U.S. patent application number 12/859745 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-19 for condition-based wireless power.
This patent application is currently assigned to QUALCOMM INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Khaled Helmi El-Maleh, Francesco Grilli, Yair Karmi, Peng Li, Stein Arne Lundby, David Maldonado, Roger Wayne Martin, Sandip S. Minhas, MaryBeth Selby.
Application Number | 20110119135 12/859745 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44010819 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110119135 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Grilli; Francesco ; et
al. |
May 19, 2011 |
CONDITION-BASED WIRELESS POWER
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments are directed to methods and devices for
transferring or receiving wireless power. A method may include
receiving acceptance of at least one wireless power access entity
required condition. The method may further include transferring
wireless power to at least one electronic device based on the
acceptance of the at least one wireless power access entity
required condition.
Inventors: |
Grilli; Francesco; (La
Jolla, CA) ; Martin; Roger Wayne; (San Diego, CA)
; Selby; MaryBeth; (San Jose, CA) ; Maldonado;
David; (Chula Vista, CA) ; Lundby; Stein Arne;
(Solana Beach, CA) ; Li; Peng; (San Diego, CA)
; Minhas; Sandip S.; (San Diego, CA) ; El-Maleh;
Khaled Helmi; (San Marcos, CA) ; Karmi; Yair;
(San Diego, CA) |
Assignee: |
QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
San Diego
CA
|
Family ID: |
44010819 |
Appl. No.: |
12/859745 |
Filed: |
August 19, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61262119 |
Nov 17, 2009 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.64 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0267 20130101;
H02J 50/10 20160201; H02J 7/025 20130101; H02J 50/80 20160201; H02J
7/00036 20200101; H02J 7/0071 20200101; G06Q 30/0601 20130101; H02J
50/12 20160201; H02J 50/40 20160201; H02J 50/20 20160201; H02J
7/00045 20200101; H04B 5/0037 20130101; H02J 50/90 20160201; H02J
7/00034 20200101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14.64 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1. A method, comprising: receiving acceptance of at least one
wireless power access entity required condition; and transferring
wireless power to at least one electronic device based on the
acceptance of the at least one wireless power access entity
required condition.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring wireless power to at
least one electronic device upon acceptance comprises consenting to
at least one condition as determined by an entity associated with
providing wireless power.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein consenting to at least one
condition comprises consenting to at least one of transmitting one
or more advertisements to the at least one electronic device,
conveying the one or more transmitted advertisements on the at
least one electronic device, and performing one of more data mining
operations on the at least one electronic device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying one or more
advertisements on a display device of a wireless charger prior to
or while transferring wireless power to the at least one electronic
device.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving feedback
indicative that a user of the at least one electronic device has
viewed the one or more advertisements.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of
transmitting at least one advertisement to the at least one
electronic device, conveying the least one advertisement on the at
least one electronic device, and acquiring information associated
with at least one electronic device.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein conveying at least one
advertisement on the electronic device comprises conveying at least
one a video advertisement, an audio advertisement, a graphical
advertisement, and a textual advertisement.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein conveying at least one
advertisement on the electronic device comprises conveying at least
one of advertisement including subject matter related to the
acquired information.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein conveying at least one
advertisement on the electronic device comprises causing at least
one advertisement to be conveyed by the electronic device prior to
transferring wireless power to the electronic device, while
transferring wireless power to the electronic device, or both.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein acquiring associated with the
electronic device comprises acquiring a location of the at least
one electronic device with a location detection device.
11. The method of claim 6, wherein acquiring information associated
with the electronic device comprises performing at least one data
mining operation on the electronic device.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing at least one data
mining operation on the electronic device comprises collecting data
from the electronic device, the collected data being associated
with at least one of the electronic device and a user of the
electronic device.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising profiling a user of
the at least one electronic device based on the collected data.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein performing at least one data
mining operation on the electronic device comprises performing at
least one data mining operation on the electronic device at least
one of while transferring wireless power to the electronic device
and before transferring wireless power to the electronic
device.
15. The method of claim 6, further comprising establishing a
communication link between the electronic device and a remote
entity.
16. A device, comprising: means for receiving acceptance of at
least one wireless power access entity required condition; and
means for transferring wireless power to at least one electronic
device based on the acceptance of the at least one wireless power
access entity required condition.
17. The device of claim 16, further comprising means for at least
one of transmitting one or more advertisements to the at least one
electronic device, conveying the one or more transmitted
advertisements on the at least one electronic device, and
performing one of more data mining operations on the at least one
electronic device.
18. The device of claim 16, further comprising means for displaying
one or more advertisements on an associated display device prior to
or while transferring wireless power to the at least one electronic
device.
19. A method, comprising: consenting to at least one condition of a
wireless power provider; and receiving wireless power at an
electronic device.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein consenting to at least one
condition of a wireless power provider comprises consenting to at
least one of receive one or more advertisements from the wireless
power provider at the electronic device, display the one or more
advertisements on the electronic device, and enable the wireless
power provider to perform one or more data mining operations on the
electronic device.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving wireless power at an
electronic device comprises receiving wireless power at the
electronic device upon consenting to the at the least one
condition.
