WO2017137838A1 - Meilleur transfert d'énergie sans fil à l'aide d'un alignement d'ondes électromagnétiques - Google Patents

Meilleur transfert d'énergie sans fil à l'aide d'un alignement d'ondes électromagnétiques Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017137838A1
WO2017137838A1 PCT/IB2017/000162 IB2017000162W WO2017137838A1 WO 2017137838 A1 WO2017137838 A1 WO 2017137838A1 IB 2017000162 W IB2017000162 W IB 2017000162W WO 2017137838 A1 WO2017137838 A1 WO 2017137838A1
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Prior art keywords
pap
energy
signal
energizable
phase
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PCT/IB2017/000162
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English (en)
Inventor
James Stuart Wight
Rony Everildo AMAYA
Cezary Paul SLABY
Boris Spokoinyi
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Teslonix Inc.
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Application filed by Teslonix Inc. filed Critical Teslonix Inc.
Priority to JP2018541603A priority Critical patent/JP2019506833A/ja
Priority to KR1020187026090A priority patent/KR20180113563A/ko
Priority to CN201780010460.4A priority patent/CN108702030A/zh
Priority to EP17749930.8A priority patent/EP3414817A4/fr
Publication of WO2017137838A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017137838A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/40—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using two or more transmitting or receiving devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q3/00—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
    • H01Q3/26—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
    • H01Q3/30—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array
    • H01Q3/34—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array by electrical means
    • H01Q3/36—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array by electrical means with variable phase-shifters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
    • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
    • H01Q9/0407—Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/20—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using microwaves or radio frequency waves
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/90—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
    • H04B5/79—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/80—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates generally to wireless energy transfer, and more specifically to efficient systems and methods for the wireless transfer of energy using alignment of electromagnetic waves.
  • Wireless charging of portable devices has previously been limited to short distances (e.g. on the order of centimeters) by near-field techniques such as inductive or capacitive coupling.
  • Far-field techniques that use lasers or microwave beams involve dangerously high power levels, particularly in an environment including humans. Lasers and microwave beams are also typically limited to line-of-sight applications.
  • Improvements in the capabilities of portable devices have also helped enable an environment of an Internet of Things (IoT) wherein large and dense deployments of devices could collectively share information.
  • IoT Internet of Things
  • previous solutions have been limited in their ability to efficiently power devices in an IoT environment, where the devices require mobility, and have significantly different power consumption requirements.
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • an improved system for wireless energy transfer comprises a first power access point (PAP) configured to direct a first energy beam to an energizable device.
  • the first energy beam has a fundamental frequency and a first polarity.
  • a second PAP is physically separate from the first PAP, and has a wireless connection to, and is configured to direct a second energy beam to the energizable device.
  • the second energy beam has the fundamental frequency and a second polarity.
  • a plurality of polarizers of the first PAP is configured to form the first energy beam directed to the energizable device, and to align the first polarity with the second polarity at the energizable device, and wherein the second PAP is enabled to receive a PAP signal via the wireless connection and is further enabled to locally generate the fundamental frequency from the PAP signal.
  • Each of the polarizers include a patch antenna including a dielectric substrate interposed between a resonant plate and a ground plate, the patch antenna including a first feed-point and a second feed-point, a first variable gain amplifier (VGA) connected to the first feed-point and configured to adjust a first amplitude of a signal, a first phase shifter between the signal and the first VGA and configured to adjust a phase of the signal, and a second VGA connected to the second feed- point and configured to adjust a second amplitude of the signal, the patch antenna controlling a polarization of the signal.
  • VGA variable gain amplifier
  • the first phase shifter is configured to shift the phase of the signal over a range from minus 90 degrees to plus 90 degrees.
  • a second phase shifter is between the signal and the second VGA, wherein the first phase shifter and the second phase shifter both produce a combined shift of the phase of the signal over a range from minus 90 degrees to plus 90 degrees.
  • a number of the plurality of polarizers is divisible by two, and each polarizer is connected to an antenna signal with a Wight Crossover structure.
  • the number of polarizers is four and includes a first cross-over device coupled to a first pair of polarizers, a first pair of hybrid couplers coupled to the first cross-over device and a second pair of polarizers, a second cross-over device coupled to the first pair of hybrid couplers, a second pair of hybrid couplers coupled to the second cross-over device and the first pair of hybrid couplers, a switch coupled to the second pair of hybrid couplers, and a master phase shifter coupled between the antenna signal and the switch.
  • the first polarity is one of vertical, slant, horizontal, circular, elliptical and slant elliptical.
  • a received signal strength indicator is received from the energizable device by the first PAP is used to optimize the alignment of the first polarity with the second polarity.
  • Optimizing the alignment uses a phasor decomposition method.
  • a method for improved wireless energy transfer comprises steering a first energy beam, having a fundamental frequency, towards an energizable device, the first energy beam formed by a plurality of polarizers of a first power access point (PAP).
  • a first polarity of the first energy beam is aligned at the energizable device to a second polarity of a second energy beam formed by a second PAP, physically separate from, and having a wireless connection to, the first PAP, by combining at each of the polarizers of the first PAP a respective first polarized signal with a respective second polarized signal.
  • the respective second polarized signal is formed by rotating the respective first polarized signal.
  • the second PAP receives a PAP signal via the wireless connection and locally generates the fundamental frequency from the PAP signal.
  • Each of the polarizers of the first PAP combines a rotated first polarized signal with the respective second polarized signal, the second polarized signal having a different rotation than the rotated first polarized signal.
  • Aligning the first polarity to the second polarity is optimized based on a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) received by the energizable device. Aligning uses a phasor decomposition method.
  • the first energy beam and the second energy beam are both sequentially moved from the energizable device to another energizable device, and the alignment is optimized by another RSSI received by the another energizable device.
  • the alignment is optimized concurrently for the energizable device and another energizable device by maximizing the minimum RSSI from each of the energizable device and the another energizable device.
  • an improved method for wireless energy transfer comprises steering a plurality of energy beams to an energizable device.
  • Each energy beam has a fundamental frequency.
  • Each energy beam is formed by a respective power access point (PAP) having a plurality of polarizers.
  • PAP power access point
  • Each PAP is physically separate from, and has a wireless connection to, another PAP.
  • One of the PAPs receives a PAP signal via the wireless connection and locally generates the fundamental frequency from the PAP signal.
  • a polarity of each of the energy beams is aligned at the energizable device by combining at each of the polarizers of each respective PAP, a respective first polarized signal with a respective second polarized signal.
  • the respective second polarized signal is formed by rotating the respective first polarized signal.
  • a planar region including a plurality of energizable devices is divided into a plurality of subspaces. Each subspace is defined by an energy beam position from a respective one of the plurality of energy beams. The respective one of the energy beams is scanned along a scan path within the subspace to detect a presence of at least some of the plurality of energizable devices by detecting a change in a received energy at each of the at least some of the plurality of energizable devices.
