Systems and methods for controlling communications during wireless transmission of power using application programming interfaces

• US 10,141,791 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2014
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Douglas, Leabman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hiltunen, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US14/272,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

An example system includes: a wireless power transmitter with (i) a processor running a power transmitter manager application; (ii) a wireless communication hardware having a transmitter application programming interface (API), the transmitter API operatively coupled with the power transmitter manager application and controlling the wireless communication hardware; and (iii) a transmitter antenna array that creates pockets of energy near a wireless power receiver, and the transmitter antenna array is partially responsive to instructions from the power transmitter manager application. The transmitter API calls the power transmitter manager application through a transmitter callback function, and the transmitter callback function sends a callback when a communication connection begins, a communication connection ends, a communication connection is attempted, or a message is received. The system also includes the wireless power receiver: running a power receiver application and including receiver wireless antenna array that receives and uses wireless power from the pockets of energy.

Claims

1. A system for controlling communication between a wireless power transmitter and at least one wireless power receiver, the system comprising:

a wireless power transmitter that includes;

a first processor running a power transmitter manager application;

a first wireless communication hardware having a transmitter application programming interface (API), the transmitter API operatively coupled with the power transmitter manager application and controlling the first wireless communication hardware;

a transmitter wireless antenna array that transmits controlled wireless power waves that converge to create pockets of energy in the space proximate at least one wireless power receiver, wherein;

the transmitter wireless antenna array is at least partially responsive to instructions from the power transmitter manager application, and

the transmitter API calls the power transmitter manager application through a transmitter callback function, and the transmitter callback function sends a callback when a communication connection begins, a communication connection ends, a communication connection is attempted, or a message is received; and

the at least one wireless power receiver that includes;

a second processor running a power receiver application;

a second wireless communication hardware having a receiver API, the receiver API operatively coupled to the power receiver application and controlling the second wireless communication hardware;

a receiver wireless antenna array that receives and uses wireless power from the pockets of energy created by the wireless power transmitter, wherein the receiver wireless antenna array is at least partially responsive to instructions from the power receiver application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a communication protocol used by the first wireless communication hardware and the second wireless communication hardware is one of Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) and WiFi.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power transmitter manager application stores information obtained from the at least one wireless power receiver to facilitate communications between the first wireless communication hardware of the wireless power transmitter and the second wireless communication hardware of the at least one wireless power receiver.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the information includes an identifier and information used to determine a location of the at least one wireless power receiver.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a communication connection is a connection between the first wireless communication hardware and the second wireless communication hardware, and

the message is received by the first wireless communication hardware from the second wireless communication hardware.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter API commands the first wireless communication hardware according to a plurality of functions called by the power transmitter manager application, the plurality of functions including respective functions that cause the transmitter API to command to the first wireless communication hardware to start a communication connection with the second wireless communication hardware, end a communication connection with the second wireless communication hardware, and send data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the callback is sent at least ten times per second.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless power receiver is at least one of an energy consuming electronic device and a cover of an energy consuming electronic device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the power receiver application calls the receiver API to start a connection, end a connection, and send data.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver API calls the power receiver application through a receiver callback function.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiver callback function sends a callback to the power receiver application when a connection begins, a connection ends, a connection is attempted, or a message is received.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiver API sends the callback to the power receiver application at least ten times per second.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the energy consuming device downloads the power receiver application from an application store, the power receiver application including a GUI to allow the energy consuming device to communicate with the power transmitter manager application.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power waves are radio frequency (RF) waves.

15. A method for controlling wirelessly transmitted power comprising:

at a wireless power transmitter that includes a first processor, a first wireless communication hardware having a transmitter application programming interface (API), and a transmitter wireless antenna array;

running, by the first processor, a power transmitter manager application that is operatively coupled with the transmitter API;

causing, by the power transmitter manager application using the transmitter API, the wireless communication hardware to begin a communication connection with a second wireless communication hardware of at least one wireless power receiver,

wherein the transmitter API calls the power transmitter manager application through a transmitter callback function, and the transmitter callback function sends a callback when the communication connection begins, the communication connection ends, the communication connection is attempted, or a message is received; and

instructing, by the power transmitter manager application, the transmitter wireless antenna array to transmit controlled wireless power waves that converge to create a pocket of energy near a location of the at least one wireless power receiver; and

at the at least one wireless power receiver that includes a second processor, the second wireless communication hardware having a receiver API, and a receiver wireless antenna array;

running, by the second processor, a power receiver application that is operatively coupled with the receiver API, wherein the receiver API is configured to control the second wireless communication hardware; and

instructing, by the power receiver application, the receiver wireless antenna array to receive and use wireless power from the pocket of energy created by the wireless power transmitter.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving ads from the second wireless communication hardware of the at least one wireless power receiver, wherein the ads include an identifier of the wireless power receiver;

receiving, by the wireless power transmitter, at least one of the ads; and

initiating, by the wireless power transmitter, the communication connection with the wireless power receiver.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

maintaining, by the wireless power transmitter, information identifying a plurality of wireless power receivers being tracked by the wireless power transmitter and which of the tracked wireless power receivers are to be charged; and

instructing, by the power transmitter manager application, the transmitter wireless antenna array to transmit respective wireless power waves to create respective pockets of energy to each of the tracked wireless power receivers that are to be charged.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

before the instructing, receiving, from the second wireless communication hardware of the at least one wireless power receiver and via the communication connection, information that is used to determine the location of the at least one wireless power receiver.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the wireless power receiver is to be charged by the wireless power transmitter,

wherein the instructing includes;

in accordance with determining that the wireless power receiver is to be charged, instructing the transmitter wireless antenna array to transmit the controlled wireless power waves that converge to create the pocket of energy near the location of the at least one wireless power receiver.