22. A wireless power device, comprising: at least one transmit
antenna for transferring wireless power within a near-field region;
and a display device for conveying one or more advertisements while
transferring wireless power to one or more electronic devices
positioned within the near-field region.
23. An electronic device, comprising: a wireless power receiver
configured to receive wireless power; and a processor coupled to
the wireless power receiver and configured to enable at least one
operation to be performed thereon based upon acceptance of a
wireless power access entity required condition in exchange for
receiving wireless power.
24. The electronic device of claim 23, further comprising a display
device configured to display one or more advertisements prior to or
while receiving wireless power.
25. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the electronic
device is configured to at least one of receive one or more
advertisements, convey one or more advertisements, and enable for
one or more data mining operations in exchange for receiving
wireless power.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to:
[0002] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/262,119 entitled
"WIRELESS POWER" filed on Nov. 17, 2009, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0003] 1. Field
[0004] The present invention relates generally to wireless power,
and more specifically, to methods and systems for condition-based
wireless power.
[0005] 2. Background
[0006] Typically, each device powered by a chargeable battery may
require its own charger and power source, which is usually an AC
power outlet. This becomes unwieldy when many devices need
charging.
[0007] Approaches are being developed that use over the air power
transmission between a transmitter and the device to be charged
(i.e., energy transfer that does not require a wire connection
between the charger and the device being charged). For example,
energy may be transferred by means of coupling of plane wave
radiation (also called far-field radiation) between a transmit
antenna and receive antenna on the device to be charged which
collects the radiated power and rectifies it for charging the
battery. Antennas are generally of resonant length in order to
improve the coupling efficiency. This approach suffers from the
fact that the power coupling falls off quickly with distance
between the antennas. So, typically, applying this charging
solution over reasonable distances (e.g., >1-2 m) becomes
difficult. Additionally, since the system radiates plane waves,
unintentional radiation can interfere with other systems if not
properly controlled through filtering.
[0008] Other approaches are based on inductive coupling between a
transmit antenna embedded, for example, in a "charging" mat or
surface and a receive antenna plus rectifying circuit embedded in
the host device to be charged. This approach has the disadvantage
that the spacing between transmit and receive antennas must be very
close (e.g. mms). Though this approach does have the capability to
simultaneously charge multiple devices in the same area, this area
is typically small, hence the user must locate the devices to a
specific area.
[0009] When a user charges a device at home or in a car, the user
may select the source and pay for the energy consumed. In other
environments, the availability and delivery of power to authorized
user may be more challenging, since a relationship between the
responsibility of the source and the need for charge may no longer
apply.
[0010] A need exists for enhanced systems and methods for
transferring wireless power to authorized users, as well as
preventing the transfer of power to unauthorized users.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of a wireless power
transfer system.
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a simplified schematic diagram of a wireless
power transfer system.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a loop antenna for
use in exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of a transmitter, in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a receiver, in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 shows a simplified schematic of a portion of transmit
circuitry for carrying out messaging between a transmitter and a
receiver.
[0017] FIG. 7A illustrates a block diagram of an electronic
device.
[0018] FIG. 7B is another depiction of the electronic device of
FIG. 7A.
[0019] FIG. 8 depicts a wireless system including an entity and a
plurality of electronic devices.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method, according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another method,
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating yet another method,
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating another method,
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating yet another method,
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] The detailed description set forth below in connection with
the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary
embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to
represent the only embodiments in which the present invention can
be practiced. The term "exemplary" used throughout this description
means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and
should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous
over other exemplary embodiments. The detailed description includes
specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough
understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the invention. It
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the exemplary
embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these
specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and
devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring
the novelty of the exemplary embodiments presented herein.
[0026] The words "wireless power" is used herein to mean any form
of energy associated with electric fields, magnetic fields,
electromagnetic fields, or otherwise that is transmitted between
from a transmitter to a receiver without the use of physical
electromagnetic conductors. It is noted that the present invention
may be applicable to any suitable wireless power scenarios, such as
near-field, far-field, resonant, and inductive coupling.
[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless transmission or charging
system 100, in accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the
present invention. Input power 102 is provided to a transmitter 104
for generating a radiated field 106 for providing energy transfer.
A receiver 108 couples to the radiated field 106 and generates an
output power 110 for storing or consumption by a device (not shown)
coupled to the output power 110. Both the transmitter 104 and the
receiver 108 are separated by a distance 112. In one exemplary
embodiment, transmitter 104 and receiver 108 are configured
according to a mutual resonant relationship and when the resonant
frequency of receiver 108 and the resonant frequency of transmitter
104 are very close, transmission losses between the transmitter 104
and the receiver 108 are minimal when the receiver 108 is located
in the "near-field" of the radiated field 106.
[0028] Transmitter 104 further includes a transmit antenna 114 for
providing a means for energy transmission and receiver 108 further
includes a receive antenna 118 for providing a means for energy
reception. The transmit and receive antennas are sized according to
applications and devices to be associated therewith. As stated, an
efficient energy transfer occurs by coupling a large portion of the
energy in the near-field of the transmitting antenna to a receiving
antenna rather than propagating most of the energy in an
electromagnetic wave to the far field. When in this near-field a
coupling mode may be developed between the transmit antenna 114 and
the receive antenna 118. The area around the antennas 114 and 118
where this near-field coupling may occur is referred to herein as a
coupling-mode region.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a simplified exemplary schematic diagram of a
wireless power transfer system. The transmitter 104 includes an
oscillator 122, a power amplifier 124 and a filter and matching
circuit 126. The oscillator is configured to generate a signal at a
desired frequency, which may be adjusted in response to adjustment
signal 123. The oscillator signal may be amplified by the power
amplifier 124 with an amplification amount responsive to control
signal 125. The filter and matching circuit 126 may be included to
filter out harmonics or other unwanted frequencies and match the
impedance of the transmitter 104 to the transmit antenna 114.