  • the at least some of the plurality of devices includes a receiving device, and one or more of a neighbor device and a reference device. The reference device has a predetermined location within the planar region.
  • a connectivity map is determined by finding a respective position for each neighbor device relative to a position of the receiving device. A physical location of the receiving device and the neighbor device relative to the reference device is interpolated.
  • the location of the receiving device is determined within one wavelength of the respective one of the energy beams.
  • Each subspace is dividing into smaller spaces by sequentially deactivating one energy beam and detecting the presence of a receiving device by a reduction in the received energy at the receiving device.
  • Each subspace is divided into smaller spaces by sequentially deactivating two physically adjacent energy beams and detecting the presence of a receiving device between the two physically adjacent energy beams by a reduction in the received energy at the receiving device.
  • Each subspace is divided into smaller spaces by rotating a polarity of all of the energy beams and detecting the presence of a receiving device by a reduction in the received energy at the receiving device.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an improved system for wireless energy transfer in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a Control Module.
  • FIG. 3 is a graphical view of a sequence for adjusting phases of a Power Access Point.
  • FIG. 4 is a flowchart representation of pseudo-code for phasor decomposition.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a controllable slant linear polarizer.
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an embodiment for beam-steering using switched beams.
  • FIG. 7 is a flowchart representation of a method for generating a connectivity map.
  • FIG. 8 is a flowchart representation of a method for improved wireless energy transfer in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 9 is a flowchart representation of a method for improved wireless energy transfer in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • Embodiments of systems and methods described herein provide for improvements to long-range wireless energy transfer from a plurality of Power Access Points (PAPs), (also referred to as transmitters), to at least one energizable device, (also referred to a Receiver of Applied Power, or RAP).
  • PAPs Power Access Points
  • energizable device is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • wireless energy transfer is realized over a long-range, with low transmitted power, or both, by cohering the frequency of multiple energy beams at a point on the energizable device where energy is received (e.g., an antenna).
  • the wireless energy transfer further includes at least one of cohering a phase and cohering a polarity of the energy beams.
  • Various improvements to wireless energy transfer result from the teachings described herein, including one of the following improvements, or any combination thereof.
  • the wireless energy transfer is improved by performing phasor decomposition to rapidly determine the contributing amplitude, phase, and polarity from each PAP at each energizable device.
  • the time required to cohere (e.g., align) the frequency and at least one of the phase and the polarity of the energy beams to each other can be reduced by an order of 10,000 resulting in real time energy beam alignment without requiring iteration.
  • Real time energy beam alignment enables RFID tags to have "instant-on" performance and to remain powered at an optimal level as the tags are moved.
  • the location of each tag is tracked in real time as the tags are moved.
  • the polarization alignment is performed with a switched-beam selection rather than beam steering.
  • Phased array approaches perform faster beam steering, in excess of what is required for power transfer applications, at the expense of increased cost and complexity.
  • switched-beam selection for power transfer, the power delivered by the PAPs is increased, and multipath issues are reduced.
  • the wireless energy transfer is improved by determining the locations of multiple sensor tags, regardless of whether multi-path distortions are present.
  • a connectivity map is created including the locations of RFID tags relative to RFID reference devices with predetermined locations. The connectivity map is determined by detecting a change in a received signal level at a respective RFID tag illuminated by a scanned energy beam. Other methods are employed to improve the resolution of the connectivity map, including selective deactivation of energy beams and rotating the polarity of the energy beams.
  • an embodiment 10 of a system for wireless energy transfer provides energy (e.g. "powers") an "Internet of Things" (IoT) 12, including for example a cell phone 14a, a tablet 14b, a smart watch 14c, a stereo 14d and a computer 14e.
  • the energizable devices 14a through 14e are merely illustrative and should not be considered to constrain the potential devices that would comprise the IoT 12.
  • all of the devices 14 are of the same type.
  • the devices 14 are low power devices such as RFID tags.
  • the devices 14 are high power devices, such as motorized wheelchairs.
  • Various embodiments replace the IoT 12 with one or more devices 14 that need not be associated with, nor communicate, with one another.
  • the devices 14 of the IoT 12 receive energy from a plurality of PAPs 16a, 16b and 16c (generally 16). Each PAP 16a, 16b and 16c emits a respective energy beam 18a, 18b and 18c (generally 18), wherein each of the energy beams has at least one EM wave. Each of the EM waves of at least two energy beams is directed (e.g. focused) at a receiving location of one of the devices 14 to optimize the energy received by the one device. By further aligning both the frequency and at least one of the phase and the polarity of each EM wave of each energy beam focused at the receiving location, a coherent energy bubble 20a is formed.
  • references to aligning the frequency, phase or polarity of energy beams should be understood to mean aligning (or cohering) the EM waves within each energy beam and between energy beams.
  • each coherent energy bubble 20a in FIG. 1 is shown adjacent to the IoT 12 environment, and formed by three energy beams 18.
  • each coherent energy bubble is formed by at least two energy beams and is focused at a point (e.g., a receiving antenna) on one of the devices 14 to maximize the received power by the one device.
  • more than one coherent energy bubble is formed, with each coherent energy bubble focused on a different device.
  • at least one coherent energy bubble is timed-shared between several devices.
  • the range 22 of the PAPs 16 to transmit a sufficient energy level to an energizable device 14 depends in part on the required power that the device 14 needs to receive, the number of energy beams 18 used to form the coherent energy bubble, limitations on the power of each of the energy beams 18 (e.g. due to FCC limitations based on safe operating levels for living organisms), and the absorption characteristics of the transmission medium through which the energy is transmitted. [0031] In one embodiment, the energy delivered by each of the energy beams 18 is adjusted by communication through a communication medium 24.
  • the communication medium 24 connects one or more devices 14 in the IoT 12 over a path 28, to one or more of the PAPs 16a, 16b and 16c and to a control module 30, over respective paths 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d (generally 26).
  • the communication medium 24 is a physical structure such as a back plane.
  • the communication medium is the same medium that is used by the energy beams 18.
  • the communication medium is air (e.g. a terrestrial environment).
  • the communication medium is at least a partial vacuum as found in orbital altitudes or outer space.
  • the communication medium is either fresh or salt water.
  • each of the beams 18 are directed (e.g. steered) towards one or more devices to maximize a received energy level at the respective device as communicated from the respective device to at least one of the PAPs 16.
  • the phase for each of the energy beams 18 is adjusted by the PAPs 16 to maximize the received energy level at the respective device.
  • the polarity of each of the energy beams 18 is also aligned to maximize the received energy at the respective device.
