurality of reflector devices is received at a second RF device. A first type of signal associated with the received plurality of RF signals is converted to a second type of signal. Transmission of the second type of signal to one or more electronic devices associated with the second RF device is controlled based on one or more device characteristics of the one or more electronic devices or the second RF device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first plurality of circuits in a first radio frequency (RF) device, wherein the first plurality of circuits are configured to;

dynamically select a plurality of reflector devices, comprising at least an active reflector device and a passive reflector device, along a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) radio path based on a first set of criteria; and

control the dynamically selected plurality of reflector devices based on a second set of criteria,

wherein the controlled plurality of reflector devices transmits a plurality of RF signals to a second RF device associated with one or more electronic devices, wherein the plurality of RF signals constructively interferes with each other,

wherein a first type of signal associated with the plurality of RF signals is converted to a second type of signal at the second RF device, and

wherein transmission of the second type of signal by the second RF device to the one or more electronic devices is controlled based on one or more device characteristics.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the active reflector device is configured to perform beamforming based on adjustment of one or more signal parameters on an incoming plurality of RF signals, wherein the active reflector device is positioned in a vicinity of a physical obstructing object that partially blocks the incoming or outgoing plurality of RF signals.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the passive reflector device is configured to deflect an incoming plurality of RF signals at a specified angle based on an incident angle and a scanning angle of the passive reflector device, and a distance between the passive reflector device and at least the first RF device, the second RF device, others of the plurality of reflector devices, wherein the passive reflector device is positioned in a vicinity of a physical obstructing object that completely blocks the incoming plurality of RF signals.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic devices correspond to low-power internet of things (IoT) devices or mobile electronic devices.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first type of signal associated with the plurality of RF signals corresponds to an AC signal and the second type of signal corresponds to a DC signal.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second RF device comprises the one or more electronic devices.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic devices are external to the second RF device and communicatively coupled with the second RF device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second type of signal is stepped-up and stabilized to provide a controlled power transmission to the one or more electronic devices.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first set of criteria for the dynamic selection of the plurality of reflector devices corresponds to a location of the plurality of reflector devices, a relative distance of the plurality of reflector devices with respect to the first RF device, a type of one or more physical obstructing objects, and one or more parameters measured at the plurality of reflector devices, wherein the one or more parameters correspond to at least an antenna gain, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), a carrier-to-noise (CNR), and a carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio (CINR).

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second set of criteria corresponds to a power requirement request received from the one or more electronic devices, type and make of the one or more electronic devices, unique identification of the one or more electronic devices, profiles of the one or more electronic devices, priority level of the one or more electronic devices, and other context relevant entities.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second RF device comprises distributed transmitters and receivers, wherein the distributed transmitters transmit a set of beams of RF signals in accordance with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission, and wherein the distributed receivers receive another set of beams of RF signals in accordance with MIMO reception.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the RF device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, wherein the plurality of distributed transceivers transmits and receives the plurality of beams of RF signals in accordance with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission and reception.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of circuits in the RF device are further configured to control the dynamically selected plurality of reflector devices based on information received via a feedback channel.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the information is associated with exchange and negotiate system configurations, wherein the information comprises number of transceivers within one or more RF devices, number of antennas per transceiver, antenna beamformers, channel responses, sequence of antenna array coefficients being evaluated, and/or locations of at least the one or more reflector devices.

15. A system, comprising:

a plurality of circuits in a first radio frequency (RF) device, wherein the plurality of circuits are configured to;

receive a plurality of RF signals from a controlled plurality of reflector devices, wherein a dynamic selection of the controlled plurality of reflector devices is based on a first set of criteria, wherein the plurality of RF signals are received from the controlled plurality of reflector devices based on a second set of criteria, wherein the received plurality of RF signals constructively interferes with each other;

convert a first type of signal associated with the received plurality of RF signals to a second type of signal; and

control transmission of the second type of signal to associated one or more electronic devices based on one or more device characteristics.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of circuits in the RF device is further configured to generate the first type of signal based on RF waves in the received plurality RF signals.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the conversion of the first type of signal to the second type of signal comprises rectification of the first type of signal to the second type of signal and stepping-up of the second type of signal.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of circuits in the RF device is further configured to stabilize and regulate the stepped-up second type of signal based on one or more device characteristics of the one or more electronic devices or the RF device.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the one or more device characteristics correspond to at least an impedance, current power level, threshold power level, priority level, and power requirements of the one or more electronic devices.

20. A system, comprising:

a first plurality of circuits in a first radio frequency (RF) device, wherein the first plurality of circuits are configured to;

dynamically select a plurality of reflector devices, comprising at least an active reflector device and a passive reflector device, along a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) radio path based on a first set of criteria;

control the dynamically selected plurality of reflector devices based on a second set of criteria; and

a second plurality of circuits in a second RF device associated with one or more electronic devices, wherein the second plurality of circuits is configured to;

receive a plurality of RF signals from the controlled plurality of reflector devices, wherein the received plurality of RF signals constructively interferes with each other;

convert a first type of signal associated with the received plurality of RF signals to a second type of signal; and

control transmission of the second type of signal to the one or more electronic devices based on one or more device characteristics.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer executable instruction that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute instructions, the instructions comprising:

in a radio frequency (RF) device;

receiving a plurality of RF signals from a controlled plurality of reflector devices, wherein a dynamic selection of the controlled plurality of reflector devices is based on a first set of criteria, wherein the plurality of RF signals are received from the controlled plurality of reflector devices based on a second set of criteria, wherein the received plurality of RF signals constructively interferes with each other;

converting a first type of signal associated with the received plurality of RF signals to a second type of signal; and

controlling transmission of the second type of signal to the one or more electronic devices based on one or more device characteristics.