Ultrasonic universal wireless charging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9620983-B2
Application number	US-201314042820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2013
Priority date	Oct 1, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems may provide for detecting a location of an adjacent ultrasonic receiver of a battery powered device relative to a charging surface of a contactless charger. The charging surface may include an ultrasonic array of transmitter sub arrays, wherein one or more of the transmitter sub arrays may be selectively activated based on the location to focus an ultrasonic beam on the adjacent ultrasonic receiver. In one example, a movement of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver may be detected and the focus of the ultrasonic beam is adjusted in response to the movement.

First claim

We claim:

1. A contactless charger comprising:
a charging surface including an array of transmitter sub arrays, each transmitter sub array having a plurality of ultrasonic transmitters; and
logic to:
detect a location of an adjacent ultrasonic receiver of a battery powered device relative to the charging surface based on a differential in a ultrasonic beam reflection energy with respect to planar a beam reflector positioned at a perimeter of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver, the planar beam reflector to direct the ultrasonic beam energy away from the adjacent ultrasonic receiver;
determine a three-dimensional characteristic of a movement of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver based on the differential; and
selectively activate one or more of the transmitter sub arrays based on the location to focus an ultrasonic beam on the adjacent ultrasonic receiver.

2. The contactless charger of claim 1 , wherein the logic is to:
detect the movement of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver, and
adjust the focus of the ultrasonic beam in response to the movement.

3. The contactless charger of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of the transmitter sub arrays have a corresponding ultrasonic receiver and the logic is to:
receive one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers, and
use the one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers to identify the differential in beam reflection energy with respect to the beam reflector positioned at a perimeter of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver.

4. The contactless charger of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of the transmitter sub arrays have a light detector and an ultrasonic ranger, and the logic is to:
receive one or more signals from the light detectors,
receive one or more signals from the ultrasonic rangers, and
determine the three-dimensional characteristic of the movement based on the one or more signals from the light detectors and the one or more signals from the ultrasonic rangers.

5. The contactless charger of claim 2 , wherein the logic is to:
detect an out of range condition associated with the movement, and
discontinue the ultrasonic beam in response to the out of range condition.

6. The contactless charger of claim 5 , wherein a plurality of the transmitter sub arrays have a light detector and a corresponding ultrasonic receiver and the logic is to:
use the transmitter sub arrays to send a known wave pulse to the adjacent ultrasonic receiver,
receive one or more signals from the light detectors, and
receive one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers, wherein the out of range condition is detected based on the one or more signals from the light detectors and the one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers.

7. The contactless charger of claim 1 , wherein the charging surface further includes a light sensor, the logic to:
detect a charge light of the battery powered device,
determine a charge level of the battery powered device based on a status of the charge light, and
adjust a power of the ultrasonic beam based on the charge state of the battery powered device.

8. A method of operating a contactless charger, comprising:
detecting a location of an adjacent ultrasonic receiver of a battery powered device relative to a charging surface of the contactless charger based on a differential in a ultrasonic beam reflection energy with respect to planar a beam reflector positioned at a perimeter of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver the planar beam reflector to direct the ultrasonic beam energy away from the adjacent ultrasonic receiver, the charging surface including an ultrasonic array of transmitter sub arrays;
determining a three-dimensional characteristic of a movement of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver based on the differential; and
selectively activating one or more of the transmitter sub arrays based on the location to focus an ultrasonic beam on the adjacent ultrasonic receiver.

9. The method of claim 8 , further including:
detecting the movement of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver; and
adjusting the focus of the ultrasonic beam in response to the movement.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of the transmitter sub arrays have a corresponding ultrasonic receiver and the method further includes:
receiving one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers; and
using the one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers to identify the differential in beam reflection energy with respect to the beam reflector positioned at the perimeter of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of the transmitter sub arrays have a light detector and an ultrasonic ranger, and the method further includes:
receiving one or more signals from the light detectors;
receiving one or more signals from the ultrasonic rangers; and
determining a three-dimensional characteristic of the movement based on the one or more signals from the light detectors and the one or more signals from the ultrasonic rangers.

12. The method of claim 9 , further including:
detecting an out of range condition associated with the movement; and
discontinuing the ultrasonic beam in response to the out of range condition.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a plurality of the transmitter sub arrays have a light detector and a corresponding ultrasonic receiver and the method further includes:
using the transmitter sub arrays to send a known wave pulse to the adjacent ultrasonic receiver;
receiving one or more signals from the light detectors; and
receiving one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers, wherein the out of range condition is detected based on the one or more signals from the light detectors and the one or more signals from the corresponding ultrasonic receivers.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the charging surface further includes a light sensor, the method further including:
detecting a charge light of the battery powered device;
determining a charge level of the battery powered device based on a status of the charge light; and
adjusting a power of the ultrasonic beam based on the charge state of the battery powered device.

15. At least one computer readable storage medium comprising a set of non-transitory computer-executable instructions which, if executed by a contactless charger, cause the contactless charger to:
detect a location of an adjacent ultrasonic receiver of a battery powered device relative to a charging surface of the contactless charger based on a differential in a ultrasonic beam reflection energy with respect to planar a beam reflector positioned at a perimeter of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver the planar beam reflector to direct the ultrasonic beam energy away from the adjacent ultrasonic receiver, the charging surface to include an ultrasonic array of transmitter sub arrays;
determine a three-dimensional characteristic of a movement of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver based on the differential; and
selectively activate one or more of the transmitter sub arrays based on the location to focus an ultrasonic beam on the adjacent ultrasonic receiver.

16. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, if executed, cause the contactless charger to:
detect the movement of the adjacent ultrasonic receiver; and
adjust the focus of the ultrasonic beam in response to the movement.

17. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein a plurality of the transmitter sub arrays have

Assignees

• Abdelmoneum Mohamed A
• Gwin Paul J
• Mahameed Rashed
• Sprenger Mark E
• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Abdelmoneum Mohamed A
• Gwin Paul J
• Mahameed Rashed
• Sprenger Mark E

Classifications

• H02J7/82 Primary

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/50 Primary

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J50/40

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

• H02J50/15

  using ultrasonic waves · CPC title

• H02J50/90

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