Wireless power transfer network management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10879741-B2
Application number	US-201916428078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2019
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Concepts and technologies directed to wireless power transfer network management are disclosed herein. Embodiments of a system can include an optical beamforming transmitter, a processor, and a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that configure a processor to perform operations. The operations can include receiving a power charge message that requests wireless power transfer to charge a battery system of a wirelessly chargeable equipment. The operations can include detecting that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within a power transfer range of the optical beamforming transmitter. The operations can include determining that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is not stationary. The operations can include tracking movement of the wirelessly chargeable equipment and activating the optical beamforming transmitter that provides wireless power transfer to the wirelessly chargeable equipment while the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within the power transfer range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an optical beamforming transmitter;
a processor; and
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a power charge message that requests wireless power transfer to charge a battery system of a wirelessly chargeable equipment,
detecting that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within a power transfer range of the optical beamforming transmitter,
determining that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is not stationary,
tracking movement of the wirelessly chargeable equipment,
determining a charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment, and
activating, based at least in part on the charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment, the optical beamforming transmitter that provides wireless power transfer via a laser beam to the wirelessly chargeable equipment while the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within the power transfer range, wherein activating the optical beamforming transmitter comprises adjusting a time interval between pulses of the laser beam based at least in part on the charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power charge message comprises a wirelessly chargeable equipment identifier and a location identifier.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise obtaining a current charge profile corresponding to the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the current charge profile includes the charge criticality indicator and a current charge level.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the wirelessly chargeable equipment is authorized to receive the wireless power transfer.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
prior to the wirelessly chargeable equipment leaving the power transfer range, generating a charge preparation command that is directed to a downstream wireless power transfer assembly that is located outside of the power transfer range; and
providing the charge preparation command to the downstream wireless power transfer assembly that is located outside of the power transfer range.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the charge preparation command instructs the downstream wireless power transfer assembly to prepare to provide wireless power transfer for the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical beamforming transmitter is activated responsive to confirming a direct line of sight with the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

9. A method comprising:
receiving, by a system that provides an optical beamforming transmitter, a power charge message that requests wireless power transfer to charge a battery system of a wirelessly chargeable equipment;
detecting, by the system, that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within a power transfer range of the optical beamforming transmitter;
determining, by the system, that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is not stationary;
tracking, by the system, movement of the wirelessly chargeable equipment;
determining a charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment; and
activating, by the system based at least in part on the charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment, the optical beamforming transmitter that provides wireless power transfer via a laser beam to the wirelessly chargeable equipment while the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within the power transfer range, wherein activating the optical beamforming transmitter comprises adjusting a time interval between pulses of the laser beam based at least in part on the charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising obtaining a current charge profile corresponding to the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the current charge profile includes the charge criticality indicator and a current charge level.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining, by the system, whether the wirelessly chargeable equipment is authorized to receive the wireless power transfer.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
prior to the wirelessly chargeable equipment leaving the power transfer range, generating, by the system, a charge preparation command that is directed to a downstream wireless power transfer assembly that is located outside of the power transfer range; and
providing, from the system, the charge preparation command to the downstream wireless power transfer assembly that is located outside of the power transfer range.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the charge preparation command instructs the downstream wireless power transfer assembly to prepare to provide wireless power transfer for the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the optical beamforming transmitter is activated responsive to confirming a direct line of sight with the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

16. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor of a system comprising an optical beamforming transmitter, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a power charge message that requests wireless power transfer to charge a battery system of a wirelessly chargeable equipment;
detecting that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within a power transfer range of the optical beamforming transmitter;
determining that the wirelessly chargeable equipment is not stationary;
tracking movement of the wirelessly chargeable equipment;
determining a charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment; and
activating, based at least in part on the charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment, the optical beamforming transmitter that provides wireless power transfer via a laser beam to the wirelessly chargeable equipment while the wirelessly chargeable equipment is within the power transfer range, wherein activating the optical beamforming transmitter comprises adjusting a time interval between pulses of the laser beam based at least in part on the charge criticality indicator associated with the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise obtaining a current charge profile corresponding to the wirelessly chargeable equipment.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the wirelessly chargeable equipment is authorized to receive the wireless power transfer.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
prior to the wirelessly chargeable equipment leaving the power transfer range, generating a charge preparation command that is directed to a downstream wireless power transfer assembly that is located outside of the power transfer range; and
providing the charge preparation command to the downstream wireless power transfer assembly that is located outside of the power transfer range.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the optical beamforming transmitter is activated responsive

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Soryal Joseph
• Jaoude Naila
• Zellner Samuel N

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J50/40

  using two or more transmitting or receiving devices (H02J50/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J50/30 Primary

  using light, e.g. lasers · CPC title

• H02J50/90

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