Systems And Methods For Wireless Power And Communication
The present invention relates to systems and methods for a charger which interacts with devices equipped with receivers. The charger may likewise have access to a server via a network connection. The charger receives a beacon signal from the receiver, and transmits power, and a control signal, to the device. Applications enable proper communication between the charger and the receiver. The receiver interprets and effectuates the commands. The receiver also includes sensors which generate data regarding the device status and usage. This data is provided to the server, via the charger. The server maintains a database of all user data collected from the devices, as well as user configurations. The user and third parties may access this data.
1 . A wireless power delivery system comprising:
a plurality of antennas; and
control circuitry operatively coupled to the plurality antennas, the control circuitry configured to:
detect, at one or more of the plurality of antennas, a beacon transmitted by a wireless power receiver;
responsive to the beacon, direct the one or more of the plurality of antennas to transmit directed wireless power to the wireless power receiver, wherein the wireless power receiver is operable to provide the received wireless power to a device;
access a device-specific application associated with the device;
generate, using on the device-specific application, control data operable to configure or control operation of the device; and
direct at least one of the plurality of antennas to transmit the control data to the wireless power receiver.
2 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the control data, when executed by the wireless power receiver, is operable to control or control or configure the device.
3 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the control data, when executed by the wireless power receiver, is operable to configure operation of the device based on a default configuration, a prior configuration of a user account, or instructions provided by a user associated with the user account.
4 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
identify the device based on the beacon;
determine if the device-specific application is needed to communicate with or control the device; and
obtain the device-specific application when needed to communicate with or control the device.
5 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the device-specific application is pre-loaded in persistent memory associated with the charger.
6 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to obtain the device-specific application from an external source.
7 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 6 , wherein the external source comprises a server or third-party system in communication with the wireless power delivery system via a network link.
8 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive data including status information associated with the device from the wireless power receiver; and
provide status information to at least one of the server or the third-party system.
9 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
authenticate the device as being eligible for power transmission; and
responsive to authentication, add the device to a list of authenticated devices.
10 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 9 , wherein to authenticate the device, the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive one or more commands from a user associated with a user account indicating that the device is approved; and
link the device with the user account.
11 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 9 , wherein to authenticate the device, the control circuitry is further configured to:
compare a device identifier (ID) corresponding to the device to a list of approved identifiers.
12 . The wireless power delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive device status information from the wireless power receiver,
wherein the device status information indicates one or more conditions of the device, and
wherein the control data is generated, at least in part, based on the device status information.
13 . A wireless power reception apparatus comprising:
one or more antennas; and
control circuitry operatively coupled to the one or more antennas, the control circuitry configured to:
direct the one or more antennas to transmit a beacon;
receive, at the one or more antennas, directed wireless power from a wireless power delivery system responsive to the beacon;
provide the wireless power to a device;
obtain device status information from the device, wherein the device status information indicates one or more conditions of the device; and
direct at least one of the one or more antennas to transmit the device status information to the wireless power transmission system.
14 . The wireless power reception apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the device status information indicates one or more conditions of the device.
15 . The wireless power reception apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive control data from the wireless power transmission system; and
configure or control operation of the device based on the control data.
16 . The wireless power reception apparatus of claim 15 , wherein to configure or control operation of the device based on the control data, the control circuitry is configured to:
execute the control data to identify one or more configuration settings; and
configure or control operation of the device based on the configuration settings.
17 . The wireless power reception apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more configuration settings comprise a default configuration, a prior configuration of a user account, or instructions provided by a user associated with the user account.
18 . An apparatus comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media that, when executed by one or more processing systems of a wireless power delivery system, direct the wireless power delivery system to:
detect a beacon transmitted by a wireless power receiver associated with or embedded in a device;
identify the device based on the beacon;
access a device-specific application associated with the device;
generate, using on the device-specific application, control data operable to configure or control operation of the device; and
send the control data to the wireless power receiver.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the control data, when executed by the wireless power receiver, is operable to configure operation of the device based on a default configuration, a prior configuration of a user account, or instructions provided by a user associated with the user account.
20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the one or more processing systems of the wireless power delivery system, further direct the wireless power delivery system to:
determine if the device-specific application is needed to communicate with or control the device.