US 9,882,395 B1Granted

Cluster management of transmitters in a wireless power transmission system

OwnerMichael Leabman, Douglas Bell +1inventors

InventorsMichael Leabman, Douglas Bell, Michael Nelson

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The embodiments described herein include a transmitter that transmits a power transmission signal (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal waves) to create a three-dimensional pocket of energy. At least one receiver can be connected to or integrated into electronic devices and receive power from the pocket of energy. A wireless power network may include a plurality of wireless power transmitters each with an embedded wireless power transmitter manager, including a wireless power manager application. The wireless power network may include a plurality of client devices with wireless power receivers. Wireless power receivers may include a power receiver application configured to communicate with the wireless power manager application. The wireless power manager application may include a device database where information about the wireless power network may be stored.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A system in a wireless power delivery network, comprising:

a plurality of transmitter managers, each comprising a database storing records associated with a plurality of user devices;
and
a plurality of power transmitters communicatively coupled to (i) the plurality of transmitter managers and (ii) a power receiver coupled with a respective user device of the plurality of user devices;
wherein at least one power transmitter of the plurality of power transmitters is configured to transmit signals received from the power receiver to at least two transmitter managers of the plurality of transmitter managers;
wherein a respective transmitter manager of the at least two transmitter managers is configured to, based on (i) the signals received from the power receiver and (ii) the records stored in respective databases of the at least two transmitter managers, determine whether the respective transmitter manager has control over the respective user device;
and
in accordance with a determination that only one of the at least two transmitter managers has control over the respective user device, then the only one of the at least two transmitter managers is configured to instruct at least one of the plurality of power transmitters to transmit a plurality of power transmission signals that converge to generate a constructive interference pattern in proximity to the power receiver;
and
in accordance with a determination that the at least two transmitter managers of the plurality of transmitter managers have control over the respective user device, then each of the at least two transmitter managers is configured to instruct at least one of the plurality of power transmitters to transmit power transmission signals to the power receiver according to time division multiplexing (TDM) of communications between the power receiver and each of the at least two transmitter managers.

6 more elements

A method in a wireless power delivery network, comprising:

transmitting, by at least one of a plurality of power transmitters, signals received from a power receiver coupled with a respective user device of a plurality of user devices to at least two transmitter managers of a plurality of transmitter managers;
determining, by a respective transmitter manager of the at least two transmitter managers, whether the respective transmitter manager has control over the respective user device based on (i) the signals received from the power receiver and (ii) records stored in respective databases of the at least two transmitter managers;
in accordance with a determination that only one of the at least two transmitter managers of the plurality of transmitter managers has control over the respective user device, instructing, by the only one of the at least two transmitter managers, at least one of the plurality of power transmitters to transmit a plurality of power transmission signals that converge to generate a constructive interference pattern in proximity to the power receiver;
in accordance with a determination that the at least two transmitter managers have control over the respective user device, instructing, by the at least two transmitter managers, at least one of the plurality of power transmitters to transmit power transmission signals to the power receiver in accordance with time division multiplexing (TDM) of communications between the power receiver and each of the at least two transmitter managers.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/748,136Filed 23 Jun 2015 · continuation
Priority: 7 May 2014
Granted: 30 Jan 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H02J 50/23
Using microwaves or radio frequency waves: characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
H01F 38/14
Adaptations of transformers or inductances for specific applications or functions: inductive couplings
H02J 50/20
Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power: using microwaves or radio frequency waves
H02J 50/402
Using two or more transmitting or receiving devices: the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the…

Family

Application14/272,124Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 May 2014
Application14/587,616Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Dec 2014
Application14/587,616Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2015/0326025 A1Published application
US 9,847,679 B2Related patent
US 9,882,430 B1Related patent
US 9,882,395 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

Citations

Open elsewhere

Building an agent or pulling many patents? Use the API or MCP server instead of scraping pages. Get an API key