Beamforming for wireless power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10148137-B2
Application number	US-201615060271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2016
Priority date	Mar 3, 2016
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

Systems and techniques are provided for beamforming for wireless power transfer. A position of a second wireless power transfer device relative to a first wireless power transfer device may be determined. A beam may be simulated as being transmitted from the position of the second wireless power transfer device. Phases of a wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by elements of the first wireless power transfer device may be determined. A control signal for each of the elements for which phases were determined may be generated based on the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the element. The control signal for each of the elements for which phases were determined may be supplied to the elements for which phases were determined. A waveform may be transmitted from the elements for which phases were determined based on the supplied control signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining a position of a second wireless power transfer device relative to a first wireless power transfer device;
simulating a beam as being transmitted from the position of the second wireless power transfer device;
determining a phase of a wave front of the simulated beam that would be received at a first element of the first wireless power transfer device and a phase of the wave front of the simulated beam that would be received at a second element of the first wireless power transfer device;
generating a control signal for the first element and a control signal for the second element of the first wireless power transfer device based on the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the first element and the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the second element of the first wireless power transfer device;
supplying the control signal for the first element to the first element of the wireless power transfer device and the control signal for the second element to the second element of the wireless power transfer device; and
transmitting a waveform from the first element based on the supplied control signal for the first element and a waveform from the second element based on the supplied control signal for the second element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulated beam is simulated as comprising one or more waveforms originating from one or more points on the second wireless power transfer device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the beam is simulated as comprising a waveform originating from the center of mass of the second wireless power transfer device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the beam is simulated as comprising in phase waveforms originating from more than one point on the second wireless power transfer device.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the beam is simulated as comprising in phase waveforms originating from one or more elements of the second wireless power transfer device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a control signal for the first element and a control signal for the second element of the first wireless power transfer device based on the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the first element and the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the second element of the first wireless power transfer device further comprises maintaining a phase difference between the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the first element and the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the second element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first element and the second element are ultrasonic transducers, RF transducers, or optical transducers.

8. A method comprising:
determining a position of a second wireless power transfer device relative to a first wireless power transfer device;
simulating a beam as being transmitted from the position of the second wireless power transfer device;
determining phases of a wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by one or more of a plurality of elements of the first wireless power transfer device;
generating a control signal for each element of the one or more of the plurality of elements for which phases were determined based on the determined phase of the wave front that would be received at the element;
supplying the control signal for each element of the one or more of the plurality of elements for which phases were determined to each element of the one or more of the plurality of elements for which phases were determined; and
transmitting a waveform from each element of the one or more of the plurality of elements for which phases were determined based on the supplied control signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein simulating the beam comprises simulating the beam in a channel between one or more points on the second wireless power transfer device and a first element of the plurality of elements of the first wireless power transfer device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more points on the second wireless power transfer device are the positions of elements of the second wireless power transfer device.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining phases of a wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by one or more of a plurality of elements of the first wireless power transfer device comprises determining phases of the wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by a first subset of the plurality of elements.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining phases of the wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by a second subset of the plurality of elements, the second subset comprising at least one element not in the first subset of elements.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating control signals for elements of the plurality of elements not in the first subset of elements based on interpolation of the control signals generated for the elements in the first subset of elements.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the beam is simulated as comprising in phase waveforms originating from one or more elements of the second wireless power transfer device.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of elements are ultrasonic transducers, RF transducers, or optical transducers.

16. A system for beamforming for wireless power transfer comprising:
a plurality of elements adapted and configured to transmit waveforms for a transmitted beam based on supplied control signals;
a receiver position detector adapted to determine a position of a receiving wireless power transfer device; and
a computing device comprising a transducer signal generator adapted and configured to simulate a beam as being transmitted from the position of the receiving wireless power transfer device, determine phases of a wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by one or more of the plurality of elements, generate a control signal for each element of the one or more of the plurality of elements based on the determined phases, and supply control signals to the one or more of the plurality of elements.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a transducer control adapted and configured to receive the control signals from the transducer signal generator and supply the control signals to the one or more of the plurality of elements.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the transducer signal generator is adapted and configure to simulate the beam in a channel between one or more points on the receiving wireless power transfer device and a first element of the plurality of elements.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more points on the receiving wireless power transfer device are the positions of elements of the receiving wireless power transfer device.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the transducer signal generator is adapted and configured to determine phases of a wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by one or more of a plurality of elements by determining phases of the wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by a first subset of the plurality of elements.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the transducer signal generator is adapted and configured to determine phases of the wave front of the simulated beam that would be received by a second subset of the plurality of elements, the second subs

Assignees

• Ubeam Inc

Inventors

• Joyce Andrew
• Reynolds Paul

Classifications

• H02J50/30

  using light, e.g. lasers · CPC title

• H02J50/15

  using ultrasonic waves · CPC title

• H02J50/20

  using microwaves or radio frequency waves · CPC title

• H02J50/90 Primary

  involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment · CPC title

• H04B5/0037

  Electricity · mapped topic