Antenna with electromagnetic band gap ground plane and dipole antennas for wireless power transfer

• US 10,491,029 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Hosseini, Alister
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dinh T
• Application Number:
  US16/038,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20190052115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

An example antenna may include: (i) an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) ground plane, and (ii) a dipole antenna, coupled with a via that extends to the EBG ground plane, configured to transmit a wireless power signal having a wavelength to a wireless power receiver, the dipole antenna being positioned approximately one-quarter of the wavelength above the EBG ground plane. Furthermore, the via is configured to conduct the wireless power signal, and the wireless power receiver is configured to convert the wireless power signal into usable power.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) ground plane that includes metamaterial; and

a plurality of slot antennas configured to transmit a wireless power signal having a wavelength to a wireless power receiver, each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas coupled with a via that extends from the slot antenna to the EBG ground plane and positioned approximately one-quarter of the wavelength above the EBG ground plane,

wherein;

the metamaterial of the EBG ground plane is configured to increase power output of the plurality of slot antennas and reduce cross-coupling between the plurality of the slot antennas,

the vias are configured to conduct the wireless power signal, and

the wireless power receiver is configured to convert the wireless power signal into usable power.

2. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of unit cells, periodically spaced apart from each other, formed over the EBG ground plane, wherein a respective slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is part of one of the plurality of unit cells.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is a dipole-slot antenna.

4. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is a dual-polarized slot antenna.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is configured to transmit the wireless power signal with a frequency in a range between 900 MHz to 100 GHz.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is embedded within a ceramic.

7. The antenna of claim 6, wherein the ceramic is composed of a silica.

8. The antenna of claim 2, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of the slot antennas is part of a respective unit cell of the plurality of unit cells.

9. The antenna of claim 8, wherein the EBG ground plane is configured to reduce cross-coupling between adjacent slot antennas of the plurality of slot antennas respectively included in the plurality of unit cells.

10. The antenna of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of metallic walls configured to separate the plurality of unit cells, wherein;

each metallic wall is disposed between adjacent unit cells of the plurality of unit cells, and

each metallic wall is configured to operate as a waveguide to reduce cross-coupling between adjacent slot antennas of the plurality of slot antennas.

11. A method of manufacturing an antenna, comprising:

forming an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) ground plane that includes metamaterial;

forming vias that extend from the EBG ground plane; and

forming a plurality of slot antennas;

(i) each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas coupled with a respective via that extends from slot antenna to the EBG ground plane, and (ii) positioned approximately one-quarter of the wavelength above the EBG ground plane, the plurality of slot antennas being configured to transmit a wireless power signal having a wavelength to a wireless power receiver, wherein;

the metamaterial of the EBG ground plane is configured to increase power output of the plurality of slot antennas and reduce cross-coupling between the plurality of the slot antennas,

the vias are configured to conduct the wireless power signal, and

the wireless power receiver is configured to convert the wireless power signal into usable power.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming a plurality of unit cells, periodically spaced from each other, formed over the EBG ground plane, wherein a slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is part of one of the plurality of unit cells.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is a dipole-slot antenna.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is a dual-polarized slot antenna.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is configured to transmit the wireless power signal with a frequency in a range between 900 MHz to 100 GHz.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas is embedded within a ceramic.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein each slot antenna of the plurality of the slot antennas is part of a respective unit cell of the plurality of unit cells.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the EBG ground plane is configured to reduce cross-coupling between adjacent slot antennas of the plurality of slot antennas respectively included in the plurality of unit cells.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

forming a plurality of metallic walls configured to separate the plurality of unit cells, wherein;

each metallic wall is disposed between adjacent unit cells of the plurality of unit cells, and

each metallic wall is configured to operate as a waveguide to reduce cross-coupling between adjacent slot antennas of the plurality of slot antennas.

20. A method of manufacturing an antenna, comprising:

forming a plurality of slot antennas configured to transmit a wireless power signal having a wavelength to a wireless power receiver,

the forming including coupling each slot antenna of the plurality of slot antennas with a via extending from the slot antenna to an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) ground plane, the EBG ground plane including metamaterial, and each slot antenna being positioned approximately one-quarter of the wavelength above the EBG ground plane, wherein;

the metamaterial of the EBG ground plane is configured to increase power output of the plurality of slot antennas and reduce cross-coupling between the plurality of the slot antennas,

the vias are configured to conduct the wireless power signal, and

the wireless power receiver is configured to convert the wireless power signal into usable power.