WIRELESS ELECTRIC FIELD POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130147427A1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solace Power Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solace Power Inc.
• Inventors: POLU, Nagesh, ALAM, Md. Jahangir, ISLAM, Sheikh Mominul, SOLTANI, Nima
• Granted Patent: US 9,653,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3216 where the road or rail vehicle is only used as transportation means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 : Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/56 : Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/09 : A balun, i.e. balanced to or from unbalanced converter, being present at the output of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/102 : A non-specified detector of a signal envelope being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/387 : A circuit being added at the output of an amplifier to adapt the output impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/462 : the current being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/30031 : A resistor being coupled as feedback circuit in the SEPP amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/30111 : A resistor being added in the push stage of the SEPP amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/30114 : the push transistor circuit comprising one or more capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 : in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 : with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/305 : with symmetrical driving of the end stage
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/06 : Tuning of antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0812 : and where no voltage or current controlled oscillator is used
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 : using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 : Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A wireless electric field power transmission system comprises: a transmitter comprising a transmitter antenna, the transmitter antenna comprising at least two conductors defining a volume therebetween; and at least one receiver, wherein the transmitter antenna transfers power wirelessly via electric field coupling when the at least one receiver is within the volume.

Claims

1. A wireless electric field power transmission system comprising:

a transmitter comprising a transmitter antenna, the transmitter antenna comprising at least two conductors defining a volume therebetween; and

at least one receiver, wherein the transmitter antenna transfers power wirelessly via electric field coupling when the at least one receiver is within the volume.

2. A method for wirelessly transmitting power, the method comprising:

oscillating a transmitter antenna comprising at least two conductors defining a volume at a transmitter resonant frequency;

generating an electric field in the volume;

positioning a receiver antenna comprising two plates in the volume; and

oscillating the receiver antenna at the transmitter resonant frequency.

3. A method for wirelessly transferring power, the method comprising:

resonating a transmitter antenna comprising at least two conductors and a transmitter coil at a start-up frequency;

tuning the transmitter antenna and the transmitter coil to their resonant frequency;

generating an electric field within a volume defined by the at least two conductors;

placing a receiver with a receiver antenna comprising two plates in the volume;

accumulating a potential difference on the two plates;

resonating the receiver antenna at the resonant frequency; and

gathering power from the receiver antenna.

4. A transmitter for wirelessly transmitting power, the transmitter comprising:

an antenna for creating an electric field, the antenna comprising at least two conductors defining a volume therebetween;

a coil connected to the antenna; and

a resonator connected to the coil for resonating the coil and the antenna at a resonant frequency, the resonator comprising an auto frequency tuning circuit configured to automatically tune the transmitter.

5. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the antenna comprises at least two generally parallel plates that are laterally spaced to define the volume.

6. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the antenna comprises six conductors defining the volume.

7. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the antenna is a near-field antenna.

8. The transmitter of claim 7, wherein each conductor is formed of conductive tape.

9. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the coil is constructed using strand wire.

10. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the coil is a toroid spiral, cylindrical spiral, flat spiral or pancake coil.

11. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the auto frequency tuning circuit further comprises circuitry configured to boost a signal to the antenna.

12. The transmitter of claim 11, wherein the circuitry comprises at least one of a voltage gain, a current gain and a power amplifier.

13. The transmitter of claim 12, wherein the power amplifier is a push-pull power amplifier.

14. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the auto frequency tuning circuit further comprises a delay line configured to delay the signal within the auto frequency tuning circuit.

15. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the delay line is an active inverter delay chain comprising complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) inverters connected in series.

16. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the auto frequency tuning circuit further comprises a decoupling circuit configured to decouple an output signal of the transmitter.

17. The transmitter of claim 16, wherein the decoupling circuit comprises a balun.

18. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the auto frequency tuning circuit further comprises a current sensing circuit configured to provide a feedback signal.

19. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the auto frequency tuning circuit further comprises an oscillator configured to inject a start-up signal into the auto frequency tuning circuit.

20. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the resonator further comprises modification circuitry configured to modify the output signal of the transmitter when a condition occurs.

21. The transmitter of claim 20, wherein the modification circuitry adjusts the power level of the output signal when the condition occurs.

22. The transmitter of claim 20, wherein the modification circuitry shuts off output of the transmitter when the condition occurs.

23. A vehicle comprising the transmitter of claim 4.

24. A table comprising the transmitter of claim 4.

25. A container comprising the transmitter of claim 4.

26. The container of claim 25, wherein the container is shielded to prevent electromagnetic field (EMF) leakage.

27. The container of claim 26, wherein electric field strength is increased when the container is closed.

28. A receiver for receiving wirelessly transmitted power, the receiver comprising:

an antenna comprising two conductors;

a coil connected to the antenna;

a resonator connected to the coil for resonating the coil and the antenna at a resonant frequency, the resonator comprising an auto frequency tuning circuit configured to automatically tune the resonator.

29. The receiver of claim 28, wherein the conductors are external to a housing accommodating the coil and the resonator.

30. The receiver of claim 28, wherein the conductors are plates or rails.

31. The receiver of claim 30, wherein the rails are rectangular and parallel.

32. The receiver of claim 28, wherein the rails are metallic.

33. The receiver of claim 28, wherein the coil is constructed of strand wire or inductors.

34. The receiver of claim 28, wherein the coil is a toroid, cylindrical spiral, flat spiral or pancake coil.

35. The receiver of claim 28, wherein the resonator further comprises modification circuitry configured to modify a signal received by the receiver when a condition occurs.

36. The receiver of claim 35, wherein the modification circuitry adjusts the signal received by the receiver when the condition occurs.

37. The receiver of claim 35, wherein the modification circuitry is a voltage converter and/or a rectifier.

38. The receiver of claim 28, further comprising an impedance matching circuit.

39. The receiver of claim 38, wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises a balun.

40. A backpack for receiving wirelessly transmitted power, the backpack comprising the receiver of claim 28.

41. The backpack of claim 40, further comprising a battery charger connected to the receiver.

42. The backpack of claim 41, further comprising at least one rechargeable battery connected to the receiver configured to charge when no batteries are present in the battery charger.

43. A radio communication device for receiving wirelessly transmitted power, the device comprising the receiver of claim 28.

44. A computing device for receiving wirelessly transmitted power, the device comprising the receiver of claim 28.

45. A device comprising:

the transmitter of claim 4; and

the receiver of claim 28.

46. A wireless electric field power transmission system comprising:

a transmitter comprising a transmitter antenna, the transmitter antenna comprising at least one conductor; and

at least one receiver, wherein the transmitter antenna transfers power wirelessly via electric field coupling when the at least one receiver is coupled to the transmitter.