Methods, systems, and apparatus for wireless recharging of battery-powered devices

• US 10,763,687 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2018
• Issued: 09/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Original Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Charles E., Biel, Eric J., Gill, Jason A., Losi, James C., Brasili, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US16/209,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20190181674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 3406362, 34063619, 3406361, 34063611-63613, 340658, 340660, 340683, 3406916, 340692, 340 31, 34082524
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an antenna, an energy storage device, a receiver, and an indicator assembly. The receiver may be coupled to the antenna and the energy storage device. The receiver may be configured to receive wireless energy via the antenna such that an energy storage level of the energy storage device is increased. The indicator assembly may be coupled to the receiver and may be configured, in response to the receiver receiving the wireless energy, to provide an indication based, at least in part, on a characteristic of the wireless energy.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna; and

an energy storage device;

a receiver coupled to the antenna and the energy storage device, the receiver configured to receive wireless energy via the antenna such that an energy storage level of the energy storage device is increased; and

an indicator assembly coupled to the receiver and configured, in response to the receiver receiving the wireless energy, to determine whether a characteristic of the wireless energy is within a first predetermined range and to provide a first indication based, at least in part, on a determination that the characteristic of the wireless energy is within the first predetermined range, the indicator assembly configured to determine whether the characteristic of the wireless energy is within a second predetermined range and to provide a second indication different from the first indication based, at least in part, on a determination that the characteristic of the wireless energy is within the second predetermined range.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the indicator assembly is configured to determine whether the wireless energy is capable of increasing the energy storage level of the energy storage device, and

the first indication is based, at least in part, on a determination that the wireless energy is capable of increasing the energy storage level of the energy storage device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the characteristic of the wireless energy is a current level of the wireless energy.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the characteristic of the wireless energy is a current level of the wireless energy, and

the indicator assembly includes a current sense amplifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the characteristic of the wireless energy is a received signal strength of the wireless energy.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first indication includes an audible indication.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first indication includes a visual indication.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first indication includes a visual indication, and

the indication assembly includes at least one light emitting diode.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first indication includes a haptic indication.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a charge monitoring assembly coupled to the receiver and configured to determine the energy storage level of the energy storage device,

the first indication provided by the indicator assembly configured to indicate a time duration until the energy storage level of the energy storage device is above a threshold energy storage level,

the first indication based, at least in part, on the energy storage level of the energy storage device and a rate of increase of the energy storage level based on the characteristic of the wireless energy.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator assembly is configured to provide a third indication in response to a discontinuation of the receiver receiving the wireless energy.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is a first energy storage device, the apparatus further comprising:

a second energy storage device coupled to the first energy storage device, the first energy storage device configured to provide power to the second energy storage device when the energy storage level of the first energy storage device is above a first threshold energy storage level and an energy storage level of the second energy storage device is below a second threshold energy storage level.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna;

a receiver coupled to the antenna;

a first energy storage device coupled to the receiver, the first energy storage device is configured to increase an energy storage level of the first energy storage device to a first threshold energy storage level when a wireless first energy is received by the receiver, the wireless first energy having a current, the first threshold energy storage level being below an energy storage capacity of the first energy storage device,

the first energy storage device configured to provide power to a second energy storage device having a second energy storage capacity greater than the first energy storage capacity by sending a second energy to the second energy storage device, the second energy having a current greater than the current of the wireless first energy; and

an indicator assembly coupled to the receiver and configured, in response to the receiver receiving the wireless first energy, to determine whether a characteristic of the wireless first energy is within a first predetermined range and to provide a first indication based, at least in part, on a determination that the characteristic of the wireless first energy is within the first predetermined range, the indicator assembly configured to determine whether the characteristic of the wireless first energy is within a second predetermined range and to provide a second indication different from the first indication based, at least in part, on a determination that the characteristic of the wireless first energy is within the second predetermined range.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the wireless first energy has a first duration and the second energy has a second duration shorter than the first duration.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first indication includes an indication of a rate of increase of at least one of the energy storage level of the first energy storage device or the energy storage level of the second energy storage device.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

an antenna disposed within the housing, the antenna including an antenna portion and a reflector, the reflector electrically isolated from the antenna portion;

an energy storage device disposed within the housing and configured such that an energy storage level of the energy storage device can increase in response to the antenna receiving wireless energy;

a receiver coupled to the antenna and configured to receive the wireless energy via the antenna; and

an indicator assembly coupled to the receiver and configured, in response to the receiver receiving the wireless energy, to determine whether a characteristic of the wireless first energy is within a first predetermined range and to provide a first indication based, at least in part, on a determination that the characteristic of the wireless first energy is within the first predetermined range, the indicator assembly configured to determine whether the characteristic of the wireless first energy is within a second predetermined range and to provide a second indication different from the first indication based, at least in part, on a determination that the characteristic of the wireless first energy is within the second predetermined range.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the antenna is a directional antenna.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the reflector includes a wire.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the reflector is disposed less than a quarter of a wavelength of the wireless energy from the antenna portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the reflector is disposed between an eighth of a wavelength and a fourth of a wavelength of the wireless energy from the antenna portion.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the antenna portion includes one of a dipole, loop, or folded dipole.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the energy storage device is a first energy storage device, the first energy storage device having a first energy storage capacity, the apparatus further comprising:

a second energy storage device having a second energy storage capacity greater than the first energy storage capacity, the first energy storage device configured to provide power to the second energy storage device when the energy storage level of the first energy storage device is above a first threshold energy storage level and an energy storage level of the second energy storage device is below a second threshold energy storage level.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the energy storage device is a first energy storage device, the first energy storage device having a first energy storage capacity, the apparatus further comprising:

a second energy storage device disposed within the housing and having a second energy storage capacity greater than the first energy storage capacity, the first energy storage device configured to provide power to the second energy storage device when the energy storage level of the first energy storage device is above a first threshold energy storage level and an energy storage level of the second energy storage device is below a second threshold energy storage level.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the housing is a first housing, the energy storage device is a first energy storage device, the first energy storage device having a first energy storage capacity, the apparatus further comprising:

a second energy storage device having a second energy storage capacity greater than the first energy storage capacity, the first energy storage device configured to provide power to the second energy storage device when the energy storage level of the first energy storage device is above a first threshold energy storage level and an energy storage level of the second energy storage device is below a second threshold energy storage level,

the second energy storage device disposed within a second housing, the first housing having an interface, the second housing having a latch, the latch configured to be releasably coupled to the interface such that the first energy storage device is operatively coupled to the second energy storage device.