System and method for smart registration of wireless power receivers in a wireless power network

• US 9,538,382 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Douglas, Leabman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US14/586,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation

Abstract

The embodiments described herein include a transmitter that transmits a power transmission signal (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal waves) to create a three-dimensional pocket of energy. At least one receiver can be connected to or integrated into electronic devices and receive power from the pocket of energy. A wireless power network may include a plurality of wireless power transmitters each with an embedded wireless power transmitter manager, including a wireless power manager application. The wireless power network may include a plurality of client devices with wireless power receivers. Wireless power receivers may include a power receiver application configured to communicate with the wireless power manager application. The wireless power manager application may include a device database where information about the wireless power network may be stored.

Claims

1. A wireless power system configured to provide pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space, comprising:

a plurality of wireless power transmitters, each wireless power transmitter comprising

a power transmitter manager comprising an antenna manager, and

a storage comprising a device database, wherein the storage is operatively coupled to the power transmitter manager,

wherein a wireless power transmitter of the plurality of wireless power transmitters is configured to receive authorization data from a device coupled to a receiver, and to determine an authorization state for the device based at least in part on the received authorization data; and

a server comprising a memory configured to store data records indicating a signal strength associated with the receiver and received from at least one of the plurality of wireless power transmitters, wherein the power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter is configured to determine if the receiver is closest to the power transmitter relative to the plurality of wireless power transmitters based upon the signal strength of the receiver,

wherein each wireless power transmitter is configured to control transmission of power waves in three-dimensional space via the antenna manager based on the authorization state, and

wherein the power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter is configured to update a data record for the receiver of the data records stored in the server, the data record updated based on one or more signals from the receiver indicating an amount of power received by the receiver when the wireless power transmitter is closest to the receiver as indicated by the signal strength.

2. The wireless power system of claim 1, wherein the authorization data comprises at least one of a device identification, a customer name associated with the device, a payment mechanism for a customer associated with the device, and an access policy for the customer associated with the device.

3. The wireless power system of claim 1, wherein the device database comprises at least one of device network identification data, device serial number data, device signal strength data, paired device data, device power schedule data, device operational status, device battery level data, device charge status data, device hardware value measurement data, device fault data, device error data, device authorization data, and device system configuration data.

4. The wireless power system of claim 1, wherein the power transmitter manager is configured to communicate with an energy domain service.

5. The wireless power system of claim 4, wherein the power transmitter manager is configured to receive registry data from the energy domain service, wherein the registry data comprises at least one of a device identification, a customer name associated with the device, a payment mechanism for a customer associated with the device, and an access policy for the customer associated with the device.

6. The wireless power system of claim 4, wherein the power transmitter manager is configured to determine the authorization state via communication with the energy domain service.

7. The wireless power system of claim 1, wherein the power transmitter manager is configured to track an amount of pocket-forming energy generated by the power waves after the authorization state is determined.

8. A method for operating a wireless power system configured to provide pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space, the method comprising:

receiving, by a power transmitter manager in communication with a wireless power transmitter of a plurality of wireless power transmitters, authorization data for a device coupled to a receiver;

determining, by the wireless power transmitter, an authorization state for the device based at least in part on the received authorization data;

determining, by the power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter, if the receiver is closest to the wireless power transmitter relative to the plurality of wireless power transmitters based upon database records indicating a signal strength associated with a receiver and received from at least one of the plurality of wireless transmitters;

controlling, by the wireless power transmitter, transmission of power waves by an antenna manager of the wireless power transmitter in three-dimensional space, based on the authorization state of the receiver; and

receiving, by the wireless power transmitter, one or more signals from the receiver indicating the amount of power received by the receiver from the wireless power transmitter; and

updating, by the power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter, a database record for the receiver according to the one or more signals, when the wireless power transmitter is closest to the receiver with respect to each wireless power transmitter of the plurality of wireless power transmitters.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the authorization data comprises at least one of a device identification, a customer name associated with the device, a payment mechanism for a customer associated with the device, and an access policy for the customer associated with the device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing, in a device database of the wireless power transmitter, at least one of device network identification data, device serial number data, device signal strength data, paired device data, device power schedule data, device operational status, device battery level data, device charge status data, device hardware value measurement data, device fault data, device error data, device authorization data, and device system configuration data,

wherein the device database is associated with the power transmitter manager, and the authorization state is determined at least in part from the data stored in the device database.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating data between the power transmitter manager and an energy domain service.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, in the power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter, registry data from the energy domain service, wherein the registry data comprises at least one of a device identification, a customer name associated with the device, a payment mechanism for a customer associated with the device, and an access policy for the customer associated with the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the authorization state is determined at least in part from the registry data.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising tracking, in the power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter, an amount of pocket-forming energy generated after the authorization state is determined.

15. A method for operating a wireless power system configured to provide pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space, comprising:

establishing, by a wireless power transmitter of a plurality of wireless power transmitters, a communications link with a receiver via a power transmitter manager;

receiving, by the wireless power transmitter, authorization data for a device coupled to the receiver via the communications link;

determining, by the wireless power transmitter, an authorization state for the device based at least in part on the received authorization data;

determining, by a power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter, that the receiver is closest to the wireless power transmitter with respect to each of the plurality of wireless power transmitters based upon database records indicating a signal strength associated with the receiver and measured by at least one of the plurality of wireless transmitters;

controlling, by the wireless power transmitter, the generation of pocket-forming energy in three-dimensional space via the power transmitter manager based on the authorization state; and

receiving, by the wireless power transmitter, one or more signals from the receiver indicating the amount of power received by the receiver updating, by the power transmitter manager of the wireless power transmitter, a database record for the receiver according to the one or more signals, when the wireless power transmitter is closest to the receiver with respect to each wireless power transmitter of the plurality of wireless power transmitters.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the authorization data comprises at least one of a device identification, a customer name associated with the device, a payment mechanism for a customer associated with the device, and an access policy for the customer associated with the device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising

storing, in a device database of the wireless power transmitter, at least one of device network identification data, device serial number data, device signal strength data, paired device data, device power schedule data, device operational status, device battery level data, device charge status data, device hardware value measurement data, device fault data, device error data, device authorization data, and device system configuration data,

wherein the device database is associated with the power transmitter manager, and wherein the authorization state is determined at least in part from the data stored in the device database.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising communicating data between the power transmitter manager and an energy domain service.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving, in the wireless power transmitter, registry data from the energy domain service in the power transmitter manager, wherein the registry data comprises at least one of a device identification, a customer name associated with the device, a payment mechanism for a customer associated with the device, and an access policy for the customer associated with the device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the authorization state is determined at least in part from the registry data.