MODULAR ANTENNAS IN WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS

• US 20170187247A1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: LEABMAN, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,263,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves

Abstract

A wireless power transmission system includes a transmitter configured to transmit power waves including printed circuit boards where a printed circuit board and antenna boards, where each antenna board comprises one or more antenna elements, at least one antenna board resides on a printed circuit board, and the at least one antenna board is connected with a power feeding line. The transmitter further includes a heat sink attached to the at least one printed circuit board, wherein placement of the heat sink with respect to the at least one antenna board comprising the one or more antenna elements and shape of the heat sink is configured such that the heat sink operates as a reflector to direct wireless power waves transmitted from the at least one antenna board in a pre-determined direction.

Claims

1. A transmitter of a wireless power transmission system comprising:

a transmitter board comprising a plurality of ports configured to receive a plurality of antenna boards, wherein each respective port is configured to receive a respective antenna board, and wherein each respective antenna board comprises one or more antenna elements configured to transmit one or more power waves; and

a processor configured to;

determine whether each antenna board is connected to a respective port of the transmitter board, and

control transmission of the one or more power waves via each antenna board connected to the respective port of the transmitter board to form a pocket of energy within a transmission field of the transmitter.

2. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein each antenna board comprises a complimentary port that is connected to the respective port of the transmitter board.

3. The transmitter according to claim 1, further comprises a locking mechanism to hold each antenna board connected to the respective port of the transmitter board.

4. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the each antenna board frictionally engages to the respective port of the transmitter board.

5. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the one or more antenna elements are made of ceramic, and wherein the ceramic is alumina.

6. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein an antenna element of the one or more antenna elements is a resonator element configured to radiate a wireless signal, and a substrate is embedding the resonator element.

7. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein a casting of a dielectric is embedding the one or more antenna elements, and wherein the casting is silicon.

8. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein each antenna element of the one or more antenna elements comprises an antenna mount defining an opening configured to operate as a resonator for transferring an RF signal, and wherein the resonator is configured as a Yagi antenna.

9. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein an antenna element of the one or more antenna elements is a patch antenna configured to irradiate wireless signals.

10. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein an antenna element of the one or more antenna elements comprises a plurality of horizontal resonator elements.

11. The transmitter according to claim 11, wherein each horizontal resonator element is being planar, vertically aligned, and substantially parallel with at least one other horizontal resonator element.

12. A method performed by a processor of a transmitter of a wireless power transmission system, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor configured to control a transmitter board having a plurality of ports configured to receive a plurality of antenna boards respectively, that an antenna board is connected to a respective port of the plurality of ports of the transmitter board, wherein each respective antenna board comprises one or more antenna elements configured to transmit one or more power waves;

selectively activating, by the processor, the antenna board connected to the respective port of the plurality of ports, whereby the processor instructs at least one antenna element of the antenna board to transmit the one or more power waves; and

controlling, by the processor, transmission of the one or more power waves via the at least one antenna element of the antenna board connected to the respective port to form a pocket of energy within a transmission field of the transmitter.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising automatically detecting, by the processor, a new antenna board connected to an empty port of the plurality of ports.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein a heat sink is attached to the transmitter board.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein antenna switches are connected to each antenna element of the one or more antenna elements, and wherein one or more filters are connected to the antenna switches.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein each antenna board comprises a complimentary port that is connected to a respective port of the plurality of ports.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter comprises a locking mechanism to hold each antenna board connected to a respective port of the plurality of ports.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the each antenna board frictionally engages to a respective port of the plurality of ports.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the one or more antenna elements are made of ceramic, and wherein the ceramic is alumina.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein an antenna element of the one or more antenna elements is a resonator element configured to radiate a wireless signal, and a substrate is embedding the resonator element.