Systems and methods for real or near real time wireless communications between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10211685-B2
Application number	US-201615061140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices using an improved wireless communications component that allows for real time or near-real time data sampling reporting between devices using modified wireless communications protocols (e.g., Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi), and real time or near-real time behavior adjustments by a first device based on the data samples received from a second device. Embodiments disclosed herein comprise devices, such as receivers and transmitters, having communications components that may communicate data samples, such as power values, in real time or near-real time, thereby allowing a first device (e.g., transmitter) to adjust in real time or near-real time operational behavior of the first device's hardware or software (e.g., adjust power waves) based upon the data samples (e.g., power values) received from a second device (e.g., receiver).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for wireless power transmission comprising:
receiving, by an antenna of a receiver, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) power waves from a transmitter that constructively interfere at a location of the receiver;
receiving, by a communications component of the receiver and using a pre-existing wireless protocol that includes handshakes, from the transmitter a first request for one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves at the receiver;
in response to the first request and without requiring an additional request for power values from the transmitter, continuously and consecutively executing respective iterations of a loop executed at the receiver, each respective iteration of the loop bypassing the handshakes and other overhead processes associated with the pre-existing wireless protocol, and each respective iteration of the loop including:
measuring one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves received at the receiver during the respective iteration of the loop;
transmitting a respective power message to the transmitter, wherein the respective power message contains at least the measured one or more power values; and
proceeding to a next respective iteration of the loop in accordance with a determination that one or more buffers of the communications component that are configured to store the plurality of power messages are not full;

receiving, by the antenna of the receiver, a plurality of adjusted RF power waves from the transmitter, wherein the plurality of adjusted RF power waves are adjusted by the transmitter in accordance with the one or more power values in the plurality of power messages;
in accordance with determining that the one or more buffers of the communications component of the receiver are full:
transmitting, by the communications component of the receiver and using the pre-existing wireless protocol, an indicator bit indicating that the one or more buffers are full; and

upon receiving, from the transmitter, a second request for one or more power values associated with reception of RF power waves at the receiver:
resetting, by the communications component of the receiver, at least one buffer of the one or more buffers of the communications component.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator bit is configured to instruct the transmitter to transmit the second request for the one or more power values associated with the reception of the RF power waves.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by an antenna of the receiver, the plurality of RF power waves from the transmitter; and
converting, by the receiver, the plurality of RF power waves to electrical power.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising continuously and consecutively determining, by the receiver, power values associated with an amount of energy received from the plurality of RF power waves.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising continuously and consecutively determining, by the receiver, power values indicating an amount of energy converted to electrical power from the plurality of RF power waves.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, during a respective iteration of the loop, the method further comprises:
after measuring the one or more power values, generating, by the communications component of the receiver, the respective power message containing the one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, during a respective iteration of the loop, the method further comprises:
after transmitting the respective power message to the transmitter, storing, by the communications component of the receiver, the respective power message containing the one or more power values into at least one output buffer memory of the one or more buffers of the communications component of the receiver.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, during a respective iteration of the loop, the method further comprises:
after transmitting the respective power message to the transmitter, determining whether the one or more buffers are full.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein resetting the at least one buffer further comprises deleting one or more power messages in the at least one buffer memory.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein resetting the at least one buffer further comprises restarting an address counter for the one or more buffers.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the communications component of the receiver is configured to communicate with a communications component of the transmitter over a communications signal independent of the plurality of RF power waves.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the communications component of the receiver comprises one or more chips configured to communicate using a lightweight wireless communications protocol.

13. A receiver device comprising:
one or more antennas;
a communications component; and
a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for:
receiving, by the one or more antennas, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) power waves from a transmitter that constructively interfere at a location of the receiver device;
receiving, by the communications component using a pre-existing wireless protocol that includes handshakes, from the transmitter a first request for one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves at the receiver device;
in response to the first request and without requiring an additional request for power values from the transmitter, continuously and consecutively executing respective iterations of a loop executed at the receiver device, each respective iteration of the loop bypassing the handshakes and other overhead processes associated with a pre-existing wireless protocol, and each respective iteration of the loop including:
measuring one or more power values associated with reception of the plurality of RF power waves received at the receiver device during the respective iteration of the loop;
transmitting a respective power message to the transmitter, wherein the respective power message contains at least the measured one or more power values; and
proceeding to a next respective iteration of the loop in accordance with a determination that one or more buffers of the communications component that are configured to store the plurality of power messages are not full;

receiving, by the antenna of the receiver, a plurality of adjusted RF power waves from the transmitter, wherein the plurality of adjusted RF power waves are adjusted by the transmitter in accordance with the one or more power values in the plurality of power messages;
in accordance with determining that the one or more buffers of the communications component are full:
transmitting, by the communications component and using the pre-existing wireless protocol, an indicator bit indicating that the one or more buffers are full; and

upon receiving, from the transmitter, a second request for one or more power values associated with reception of RF power waves at the receiver device:
resetting, by the communications component, at least one buffer of the one or more buffers of the communications component.

14. The receiver device according to claim 13 , wherein the indicator bit is configured to instruct the transmitter to transmit a second request for the one or more power values associated with the reception of the RF power waves.

Assignees

• Energous Corp

Inventors

• Bell Douglas
• Leabman Michael A

Classifications

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H02J50/90

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

• H02J50/80 Primary

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title

• H02J50/20

  using microwaves or radio frequency waves · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title