  • Communication over the paths 26 and 28 and through the medium 24 includes for example, the use of one or more of the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards, one or more the IEEE 802.11 WiFi® standards, one or more of the Bluetooth® standards, one or more of the IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee® standards, a proprietary communication protocol, any wired or wireless communication protocol or any combination of the foregoing.
  • FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of the control module 30 of FIG. 1.
  • the Control Module 30 includes a Phasor Decomposition Module 32, a Switched Beam
  • each module of the Control Module 30 is implemented with circuitry.
  • Various embodiments of the Control Module 30 include one or more of the Phasor
  • PDM Phasor Decomposition Method
  • a Phasor Decomposition Method (PDM) described herein reduces the number of phase adjustments typified by iterative methods (e.g., Gradient Ascent). Improvements in the time required to achieve optimum power delivered to an energizable device (e.g., sensor, tag or battery) is on the order of 1,000 to 10,000 times for 10 to 100 sensor tags per PAP
  • Very fast transmission (e.g., less than lOOus) of information containing Phasor contributions from each PAP received at each energizable device location is sent from the energizable device to either one or more PAPs, or other devices that control the PAPs.
  • the speed of the transmission is limited by the communication bandwidth between PAPs and the energizable devices and the number of available communication channels (e.g., in the time, frequency, or spatial domains).
  • This Phasor information can also be used for dynamic localization of sensor tags or to detect motion of people in the way of the communication path between a PAP and an energizable device. Dynamic localization is particularly beneficial in changing environments (e.g. people walking or sensors moving), a busy warehouse, industrial settings (e.g. with conveyor belts), coffee shops, stores, houses or an office and can be used to help compliance with emission standards.
  • Topt 4*N*Ts+Tcomm, where N is the number of PAPs, Ts is the
  • phase/polarization update rate e.g., 2us to 50us
  • Tcomm is a communication channel update rate (e.g., 1ms - 100ms).
  • iterative methods such as Gradient Ascent (e.g., Hill Climbing) require multiple iterations to find the maxima leading to Topt on the order of 20*H*(N+l)*(Ts+Tcomm) to 100*H*(N+l)-(Ts+Tcomm), where H is a number of sensors per TX and the factors of 20 and 100 are the number of iterations required in order to reach optimum. Additionally there is no guarantee that an optimal power derived by a Gradient Ascent method will not be a local optimum.
  • PDM is a method for obtaining the amplitudes, phases and polarization vector phases of a phasor of an EM wave transmitted from each contributing PAP for each energizable device without delays due to iteration, (limited by the number of simultaneous
  • the radio frequency (RF) power signal at each sensor tag location is a combination of line-of-sight, reflections, and diffraction of multiple waves from multiple PAP sources in addition to noise.
  • PAP Power Access Point
  • RAP Receiver of Applied Power
  • phase accuracy e.g., due to drift
  • phase adjustment period which, in practice, is in the range of 1ms to 100ms, but could be as small as a few micro-seconds and as large as many seconds, depending on the type of synchronization used and the resultant phase accuracy.
  • phase refers to the phase of a 2D Phasor, or "Phasor”.
  • Phasor refers to a two dimensional (2D) Phasor represented by either a complex number or a pair of vector coordinates in polar coordinate system, as used throughout this disclosure. Generally, the Phasor can be represented in any other coordinate system.
  • 3D Phasor refers to a three dimensional (3D) vector formed by summing two 2D Phasors at each orthogonal EM wave polarizations. Since EM polarization is generally a "polarization vector", an EM wave can be decomposed into two constituent orthogonal polarizations (e.g.,
  • each one having an independent 2D Phasor (e.g., amplitude and phase).
  • the amplitudes in this case would be the amplitudes of the polarization vector, (e.g., same amplitudes as of the constituent 2D Phasors), while the phase of the polarization-vector is the (extra) 3rd dimension of the 3D Phasor "polarization angle" (e.g., a 90 degree polarization angle corresponds to Circular Polarization).
  • An RSSI reading is a reading of an average power, averaged for at least few cycles of the fundamental (center, or carrier) frequency, such as 915MHz. Due to the narrow bandwidth occupied during phase adjustments it is assumed that the propagation channel from any PAP to any energizable device can be modeled as a complex constant, and the resultant Phasor at the energizable device location is multiplied by a complex constant for each PAP, resulting in a summation of a product of channel constant per PAP by a PAP's Phasor.
  • a phase shifting update rate can be reduced to reduce the occupied bandwidth to a point where fading loss is below a threshold.
  • the center frequency can also be adjusted in addition to increasing the phase adjustment period. Either of these two approaches can be done with a feedback from an energizable device. For example, if an energizable device is positioned in the place where waves from one or multiple PAPs add destructively (independent of the 3D phasor), then the center frequency can be adjusted, until either the energizable device starts responding, or the reported RSSI is improved.
  • PDM in its simplest form, involves adjusting phases by 90° and 180° from some initial phase (00) for each contributing Phasor, except last one.
  • the 907180° phase shifts are chosen primarily for easing the computation, and also to achieve a bigger degree of independence of equations (e.g. orthogonality) due to quantization, and other noise, which otherwise would be stronger for small angular changes.
  • a Phasor sum can be represented in terms of a single Phasor and the sum of the rest of the Phasors.
  • the phase of that one Phasor is adjusted by 90, 180 degrees creating 3 equations (0°, +90°, +180°) and 3 unknowns, from which the phase and amplitude of that single Phasor is calculated.
  • the phase solved is the phase between a single Phasor and the sum of the rest of the Phasors, and not the total sum Phasor, (which is constant).
  • An additional computational step is then performed to convert it to a phase relative to the total sum of the Phasors.
  • polarization directions e.g., a total of 6 phase/polarization values
  • any other 6 angles with sufficient difference other angles that can be decomposed to 0 ° 90 " angles
  • the procedure is repeated for each PAP in a cluster (or a subset).
  • time slots for phase changes are assigned for each PAP, based on their proximity to each other and to energizable devices to improve the time interval of near- optimal Phasor combinations.
  • phase/polarization changes at each PAP are recorded by the energizable device when it detects certain jumps in RSSI.
  • This vector of RSSI readings corresponding to 0 ° +90° +180 ° phase changes at each of 2 polarizations for all PAPs is sent to PAP(s) and it correlates RSSI changes to phase changes.
  • RSSI measurements are started based on synchronization between PAPs either by synchronizing to the Master or predicting the PAP phase adjustment time based on other information (e.g., communication from PAPs; spurious emissions during phase jumps).
  • PAPs After receiving the RSSI vectors from all sensors, PAPs then solve the equations necessary to get the Phasor of each contributing PAP (including itself and other nearby PAPs). It is also possible for the sensor tag to determine the time slot boundaries (e.g., by observing RSSI changes or the SYNC signal) and/or to solve the equations and return the answer to reduce the size of payload it sends (faster, less energy consumed), or it can wait for a sync packet from Master PAP and time the exact moment when phases are expected to change. [0046] FIG.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates, an example embodiment of a PDM for adjusting phases of three PAPs including signaling between a Master PAP, a Slave 1 PAP, a Slave 2 PAP and a plurality of energizable devices (e.g., sensors tags). Specifically, the flow events with synchronization (Sync), RSSI readings and phase adjustments are shown. A total of six PAP phase adjustments are made, including 0 degrees, 90 degrees, and 180 degrees for each of two polarizations, (e.g., a total of six adjustments). [0047] In various embodiments, the PDM of FIG. 3 is performed for twice, for each of two phasor polarizations. In embodiments, where polarization alignment is not required, only one PDM cycle is performed. For each polarization, the PDM cycle begins with a
  • Sync pulse 50 transmitted by the Master PAP, and received as a Sync pulse 52 and 54 received by a first energizable device (Slave 1) and a second energizable device (Slave 2) respectively.
  • a polarity is chosen for the transmission from the Master, Slave 1 and Slave 2.
  • the Master PAP sequentially adjusts the phasor for the Master, Slave 1 and Slave 2 respectively, based on a phasor decomposition calculation from a previous PDM cycle.
  • the Master PAP transmits a phasor with a phase adjustment of 0 degrees, 90 degrees and 180 degrees respectively, while the phase adjustment of the Slave 1 PAP, and the Slave 2 PAP remains at 0 degrees.
  • An RSSI level is measured at each energizable device for each of the three transmitted phases by the Master PAP.
  • the RSSI values determined from each energizable device, corresponding to each phase of time slots 62, 64 and 66 for each PAP (e.g., Master, Slave 1 and Slave 2) are transmitted to a device for performing a subsequent phasor decomposition calculation.
  • the device receiving the plurality of RSSI values is the Master PAP.
  • the Slave 1 PAP transmits a phasor with a phase adjustment of 0 degrees, 90 degrees and 180 degrees respectively, while the phase adjustment of the Master PAP, and the Slave 2 PAP remains at 0 degrees.
  • An RSSI level is measured at each energizable device for each of the three transmitted phases by the Slave 1 PAP.
  • the RSSI values determined from each energizable device, corresponding to each phase of time slots 72, 74 and 76 for each PAP (e.g., Master, Slave 1 and Slave 2) are transmitted to a device for performing a subsequent phasor decomposition calculation.
  • the device receiving the plurality of RSSI values is the Master PAP.
  • the Slave 2 PAP transmits a phasor with a phase adjustment of 0 degrees, 90 degrees and 180 degrees respectively, while the phase adjustment of the Master PAP, and the Slave 1 PAP remains at 0 degrees.
  • An RSSI level is measured at each energizable device for each of the three transmitted phases by the Slave 2 PAP.
  • the RSSI values determined from each energizable device, corresponding to each phase of time slots 82, 84 and 86 for each PAP are transmitted to a device for performing a subsequent phasor decomposition calculation.
  • the device receiving the plurality of RSSI values is the Master PAP.
  • the PDM cycle repeats for the second polarization for embodiments where polarization alignment is required.
  • FIG. 4 is a flowchart representation of pseudo-code for phasor decomposition.
  • the polarization alignment calculation begins with the following three equations representing a phasor with zero phase adjustment, with 90 degrees of adjustment, and with 180 degrees of adjustment, respectively:
  • S 2 INO A 2 j + S 2 2N + 2*Aj *S 2N cos(0 o ) [1]
  • S 2 1N90 A 2 ! + S 2 2N + 2*At *S 2N cos(0 o+ 9O O ) [2]
  • 3 ⁇ 4v represents the sum of all phasors except phasor 1; represent the total sum of phasors, when phasor 1 is in the initial state (zero phase adjustment), when phasor 1 is rotated by 90 degrees, and when phasor 1 is rotated by 180 degrees, respectively; 0 represents the phase angle between phasor 1 and 3 ⁇ 4v; and ⁇ represents the phase angle between phasor 1 and the total sum of phasors After determining the phase angle and the amplitudes with equations [4] and [5], the procedure is repeated for another phasor, except the last one, which can be computed from the previous phasors. In total, there are 1 + 2*(N-1) RSSI measurements and phase adjustments.
  • PAP Synchronization and Master selection methods In one embodiment, a single master PAP is chosen. In another embodiment, there are no master PAPs, rather collaboration occurs between the PAPs to perform frequency tuning.
  • the best master is the one that can communicate a Sync message to all PAPs with a low probability of error, (e.g., highest communication channel Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) or lowest interference).
  • SNR Signal to Noise Ratio
  • the highest SNR on Sync RF frequency is required.
  • Example embodiments for synchronization between PAPs include one or more of the following:
  • a wireless embodiment includes an optical (e.g., Infrared) communications channel between the PAP and the energizable device, using one of a 100/120 Hz harmonic of a fluorescent light (passive), and sending pulses or a modulated signal from a master.
  • a wireless embodiment includes an acoustic communications channel between the PAP and the energizable device, wherein the master sends a tone or modulated signal, or uses an external source of a known signal (e.g., 120Hz humming).
  • a wireless embodiment includes a radio frequency (RF) communications channel between the PAP and the energizable device, wherein the master PAP sends a continuous wave (CW) wave or modulated signal that other PAPs synchronize to.
  • RF radio frequency
  • An embodiment includes a distributed system wherein every PAP exchanges timing packets or (CW bursts) with every other PAP and adjusts their respective clocks to the average, which eventually converges.
  • An external source of a known signal is used by the master PAP, including a 100/120Hz or a harmonic of fluorescent lights or transformers, a Wi-Fi (timing) signal from router(s), a cellphone signal, or timing signal from a cellphone tower, or a GPS/Glonass, (with no master, but with an external antenna at each PAP.
  • radioactive emission is used for
  • synchronization including an external source (e.g., smoke detectors), or an open loop isotope timing device (e.g., a Caesium atomic clock).
  • an external source e.g., smoke detectors
  • an open loop isotope timing device e.g., a Caesium atomic clock.
  • a wired system uses existing AC power lines for synchronization by locking to the 50/60Hz or a harmonic thereof.
  • a master sends a Sync packet over a power line.
  • every PAP exchanges timing packets (e.g., using Ethernet over a power line, or with load modulation).
  • one or more PAPs use USB, RS232, or Ethernet.
  • one or more PAPs use a dedicated coax with a single tone or modulated signal, or similar single wire.
  • one or more PAPs use a guided wave propagation (e.g., a surface wave in drywall or in air ducts).
  • the deployment is assumed to be known (e.g. IP network topology, PAP clusterization) and masters are either assigned manually, or by an algorithm.
  • a network discovery stage of operation e.g., at startup and once every X seconds
  • a known list of possible MAC addresses for a particular deployment is programmed into each PAP.
