Portable Wireless Power Charger With Integrated Wireless Power Receiving Facilities

Abstract

The technology described herein is directed to wireless power chargers with integrated power receiving facilities. Indeed, embodiments of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing wireless power chargers with integrated power receiving facilities. In some implementations, a portable wireless power charging apparatus is disclosed. The portable wireless power charging apparatus includes one or more antennas configured to wirelessly receive directed wireless power from a wireless power transmission system via a first radiative wireless power transfer technology in a multipath wireless power delivery environment. The portable wireless power charging apparatus further includes a wireless power receiver configured to convert the wireless power received via the first radiative wireless power transfer technology to direct current (DC) power, and a wireless power transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the DC power to a portable electronic device via a nonradiative wireless power transfer technology.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving wireless power radiatively directed to the apparatus from a source positioned distally from the apparatus;   a circuit operably coupled to the means for receiving wireless power to convert the wireless power to a direct current; and   a transmitter operably coupled to the circuit for transducing the direct current to a form of energy sufficient to transfer electric power to an electronic device using non-radiative wireless power transfer.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transfer electric power to the electronic device using the non-radiative wireless power transfer in the absence of physical coupling between the electronic device and the apparatus. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising means for receiving and storing at least a portion of energy of the direct current. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  further comprising control means for:
 determining a power level of the means for receiving and storing; and 
 regulating, based on the power level, the direct current to maintain a minimum charging current at the electronic device due to the non-radiative wireless power transfer. 
 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the control means is further for regulating the direct current further based on a level, or availability, of the radiatively directed wireless power. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising means for determining if the apparatus is located at a distance from the source that is insufficient for receiving the radiatively directed wireless power. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  further comprising means for receiving and storing at least a portion of energy of the direct current, wherein the means for determining is configured to direct the wireless power transmitter to transduce energy stored in the means for receiving and storing to a form sufficient to charge the electronic device using the non-radiative wireless power transfer when the apparatus is located at the insufficient distance from the source. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving wireless power is configured to receive the wireless power directed from the source using a far-field radiative technique. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the wireless power transmitter is configured to charge the electronic device using a near-field nonradiative technique. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising a near-field wireless power receiver operably coupled to the circuit to:
 wirelessly receive power via a first non-radiative wireless power transfer technology; and 
 convert the power received via the first non-radiative wireless power transfer technology to electric power. 
 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30  further comprising a near-field wireless power transmitter operably coupled to the circuit for transducing the power received by the near-field wireless power receiver to a form sufficient to transfer the power to the electronic device via a second non-radiative wireless power transfer technology different from the first non-radiative wireless power transfer technology. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving wireless power includes at least one antenna. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving wireless power includes a plurality of antennas. 
     
     
         34 . A method comprising:
 receiving wireless power radiatively directed to an apparatus from a source positioned distally from the apparatus;   converting, by the apparatus, the wireless power to a direct current; and   transducing, by the apparatus, the direct current to a form of energy sufficient to charge an electronic device using non-radiative wireless power transfer.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising charging, by the apparatus, the electronic device using the non-radiative wireless power transfer in the absence of physical coupling between the electronic device and the apparatus. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising storing at least a portion of energy of the direct current in an energy storage device of or associated with the apparatus. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising redirecting at least a portion of the energy of the direct current to an energy storage device prior to the transducing. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving the wireless power directed from the source using at least one of: radio frequency-, microwave-, and laser-, based wireless power transfer. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising transferring electric power to the electronic device using the non-radiative wireless power transfer via least one of:
 inductive, 
 resonant, 
 capacitive, and 
 magneto dynamic, 
 
       coupling-based wireless power transfer. 
     
     
         40 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media having program instructions stored thereon which when executed by at least one processor cause a machine to:
 cause an antenna to receive wireless power radiatively directed to the antenna from a source positioned distally from the antenna; and   cause a circuit operably coupled to the antenna to:
 convert the wireless power to a direct current; and 
 transduce the direct current to a form of energy sufficient to charge an electronic device using non-radiative wireless power transfer.