Witricity Corporation

Konrad J Kulikowski

Morris P Kesler

Katherine L Hall

Andre B Kurs

Andrew J Campanella

Aristeidis Karalis

Marin Soljacic

Eric R Giler

David A Schatz

Ron Fiorello

Herbert Toby Lou

Volkan Efe

Qiang Li

Gozde Guckaya

Simon Verghese

Alexander Patrick McCauley

Michael Alan Feldstein

Steven J Ganem

Michael Sasha John

Arunanshu Mohan Roy

Matthew J MacDonald

Hiroshi A Mendoza

Frank J Pergal

Jude R Jonas

Nathan Andrew Pallo

Kylee Devro Sealy

Christopher Buenrostro

Frank Pergal

Michael F Lamenza

Jonathan Sirota

Hamik Amirkhani

Steve J Ganem

Steven Joseph Ganem

Described herein are improved configurations for an apparatus that may include a plurality of resonators electrically interconnected and arranged in an array to form a composite resonator for wireless power transfer, each one of the plurality of resonators may include a block of a magnetic material having a conductor wire wrapped around a cross section thereof to form at least one loop enclosing an area substantially equal to the cross section, wherein the plurality of resonators are may be oriented so that a dipole moment of each one of the plurality of resonators is aligned with a dipole moment of each other one of the plurality of resonators.

Object and motion detection in wireless power transfer systems

Techniques herein provide wireless energy transfer to audio devices such as headphones, headsets, hearing aids, and the like. Audio devices are integrated with a device resonator. The device resonator may be positioned and oriented to reduce interaction with lossy or sensitive components of the audio device. A repeater resonator and/or a source resonator is integrated into a headrest of a seat or a chair providing continuous power to the headphones while in use. The audio devices may be recharged wirelessly when positioned near source resonators that may be embedded in pads, tables, carrying cases, cups, and the like.

Wirelessly powered audio devices

Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer for electronic devices. In embodiments reconfigurable or flexible attachment between a source and a device is realized using permanent magnets or electromagnets. Magnetic material may be positioned on or around one or more of the resonator to provide for locations for attaching permanent magnets. A permanent magnet attached to or near one of a source or device or repeater resonators may be used to flexibly attach to the non-lossy magnetic material of another resonator structure. In embodiments, replacing lossy permanent magnets and/or electromagnets in even one of the resonators of a wireless power system may be advantageous to system performance.

Flexible resonator attachment

A resonator connector for a wireless power transfer system includes: one or more conducting materials to carry electricity between two or more electromagnetic resonators; a first plug coupled with the one or more conducting materials; a second plug coupled with the one or more conducting materials; and an impedance module coupled with the one or more conducting materials, the impedance module including an impedance matching network; wherein the impedance module is configurable to adjust electrical properties of the one or more conducting materials, using the impedance matching network, when the resonator connector electrically couples together the two or more electromagnetic resonators of the wireless power transfer system including at least three electromagnetic resonators, so as to improve power transfer efficiency among the at least three electromagnetic resonators of the wireless power transfer system, the at least three electromagnetic resonators including the two or more electromagnetic resonators.

Systems and methods for wireless power system with improved performance and/or ease of use

Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer involving photovoltaic panels. Described are methods and designs that use electric energy from a photovoltaic module to energize at least one wireless energy source to produce an oscillating magnetic field for wireless energy transfer. The source may be configured and tuned to present an impedance to a photovoltaic module wherein said impedance enables substantial extraction of energy from said photovoltaic module.

Wireless energy transfer for photovoltaic panels

A device for testing a wireless power network is disclosed. The network includes at least one power source, at least one load, and multiple resonators configured to couple wireless power from the at least one power source to the at least one load. The device includes: a user interface for receiving input from a user and providing information to the user; a measurement module for measuring, whether directly or indirectly, at least one operational characteristic of the wireless power network and information about the geometric arrangement of the multiple resonators in the wireless power network; a memory for storing design specifications about the wireless power network; and an electronic processor configured to calculate information about a performance of the wireless power network based on the measured operational characteristic, the information about the geometric arrangement of the multiple resonators, and the stored design specifications, and further configured to provide the performance information to the user through the user interface.

