Wireless power supply device and wireless power supply method

Abstract

The application provides a wireless power supply device and a wireless power supply method. The wireless power supply device comprises an antenna and a driving module for changing the position of the antenna. The wireless power supply device can be a transmitting end of wireless power supply. Because the antenna of the transmitting end has the function of variable position, the direction of the antenna can be dynamically adjusted to face the power receiving end, so that the transmitting capacity of all antennas of the transmitting end can be exerted in any application scenario, and the utilization rate of the antenna is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless power supply technology, specifically to a wireless power supply device and a wireless power supply method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing application of wireless communication (e.g., smart homes or industrial sensing and measurement scenarios), the demand for wireless power supply is also becoming stronger. Wireless power supply refers to a transmitter (also known as the source) emitting electromagnetic wave energy through an antenna, and a receiver (also known as the power receiver) receiving electromagnetic wave energy through an antenna and storing the electrical charge.

[0003] The placement of different power receiving terminals may vary, and electromagnetic waves emitted through an antenna are directional. If the direction of electromagnetic wave emission from the transmitting end fails to cover power receiving terminals in certain directions, the transmitting end may not be able to support wireless power supply to power receiving terminals in those directions, or the power supply efficiency may be low.

[0004] In existing technologies, to ensure wireless power supply coverage to all receiving devices, the transmitting end needs to set up antennas in different directions. In practical applications, there are scenarios where the receiving devices are concentrated in one direction. In this case, the antennas on the transmitting end that are not facing the receiving devices have no power output, resulting in reduced antenna utilization. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a wireless power supply device and a wireless power supply method. By enabling the antenna of the wireless power generation transmitter to have a variable position function, the direction of the antenna can be dynamically adjusted so that it faces the power receiving end. This allows the transmitting capabilities of all antennas of the transmitter to be utilized in any application scenario, thereby improving antenna utilization.

[0006] In a first aspect, a wireless power supply device is proposed, comprising: a first antenna; and a driving module for changing the direction of the first antenna.

[0007] The driving module can change the position of the first antenna by any one or a combination of the following operations: driving the first antenna to produce displacement, driving the first antenna to produce a turn (that is, causing the direction of the first antenna to change).

[0008] Optionally, the wireless power supply device is a wireless power supply transmitter (i.e., a source).

[0009] In existing technologies, the antenna of a wireless power transmitter is typically fixed in place, and once installed, its electromagnetic wave transmission range is predetermined. This means the transmission direction can only be adjusted within this given range. However, the antenna cannot cover the receiving devices outside this range. In practical applications, there may be scenarios where receiving devices are concentrated in one direction. In such cases, the antennas on the transmitter that are not facing the receiving devices will not output power, resulting in reduced antenna utilization.

[0010] In this embodiment of the application, the position (e.g., direction) of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter is variable, so the coverage of the antenna can be flexibly varied. Therefore, the antenna of the transmitter can be dynamically adjusted to face the receiving end, so that the transmission capability of all antennas of the transmitter can be utilized in any application scenario, thereby improving the antenna utilization rate.

[0011] Optionally, the wireless power supply device is a wireless power supply receiver (i.e., a power receiving end).

[0012] It should be understood that the antenna of the receiving end of wireless power supply has a variable position function, which can improve the power supply efficiency by adjusting the orientation of the antenna during the process of receiving wireless power.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the wireless power supply device is a wireless power supply transmitter; wherein, the driving module is used to change the position of the first antenna so that the first antenna faces the wireless power supply receiver.

[0014] Optionally, the transmitter further includes a control module, configured to control the drive module to change the position of the first antenna according to the position of the power receiving end, so that the first antenna faces the power receiving end. The drive module changes the position of the first antenna according to the instructions of the control module, so that the first antenna faces the wirelessly powered power receiving end.

[0015] Optionally, the driver module can also support manual driving by the user.

[0016] By flexibly adjusting the direction of the transmitter's antenna according to the location of the receiving end, it can be ensured that the receiving end is within the antenna coverage area of ​​the transmitter.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the wireless power supply device is a wireless power supply transmitter, and the transmitter further includes a second antenna, the current direction of the first antenna is a first direction, and the current direction of the second antenna is a second direction; the transmitter further includes a control module, configured to: determine, based on the position of the power receiving end, that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction; control the drive module to change the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; and control the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0018] Optionally, when all power receiving ends are concentrated in the same direction, the control module is used to: control the drive module to change the direction of antennas whose current direction is not in the same direction, so that all antennas of the wireless power supply device are facing the same direction; and control all antennas of the wireless power supply device to transmit energy using beamforming technology. The antennas whose current direction is not in the same direction include the first antenna.

[0019] By changing the direction of the antennas at the transmitting end, more antennas can be directed in the same direction, and beamforming technology can be used to transmit energy, thus expanding the number of beamforming antennas. It should be understood that the coverage area of ​​beamforming technology is directly proportional to the number of antennas; therefore, expanding the number of beamforming antennas can improve the energy transmission utilization rate at the transmitting end and increase the antenna utilization rate.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the wireless power supply device is a wireless power supply transmitter, and the transmitter further includes a receiving module for receiving location information sent by the power receiving end.

[0021] Optionally, in each of the above implementations, the antenna is an antenna subarray.

[0022] Secondly, a wireless power supply system is provided, including a wireless power supply transmitter and a power receiving end, wherein the direction of the antenna of the transmitter and / or the power receiving end can be changed.