[0030] The receiver 108 may include a matching circuit 132 and a
rectifier and switching circuit 134 to generate a DC power output
to charge a battery 136 as shown in FIG. 2 or power a device
coupled to the receiver (not shown). The matching circuit 132 may
be included to match the impedance of the receiver 108 to the
receive antenna 118. The receiver 108 and transmitter 104 may
communicate on a separate communication channel 119 (e.g.,
Bluetooth, zigbee, cellular, etc).
[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 3, antennas used in exemplary
embodiments may be configured as a "loop" antenna 150, which may
also be referred to herein as a "magnetic" antenna. Loop antennas
may be configured to include an air core or a physical core such as
a ferrite core. Air core loop antennas may be more tolerable to
extraneous physical devices placed in the vicinity of the core.
Furthermore, an air core loop antenna allows the placement of other
components within the core area. In addition, an air core loop may
more readily enable placement of the receive antenna 118 (FIG. 2)
within a plane of the transmit antenna 114 (FIG. 2) where the
coupled-mode region of the transmit antenna 114 (FIG. 2) may be
more powerful.
[0032] As stated, efficient transfer of energy between the
transmitter 104 and receiver 108 occurs during matched or nearly
matched resonance between the transmitter 104 and the receiver 108.
However, even when resonance between the transmitter 104 and
receiver 108 are not matched, energy may be transferred at a lower
efficiency. Transfer of energy occurs by coupling energy from the
near-field of the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna
residing in the neighborhood where this near-field is established
rather than propagating the energy from the transmitting antenna
into free space.
[0033] The resonant frequency of the loop or magnetic antennas is
based on the inductance and capacitance. Inductance in a loop
antenna is generally simply the inductance created by the loop,
whereas, capacitance is generally added to the loop antenna's
inductance to create a resonant structure at a desired resonant
frequency. As a non-limiting example, capacitor 152 and capacitor
154 may be added to the antenna to create a resonant circuit that
generates resonant signal 156. Accordingly, for larger diameter
loop antennas, the size of capacitance needed to induce resonance
decreases as the diameter or inductance of the loop increases.
Furthermore, as the diameter of the loop or magnetic antenna
increases, the efficient energy transfer area of the near-field
increases. Of course, other resonant circuits are possible. As
another non-limiting example, a capacitor may be placed in parallel
between the two terminals of the loop antenna. In addition, those
of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that for transmit
antennas the resonant signal 156 may be an input to the loop
antenna 150.
[0034] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of a transmitter 200,
in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. The transmitter 200 includes transmit circuitry 202 and
a transmit antenna 204. Generally, transmit circuitry 202 provides
RF power to the transmit antenna 204 by providing an oscillating
signal resulting in generation of near-field energy about the
transmit antenna 204. By way of example, transmitter 200 may
operate at the 13.56 MHz ISM band.
[0035] Exemplary transmit circuitry 202 includes a fixed impedance
matching circuit 206 for matching the impedance of the transmit
circuitry 202 (e.g., 50 ohms) to the transmit antenna 204 and a low
pass filter (LPF) 208 configured to reduce harmonic emissions to
levels to prevent self-jamming of devices coupled to receivers 108
(FIG. 1). Other exemplary embodiments may include different filter
topologies, including but not limited to, notch filters that
attenuate specific frequencies while passing others and may include
an adaptive impedance match, that can be varied based on measurable
transmit metrics, such as output power to the antenna or DC current
draw by the power amplifier. Transmit circuitry 202 further
includes a power amplifier 210 configured to drive an RF signal as
determined by an oscillator 212. The transmit circuitry may be
comprised of discrete devices or circuits, or alternately, may be
comprised of an integrated assembly. An exemplary RF power output
from transmit antenna 204 may be on the order of 2.5 Watts.
[0036] Transmit circuitry 202 further includes a controller 214 for
enabling the oscillator 212 during transmit phases (or duty cycles)
for specific receivers, for adjusting the frequency of the
oscillator, and for adjusting the output power level for
implementing a communication protocol for interacting with
neighboring devices through their attached receivers.
[0037] The transmit circuitry 202 may further include a load
sensing circuit 216 for detecting the presence or absence of active
receivers in the vicinity of the near-field generated by transmit
antenna 204. By way of example, a load sensing circuit 216 monitors
the current flowing to the power amplifier 210, which is affected
by the presence or absence of active receivers in the vicinity of
the near-field generated by transmit antenna 204. Detection of
changes to the loading on the power amplifier 210 are monitored by
controller 214 for use in determining whether to enable the
oscillator 212 for transmitting energy to communicate with an
active receiver.