  • Telnet/SSH to the router, getting an ARP table and looking for MAC addresses ranges corresponding to PAPs, with appropriate attention to security issues.
  • PAPs communicate with each other, (every Y seconds in one example).
  • Wi-Fi based coarse SYNC PAP MASTER RS SI table
  • RAP table short/long version
  • sync messages user messages (user to/from RAP sensor), status, and configuration for example.
  • a master selection algorithm is initiated, (optionally suspending other tasks).
  • all PAPs in the cluster are tried to be master, one by one, (by using a MAC address sort, or IP addr sort for example).
  • the communication (e.g., comm) channel of the candidate is set to TX, while other PAPs are set to RX.
  • Any message is broadcast by the candidate via a comm channel, (ideally sync message, to reduce sync time), and RSSIs of this message are measured by all non-candidate PAPs, (at a predefined interval starting from Wi-Fi based coarse Sync, which is well within latency fluctuation of the router, such as 1 second).
  • the PAP MASTER RSSI table is filled out by each PAP in the cluster (candidate ID, RSSI from candidate) for each candidate.
  • each PAP has a table of RSSI for each possible master. These tables are exchanged by PAPs through Wi-Fi network or other comm channel. Since each PAP has the same set of tables, (same) decision is made on who should be the master.
  • Clusterization is also optionally done at this point, and master per cluster is selected based on comm-channel connectivity graph and minRSSI values: masters are added until minRSSI is above threshold.
  • a master After a master is selected for the first time, the master sends a sync signal, and other PAPs synchronize their clocks. Consecutive sync messages are sent by master at predefined accurate interval, such as Is to 5s, (for a lppb/s XTAL), derived from master's high stability Ovenized Crystal Oscillator (OCXO) (e.g., ⁇ lppb/s & lOppb/day drift OCXO is used in one prototype).
  • Is to 5s for a lppb/s XTAL
  • OCXO Ovenized Crystal Oscillator
  • PAP nodes compute the difference in time, which should be the time of sync interval relative to their own OCXOs and compare the difference (highly deterministic chain, high priority interrupt on sync packet RX, MCU based counter based on OCXO clock). After the PAPs compute the difference in times, they calculate the relative frequency shift of their OCXO compared to master's and adjust OCXO tuning (according to a lookup table) + feedback + drift estimation. Due to the fact that the PDM algorithm is very fast (e.g., lOus - 1ms) per PAP, even with OCXO drift the phase during that lOus to 1ms will not change significantly.
  • phase changes about ⁇ 3deg in 8* lms (8 PAPs). But during the time with no phase transitions (phases for optimal power delivery), 10ms to Is, the phase will shift by an amount, which depends on sync interval, and optimal power interval. This can be reduced by changing sync and optimum power interval adaptively (e.g., 1 second sync period Ts, 100ms optimum power period Topt: ⁇ 18deg max error, much less on average).
  • each PAP is tried to be a master, and PAP MASTER RSSI table is filled out by each PAP, but not in the cluster as before, but based on all PAPs in deployment.
  • the master trial procedure is done every 100ms 2s (not just at startup or when a new PAP is added).
  • RSSI from candidate OCXO (Ovenized Crystal Oscillator) frequency difference is calculated for each candidate.
  • An average of OCXO frequency differences is calculated and applied. This is repeated for each PAP. Over time all OCXOs will reach global average, same frequency.
  • One embodiment includes listening to the same SYNC signal as being sent from Master PAP to slave PAPs (as done in the present prototype). Another embodiment includes performing multiple RSSI readings and detecting changes in RSSI that correlate to the phase/polarization changes performed by PAPs.
  • the PAP sync is done over a comm-channel, which the energizable device can listen on.
  • the energizable device changes comm-channel freq to PAP sync channel and waits for sync.
  • the energizable device goes to sleep, (with a timer on), and next wakes up on just before expected phase change if it has enough energy to perform transmisstion of the RSSI vector, (+ ADC readings), if not then the energizable device sleeps some more (+Tsync err). If a brownout happens the procedure is repeated when there is again enough energy.
  • Initial charging is done with a random phase, so it might take a while (statistically) to gather enough energy for first sync RX and first RSSI TX.
  • the energizable device If the energizable device cannot receive sync, but has enough stored energy, it will look for RSSI changes and its variance over time and decide where the phase adjustment window is statistically (assuming that optimal power duration is constant). During optimal power interval the phase will change, (but slower), and will be proportional to reference drift + multi-RAP optimal power delivery phase adjustment; the phase can not jump quickly to change optimal combination for each energizable device. To detect changes in RSSI during phase changes the energizable device has to sample with ADC at higher rate than phase changes.
  • the energizable device receives some low energy due to a random phase, and charges at some point, but is below a harvester threshold for a long duration, the capacitor will discharge, and the energizable device will not have a chance to respond. In this case the solution does not improve the range, but this is a very rare case statistically.
  • Iterative algorithms take multiple reading of the RSSI values during optimization.
  • Common types of algorithms include Gradient Ascent (Hill Climbing), Genetic Algorithm, Min/Max, LMS, and variations/combinations of these with added randomization to avoid local optimum.
  • Disadvantages of Iterative methods include multiple communication instances to achieve optimization. Since the RSSI needs to be measured at multiple points, there needs to be constant communication between RX and TX. Disadvantages of Gradient based methods include amplified noise (e.g., less robust in a realistic scenario). Gradient calculation is essentially a derivative calculation and small changes in independent variable lead to small changes in the dependent variable, (e.g., small phase changes greater than small RSSI changes). Disadvantages of Randomized and Genetic Algorithm based methods are that noise is not amplified at the beginning, but will be near the optimum. Additionally, convergence takes much longer, but convergence will occur at an absolute optimum point, but on the order of 10 to 100 times lower than with Hill Climbing.
  • Advantages of Iterative methods include not disturbing RSSI far from the optimum, after the optimum is achieved. Iterative methods also use a simple computation, where differences are computed for RSSI and the phase is adjusted by multiplying a constant, (e.g., gain constant), by the derivative, (e.g., partial derivative with respect to particular TX). The iterative method is a bit more computational complex compared to the Genetic
  • PDM Phasor Decomposition Method
  • PDM solves for all phases and amplitudes at all energizable device locations all at once (limited by the comm. channels), and thus optimizes power at all locations at once given power allocation priority. Compared to Hill Climbing, the speed improvement of PDM is on the order of 20 *N -
  • N is number of PAPs, (and the factor 20-100 depends on number of steps in
  • the effectivity of wireless RF power transmission is limited by increases in the operating frequency as well as an increased physical separation between PAPs and energizable devices, (e.g., user devices, receivers, or tags). These limitations are overcome by the use of multiple PAPs.
