Systems and methods for using servers to generate charging schedules for wireless power transmission systems

• US 9,882,394 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• 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:
  US14/748,101
• Time in Patent Office: 952 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 wireless power transmission management system, comprising:

one or more servers coupled to one or more transmitters via one or more networks,

each respective transmitter of the one or more transmitters comprising an antenna array and configured to;

transmit radio frequency (RF) power waves at a particular time, via the antenna array, to constructively interfere near a location of a receiver in a three-dimensional space in response to determining (i) that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the respective transmitter and that (ii) a charging schedule indicates that the receiver should receive wireless power at the particular time;

receive device data from the receiver, wherein the device data includes data used to determine the location of the receiver and data that indicates a battery level for an electronic device coupled to the receiver, and

transmit transmitter data and the device data to the one or more servers; and

the one or more servers configured to;

receive the transmitter data and the device data from the respective transmitter via the one or more networks; and

generate, based on (i) the received device data and (ii) the received transmitter data, the charging schedule for the respective transmitter that specifies the particular time at which wireless power should be transmitted by the respective transmitter to the receiver.

2. The wireless power transmission management system of claim 1, wherein the one or more servers are also configured to generate a status report for the wireless power transmission management system that comprises at least one of a past system status, a present system status, a future system status, a device failure status, or a transmitter failure status.

3. The wireless power transmission management system of claim 2, wherein the status report comprises the past system status comprising at least one of a non-end-user report, a logged usage report, an automatic actions report and a location and movement report.

4. The wireless power transmission management system of claim 2, wherein the one or more servers are configured to generate one or more alerts in response to information in the status report for the wireless power transmission management system.

5. The wireless power transmission management system of claim 1, wherein the respective transmitter comprises an antenna manager configured to control power and direction angle of the antenna array based on transmitter instructions from the one or more servers.

6. The wireless power transmission management system of claim 1, wherein the device data also includes at least one of identification data for the electronic device, voltage range data for the electronic device, or signal strength data for the electronic device.

7. The wireless power transmission management system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter data comprises at least one of transmitter identification data, receiver identification data, end-user device name data, server identification data, charging schedule data, or charging priority data.

8. A method of managing a wireless power transmitter, comprising:

receiving, by a transmitter that includes an antenna array, device data that includes (i) data used to determine a location of a receiver and (ii) data that indicates a battery level for an electronic device coupled to the receiver;

sending the device data and transmitter data to one or more servers that are coupled to the transmitter via one or more networks;

receiving, from the one or more servers, a charging schedule for the transmitter that specifies a particular time at which wireless power should be transmitted by the transmitter to the receiver;

determining (i) that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter and (ii) that the charging schedule indicates that the receiver should receive wireless power at the particular time; and

in response to the determining, transmitting, via the antenna array, radio frequency (RF) power waves to constructively interfere near the location of the receiver, wherein the RF power waves are transmitted via the antenna array of the transmitter at the particular time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the charging schedule also specifies when and to which additional receivers, distinct from the receiver, the transmitter should transmit wireless power.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the device data also includes an identifier for the receiver, and

determining that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter includes determining, based on the identifier for the receiver, that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter includes receiving, from the one or more servers, an indication that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the one or more servers.

12. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

an antenna array configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) power waves;

one or more processors; and

memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the transmitter to;

receive, by the transmitter, device data that includes (i) data used to determine a location of a receiver and (ii) data that indicates a battery level for an electronic device coupled to the receiver;

send the device data and transmitter data to one or more servers that are coupled to the transmitter via one or more networks;

receive, from the one or more servers, a charging schedule for the transmitter that specifies a particular time at which wireless power should be transmitted by the transmitter to the receiver, wherein the charging schedule is generated by the one or more servers based on the device data and the transmitter data;

determine (i) that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter and (ii) that the charging schedule indicates that the receiver should receive wireless power at the particular time; and

in response to the determining, transmit, via the antenna array, radio frequency (RF) power waves to constructively interfere near the location of the receiver, wherein the RF power waves are transmitted via the antenna array of the transmitter at the particular time.

13. The transmitter of claim 12, wherein the charging schedule also specifies when and to which additional receivers, distinct from the receiver, the transmitter should transmit wireless power.

14. The transmitter of claim 12, wherein:

the device data also includes an identifier for the receiver, and

determining that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter includes determining, based on the identifier for the receiver, that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter.

15. The transmitter of claim 12, wherein determining that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the transmitter includes receiving, from the one or more servers, an indication that the receiver is authorized to receive wireless power from the one or more servers.