Method and apparatus for dynamic RF lens focusing and tracking of wireless power recovery unit

A system comprising:

• a generating unit comprising:
• N transmitting elements, wherein N is an integer greater than one;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• turn on a first one of the N transmitting elements during a first time period;
• turn off a remaining (N−1) of the transmitting elements during the first time period;
• and
• transmit a first RF signal from the first transmitting element during the first time period;
• and
• a recovery unit configured to:
• detect a first phase value associated with the first RF signal during the first time period;
• and
• transmit the detected first phase value to the generating unit during the first time period, said generating unit being further configured to adjust the phase of the first transmitting element in response to the detected first phase value.

A method of determining phases of N transmitting elements of a generating unit, N being an integer greater than one, the method comprising:

• turning on a first subset of the N transmitting elements during a first time period;
• turning off a remaining ones of the transmitting elements during the first time period;
• transmitting a first set of RF signals from the first subset to a device during the first time period;
• turning off the first subset;
• turning on a second subset of the N transmitting elements during a second time period, said second subset being different than the first subset;
• transmitting a second set of RF signals from the second subset to the device during the second time period;
• receiving a first signal value associated with the first set of RF signals at the device;
• receiving a second signal value associated with the second set of RF signals at the device;
• and
• determining a phase of at least one of the transmitting elements common to both the first and second subsets from the first and second signal values.

A method of determining phases of N transmitting elements of a generating unit, N being an integer greater than one, the method comprising:

• turning on a first one of the N transmitting elements during a first time period;
• turning off a remaining (N−1) of the transmitting elements during the first time period;
• transmitting an RF signal from the first transmitting element to a device during the first time period;
• turning on a second one of the N transmitting elements during a second time period while maintaining the first one of the N transmitting elements on;
• transmitting an RF signal from each of the first and second transmitting elements;
• detecting a first value from the RF signal received during the first time period;
• detecting a second value from the RF signals received during the second time period;
• and
• determining a phase associated with the second transmitting element from the first and second values.