  • the random deployment of multiple PAPs will not result in optimal reception at the location of the energizable device due to having multiple incoming waves with unknown, non-cohered phases, all constructively or destructively interfering with each other.
  • the polarization received at an energizable device may be any combination of orthogonal polarizations due to multipath effects.
  • the resulting polarization may be rotated linear (as discussed above), right or left-handed circular, or slant elliptical polarization.
  • similar algorithms used for phase alignment are used to ensure that the polarization of the resulting summation wave at the receiving device has the same polarity as the constituent waves from each PAP.
  • the polarity is vertical.
  • the polarity is one of vertical, slant, horizontal, circular, elliptical or slant elliptical.
  • the aligned polarity is vertical. It should be understood that in other embodiments, other polarities are realizable without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.
  • a switched beam is used to steer the transmit beam from each PAP.
  • a switched beam structure is used requiring only a Butler matrix, incorporating cross-over structures, and a single-pole-multi-throw (SPMT) switch.
  • the crossover structure is a "Wight Crossover" structure.
  • An example embodiment of this structure is shown in FIG. 6 for a four-element array. In other embodiments, a different number of elements are used (e.g., eight or sixteen elements).
  • the four outputs from the SPMT switch each provide a different set of phase shifts to the four signals reaching the four patch antennae. These different sets of phase shifts cause the composite beam to form its maximum in a different direction or spatial angle (similar to a phase array).
  • This corporate feed will provide a power boost of M at the energizable device, where M is the number of elements compared to a single antenna element.
  • the multiple beams will have different polarizations at the different locations of the multiple receivers due to multipath propagation.
  • the correct selection of the multiple transmitter polarizations are chosen such that either a) each receiver is sequentially receiving all transmitted signals with the same polarization, or b) all receivers are simultaneously receiving all transmitted signals with the largest "minimum-received-power" achievable at one of the receivers. This largest minimum-received-power occurs at any one of the receivers, wherein the other receivers receive more than the minimum-received-power.
  • the polarizations at the multiple transmitters are iteratively adjusted following a method (e.g., hill climbing or PDM), until the largest minimum-received-power at one of the receivers is achieved.
  • multiple PAPs are used to offset energy losses in the RF energy beam received at the receiving device, due to an increased separation distance between the PAPs and the energizable device.
  • the energy beams received at the energizable device by their respective PAPs described herein, are all phase cohered by phase locking techniques ensuring all incoming signals at the energizable device arrive in phase, regardless of the position of each individual PAP.
  • both the received phase and the frequency of each PAP used to simultaneously send power to one or more energizable devices are fixed and identical to the respective phase and frequency of all other PAPs.
  • the aforementioned, fixed and identical phase and frequency is achieved by phase locking all PAPs within range of a master PAP to a single predetermined master clock frequency.
  • the respective phase and frequency at the PAPs is locked continuously, while being monitored and adjusted in real-time.
  • the incoming polarization received from the multiple PAPs will not be the same because the PAPs are not all at the same physical location, nor is the path between each PAP and the receiving device the same.
  • Each PAP has a unique source of reflections and other operation conditions relative to other PAPs.
  • the respective incoming EM waves of energy beams from multiple PAPs may each have a different polarization at the location of the energizable device, (also referred to herein as "Rx”), as the PAPs are not physically aligned in space.
  • the polarization of each EM wave at the Rx location will be orthogonal to another EM wave, (e.g., vertical and horizontal, or right-hand circular and left hand circular). In this case the total received power at the receiving device will be reduced by polarization misalignment.
  • the multiple PAPs and receiving devices are all nominally within a horizontal plane, (e.g., on the same floor of a building), and their resulting directions of propagation (e.g., Poynting vectors) of all transmitted EM waves are nearly in the horizontal plane, making it possible to align all the incoming wave's polarization.
  • the respective improvement in power received at the receiving devices results in all incoming waves at the Rx location to be vertically co-polarized, thereby increasing the Rx power by a factor of N, where N is the number of PAPs.
  • N is the number of PAPs.
  • the polarization rotation used here is achieved using polarization techniques on the antennas at the PAPs.
  • dual orthogonal polarizations are simultaneously transmitted, each having a specific amplitude, normalized between -1 and 1, from each PAP as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the respective maximum polarization rotation needed for each PAP is +/- 90 degrees to achieve vertical polarization summation at the receiving device.
  • a single feed 140 is amplified with a first variable gain amplifier (VGA) 134 and combined at a patch 132 with a second feed of the same signal.
  • the second feed is amplified with a second VGA 136 and phase shifted with a phase shifter 138 over a range of zero degrees to 360 degrees.
  • the phase shifter of the second feed nominally shifts the phase of the signal by plus or minus 90 degrees.
  • both the first feed and the second feed are phase shifted to produce a differential phase shift between the first feed and the second feed from zero degrees to 360 degrees.
  • the individual received polarizations at the location of the receiving device need to be vertical to enable full polarization alignment.
  • another polarization is used, being the same for each EM wave arriving at the receiving device from a respective PAP.
  • the received polarization at the energizable device will be a combination of orthogonal polarizations due to multipath. This will result in polarizations which are rotated linear, right and left-handed multiple polarizations or slant elliptical polarization of the waves at the energizable devices.
  • the multiple PAPs individually adjust each of their polarizations of the EM waves as received by the energizable devices to form a resulting vertical wave at the receiving device.
  • the respective multiple PAPs simultaneously transmit dual orthogonal polarizations, each orthogonal polarization having a specific complex (amplitude and phase) normalized between 0 and 1.
  • each transmitter has two amplifiers with variable gain (VGA) and at least one of them includes phase shifting capability between zero and 360 degrees.
  • VGA variable gain
  • the multiple PAPs will use predetermined threshold values to make decisions on whether polarization alignment is needed.
  • the polarization alignment procedure uses measurements from the Receive Strength Signal Indicator (RSSI) from each energizable device. In other embodiments, other methods of measuring received power at the energizable device are used.
  • RSSI Receive Strength Signal Indicator
  • the RSSI measurement from each energizable device is transmitted back to the PAPs currently being aligned and, in one example, a hill-climbing algorithm is used to guide the polarization of each access point to its final state. In another embodiment, a PDM method is used to guide the polarization alignment to its final state. [0094] In some embodiments, the respective PAP, uses switched beam beam-steering rather than phase array beam-steering. Phase array approaches perform exceedingly fast beam- steering, not required for power applications. Furthermore, phase array systems also require at least one phase shifter for each antenna element increasing system complexity and cost.
  • the switched beam-steering structure 150 is shown in FIG.
  • the embodiment 150 of the switched beam-steering structure includes four instances of controllable slant linear polarizers 152, 154, 156 and 158.
  • the switched beam beam-steering system incorporates a master phase shifter 176 to carry out the previously described phase alignment between multiple PAPs.
