Near-field charging pad for wireless power charging of a receiver device that is temporarily unable to communicate
First Claim
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1. A method of wirelessly delivering power to a receiver device, the method comprising:
- while a receiver device lacks sufficient power to send an electromagnetic communication signal;
radiating, via an antenna of a unit cell included in a near-field charging pad, a radio frequency (RF) power transmission wave at a first power level, wherein the near-field charging pad includes a plurality of unit cells, including the unit cell;
detecting, by the near-field charging pad, an amount of energy associated with the RF power transmission wave that is reflected by one or more of the plurality of unit cells;
determining, by the near-field charging pad, that the receiver device is within a near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad when the amount satisfies a threshold; and
in response to determining that the receiver device is within the near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad, continuing to radiate, via the antenna of the unit cell, the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and
upon receiving an electromagnetic communication signal generated by the receiver device;
ceasing to radiate the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and
radiating, via the antenna of the unit cell, a new RF power transmission wave at a second power level greater than the first power level.
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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.
1009 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of wirelessly delivering power to a receiver device, the method comprising:
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while a receiver device lacks sufficient power to send an electromagnetic communication signal; radiating, via an antenna of a unit cell included in a near-field charging pad, a radio frequency (RF) power transmission wave at a first power level, wherein the near-field charging pad includes a plurality of unit cells, including the unit cell; detecting, by the near-field charging pad, an amount of energy associated with the RF power transmission wave that is reflected by one or more of the plurality of unit cells; determining, by the near-field charging pad, that the receiver device is within a near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad when the amount satisfies a threshold; and in response to determining that the receiver device is within the near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad, continuing to radiate, via the antenna of the unit cell, the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and upon receiving an electromagnetic communication signal generated by the receiver device; ceasing to radiate the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and radiating, via the antenna of the unit cell, a new RF power transmission wave at a second power level greater than the first power level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A near-field charging pad for wirelessly delivering power to a receiver device, the near-field charging pad comprising:
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while a receiver device lacks sufficient power to send an electromagnetic communication signal; radiating, via an antenna of a unit cell included in a near-field charging pad, a radio frequency (RF) power transmission wave at a first power level, wherein the near-field charging pad includes a plurality of unit cells, including the unit cell; detecting, by the near-field charging pad, an amount of energy associated with the RF power transmission wave that is reflected by one or more of the plurality of unit cells; determining, by the near-field charging pad, that the receiver device is within a near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad when the amount satisfies a threshold; and in response to determining that the receiver device is within the near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad, continuing to radiate, via the antenna of the unit cell, the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and upon receiving an electromagnetic communication signal generated by the receiver device; ceasing to radiate the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and radiating, via the antenna of the unit cell, a new RF power transmission wave at a second power level greater than the first power level. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors that are in communication with a near-field charging pad, cause the near-field charging pad to:
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while a receiver device lacks sufficient power to send an electromagnetic communication signal; radiating, via an antenna of a unit cell included in a near-field charging pad, a radio frequency (RF) power transmission wave at a first power level, wherein the near-field charging pad includes a plurality of unit cells, including the unit cell; detecting, by the near-field charging pad, an amount of energy associated with the RF power transmission wave that is reflected by one or more of the plurality of unit cells; determining, by the near-field charging pad, that the receiver device is within a near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad when the amount satisfies a threshold; and in response to determining that the receiver device is within the near-field charging distance of the near-field charging pad, continuing to radiate, via the antenna of the unit cell, the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and upon receiving an electromagnetic communication signal generated by the receiver device; ceasing to radiate the RF power transmission wave at the first power level; and radiating, via the antenna of the unit cell, a new RF power transmission wave at a second power level greater than the first power level. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification