Wireless Power Receiver Clients With Dynamically Reconfigurable Antenna Configurations

Abstract

The technology described herein relates to apparatus, methods and computer readable media for operating wireless power receivers with reconfigurable (or adaptive) antenna configurations for improved wireless power transfer in wireless power delivery environments. A method according to the technology includes the step of determining that power received, via a means for receiving wireless power, from a wireless power source in the wireless power delivery environment is below a threshold level. The method also includes the step of cycling through two or more configuration settings for the means for receiving wireless power. The method further includes the step of identifying one of the two or more configuration settings that provides for power received via the means for receiving wireless power meeting or exceeding the threshold level.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining that power received, via a means for receiving wireless power, from a wireless power source in a wireless power delivery environment is below a threshold level;   cycling through two or more configuration settings for the means for receiving wireless power; and   identifying one of the two or more configuration settings that provides for power received via the means for receiving wireless power meeting or exceeding the threshold level.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising measuring a level of wireless power received via the means for receiving wireless power. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modifying at least one attribute of the means for receiving wireless power according to the two or more configuration settings. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transducing at least a portion of the wireless power for transmission to an energy storage device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 transmitting a beacon signal into the wireless power delivery environment; and 
 receiving the wireless power from the wireless power source in response to transmitting the beacon signal. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transducing at least a portion of the wireless power for transmission to an electronic device for operation thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electronic device is, or includes, one of: a video game controller, a safety sensor, an electric toothbrush, an electronic door lock, an electronic door handle, an electric light switch controller, and an electric shaver. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving wireless power from a wireless power source in a wireless power delivery environment; and   circuitry coupled to the means for receiving wireless power, wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 determine that power received via the means for receiving wireless power is below a threshold level; 
 cycle through two or more configuration settings for the means for receiving wireless power; and 
 identify one of the two or more configuration settings that provides for power received via the means for receiving wireless power meeting or exceeding the threshold level. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to measure a level of wireless power received via the means for receiving wireless power. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the means for receiving wireless power includes one or more radio frequency (RF) antennas. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more RF antennas includes a switchable antenna array. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more RF antennas includes a plurality of RF antennas. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is collocated, or associated, with an electronic device having an energy storage device. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is further coupled to the energy storage device, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to transduce at least a portion of the wireless power for transmission to the energy storage device. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to transduce at least a portion of the wireless power for transmission to an electronic device collocated, or associated, with the apparatus for operation of the electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is collocated, or associated, with an electronic device having a display, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for receiving a signal encoding data representative of display data for presentation to a user in the wireless power delivery environment via the display. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the means for receiving the signal encoding data representative of display data includes one or more RF antennas. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is collocated, or associated, with an electronic device, and wherein the electronic device is, or includes, one of: a server desktop, a desktop computer, a computer cluster, a mobile computing device, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a mobile phone, and a smart phone. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is collocated, or associated, with an electronic device, and wherein the electronic device is, or includes a wearable device, or a device embedded on or within a person. 
     
     
         20 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon program instructions which, when executed by a processing system of a machine, cause the machine to:
 determine that power received, via a means for receiving wireless power, from a wireless power source in a wireless power delivery environment is below a threshold level;   cycle through two or more configuration settings for the means for receiving wireless power; and   identify one of the two or more configuration settings that provides for power received via the means for receiving wireless power meeting or exceeding the threshold level.