  • a resulting power boost of M is achieved by using the switched beam antenna array approach.
  • M represents the number of antenna elements compared to a single element, and is an additional factor to the previously described N*N*N increase.
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • the determination of the location of each tag is important. Not only is it necessary to energize and read the RFID tags, it is desirable to determine on which shelf the tag is located. Since a warehouse is large and contains many stationary metal objects, (e.g. shelves), and dynamic metal objects ,(e.g.
  • a power transmission system delivers power to receiving devices such as RFID tags from a group of PAPs, each of which is coherently locked to a common frequency.
  • receiving devices such as RFID tags from a group of PAPs, each of which is coherently locked to a common frequency.
  • energy "bubbles” are created in three-dimensional space, and power is delivered to all energizable devices in each "bubble".
  • the energy "bubbles” are moved through the three dimensional (3D) space by changing the relative phases at the Power Access Points, different sets of energizable devices are energized.
  • the actual locations of the "bubbles" may not be unambiguously determinable a priori.
  • each energy "bubble” will illuminate a group of energizable devices (e.g., RFID tags), wherein each device is in close proximity to other device. As the energizable devices report their identity, (and data), the identities can be grouped. As the energy "bubble” is moved to an adjacent but undetermined location, some of the energizable devices will continue to report back, (because they are still being energized by the energy "bubble” in its new position) while other receiving devices (tags) will not (e.g., they are no longer being energized by the "bubble”). After a scan of the three-dimensional space by the "bubbles" a connectivity map can be created to show the nearest neighbors for each energizable device.
  • energizable devices e.g., RFID tags
  • This connectivity map does not provide a physical location of each device.
  • several "reference" energizable devices e.g. RFID tags
  • the energizable devices are located as nearest neighbors to the reference tags, and are located by using interpolation between groups associated with different reference tags based on the connectivity map to determine the position of all of the energizable devices.
  • the respective locations of the PAPs are also used as reference locations.
  • multiple energy "bubbles" will exist for each set of PAP relative phase settings, and the connectivity map will create multiple ambiguous locations for the energizable device locations.
  • the number of energy will exist for each set of PAP relative phase settings, and the connectivity map will create multiple ambiguous locations for the energizable device locations.
  • the location ambiguity difficulty can be removed with the creation of a single energy "bubble” rather than the multiple "bubbles” that normally will exist.
  • a method to create a single energy bubble in a highly multipath environment is based on True Time Delay.
  • FM-CW Frequency -Modulated Continuous-Wave
  • PN Pseudo-Noise
  • FH Frequency -Hopping
  • All Power Access Points are simultaneously phase modulated or Direct Sequence (DS) spread in phase.
  • time delays of the modulation at each PAP will coherently combine to form an energy "bubble” only at locations where the True Time Delays are identical. This will greatly reduce the number of energy "bubbles” formed in a three-dimensional space, and hence will reduce (or even remove) the connectivity map ambiguity.
  • the location of the isolated energy "bubble” is controlled by the relative start times of the FM-CW ramp (or PN code for FH and DS spreading) at each PAP. As this relative start time is changed, the location of the isolated energy "bubble” is moved in the three-dimensional space.
  • the actual location of the isolated energy "bubble” is determined from the responses of the "reference” locations.
  • the difficulty with the use of these ambiguity resolution techniques is that the bandwidth required (FM-CW ramp rate, FM hop rate) increases with the spatial resolution required. In most RFID tag location situations, this large bandwidth is not acceptable.
  • Second Method of Location Ambiguity Resolution Another method to resolving the location ambiguity of the energy "bubbles" is to separate the "bubbles" that are simultaneously formed into distinct, separate groups while composing the connectivity map. This separation operation along with the "adjacent" group connectivity operation will resolve most, if not all, location ambiguities.
  • a three-dimensional map of the location of all energizable devices in the three-dimensional space is generated.
  • a "blink” is determined as a substantial change in RSSI. Those that "blink” are close to the PAP that is turned off, and those that do not “blink” are not. This procedure groups the multiple ambiguous energy "bubbles" into P + 1 subspaces in the warehouse space (where P is the number of Power Access Points), greatly reducing the location ambiguity.
  • RSSI Received Signal Strength Indication
  • a refinement of this technique includes simultaneously switching off two adjacent PAPs.
  • the energizable devices that are located between the PAPs will "blink" on and off while the energizable devices that are far from the two PAPs will not.
  • This technique may be extended to three or more adjacent or separate PAPs.
  • the location ambiguity can be further refined in the area where no one PAP's power dominates the total received power (e.g., in the area not close to any PAP).
  • All energy "bubbles” are a product of the three dimensional standing wave pattern, and this standing wave pattern is created by the PAP's phases and the internal reflections of the warehouse.
  • the multiple energy "bubbles” in the area not close to any PAP can be separated into subgroups by simultaneously rotating the polarization of all PAPs.
  • the energy “bubbles” that rely strongly on the internal reflections of the warehouse will “blink” off, while those that do not rely strongly on the internal reflections will not.
  • Ninety-degree polarization rotation will create the largest distinction between the two groups of "bubbles”.
  • the space is separated into multiple subspaces by selecting switched beam settings.
  • the subspace is further divided into multiple subgroups by sequentially turning off one or more PAPs.
  • the subspace is further divided into multiple subgroups by switching the polarization of all the PAPs.
  • step 226 is performed after step 224.
  • one or more of steps 224 and 226 are performed concurrently.
  • a connectivity map is constructed by moving an energy bubble through the subspace by changing the relative phases of the multiple PAPs.
  • step 228 is performed on subgroups rather than subspaces.
  • the connectivity map is fixed (determined) in space at multiple points using the known locations of multiple reference receivers, and the results of either the various connectivity maps from the plurality of subspaces or the plurality of subgroups.
  • a method for improved wireless energy transfer includes steering a first energy beam formed by a plurality of polarizers of a PAP at 250. At 252, the polarity of the first and a second energy beam are aligned at an energizable device.
  • a method for improved wireless energy transfer includes steering energy beams formed by PAPs to an energizable device at 260.
  • the polarity of each energy beam is aligned at the energizable device.
  • a planar region is divided into subspaces.
  • an energy beam is scanned along a scan path within the subspace to detect an energizable device.
  • a connectivity map is determined.
  • the location of a receiving device and a neighboring device relative to a reference device is interpolated.
  • a method for energy beam optimization comprising: receiving an energy beam at an energizable device from one of a plurality of PAPs, the energy beam having a plurality of transmitted phases including an initial transmitted phase during a first time slot, a second transmitted phase during a second time slot and a third transmitted phase during a third time slot; storing a received signal strength indication (RSSI) at the energizable device for each of the transmitted phases, when the received RSSI changes by a threshold; receiving at the PAP, each of the stored RSSI levels from the energizable device; and determining a received amplitude and a received phase of the energy beam at the energizable device for the initial transmitted phase by the PAP.
