TECHNIQUES FOR CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION AND CONTROL IN WIRELESS POWER DELIVERY ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20170005533A1
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Inventors: Zeine, Hatem, Mayes, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 10,566,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0035 detecting errors in frequency or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0075 based on arrival time vs. expected arrival time

Abstract

Techniques for automated clock synchronization and control are discussed herein. For example, the techniques can include monitoring of transmissions for ‘known’ events and identifying timing or frequencies of such events. Deviations in the timing or frequencies of the events from expected times or frequencies may indicate that wireless power transmission system and receiver clocks are not synchronized. The deviations can be used to synchronize the clock for optimum wireless power transfer. Techniques are also described for enhancing clock control mechanisms to provide additional means for managing the adjustments of the clocks, as well as for enabling wireless power transmission systems to mimic client clock offsets for effective synchronization of events (e.g., beacon signals).

Claims

1. A method of facilitating synchronization between a wireless power receiver client and a wireless power transmission system in a wireless power delivery environment, the method comprising:

monitoring scheduled events related to wireless power transfers in the wireless power delivery environment,

wherein the scheduled events are associated with one or more expected properties;

detecting occurrence of a scheduled event;

identifying one or more properties of the scheduled event; and

comparing the one or more properties of the scheduled event to expected properties associated with the event to determine a differential between the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more properties of the scheduled event comprises identifying a time that the scheduled event is received.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the differential comprises an event time differential, and wherein comparing the one or more properties of the scheduled event to the expected properties associated with the event to identify the clock differential comprises comparing the time that the scheduled event is received to a time that the scheduled event is expected to be received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more properties of the scheduled event comprises identifying the incoming frequency of the scheduled event.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the differential comprises a phase differential, and wherein comparing the one or more properties of the scheduled event to the expected properties associated with the event to identify the clock differential comprises comparing the incoming frequency of the scheduled event to an expected frequency of the scheduled event.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the expected frequency of the scheduled event comprises a frequency at which scheduled events are transmitted.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system based on the differential.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein synchronizing the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system based on the differential comprise one or more of adjusting the pre-scalar in a counter or a fractional part of phase lock loop (PLL).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduled event comprises one or more of a beacon signal, a wireless power signal, or a synchronization signal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reporting the differential to the wireless power receiver client or the wireless power transmission system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining if the differential is greater than a threshold; and

when the differential is greater than the threshold, reporting the differential to the wireless power receiver client or the wireless power transmission system or synchronizing the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system based on the differential.

12. A wireless power transmission system, comprising:

an adaptively-phased antenna array having multiple radio frequency (RF) transceivers;

control circuitry operatively coupled to the multiple transceivers, the control circuitry configured to;

detect, via one or more of the multiple transceivers, a scheduled beacon transmitted by a wireless power receiver client;

identify one or more properties of the scheduled beacon; and

compare the one or more properties of the scheduled beacon to expected properties associated with the beacon to determine a differential between the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system.

13. The wireless power transmission system of claim 12, wherein to identify the one or more properties of the scheduled beacon, the control circuitry is further configured to identifying a time that the scheduled event is received.

14. The wireless power transmission system of claim 12, wherein to identify the one or more properties of the scheduled beacon, the control circuitry is further configured to identify a time that the scheduled beacon is received, and wherein to compare the one or more properties of the beacon to the expected properties associated with the beacon to identify the differential, the control circuitry is further configured to compare the time that the scheduled beacon is received to a time that the scheduled beacon is expected to be received.

15. The wireless power transmission system of claim 12, wherein to identify the one or more properties of the scheduled beacon, the control circuitry is further configured to identify a incoming frequency of the beacon, and wherein to compare the one or more properties of the beacon to the expected properties associated with the beacon to identify the differential, the control circuitry is further configured to compare the incoming frequency of the scheduled beacon to an expected frequency of the scheduled beacon.

16. The wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the expected frequency of the scheduled beacon comprises the frequency at which the wireless power transmission system transmits wireless power to the wireless power receiver client.

17. The wireless power transmission system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

synchronizing the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system based on the differential.

18. The wireless power transmission system of claim 17, to synchronize the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system, the wireless power transmission system mimics a clock associated with the wireless power receiver client based on the differential.

19. The wireless power transmission system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

monitor scheduled events related to wireless power transfers in the wireless power delivery environment,

wherein the scheduled events include beacons from various wireless power delivery clients in the wireless power delivery environment.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

monitor scheduled events related to wireless power transfers in the wireless power delivery environment,

wherein the scheduled events are associated with one or more expected properties;

detect occurrence of a scheduled event;

identify one or more properties of the scheduled event; and

compare the one or more properties of the scheduled event to expected properties associated with the event to determine a differential between the wireless power receiver client and the wireless power transmission system.