TV with integrated wireless power transmitter

• US 9,831,718 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A., Brewer, Gregory Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US13/950,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20150029397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 336 30, 348162, 348730, 4551271, 455129, 4553431
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/02 continuously variable, e.g. variometers
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/12 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/06 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/30 Transforming light or analogous information into electric information scanning details H04N3/00; cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00; circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS] or control thereof H04N25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

Disclosed here is a TV system with an integrated wireless power transmitter. The wireless power transmitter enables the TV system to provide a power source in the form of pockets of energy. A wireless power receiver may be coupled to the electrical devices to receive an electrical power source and transfer it to the electrical device. The receivers in the devices may capture energy from the pockets of energy formed by the wireless transmitter component in the TV system in order to power an electrical device.

Claims

1. A method for wireless power transmission in a television system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by a first set of antennas of at least two RF antennas of a transmitter coupled to the television system, power RF waves that converge to form controlled constructive interference at a location of a receiver coupled to an electronic device, wherein the receiver is configured to capture RF energy from the controlled constructive interference and to power or charge the electronic device, and wherein the transmitter with the at least two RF antennas is an individual component or an integrated layer of the television system;

transmitting, by a second set of antennas of the at least two RF antennas of the transmitter, additional power RF waves that converge to form controlled destructive interference, the second set of antennas being distinct from the first set of antennas;

receiving, by a communication component of the transmitter, communications from the receiver, wherein the communications from the receiver comprise a communication signal indicating a location of the receiver relative to the transmitter, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the power RF waves that converge at the location of the receiver based upon the communications from the receiver; and

rectifying, by a rectifier coupled to the receiver, AC voltage received from the at least two RF antennas into DC voltage for charging the electronic device.

2. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 1, wherein the communication component of the transmitter is configured to send RF signals between the transmitter and the receiver to establish a path or channel for the power RF waves that converge at the location of the receiver, and wherein antennas of the receiver are configured to capture the RF energy from the constructive interference patterns.

3. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 1, wherein the television system includes a front transparent screen layer, a polarized film layer, an LED or LCD backlight layer, and wherein the transmitter with the at least two RF antennas is included in a separate layer attached to one of the other layers in the television system.

4. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 1, wherein the at least two RF antennas of the transmitter comprise antenna elements mounted around edges of the television system, antenna elements mounted on the back of the television system, or antenna elements on printed micro-antennas built-in the television system.

5. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 4, wherein the printed micro-antennas are produced by photolithographic or screen printing techniques.

6. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 4, further comprising operating the receiver in a frequency band of the transmitter wherein antenna elements of the receiver and the at least two RF antennas of the transmitter include vertical or horizontal polarization, right hand or left hand polarization, elliptical polarization or any combination thereof.

7. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 1, further including adjusting one or more characteristics used to transmit the power RF waves that converge to form the controlled constructive interference at the location of the receiver.

8. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter includes a power source connected to a microcontroller for controlling a radio frequency integrated chip for driving the at least two antennas of the transmitter for transmitting the RF power waves and for adjusting the at least two antennas of the transmitter to form the power RF waves that converge to form the controlled constructive interference at the location of the receiver.

9. The method for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes circuitry configured to provide a constant DC voltage output in the range of approximately 5 to 10 volts.

10. A wireless power transmission system for a television system, comprising:

a transmitter integrated into the television system including at least two antennas configured to transmit a plurality of power RF waves that converge to form controlled constructive interference; and

a communication component of the transmitter configured to receive communications via a communications signal indicative of a location of a receiver relative to the transmitter,

wherein a first set of antennas of the at least two antennas of the transmitter are configured to transmit the plurality of power RF waves that converge to form the controlled constructive interference at the location of the receiver,

wherein the receiver is connected to an electronic device and captures RF energy from the controlled constructive interference for charging the electronic device, and

wherein a second set of antennas of the at least two antennas of the transmitter are further capable of transmitting another plurality of power RF waves that converge to form controlled destructive interference, the second set of antennas being distinct from the first set of antennas.

11. The wireless power transmission system for a television system of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is an individual component or an integrated layer of the television system.

12. The wireless power transmission system for a television system of claim 10, wherein the television system includes a front transparent screen layer, a polarized film layer, an LED or LCD backlight layer, and wherein the transmitter is included in a separate layer attached to one of the other layers in the television system.

13. The wireless power transmission system for a television system of claim 10, wherein the transmitter further comprises communication circuitry of the communication component configured to send short RF signals between the transmitter and the receiver to establish a path or channel for the power RF waves to converge in 3d space to form the controlled constructive interference.

14. The wireless power transmission system for a television system of claim 10, further comprising communication circuitry of the communication component for sending RF signals between the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the RF signals are transmitted using wireless communication protocols selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, or FM radio.

15. An apparatus for wireless power transmission in a television system, comprising:

a transmitter located within the television system for generating power RF waves that converge to form controlled constructive interference, wherein the transmitter includes at least two RF antennas and a communication component configured to receive communications via a communications signal indicative of a location of a receiver relative to the transmitter;

the transmitter is configured to transmit, via a first set of antennas of the at least two RF antennas, the power RF waves that converge to form the controlled constructive interference at the location of the receiver, wherein;

the receiver is connected to an electronic device, and the receiver is configured to capture RF energy from the controlled constructive interference to establish an operating DC voltage for the electronic device, and

a rectifier coupled to the receiver is configured to rectify AC voltage received from the at least two RF antennas into the operating DC voltage; and

the transmitter is further configured to transmit, via a second set of antennas of the at least two RF antennas, additional power RF waves that converge to form controlled destructive interference, the second set of antennas being distinct from the first set of antennas.

16. The apparatus for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 15, further comprising communication circuitry in the receiver and the transmitter wherein the communication circuitry utilizes a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi, FM radio, and Zigbee for transmitting communication signals between the receiver and the transmitter.

17. The apparatus for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 15, wherein the at least two RF antennas of the transmitter comprise antenna elements mounted around edges of the television, antenna elements mounted on the back of the television, or antenna elements on printed micro-antennas built-in the television system.

18. The apparatus for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 17, wherein the at least two antenna elements of the transmitter and antenna elements of the receiver operate in a frequency range of about 900 MHz to about 5.8 GHz.

19. The apparatus for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 17, wherein the at least two antenna elements of the transmitter and antenna elements of the receiver operate in similar band frequencies that allow a multi-channel operation of transmitting power RF waves that converge to form the controlled constructive interference to power one or more electronic devices.

20. The apparatus for wireless power transmission in a television system of claim 17, wherein the at least two antenna elements of the transmitter include antenna elements with polarization of vertical pole, horizontal polarization, circular polarization, left hand polarization, right hand polarization, or a combination of polarizations.