Integrated Wireless Power Sensor System For Sensing And Control Of Equipment

• US 20180054092A1
• Filed: 08/18/2017
• Published: 02/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computime Electronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Computime Electronics Company Limited
• Inventors: Judge, Brenton James, Ha, Wai-Leung, Kam, Kwok Wa Kenny, Chan, Chi Lung, Qian, San Bao Gordon, Zhang, Xiao Jun
• Granted Patent: US 10,523,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

Abstract

A system utilizes the colocation of the sensing and the control or other powered sections of the product to supplement the environmental conditions in which the energy harvesting sensors operate, thus providing a robust energy source for sensors to operate.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. An apparatus for generating energy to supplement an ambient environment, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless sensor comprising an energy storage device;

a wireless energy generator; and

a wireless interface supporting a first wireless communication channel and a second wireless communication channel, wherein;

the wireless energy generator sends a first wireless signal to the wireless sensor over the first wireless communication channel;

the wireless sensor extracts energy from the first wireless signal;

the first wireless sensor sends a second wireless signal to the wireless energy generator via the second wireless communication channel, the second wireless signal indicative of energy requirements of the wireless sensor; and

the wireless energy generator determines a level of the first wireless signal based on the indicated energy requirements of the energy storage device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication channel and the second wireless communication channel are the different.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first wireless communication channel comprises a radio frequency (RF) channel and the second wireless communication channel comprises an ultrasonic channel.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication channel and the second wireless communication channel are the same.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second wireless communication channel comprise a radio frequency channel.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wireless sensor sends an charging indicator indicative of a charge state of the energy storage device.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

when operating in a continuous mode and the wireless sensor is discharging, the wireless generator increases the level of the first wireless signal; and

when operating in the continuous mode, the first wireless sensor is charging, and the first wireless sensor is below a predetermined threshold, the first wireless generator decreases the level of the first wireless signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

when operating in a discrete mode and the wireless sensor is not greater than a predetermined threshold, the wireless generator activates the first wireless signal; and

when operating in the discrete mode and the wireless sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold, the wireless generator deactivates the first wireless signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery and wherein:

the wireless sensor determines an estimated battery life before the battery requires charging; and

conveying the estimated battery life over the second wireless communication channel to the wireless energy generator.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wireless energy generator comprises a radio frequency (RF) generator and wherein:

the wireless energy generator sends messages to the wireless sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the RF transmitter is integrated into the apparatus by flying leads.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the wireless sensor measures an attribute of an entity associated with and distinct from the wireless sensor; and

the wireless sensor includes an attribute indicator in the second wireless signal, the attribute indicator indicative of the attribute measurement.

14. A system for generating energy and extracting the energy to supplement an ambient environment, the system comprising:

a plurality of wireless sensors comprising a first and second wireless sensor;

a first wireless energy generator; and

a wireless interface supporting a first wireless communication channel and a second wireless communication channel, wherein;

the first wireless energy generator sends a first wireless signal to the first and second wireless sensors over the first wireless communication channel;

the first and second wireless sensors extract a portion of the energy from the first wireless signal;

the first wireless sensor sends a second wireless signal to the wireless energy generator via the second wireless communication channel, the second wireless signal indicative of energy requirements of the first wireless sensor;

the second wireless sensor sends a third wireless signal to the first wireless energy generator via the second wireless communication channel, the third wireless signal indicative of energy requirements of the second wireless sensor; and

the first wireless energy generator adjusts a level of the first wireless signal based on the indicated energy requirements of the first and second wireless sensors.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the first and second wireless sensors register with the first wireless generator; and

the first and second wireless sensors communicate with the first wireless energy generator over the second wireless communication channel after registering.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the first wireless energy generator schedules energy generation for the first and second wireless sensors based on time and the energy requirements of the first and second wireless sensors.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the first wireless energy generator pre-charges all registered wireless sensors.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

when operating in a continuous mode and at least one of the first wireless sensor and the second wireless sensor is discharging, the first wireless generator increases the level of the first wireless signal; and

when operating in the continuous mode, the first wireless sensor and the second wireless sensor are charging, and at least one of the first wireless sensor and the second wireless sensor is below a predetermined threshold, the first wireless energy generator decreases the level of the first wireless signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

when operating in a discrete mode and at least one of the first wireless sensor and the second wireless sensor is not greater than a predetermined threshold, the wireless energy generator activates the first wireless signal; and

when operating in the discrete mode and the first wireless sensor and the second wireless sensor the wireless are greater than the predetermined threshold, the wireless energy generator deactivates the first wireless signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 comprising a second wireless energy generator, wherein:

the second wireless energy generator send a fourth wireless signal to the first and second wireless sensors over the first wireless communication channel to accelerate charging of the first and second wireless sensors.

21. An appliance for generating energy and harvesting the energy, the appliance comprising:

a wireless sensor comprising an energy storage device and a sensor wireless interface;

a wireless energy generator comprising a generator wireless interface, the generator wireless interface comprising a radio frequency (RF) transmitter; and

the sensor wireless interface and the generator wireless interface supporting an RF communication channel, wherein;

the wireless energy generator transmits a first wireless signal from the RF transmitter to the wireless sensor over the RF communication channel;

the wireless sensor extracts a portion of the energy from the first wireless signal via a sensor wireless interface;

the first wireless sensor sends a second wireless signal to the wireless energy generator via the RF communication channel, the second wireless signal indicative of energy requirements of the wireless sensor; and

the wireless energy generator adjusts a power level of the RF transmitter based on the indicated energy requirements of the wireless sensor.