METHOD FOR 3 DIMENSIONAL POCKET-FORMING

• US 20150022009A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: DvineWave, Inc.
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A., Brewer, Gregory Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,211,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a methodology for wireless power transmission based on pocket-forming. The method includes a transmitter device capable of forming pockets of energy used by a receiver device to charge an electronic device such as a computers, cell phones, tablet and/or devices of the like. The method may include using an array of antennas at the transmitter to locate the position of a receiver device. The transmitter may identify the position of the device by capturing a signal from a receiving device using two subsets from the array of antennas. The subset of antennas may then be adjusted to form pockets of energy at the appropriate location of the receiving device. Previously stored data pertaining to each antenna in the array may serve to determine the proper adjustments for the entire array of antennas based on the results from the subsets used to capture the receivers signal.

Claims

1. A method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission, comprising the steps of:

capturing a first signal from a receiver with a first subset of antennas from an antenna array on a transmitter;

switching to a different subset of antennas on the transmitter;

capturing a second signal from the receiver with a second subset of antennas from the antenna array on the transmitter; and

processing the first and second signals by a microprocessor on the transmitter in order to adjust the antenna array on the transmitter to form pockets of energy directed to the receiver to charge or power an electronic device.

2. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, wherein the first signal is captured with a row of antennas and the second signal is captured by a column of antennas in the transmitter array of antennas.

3. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 2, wherein the row of antennas provide a horizontal degree orientation such as an azimuth in a spherical coordinate system and wherein the column of antennas provide a vertical degree orientation such as elevation in the spherical coordinate system.

4. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 3, wherein the first and second subset of antennas are aligned in a cross structure in order to cover 360 degrees around the transmitter.

5. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, further includes the step of measuring the horizontal and vertical values to determine appropriate values of phase and gain to determine a position of the receiver to the antenna array of the transmitter.

6. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 5, wherein the values of phase and gain are used by the microprocessor to adjust transmitter antennas to form pockets of energy used by the receiver in order to charge or power the electronic device.

7. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating between the electronic device receiver and the transmitter through short RF waves or pilot signals on conventional wireless communication protocols including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee or FM radio signal with the power level information for the electronic device to be charged.

8. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, further comprising the steps of calculating the data pertaining to initial test values of all antennas in the transmitter and saving previously stored data of test values for use by the microprocessor to assist in the future calculation of appropriate values for the transmitter antennas in the array at different frequencies.

9. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor determines appropriate adjustments for phase and gain in the row of transmitter antennas in order to form pockets of energy at the appropriate locations based on the receiver location.

10. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 8, further including the step of utilizing previously stored data about the transmitter antennas for adjusting the antenna array accordingly with the results from the row of antennas and from the column of antennas.

11. The method for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, further including two diagonal subsets of antennas for capturing the first and second signals and based upon the signals captured adjustments are made and data about the antennas are stored then the rest of the antenna in the array are accordingly adjusted.

13. The device for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, wherein the first signal is captured with a row of antennas and the second signal is captured by a column of antennas in the transmitter array of antennas.

14. The device for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, wherein the row of antennas provide a horizontal degree orientation such as an azimuth in a spherical coordinate system and wherein the column of antennas provide a vertical degree orientation such as elevation in the spherical coordinate system.

15. The device for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor calculates the measurements of the horizontal and vertical values of the first and second signals for appropriate values of phase and gain to determine appropriate values for all antennas in the transmitter array in order to adjust all of the antennas in the transmitter array.

16. The device for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 1, wherein each transmitter operates at different frequencies, power intensities and different ranges to power the electronic device.

12. A device for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission, comprising:

a receiver connected to a portable electronic device to receive charging or powering from a transmitter with an antenna array;

a first subset of antennas within the antenna array on the transmitter for capturing a first signal generated by the receiver;

a second subset of antennas within the antenna array on the transmitter for capturing a second signal generated by the receiver; and

a microprocessor mounted within the transmitter for processing the first and second signals in order to adjust the first and second subset of antennas within the antenna array to transmit pockets of energy to the receiver for charging or powering the electronic device.

17. An apparatus for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission, comprising:

a receiver connected to an electronic device for communicating with a transmitter by generating first and second signals representative of horizontal and vertical orientation or values in a spherical system; and

a first and second subset of antenna elements for capturing the horizontal and vertical values of the receiver for the microprocessor to calculate the appropriate values of the phase and gain for the vertical and horizontal antenna elements used to capture the signals and used by the microprocessor to adjust antenna elements of the transmitter for forming pockets of energy used by the receiver to charge and power the electronic device,

18. The apparatus for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 17, further including communication circuitry in the receiver and transmitter wherein the communication circuitry utilizes Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi, FM radio or Zigbee for the communication protocols.

19. The apparatus for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 17, wherein the antenna elements are flat antenna elements, patch antenna elements, dipole antenna elements with heights from approximately ⅛

inches to about 1 inch and widths from approximately ⅛

inches to about 1 inch.

20. The apparatus for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 17, wherein the antenna elements of the transmitter operate in frequency bands of 900 MHz, 2.5 GHz or 5.8 GHz.

21. The apparatus for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 17, wherein the antenna elements of the transmitter operate in independent frequencies that allow a multichannel operation of pocket-forming in a single array, pair array, quad array or other suitable arrangement.

22. The apparatus for 3-dimensional pocket-forming in wireless power transmission of claim 17, wherein the antenna elements of the transmitter include polarization of vertical pole, horizontal pole, circularly polarized, left hand polarized, right hand polarized or a combination of polarizations.