Receivers for wireless power transmission

• US 9,973,021 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2014
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• 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): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US14/583,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20160099601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,235 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• 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 7/00045 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: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile

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 receiver device embedded in an electronic device comprising:

a processor;

an antenna element configured to;

receive one or more power transmission waves from a transmitter device that converge to form a pocket of energy, and

generate an electrical current by receiving energy from the one or more power transmission waves, wherein the electrical current is in an alternating current form of electricity;

a rectifier coupled to the antenna element and configured to rectify the alternating current form of electricity into a direct current form of electricity;

a power converter coupled to the rectifier and configured to generate a constant voltage output of electrical current in the form of direct current, wherein;

the power converter is communicatively coupled to the electronic device and is configured to provide the constant voltage output of electrical current in the form of direct current to the electronic device, and

the receiver device provides the direct current to the electronic device; and

the processor of the receiver device is configured to control a built-in wireless communications component of the electronic device to transmit a communication signal to the transmitter device,

wherein the communication signal contains data used to identify a location of the receiver device relative to the transmitter device, and the receiver device does not include a wireless transmitter.

2. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the communication signal contains additional data related to the electronic device,

wherein the additional data related to the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of:

a battery level of the electronic device, a device identifier, a user identifier, a receiver identifier, and power consumption of the electronic device.

3. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the communication signal additionally requests the one or more power transmission waves from the transmitter device.

4. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is external to electronic device.

5. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is integrated into the receiver device.

6. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element operates in a frequency band between about 900 MHz and about 5.8 GHz.

7. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is vertically, horizontally, right hand, left hand, or elliptically polarized.

8. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein a type of the antenna element is selected from the group consisting of:

a patch antenna, and a dipole antenna, and wherein the antenna element has a height of about ⅛

th inches to about 6 inches and a width of about ⅛

th inches to about 6 inches.

9. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically modify a polarization of the antenna element to optimize an amount of the energy received from the one or more power transmission waves.

10. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the rectifier comprises at least one of a diode, a resistor, an inductor, and a capacitor configured to rectify the alternating current (AC) form of electricity generated by the antenna element to the direct current (DC) form of electricity.

11. The receiver device according to claim 10, wherein the rectifier is located substantially adjacent to the antenna element to minimize losses.

12. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the power converter is a DC-DC converter configured to generate the constant voltage output, irrespective a voltage of the direct current form of electricity received from the rectifier.

13. The receiver device according to claim 12, wherein the power converter includes an electronic switch mode DC-DC converter configured to convert the direct current form of electricity received from the rectifier to the constant voltage output.

14. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the built-in wireless communications component communicates status information to the transmitter device; and

the status information contains additional locations of the receiver device and power levels of the electronic device.

15. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the rectifier is one of a plurality of rectifiers;

the antenna element is connected to the plurality of rectifiers; and

outputs of the plurality of rectifiers are connected to an input of the power converter.

16. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the antenna element is one of a plurality of antenna elements; and

the plurality of antenna elements are connected in parallel to each other and then to an input of the rectifier.

17. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the antenna element is one of a plurality of antenna elements;

the plurality of antenna elements is connected to parallel rectifiers, including the rectifier; and

outputs of the parallel rectifiers are combined and connected to the power converter.

18. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the receiver device further comprises multiple groups of antenna elements, the antenna element being part of one of the multiple groups of antenna elements;

the rectifier is one of a plurality of rectifiers;

the power converter is one of a plurality of power converters;

each of the multiple groups of antenna elements is connected to one of the plurality of rectifiers; and

each of the plurality of rectifiers is connected to one of the plurality of power converters.

19. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic device is a mobile device having a processor configured to control the function of the mobile device, and

the processor of the mobile device is distinct and separate from the processor of the receiver device.

20. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the receiver device is coupled to a processor of the electronic device that is distinct and separate from the processor of the receiver device; and

the processor of the receiver device controls the built-in wireless communications component of the electronic device via the processor of the electronic device.

21. The receiver device according to claim 20, wherein the receiver device is indirectly coupled to the built-in wireless communications component of the electronic device via the processor of the electronic device.

22. The receiver device according to claim 1, wherein:

the antenna element is one of a plurality of antenna elements;

the rectifier is one of a plurality of rectifiers;

each of the plurality of antenna elements is connected to one of the plurality of rectifiers; and

outputs of the plurality of rectifiers are connected to an input of the power converter.

23. A portable wireless power transmission receiver embedded in an electronic device for charging a battery of the electronic device or powering the electronic device, the receiver comprising;

a processor;

an antenna configured to receive from a transmitter one or more power transmission waves establishing a pocket of energy, and

a circuit board communicatively coupled to the antenna and configured to convert the one or more power transmission waves to electrical energy;

the processor of the receiver is configured to control a built-in wireless communications component of the electronic device to transmit one or more communications signals containing data representing a status of the electronic device,

wherein the data representing the status of the electronic device comprises data that is used to identify a location of the receiver relative to the transmitter, and the receiver does not include a wireless transmitter.

24. The portable wireless power transmission receiver of claim 23,

wherein the pocket of energy is formed from constructive interference patterns at a convergence of a plurality of power transmission waves, the plurality including the one or more power transmission waves.

25. The portable wireless power transmission receiver of claim 23, wherein the circuit board comprises:

a rectifier communicatively coupled to the antenna and configured to convert the electrical energy from alternating current to direct current; and

a converter communicatively coupled to the rectifier and the electronic device and configured to generate a consistent voltage output of direct current electrical energy from the direct current received from the rectifier and to output the consistent voltage output of direct current electrical energy to the electronic device.

26. The portable wireless power transmission receiver of claim 25, wherein the consistent voltage of direct current electrical energy outputted to the electronic device is in the range of about 5 volts to about 10 volts.

27. A method comprising:

broadcasting, by a built-in wireless communications component of an electronic device, a first communication signal advertising a status of the electronic device and containing data used to identify a location of the electronic device relative to a transmitter, wherein;

a processor of a receiver controls the built-in wireless communications component of the electronic device to broadcast the first communication signal to the transmitter; and

the receiver is embedded in the electronic device;

receiving, by the receiver, power transmission waves in a pocket of energy, wherein the power transmission waves are transmitted by the transmitter;

converting, by the receiver, the power transmission waves in the pocket of energy into direct current voltage;

providing, by the receiver, the direct current voltage to the electronic device;

determining, by the receiver, an amount of power converted to the direct current voltage; and

transmitting, by the built-in wireless communications component of the electronic device, one or more second communication signals to the transmitter containing data indicating the status and the location of the electronic device relative to the transmitter based on the amount of power converted to the direct current voltage, wherein the processor of the receiver device controls the built-in wireless communications component of the electronic device to transmit the one or more second communication signals to the transmitter, and the receiver does not include a wireless transmitter.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the amount of power converted to the direct current voltage is based on at least one of the amount of power received from the transmitter and an amount of power not converted to the direct current voltage.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising determining, by the receiver, the status of the electronic device based on the amount of power converted to the direct current voltage,

wherein the status of the electronic device contains information selected from the group consisting of:

an indication the amount of power converted to the direct current voltage satisfies a threshold amount of power for the electronic device, a battery level, an energy usage, energy usage history, and a proportion of the amount of power converted to the direct current voltage to an amount of power received from the transmitter.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

determining, by the receiver, an amount of energy received from the transmitter, wherein the amount of power converted to the direct current voltage is based on the amount of energy received from the transmitter.