[0038] Transmit antenna 204 may be implemented as an antenna strip
with the thickness, width and metal type selected to keep resistive
losses low. In a conventional implementation, the transmit antenna
204 can generally be configured for association with a larger
structure such as a table, mat, lamp or other less portable
configuration. Accordingly, the transmit antenna 204 generally will
not need "turns" in order to be of a practical dimension. An
exemplary implementation of a transmit antenna 204 may be
"electrically small" (i.e., fraction of the wavelength) and tuned
to resonate at lower usable frequencies by using capacitors to
define the resonant frequency. In an exemplary application where
the transmit antenna 204 may be larger in diameter, or length of
side if a square loop, (e.g., 0.50 meters) relative to the receive
antenna, the transmit antenna 204 will not necessarily need a large
number of turns to obtain a reasonable capacitance.
[0039] The transmitter 200 may gather and track information about
the whereabouts and status of receiver devices that may be
associated with the transmitter 200. Thus, the transmitter
circuitry 202 may include a presence detector 280, an enclosed
detector 290, or a combination thereof, connected to the controller
214 (also referred to as a processor herein). The controller 214
may adjust an amount of power delivered by the amplifier 210 in
response to presence signals from the presence detector 280 and the
enclosed detector 290. The transmitter may receive power through a
number of power sources, such as, for example, an AC-DC converter
(not shown) to convert conventional AC power present in a building,
a DC-DC converter (not shown) to convert a conventional DC power
source to a voltage suitable for the transmitter 200, or directly
from a conventional DC power source (not shown).
[0040] As a non-limiting example, the presence detector 280 may be
a motion detector utilized to sense the initial presence of a
device to be charged that is inserted into the coverage area of the
transmitter. After detection, the transmitter may be turned on and
the RF power received by the device may be used to toggle a switch
on the Rx device in a pre-determined manner, which in turn results
in changes to the driving point impedance of the transmitter.
[0041] As another non-limiting example, the presence detector 280
may be a detector capable of detecting a human, for example, by
infrared detection, motion detection, or other suitable means. In
some exemplary embodiments, there may be regulations limiting the
amount of power that a transmit antenna may transmit at a specific
frequency. In some cases, these regulations are meant to protect
humans from electromagnetic radiation. However, there may be
environments where transmit antennas are placed in areas not
occupied by humans, or occupied infrequently by humans, such as,
for example, garages, factory floors, shops, and the like. If these
environments are free from humans, it may be permissible to
increase the power output of the transmit antennas above the normal
power restrictions regulations. In other words, the controller 214
may adjust the power output of the transmit antenna 204 to a
regulatory level or lower in response to human presence and adjust
the power output of the transmit antenna 204 to a level above the
regulatory level when a human is outside a regulatory distance from
the electromagnetic field of the transmit antenna 204.
[0042] As a non-limiting example, the enclosed detector 290 (may
also be referred to herein as an enclosed compartment detector or
an enclosed space detector) may be a device such as a sense switch
for determining when an enclosure is in a closed or open state.
When a transmitter is in an enclosure that is in an enclosed state,
a power level of the transmitter may be increased.
[0043] In exemplary embodiments, a method by which the transmitter
200 does not remain on indefinitely may be used. In this case, the
transmitter 200 may be programmed to shut off after a
user-determined amount of time. This feature prevents the
transmitter 200, notably the power amplifier 210, from running long
after the wireless devices in its perimeter are fully charged. This
event may be due to the failure of the circuit to detect the signal
sent from either the repeater or the receive coil that a device is
fully charged. To prevent the transmitter 200 from automatically
shutting down if another device is placed in its perimeter, the
transmitter 200 automatic shut off feature may be activated only
after a set period of lack of motion detected in its perimeter. The
user may be able to determine the inactivity time interval, and
change it as desired. As a non-limiting example, the time interval
may be longer than that needed to fully charge a specific type of
wireless device under the assumption of the device being initially
fully discharged.
[0044] FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a receiver 300, in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The receiver 300 includes receive circuitry 302 and a receive
antenna 304. Receiver 300 further couples to device 350 for
providing received power thereto. It should be noted that receiver
300 is illustrated as being external to device 350 but may be
integrated into device 350. Generally, energy is propagated
wirelessly to receive antenna 304 and then coupled through receive
circuitry 302 to device 350.
[0045] Receive antenna 304 is tuned to resonate at the same
frequency, or near the same frequency, as transmit antenna 204
(FIG. 4). Receive antenna 304 may be similarly dimensioned with
transmit antenna 204 or may be differently sized based upon the
dimensions of the associated device 350. By way of example, device
350 may be a portable electronic device having diametric or length
dimension smaller that the diameter of length of transmit antenna
204. In such an example, receive antenna 304 may be implemented as
a multi-turn antenna in order to reduce the capacitance value of a
tuning capacitor (not shown) and increase the receive antenna's
impedance. By way of example, receive antenna 304 may be placed
around the substantial circumference of device 350 in order to
maximize the antenna diameter and reduce the number of loop turns
(i.e., windings) of the receive antenna and the inter-winding
capacitance.
