ITEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESSLY POWERING THE ITEM

• US 20080290822A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Original Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Charles E., Harrist, Daniel W., McElhinny, Michael Thomas, Maruschock, G. Randolph
• Application Number:
  US12/125,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20080290822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/363
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A method and an apparatus according to an embodiment include a member, a first elongate member, and a second elongate member. Each of the first elongate member and the second elongate member are coupled to the member. A receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power is disposed on the member. A first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device are disposed on the first elongate member and on the second elongate member, respectively. Each of the light-emitting devices is configured to operate based on the DC power from the receiver. In another embodiment, a second receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power can be disposed on one of the elongate members. In such embodiment, the light-emitting devices are configured to operate based on the DC power from the first and second receivers.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a member;

a first elongate member and a second elongate member, each of the first elongate member and the second elongate member being coupled to the member;

a receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power, the receiver being disposed on the member; and

a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device, each of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the receiver, the first light-emitting device being disposed on the first elongate member, the second light-emitting device being disposed on the second elongate member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is disposed on a first end portion of the member, and the first elongate member and the second elongate member are coupled to a second end portion of the member opposite the first end portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a proximal end portion of the first elongate member and a proximal end portion of the second elongate member are coupled to a second end portion of the member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes an antenna and a converter, the converter configured to convert the electromagnetic wave received through the antenna into the DC power.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a power storage element to store energy associated with the DC power.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to disable the operation of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device when the receiver detects a predetermined event

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to disable the operation of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device when the receiver detects at least one of the following:

a predetermined environmental illumination level,

an appropriate control signal, or

a predetermined operation duration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first light-emitting device or the second light-emitting device is a light-emitting diode.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of at least one of the first elongate member or the second elongate member is between about 6 inches and about 24 inches.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the member is between about 6 inches and about 24 inches.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between the receiver and at least one of the first light-emitting device or the second light-emitting device is between about 6 inches and about 48 inches.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device is between about 1 inch and about 24 inches.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the apparatus further comprising:

a second receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power, the second receiver being disposed on the first elongate member;

wherein the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device are configured to operate based on at least one of the DC power from the first receiver or the DC power from the second receiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the apparatus further comprising:

a second receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power, the second receiver being disposed on the first elongate member;

wherein the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device are configured to operate based on at least one of the DC power from the first receiver or the DC power from the second receiver;

wherein the first receiver is disposed on a first end portion of the member, a first end portion of the first elongate member is coupled to a second end portion of the member opposite the first end portion of the member, the second receiver is disposed on a second end portion of the first elongate member opposite the first end portion of the first elongate member.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the apparatus further comprising:

a second receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power, the second receiver being disposed on the first elongate member;

wherein the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device are configured to operate based on at least one of the DC power from the first receiver or the DC power from the second receiver;

wherein a distance between the first receiver and the second receiver is between about 6 inches and about 48 inches.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a driver configured to adjust the DC power from the receiver to provide at least one of a substantially constant current or a substantially constant voltage to the first light-emitting device and to the second light-emitting device.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a container including a receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power;

a first elongate member having a first end portion being coupled to the container;

a second elongate member being coupled to a second end portion of the first elongate member opposite the first end portion; and

a light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the receiver, the light-emitting device being disposed on the second elongate member.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a driver configured to adjust the DC power from the receiver to provide at least one of a substantially constant current or a substantially constant voltage to the light-emitting device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a length of at least one of the first elongate member or the second elongate member is between about 6 inches and about 24 inches.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the light-emitting device is a light-emitting diode.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a first elongate member and a second elongate member, the second elongate member being coupled to the first elongate member;

a receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic signal to a DC power, the receiver being disposed on the first elongate member; and

a light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the receiver, the light-emitting device being disposed on the second elongate member.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the apparatus further comprising:

a third elongate member coupled to the first elongate member;

a second receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic signal to a DC power, the second receiver being disposed on the third elongate member, the DC power from the first receiver and the DC power from the second receiver configured to a DC power bus; and

a driver configured to adjust the DC power bus to provide at least one of a substantially constant current or a substantially constant voltage to the light-emitting device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the light-emitting device is a light-emitting diode.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the light-emitting device is a first light-emitting device, further comprising:

a second receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic signal to a DC power, the second receiver being disposed on the second elongate member; and

a second light-emitting device being disposed on the first elongate member, the first light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the second receiver, the second light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the first receiver.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the light-emitting device is a first light-emitting device, further comprising:

a second receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic signal to a DC power, the second receiver being disposed on the second elongate member; and

a second light-emitting device being disposed on the first elongate member, the first light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the second receiver, the second light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the first receiver;

wherein a distance between the first receiver and the second receiver is between about 6 inches and about 24 inches.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

a first elongate member and a second elongate member, a first end portion of the first elongate member coupled to a first end portion of the second elongate member;

a receiver configured to convert an electromagnetic wave to a DC power, the receiver being disposed on the first elongate member; and

a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device, each of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the receiver, the first light-emitting device being disposed on a second end portion of the first elongate member opposite the first end portion of the first elongate member, the second light-emitting device being disposed on a second end portion of the second elongate member opposite a first end portion of the second elongate member.

27. A method, comprising:

receiving an electromagnetic wave;

converting the electromagnetic wave to a DC power;

providing the DC power to a light-emitting device; and

disabling the operation of the light-emitting diode based a predetermined event.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the predetermined event is at least one of a predetermined illumination level, an appropriate control signal, or an expiration of a time period.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising adjusting the DC power based on at least one of a type or a number of light-emitting devices to be powered by the DC power.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising storing the DC power when the operation of the light-emitting device is disabled.

31. A kit, comprising:

a transmitter configured to generate an electromagnetic wave;

a receiver configured to convert the electromagnetic wave to a DC power; and

an elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the receiver being disposed on the first end portion of the elongate member, a light-emitting device being disposed on the second end portion of the elongate member, the light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the receiver.

32. The kit of claim 31, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the elongate member is a first elongate member, the light-emitting device is a first light-emitting device, the kit further comprising:

a second receiver configured to convert the electromagnetic wave to a DC power; and

a second elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the second receiver being disposed on the first end portion of the second elongate member, a second light-emitting device being disposed on the second end portion of the second elongate member, the second light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the second receiver.

33. The kit of claim 31, wherein the elongate member is a first elongate member, the light-emitting device is a first light-emitting device, the kit further comprising:

a second elongate member; and

a second light-emitting device being disposed on the second elongate member, the second light-emitting device configured to operate based on the DC power from the receiver.