WIRELESS ENERGY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

• US 20120235500A1
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Ganem, Steven J., Schatz, David A., Kesler, Morris P., Giler, Eric R., Hall, Katherine L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,065,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance

Abstract

Described herein are systems for wireless energy transfer distribution over a defined area. Energy may be distributed over the area via a plurality of repeater, source, and device resonators. The resonators within the area may be tunable and the distribution of energy or magnetic fields within the area may be configured depending on device position and power needs.

Claims

1. A system for wireless energy distribution over a defined area, the system comprising:

a source resonator coupled to an energy source and generating an oscillating magnetic field with a frequency,

at least one repeater resonator positioned in a defined area and in proximity to the source resonator, and having a resonant frequency; and

at least two other repeater resonators with a resonant frequency positioned in the defined area and in proximity to at least one of the repeater resonators,

wherein the repeater resonators provide an effective wireless energy transfer area at least one of within or equal to the defined area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area covered is at least 2 square meters.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area covered is at east 10 square centimeters.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional source resonator that generates an oscillating magnetic field with the frequency, wherein the at least one additional source resonator is positioned in proximity to defined area.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the frequency and relative phase of the oscillating fields generated by the sources of the system are synchronized.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the relative phase of the oscillating fields generated by the different sources of the system is adjustable.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one repeater resonator comprises a capacitively loaded conducting loop.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the repeater resonators have an adjustable resonant frequency.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the resonant frequency of the repeater resonators may be detuned from the frequency of the magnetic fields generated by the source resonators to change the distribution of the magnetic fields in the defined area.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein some repeaters are detuned to maximize the magnetic fields in a region of the defined area.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the detuning of repeaters is performed according to a network routing algorithm.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a communication channel between the resonators of the system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication channel is used to coordinate detuning of the repeater resonators of the system to achieve a specific magnetic field distribution.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater resonators have a quality factor Q>

100.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the repeater resonators further comprise pressure sensors and wherein the information from the pressure sensors is used to change the magnetic field distribution.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area is a floor

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the resonators are integrated into flooring material.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area is a wall.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area is a ceiling.

20. A wireless energy transfer flooring system comprising:

at least one source resonator coupled to an energy source and generating an oscillating magnetic field with a frequency,

at least one repeater resonator positioned in a defined area and in proximity to the source resonator, and having a tunable resonant frequency; and

at least two other repeater resonators with a tunable resonant frequency positioned in the defined area and in proximity to at least one other of the repeater resonators,

wherein the resonant frequency of at least one of the repeater resonators is detuned from the frequency of the oscillating magnetic field of the at least one source to change the distribution of magnetic fields in the defined area.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a communication channel between the resonators of the system.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the communication channel is used to coordinate detuning of the repeater resonators of the system to achieve a specific magnetic field distribution.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the resonators are integrated into flooring material.

24. A method of distributing wireless energy from at least one source resonator to a specific location within an area having tunable repeater resonators, the method comprising:

determining a closest repeater resonators to the specific location, and

tuning the resonant frequency of the repeater resonators to provide for an energy transfer path from the source to the closest repeater resonators.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising detuning resonators that are not in the energy transfer path.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the energy transfer path is determined by a shortest path algorithm.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the energy transfer path is determined by a central control.