Controlled Power Transmission in Radio Frequency (RF) Device Network

• US 20190181916A1
• Filed: 08/24/2018
• Published: 06/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Movandi Corporation
• Original Assignee: Movandi Corporation
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Yoon, Seunghwan
• Granted Patent: US 10,666,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

In a first radio frequency (RF) device, circuits determine a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) radio path, and select a first plurality of reflector devices associated with the NLOS radio path from a second plurality of reflector devices. The first plurality of reflector devices, are selected based on a first set of criteria, includes an active reflector device and a passive reflector device, and are controlled to transmit a plurality of RF signals to a second RF device based on a second set of criteria. The second RF device is associated with electronic devices. The first RF signal interferes with a second RF signal of the RF signals. A first type of signal associated with the plurality of RF signals is converted to a second type of signal at the second RF device, and the second type of signal is transmitted by the second RF device to the one or more electronic devices.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of circuits in a first radio frequency (RF) device, wherein the plurality of circuits are configured to;

determine a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) radio path;

select a first plurality of reflector devices associated with the NLOS radio path from a second plurality of reflector devices,

wherein the first plurality of reflector devices are selected based on a first set of criteria, and

wherein the first plurality of reflector devices comprises an active reflector device and a passive reflector device; and

control the first plurality of reflector devices to transmit a plurality of RF signals to a second RF device,

wherein the first plurality of reflector devices are controlled based on a second set of criteria,

wherein the second RF device is associated with one or more electronic devices,

wherein a first RF signal of the plurality of RF signals interferes with a second RF signal of the plurality of RF signals,

wherein a first type of signal associated with the plurality of RF signals is converted to a second type of signal at the second RF device, and

wherein the second type of signal is transmitted by the second RF device to the one or more electronic devices.

2. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the active reflector device is configured to perform beamforming based on adjustment of one or more signal parameters on an incoming plurality of RF signals,

wherein the active reflector device is positioned at a distance from a physical obstructing object, and

wherein the physical obstructing object partially blocks at least one of the incoming plurality of RF signals or an outgoing plurality of RF signals.

3. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the passive reflector device is configured to deflect an incoming plurality of RF signals,

wherein the incoming plurality of RF signals are deflected based on at least one of an incident angle of the passive reflector device, a scanning angle of the passive reflector device, or size of the passive reflector device, and

wherein the passive reflector device is positioned at a distance from a physical obstructing object that completely blocks the incoming plurality of RF signals.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic devices correspond to Internet of Things (IoT) devices or mobile electronic devices.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first type of signal associated with the plurality of RF signals corresponds to an AC signal and the second type of signal corresponds to a DC signal.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second RF device comprises the one or more electronic devices.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic devices are external to the second RF device and the one or more electronic devices are further communicatively coupled with the second RF device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second type of signal is stepped-up and stabilized to control power transmission to the one or more electronic devices.

9. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the first set of criteria for the selection of the first plurality of reflector devices corresponds to at least one of a location of a reflector device of the first plurality of reflector devices, a relative distance of the reflector device with respect to the first RF device, a type of one or more physical obstructing objects, or one or more parameters measured at the first plurality of reflector devices, and

wherein the one or more parameters correspond to at least an antenna gain, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), a carrier-to-noise (CNR), or a carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio (CINR).

10. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the second set of criteria corresponds to at least one of a power requirement request received from the one or more electronic devices, a type or make of the one or more electronic devices, unique identification of the one or more electronic devices, profiles of the one or more electronic devices, or priority level of the one or more electronic devices.

11. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the second RF device comprises distributed transmitters and receivers,

wherein the distributed transmitters transmit a first set of beams of RF signals in accordance with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission, and

wherein the distributed receivers receive a second set of beams of RF signals in accordance with MIMO reception.

12. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the second RF device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, and

wherein the plurality of distributed transceivers transmits and receives a plurality of beams of RF signals in accordance with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission and MIMO reception.

13. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of circuits in the first RF device are further configured to control the selected first plurality of reflector devices based on feedback information, and

wherein the feedback information is received by the first RF device via a feedback channel.

14. The system according to claim 13,

wherein the feedback information is associated with exchange of system configurations and negotiation of system configurations, and

wherein the feedback information comprises at least one of number of transceivers within one or more RF devices, number of antennas per transceiver, antenna beamformers, channel responses, sequence of antenna array coefficients, or location of at least one of the first plurality of reflector devices.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of circuits are further configured to determine the NLOS radio path based on at least one of a shortest radio path, optimum signal level, maximum bitrate, access speed, highest throughput, presence of interference sources, or a type of obstructing physical object.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of the second type of signal is based on one or more device characteristics.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the one or more device characteristics comprises at least one of impedance of the second RF device, current power level of the second RF device, threshold power level of the second RF device, priority level of the second RF device, or power requirement of the second RF device.

18. A system, comprising:

a plurality of circuits in a radio frequency (RF) device, wherein the plurality of circuits are configured to;

receive a plurality of RF signals from a controlled plurality of reflector devices,

wherein a selection of the controlled plurality of reflector devices from a plurality of reflector devices is based on a first set of criteria,

wherein the plurality of RF signals are received based on a second set of criteria, and

wherein a first RF signal of the received plurality of RF signals interferes with a second RF signal of the received plurality of RF signals;

convert a first type of signal associated with the received plurality of RF signals to a second type of signal; and

control the RF device to transmit the second type of signal to one or more electronic devices.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of circuits in the RF device is further configured to generate the first type of signal based on RF waves in the received plurality RF signals.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the transmission of the second type of signal to the one or more electronic devices is based on one or more device characteristics.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the conversion of the first type of signal to the second type of signal comprises at least one of rectification of the first type of signal to the second type of signal or stepping-up of the second type of signal.

22. The system according to claim 21,

wherein the plurality of circuits in the RF device are further configured to stabilize and regulate the stepped-up second type of signal,

wherein the stepped-up second type of signal is stabilized and regulated based on one or more device characteristics, and

wherein the one or more device characteristics are associated with the one or more electronic devices or the RF device.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the one or more device characteristics correspond to at least an impedance of the one or more electronic devices, current power level of the one or more electronic devices, threshold power level of the one or more electronic devices, priority level of the one or more electronic devices, or power requirements of the one or more electronic devices.

24. A system, comprising:

a first plurality of circuits in a first radio frequency (RF) device, wherein the first plurality of circuits are configured to;

determine a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) radio path;

select a first plurality of reflector devices associated with the NLOS radio path from a second plurality of reflector devices,

wherein the first plurality of reflector devices are selected based on a first set of criteria, and

wherein the first plurality of reflector devices comprises at least one of an active reflector device or a passive reflector device;

control the selected first plurality of reflector devices based on a second set of criteria; and

a second plurality of circuits in a second RF device associated with one or more electronic devices, wherein the second plurality of circuits are configured to;

receive a plurality of RF signals from the controlled plurality of reflector devices,

wherein a first RF signal of the received plurality of RF signals interferes with a second RF signal of the received plurality of RF signals;

convert a first type of signal associated with the received plurality of RF signals to a second type of signal; and

control the second RF device to transmit the second type of signal to the one or more electronic devices.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer executable instruction that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute instructions, the instructions comprising:

in a radio frequency (RF) device;

receiving a plurality of RF signals from a controlled plurality of reflector devices,

wherein a selection of the controlled plurality of reflector devices is based on a first set of criteria,

wherein the plurality of RF signals are received based on a second set of criteria, and

wherein a first RF signal of the received plurality of RF signals interferes with a second RF signal of the received plurality of RF signals;

converting a first type of signal associated with the received plurality of RF signals to a second type of signal; and

controlling the RF device to transmit the second type of signal to the one or more electronic devices.