Energous Corporation

Marvell International Limited

Pernixdata, Inc.

Deepak Jain

Cesar A Johnston

Erik Heinke

Howard Chan

Li-Fu Jeng

Robert Mack

Sean Nicolson

Gladys Yuen Yan Wong

Ronak Anjan Chokshi

Kapil Chhabra

Milind Kopikare

Zhenyu Zhang

Alister Hosseini

Mehdi Khanpour

Noorul Ameen Thufile Ahamed

Aras Pirbadian

Josselin De La Broise

Rajesh Juluri

Timothy J Donovan

Brian Bosso

Sameer Bidichandani

Todd Wheeler

Shuangqing Yuan

Woon Ho Jung

Yunhong Liu

Alister Hoss

Neeta Srivastav

William M Wiese, Jr

Fay Yew

Nakul Dhotre

Anthony Pang

Myung Cheol Kim

Jigang Chen

Weimin Peng

An example method is provided for detecting and classifying foreign objects. The method includes after a predetermined period of time, for a zone of a plurality of zones, enabling a beacon signal, obtaining a set of electrical measurements, and disabling the beacon signal. The method also includes determining, based on the set of electrical measurements and a trained classifier, a status of the zone. The status of the zone indicates whether there is a presence of foreign objects within the zone of the plurality of zones. The method further includes in accordance with an indication that there is the presence of the foreign objects, forgo transmitting wireless power to one or more wireless power receivers. The method further includes in accordance with an indication that there is an absence of the foreign objects, transmitting wireless power to the one or more wireless power receivers.

Systems and methods for machine learning zone-based foreign object detection for wireless power transmission

A wireless-power transmission system (WPTS) includes sensors, antennas, a power amplifier (PA), and integrated circuits (ICs). The antennas, upon receiving an amplified signal for the PA, are configured to radiate energy within a transmission field (TF) of the WPTS. The ICs are configured to receive sensor data indicating presence of an object within a keep-out zone (KOZ). The ICs are configured to classify using the sensor data the object as a sensitive object. While detecting presence of the sensitive object, the ICs are configured to forgo providing an instruction to the PA to amplify the signal. In accordance with a determination that the sensitive object is no longer detected the ICs are configured to determine whether an electronic device is within the TF and in accordance with a determination that the electronic device is within the TF the ICs are configured to instruct the PA to amplify the signal.

Systems and methods for using one or more sensors to detect and classify objects in a keep-out zone of a wireless-power transmission field, and antennas with integrated sensor arrangements

An exemplary embodiment of secure wireless transmission of power using unidirectional communication signals from a wireless-power-receiving device. The method includes, receiving, from a wireless-power-transmitting device that includes a first communications radio, a first wireless-power-transmission signal at a wireless-power-receiving device that includes a second communications radio. In response to receiving the first wireless-power-transmission signal: broadcasting, via the second communications radio of the wireless-power-receiving device and without establishing a communications channel between the first and second communications radios, a data packet, the data packet including information identifying (i) at least one power requirement of a power source of the wireless-power-receiving device (ii) an amount of power received by the wireless-power-receiving device from the first wireless-power-transmission signal. After broadcasting the data packet, receiving, from the wireless-power-transmitting device, additional wireless-power-transmission signals at the wireless-power-receiving device, wherein the wireless-power-transmitting device transmits each of the additional wireless-power-transmission signals using a predetermined sequence of different transmission characteristics.

Systems and methods for secure wireless transmission of power using unidirectional communication signals from a wireless-power-receiving device

Methods and devices for surveying for active and inactive power receivers within a wireless-power coverage area are described. A method includes causing performance of a survey looking for active power receivers within a wireless-power coverage area using communication radio(s). Information is received from an active power receiver and transmission of RF signals is caused to energize inactive power receivers using a power-transmission antenna. A first RF signal is transmitted using a first value for a transmission characteristic, and a second RF signal is transmitted using a second value for the transmission characteristic. Additional information is received from a first energized power receiver and further information from a second energized power receiver. Two or more frequency bands are identified for radio-frequency wireless-power transmissions by a wireless-power transmitting device within the wireless-power coverage area based on the information, the additional information, and the further information.

