System and methods for using a remote server to authorize a receiving device that has requested wireless power and to determine whether another receiving device should request wireless power in a wireless power transmission system

• US 9,867,062 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Douglas, Leabman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US14/585,271
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

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 method of using a remote server to manage a wireless power transmission system, the method comprising:

at a remote server that is in communication with a plurality of power transmission managers, a first power transmission manager of the plurality of power transmission managers configured to control a first wireless power transmitter and a second power transmission manager of the plurality of power transmission managers configured to control a second wireless power transmitter;

receiving, from the first power transmission manager, information identifying a first electronic device that is associated with a first receiver, wherein the first electronic device is located closer to the first wireless power transmitter than to the second wireless power transmitter and the first electronic device has requested wireless power from the first wireless power transmitter;

receiving, from the second power transmission manager, a status report that includes information identifying a current or forecasted charge level for a second electronic device associated with a second receiver, wherein the second electronic device is located closer to the second wireless power transmitter than to the first wireless power transmitter;

in response to receiving the information identifying the first electronic device;

determining, based at least in part on the information identifying the first electronic device, whether the first electronic device is authorized to receive power from the first wireless power transmitter; and

in accordance with a determination that the first electronic device is authorized to receive power from the first wireless power transmitter, transmitting instructions to the first wireless power transmission manager to cause the first wireless power transmitter to transmit power waves that constructively interfere proximate to the first electronic device;

in response to receiving the status report;

determining whether the information identifying the current or forecasted charge level indicates that the second electronic device requires charging; and

in accordance with a determination that the information identifying the current or forecasted charge level indicates that the second electronic device requires charging, sending, to a user associated with the second electronic device, an alert (i) indicating that the second electronic device requires charging and (ii) prompting the user to request wireless power.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second electronic device requires charging includes determining that no charging time is scheduled by the wireless power transmission system for the second electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the second electronic device requires charging includes determining that the second electronic device has less than a minimum charge level remaining.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the forecasted charge level of the second electronic device is determined based at least in part on a present rate of energy consumption at the second electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the status report further includes information identifying a failure of a component of the second wireless power transmitter, and the method further comprises:

in response to receiving the status report that includes information identifying the failure of the component of the second wireless power transmitter, reporting the failure to an operator of the wireless power transmission system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the power waves are radio frequency waves, and

the instructions that are transmitted to the first wireless power transmission manager include instructions that cause respective antenna elements of the first wireless power transmitter to transmit the radio frequency waves at respective angles so that the radio frequency waves constructively interfere proximate to the first electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein respective locations of the first and second electronic devices relative to the first and second wireless power transmitters are determined based at least in part on respective signal strength levels for respective communication signals transmitted by the first and second electronic devices as detected by the first and second wireless power transmitter managers.

8. A system for using a remote server to manage a wireless power transmission system, the system comprising:

a remote server that is in communication with a plurality of power transmission managers, a first power transmission manager of the plurality of power transmission managers configured to control a first wireless power transmitter and a second power transmission manager of the plurality of power transmission managers configured to control a second wireless power transmitter, where the remote server is configured to;

receive, from the first power transmission manager, information identifying a first electronic device that is associated with a first receiver, wherein the first electronic device is located closer to the first wireless power transmitter than to the second wireless power transmitter and the first electronic device has requested wireless power from the first wireless power transmitter;

receive, from the second power transmission manager, a status report that includes information identifying a current or forecasted charge level for a second electronic device associated with a second receiver, wherein the second electronic device is located closer to the second wireless power transmitter than to the first wireless power transmitter;

in response to receiving the information identifying the first electronic device;

determine, based at least in part on the information identifying the first electronic device, whether the first electronic device is authorized to receive power from the first wireless power transmitter; and

in accordance with a determination that the first electronic device is authorized to receive power from the first wireless power transmitter, transmit instructions to the first wireless power transmission manager to cause the first wireless power transmitter to transmit power waves that constructively interfere proximate to the first electronic device;

