14008results about "Near-field transmission" patented technology

The present invention is a wireless power system which includes components which can be recharged by harvesting wireless power, wireless power transmitters for transmitting the power, and devices which are powered from the components. Features such as temperature monitoring, tiered network protocols including both data and power communication, and power management strategies related to both charging and non-charging operations, are used to improve performance of the wireless network. Rechargeable batteries which are configured to be recharged using wireless power have unique components specifically tailored for recharging operations rather than for providing power to a device. A wireless power supply for powering implanted devices benefits from an external patient controller which contains features for adjusting both power transmission and harvesting provided by other components of the wireless power network.

A method and apparatus for providing power to e.g., a chargeable device via a radio frequency link. In one aspect, a method of providing power to a chargeable device via radio frequency link comprises generating a substantially un-modulated signal. The method further comprises radiating a substantially un-modulated radio frequency (RF) signal to the chargeable device via a transmit antenna based on the substantially un-modulated signal. The method further comprises powering or charging the chargeable device with power delivered by the substantially un-modulated RF signal.

The electromagnetic energy transfer device includes a first resonator structure receiving energy from an external power supply. The first resonator structure has a first Q-factor. A second resonator structure is positioned distal from the first resonator structure, and supplies useful working power to an external load. The second resonator structure has a second Q-factor. The distance between the two resonators can be larger than the characteristic size of each resonator. Non-radiative energy transfer between the first resonator structure and the second resonator structure is mediated through coupling of their resonant-field evanescent tails.

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A host device peripheral may comprise a wireless power charging apparatus, which may include transmit circuitry and at least one antenna coupled to the transmit circuitry. The at least one antenna may be configured to wirelessly transmit power within an associated near-field region. Additionally, the host device peripheral may be configured to couple to a host device.

The present invention is a wireless power system which includes components which can be recharged by harvesting wireless power, wireless power transmitters for transmitting the power, and devices which are powered from the components. Features such as temperature monitoring, tiered network protocols including both data and power communication, and power management strategies related to both charging and non-charging operations, are used to improve performance of the wireless network. Rechargeable batteries which are configured to be recharged using wireless power have unique components specifically tailored for recharging operations rather than for providing power to a device. A wireless power supply for powering implanted devices benefits from an external patient controller which contains features for adjusting both power transmission and harvesting provided by other components of the wireless power network.

The invention is a system operating on a reference frequency. The system comprises a plurality of at least three nodes. Each node hands off a message received from another node to a subsequent node. Each of the nodes comprises a transceiver receiving a message on the reference frequency from another node and transmitting the received message on the reference frequency to a subsequent node, and a controller controlling operation of the transceiver to receive the.. message transmitted by another node and to transmit the received message to a subsequent node.

An inductive power supply including multiple tank circuits and a controller for selecting at least one of the tank circuits in order to wirelessly transfer power based on received power demand information. In addition, a magnet may be used to align multiple remote devices with the inductive power supply. In one embodiment, different communication systems are employed depending on which coil is being used to transfer wireless power.

Systems, methods, and devices for simplified control over electronic devices are provided. For example, a method for controlling a variety of electronic devices using another single electronic device may include receiving control information associated with a controllable electronic device via near field communication, determining a control scheme for controlling the controllable electronic device based on the control information, and controlling the controllable electronic device using the determined control scheme. The control information may be received from a near field communication interface of the controllable electronic device or from a radio frequency identification tag associated with the controllable electronic device.

Described herein are improved capabilities for a source resonator having a Q-factor Q1>100 and a characteristic size x1 coupled to an energy source, and a second resonator having a Q-factor Q2>100 and a characteristic size x2 coupled to an energy drain located a distance D from the source resonator, where the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to exchange energy wirelessly among the source resonator and the second resonator.

A surgical instrument includes a handle, an adaptor, and a non-contact electrical interface. A proximal end of the adaptor is releasably coupled to a distal end of the handle. The non-contact electrical interface is configured to wirelessly transmit energy from the handle to the adaptor and is configured to wirelessly transmit data from the adaptor to the handle. The electrical interface may include a proximal coil disposed within the handle and a distal coil disposed within the adaptor. When the adaptor is coupled to the handle, the proximal coil may be disposed adjacent the distal coil to form a transformer to inductively transfer energy from the handle to the adaptor and inductively transmit data from the adaptor to the handle.

