Sender controller for wireless power transfer
AssigneeuBeam Inc.
InventorMeredith Perry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A signal generator generates an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier, which increases the power of the signal using power from a power source. The amplified signal is fed to a sender transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that can be focused and sent to a receiver. The receiver transducer converts the ultrasonic waves back into electrical energy and stores it in an energy storage device, such as a battery, or uses the electrical energy to power a device. In this way, a device can be remotely charged or powered without having to be tethered to an electrical outlet.
Claims13
A system, comprising:
- a signal generator;
- an amplifier coupled to the signal generator, said amplifier configured to receive power from a power source and to generate an electrical transmission signal adapted to be used to generate waves;
- a sender transducer coupled to the amplifier, the sender transducer adapted and configured to generate waves having a first phase based on the electrical transmission signal received from the amplifier;
- a sender communications device;
- and
- a sender controller coupled to at least one of the signal generator, the amplifier the sender transducer and the sender communications device, the controller receiving a signal from the communications device and changing a configuration parameter of the sender based upon the received signal, the sender controller adapted to change the first phase to a second phase based on the changing of the configuration parameter, energy from the waves having the first phase being converted into electrical energy at a first efficiency, energy from the waves having the second phase being converted into electrical energy at a second efficiency, and wherein the first efficiency is different than the second efficiency.
A method for controlling a transducer at a sender having at least a first value of a configuration parameter, comprising:
- causing the sender transducer to send energy having a first phase to a receiver in accordance with the first value of the configuration parameter, the energy having the first phase being converted into electrical energy at a first efficiency;
- and
- causing the sender transducer to send energy having a second phase to the receiver in accordance with a second value of the configuration parameter, the energy having the second phase being converted into electrical energy at a second efficiency, wherein the second efficiency is different than the first efficiency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.