Method and system for wireless battery charging utilizing ultrasonic transducer array based beamforming

• US 9,246,349 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Array IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Golba LLC
• Inventors: Moshfeghi, Mehran
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhou, Zixuan
• Application Number:
  US13/421,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/108, 295/94
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/025 using non-contact coupling, e.g. inductive, capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming

Abstract

An ultrasound power transmitter comprising a transmit ultrasonic transducer array has a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound power transmitter activates a set of transmit ultrasonic transducers in close proximity of an electronic device to be arranged to beam ultrasound energy to the electronic device. Alignment magnets of the ultrasound power transmitter are aligned with corresponding alignment magnets of the electronic device to manage the ultrasound beaming. The ultrasound energy may be converted into electric power to charge the battery of the electronic device. Feedbacks may be provided by the electronic device to the ultrasound power transmitter to increase power transmission efficiency. The ultrasound power transmitter may pair the electronic device with other different electronic devices utilizing ultrasonic signals. A spacer with good ultrasound power transmission properties may be located between the ultrasound power transmitter and an ultrasound power receiver of an intended electronic device to enhance power transmission.

Claims

1. A method of processing signals, the method comprising:

in an ultrasound power transmitter device comprising a transmit ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers;

activating a first set of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of an ultrasound power receiver associated with a first electronic device;

activating a second set of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of an ultrasound power receiver associated with a second electronic device, wherein the second set of transmit ultrasonic transducers is different than the first set of ultrasonic transducers;

beaming, via said activated first set of transmit ultrasonic transducers, ultrasound signals comprising ultrasound energy to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device utilizing a spacer comprising ultrasound conductive material and located between the ultrasound power transmitter device and the first electronic device, wherein said ultrasound energy is utilized by the ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device to charge an electrical battery that powers the first electronic device, wherein the ultrasound signals beamed to the ultrasound receiver associated with the first electronic device further comprise device pairing information to pair the first and second electronic devices to establish communication between the first and the second electronic devices; and

beaming, via said activated second set of transmit ultrasonic transducers, ultrasound signals comprising ultrasound energy to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the second electronic device utilizing a spacer comprising ultrasound conductive material and located between the ultrasound power transmitter device and the second electronic device, wherein said ultrasound energy is utilized by the ultrasound power receiver associated with the second electronic device to charge an electrical battery that powers the second electronic device, wherein the ultrasound signals beamed to the ultrasound receiver associated with the second electronic device further comprise device pairing information to pair the first and second electronic devices to establish communication between the first and the second electronic devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasound power receivers convert said ultrasound energy into electric power to charge said electrical battery that powers said electronic devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

activating said first and second sets of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of a specific geographic area; and

utilizing said activated first and second sets of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers to beam said ultrasound energy to said specific geographic area, wherein said first and second electronic devices are charged within said specific geographic area utilizing said ultrasound energy.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein feedback is provided by said first and second electronic devices to said ultrasound power transmitter device over an ultrasound channel or other communication channel to increase power transmission efficiency for said ultrasound power transmitter device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasound power transmitter device and the ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device each comprise a set of alignment magnets, the method further comprising:

aligning the set of alignment magnets of the ultrasound power transmitter with the alignment magnets of the ultrasound power receiver associated with said first electronic device for said beaming of said ultrasound signals to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device pairing information comprises generating a common secret between the first and second devices, wherein the first and second devices share no secrets prior to said pairing.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device pairing information comprises at least one of a desired application, a device identity identifier, a supported communication protocol, and a candidate communication network.

19. The method according to claim 1 further comprising managing the communication between the first and second devices while the first and second devices agree to communicate with each other.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein managing the communication between the first and second devices comprises the ultrasound power transmitter device acting as a router to relay content between the first and second electronic devices.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein managing the communication between the first and second devices comprises the ultrasound power transmitter device transmitting a code to share by the first and second electronic devices to ensure the first and second devices still agree to pair with each other.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound conductive material comprises one of a liquid and a gel.