in response to receiving the status report;

determine whether the information identifying the current or forecasted charge level indicates that the second electronic device requires charging; and

in accordance with a determination that the information identifying the current or forecasted charge level indicates that the second electronic device requires charging, send, to a user associated with the second electronic device, an alert (i) indicating that the second electronic device requires charging and (ii) prompting the user to request wireless power.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein determining that the second electronic device requires charging includes determining that no charging time is scheduled by the wireless power transmission system for the second electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the second electronic device requires charging includes determining that the second electronic device has less than a minimum charge level remaining.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the forecasted charge level of the second electronic device is determined based at least in part on a present rate of energy consumption at the second electronic device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the status report further includes information identifying a failure of a component of the second wireless power transmitter, and the remote server is further configured to:

in response to receiving the status report that includes information identifying the failure of the component of the second wireless power transmitter, report the failure to an operator of the wireless power transmission system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the power waves are radio frequency waves, and

the instructions that are transmitted to the first wireless power transmission manager include instructions that cause respective antenna elements of the first wireless power transmitter to transmit the radio frequency waves at respective angles so that the radio frequency waves constructively interfere proximate to the first electronic device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein respective locations of the first and second electronic devices relative to the first and second wireless power transmitters are determined based at least in part on respective signal strength levels for respective communication signals transmitted by the first and second electronic devices as detected by the first and second wireless power transmitter managers.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes executable instructions that, when executed by a remote server that is in communication with a plurality of power transmission managers, a first power transmission manager of the plurality of power transmission managers configured to control a first wireless power transmitter and a second power transmission manager of the plurality of power transmission managers configured to control a second wireless power transmitter, cause the remote server to:

receive, from the first power transmission manager, information identifying a first electronic device that is associated with a first receiver, wherein the first electronic device is located closer to the first wireless power transmitter than to the second wireless power transmitter and the first electronic device has requested wireless power from the first wireless power transmitter;

receive, from the second power transmission manager, a status report that includes information identifying a current or forecasted charge level for a second electronic device associated with a second receiver, wherein the second electronic device is located closer to the second wireless power transmitter than to the first wireless power transmitter;

in response to receiving the information identifying the first electronic device;

determine, based at least in part on the information identifying the first electronic device, whether the first electronic device is authorized to receive power from the first wireless power transmitter; and

in accordance with a determination that the first electronic device is authorized to receive power from the first wireless power transmitter, transmit instructions to the first wireless power transmission manager to cause the first wireless power transmitter to transmit power waves that constructively interfere proximate to the first electronic device;

in response to receiving the status report;

determine whether the information identifying the current or forecasted charge level indicates that the second electronic device requires charging; and

in accordance with a determination that the information identifying the current or forecasted charge level indicates that the second electronic device requires charging, send, to a user associated with the second electronic device, an alert (i) indicating that the second electronic device requires charging and (ii) prompting the user to request wireless power.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein determining that the second electronic device requires charging includes determining that no charging time is scheduled by the wireless power transmission system for the second electronic device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining that the second electronic device requires charging includes determining that the second electronic device has less than a minimum charge level remaining.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the forecasted charge level of the second electronic device is determined based at least in part on a present rate of energy consumption at the second electronic device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the status report further includes information identifying a failure of a component of the second wireless power transmitter, and the executable instructions include executable instructions that cause the remote server to:

in response to receiving the status report that includes information identifying the failure of the component of the second wireless power transmitter, report the failure to an operator of the wireless power transmission system.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the power waves are radio frequency waves, and

the instructions that are transmitted to the first wireless power transmission manager include instructions that cause respective antenna elements of the first wireless power transmitter to transmit the radio frequency waves at respective angles so that the radio frequency waves constructively interfere proximate to the first electronic device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein respective locations of the first and second electronic devices relative to the first and second wireless power transmitters are determined based at least in part on respective signal strength levels for respective communication signals transmitted by the first and second electronic devices as detected by the first and second wireless power transmitter managers.