Communications for wireless power transfer

• US 9,831,723 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: uBeam, Inc.
• Original Assignee: uBeam, Inc.
• Inventors: Perry, Meredith
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/635,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20150171974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/18 Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound G10K11/02, G10K11/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/26 Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/341 Circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/346 using phase variation
• 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 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• 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: H03C 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 5/00 Amplitude modulation and angle modulation produced simultaneously or at will by the same modulating signal H03C7/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/00 Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/00 Electrostatic transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/00 Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00 diaphragms for transducers of the distributed-mode type H04R7/045
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A signal generator generates an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier, which increases the power of the signal using power from a power source. The amplified signal is fed to a sender transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that can be focused and sent to a receiver. The receiver transducer converts the ultrasonic waves back into electrical energy and stores it in an energy storage device, such as a battery, or uses the electrical energy to power a device. In this way, a device can be remotely charged or powered without having to be tethered to an electrical outlet.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a sender comprising;

a signal generator;

an amplifier coupled to the signal generator, said amplifier configured to receive power from a power source and to generate an electrical transmission signal adapted to be used for wireless power transmission;

a sender wireless power transfer device coupled to the amplifier, the wireless power sender adapted and configured to transmit wireless power based on the electrical transmission signal received from the amplifier;

a sender controller coupled to at least one of the signal generator, the amplifier and the sender wireless power transfer device and adapted to control the transmission of wireless power from the sender wireless power transfer device and to change a dwell time of the sender on the receiver based on a received power requirement; and

a sender communications device adapted and configured to communicate with a receiver communications device, receive a control signal comprising the power requirement from the receiver communications device, and send a control signal to the receiver communications device, using one or more of the sender wireless power transfer device and a radio; and

a receiver comprising;

a receiver wireless power transfer device adapted and configured to receive wireless power transmitted from a sender wireless power transfer device, to generate a receiver electrical signal based on the received wireless power, and to connect to a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver wireless power transfer device;

a receiver controller coupled to at least one of the receiver transducer and the receiver electrical storage device, and

a receiver communications device adapted and configured to communicate with a sender communications device, receive a control signal from the sender communications device, and send a control signal comprising the power requirement to the sender communications device, using one or more of the receiver wireless power transfer device and a radio.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver further comprises:

a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver wireless power transfer device.

2. A system, comprising:

a receiver wireless power transfer device adapted and configured to receive wireless power transmitted from a sender wireless power transfer device, to generate a receiver electrical signal based on the received wireless power, and to connect to a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver wireless power transfer device;

a receiver controller coupled to at least one of the receiver transducer and the receiver electrical storage device, and

a receiver communications device adapted and configured to communicate with a sender communications device, receive a control signal from the sender communications device, and send a control signal comprising a power requirement that causes the sender to change a dwell time of the sender to the sender communications device, using one or more of the receiver wireless power transfer device and a radio.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the receiver wireless power transfer device is an ultrasonic transducer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the receiver communications device is further adapted and configured to modulate ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic transducer to communicate with the sender communications device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the radio is cellular radio, a Wi-Fi radio, or a Bluetooth radio.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the receiver communications device is further adapted and configured to use the radio to communicate directly with a radio of the sender communications device.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the receiver communications device is further adapted and configured to use the radio to communicate indirectly with the sender communication device through a cellular telephone network or a Wi-Fi network.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the receiver communications device is further adapted and configured to use the radio send a text message, instant message, or email to the sender communications device.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the control signal sent to the sender communications device comprises a configuration parameter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the configuration parameter comprises one or more of a power status, a power requirement, an amplitude, a frequency, a steering parameter, a receiver characteristic, and an instruction.

35. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a receiver electrical storage device adapted and configured to store electrical energy based on the receiver electrical signal generated by the receiver wireless power transfer device.

11. A system comprising:

a signal generator;

an amplifier coupled to the signal generator, said amplifier configured to receive power from a power source and to generate an electrical transmission signal adapted to be used for wireless power transmission;

a sender wireless power transfer device coupled to the amplifier, the sender wireless power transfer device adapted and configured to transmit wireless power based on the electrical transmission signal received from the amplifier;

a sender controller coupled to at least one of the signal generator, the amplifier and the sender wireless power transfer device and adapted to control the transmission of wireless power from the sender wireless power transfer device and to change a dwell time of the sender on the receiver based on a received power requirement; and

a sender communications device adapted and configured to communicate with a receiver communications device, receive a control signal comprising the power requirement from the receiver communications device, and send a control signal to the receiver communications device, using one or more of the sender wireless power transfer device and a radio.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sender wireless power transfer device is an ultrasonic transducer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sender communications device is further adapted and configured to modulate ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic transducer to communicate with the receiver communications device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the radio is cellular radio, a Wi-Fi radio, or a Bluetooth radio.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the sender communications device is further adapted and configured to use the radio to communicate directly with a radio of the receiver communications device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the sender communications device is further adapted and configured to use the radio to communicate indirectly with the receiver communications device through a cellular telephone network or a Wi-Fi network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the sender communications device is further adapted and configured to use the radio send a text message, instant message, or email to the receiver communications device.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the control signal sent to the receiver communications device comprises a configuration parameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the configuration parameter comprises one or more of a power status, a power requirement, an amplitude, a frequency, a steering parameter, a sender characteristic, and an instruction.

20. A method comprising:

emitting energy from a sender wireless power transfer device of a wireless power sender;

receiving a communication from a wireless power receiver, at the wireless power sender with one or more of the sender wireless power transfer device and a radio, the communication comprising a control signal comprising a power requirement; and

changing a dwell time of the sender wireless power transfer device on the wireless power receiver based on the power requirement of the control signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sender wireless power transfer device comprises an ultrasonic transducer.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the radio is a cellular radio, a Wi-Fi radio, or a Bluetooth radio.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the communication from the wireless power receiver with the radio further comprises receiving a radio frequency signal from a radio of the wireless power receiver.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the communication from the wireless power receiver with the radio further comprises receiving a radio frequency signal from a cellular telephone network or a Wi-Fi network.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving a second control signal, wherein the second control signal comprises a configuration parameter.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the configuration parameter comprises one or more of a power status, a power requirement, an amplitude, a frequency, a steering parameter, a receiver characteristic, a phase, a position, an orientation, a velocity, and an instruction.

27. A method comprising:

receiving energy emitted from a sender wireless power transfer device of a wireless power sender with a receiver wireless power transfer device of a wireless power receiver;

sending, from the wireless power receiver with one or more of the receiver wireless power transfer device and a radio, a communication to the wireless power sender, the communication comprising a control signal comprising a power requirement;

receiving energy emitted from the sender wireless power transfer device of the wireless power sender with the receiver wireless power transfer device of the wireless power receiver, wherein the dwell time of sender wireless power transfer device on the wireless power receiver is changed based on the control signal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the receiver wireless power transfer device comprises an ultrasonic transducer.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the radio is a cellular radio, a Wi-Fi radio, or a Bluetooth radio.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein sending the communication to the wireless power sender with the radio further comprises sending a radio frequency signal from a radio of the wireless power receiver.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein sending the communication to the wireless power sender with the radio further comprises sending a radio frequency signal to a cellular telephone network or a Wi-Fi network.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising sending a second control signal, wherein the second control signal comprises a configuration parameter.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the configuration parameter comprises one or more of a power status, a power requirement, an amplitude, a frequency, a steering parameter, a receiver characteristic, a phase, a position, an orientation, a velocity, and an instruction.