  • RSSI received signal strength indication
  • EC2 The method of ECl, wherein the second transmitted phase is shifted by 90 degrees from the initial transmitted phase, and the third transmitted phase is shifted by 180 degrees from the initial transmitted phase.
  • EC3 The method of ECl, wherein the second transmitted phase is shifted by 180 degrees from the initial transmitted phase, and the third transmitted phase is shifted by 270 degrees from the initial transmitted phase.
  • EC4 The method of ECl, further comprising adjusting the received phase of the energy beam to be equal to a second received phase of a second energy beam transmitted by a second PAP.
  • EC5 A method for switched beam polarization alignment comprising: steering a first energy beam towards a receiving device, the first energy beam transmitted by a plurality of antennae coupled to a PAP by a Butler matrix; and aligning at the receiving device, a first polarity of the first energy beam to a second polarity of a second energy beam transmitted by another PAP by combining at each of the plurality of antennae a first polarized signal derived from the PAP with a second polarized signal, the second polarized signal formed by rotating the first polarized signal.
  • An antenna system comprising: a patch antenna including a dielectric substrate interposed between a resonant plate and a ground plate, the patch antenna including a first feed-point and a second feed-point; a first variable gain amplifier (VGA) connected to the first feed-point and configured to adjust a first amplitude of a signal; a first phase shifter interposed between the signal and the first VGA and configured to adjust a phase of the signal; and a second VGA connected to the second feed-point and configured to adjust a second amplitude of the signal, the patch antenna controlling a slant linear polarization of the signal.
  • VGA variable gain amplifier
  • EC7 The system of EC6, wherein the phase is greater than or equal to zero degrees and less than or equal to 360 degrees.
  • a switched beam polarization alignment system comprising: a four or more antenna systems, each antenna system comprising a patch antenna including a dielectric substrate interposed between a resonant plate and a ground plate, the patch antenna including a first feed-point and a second feed-point, a first VGA connected to the first feed-point and configured to adjust a first amplitude of a signal, a first phase shifter interposed between the signal and the first VGA and configured to adjust a phase of the signal, and a second VGA connected to the second feed-point and configured to adjust a second amplitude of the signal, the patch antenna controlling a polarization of the signal; a first cross-over device coupled to a first pair of the antenna systems; a first pair of hybrid couplers coupled to the first cross-over device and a second pair of the antenna systems; a second cross-over device coupled to the first pair of hybrid couplers; a second pair of hybrid couplers coupled to the second cross-over device and the first pair of
  • a method for determining a receiver location comprising: dividing a planar region including a plurality of devices into a plurality of subspaces, each subspace defined by a beam position from a respective one of a plurality of energy beams; scanning the respective one of the energy beams along a scan path within the subspace to detect a presence of at least some of the plurality of devices by detecting a change in a received energy at each of the at least some of the plurality of devices, the at least some of the plurality of devices including an energizable device, and one or more of a neighbor device and a reference device, the reference device having a predetermined location within the planar region; determining a connectivity map by finding a respective position for each neighbor device relative to a position of the receiving device; and interpolating a physical location of the receiving device and the neighbor device relative to the reference device.
  • ECIO The method of EC9 wherein the location of the receiving device is determined within one wavelength of the respective one of the energy beams.
  • ECU The method of EC9 wherein each subspace is dividing into smaller spaces by sequentially deactivating one energy beam and detecting the presence of a receiving device by a reduction in the received energy at the receiving device.
  • EC12 The method of EC9 wherein each subspace is dividing into smaller spaces by sequentially deactivating two physically adjacent energy beams and detecting the presence of a receiving device between the two physically adjacent energy beams by a reduction in the received energy at the receiving device.
  • EC13 The method of EC9 wherein each subspace is dividing into smaller spaces by rotating a polarity of all of the energy beams and detecting the presence of a receiving device by a reduction in the received energy at the receiving device.
  • EC 14 Location determination and ambiguity resolution based on separating the space to be covered into subspaces, generating a connectivity map of multiple receivers within each subspace, and using the known locations of reference locations to establish known positions within the connectivity map.
  • EC15 The separation of the space into subspaces is achieved using multiple switched beam antennas to divide the area into N 2 subspaces in the horizontal (Azimuth) plane where N is the number of beams available in the horizontal plane from each PAP.
  • EC16 The separation of the space into subspaces can be extended into the vertical (Elevation) coordinate with M vertical beams, resulting in a total number of subspaces in three dimensions of M x N 2 .
  • EC17 The separation of the space into subspaces can be also increased by sequentially turning off each PAP to separate the region into multiple close and far subspaces.
  • EC18 The separation of the space into subspaces can be further increased by sequentially turning off two or more, adjacent or separated PAPs to separate the region into additional subspaces.
  • EC19 The separation of the space into multiple subspaces can also be increased by sequentially employing orthogonal polarizations to separate close but not adjacent receivers.
  • EC20 The separation of the space into multiple subspaces can be further increased by sequentially employing other values of polarization to separate close but not adj acent receivers .
  • EC21 The connectivity map is generated by selecting a subspace to be illuminated with the switched beam antennas, moving the energy bubbles throughout the subspace by changing the relative phases of the multiple PAPs, and observing which receivers "blink" on and off when one or more PAPs are switched off, or when the polarization is rotated.
  • EC22 The connectivity map is fixed in space at multiple points through the known locations of the reference locations.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé permettant un meilleur transfert d'énergie sans fil, ledit procédé consistant à diriger un premier faisceau d'énergie, ayant une fréquence fondamentale, vers un dispositif qui peut être excité. Le premier faisceau d'énergie est formé par une pluralité de polariseurs d'un premier point d'accès à l'énergie (PAP pour Power Access Point). Une première polarité du premier faisceau d'énergie est alignée au niveau du dispositif qui peut être excité à une seconde polarité d'un second faisceau d'énergie formé par un second point PAP, physiquement séparé du premier point PAP, et ayant une connexion sans fil avec le premier point PAP, en combinant, au niveau de chaque polariseur du premier point PAP, un premier signal polarisé respectif avec un second signal polarisé respectif. Le second signal polarisé respectif est formé par rotation du premier signal polarisé respectif. Le second point PAP reçoit un signal de point PAP par le biais de la connexion sans fil et génère localement la fréquence fondamentale à partir du signal de point PAP.
PCT/IB2017/000162 2016-02-09 2017-02-03 Meilleur transfert d'énergie sans fil à l'aide d'un alignement d'ondes électromagnétiques WO2017137838A1 (fr)

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JP2019506833A (ja) 2019-03-07
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KR20180113563A (ko) 2018-10-16
CN108702030A (zh) 2018-10-23

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