ANTENNA CONFIGURATIONS FOR WIRELESS POWER AND COMMUNICATION, AND SUPPLEMENTAL VISUAL SIGNALS

• US 20170104374A1
• Filed: 10/07/2016
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Inventors: Perez, Luis, Smith, Robert, Zeine, Hatem, Ebadi, Siamak, Khormaei, Iranpour, El-Rukby, Fady, Saghati, Alireza, Shylendra, Prithvi
• Granted Patent: US 9,906,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition

Abstract

The disclosed technology relates to antenna configurations for wireless power transmission and supplemental visual signals. In some implementations, the disclosed technology includes a wireless power transmitter with boards that have multiple antennas physically coupled to the board. In some implementations, the antennas boards are arranged in a polygonal configuration (e.g., star shape). Additionally, in some implementations, the antennas can have different polarization configurations.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

first antenna module boards (AMBs), wherein each of the first AMBs comprises;

a first set of antennas positioned on a first side of the first AMB; and

a first control circuit arranged on a second side of the first AMB opposite the first side,

wherein the first control circuit is configured to control power transmission from the first set of antennas;

second AMBs, wherein each of the second AMBs comprises;

a second set of antennas positioned on a first side of the second AMB; and

a second control circuit arranged on a second side of the second AMB opposite the first side,

wherein the second control circuit is configured to control transmission of power from the second set of antennas;

wherein the first and second AMBs are positioned in a multi-pointed star configuration,

wherein the first and second sets of antennas are on an exterior of the star configuration, and

wherein each of the first AMB is positioned to partially face one of the second AMBs.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, further comprising:

a cylindrical housing spaced apart from and peripheral to the star configuration, wherein the cylindrical housing is composed of material that is partially transparent to radio frequency (RE) waves, and

wherein the cylindrical housing is partially perforated.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, a cylindrical housing spaced apart from and peripheral to the star configuration.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first set of antennas has a vertical polarization and the second set of antennas has a horizontal polarization.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter is movable, and wherein the wireless transmitter is less than 16 inches in all dimensions,

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein first and second control circuits are configured to enable the first and second sets of antennas to transmit wireless power and data.

7. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first and second AMBs are covered with a shielding material.

8. A device, comprising:

a first unit, the first unit comprising;

multiple antenna module boards (AMBs), wherein each AMB comprises;

multiple antennas,

wherein the multiple antennas are configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) power to a client; and

power circuitry coupled to the multiple antennas; and

wherein the multiple AMBs are arranged in a polygonal shape.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the polygonal shape is a star, wherein the multiple antennas are on the exterior of the star shape and the power circuitry is on the interior of the star shape.

10. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a second unit,

wherein the second unit is identical to the first unit, and

wherein the second unit is stacked on top of the first unit.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the multiple AMBs has antennas polarized 180 degrees out of phase with other antennas.

12. A method for displaying visual signals associated with wireless power transmission, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless beacon signal from a client device,

wherein the beacon signal is a calibration signal that travels along one or more paths between the client device and a wireless power transmitter;

determining, based on the received beacon signal, a direction to transmit power o the client device,

wherein determining the direction is at least partially based on a detected phase of the received beacon signal;

transmitting wireless power to the client device in the determined direction; and

activating, in response to transmitting wireless power to the client device, a light emitting diode (LED),

wherein the LED is positioned to indicate the direction that the transmitted wireless power is transmitted.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the LED further comprises:

determining an antenna or group of antennas associated with the transmitting of wireless power to the client device;

determining an LED associated with the antenna or group of antennas associated with transmitting power; and

in response to determining the associated LED, activating the determined LED.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

increasing or decreasing an intensity of an LED based on an amount of power transmitted to the client device, or

modifying a color of the LED light based on an amount of power transmitted to the client device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

modifying the activated LED to blink after determining that the client device is fully charged,

wherein determining that the client device is fully charged is partially based on encoded information associated with the received beacon signal,

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting communication data to the client device,

wherein the communication data is transmitted using at least one of the following;

Bluetooth™

, ZigBee™

, WiFi, or an IEEE 802.15.4 based protocol.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

turning off one LED and turning on another LED in response to determining that the client device has moved,

wherein determining that the client device has moved is partially based on receiving an updated beacon signal.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a request from a graphical user interface associated with a computer device or mobile device, wherein the request is a query to determine how much power is distributed throughout a room from a wireless transmitter and the list of devices that are receiving wireless power; and

receiving another request, from the graphical user interface, to send power to another client device.

19. A system for transmitting wireless power, the system comprising:

a processor;

multiple antenna module boards (AMBs),

wherein each AMB comprises;

multiple antennas configured to transmit wireless power; and

control circuitry coupled to the multiple antennas;

multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) physically coupled to the processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the

system to;

determine which LEDs are associated with activated antennas for transferring power; and

turn on the LEDs associated with the activated antennas for transferring power.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a language module storing user defined actions,

wherein the language module, when executed by the processor, causes the device to perform one of the user defined actions.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a hologram projector under control of the processor;

wherein the hologram projector is configured to display a hologram that partially indicates a direction wireless power is transmitted.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a housing that contains the multiple AMBs, wherein the multiple LEDs are arranged in a circular pattern on the housing, wherein first, second, third and fourth LEDs are associated with north, south, east and west directions, respectively, and wherein the processor and the memory are monolithically integrated.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the memory further includes further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to:

provide a mobile device user with a graphical user interface (GUI) with options for modifying power distribution from the system;

receive a request, via the graphical user interface, to stop transmitting power to a first device and begin transmitting power to a second device; and

display, in response to the request, the change in the power transmission on the graphical user interface.