[0046] Receive circuitry 302 provides an impedance match to the
receive antenna 304. Receive circuitry 302 includes power
conversion circuitry 306 for converting a received RF energy source
into charging power for use by device 350. Power conversion
circuitry 306 includes an RF-to-DC converter 308 and may also in
include a DC-to-DC converter 310. RF-to-DC converter 308 rectifies
the RF energy signal received at receive antenna 304 into a
non-alternating power while DC-to-DC converter 310 converts the
rectified RF energy signal into an energy potential (e.g., voltage)
that is compatible with device 350. Various RF-to-DC converters are
contemplated, including partial and full rectifiers, regulators,
bridges, doublers, as well as linear and switching converters.
[0047] Receive circuitry 302 may further include switching
circuitry 312 for connecting receive antenna 304 to the power
conversion circuitry 306 or alternatively for disconnecting the
power conversion circuitry 306. Disconnecting receive antenna 304
from power conversion circuitry 306 not only suspends charging of
device 350, but also changes the "load" as "seen" by the
transmitter 200 (FIG. 2).
[0048] As disclosed above, transmitter 200 includes load sensing
circuit 216 which detects fluctuations in the bias current provided
to transmitter power amplifier 210. Accordingly, transmitter 200
has a mechanism for determining when receivers are present in the
transmitter's near-field.
[0049] When multiple receivers 300 are present in a transmitter's
near-field, it may be desirable to time-multiplex the loading and
unloading of one or more receivers to enable other receivers to
more efficiently couple to the transmitter. A receiver may also be
cloaked in order to eliminate coupling to other nearby receivers or
to reduce loading on nearby transmitters. This "unloading" of a
receiver is also known herein as a "cloaking" Furthermore, this
switching between unloading and loading controlled by receiver 300
and detected by transmitter 200 provides a communication mechanism
from receiver 300 to transmitter 200 as is explained more fully
below. Additionally, a protocol can be associated with the
switching which enables the sending of a message from receiver 300
to transmitter 200. By way of example, a switching speed may be on
the order of 100 .mu.sec.
[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, communication between the
transmitter and the receiver refers to a device sensing and
charging control mechanism, rather than conventional two-way
communication. In other words, the transmitter uses on/off keying
of the transmitted signal to adjust whether energy is available in
the near-filed. The receivers interpret these changes in energy as
a message from the transmitter. From the receiver side, the
receiver uses tuning and de-tuning of the receive antenna to adjust
how much power is being accepted from the near-field. The
transmitter can detect this difference in power used from the
near-field and interpret these changes as a message from the
receiver.
[0051] Receive circuitry 302 may further include signaling detector
and beacon circuitry 314 used to identify received energy
fluctuations, which may correspond to informational signaling from
the transmitter to the receiver. Furthermore, signaling and beacon
circuitry 314 may also be used to detect the transmission of a
reduced RF signal energy (i.e., a beacon signal) and to rectify the
reduced RF signal energy into a nominal power for awakening either
un-powered or power-depleted circuits within receive circuitry 302
in order to configure receive circuitry 302 for wireless
charging.
[0052] Receive circuitry 302 further includes processor 316 for
coordinating the processes of receiver 300 described herein
including the control of switching circuitry 312 described herein.
Cloaking of receiver 300 may also occur upon the occurrence of
other events including detection of an external wired charging
source (e.g., wall/USB power) providing charging power to device
350. Processor 316, in addition to controlling the cloaking of the
receiver, may also monitor beacon circuitry 314 to determine a
beacon state and extract messages sent from the transmitter.
Processor 316 may also adjust DC-to-DC converter 310 for improved
performance.
[0053] FIG. 6 shows a simplified schematic of a portion of transmit
circuitry for carrying out messaging between a transmitter and a
receiver. In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a
means for communication may be enabled between the transmitter and
the receiver. In FIG. 6 a power amplifier 210 drives the transmit
antenna 204 to generate the radiated field. The power amplifier is
driven by a carrier signal 220 that is oscillating at a desired
frequency for the transmit antenna 204. A transmit modulation
signal 224 is used to control the output of the power amplifier
210.
[0054] The transmit circuitry can send signals to receivers by
using an ON/OFF keying process on the power amplifier 210. In other
words, when the transmit modulation signal 224 is asserted, the
power amplifier 210 will drive the frequency of the carrier signal
220 out on the transmit antenna 204. When the transmit modulation
signal 224 is negated, the power amplifier will not drive out any
frequency on the transmit antenna 204.
[0055] The transmit circuitry of FIG. 6 also includes a load
sensing circuit 216 that supplies power to the power amplifier 210
and generates a receive signal 235 output. In the load sensing
circuit 216 a voltage drop across resistor R.sub.s develops between
the power in signal 226 and the power supply 228 to the power
amplifier 210. Any change in the power consumed by the power
amplifier 210 will cause a change in the voltage drop that will be
amplified by differential amplifier 230. When the transmit antenna
is in coupled mode with a receive antenna in a receiver (not shown
in FIG. 6) the amount of current drawn by the power amplifier 210
will change. In other words, if no coupled mode resonance exist for
the transmit antenna 204, the power required to drive the radiated
field will be a first amount. If a coupled mode resonance exists,
the amount of power consumed by the power amplifier 210 will go up
because much of the power is being coupled into the receive
antenna. Thus, the receive signal 235 can indicate the presence of
a receive antenna coupled to the transmit antenna 235 and can also
detect signals sent from the receive antenna. Additionally, a
change in receiver current draw will be observable in the
transmitter's power amplifier current draw, and this change can be
used to detect signals from the receive antennas.
