Near field transmitters with contact points for wireless power charging

• US 10,141,771 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Hosseini, Alister, Leabman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tat, Binh
• Application Number:
  US15/046,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 320107-115
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Disclosed is a system including RF circuitry configured to generate an RF signal; a plurality of unit cells configured to receive the RF signal and to cause an RF energy signal having a center frequency to be present within the unit cells; and receiver circuitry configured to charge an electronic device in response to an antenna of the electronic device receiving the RF energy signal when the antenna is tuned to the center frequency and positioned in a near-field distance from one or more of the unit cells.

Claims

1. A near-field transmitter comprising:

a feed that is configured to receive radio frequency (RF) energy from a power source;

a housing with a cover and metallic sidewalls, the housing defining first and second cavities that are separated by a ground plane; and

a plurality of contact points extending from the second cavity to the cover of the housing, wherein;

each contact point of the plurality of contact points is located in a different region of the cover;

the feed is configured to provide the RF energy to the first cavity;

the first cavity is configured to retain the RF energy provided by the feed;

a respective contact point of the plurality is configured to leak the RF energy to a wireless-power-receiving antenna of a first electronic device when a metal part of the first electronic device is positioned on the cover at a point that contacts the respective contact point, the respective contact point being a first contact point of the plurality of contact points; and

a second contact point of the plurality is configured to leak the RF energy to a wireless-power-receiving antenna of a second electronic device when a metal part of the second electronic device is positioned on the cover at a different point that contacts the second contact point.

2. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contact points includes an additional contact point distinct from the first and second contact points.

3. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contact points includes at least four contact points.

4. The near-field transmitter of claim 3, wherein:

the at least four contact points are spaced apart from one another and form a rectangular shape; and

the at least four contact points are located at respective corners of the rectangular shape.

5. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein each contact point of the plurality of contact points is not directly connected to the power source.

6. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein each respective contact point of the plurality of contact points also extends from the first cavity, through the ground plane, to the cover of the housing.

7. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein the respective contact point is configured to leak the RF energy so that it:

traverses between the metal part of the first electronic device and the housing; and

enters a housing of the first electronic device via one or more gaps in the housing of the first electronic device to be received by the wireless-power-receiving antenna of the first electronic device.

8. The near-field transmitter of claim 7, wherein:

a portion of the metal part of the first electronic device is positioned on the cover; and

the respective contact point is configured to leak the RF energy so that it traverses between the (i) portion of the metal part positioned on the cover and (ii) the cover.

9. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein:

the RF energy leaked by the respective contact point when the metal part of the first electronic device contacts the respective contact point is leaked at a frequency; and

the wireless-power-receiving antenna of the electronic device is tuned to receive the leaked RF energy at the frequency.

10. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein:

the cover defines a plurality of openings; and

each contact point is disposed within a respective opening of the plurality of openings.

11. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein each contact point of the plurality of contact points is made from a metal.

12. The near-field transmitter of claim 1, wherein the ground plane is positioned within the housing substantially parallel to the cover.

13. The near-field transmitter of claim 12, wherein the ground plane is made from a metamaterial.

14. A method of wirelessly charging an electronic device, the method comprising:

at a near-field transmitter comprising a feed, a housing with a cover and metallic sidewalls, the housing defining first and second cavities that are separated by a ground plane, and a plurality of contact points extending from the second cavity to the cover of the housing;

receiving, by the feed, radio frequency (RF) energy from a power source;

providing, by the feed, the RF energy to the first cavity;

retaining, by the first cavity, the RF energy provided by the feed;

leaking, by a respective contact point of the plurality, the RF energy to a wireless-power-receiving antenna of a first electronic device when a metal part of the first electronic device is positioned on the cover at a point that contacts the respective contact point, the respective contact point being a first contact point of the plurality of contact points; and

leaking, by a second contact point of the plurality, the RF energy to a wireless-power-receiving antenna of a second electronic device when a metal part of the second electronic device is positioned on the cover at a different point that contacts the second contact point,

wherein each contact point of the plurality of contact points is located in a different region of the cover.

15. The method claim 14, wherein each contact point of the plurality of contact points is not directly connected to the power source.

16. The method claim 14, wherein:

the cover defines a plurality of openings; and

each contact point is disposed within a respective opening of the plurality of openings.