Systems and Methods for Communication with Remote Management Systems

• US 20160020830A1
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Douglas, Leabman, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,838,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming

Abstract

Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for communication between wireless power transmission systems and remote management systems. The described systems include one or more wireless power transmitters, one or more wireless power receivers and one or more electronic devices. Electronic devices may be able to communicate with wireless power transmitters and wireless power receivers using suitable communications channels. The disclosed systems are capable of performing system assessments and check-ups, periodically generating status reports and sending the status reports to a remote management system.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one transmitter comprising an antenna array, the transmitter being configured to provide pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space via the antenna array to at least one of a plurality of devices, the transmitter being further configured to communicate data to a network, wherein the data comprises at least one of transmitter data and device data; and

a remote system manager, operatively coupled to the network,

wherein the remote system manager is configured to process communicated data to determine a status of the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the status comprises at least one of a past system status, a present system status, a future system status, a device failure status, and a transmitter failure status.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein

the past system status comprises at least one of a non-end-user report, a logged usage report, an automatic actions report and a location and movement report;

the present system status comprises at least one of a system functioning report, an online users report, a system configuration report and a state of charge report; and

the future system status comprises at least one of component failure forecast data, device state of change forecast data and system configuration analysis data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises an antenna manager configured to control power and direction angle of the antenna array.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device data comprises at least one of device identification data, device voltage range data, device location data, and device signal strength data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter data comprises at least one of transmitter identification data, receiver identification data, end-user device name data, system management server identification data, charging schedule data and charging priority data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote system manager is configured to generate one or more alerts in response to a determined status of the system.

8. A method for monitoring a wireless power system, comprising:

providing pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space to at least one of a plurality of devices via at least one transmitter coupled to a respective antenna array;

communicating data from the transmitter to a network, wherein the data comprises at least one of transmitter data and device data;

processing the communicated data in a remote system manager, operatively coupled to the network, to determine a status of the wireless power system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the status comprises at least one of a past system status, a present system status, a future system status, a device failure status, and a transmitter failure status.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein

the past system status comprises at least one of a non-end-user report, a logged usage report, an automatic actions report and a location and movement report;

the present system status comprises at least one of a system functioning report, an online users report, a system configuration report and a state of charge report; and

the future system status comprises at least one of component failure forecast data, device state of change forecast data and system configuration analysis data.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of controlling power and direction angle of the antenna array via an antenna manager.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the device data comprises at least one of device identification data, device voltage range data, device location data, and device signal strength data.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitter data comprises at least one of transmitter identification data, receiver identification data, end-user device name data, system management server identification data, charging schedule data and charging priority data.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of generating, via the remote system manager, one or more alerts in response to a determined status of the system.

15. A system for monitoring the distribution of pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space, comprising:

at least one transmitter, each comprising

an antenna array, wherein the transmitter is configured to provide the pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space via the antenna array to at least one of a plurality of devices,

an antenna manager configured to control power and direction angle of the antenna array,

a storage, configured to receive and store data comprising at least one of transmitter data and device data, and

communications configured to communicate the data to a network; and

a remote system manager, operatively coupled to the network, wherein the remote system manager is configured to receive and process communicated data to determine a status of the system and perform an action in response to the determined status.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the status comprises at least one of a past system status, a present system status, a future system status, a device failure status, and a transmitter failure status.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein

the past system status comprises at least one of a non-end-user report, a logged usage report, an automatic actions report and a location and movement report;

the present system status comprises at least one of a system functioning report, an online users report, a system configuration report and a state of charge report; and

the future system status comprises at least one of component failure forecast data, device state of change forecast data and system configuration analysis data.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the device data comprises at least one of device identification data, device voltage range data, device location data, and device signal strength data.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmitter data comprises at least one of transmitter identification data, receiver identification data, end-user device name data, system management server identification data, charging schedule data and charging priority data.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises generating one or more alerts in response to a determined status of the system.