[0056] As will be understood by a person having ordinary skill in
the art, a business establishment (e.g., a coffee shop) may provide
wireless power to customers who visit the establishment. More
specifically, as an example, wireless power access may be provided
by a business establishment, a service provider, a third party in
agreement with a business establishment or a service provider, or
any combination thereof. Furthermore, it is noted that a wireless
charger, in addition to being positioned within a business
establishment, may be positioned within, for example only, a
library, an educational facility, a wireless power station, or a
public transportation vehicle (e.g. a bus or a train). Accordingly,
an entity may establish a wireless power service, for example,
within a business, a public facility, or at an independent wireless
power station, similar to a legacy telephone booth or a rest stop
along a highway.
[0057] As used herein, the term "entity" may refer to any entity
involved in providing wireless power. For example, an "entity" may
include a business entity, a wireless power service provider, a
third party in agreement with a business establishment or a service
provider, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, as used herein,
the term "data mining" may refer to a variety of techniques for
performing an operation on an electronic device to capture data
pertaining to the electronic device (e.g., a location of the device
or a type of device) or a user of the electronic device (e.g., the
user's interests, behavior and preferences, the user's age, etc.).
Furthermore, as used herein, "advertisement" may refer to
information including, but not limited to, promotional information,
news-based information, account information, terms or conditions
information, any of which may include text, audio, image, video, or
any combination thereof.
[0058] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention
relate to methods of transferring wireless power to an electronic
device. More specifically, a method may include transferring
wireless power to at least one electronic device upon a user of the
at least one electronic device agreeing to at least one condition
as determined by a wireless power service provider. As an example,
a method may include transferring wireless power to at least one
electronic device and subjecting the at least one electronic device
to at least one operation. More specifically, various exemplary
embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of
transferring wireless power to at least one electronic device,
which may further receive one or more advertisements, convey one or
more advertisements, be exposed to at least one data mining
operation, or any combination thereof.
[0059] Other various exemplary embodiments of the present invention
relate to methods of receiving wireless power at an electronic
device. More specifically, a method may include receiving wireless
power to an electronic device upon a user of the electronic device
agreeing to at least one condition as determined by a wireless
power service provider. As an example, a method may include
receiving wireless power an electronic device and agree to subject
the at least one electronic device to at least one operation. More
specifically, various exemplary embodiments of the present
invention relate to methods of receiving wireless power at least
one electronic device, which may further receive one or more
advertisements, may be exposed to at least one data mining
operation, or any combination thereof.
[0060] FIG. 7A illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device
700, which may comprise any known wirelessly chargeable device. For
example only, electronic device 700 may comprise a mobile
telephone, a personal computer, a media player, a gaming device, or
any combination thereof. By way of example only, electronic device
700 may comprise a receiver (not shown in FIG. 7A; see e.g.,
receiver 300 of FIG. 5) and at least one associated receive antenna
702. Electronic device 700 may further include an energy storage
device 706, which may comprise, for example, a battery. According
to one exemplary embodiment described more fully below, electronic
device 700 may comprise, or may be operably coupled to, a location
detection component 709, such as a global positioning system (GPS).
Electronic device 700 may further include a memory 703 and one or
more processors 701 for executing various exemplary embodiments of
the present invention as described herein.
[0061] FIG. 7B is another illustration of electronic device 700. As
illustrated in FIG. 7B, electronic device 700 may include a user
interface 704 having an output device 708 and an input device 710.
As will be appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the
art, output device 708 may comprise a display device configured to
display audio, video, text, graphics, and the like.
[0062] FIG. 8 illustrates a wireless power system 750 including one
or more electronic devices 700 and an entity 752, which may
comprise, for example only, a service provider (i.e., an entity
that provides wireless power), a business establishment (e.g., a
coffee shop), or a combination thereof. Entity 752 may comprise one
or more wireless chargers 756, may be associated with one or more
wireless chargers 756, or any combination thereof. Each wireless
charger 756 may comprise a transmitter (not shown in FIG. 9; see
e.g., transmitter 200 of FIG. 4) and at least one associated
transmit antenna 754. Wireless charger 756 may be configured to
wirelessly transmit power within an associated charging region.
Furthermore, power transmitted by wireless charger 756 may be
received by one or wirelessly chargeable electronic devices, which
are positioned within a charging region of wireless charger
752.
[0063] Furthermore, according to one exemplary embodiment, wireless
charger 756 may comprise a display device 757 configured to display
audio, video, text, graphics, and the like. Accordingly, in an
exemplary embodiment wherein one or more electronic devices may be
positioned adjacent (e.g., on a charging surface) to wireless
charger 756, display device 757 may display one or more
advertisements, which may be viewed by a user prior to and/or while
the user's electronic device is receiving wireless power.
[0064] According to one exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, wireless power may be conveyed from wireless charger 756
to at least one electronic device 700. Moreover, it is noted that,
prior to enabling wireless power to be transmitted to the at least
one electronic device 700, entity 752 may require a user of the at
least one electronic device 700 to agree to at least one condition
as determined by entity 752. Stated another way, prior to enabling
wireless power to be transmitted to the at least one electronic
device 700, entity 752 may require a user of the at least one
electronic device 700 to agree to one or more operations being
performed on the at least one electronic device 700.