6. An ultrasound power transmitter device, comprising:

one or more processors and circuits; and

a transmit ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers, the ultrasound power transmitter device configured to;

activate a first set of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of an ultrasound power receiver associated with a first electronic device;

activate a second set of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of an ultrasound power receiver associated with a second electronic device, wherein the second set of transmit ultrasonic transducers is different than the first set of ultrasonic transducers;

beam, via said activated first set of transmit ultrasonic transducers, ultrasound signals comprising ultrasound energy to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device utilizing a spacer comprising ultrasound conductive material and located between the ultrasound power transmitter device and the first electronic device, wherein said ultrasound energy is utilized by the ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device to charge an electrical battery of the first electronic device, wherein the ultrasound signals beamed to the ultrasound receiver associated with the first electronic device further comprise device pairing information to pair the first and second electronic devices to establish communication between the first and the second electronic device; and

beam, via said activated second set of transmit ultrasonic transducers, ultrasound signals comprising ultrasound energy to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the second electronic device utilizing a spacer comprising ultrasound conductive material and located between the ultrasound power transmitter device and the second electronic device, wherein said ultrasound energy is utilized by the ultrasound power receiver associated with the second electronic device to charge an electrical battery that powers the second electronic device, wherein the ultrasound signals beamed to the ultrasound receiver associated with the second electronic device further comprise device pairing information to pair the first and second electronic devices to establish communication between the first and the second electronic devices.

7. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 6, wherein said ultrasound power receivers convert said ultrasound energy into electric power to charge said electrical battery of said electronic devices.

8. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 6 further configured to:

activate said first and second sets of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of a specific geographic area; and

utilize said activated first and second sets of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers to beam said ultrasound energy to said specific geographic area, wherein said first and second electronic devices are charged within said specific geographic area utilizing said ultrasound energy.

9. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 6, wherein feedback is provided by said first and second electronic devices to said ultrasound power transmitter device over an ultrasound channel or other communication channel to increase power transmission efficiency for said ultrasound power transmitter device.

10. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 6, wherein said ultrasound power transmitter device further comprises a set of alignment magnets, wherein the ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device comprises a set of alignment magnets, the ultrasound power transmitter device further configured to align the set of alignment magnets of the ultrasound power transmitter with the set of alignment magnets of the ultrasound power receiver associated with said first electronic device for said beaming of said ultrasound signals to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device.

12. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 6, wherein the device pairing information comprises generating a common secret between the first and second devices, wherein the first and second devices share no secrets prior to said pairing.

13. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 7, wherein the device pairing information comprises at least one of a desired application, a device identity identifier, a supported communication protocol, and a candidate communication network.

14. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 6 further configured to manage the communication between the first and second devices while the first and second devices agree to communicate with each other.

15. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 14, wherein managing the communication between the first and second devices comprises the ultrasound power transmitter device acting as a router to relay content between the first and second electronic devices.

16. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 14, wherein managing the communication between the first and second devices comprises the ultrasound power transmitter device transmitting a code to share by the first and second electronic devices to ensure the first and second devices still agree to pair with each other.

23. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 6, wherein the ultrasound conductive material comprises one of a liquid and a gel.

11. An ultrasound power transmitter device, comprising:

one or more processors and circuits;

a transmit ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers; and

a spacer comprising an ultrasound conductive material located inside said ultrasound power transmitter device;

the ultrasound power transmitter device configured to;

activate a first set of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of an ultrasound power receiver associated with a first electronic device;

activate a second set of said plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers in a proximity of an ultrasound power receiver associated with a second electronic device;

beam, via said activated first set of transmit ultrasonic transducers, ultrasound signals comprising ultrasound energy to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device, wherein said ultrasound energy is utilized by the ultrasound power receiver associated with the first electronic device to charge an electrical battery of the first electronic device, wherein the ultrasound signals beamed to the ultrasound receiver associated with the first electronic device further comprise device pairing information to pair the first and second electronic devices to establish communication between the first and the second electronic device; and

beam, via said activated second set of transmit ultrasonic transducers, ultrasound signals comprising ultrasound energy to said ultrasound power receiver associated with the second electronic device, wherein said ultrasound energy is utilized by the ultrasound power receiver associated with the second electronic device to charge an electrical battery that powers the second electronic device, wherein the ultrasound signals beamed to the ultrasound receiver associated with the second electronic device further comprise device pairing information to pair the first and second electronic devices to establish communication between the first and the second electronic devices.

24. The ultrasound power transmitter device according to claim 11, wherein the ultrasound conductive material comprises one of a liquid and a gel.