Methods and systems for aquatic infrastructure recharge and data transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10148303-B2
Application number	US-201715398376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2017
Priority date	Jan 4, 2017
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments for managing aquatic infrastructure by one or more processors are described. A vehicle is detected within a vicinity of an aquatic infrastructure device. A wireless capability level of the vehicle is determined. Based on the determined wireless capability level of the vehicle, at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device is enabled.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, by a one or more processors, for managing aquatic infrastructure, comprising:
detecting a vehicle within a vicinity of an aquatic infrastructure device; the aquatic infrastructure device including at least one sensor and a memory in operable communication with the sensor, wherein the at least one sensor monitors and collects data associated with weather, wave and current information, temperature, and water chemical characteristics, and wherein the data generated by the at least one sensor is stored in the memory;
determining a wireless capability level of the vehicle by the aquatic infrastructure device; wherein the determining of the wireless capability level of the vehicle includes determining if the vehicle is capable of wirelessly transferring power to the aquatic infrastructure device and determining if the vehicle is capable of wirelessly receiving data from the aquatic infrastructure device; and
based on the determined wireless capability level of the vehicle, enabling at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enabling of the at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device includes causing at least some of the data stored in the memory of the aquatic infrastructure device to be wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a transmitter, and the aquatic infrastructure device includes a receiver and a battery coupled to the receiver, and wherein the enabling of the at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device includes:
causing a time-varying electromagnetic field to be generated by the transmitter; and
causing the time-varying electromagnetic field to be converted into a current by the receiver to charge the battery.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the time-varying electromagnetic field includes at least one of a time-varying electric field or a time-varying magnetic field.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a vessel, and the aquatic infrastructure device is a stationary buoy.

6. A system for managing aquatic infrastructure, comprising:
at least one processor that
detects a vehicle within a vicinity of an aquatic infrastructure device; the aquatic infrastructure device including at least one sensor and a memory in operable communication with the sensor, wherein the at least one sensor monitors and collects data associated with weather, wave and current information, temperature, and water chemical characteristics, and wherein the data generated by the at least one sensor is stored in the memory;
determines a wireless capability level of the vehicle by the aquatic infrastructure device; wherein the determining of the wireless capability level of the vehicle includes determining if the vehicle is capable of wirelessly transferring power to the aquatic infrastructure device and determining if the vehicle is capable of wirelessly receiving data from the aquatic infrastructure device; and
based on the determined wireless capability level of the vehicle, enables at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the enabling of the at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device includes causing at least some of the data stored in the memory of the aquatic infrastructure device to be wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle includes a transmitter, and the aquatic infrastructure device includes a receiver and a battery coupled to the receiver, and wherein the enabling of the at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device includes:
causing a time-varying electromagnetic field to be generated by the transmitter; and
causing the time-varying electromagnetic field to be converted into a current by the receiver to charge the battery.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the time-varying electromagnetic field includes at least one of a time-varying electric field or a time-varying magnetic field.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle is a vessel, and the aquatic infrastructure device is a stationary buoy.

11. A computer program product for managing aquatic infrastructure by one or more processors, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an executable portion that detects a vehicle within a vicinity of an aquatic infrastructure device; the aquatic infrastructure device including at least one sensor and a memory in operable communication with the sensor, wherein the at least one sensor monitors and collects data associated with weather, wave and current information, temperature, and water chemical characteristics, and wherein the data generated by the at least one sensor is stored in the memory;
an executable portion that determines a wireless capability level of the vehicle by the aquatic infrastructure device; wherein the determining of the wireless capability level of the vehicle includes determining if the vehicle is capable of wirelessly transferring power to the aquatic infrastructure device and determining if the vehicle is capable of wirelessly receiving data from the aquatic infrastructure device; and
an executable portion that based on the determined wireless capability level of the vehicle, enables at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the enabling of the at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device includes causing at least some of the data stored in the memory of the aquatic infrastructure device to be wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle includes a transmitter, and the aquatic infrastructure device includes a receiver and a battery coupled to the receiver, and wherein the enabling of the at least one of a wireless power transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device or a wireless data transfer between the vehicle and the aquatic infrastructure device includes:
causing a time-varying electromagnetic field to be generated by the transmitter; and
causing the time-varying electromagnetic field to be converted into a current by the receiver to charge the battery.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the time-varying electromagnetic field includes at least one of a time-varying electric field or a time-varying magnetic field.

15. The computer program prod

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Barry Michael
• O'Donncha Fearghal
• Purcell Mark
• Ragnoli Emanuele

Classifications

• H04W4/046

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04B1/3822 Primary

  specially adapted for use in vehicles (H04B1/3827 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04B5/0037

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/42

  for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft · CPC title