Wireless power transmitter that selectively activates antenna elements of performing wireless power transmission
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Abstract
An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a controller; one or more receiving circuits coupled to the controller, each receiving circuit configured to receive incoming RF signals from a receiver, the receiver transmitting a communication signal that identifies a location of the receiver; a plurality of transmitting circuits coupled to the controller, each transmitting circuit configured to generate outgoing RF signals based upon the incoming RF signals; and a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements including at least some dedicated antenna elements. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to: (i) select a first configuration of at least some of the dedicated antenna elements to be coupled to the receiving circuits, and (ii) select, based on the location, a second configuration of at least some of the plurality of antenna elements to be coupled to the plurality of transmitting circuits to transmit the outgoing RF signals.
7 Citations
20 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. A wireless power transmitter comprising:
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a receiving integrated circuit configured to process an incoming radio frequency (RF) signal indicating a location of a receiver; a transmitting integrated circuit configured to generate outgoing RF power signals based on the processed incoming RF signal; an antenna array comprising (i) a first group of antenna elements coupled and dedicated to the receiving integrated circuit, and (ii) a second group of antenna elements switchably coupled to the transmitting integrated circuit; and a controller coupled to the receiving and transmitting integrated circuits, the controller being configured to; cause one or more antenna elements of the second group of antenna elements to be coupled to the transmitting integrated circuit based on the location of the receiver, and cause the one or more antenna elements of the second group of antenna elements to transmit outgoing RF power signals to the location of the receiver, wherein the receiver uses energy from the received outgoing RF power signals to power and/or charge an electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of wirelessly delivering power to an electronic device, the method comprising:
at a wireless power transmitter; processing, by a receiving integrated circuit of the wireless power transmitter, an incoming radio frequency (RF) signal indicating a location of a receiver; generating, by a transmitting integrated circuit of the wireless power transmitter, outgoing RF power signals based on the processed incoming RF signal, wherein the wireless power transmitter includes an antenna array comprising (i) a first group of antenna elements coupled and dedicated to the receiving integrated circuit, and (ii) a second group of antenna elements switchably coupled to the transmitting integrated circuit; causing, by a controller coupled to the receiving and transmitting integrated circuits, one or more antenna elements of the second group of antenna elements to be coupled to the transmitting integrated circuit based on the location of the receiver; and causing, by the controller, the one or more antenna elements of the second group of antenna elements to transmit the outgoing RF power signals to the location of the receiver, wherein the receiver uses energy from the received outgoing RF power signals to power and/or charge an electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification