Method and system for wireless power delivery

• US 10,424,973 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2019
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reach Power Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Supply, Inc.
• Inventors: Navarro, Gustavo, Ramaswamy, Varun, Davlantes, Christopher Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warmflash, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US16/295,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20190280530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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

A method for wireless power delivery, preferably including: determining transmitter-receiver proximity, assessing transmission parameters, and/or transmitting power based on a transmission plan. A system for wireless power delivery, preferably including a plurality of receivers and one or more transmitters.

Claims

1. A method for wireless power transmission, comprising:

determining a receiver group comprising a first receiver and a second receiver;

in response to determining the receiver group, determining a plurality of transmission parameter sets based on;

a first objective function associated with the first receiver; and

a second objective function associated with the second receiver;

wherein determining the plurality of transmission parameter sets comprises, for each transmission parameter set of the plurality;

evaluating the first and second objective functions based on the respective transmission parameter set;

determining a charging plan based on the evaluations of the first and second objective functions, the charging plan comprising;

a first transmission parameter set of the plurality;

a first duty cycle associated with the first transmission parameter set;

a second transmission parameter set; and

a second duty cycle associated with the second transmission parameter set; and

at a transmitter, wirelessly transmitting power to the first and second receivers based on the charging plan;

wherein evaluating the first and second objective functions based on the respective transmission parameter set comprises;

at the transmitter, throughout a respective time interval, transmitting power based on the respective transmission parameter set;

at the first receiver, during the respective time interval, receiving power transmitted by the transmitter;

determining a respective first amount of power received at the first receiver during the respective time interval;

evaluating the first objective function based on the respective first amount of power;

at the second receiver, during the respective time interval, receiving power transmitted by the transmitter;

determining a respective second amount of power received at the second receiver during the respective time interval; and

evaluating the second objective function based on the respective second amount of power.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting power wirelessly based on the charging plan comprises:

transmitting based on the first transmission parameter set throughout a first time interval; and

transmitting based on the second transmission parameter set throughout a second time interval;

wherein a duration ratio of a first time interval duration to a second time interval duration is substantially equal to a duty cycle ratio of the first duty cycle to the second duty cycle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmission parameter sets comprises the second transmission parameter set.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a second receiver group comprising a third receiver; and

in response to determining the second receiver group, determining a second plurality of transmission parameter sets based on a third objective function associated with the third receiver;

wherein;

the second plurality of transmission parameter sets comprises the second transmission parameter set; and

the charging plan is determined based further on the evaluations of the third objective function.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the second receiver group further comprises a fourth receiver;

second plurality of transmission parameter sets is determined based further on a fourth objective function associated with the fourth receiver; and

the charging plan is determined based further on the evaluations of the third and fourth objective functions.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second receiver group further comprises the second receiver.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first delivered energy target quantity associated with the first receiver; and

determining a second delivered energy target quantity associated with the second receiver;

wherein the charging plan is determined based further on the first and second delivered energy target quantities.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the charging plan comprises using a discrete optimization algorithm to minimize an expected power transmission time required to meet the first and second delivered energy target quantities.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmission parameter sets defines a Pareto non-dominated set for the first and second objective functions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the plurality of transmission parameter sets further comprises performing a search based on the first and second objective functions and a Pareto simulated annealing algorithm.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the search is performed based further on a multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the transmitter comprises a plurality of transmission elements; and

a transmission parameter space associated with the plurality of transmission parameter sets comprises, for each transmission element of the plurality, at least one of;

a respective phase parameter and a respective amplitude parameter.

13. A method for wireless power transmission, comprising:

determining a first receiver group comprising a first receiver and a second receiver;

determining a second receiver group comprising a third receiver;

in response to determining the first receiver group, determining a first plurality of transmission parameter sets based on;

a first objective function associated with the first receiver; and

a second objective function associated with the second receiver;

wherein determining the first plurality of transmission parameter sets comprises, for each transmission parameter set of the first plurality;

evaluating the first and second objective functions based on the respective transmission parameter set;

in response to determining the second receiver group, determining a second plurality of transmission parameter sets based on a third objective function associated with the third receiver;

wherein determining the third plurality of transmission parameter sets comprises, for each transmission parameter set of the second plurality;

