Systems and methods for wireless power transmission by modifying a number of antenna elements used to transmit power waves to a receiver

• US 9,923,386 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Leabman, Michael A., Brewer, Gregory Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US14/748,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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. The transmitter can locate the at least one receiver in a three-dimensional space using a communication medium (e.g., Bluetooth technology). The transmitter generates a waveform to create a pocket of energy around each of the at least one receiver. The transmitter uses an algorithm to direct, focus, and control the waveform in three dimensions. The receiver can convert the transmission signals (e.g., RF signals) into electricity for powering an electronic device. Accordingly, the embodiments for wireless power transmission can allow powering and charging a plurality of electrical devices without wires.

Claims

1. A method for wireless power transmission, the method comprising:

receiving, by a communications component of a transmitter that includes an antenna array for transmitting radio frequency (RF) power waves, a first communication signal from a receiver, the first communication signal comprising a location associated with the receiver;

transmitting, by the transmitter, a first set of at least two RF power waves using a first set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to the location of the receiver such that the first set of RF power waves converges to form a first constructive interference pattern proximate to the location of the receiver;

receiving, by the communications component of the transmitter from the receiver, a second communication signal indicating a first amount of power received by the receiver based on the first constructive interference pattern;

in accordance with a determination, by a processor of the transmitter and based at least in part of the first amount of power received by the receiver, that a number of RF antenna elements used to transmit RF power waves to the receiver should be modified, selecting a second set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to transmit RF power waves to the receiver, wherein the second set of at least two RF antenna elements is different from the first set of at least two RF antenna elements; and

transmitting, by the second set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array of the transmitter, a second set of at least two RF power waves to the location of the receiver such that the second set of RF power waves converges to form a second constructive interference pattern proximate to the location of the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communications component of the transmitter from the receiver, a third communication signal indicating a second amount of power received by the receiver based on the second constructive interference pattern;

in accordance with a determination, by the processor of the transmitter and based at least in part of the second amount of power received by the receiver, that the number of RF antenna elements used to transmit RF power waves to the receiver should be modified, selecting a third set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to transmit RF power waves to the receiver, wherein the third set of at least two RF antenna elements is different from the first set and/or the second set of at least two RF antenna elements; and

transmitting, by the transmitter, a third set of at least two RF power waves from the third set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to the location of the receiver such that the third set of RF power waves converges to form a third constructive interference pattern proximate to the location of the receiver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the third set of at least two RF antenna elements includes at least one antenna element from either of the first set of at least two RF antenna elements or the second set of at least two RF antenna elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein both of the first set of at least two RF antenna elements and the second set of at least two RF antenna elements share at least one common antenna element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an RF antenna of the antenna array is a type of antenna selected from the group consisting of:

a flat antenna, a patch antenna, and a dipole antenna.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna array is configured to operate at a frequency band in a range from 900 MHz to 5.8 GHz.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each RF antenna element of the antenna array is vertically polarized pole, horizontally polarized, circularly polarized, left hand polarized, or right hand polarized.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of RF power waves is continuously transmitted while determining that the first amount of power received by the receiver based on the first constructive interference pattern was greater than the second amount of power received by the receiver based on the second constructive interference pattern, and/or wherein the second set of RF power waves is continuously transmitted while determining that the second amount of power received by the receiver based on the second constructive interference pattern was greater than the first amount of power received by the receiver based on the first interference pattern.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination that the number of RF antenna elements used to transmit RF waves to the receiver should be modified includes determining, based on the first amount of power, if the receiver is receiving a sufficient amount of power.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting the second set of at least two RF antenna elements includes assigning additional antenna elements from the antenna array to the first set of at least two antenna elements, in accordance with determining that the receiver is not receiving the sufficient amount of power.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting the second set of at least two RF antenna elements includes de-assigning one or more antenna elements from the first set of at least two RF antenna elements, in accordance with determining that the receiver is receiving the sufficient amount of power.

12. A system for wireless power transmission comprising:

a transmitter comprising a processor, a communications component and an antenna array for transmitting radio frequency (RF) power waves, the transmitter configured to;

receive, by the communications component, a first communication signal from a receiver, the first communication signal comprising a location associated with the receiver;

transmit a first set of at least two RF power waves using a first set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to the location of the receiver such that the first set of RF power waves converges to form a first constructive interference pattern proximate to the location of the receiver;

receive, by the communications component, a second communication signal from the receiver, the second communications signal indicating a first amount of power received by the receiver based on the first constructive interference pattern;

in accordance with a determination, by the processor and based at least in part of the first amount of power received by the receiver, that a number of RF antenna elements used to transmit RF power waves to the receiver should be modified, select a second set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to transmit RF waves to the receiver, wherein the second set of at least two RF antenna elements is different from the first set of at least two RF antenna elements; and

transmit a second set of at least two RF waves from the second set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to the location of the receiver such that the second set of RF waves converges to form a second constructive interference pattern proximate to the location of the receiver.

13. The system of claim 12, the transmitter further configured to:

receive, by the communications component of the transmitter from the receiver, a third communication signal indicating a second amount of power received by the receiver based on the second constructive interference pattern;

in accordance with a determination, by the processor of the transmitter and based at least in part of the second amount of power received by the receiver, that the number of RF antenna elements used to transmit RF waves to the receiver should be modified, select a third set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to transmit RF power waves to the receiver, wherein the third set of at least two RF antenna elements is different from the first set and/or the second set of at least two RF antenna elements; and

transmit, a third set of at least two RF power waves from a third set of at least two RF antenna elements of the antenna array to the location of the receiver such that the third set of RF power waves converges to form a third constructive interference pattern proximate to the location of the receiver.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the third set of at least two RF antenna elements includes at least one antenna element from either of the first set of at least two RF antenna elements or the second set of at least two RF antenna elements.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein both of the first set of at least two RF antenna elements and the second set of at least two RF antenna elements share at least one common antenna element.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein an RF antenna of the antenna array is a type of antenna selected from the group consisting of:

a flat antenna, a patch antenna, and a dipole antenna.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the antenna array is configured to operate at a frequency band in a range from 900 MHz to 5.8 GHz.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein each RF antenna element of the antenna array is vertically polarized pole, horizontally polarized, circularly polarized, left hand polarized, or right hand polarized.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the first set of RF waves is continuously transmitted while determining that the first amount of power received by the receiver based on the first constructive interference pattern was greater than the second amount of power received by the receiver based on the second constructive interference pattern, and/or wherein the second set of RF waves is continuously transmitted while determining that the second amount of power received by the receiver based on the second constructive interference pattern was greater than the first amount of power received by the receiver based on the first interference pattern.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the determination that the number of RF antenna elements used to transmit RF waves to the receiver should be modified includes determining, based on the first amount of power, if the receiver is receiving a sufficient amount of power.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein selecting the second set of at least two RF antenna elements includes assigning additional antenna elements from the antenna array to the first set of at least two antenna elements, in accordance with determining that the receiver is not receiving the sufficient amount of power.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein selecting the second set of at least two RF antenna elements includes de-assigning one or more antenna elements from the first set of at least two RF antenna elements, in accordance with determining that the receiver is receiving the sufficient amount of power.