Resonator arrays for wireless energy transfer

Described herein are improved capabilities for a system and method for wireless energy distribution to a mechanically removable vehicle seat, comprising a source resonator coupled to an energy source of a vehicle, the source resonator positioned proximate to the mechanically removable vehicle seat, the source resonator generating an oscillating magnetic field with a resonant frequency and comprising a high-conductivity material adapted and located between the source resonator and a vehicle surface to direct the oscillating magnetic field away from the vehicle surface, and a receiving resonator integrated into the mechanically removable vehicle seat, the receiving resonator having a resonant frequency similar to that of the source resonator, and receiving wireless energy from the source resonator, and providing power to electrical components integrated with the mechanically removable vehicle seat.

System for wireless energy distribution in a vehicle

Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power converter that includes at least one receiving magnetic resonator configured to capture electrical energy received wirelessly through a first oscillating magnetic field characterized by a first plurality of parameters, and at least one transferring magnetic resonator configured to generate a second oscillating magnetic field characterized by a second plurality of parameters different from the first plurality of parameters, wherein the electrical energy from the at least one receiving magnetic resonator is used to energize the at least one transferring magnetic resonator to generate the second oscillating magnetic field.

Wireless energy transfer converters

A wireless receiver for use with a first electromagnetic resonator coupled to a power supply, the first electromagnetic resonator having a mode with a resonant frequency &#x3c9;, an intrinsic loss rate &#x393;, and a first Q-factor Q=&#x3c9;/2&#x393;, and the wireless receiver includes a load configured to power a system using electrical power, a second electromagnetic resonator configured to be coupled to the load and having a mode with a resonant frequency &#x3c9;, an intrinsic loss rate &#x393;, and a second Q-factor Q=&#x3c9;/2&#x393;, wherein the second electromagnetic resonator is configured to be wirelessly coupled to the first electromagnetic resonator to provide resonant, non-radiative wireless power to the second electromagnetic resonator from the first electromagnetic resonator; and a communication facility to confirm compatibility of the first and second resonators and provide authorization for initiation of transfer of power.

Secure wireless energy transfer

Improved configurations for wireless energy transfer can include system elements of a wireless energy transfer system that may pair in-band and out-of-band communication channels by exchanging related information. Energy transfer signals may be modulated according to defined waveforms. Information about the signal may be transmitted using an out-of-band communication channel. A system element that receives both the signal and information may verify that they correspond to the same system element.

Communication in wireless energy transfer systems

Described herein are improved configurations for providing a stranded printed circuit board trace comprising, a plurality of conductor layers, a plurality of individual conductor traces on each of the said conductor layers, and a plurality of vias for connecting individual conductor traces on different said conductor layers, the vias located on the outside edges of the stranded trace. The individual conductor traces of each layer may be routed from vias on one side of the stranded printed circuit board trace to vias on the other side in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to the axis of the stranded printed circuit board trace. In embodiments, the stranded printed circuit board trace configuration may be applied to a wireless power transfer system.

Low AC resistance conductor designs

Described herein are systems, devices, and methods for a wireless energy transfer source that can support multiple wireless energy transfer techniques. A wireless energy source is configured to support wireless energy transfer techniques without requiring separate independent hardware for each technique. An amplifier is used to energize different energy transfer elements tuned for different frequencies. The impendence of each energy transfer element is configured such that only some of the energy transfer elements is active at a time. The different energy transfer elements and energy transfer techniques may be selectively activated using an amplifier without using active switches to select or activate different coils and/or resonators.

Multiple connected resonators with a single electronic circuit

Described herein are improved configurations for a device for wireless power transfer that includes a conductor forming at least one loop of a high-Q resonator, a capacitive part electrically coupled to the conductor, and a power and control circuit electrically coupled to the conductor, the power and control circuit providing two or more modes of operation and the power and control circuit selecting how the high-Q resonator receives and generates an oscillating magnetic field.

Growing community of inventors

North Andover, MA, United States of America

Konrad J Kulikowski