Proximity transmitters for wireless power charging systems
Disclosed herein are systems and methods addressing the shortcomings in the art, and may also provide additional or alternative advantages as well. The embodiments described herein provide a wireless charging proximity transmitter configured to intelligently generate waveforms of various types, such as radio-frequency waves and ultrasound waves, among others. The wireless charging transmitter may be used for providing energy to a receiver that is proximately located to the transmitter. The receiver may be coupled to, or may be a component of, an electrical device that is intended to receive the power from the wave-based energy produced by the wireless proximity transmitter.
1. A transmitter for wireless power charging, the transmitter comprising:
a plurality of antennas configured to transmit one or more wireless power transmission waves to a receiver that uses the one or more wireless power transmission waves for charging or powering of a device associated with the receiver;
an interface configured to couple to a computing device at a corresponding interface of the computing device, and to receive electrical current from the computing device via the corresponding interface of the computing device;
a communications component configured to receive one or more communications signals from the device associated with the receiver, wherein the one or more communications signals are distinct from the one or more wireless power transmission waves; and
a controller configured to:
determine a signal strength of the one or more communications signals;
determine whether the device associated with the receiver is within a proximity threshold from the transmitter based at least in part on the signal strength of the one or more communications signals;
determine at least one waveform characteristic for wireless power transmission waves based at least in part on the signal strength of the one or more communications signals; and
activate a first subset of antennas of the plurality of antennas to transmit the wireless power transmission waves to the receiver upon determining that the device associated with the receiver is within the proximity threshold from the transmitter, wherein:
the plurality of antennas includes a first number of antennas, the first subset of antennas includes a second number of antennas, the second number of antennas is at least two, and the second number of antennas is less than the first number of antennas; and
the first subset of antennas transmits the wireless power transmission waves with the at least one waveform characteristic to cause each of the wireless power transmission waves to constructively interfere with another wireless power transmission wave at the receiver.
2. The transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more communications signals are transmitted using a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, ZigBee, RFID, and NFC.
3. The transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the proximity threshold is a distance from the transmitter, and is selected from a range of 1/16 inch to twelve inches.
4. The transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the first subset of antennas is:
situated at a first portion of the transmitter facing a first direction, and
configured to transmit the wireless power transmission waves towards the first direction.
5. The transmitter according to claim 4 , further comprising a second subset of antennas of the plurality of antennas that is:
situated at a second portion of the transmitter facing a second direction, distinct from the first direction, and
configured to transmit wireless power transmission waves towards the second direction, wherein:
the second subset of antennas includes a third number of antennas,
the third number of antennas is less than the first number of antennas, and
the second subset of antennas includes at least two antennas.
6. The transmitter according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a location of the device associated with the receiver with respect to the transmitter based at least in part on the signal strength of the one or more communications signals,
wherein activating the first subset of antennas comprises activating the first subset of antennas or the second subset of antennas based upon the location of the device associated with the receiver with respect to the transmitter.
7. The transmitter according to claim 6 , wherein:
activating the first subset of antennas includes activating the first subset of antennas upon further determining that the location of the device associated with the receiver is within the first direction, and
the controller is further configured to activate the second subset of antennas upon determining that: (i) the device associated with the receiver is within the proximity threshold from the transmitter, and (ii) the location of the device associated with the receiver is within the second direction.
8. The transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein a connection of the interface and the corresponding interface of the computing device is a type of connection selected from the group consisting of:
universal service bus (USB), peripheral component interconnect (PCI), Firewire, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet.
9. The transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein:
the communications component is further configured to receive one or more additional communications signals from the device associated with the receiver;
the controller is further configured to:
determine a signal strength of the one or more additional communications signals; and
halt transmission of the wireless power transmission waves upon determining that the signal strength of the one or more additional communications signals indicates that the device associated with the receiver is not within the proximity threshold.
10. The transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein:
the communications component is also configured to, before receiving the one or more communications signals, receive a wake-up command from the receiver; and
the controller is further configured to, in response to receiving the wake-up command from the receiver, trigger operation of the transmitter.