Integrated wireless-power-transmission platform designed to operate in multiple bands, and multi-band antennas for use therewith

An example method is performed at a near-field charging pad with a processor, a power-transferring element, a signature-signal-receiving circuit, and the processor of the near-field charging pad is in communication with a data source that includes predefined signature signals that each identify one of (i) a wireless power receiver, (ii) an object other than a wireless power receiver, and (iii) a combination of a wireless power receiver and an object other than a wireless power receiver. The method includes: after sending a plurality of test radio frequency (RF) power transmission signals, detecting, using the signature-signal-receiving circuit, respective amounts of reflected power; generating, based on variations in the respective amounts of reflected power, a signature signal; and determining whether (i) an authorized wireless power receiver is present on the near-field charging pad and/or (ii) an object other than a wireless power receiver is present on the near-field charging pad.

Systems and methods for detecting wireless power receivers and other objects at a near-field charging pad

A wireless power transmitting system includes a power amplifier comprising a plurality of measurement points and a power amplifier controller integrated circuit (IC). In some embodiments, the power amplifier controller IC performs synchronization of the various components of the power amplifier, conducts impedance and temperature measurements at the measurements points, determines if a foreign object is within the transmission range of the wireless power transmitter, and decides if a shutdown of the power amplifier is needed. In some embodiments, the power amplifier controller IC determines through a transmitter controller IC, the presence of a foreign object within the transmission range and adjusts the power transmission to one or more receivers.

Classifying and detecting foreign objects using a power amplifier controller integrated circuit in wireless power transmission systems

An example method is provided for detecting and classifying foreign objects, performed at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes obtaining a plurality of electrical measurements while a wireless-power-transmitting antenna is transmitting different power beacons. The method also includes forming a feature vector according to the plurality of electrical measurements. The method further includes detecting a presence of one or more foreign objects prior to transmitting wireless power to one or more wireless power receivers by inputting the feature vector to trained one or more classifiers, wherein each classifier is a machine-learning model trained to detect foreign objects distinct from the one or more wireless power receivers.

Systems and methods for machine learning based foreign object detection for wireless power transmission

A method of wireless power transmission is performed at a wireless-power-transmitting device having one or more antennas configured to transmit wireless-power signals, one or more processors, and a wireless data transceiver. The method comprises detecting that a wireless-power-receiving device is located in proximity to the wireless-power-transmitting device; establishing a data-traffic profile associated with the wireless-power-receiving device, the data-traffic profile including identifications of data signals to be exchanged over a predetermined frequency band between the wireless-power-receiving device and the wireless-power-transmitting device using the wireless data transceiver, determining windows of time during which to transmit wireless-power signals over the predetermined frequency band to the wireless-power-receiving device based on the data-traffic profile; and at the determined windows of time, transmitting, by the one or more antennas, wireless-power signals over the predetermined frequency band to the wireless-power-receiving device.

Systems and methods for managing coexistence of wireless-power signals and data signals operating in a same frequency band

An example method is performed at a near-field charging pad that includes a wireless communication component, and a plurality of power-transfer zones that each respectively include at least one power-transferring element and a signature-signal receiving circuit. The method includes: sending, by a respective power-transferring element included in a first power-transfer zone of the plurality of power-transfer zones, test power transmission signals with first values for a set of transmission characteristics. The method also includes: in conjunction with sending each of the power transmission signals: detecting, using the signature-signal receiving circuit, respective amounts of reflected power at the first power-transfer zone. The method further includes: based on the respective amounts of reflected power, determining whether (i) an authorized wireless power receiver and/or (ii) an object other than a wireless power receiver is present on a surface of the charging pad that is adjacent the first power-transfer zone.

Growing community of inventors

San Ramon, CA, United States of America

Deepak Jain