Systems and methods for a configuration web service to provide configuration of a wireless power transmitter within a wireless power transmission system

• US 9,887,584 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• 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:
  US14/585,986
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

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 configuring a wireless power system, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a plurality of antennas of a wireless power transmitter, a first plurality of wireless power waves to a first receiver that uses energy from the first plurality of wireless power waves to power or charge an electronic device that is coupled with the first receiver, wherein the first plurality of wireless power waves is transmitted using a first set of transmission features;

while transmitting the first plurality of wireless power waves using the first set of transmission features, receiving, by a communications component of the wireless power transmitter;

a user-configurable operational parameter that includes information used to configure operation of the wireless power transmitter; and

information that identifies a location of the first receiver relative to the wireless power transmitter;

configuring, by a processor, the wireless power transmitter based upon the user-configurable operational parameter and the information that identifies the location of the first receiver; and

while the wireless power transmitter is configured based upon the user-configurable operational parameter, transmitting by the plurality of antennas of the wireless power transmitter, a second plurality of wireless power waves using a second plurality of transmission features, distinct from the first set of transmission features, to the first receiver, wherein the second plurality of wireless power waves forms a constructive interference pattern in three dimensional space proximate to the location of the first receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-configurable operational parameter comprises at least one of (i) authorization for the first receiver to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter, (ii) a priority for the first receiver to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter over one or more other receivers, (iii) one or more times or conditions for forming the constructive interference pattern in three dimensional space, and (iv) one or more times or conditions for stopping the forming of the constructive interference pattern in three dimensional space.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the user-configurable operational parameter in a storage device of the wireless power transmitter; and

transmitting, by the communications component of the wireless power transmitter, the user-configurable operational parameter for storage at a remote computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user-configurable operational parameter is received by the communications component of the wireless power transmitter from a remote computer system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the second plurality of wireless power waves, validating whether one or more receivers, including the first receiver, are authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein validating whether the first receiver is authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter comprises:

in accordance with a determination that the first receiver has been authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter,

transmitting the second plurality of wireless power waves to the first receiver using the second set of transmission features; and

in accordance with a determination that a second receiver included in the one or more receivers has not been authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter;

storing identification information of the second receiver in a storage device of the wireless power transmitter; and

providing a notification to an operator of the wireless power transmitter that the second receiver needs authorization for receiving wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a system event related to operations of the wireless power transmitter by the wireless power transmitter; and

in response to detecting the system event, generating a notification to report the detected system event to an operator of the wireless power transmitter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by a web service executing at the transmitter, a web page that allows a user to input the user-configurable operational parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

prior to receiving the user-configurable operational parameter, providing, for display on the web page, (1) one or more configuration options for receiving the user-configurable operational parameter, (2) the first set of transmission features, and (3) a notification of newly detected receivers.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing, for display on the web page, one or more options for switching between an automatic control and a manual control of the wireless power transmitter for transmitting wireless power waves to one or more receivers.

11. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a plurality of antennas configured to transmit wireless power waves;

a communications component;

a processor; and

memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the wireless power transmitter to;

transmit, by the plurality of antennas, a first plurality of wireless power waves to a first receiver that uses energy from the first plurality of wireless power waves to power or charge an electronic device that is coupled with the first receiver, wherein the first plurality of wireless power waves is transmitted using a first set of transmission features;

while transmitting the first plurality of wireless power waves using the first set of transmission features, receive, by the communications component;

a user-configurable operational parameter that includes information used to configure operation of the wireless power transmitter; and

information that identifies a location of the first receiver relative to the wireless power transmitter;

configure, by the processor, the wireless power transmitter based upon the user-configurable operational parameter and the information that identifies the location of the first receiver; and

while the wireless power transmitter is configured based upon the user-configurable operational parameter, transmit by the plurality of antennas of the wireless power transmitter, a second plurality of wireless power waves using a second set of transmission features, distinct from the first set of transmission features, to the first receiver, wherein the second plurality of wireless power waves forms a constructive interference pattern in three dimensional space proximate to the location of the first receiver.

12. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the user-configurable operational parameter comprises at least one of (i) authorization for the first receiver to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter, (ii) a priority for the first receiver to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter over one or more other receivers, (iii) one or more times or conditions for forming the constructive interference pattern in three dimensional space, and (iv) one or more times or conditions for stopping the forming of the constructive interference pattern in three dimensional space.

13. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the wireless power transmitter to:

store the user-configurable operational parameter in a storage device of the wireless power transmitter; and

transmit, by the communications component, the user-configurable operational parameter for storage at a remote computer system.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the wireless power transmitter to:

receive, by the communications component, the user-configurable operational parameter from a remote computer-system.

15. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the wireless power transmitter to:

prior to transmitting the second plurality of wireless power waves, validate whether one or more receivers, including the first receiver, are authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter.

16. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the executable instructions that cause the wireless power transmitter to validate whether the one or more receivers are authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter comprise executable instructions that cause the wireless power transmitter to:

in accordance with a determination that the first receiver has been authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter,

transmit the second plurality of wireless power waves to the first receiver using the second set of transmission features; and

in accordance with a determination that a second receiver included in the one or more receivers has not been authorized to receive wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter,

store identification information of the second receiver in a storage device of the wireless power transmitter; and

provide a notification to an operator of the wireless power transmitter that the second receiver needs authorization for receiving wireless power waves from the wireless power transmitter.

17. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the wireless power transmitter to:

detect a system event related to operations of the wireless power transmitter; and

in response to detecting the system event, generate a notification to report the detected system event to an operator of the wireless power transmitter.

18. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the wireless power transmitter to:

provide, by a web service executing at the transmitter, a web page that allows a user to input the user-configurable operational parameter.

19. The wireless power transmitter of claim 18, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the wireless power transmitter to:

prior to receiving the user-configurable operational parameter, provide, for display on the web page, (1) one or more configuration options for receiving the user-configurable operational parameter, (2) the first set of transmission features, and (3) a notification of newly detected receivers.

20. The wireless power transmitter of claim 18, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the wireless power transmitter to:

provide, for display on the web page, one or more options for switching between an automatic control and a manual control of the wireless power transmitter for transmitting wireless power waves to one or more receivers.