IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,437,735
Granted Patent B2
US 11,437,735 · App. 16/683,167 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Systems for receiving electromagnetic energy using antennas that are minimally affected by the presence of the human body

Inventors: Anna Papio-Toda (San Jose, CA); Shun Yao (San Jose, CA); Chryssoula Kyriazidou (San Jose, CA); Seiran Khaledian (Chicago, IL)
Assignee: Energous Corporation
H01Q21/205H01Q1/525H01Q21/24H01Q25/001H02J50/27H01Q7/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,437,735
App. No.
16/683,167
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An antenna for receiving wireless power from a transmitter is provided. The antenna includes multiple antenna elements, coupled to an electronic device, configured to receive radio-frequency (RF) power waves from the transmitter, each antenna element being adjacent to at least one other antenna element. Furthermore, the multiple antenna elements are arranged so that an efficiency of reception of the RF power waves by the antenna elements remains above a predetermined threshold efficiency when a human hand is in contact with the electronic device, the predetermined threshold efficiency being at least 50%. Lastly, at least one antenna element is coupled to conversion circuitry, which is configured to (i) convert energy from the received RF power waves into usable power and (ii) provide the usable power to the electronic device for powering or charging of the electronic device.

Claims (44)

1. An antenna for receiving wireless power from a wireless-power-transmitting device, the antenna comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements, coupled to an electronic device, configured to receive radio-frequency (RF) power waves from a wireless-power-transmitting device, each antenna element being adjacent to at least one other antenna element in the plurality of antenna elements,

wherein:

the plurality of antenna elements is arranged so that an efficiency of reception of the RF power waves by the plurality of antenna elements remains above a predetermined threshold efficiency when a human hand is in contact with the electronic device, the predetermined threshold efficiency being at least 50%, and

at least one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements is coupled to conversion circuitry, the conversion circuitry being configured to (i) convert energy from the received RF power waves into usable power and (ii) provide the usable power to the electronic device for powering or charging of the electronic device.

2. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements form a planar loop and are coupled to a surface of the electronic device.

3. The antenna of claim 2 , wherein the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements are arranged in the planar loop to prevent interference with functional components of the electronic device.

4. The antenna of claim 3 , wherein:

the electronic device is a computer mouse; and

the surface of the electronic device is a bottom surface of the computer mouse.

5. The antenna of claim 2 , wherein the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements that form the planar loop are configured to receive horizontally polarized RF power waves.

6. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements are (i) embedded in the electronic device and (ii) form a pyramidal frustum.

7. The antenna of claim 6 , wherein the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements that form the pyramidal frustum are configured to receive vertically polarized RF power waves.

8. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements are configured to receive RF power waves transmitted at a frequency of approximately 5.8 GHz, 2.4 GHz, or 900 MHz.

9. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein at least one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements comprises one or more tuning elements that are configured to adjust an operating frequency of the antenna by adjusting a length of the at least one antenna element.

10. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein:

the at least one antenna element comprises a male component and a female component, and

the one or more tuning elements are switchably coupled to each other and the male component of the at least one antenna element via diodes.

11. The antenna of claim 10 , wherein the one or more tuning elements are configured to:

adjust the operating frequency of the antenna to a first operating frequency when no human hand is in contact with the electronic device, and

adjust the operating frequency of the antenna to a second operating frequency when a human hand is in contact with the electronic device.

12. A system for receiving wireless power from a wireless-power-transmitting device, the system comprising:

an electronic device; and

an antenna integrated with the electronic device, the antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements configured to receive radio-frequency (RF) power waves from a wireless-power-transmitting device,

wherein:

the plurality of antenna elements is arranged so that an efficiency of reception of the RF power waves by the plurality of antenna elements remains above a predetermined threshold efficiency when a human hand is in contact with the electronic device, the predetermined threshold efficiency being at least 50%, and

at least one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements is coupled to conversion circuitry, the conversion circuitry being configured to (i) convert energy from the received RF power waves into usable power and (ii) provide the usable power to the electronic device for powering or charging of the electronic device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements form a planar loop and are coupled to a surface of the electronic device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements are arranged in the planar loop to prevent interference with functional components of the electronic device.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the electronic device is a computer mouse; and

the surface of the electronic device is a bottom surface of the computer mouse.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements that form the planar loop are configured to receive horizontally polarized RF power waves.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements are (i) embedded in the electronic device and (ii) form a pyramidal frustum.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the antenna elements in the plurality of antenna elements that form the pyramidal frustum are configured to receive vertically polarized RF power waves.

19. An electronic device comprising:

electronics to track movement of the electronic device;

a housing having a first surface shaped for a palmar surface of a user's hand and a second surface, opposite the first surface, to translate on a working surface;

an antenna, coupled to the housing, comprising a plurality of antenna elements configured to receive electromagnetic (EM) power waves transmitted by a wireless-power-transmitting device; and

conversion circuitry, coupled to the antenna and the electronics, configured to: (i) convert energy from the received EM power waves into usable power and (ii) provide the usable power to the electronics,

wherein the antenna is arranged so that an efficiency of reception of the EM power waves by the antenna remains above a predetermined threshold efficiency when a human hand is in contact with the electronic device, the predetermined threshold efficiency being at least 50%.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein:

the antenna comprises a plurality of antenna elements, coupled to the second surface of the housing, that form a planar loop; and

the plurality of antenna elements is configured to receive horizontally-polarized EM power waves transmitted by the wireless-power-transmitting device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2022
From: PAPIO-TODA, ANNA; YAO, SHUN; KYRIAZIDOU, CHRYSSOULA; KHALEDIAN, SEIRAN
To: ENERGOUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060504/0295 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62767365 · Nov 14, 2018
Related Publication 20200153117A1 · May 14, 2020
Cited By (3)
US 12,218,519 US 12,224,599 US 12,413,097