Techniques for wireless power transmission at levels that induce high power transfer and / or high efficiency of coupling.

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.

An inductively coupled power and data transmission system include a main power source, apparel having an electrical conductor in electrical communication with the main power source, the apparel having a first inductively couplable power and data transmission sub-system to regulate power to the primary coil or coils and transmission of power and data by the primary coil or coils and reception of data by the primary coil or coils, and an independent device having a second inductively couplable power and data transmission sub-system so as to regulate reception of power and data by the secondary coil or coils and transmission of data from a secondary processor by the secondary coil or coils. The first and second primary coils transfer said power and data during inductive coupling, at electromagnetic radiation frequencies, between the first primary coil or coils and the secondary coil or coils.

Described herein are improved capabilities for a source resonator having a Q-factor Q1>100 and a characteristic size x1 coupled to an energy source, and a second resonator having a Q-factor Q2>100 and a characteristic size x2 coupled to an energy drain located a distance D from the source resonator, where the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to exchange energy wirelessly among the source resonator and the second resonator.

The present invention provides wireless power supply systems that wirelessly supply power to a remote device for rapidly charging a charge storage capacitor, which charges a battery with the power stored in the charge storage capacitor. This allows the remote device to be positioned near the inductive power supply for rapid charging of the charge storage capacitor and allows battery charging to continue even after the remote device is removed from the inductive power supply.

A system, apparatus, and method are directed towards automatically managing an access account at an access point using near field communications and credentials stored on a mobile device. The mobile device receives, out-of-band, information for use in creating an account for accessing network resources from the access point. As the mobile device is brought into proximity with the access point, a wireless network connection is established using a near field communication (NFC) protocol. The information, which may include a user credential, account information, and so forth, is communicated to the access point. The access point employs the information to establish an account and create an environment from which access to the network resources may be obtained. Upon termination, the access point removes from itself any user specific data. The access point may provide also session related information useable in billing the user of the mobile device.

A system, method and apparatus for contact-less charging of battery operated devices, including a host charger with a power converter and resonant tank circuit and a portable device where the battery is located, with a battery charging control IC, wherein the method obviates the need for a voltage controller in each of both the host and the portable stages. The charging of the battery in the portable device is controlled by a charging controller therein, which is in continual electric communication with the host, whose output power the control IC dynamically monitors and controls. In one embodiment, component count is minimized but battery charging is not optimized when the battery voltage is very low. In the other embodiment, charging efficiency is maximized regardless of the output voltage of the battery.

There is provided a power transmitting apparatus including a power transmission side communication unit for communicating with one or more power receiving apparatus for receiving transmitted power; a power transmission unit for transmitting power to the one or more power receiving apparatus in a non-contact manner; an allocating unit for dividing transmission of power from the power transmission unit to the power receiving apparatus to a plurality of dividing periods for every predetermined period, and allocating the one or more power receiving apparatus to one of the dividing periods; and a power transmission control unit for selectively transmitting power to the one or more power receiving apparatus for every dividing period based on the allocation result in the allocating unit.

There is disclosed a system and method for transferring power without requiring direct electrical conductive contacts. There is provided a primary unit having a power supply and a substantially laminar charging surface having at least one conductor that generates an electromagnetic field when a current flows therethrough and having an charging area defined within a perimeter of the surface, the at least one conductor being arranged such that electromagnetic field lines generated by the at least one conductor are substantially parallel to the plane of the surface or at least subtend an angle of 45° or less to the surface within the charging area; and at least one secondary device including at least one conductor that may be wound about a core. Because the electromagnetic field is spread over the charging area and is generally parallel or near-parallel thereto, coupling with flat secondary devices such as mobile telephones and the like is significantly improved in various orientations thereof.

A mobile robot includes a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The processor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.

The electromagnetic energy transfer device includes a first resonator structure receiving energy from an external power supply. The first resonator structure has a first Q-factor. A second resonator structure is positioned distal from the first resonator structure, and supplies useful working power to an external load. The second resonator structure has a second Q-factor. The distance between the two resonators can be larger than the characteristic size of each resonator. Non-radiative energy transfer between the first resonator structure and the second resonator structure is mediated through coupling of their resonant-field evanescent tails.

