Transmitters and receivers for wireless energy transfer

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for receiving magnetic transmission of power from at least a first high-Q resonator, comprising a wire loop high-Q resonator, having a wire formed into at least one loop forming an inductance and having a capacitance, the wire loop resonator having an LC value tuned for receiving a magnetic field of a first specified frequency, and producing an output based on receiving the magnetic field that includes electrical power. The wire loop resonator may include a first part associated with the wire loop resonator which increases the coupling between the first high-Q resonator and the wire loop portion of said resonator without increasing the radius of the wire loop resonator.

1 . A system for receiving magnetic transmission of power from at least a first high-Q resonator, comprising:
 a wire loop high-Q resonator, having a wire formed into at least one loop forming an inductance and having a capacitance, said wire loop resonator having an LC value tuned for receiving a magnetic field of a first specified frequency, and producing an output based on receiving said magnetic field that includes electrical power; and   said wire loop resonator including a first-part associated with said wire loop resonator which increases the coupling between said first high-Q resonator and said wire loop portion of said resonator without increasing the radius of said wire loop resonator.   
     
     
         2 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said wire loop is a rectangular loop. 
     
     
         3 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein said rectangular loop has rounded edges. 
     
     
         4 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first part increases the height of said wire loop. 
     
     
         5 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first part includes a part formed of a magnetic material. 
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first part includes a part formed of a dielectric material. 
     
     
         7 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first part is a coupling increasing part. 
     
     
         8 . A system as in  claim 7 , wherein said coupling increasing part has a relative permeability, and the coupling increasing depends on the relative permeability. 
     
     
         9 . A system as in  claim 7 , wherein said coupling increasing part includes magnetic material, and an amount of coupling increase is related to the amount of said magnetic material. 
     
     
         10 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a housing, wherein said wire loop resonator is oriented near at least one area of said housing. 
     
     
         11 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a connection to a wireless power circuit, carrying said output. 
     
     
         12 . The system as in  claim 10 , wherein said wire loop resonator docs not extend beyond the outer perimeter of said housing. 
     
     
         13 . A system claim as in  claim 10 , wherein said housing is formed of metallic material, and said resonator is separated from said metallic material. 
     
     
         14 . A system as in  claim 13 , wherein said separation forms a gap, such that κ>0. 
     
     
         15 . A system as in  claim 13 , wherein said loop resonator is separable from said housing and movable relative thereto. 
     
     
         16 . A system as in  claim 13 , further comprising a magnetic material portion. 
     
     
         17 . A system as in  claim 9 , further comprising a housing, adapted for housing mobile electronics, and said magnetic material is within said housing, wherein said wire loop resonator is wound around said magnetic material. 
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 17 , further comprising at least one opening in said housing, such that κ>0. 
     
     
         19 . A system as in  claim 18 , wherein said housing is formed of a metallic material. 
     
     
         20 . A method for receiving a magnetic transmission of power from at least one high-Q resonator, comprising:
 using a high-Q resonator with an LC value formed by a wire loop tuned to a value that is resonant with a frequency of a magnetic field, said resonator having a wire loop forming an inductance, and having a capacitance;   said using comprising increasing a coupling to said wire loop portion of said resonator without increasing the radius of the wire loop resonator;   receiving said magnetic field and producing usable power based thereon;   applying said power to a load, to power said load based on receiving said magnetic field that includes electrical power.   
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 20 , wherein said wire loop is a rectangular loop. 
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 21 , wherein said rectangular loop has rounded edges. 
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 21 , wherein said increasing comprises winding said wire loop around magnetic material. 
     
     
         24 . A method as in  claim 21 , wherein said increasing comprises using multiple turns of wire. 
     
     
         25 . A method as in  claim 21 , further comprising a housing, and further comprising said wire loop resonator which is oriented-near at least one area of said housing. 
     
     
         26 . The method as in  claim 25 , wherein said wire loop resonator docs not extend beyond the outer perimeter of said housing. 
     
     
         27 . A method as in  claim 25 , wherein said housing is formed of metallic material, and further comprising using said wire loop resonator which is separated from said metallic material. 
     
     
         28 . A method as in  claim 27 , further comprising a gap between said wire loop resonator and said metallic material, such that κ>0. 
     