[0065] Furthermore, prior to, or while, transferring wireless power
to the at least one electronic device 700, entity 752 may cause one
or more operations to be performed on electronic device 700. As one
example, prior to, or while, transferring wireless power to the at
least one electronic device 700, entity 752 may transmit one or
more advertisements to the at least one electronic device. It is
noted that the one or more advertisements may be transmitted via a
channel in which wireless power is transmitted or another
communication channel. Furthermore, entity 752 may cause the one or
more advertisements, which were transmitted to electronic device
700, to be conveyed (e.g., displayed) by the electronic device 700.
It is noted that entity may also cause one or more advertisement,
which were previously stored on electronic device 700, to be
conveyed. According to one exemplary embodiment, receiving one or
more advertisements, information, or applications may be a
condition for receiving wireless power. According to another
exemplary embodiment, viewing one or more advertisements may be a
condition for receiving wireless power. Furthermore, a condition
may require that a user view an advertisement and provide
meaningful feedback indicating that the user has reviewed the
advertisement, such as responding to a question.
[0066] It is further noted that the one or more advertisements may
comprise any known and suitable format. More specifically, the one
or more advertisements may be in a form compatible with the
receiving device (e.g., electronic device 700). By way of example
only, the one or more advertisements may comprise text, audio,
video, image, or any combination thereof. Stated another way, the
one or more advertisements may comprise one or more text files, one
or more audio files, one or more video files, one or more images,
or a combination thereof. Accordingly, electronic device 700 may
convey (e.g., either audibly or visually) the one or more
advertisements via output device 708. It is noted that
advertisements may comprise interactive advertisements wherein a
user may "click on" an advertisement to access additional
information concerning the advertisement.
[0067] Moreover, it is noted that, according to one exemplary
embodiment, wireless charger 756 may convey wireless power to
electronic device 700 prior to, during, or after the one or more
advertisements have been transmitted to electronic device 700. As
one example, wireless charger 756 may convey wireless power to
electronic device 700 while the one or more advertisements are
being transmitted to electronic device 700, after the one or more
advertisements have been transmitted to the electronic device 700,
or a combination thereof. According to another exemplary
embodiment, wireless charger 756 may convey wireless power to
electronic device 700 prior to, during, or after the one or more
advertisements have been conveyed (e.g., displayed) by electronic
device 700. As one example, wireless charger 756 may convey
wireless power to electronic device 700 while the one or more
advertisements are being conveyed by electronic device 700, after
the one or more advertisements have been conveyed by the electronic
device 700, or a combination thereof.
[0068] As noted above, perceiving one or more advertisements may be
a condition for receiving wireless power. Various methods may be
used to ensure that a user perceives the one or more
advertisements. For example, a user may be required to provide
manual feedback after viewing the one or more advertisements. As
one example, a user may be required to complete a questionnaire
concerning an advertisement. State another way, a user may be
required to answer one or more ad-based questions. As another
example, a user may be required to click on picture (i.e., with a
pointer) to continue receiving wireless power. Furthermore, it is
noted that a user may be required to receive or view adds prior to
receiving wireless power or upon an event (e.g., after a specific
amount of time has lapsed or after a specific amount of wireless
power has been received). Moreover, according to one exemplary
embodiment, a user may agree to routinely accept advertisements
(e.g., on a monthly basis) in exchange for a specific amount of
wireless power, or possibly an unlimited amount of wireless
power.
[0069] As another example, prior to, or while, transferring
wireless power to the at least one electronic device 700, entity
752 may be configured to perform one or more data mining operations
on electronic device 700 to gather various forms of information. By
way of example, the gathered information may be associated with the
electronic device 700 (e.g., the type of device, the location of
the device, installed programs, etc.), the user of the device
(e.g., age, gender, user preferences, user attributes, online
history, etc.). Accordingly, as an example, entity 752 may gather
information, which may include, for example, demographics of
individuals utilizing the wireless power service. Moreover, entity
752 may utilize the gathered data to profile one or more users, as
will be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the
art.
[0070] Accordingly, as one example, whenever a device (electronic
device 700) is receiving wireless power, entity 752 may collect
information associated with the device, such as wireless power
usage habits of a user (e.g., a customer), or a user of the device.
More specifically, for example, entity 752 may collect information
about who is charging (i.e., who is the customer), where the user
is charging, when the user is charging, how much the user is
charging, or any combination thereof. It is further noted that
wireless charger 756 may convey wireless power to electronic device
700 prior to, during, or after the one or more data mining
operations have been performed on electronic device 700. As one
example, wireless charger 756 may convey wireless power to
electronic device 700 while the one or more data mining operations
are being performed, after the one or more data mining operations
are being performed, or a combination thereof.
