Antenna for wireless charging systems

• US 9,899,744 B1
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Contopanagos, Harry, Leabman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso, Huedung
• Application Number:
  US14/925,469
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 343718
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A metamaterial system of a wireless transmission apparatus comprises a metamaterial layer. The metamaterial layer comprises an array of unit cells wherein each of the unit cell comprises a surface having a metal patch with an aperture. The aperture is defined such that a periphery of the aperture is within a periphery of the surface by a spacing distance and an element is disposed within the aperture. The metamaterial system further comprises at least one input RF port placed on a backing layer disposed below the metamaterial layer such that there is no short-circuit between the conductive backing layer and the metamaterial layer; and at least one set of vias connecting the array of unit cells with the at least one input RF port.

Claims

1. A metamaterial system of a wireless transmission apparatus comprising:

a metamaterial layer comprising an array of unit cells, each of the unit cell including a surface having an aperture, the aperture is defined such that a periphery of the aperture is within a periphery of the surface by a spacing distance; and

an element is disposed within the aperture;

at least one input RF port disposed on a backing layer placed below the metamaterial layer such that there is no short-circuit between the conductive backing layer and the metamaterial layer; and

at least one set of vias connecting the array of unit cells with the at least one input RF port.

2. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of unit cells are electrically interconnected by one or more switches realized by integrated diodes or RF microelectromechanical devices.

3. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of unit cells comprises a first subset of unit cells and a second subset of unit cells, and wherein the first subset of unit cells comprises unit cells of one category of shape and sizes, and wherein the second sunset of unit cells comprises unit cells of another category of shape and sizes.

4. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shape and size of the unit cells is configured to obtain one or more of linear, circular or elliptical polarization.

5. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of unit cells comprises multiple unit cells wherein each unit cell has a different design with respect to other unit cells.

6. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of unit cells is configured to create beam forming and beam steering without any phase-shifting networks.

7. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of unit cells is placed in a closely spaced orthogonal orientations, resulting in dual linearly-polarized antenna systems that transmit or receive electromagnetic waves simultaneously in orthogonal linear polarizations.

8. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of unit cells in the array of unit cells are simultaneously electromagnetically excited.

9. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of unit cells is electromagnetically excited by a contactless capacitive coupling.

10. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of the unit cells is electromagnetically excited by a co-planar coupling.

11. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of the unit cells is electromagnetically excited by a direct feeding excitation mechanism using the at least one set of vias.

12. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the unit cell in the array of unit cells is designed as a thin-sized reflector.

13. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the unit cell in the array of unit cells is small in size, and wherein the array of small sized unit cells is configured to be integrated on curved shapes and geometries of wearable products.

14. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of unit cells in a receiving mode operate to absorb electromagnetic radiation with high absorption efficiency.

15. The metamaterial system of the wireless transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of vias has an electrically conductive filling.

16. A method of forming a metamaterial system, comprising:

forming a backing layer;

forming a metamaterial layer from a metamaterial substrate, the metamaterial layer is formed above the backing layer;

creating a plurality of partitions in the metamaterial layer, each of the plurality of partitions define a portion of a unit cell of a plurality of unit cells;

creating an aperture in each of the plurality of partitions, the aperture is defined such that a periphery of the aperture is within a periphery of a partition in which the aperture is created by a spacing distance;

disposing an element in the aperture of each of the plurality of partitions;

forming at least one input RF port on the backing layer such that there is no short-circuit between the backing layer and the metamaterial layer; and

connecting by at least one set of vias the plurality of unit cells with the at least one input RF port.

17. A method of forming a metamaterial system of claim 16, wherein the frequency of the unit cell is configured to operate in a frequency band ranging from 900 MHz to 100 GHz.

18. A method of forming a metamaterial system of claim 16, wherein the unit cell is configured to receive wireless signals.

19. A method of forming a metamaterial system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of unit cells comprises multiple unit cells, wherein each unit cell has a different design with respect to other unit cells.

20. A method of forming a metamaterial system of claim 16, further comprising creating a substantial flat surface on the metamaterial layer, wherein the plurality of unit cells are formed on the substantially flat surface of the metamaterial layer.