11. A method of wireless charging, the method comprising:
receiving, by a proximity transmitter comprising an interface configured to couple the proximity transmitter at a corresponding interface of a computing device, electric current from the computing device via the corresponding interface of the computing device and the interface of the proximity transmitter;
receiving, by a communications component of the proximity transmitter, one or more communications signals from a device associated with a receiver;
determining, by a controller of the proximity transmitter:
a signal strength of the one or more communications signals;
whether the device associated with the receiver is within a proximity threshold from the proximity transmitter based at least in part on the signal strength of the one or more communications signals; and
at least one waveform characteristic for wireless power waves based at least in part on the signal strength of the one or more communications signals; and
activating, by the controller of the proximity transmitter, a first subset of antennas of a plurality of antennas of the proximity transmitter that transmit wireless power waves to the receiver upon determining that the device associated with the receiver is within the proximity threshold from the proximity transmitter, wherein:
the wireless power waves are distinct from the one or more communications signals;
the receiver uses the wireless power waves to charge or power the device associated with the receiver;
the plurality of antennas includes a first number of antennas,
the first subset of antennas includes a second number of antennas;
the second number of antennas is at least two and less than the first number of antennas; and
the first subset of antennas transmits the wireless power waves with the at least one waveform characteristic to cause each of the wireless power waves to constructively interfere with another power wave at the receiver.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein a connection of the proximity transmitter and the corresponding interface of the computing device is a type of connection selected from the group consisting of:
universal service bus (USB), peripheral component interconnect (PCI), Firewire, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet.
13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising uploading, by the proximity transmitter, to the computing device via the interface of the proximity transmitter, one or more software modules configuring the computing device to generate operational data or instructions associated with the proximity transmitter.
14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein activating the first subset of antennas that transmit the power waves to the receiver further comprises:
receiving, by the proximity transmitter, from the computing device operational instructions instructing the proximity transmitter to transmit the power waves to the receiver using transmission characteristics that are based on the operational instructions.
15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of antennas of the proximity transmitter is configured to transmit power waves through an external surface of the proximity transmitter.
16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein:
receiving the one or more communications signals further comprises receiving operational data in the one or more communications signals indicating a location of the device associated with the receiver with respect to the proximity transmitter, and
the method further comprises selecting, based on the location of the device associated with the receiver, the first subset of antennas to transmit the power waves in a direction of the receiver.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the one or more communications signals are transmitted using a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, ZigBee, RFID, and NFC.
18. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving, by the communications component, one or more additional communications signals from the device associated with the receiver;
determining, by the controller, a signal strength of the one or more additional communications signals; and
halting, by the proximity transmitter, transmission of the power waves upon determining that the signal strength of the one or more additional communications signals indicates that the device associated with the receiver is not within the proximity threshold.
19. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
before receiving the one or more communications signals, receiving a wake-up command from the receiver; and
in response to receiving the wake-up command, triggering operation of the proximity transmitter.
20. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first subset of antennas is:
situated at a first portion of the proximity transmitter facing a first direction, and
configured to transmit the plurality of power waves towards the first direction.
21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein:
the plurality of antennas includes a second subset of antennas situated at a second portion of the proximity transmitter facing a second direction, distinct from the first direction;
the second subset of antennas is configured to transmit power waves towards the second direction;
the second subset of antennas includes a third number of antennas;
the third number of antennas is less than the first number of antennas; and
the second subset of antennas includes at least two antennas.
22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein:
the method further comprises determining, by the controller, a location of the device associated with the receiver with respect to the proximity transmitter based at least in part on the signal strength of the one or more communications signals; and
activating the first subset of antennas comprises activating the first subset of antennas or the second subset of antennas based upon the location of the device associated with the receiver with respect to the transmitter.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein:
activating the first subset of antennas comprises activating the first subset of antennas upon further determining that the location of the device associated with the receiver is within the first direction, and
the method further comprises activating, by the controller, the second subset of antennas upon determining that: (i) the device associated with the receiver is within the proximity threshold from the transmitter, and (ii) the location of the device associated with the receiver is within the second direction.