This application relates to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/891,430, filed May 10, 2013; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/946,082, filed Jul. 19, 2013; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/891,399, filed May 10, 2014; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/891,445, filed May 10, 2013 U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/272,179, filed May 7, 2014; U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/583,625, filed Dec. 27, 2014, entitled “Receivers for Wireless Power Transmission,” U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/583,630, filed Dec. 27, 2014, entitled “Methodology for Pocket-Forming,” U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/583,634, filed Dec. 27, 2014, entitled “Transmitters for Wireless Power Transmission,” U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/583,640, filed Dec. 27, 2014, entitled “Methodology for Multiple Pocket-Forming,” U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/583,641, filed Dec. 27, 2014, entitled “Wireless Power Transmission with Selective Range,” U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/583,643, filed Dec. 27, 2014, entitled “Method for 3 Dimensional Pocket-Forming,” which are herein fully incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates in general to wireless power transmission, and more specifically, to circuit configurations for obtaining and delivering power from radio frequency (RF) waves.

BACKGROUND

Battery-powered systems for delivering continuous and controlled power or voltage to a load may integrate the functions of one buck converter and one boost converter into a single system, automatically switching from buck or boost operation based on the state of the storage element. However, these systems may not properly work with low voltage, variable power sources, and they may be limited in terms of the number of available modes of operation.

What is needed is a power delivery system capable of working with low voltage, variable power sources (e.g. RF waves), while providing the flexibility of different modes of operation.

SUMMARY

A controlled-power delivery system disclosed herein may be capable of using RF waves to deliver continuous and controlled power to a load. In one embodiment, the controlled-power delivery system may include one or more receiving antennas, one or more rectifiers operatively coupled with the receiving antennas, a first boost converter, a charger, an storage element, a second boost converter, and a load. The receiving antenna may convert transmitted RF waves into AC voltage or power that may be converted into DC voltage or power by the rectifier. The first boost converter may step up the DC voltage from the rectifier to a DC voltage level that may be used by the charger for charging the storage element, where this storage element may include a battery or a capacitor. The second boost converter may increase the voltage from the storage element to deliver a suitable voltage level to the load, where this load may include the battery or internal circuitry of an electronic device.

According to embodiments described herein, the controlled-power delivery system may sustain a plurality of operation modes.

In one embodiment, the controlled-power delivery system may exhibit a current conduction path where the power delivered to the load can be obtained only from the storage element.

In another embodiment, the controlled-power delivery system may exhibit a current conduction path where the power delivered to the load can be obtained only from transmitted RF waves.

Yet in another embodiment, the controlled-power delivery system may exhibit a current conduction path where the power extracted from RF waves can be delivered to the load and the storage element simultaneously.

In a further embodiment, the controlled-power delivery system may exhibit a current conduction path where the power extracted from RF waves can be delivered only to the storage element.

In an even further embodiment, the controlled-power delivery system may exhibit a current conduction path where the power delivered to the load can be obtained simultaneously from RF waves and the storage element.

The controlled-power delivery system disclosed herein may be employed in receivers for wireless power transmission, where RF waves may be used for the generation of a suitable and continuous voltage that can be applied to a load. In addition, the controlled-power delivery system may be able to work with low voltage power sources and may be able to support a plurality of modes of operation for improved functionality. Additional features and advantages can become apparent from the detailed descriptions which follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