[0071] Furthermore, as will be appreciated by a person having
ordinary skill in the art, data collected via one or more data
mining operations may be used for various purposes. According to
one exemplary embodiment, at least some of the collected data may
be utilized by entity 752 in a manner such as to improve, modify,
or regulate the entities services. For example, entity 752, which
is providing wireless power, may gather information about wireless
power demands for a specific area. Therefore, entity 752 may
provide additional or improved wireless power systems in those
areas. As another example, at least some of the collected
information may be sold to one or more other entities. As yet
another example, at least some of the collected information may be
utilized by entity 752 to send one or more advertisements to a
user, wherein the one or more advertisements may include subject
matter associated with the collected data. Additionally, a time at
which the advertisements are sent may be determined from the
collected data. For example, the one or more advertisements may
include subject matter associated with a charging behavior of the
user. As a more specific example, if entity 752 collects data about
a user who is charging a device at a Grocery Mart on Mondays and
Fridays, from 6 PM to 7 PM, entity 752 may transmit one or more
advertisements to the user on Mondays and Fridays from 4 PM to 5 PM
for various products. By way of example, the advertisements may be
in the form of standard mail, an email, or a pop-up Internet
advertisement.
[0072] According to an exemplary embodiment wherein electronic
device 700 is coupled to location detection component 709 (e.g., a
Global Positioning System "GPS"), data, relating to a location of a
device, may be collected. Therefore, entity 752 may transmit one or
more advertisements in real-time to electronic device 700 that are
associated with a business, which is located in a current area of
the user. For example, if a user is receiving wireless charging at
a service station along a highway, entity 752 may transmit one or
more advertisements to the user concerning attractions or
restaurants near the highway. In another example wherein a user is
utilizing wireless power and accessing the internet, entity 752 may
be able to collect data concerning the user's online activities. As
a result, entity 752 may send the user advertisements associated
with their online activities.
[0073] Moreover, it is also noted that a link (e.g., a
communication link) may be established between an electronic
device, such as electronic device 700, and entity 752. Therefore,
at anytime while a link exists between entity 752 and electronic
device 700, entity 752 may cause one or more operation to be
perform on electronic device 700 (e.g., one or more advertisements
may be conveyed on electronic device, one or more data mining
operations may be performed on electronic device, or any
combination thereof).
[0074] According to other exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, methods relating to verification of one or more
conditions being met will now be described. According to one
exemplary embodiment, verification may realized via a communication
channel, separate from a charging channel, between a charger and a
device to be charged. Verification may be provided once,
periodically, or at defined intervals. Moreover, verification may
be provided over the associated charging channel, whether by
time-division, a communication channel in the vicinity of the
charging channel, or by modulating the charging channel (e.g., by
means of variable loading as is customary in RFIDs).
[0075] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method 980, in
accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments. Method 980 may
include causing at least one operation to be performed on at least
one electronic device (depicted by numeral 982). Method 980 may
further include transferring wireless power to the at least one
electronic device (depicted by numeral 984).
[0076] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another method 986, in
accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments. Method 986 may
include transferring wireless power to at least one electronic
device (depicted by numeral 987). Method 986 may further include at
least one of causing at least one advertisement to be conveyed by
the at least one electronic device and acquiring information
associated with at least one electronic device (depicted by numeral
988).
[0077] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating yet another method 989,
in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments. Method 989
may include receiving acceptance of at least one wireless power
access entity required condition (depicted by numeral 996). Method
989 may further include transferring wireless power to at least one
electronic device based on the acceptance of the at least one
wireless power access entity required condition (depicted by
numeral 990).
[0078] With reference to the flowchart in FIG. 12, another method
991, in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments, is
illustrated. Method 991 may include agreeing to at least one
condition of a wireless power provider (depicted by numeral 992).
Method 991 may further include receiving wireless power at an
electronic device (depicted by numeral 993).
[0079] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating yet another method 994,
in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments. Method 994
accepting at least one condition of an entity associated with
wireless power transmission (depicted by numeral 995). The method
may further include receiving wireless power at an electronic
device upon acceptance of the at least one condition (depicted by
numeral 997).
[0080] As noted above, the exemplary embodiments described herein
may be applicable to wireless charging involving far-field
radiation, near-field radiation, induction, resonance, or any other
similar wireless power techniques.
[0081] Those of skill in the art would understand that information
and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different
technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions,
commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may
be referenced throughout the above description may be represented
by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or
particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination
thereof.
[0082] Those of skill would further appreciate that the various
illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps
described in connection with the exemplary embodiments disclosed
herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer
software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this
interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative
components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been
described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether
such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends
upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on
the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described
functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but
such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing
a departure from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the
invention.
[0083] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and
circuits described in connection with the exemplary embodiments
disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general
purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application
Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array
(FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or
transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination
thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A
general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the
alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor,
controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also
be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a
combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of
microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a
DSP core, or any other such configuration.
[0084] The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection
with the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied
directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor,
or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in
Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM),
Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable
Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk,
a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An
exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the
processor can read information from, and write information to, the
storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be
integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may
reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the
alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as
discrete components in a user terminal.
[0085] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions
described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or
any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions
may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or
code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media
includes both computer storage media and communication media
including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer
program from one place to another. A storage media may be any
available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of
example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can
comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage,
magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any
other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program
code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be
accessed by a computer. Also, any connection is properly termed a
computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is
transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a
coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber
line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and
microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair,
DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and
microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc,
as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical
disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray disc
where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs
reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above
should also be included within the scope of computer-readable
media.
[0086] The previous description of the disclosed exemplary
embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to
make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these
exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in
the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied
to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of
the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be
limited to the exemplary embodiments shown herein but is to be
accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel
features disclosed herein.
* * * * *