PORTABLE TRANSMITTER FOR WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION

• US 20150130285A1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: DvineWave, Inc.
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A., Brewer, Gregory Scott
• Application Number:
  US14/075,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130285A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source

Abstract

The present disclosure may provide a portable wireless transmitter which may be used to provide wireless power transmission (WPT) while using suitable WPT techniques such as pocket-forming. Portable wireless transmitter may be intended for providing power to a variety of devices in applications which demand portability or mobility for the transmitter. In some embodiments, transmitters may include one or more antennas connected to at least one radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) and one microcontroller. In other embodiments, transmitters may include a plurality of antennas, a plurality of RFIC or a plurality of controllers. In addition, portable wireless transmitters may include communications components which may allow for communication to various electronic equipment including phones, computers and others.

Claims

1. A method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter, comprising:

generating two or more RF waves from the transmitter with at least two RF transmit antennas connected to a radio frequency integrated circuit;

managing the generation of RF waves by at least one microcontroller connected to the radio frequency integrated circuit;

forming controlled constructive and destructive interference patterns from the generated RF waves by the radio frequency integrated circuit controlled by the microcontroller;

accumulating energy or power in the form of constructive interference patterns from the RF waves to form pockets of energy;

converging the pockets of energy in 3-d space to a targeted electronic device; and

arranging the two antennas in an optimal array for charging or powering the targeted electronic device with the pockets of energy.

2. A method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter, comprising the steps of:

housing solid state circuits including an RF integrated circuit connected to at least two antennas in an enclosure resistant to water, shocks, vibration or adverse environmental conditions to increase the reliability of the portable transmitter;

providing a power source through a variety of power plugs connected to the solid state circuits in the enclosure to generate RF waves from the RF integrated circuit;

broadcasting the RF waves over the at least two antennas;

controlling the generated RF waves by the solid state circuits and the RF integrated circuit to define pocket-forming for converging the RF waves in 3-d space to form pockets of energy from the RF waves; and

arranging the at least two antennas in an optimal array on a surface of the enclosure for wirelessly charging or powering a targeted electronic device with the pockets of energy.

3. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 2, wherein the power plug attached to the enclosure and the solid state circuits is connected to a power outlet on a wall, floor, ceiling or other location.

4. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 2, further including the step of adaptive pocket-forming to dynamically adjust the pocket-forming in order to regulate power or charging on one or more targeted electronic device.

5. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 2, wherein the pocket-forming is controlled through phase or gain adjustments of the RF waves to form constructive and destructive interference patterns.

6. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 2, further includes the step of operating the antennas in independent frequencies to allow a multichannel operation of pocket-forming.

7. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 5, wherein the values of phase and gain are used by a microprocessor in the solid state circuits to adjust transmitter antennas to form pockets of energy used to charge or power the electronic device.

8. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 2, wherein components of the solid state circuits are manufactured using meta-materials, micro-printing of solid state circuits, nano-materials to miniaturize and increase the portability of the transmitter.

9. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 2, wherein the antennas include antenna elements for operating in frequency bands of 900 MHz, 2.5 GHz or 5.8 GHz.

10. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 7, wherein the microprocessor determines appropriate adjustments for phase and gain in the transmitter antennas for the pocket-forming or for an adaptive pocket-forming or for a multiple pocket-forming to form pockets of energy at the appropriate locations based on the targeted electronic device location.

11. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 2, wherein the electronic device includes a laptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet, a music player, toys and wireless security cameras.

12. The method for wireless power transmission by a portable transmitter of claim 9, wherein the antenna elements include at least one polarization or a selection of polarizations to further include vertical pole, horizontal pole, circularly polarized, left hand polarized, right hand polarized, or a combination of polarizations where the antenna elements are configured to be located within the various surfaces of the wireless transmitter.

13. A wireless portable transmitter for power transmission, comprising:

a housing for embedding analog or digital electrical circuits of the portable transmitter,

at least two antennas connected to the electrical circuits;

a RF integrated circuit connected to the electrical circuits;

a microprocessor connected to the RF integrated circuit to control RF waves generated by the RF integrated circuit and to broadcast the controlled RF waves through the at least two antennas for pocket-forming to form pockets of energy consisting of constructive interference patterns of the controlled RF waves; and

a power plug electrically connected to the electrical circuits within the housing for connecting an external power source to the electrical circuits in order to sustain the pockets of energy necessary for charging or powering an electronic device.

14. The wireless portable transmitter for power transmission of claim 13, wherein the housing is generally a rugged, flat and rectangular shape of a predetermined thickness for protecting the electric circuits from rough environmental conditions.

15. The wireless portable transmitter for power transmission of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor controls the phase and gain of the RF waves to form constructive and destructive interference patterns resulting in the pockets of energy and null-spaces, respectively.

16. The wireless portable transmitter for power transmission of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor calculates the appropriate values of phase and gain to determine appropriate values for all antennas in the transmitter in order to adjust all of the antennas in a transmitter array.

17. The wireless portable transmitter for power transmission of claim 13, wherein each transmitter operates at different frequencies, power intensities and different ranges to power the electronic device.

18. The wireless portable transmitter for power transmission of claim 13, wherein the power plug connected to the transmitter for delivering a power source is foldable, telescopic, ultra-compact, a USB adapter, a cigarette lighter plug or other adapter configuration for a particular country or city code requirements.

19. The wireless portable transmitter for power transmission of claim 13, further including communication circuitry in the transmitter for sending and receiving communication signals from the targeted electronic device in order to track and concentrate pockets of energy on the electronic device and wherein the communication circuitry utilizes Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi, FM radio or Zigbee for the communication protocols.

20. The wireless portable transmitter for power transmission of claim 13, wherein the housing is configured of a predetermined rugged material to withstand water, high or low temperatures, sand, bugs, shocks, vibration and other rough conditions which are a potential threat to the integrity of the portable wireless transmitter.