evaluating the third objective function based on the respective transmission parameter set;

determining a charging plan based on the evaluations of the first, second, and third objective functions, the charging plan comprising;

a first transmission parameter set of the first plurality;

a first duty cycle associated with the first transmission parameter set;

a second transmission parameter set of the second plurality; and

a second duty cycle associated with the second transmission parameter set; and

at a transmitter, wirelessly transmitting power to the first and second receivers based on the charging plan.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein evaluating the first and second objective functions based on the respective transmission parameter set comprises:

at the transmitter, throughout a respective first time interval, transmitting power based on the respective transmission parameter set;

at the first receiver, during the respective first time interval, receiving power transmitted by the transmitter;

determining a respective first amount of power received at the first receiver during the respective first time interval;

evaluating the first objective function based on the respective first amount of power;

at the second receiver, during the respective first time interval, receiving power transmitted by the transmitter;

determining a respective second amount of power received at the second receiver during the respective first time interval; and

evaluating the second objective function based on the respective second amount of power.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first objective function is proportional to the first amount of power; and

the second objective function is proportional to the second amount of power.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the second receiver group further comprises the first receiver; and

the second plurality of transmission parameter sets is determined based further on the first objective function.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the first plurality of transmission parameter sets defines a Pareto non-dominated set for the first and second objective functions; and

the second plurality of transmission parameter sets defines a Pareto non-dominated set for the first and third objective functions.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the second receiver group further comprises a fourth receiver; and

the second plurality of transmission parameter sets is determined based further on a fourth objective function associated with the fourth receiver.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the first receiver group comprises:

performing a first optimum search, based on the first objective function, over a transmission parameter space associated with the first and second pluralities of transmission parameter sets;

based on the first optimum search, determining a first optimized parameter value set;

performing a second optimum search, based on the second objective function, over the transmission parameter space;

based on the second optimum search, determining a second optimized parameter value set;

performing a third optimum search, based on the third objective function, over the transmission parameter space;

based on the third optimum search, determining a third optimized parameter value set;

determining a first distance, in the transmission parameter space, between the first and third optimized parameter value sets;

determining a second distance, in the transmission parameter space, between the second and third optimized parameter value sets;

determining a third distance, in the transmission parameter space, between the first and second optimized parameter value sets;

determining that the third distance is the shortest distance of the first, second, and third distances; and

based on determining that the third distance is the shortest distance, selecting the first and second receivers for the first receiver group.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the first receiver group comprises:

performing an optimum search, based on the first objective function, over a transmission parameter space associated with the first and second pluralities of transmission parameter sets;

based on the optimum search, determining an optimized parameter value set;

evaluating the second and third objective functions based on the optimized parameter value set, wherein a second objective function value exceeds a third objective function value;

based on the second objective function value exceeding the third objective function value, selecting the first and second receivers for the first receiver group.

21. A system for wireless power transmission, comprising a transmitter comprising a plurality of transmission elements, the transmitter configured to:

determine a receiver group comprising a first receiver and a second receiver;

in response to determining the receiver group, determine a plurality of transmission parameter sets based on;

a first objective function associated with the first receiver; and

a second objective function associated with the second receiver;

wherein determining the plurality of transmission parameter sets comprises, for each transmission parameter set of the plurality;

evaluating the first and second objective functions based on the respective transmission parameter set;

determine a charging plan based on the evaluations of the first and second objective functions, the charging plan comprising;

a first transmission parameter set of the plurality;

a first duty cycle associated with the first transmission parameter set;

a second transmission parameter set; and

a second duty cycle associated with the second transmission parameter set; and

control the plurality of transmission elements to transmit based on the charging plan;

wherein evaluating the first and second objective functions based on the respective transmission parameter set comprises;

at the transmitter, throughout a respective time interval, controlling the plurality of transmission elements to transmit power based on the respective transmission parameter set;

at the first receiver, during the respective time interval, receiving power transmitted by the transmitter;

determining a respective first amount of power received at the first receiver during the respective time interval;

evaluating the first objective function based on the respective first amount of power;

at the second receiver, during the respective time interval, receiving power transmitted by the transmitter;

determining a respective second amount of power received at the second receiver during the respective time interval; and

evaluating the second objective function based on the respective second amount of power.