Wireless energy transfer for packaging

• US 9,318,257 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Lou, Herbert T., Kesler, Morris P., Hall, Katherine L., Giler, Eric R., Kulikowski, Konrad J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Jagdeep
• Application Number:
  US13/654,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 307/116, 307/39, 307/38, 307/18, 320/107, 320/108, 320/101, 320/106, 320/166, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/10.1, 340/540
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/26 involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources maximum power point systems in particular G05F1/67
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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: H02S 40/30 Electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A packaged product includes a product, a product packaging at least partially covering the product, a device resonator integrated with the product packaging for receiving wireless energy from a source resonator and an electrical component coupled to the device resonator to receive the wireless energy from the device resonator.

Claims

1. A packaged product comprising:

a product;

a product packaging at least partially covering the product;

a device resonator integrated with the product packaging for receiving wireless energy from a source resonator;

a detuning material; and

an electrical component coupled to the device resonator to receive the wireless energy from the device resonator,

wherein the detuning material is positioned to at least partially detune at least one other resonator of one other packaged product in a position relative to the packaged product sufficient to otherwise receive energy from the source resonator by the at least one other resonator.

2. The packaged product of claim 1 wherein the product packaging is selected from the group consisting of a box, a bag, a bottle, a sticker, a carton, a display, a wrapping, a bottle cap, a sign, a flyer and an attachment.

3. The packaged product of claim 1 wherein the electrical component is selected from the group consisting of a light, a buzzer, a motor, a vibrator, a display, an organic material, a conductive ink, a conductive paint, a visual stimulator, an auditory stimulator and a tactile stimulator.

4. The packaged product of claim 1 wherein the electrical component enhances an appearance of the product packaging.

5. The packaged product of claim 1 wherein the device resonator is attached to an outside of the product packaging.

6. The packaged product of claim 1 wherein the device resonator is at least partially inside of the product packaging.

7. The packaged product of claim 1 wherein the electrical component comprises a portion of the product.

8. The packaged product of claim 7 wherein the electrical component comprises a battery.

9. The packaged product of claim 1 further comprising at least one repeater resonator.

10. A method comprising:

providing at least one source resonator;

providing a plurality of packaged products each comprising a device resonator for receiving wireless energy from the at least one source resonator and an electrical component coupled to the device resonator to receive the wireless energy from the device resonator;

arranging the plurality of packaged products such that more than one of the plurality of packaged products is sufficiently close to the at least one source resonator to receive the wireless energy;

energizing the source resonator; and

selectively providing wireless energy to at least one of the plurality of electrical components of the plurality of the packaged products based, at least in part, on the visibility of the at least one of the plurality of electrical components.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one of the at least one source resonator is a repeater resonator.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one source resonator is positioned between a first row and a second row of the plurality of packaged products.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein selectively providing wireless energy comprises selectively providing wireless energy to more than one of the plurality of electrical components in a synchronized manner.

14. A system comprising:

at least one source resonator; and

a retaining device for positioning a plurality of packaged products each comprising;

a product;

a product packaging at least partially covering the product;

a device resonator integrated with the product packaging for receiving wireless energy from the source resonator;

a detuning material; and

an electrical component coupled to the device resonator to receive the wireless energy from the device resonator;

wherein the detuning material is positioned to at least partially detune at least one other resonator of one other packaged product in a position relative to the packaged product sufficient to otherwise receive energy from the at least one source resonator by the at least one other resonator.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the retaining device comprises a shelf.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein a first one of the at least one source resonator is positioned approximately perpendicular to a second one of the at least one source resonator.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the electrical component is selected from the group consisting of a light, a buzzer, a motor, a vibrator, a display, an organic material, a conductive ink, a conductive paint, a visual stimulator, an auditory stimulator and a tactile stimulator.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the device resonator is at least partially inside of the product packaging.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the electrical component comprises a portion of the product.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein each packaged product of the plurality of packaged products further comprises at least one repeater resonator.