Systems and methods of wirelessly delivering power to a wireless-power receiver device in response to a change of orientation of the wireless-power receiver device
An example wireless-power receiver comprises one or more processors configured to perform operations, including receiving, via one or more antenna elements of an antenna array, a plurality of first electromagnetic (EM) signals. Each antenna element of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array has a respective polarization. The one or more processors are further configured to perform operations including, in response to a change in an orientation of the wireless-power receiver, changing the respective polarization to a changed polarization for the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array, and receiving, via the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array, and while the one or more antenna elements have the changed polarization, a plurality of second EM signals.
1. A wireless-power receiver, comprising:
one or more processors configured to perform operations, including:
receiving, via one or more antenna elements of an antenna array, a plurality of first electromagnetic (EM) signals, wherein
each antenna element of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array has a respective polarization;
in response to a change in an orientation of the wireless-power receiver, changing the respective polarization to a changed polarization for the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array; and
receiving, via the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array, and while the one or more antenna elements have the changed polarization, a plurality of second EM signals.
2. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second EM signals received at the wireless-power receiver are configured to be used to provide usable power to an electronic device, wherein:
a power transfer efficiency of the plurality second EM signals is configured to be greater than a power transfer efficiency of the plurality first EM signals.
3. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein the changed polarization of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array is based on the orientation of the wireless-power receiver.
4. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein the changed orientation of the wireless-power receiver is an orientation of the wireless-power receiver relative to a wireless-power transmitter.
5. The wireless-power receiver of claim 4 , wherein the wireless-power receiver further includes a communications component configured to communicate at least one of a location, an orientation, and charging information with the wireless-power transmitter.
6. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein the changed polarization of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array is configured to be determined by the one or more processors such that a power transfer efficiency of the plurality of second EM signals is maximized.
7. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to perform further operations, including:
in response to a second change in the orientation of the wireless-power receiver, changing the respective polarization to a second changed polarization for the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array; and
receiving, via the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array, and while the one or more antenna elements have the second changed polarization, a plurality of third EM signals.
8. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to perform further operations, including:
receiving, via one or more second antenna elements of a second antenna array, a plurality of fourth EM signals, wherein
each second antenna element of the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array has a respective second polarization;
in response to a change in the orientation of the wireless-power receiver, changing the respective second polarization to a second changed polarization for the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array; and
receiving, via the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array, and while the one or more second antenna elements have the second changed polarization, a plurality of fifth EM signals.
9. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein the changed polarization is at least one of a vertical pole, horizontal pole, circular polarization, left-hand polarization, right-hand polarization, and a combination of polarizations.
10. The wireless-power receiver of claim 1 , wherein the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array include at least one of an omni-directional antenna, a directional antenna, and a flat-panel antenna.
11. A system for wireless power transmission, comprising:
a wireless-power receiver configured to:
receive, via one or more antenna elements of an antenna array of the wireless-power receiver, a plurality of first electromagnetic (EM) signals, wherein
each antenna element of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array has a respective polarization; and
in response to a change in an orientation of the wireless-power receiver, change the respective polarization to a changed polarization for the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array; and
a wireless-power transmitter configured to transmit, while the one or more antenna elements have the changed polarization, a plurality of second EM signals to the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array.
12. The system for wireless power transmission of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of second EM signals received at the wireless-power receiver are configured to be used to provide usable power to an electronic device, wherein:
a power transfer efficiency of the plurality second EM signals is configured to be greater than a power transfer efficiency of the plurality first EM signals.
13. The system for wireless power transmission of claim 11 , wherein the changed polarization of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array is based on the orientation of the wireless-power receiver.
14. The system for wireless power transmission of claim 11 , wherein the changed orientation of the wireless-power receiver is an orientation of the wireless-power receiver relative to a wireless-power transmitter.
15. The system for wireless power transmission of claim 11 , wherein the wireless-power receiver is further configured to:
receiving, via one or more second antenna elements of a second antenna array, a plurality of fourth EM signals, wherein
each second antenna element of the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array has a respective second polarization;
in response to a change in the orientation of the wireless-power receiver, changing the respective second polarization to a second changed polarization for the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array; and
receiving, via the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array, and while the one or more second antenna elements have the second changed polarization, a plurality of fifth EM signals.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
receiving, via one or more antenna elements of an antenna array of a wireless-power receiver, a plurality of first electromagnetic (EM) signals, wherein
each antenna element of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array has a respective polarization;
in response to a change in an orientation of the wireless-power receiver, changing the respective polarization to a changed polarization for the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array; and
receiving, via the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array, and while the one or more antenna elements have the changed polarization, a plurality of second EM signals.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of second EM signals received at the wireless-power receiver are configured to be used to provide usable power to an electronic device, wherein:
a power transfer efficiency of the plurality second EM signals is configured to be greater than a power transfer efficiency of the plurality first EM signals.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the changed polarization of the one or more antenna elements of the antenna array is based on the orientation of the wireless-power receiver.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the changed orientation of the wireless-power receiver is an orientation of the wireless-power receiver relative to a wireless-power transmitter.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
receiving, via one or more second antenna elements of a second antenna array, a plurality of fourth EM signals, wherein
each second antenna element of the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array has a respective second polarization;
in response to a change in the orientation of the wireless-power receiver, changing the respective second polarization to a second changed polarization for the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array; and
receiving, via the one or more second antenna elements of the second antenna array, and while the one or more second antenna elements have the second changed polarization, a plurality of fifth EM signals.