Beamforming for wireless power transfer

• US 10,554,080 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: uBeam, Inc.
• Original Assignee: uBeam, Inc.
• Inventors: Joyce, Andrew, Reynolds, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Poos, John W
• Application Number:
  US16/201,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20190097473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Systems and techniques are provided for beamforming for wireless power transfer. A position of a second wireless power transfer device relative to a first wireless power transfer device may be determined. A beam may be simulated as being transmitted from the position of the second wireless power transfer device. Phases of a wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by elements of the first wireless power transfer device may be determined. A control signal for each of the elements for which phases were determined may be generated based on the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the element. The control signal for each of the elements for which phases were determined may be supplied to the elements for which phases were determined. A waveform may be transmitted from the elements for which phases were determined based on the supplied control signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a phase of a wave front that is received at a first element of a wireless power transfer device and a phase of the wave front that is received at a second element of the wireless power transfer device;

generating a control signal for the first element and a control signal for the second element of the wireless power transfer device based on the determined phase of the wave front that is received at the first element and the determined phase of the wave front that is received at the second element of the wireless power transfer device;

supplying the control signal for the first element to the first element of the wireless power transfer device and the control signal for the second element to the second element of the wireless power transfer device; and

transmitting a waveform from the first element based on the supplied control signal for the first element and a waveform from the second element based on the supplied control signal for the second element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a control signal for the first element and a control signal for the second element of the wireless power transfer device based on the phase of the wave front that is received at the first element and the phase of the wave front that is received at the second element of the wireless power transfer device further comprises maintaining a phase difference between the phase of the wave front that is received at the first element and the phase of the wave front that is received at the second element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wave front is the wave front of a beam transmitted by a second wireless power transfer device, wherein the beam comprises waveforms transmitted by elements of the second wireless power transfer device transmitting in phase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first element and the second element are ultrasonic transducers, RF transducers, or optical transducers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase received at the second element is determined relative to the phase received at the first element.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the amplitude of the wave front that is received at the first element and the amplitude of the wave front that is received at the second element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the control signal for the first element and the control signal for the second element further comprises determining an amplitude for the control signal for the first element based on the amplitude of the wave front that is received at the first element and an amplitude for the control signal for the second element based on the amplitude of the wave front that is received at the second element.

8. A system for beamforming for wireless power transfer comprising:

a plurality of elements adapted and configured to generate electrical signals based on a wave front of a received beam, and to transmit waveforms for a transmitted beam based on supplied control signals; and

a computing device comprising a transducer signal generator adapted and configured to generate the control signals for the plurality of elements based on determined phases of the wave front that are received at the plurality of elements, and to supply the control signals for the plurality of elements to the plurality of elements.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a transducer control adapted and configured to receive the electrical signals generated by the plurality of elements and determine the phases of the wave front that are received at the plurality of elements based on the electrical signals.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the transducer signal generator is further adapted and configured to receive the electrical signals generated by the plurality of elements and determine the phases of the wave front that are received at the plurality of elements based on the electrical signals.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the transducer signal generator is further adapted and configured to generate the control signals by maintaining phase difference between the phases of the wave front that are received at the plurality of elements.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of elements are ultrasound transducers, RF transducers, or optical transducers.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the received beam comprises a plurality of waveforms and wherein the plurality of waveforms are in phase at their origin.