The electromagnetic energy transfer device includes a first resonator structure receiving energy from an external power supply. The first resonator structure has a first Q-factor. A second resonator structure is positioned distal from the first resonator structure, and supplies useful working power to an external load. The second resonator structure has a second Q-factor. The distance between the two resonators can be larger than the characteristic size of each resonator. Non-radiative energy transfer between the first resonator structure and the second resonator structure is mediated through coupling of their resonant-field evanescent tails.

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power while avoiding interference with wireless communication devices. In one aspect a wireless power transmitter apparatus is provided. The wireless power transmitter apparatus includes a transmit circuit configured to wirelessly transmit power at a transmit frequency to a first receiver device. The wireless power transmitter apparatus further includes a controller circuit configured to reduce a level of emission of the transmit circuit at a determined frequency during a period of time based on information about an information signal transmitted to a second receiver device substantially at the determined frequency to be received within the period of time.

An electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device includes a transmitter including a transmitter resonance element having a mechanism for discretely or continuously varying a resonant frequency, a transmitter excitation element coupled to the transmitter resonance element by electromagnetic induction, and an alternating current source for applying an alternating current at the same frequency as the resonant frequency to the transmitter excitation element, and a plurality of receivers each including a receiver resonance element having a specific resonant frequency, a receiver excitation element coupled to the receiver resonance element by electromagnetic induction, and an output circuit for outputting an electric current induced by the receiver excitation element. Electric power is transmitted selectively from the transmitter to any of the receivers having different specific resonant frequencies by changing the resonant frequency of the transmitter.

An ultrasound power transmitter comprising a transmit ultrasonic transducer array has a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound power transmitter activates a set of transmit ultrasonic transducers in close proximity of an electronic device to be arranged to beam ultrasound energy to the electronic device. Alignment magnets of the ultrasound power transmitter are aligned with corresponding alignment magnets of the electronic device to manage the ultrasound beaming. The ultrasound energy may be converted into electric power to charge the battery of the electronic device. Feedbacks may be provided by the electronic device to the ultrasound power transmitter to increase power transmission efficiency. The ultrasound power transmitter may pair the electronic device with other different electronic devices utilizing ultrasonic signals. A spacer with good ultrasound power transmission properties may be located between the ultrasound power transmitter and an ultrasound power receiver of an intended electronic device to enhance power transmission.

The electromagnetic energy transfer device includes a first resonator structure receiving energy from an external power supply. The first resonator structure has a first Q-factor. A second resonator structure is positioned distal from the first resonator structure, and supplies useful working power to an external load. The second resonator structure has a second Q-factor. The distance between the two resonators can be larger than the characteristic size of each resonator. Non-radiative energy transfer between the first resonator structure and the second resonator structure is mediated through coupling of their resonant-field evanescent tails.

An inductive power supply system in which the receiving unit includes a secondary coil and a plurality of resonating circuits with different characteristics. Each of the resonating circuits may include a resonating coil and a resonating capacitor. The resonating coils may be inductively coupled to the secondary coil so that energy may be transferred from one or more of the resonating coils to said receiving unit. The plurality of resonating circuits are configured to provide improved power transfer efficiency or performance at different distances between the primary coil and secondary coil. The present invention may also provide a method for tuning the wireless power system including the general steps of measuring an operating characteristic in the primary unit, measuring an operating characteristic in the receiver unit and tuning one or more of the components in the primary unit and the secondary unit based on a comparison of the two measurements.

A mobile wallet and network system using onetime passwords for authentication is disclosed according to one embodiment of the invention. A onetime password may be generated at a mobile wallet server and transmitted to the mobile device. The onetime password may then be used to authenticate the user of the mobile wallet when completing a transaction. Authentication may require entry of the onetime password and confirmation that the onetime password entered matches the onetime password sent by the mobile wallet server. In other embodiments of the invention, a mobile wallet and a mobile wallet server are in sync and each generate the same onetime password at the same time. These onetime passwords may then be used to authenticate the user of the mobile wallet.