Electronic device with antenna elements that follow meandering patterns for receiving wireless power from a near-field antenna

• US 10,879,740 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2019
• Issued: 12/29/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Hosseini, Alister
• Primary Examiner(s): Parihar, Suchin
• Application Number:
  US16/653,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20200119592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

Systems and methods for receiving near-field wireless power at an electronic device. An electronic device includes a receiver with one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern. Each receiving antenna element is configured to receive near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter. The receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern. The transmitting antenna element is selectively activated from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter. A power-harvesting circuit of the receiver is configured to convert the near-field radio-frequency signals into usable power for the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device for receiving near-field wireless power, comprising:

a receiver including one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern, each receiving antenna element configured to receive one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter, wherein;

the one or more receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern;

the transmitting antenna element is selectively activated from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter based on a determination that an amount of energy transferred to the receiver via the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals is above a predetermined energy-transfer threshold; and

a power-harvesting circuit of the receiver, the power harvesting circuit configured to convert the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals received from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter into usable power for the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 75%.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 98%.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the usable power is provided to an energy storage device of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having the same meandering pattern.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having distinct meandering patterns.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have the same meandering pattern.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have distinct meandering patterns.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements are positioned at different locations of the power transmitter.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the near-field power transmitter is configured to selectively activates the transmitting antenna element via one or more switches, the one or more switches coupled between the transmitting antenna element and a power amplifier of the near-field power transmitter, and the one or more switches are configured to provide power from the power amplifier to the transmitting antenna element.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more switches are coupled to a controller of the near-field power transmitter, and the controller is configured to control operation of the one or more switches and the power amplifier.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements are configured to be selectively activated based on the position of the receiver in relation to near-field the power transmitter.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is externally coupled to the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is internally coupled to the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of:

smartphones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, and connected devices.

16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements are monopole antennas.

17. A method of providing wireless power to an electronic device, comprising:

receiving, at a receiver of the electronic device, one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter, wherein;

the receiver includes one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern, each receiving antenna element configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter,

the one or more receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern; and

the transmitting antenna element is selectively activated from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter based on a determination that an amount of energy transferred to the receiver via the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals is above a predetermined energy-transfer threshold;

converting, via a power-harvesting circuit of the receiver, the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals received from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter into usable power for the electronic device; and

providing the usable power to the electronic device.

34. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 75%.

35. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 98%.

36. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the usable power to the electronic device includes providing the usable power to an energy storage device of the electronic device.

37. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having the same meandering pattern.

38. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having distinct meandering patterns.

39. The method of claim 17, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have the same meandering pattern.

40. The method of claim 17, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have distinct meandering patterns.

41. The method of claim 17, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements are positioned at different locations of the near-field power transmitter.

42. The method of claim 17, wherein the near-field power transmitter selectively activates the transmitting antenna element via one or more switches, the one or more switches coupled between the transmitting antenna element and a power amplifier of the near-field power transmitter, and the one or more switches are configured to provide power from the power amplifier to the transmitting antenna element.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the one or more switches are coupled to a controller of the near-field power transmitter configured, and the controller is configured to control operation of the one or more switches and the power amplifier.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements are selectively activated based on the position of the receiver in relation to the power transmitter.

45. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiver is externally coupled to the electronic device.

46. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiver is internally coupled to the electronic device.

47. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of:

smartphones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, and connected devices.

48. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements are monopole antennas.

18. A system for charging an electronic device using wirelessly delivered power, the system comprising:

the electronic device including a receiver with one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern, each receiving antenna element configured to receive one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter, wherein;

the one or more receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern; and

a power-harvesting circuit of the receiver converts the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals received from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter into usable power for the electronic device; and

the near-field transmitter, wherein the near-field transmitter is configured to selectively activate the transmitting antenna element from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter based on a determination that an amount of energy transferred to the receiver via the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals is above a predetermined energy-transfer threshold.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 75%.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 98%.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the usable power is provided to an energy storage device of the electronic device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having the same meandering pattern.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having distinct meandering patterns.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have the same meandering pattern.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have distinct meandering patterns.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements are positioned at different locations of the power transmitter.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the near-field power transmitter is configured to selectively activate the transmitting antenna element via one or more switches, the one or more switches coupled between the transmitting antenna element and a power amplifier of the near- field power transmitter, and the one or more switches are configured to provide power from the power amplifier to the transmitting antenna element.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more switches are coupled to a controller of the near-field power transmitter, and the controller is configured to control operation of the one or more switches and the power amplifier.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements are configured to be selectively activated based on the position of the receiver in relation to the near- field power transmitter.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiver is externally coupled to the electronic device.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiver is internally coupled to the electronic device.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of:

smartphones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, and connected devices.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements are monopole antennas.