     
         29 . A method as in  claim 20 , wherein said loop resonator is separable from said housing and further comprising allowing moving said loop resonator movable relative to said housing. 
     
     
         30 . A system for magnetic power transfer between at least two coupled high-Q resonators, comprising:
 a first high-Q resonator formed of an inductive loop and a capacitor element; and   a first compensating structure, which compensates for effects of extraneous objects on the resonator.   
     
     
         31 . A system as in  claim 30 , wherein said first resonator has a Q factor of greater than 1500. 
     
     
         32 . A system as in  claim 30 , wherein said first resonator has a Q factor of greater than 2000. 
     
     
         33 . A system as in  claim 32 , wherein said resonator is a single loop resonator. 
     
     
         34 . A system as in  claim 30 , wherein said inductive loop has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         35 . A method for wireless power transfer between at least two coupled high-Q resonators, comprising:
 determining if an environment perturbs the mode of any of the at least two coupled high-Q resonators;   selecting a high-Q resonator design that is robust to said perturbation based on said determining; and   using said selected resonator as part of a system to retrieve electrical power from a magnetic power transmission.   
     
     
         36 . A method as in  claim 35 , wherein at least one high-Q resonator has more than 2 turns of an inductive loop. 
     
     
         37 . A method as in  claim 35 , wherein at least one high-Q resonator has two or fewer turns of an inductive loop. 
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 35 , wherein at least one resonator has a Q greater than 1500. 
     
     
         39 . A system for receiving wireless power from at least a first high-Q resonator, comprising:
 a housing, adapted for housing mobile electronics;   a high-Q loop resonator portion, oriented near at least one area of said housing; and   a connection to a wireless power circuit.   
     
     
         40 . The system as in  claim 39 , wherein at least one portion of said resonator does not extend beyond the outer perimeter of said housing. 
     
     
         41 . A system as in  claim 40 , wherein said housing is formed of a nonmetallic material, and said resonator is physically in contact with said nonmetallic material. 
     
     
         42 . A system as in  claim 40 , wherein said housing is formed of a metallic material, and said resonator is separated from said metallic material. 
     
     
         43 . A system as in  claim 42 , wherein said separation forms a gap, such that κ>0. 
     
     
         44 . A system as in  claim 39 , wherein said loop resonator is separable from said housing and movable relative therewith. 
     
     
         45 . A system as in  claim 39 , further comprising a magnetic material portion. 
     
     
         46 . A system for receiving wireless power from at least one high-Q resonator, comprising:
 a housing, adapted for housing mobile electronics;   a coil winding form, extending across said housing from at least a first side of said housing to a second side of said housing;   a high-Q coil, wound around said form; and   at least one opening in said housing, such that κ>0.   
     
     
         47 . A system as in  claim 46 , wherein said form is formed of a magnetic material. 
     
     
         48 . A system as in  claim 46 , wherein said housing is formed of a metallic material. 
     
     
         49 . A system for magnetic transmission of power between at least two high-Q resonators, comprising:
 a first high-Q wire loop resonator, having a wire formed into at least one loop forming an inductance, and having a capacitance, said wire loop having an LC value tuned for transmitting a magnetic field of a first specified frequency, and producing a magnetic transmission of a magnetic field; and   said resonator including a first part associated with said wire loop resonator which increases the coupling between said first wire loop portion of said resonator, and another resonator, without increasing the radius of said first wire loop resonator.   
     
     
         50 . A system as in  claim 49 , wherein said wire loop is a rectangular loop. 
     
     
         51 . A system as in  claim 50 , wherein said rectangular loop has rounded edges. 
     
     
         52 . A system as in  claim 49 , wherein said first part increases the height of said wire loop. 
     
     
         53 . A system as in  claim 49 , wherein said first part includes a part formed of magnetic material. 
     
     
         54 . A system as in  claim 49 , wherein said first part includes a part formed of a dielectric material. 
     
     
         55 . A system as in  claim 49 , wherein said first part is a coupling increasing part. 
     
     
         56 . A system as in  claim 55 , wherein said coupling increasing part has a relative permeability and the coupling increasing depends on the relative permeability. 
     
     
         57 . A system as in  claim 55 , wherein said coupling increasing part includes magnetic material, and an amount of coupling increasing is related to a amount of said magnetic material. 
     
     
         58 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a connection to an AC power source.