Electronic device with antenna elements that follow meandering patterns for receiving wireless power from a near-field antenna
Systems and methods for receiving near-field wireless power at an electronic device. An electronic device includes a receiver with one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern. Each receiving antenna element is configured to receive near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter. The receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern. The transmitting antenna element is selectively activated from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter. A power-harvesting circuit of the receiver is configured to convert the near-field radio-frequency signals into usable power for the electronic device.
1. An electronic device for receiving near-field wireless power, comprising:
a receiver including one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern, each receiving antenna element configured to receive one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter, wherein:
the one or more receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern;
the transmitting antenna element is selectively activated from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter based on a determination that an amount of energy transferred to the receiver via the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals is above a predetermined energy-transfer threshold; and
a power-harvesting circuit of the receiver, the power harvesting circuit configured to convert the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals received from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter into usable power for the electronic device.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 75%.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 98%.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the usable power is provided to an energy storage device of the electronic device.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having the same meandering pattern.
6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having distinct meandering patterns.
7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have the same meandering pattern.
8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have distinct meandering patterns.
9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements are positioned at different locations of the power transmitter.
10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the near-field power transmitter is configured to selectively activates the transmitting antenna element via one or more switches, the one or more switches coupled between the transmitting antenna element and a power amplifier of the near-field power transmitter, and the one or more switches are configured to provide power from the power amplifier to the transmitting antenna element.
11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more switches are coupled to a controller of the near-field power transmitter, and the controller is configured to control operation of the one or more switches and the power amplifier.
12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements are configured to be selectively activated based on the position of the receiver in relation to near-field the power transmitter.
13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is externally coupled to the electronic device.
14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is internally coupled to the electronic device.
15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of: smartphones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, and connected devices.
16. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements are monopole antennas.
17. A method of providing wireless power to an electronic device, comprising:
receiving, at a receiver of the electronic device, one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter, wherein:
the receiver includes one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern, each receiving antenna element configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter,
the one or more receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern; and
the transmitting antenna element is selectively activated from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter based on a determination that an amount of energy transferred to the receiver via the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals is above a predetermined energy-transfer threshold;
converting, via a power-harvesting circuit of the receiver, the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals received from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter into usable power for the electronic device; and
providing the usable power to the electronic device.
18. A system for charging an electronic device using wirelessly delivered power, the system comprising:
the electronic device including a receiver with one or more receiving antenna elements formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern, each receiving antenna element configured to receive one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from a transmitting antenna element of a near-field power transmitter, wherein:
the one or more receiving antenna elements are configured to receive the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals radiated from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter when the electronic device is on a surface of the near-field power transmitter, and the transmitting antenna element is formed by respective conductive lines in a meandering pattern; and
a power-harvesting circuit of the receiver converts the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals received from the transmitting antenna element of the near-field power transmitter into usable power for the electronic device; and
the near-field transmitter, wherein the near-field transmitter is configured to selectively activate the transmitting antenna element from among a plurality of available transmitting antenna elements of the near-field transmitter based on a determination that an amount of energy transferred to the receiver via the one or more near-field radio-frequency signals is above a predetermined energy-transfer threshold.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 75%.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 98%.
21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the usable power is provided to an energy storage device of the electronic device.
22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having the same meandering pattern.
23. The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having distinct meandering patterns.
24. The system of claim 18 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have the same meandering pattern.
25. The system of claim 18 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have distinct meandering patterns.
26. The system of claim 18 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements are positioned at different locations of the power transmitter.
27. The system of claim 18 , wherein the near-field power transmitter is configured to selectively activate the transmitting antenna element via one or more switches, the one or more switches coupled between the transmitting antenna element and a power amplifier of the near- field power transmitter, and the one or more switches are configured to provide power from the power amplifier to the transmitting antenna element.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the one or more switches are coupled to a controller of the near-field power transmitter, and the controller is configured to control operation of the one or more switches and the power amplifier.
29. The system of claim 27 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements are configured to be selectively activated based on the position of the receiver in relation to the near- field power transmitter.
30. The system of claim 18 , wherein the receiver is externally coupled to the electronic device.
31. The system of claim 18 , wherein the receiver is internally coupled to the electronic device.
32. The system of claim 18 , wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of: smartphones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, and connected devices.
33. The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements are monopole antennas.
34. The method of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 75%.
35. The method of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined energy-transfer threshold is a percentage of energy transfer from the power transmitter to the receiver of at least 98%.
36. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the usable power to the electronic device includes providing the usable power to an energy storage device of the electronic device.
37. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having the same meandering pattern.
38. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements include a first receiving antenna element and a second antenna element, the first and second receiving antenna elements having distinct meandering patterns.
39. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have the same meandering pattern.
40. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements have distinct meandering patterns.
41. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements of the plurality of available transmitting antenna elements are positioned at different locations of the near-field power transmitter.
42. The method of claim 17 , wherein the near-field power transmitter selectively activates the transmitting antenna element via one or more switches, the one or more switches coupled between the transmitting antenna element and a power amplifier of the near-field power transmitter, and the one or more switches are configured to provide power from the power amplifier to the transmitting antenna element.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the one or more switches are coupled to a controller of the near-field power transmitter configured, and the controller is configured to control operation of the one or more switches and the power amplifier.
44. The method of claim 42 , wherein at least two transmitting antenna elements are selectively activated based on the position of the receiver in relation to the power transmitter.
45. The method of claim 17 , wherein the receiver is externally coupled to the electronic device.
46. The method of claim 17 , wherein the receiver is internally coupled to the electronic device.
47. The method of claim 17 , wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of: smartphones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, and connected devices.
48. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more receiving antenna elements are monopole antennas.