Systems and methods for selecting which power transmitter should deliver wireless power to a receiving device in a wireless power delivery network

• US 9,866,279 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• 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): Luu, An
• Application Number:
  US14/586,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20160099758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• 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 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

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 system for selecting which power transmitter should deliver wireless power to a device in a wireless power delivery network, the system comprising:

a plurality of power transmitters, each respective power transmitter communicatively coupled to a respective transmitter manager, the plurality of power transmitters including;

a first power transmitter communicatively coupled to a first transmitter manager that is configured to detect, based on communication signals received from a wireless power receiver, a first signal strength level associated with the wireless power receiver and;

a second power transmitter communicatively coupled to a second transmitter manager that is configured to detect, based on communication signals received from the wireless power receiver, a second signal strength level associated with the wireless power receiver;

wherein;

when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength level, the first transmitter manager instructs the first power transmitter to transmit radio frequency (RF) power waves to the wireless power receiver; and

when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level, the second transmitter manager instructs the second power transmitter to transmit RF power waves to the wireless power receiver;

the wireless power receiver is configured to convert energy from the RF powers waves into usable power for charging the wireless power receiver or a device that is coupled with the wireless power receiver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power receiver is less than 30 feet away from the first and second power transmitters.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one database configured for storing information related to the device, the information selected from the group consisting of charging history, charging schedules, charging status, device ID, and combinations thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each respective transmitter manager provides the information related to the device to a respective power transmitter that is communicatively coupled thereto.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each respective transmitter manager communicates with the wireless power receiver via a protocol selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, NFC, ZigBee, and combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each respective transmitter manager communicably delivers to at least one remote server information related to performance of the plurality of power transmitters, performance of the wireless power receiver, or information related to the device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength level, the first signal strength level is also greater than a signal strength threshold and the first power transmitter is the only power transmitter of the plurality of power transmitters that is transmitting RF waves to the wireless power receiver, and

when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level, the second signal strength level is also greater than the signal strength threshold and the second power transmitter is the only power transmitter of the plurality of power transmitters that is transmitting RF waves to the wireless power receiver.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal strength threshold corresponds to a signal strength level that is 40% or greater of a maximum signal transmission capability of the wireless power receiver.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second transmitter managers are configured to:

compare the first and second signal strength levels; and

determine (i) when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength and (ii) when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first power transmitter is located in a first physical room, and the second power transmitter is located in a second physical room that is distinct from the first physical room.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength level, the wireless power receiver is located in the first physical room, and

when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level, the wireless power receiver is located in the second physical room.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power receiver is integrated with the device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transmitter manager and the second transmitter manager are a same transmitter manager.

14. A method for selecting which power transmitter should deliver wireless power to a device in a wireless power delivery network, the method comprising:

at a system comprising a plurality of power transmitters, each respective power transmitter communicatively coupled to a respective transmitter manager, the plurality of power transmitters including a first power transmitter communicatively coupled to a first transmitter manager and a second power transmitter communicatively coupled to a second transmitter manager;

detecting by the first transmitter manager, based on communication signals received from a wireless power receiver, a first signal strength level associated with the wireless power receiver;

detecting by the second transmitter manager, based on communication signals received from the wireless power receiver, a second signal strength level associated with the wireless power receiver;

instructing, by the first transmitter manager, the first power transmitter to transmit radio frequency (RF) power waves to the wireless power receiver when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength level; and

instructing, by the second transmitter manager, the second power transmitter to transmit RF power waves to the wireless power receiver when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level,

wherein the wireless power receiver is configured to convert energy from the RF powers waves into usable power for charging the wireless power receiver or a device that is coupled with the wireless power receiver.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless power receiver is less than 30 feet away from the first and second power transmitters.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising at least one database configured for storing information related to the device, the information selected from the group consisting of charging history, charging schedules, charging status, device ID, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each respective transmitter manager provides information related to the device to a respective power transmitter that is communicatively coupled thereto.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength level, the first signal strength level is also greater than a signal strength threshold and the first power transmitter is the only power transmitter of the plurality of power transmitters that is transmitting RF waves to the wireless power receiver, and

when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level, the second signal strength level is also greater than the signal strength threshold and the second power transmitter is the only power transmitter of the plurality of power transmitters that is transmitting RF waves to the wireless power receiver.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the signal strength threshold corresponds to a signal strength level that is 40% or greater of a maximum signal transmission capability of the wireless power receiver.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second transmitter managers are configured to:

compare the first and second signal strength levels; and

determine (i) when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength and (ii) when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first power transmitter is located in a first physical room, and

the second power transmitter is located in a second physical room that is distinct from the first physical room.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein:

when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength level, the wireless power receiver is located in the first physical room, and

when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level, the wireless power receiver is located in the second physical room.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless power receiver is integrated with the device.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the first transmitter manager and the second transmitter manager are a same transmitter manager.

25. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions that, when executed by a plurality of transmitter managers that are each communicatively coupled to a respective transmitter of a plurality of transmitters, the plurality of power transmitters including a first power transmitter communicatively coupled to a first transmitter manager and a second power transmitter communicatively coupled to a second transmitter manager, cause the plurality of transmitter managers to:

detect by the first transmitter manager, based on communication signals received from a wireless power receiver, a first signal strength level associated with the wireless power receiver;

detect by the second transmitter manager, based on communication signals received from the wireless power receiver, a second signal strength level associated with the wireless power receiver;

instruct, by the first transmitter manager, the first power transmitter to transmit radio frequency (RF) power waves to the wireless power receiver when the first signal strength level is greater than the second signal strength level; and

instruct, by the second transmitter manager, the second power transmitter to transmit RF power waves to the wireless power receiver when the second signal strength level is greater than the first signal strength level,

wherein the wireless power receiver is configured to convert energy from the RF powers waves into usable power for charging the wireless power receiver or a device that is coupled with the wireless power receiver.