Systems and methods for real time or near real time wireless communications between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver

• US 10,186,893 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Douglas, Leabman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US15/060,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20170110889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 34087001-87002
• 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
• 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: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/022 by sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices using an improved wireless communications component that allows for real time or near-real time data sampling reporting between devices using modified wireless communications protocols (e.g., Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi), and real time or near-real time behavior adjustments by a first device based on the data samples received from a second device. Embodiments disclosed herein comprise devices, such as receivers and transmitters, having communications components that may communicate data samples, such as power values, in real time or near-real time, thereby allowing a first device (e.g., transmitter) to adjust in real time or near-real time operational behavior of the first device'"'"'s hardware or software (e.g., adjust power waves) based upon the data samples (e.g., power values) received from a second device (e.g., receiver).

Claims

1. A method for wireless power transmission comprising:

transmitting, by one or more antennas of a transmitter, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) power waves to constructively interfere at a location of a receiver to power or charge the receiver;

while transmitting the plurality of RF power waves, sending, by a communications component of the transmitter and using a pre-existing wireless protocol that includes handshakes, a first request for one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves at the receiver;

in response to the first request and without sending an additional request for power values to the receiver,

continuously and consecutively receiving, by the communications component of the transmitter, a plurality of power messages from the receiver during a plurality of iterations of a loop executed at the receiver, each respective iteration of the loop bypassing the handshakes and other overhead processes associated with the pre-existing wireless protocol, wherein;

a respective power message received during each respective iteration of the loop contains one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves at the receiver; and

a next respective power message is received during a next respective iteration of the loop, the next respective iteration of the loop being performed in accordance with a determination that one or more buffers at the receiver that are configured to store the plurality of power messages are not full;

adjusting RF power waves in accordance with the one or more power values in the plurality of power messages; and

transmitting, by the one or more antennas of the transmitter, the adjusted RF power waves to the receiver;

receiving, by the communications component of the transmitter and using the pre-existing wireless protocol, an indicator bit from the receiver indicating that the one or more buffers at the receiver are full; and

in response to receiving the indicator bit, sending a second request for one or more power values associated with reception of RF power waves at the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving the respective power message during each respective iteration of the loop, determining, by a processor of the transmitter, whether to adjust a characteristic of the plurality of RF power waves transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver based on the one or more power values in the respective power message.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining whether to adjust the characteristic of the plurality of power waves further comprises:

determining, by the processor of the transmitter, an effectiveness of the plurality of RF power waves based on a comparison between a power level of the plurality of RF power waves generated at the transmitter and transmitted to the location of the receiver and a power level indicated by at least one power value in the plurality of power messages.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

adjusting, by the transmitter, the plurality of RF power waves to converge at a refined location of the receiver based upon the effectiveness of the plurality of RF power waves.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transmitter adjusts at least one characteristic of the plurality of RF power waves upon determining that the effectiveness of the plurality of RF power waves is below a threshold level.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the characteristic of the plurality of RF power waves is selected from the group consisting of:

a frequency, an amplitude, a power level, a phase, and a polarization.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to adjust characteristics of the plurality of the RF power waves in substantially real time, in response to receiving each respective power message.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second request is configured to reset the one or more buffers of a communications component of the receiver.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication component of the transmitter comprises one or more chips configured to communicate via a lightweight wireless communication protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving the respective power message during each respective iteration of the loop, determining, by a processor of the transmitter and based on the one or more power values of the respective power message, whether the receiver has exceeded an authorized energy level, and

in accordance with a determination that the receiver has exceeded the authorized energy level, ending the transmitting of the plurality of RF power waves to the receiver.

11. A transmitter device comprising:

one or more antennas;

a communications component; and

a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for;

transmitting, by the one or more antennas of a transmitter, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) power waves to constructively interfere at a location of a receiver to power or charge the receiver;

while transmitting the plurality of RF power waves, sending, by the communications component of the transmitter and using a pre-existing wireless protocol that includes handshakes, a first request for one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves at the receiver;

in response to the first request and without sending an additional request for power values to the receiver,

continuously and consecutively receiving, by the communications component of the transmitter, a plurality of power messages from the receiver during a plurality of iterations of a loop executed at the receiver, each respective iteration of the loop bypassing the handshakes and other overhead processes associated with the pre-existing wireless protocol, wherein;

a respective power message received during each respective iteration of the loop contains one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves at the receiver; and

a next respective power message is received during a next respective iteration of the loop, the next respective iteration of the loop being performed in accordance with a determination that one or more buffers at the receiver that are configured to store the plurality of power messages are not full;

adjusting RF power waves in accordance with the one or more power values in the plurality of power messages; and

transmitting, by the one or more antennas of the transmitter, the adjusted RF power waves to the receiver;

receiving, by the communications component of the transmitter and using the pre-existing wireless protocol, an indicator bit from the receiver indicating that the one or more buffers at the receiver are full; and

in response to receiving the indicator bit, sending a second request for one or more power values associated with reception of RF power waves at the receiver.

12. The transmitter device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute computer-readable instructions for:

upon receiving the respective power message during each respective iteration of the loop, determining, by a processor of the transmitter, whether to adjust a characteristic of the plurality of RF power waves transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver based on the one or more power values in the respective power message.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic of the plurality of RF power waves is selected from the group consisting of:

a frequency, an amplitude, a power level, a phase, and a polarization.

14. The transmitter device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute computer-readable instructions for:

upon receiving the respective power message during each respective iteration of the loop, determining, by a processor of the transmitter and based on the one or more power values of the respective power message, whether the receiver has exceeded an authorized energy level,

in accordance with a determination that the receiver has exceeded an authorized energy level, ending the transmitting of the plurality of RF power waves to the receiver.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein the processor of the transmitter is further configured to determine an effectiveness of the plurality of RF power waves based on a comparison between a power level of the plurality of RF power waves generated at the transmitter and transmitted to the location of the receiver and a power level indicated by at least one power value in the plurality of power messages.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the processor of the transmitter is further configured to adjust at least one characteristic of the plurality of RF power waves to converge at a refined location of the receiver based upon the effectiveness of the plurality of RF power waves.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the processor of the transmitter is further configured to adjust at least one characteristic of the plurality of RF power waves upon determining that the effectiveness of the plurality of RF power waves is below an effectiveness threshold.

18. The device according to claim 11, wherein the second request is configured to reset the one or more buffers of the communications component of the receiver.

19. The device according to claim 11, wherein the transmitter is configured to adjust characteristics of the plurality of RF power waves in substantially real time, in response to receiving each respective power message.

20. The device according to claim 11, wherein the communication component of the transmitter comprises one or more chips configured to communicate via a lightweight wireless communication protocol.