[0023] Optionally, the direction of the antenna of the transmitting end and / or the receiving end can be changed.

[0024] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the transmitting end is used to change the position of the transmitting end according to the position of the receiving end, so that the antenna is oriented toward the receiving end.

[0025] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the transmitting end includes a first antenna and a second antenna, the current direction of the first antenna is a first direction, and the current direction of the second antenna is a second direction; the transmitting end is used to: determine, based on the position of the receiving end, that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction; change the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; and control the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0026] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, all power receiving ends in the wireless power supply system are concentrated in the same direction; wherein, the transmitting end is used to: change the direction of antennas whose current direction is not in the same direction, so that all antennas of the transmitting end are facing the same direction; and control all antennas of the wireless power supply device to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0027] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the antenna of the transmitting end includes an antenna subarray.

[0028] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the power receiving end is used to send the location information of the power receiving end to the transmitting end.

[0029] Thirdly, a method for wireless power supply is provided, the method being performed by a wireless power supply transmitter. The method includes: obtaining the location of the wireless power supply receiver; and, based on the location of the receiver, changing the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter such that the antenna of the transmitter faces the receiver.

[0030] Optionally, changing the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter according to the position of the power receiving end, so that the antenna of the transmitter faces the power receiving end, includes: changing the direction of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter according to the position of the power receiving end, so that the antenna of the transmitter faces the power receiving end.

[0031] In conjunction with the third aspect, in one possible implementation of the third aspect, the transmitting end includes a first antenna and a second antenna, the current direction of the first antenna is a first direction, and the current direction of the second antenna is a second direction; wherein, changing the position of the antenna of the wirelessly powered transmitting end according to the position of the receiving end includes: determining, according to the position of the receiving end, that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction; changing the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; the method further includes: controlling the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0032] In conjunction with the third aspect, in one possible implementation of the third aspect, all the power receiving ends of the wireless power supply are concentrated in the same direction; wherein, changing the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter according to the position of the power receiving end includes: changing the direction of the antenna of the transmitter whose current direction is not in the same direction, so that all the antennas of the transmitter are facing the same direction; the method further includes: controlling all the antennas of the transmitter to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0033] In conjunction with the third aspect, in one possible implementation of the third aspect, the antenna of the transmitting end includes an antenna subarray.

[0034] In conjunction with the third aspect, in one possible implementation of the third aspect, obtaining the location of the wirelessly powered receiving end includes: receiving location information sent by the receiving end.

[0035] Based on the above description, this application enables the antenna of the wireless power generation transmitter to have a variable position function, such as a directional function, so that the direction of the antenna can be dynamically adjusted to face the receiving end, thereby maximizing the transmission capabilities of all antennas of the transmitter in any application scenario and improving antenna utilization. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a wireless power supply scenario.

[0037] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of a wireless power supply device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 3 A schematic block diagram of a wireless power supply transmitter (i.e., source) provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0039] Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the dynamic change of the antenna direction at the transmitting end in an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of beamforming.

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic block diagram of a wireless power supply transmitter provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0042] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of a wireless power receiving end provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a wireless power supply system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 10A schematic flowchart illustrating the wireless power supply method provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0045] In smart home and industrial sensing and measurement scenarios, there are numerous sensor nodes, all of which require power and communication. To simplify wiring, these sensor nodes primarily use wireless communication methods (e.g., Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth) and are generally powered by batteries. However, batteries result in bulky sensors and require replacement once storage capacity is depleted. As sensor applications become more widespread, the demand for wireless power supply is growing stronger. Common far-field wireless power supply refers to a transmitter (or source) emitting electromagnetic energy through an antenna, while a receiver (or power recipient) receives and stores this energy through an antenna.

[0046] The placement of different power receivers is likely to vary. For example, in a smart home scenario, there are multiple power receivers, each placed in a different location within the room. However, electromagnetic waves emitted through an antenna are directional. If the direction of electromagnetic wave emission from the transmitter fails to cover power receivers in certain directions, the transmitter may not be able to support wireless power supply to those receivers, or the power supply efficiency may be low.

[0047] To ensure wireless power supply coverage to all receivers, existing technologies employ the concept that the transmitter needs to install antennas in different directions. For example, the transmitter installs antennas in each direction where power is needed, targeting all receivers. Figure 1 As shown, in a smart home scenario, the transmitter (source) is mounted on the roof, and a bottom antenna 3 is installed on it. Receiving terminals 1 to n are within the coverage area of ​​the bottom antenna 3, so the bottom antenna 3 can provide wireless power to receiving terminals 1 to n. Receiving terminals x-1 and x-2 are not within the coverage area of ​​the bottom antenna 3, so a side antenna 1 and a side antenna 2 need to be added to the transmitter to power receiving terminal x-1 and x-2, respectively. Ultimately, the transmitter has three antennas installed: the bottom antenna 3, the side antenna 1, and the side antenna 2.

[0048] However, in practical applications, there may be scenarios where the receiving end is concentrated in one direction. In this case, the antennas installed on the transmitting end that are not facing the receiving end have no power output, resulting in reduced antenna utilization. For example, in Figure 1In the example, suppose that under certain circumstances, the receiving end x-1 and the receiving end x-2 are no longer in use. In this case, the receiving ends are concentrated below the transmitting end. Because the receiving end 1 to the receiving end n are not within the coverage area of ​​the side antenna 1 and the side antenna 2, the side antenna 1 and the side antenna 2 have no power output, resulting in a decrease in the antenna utilization rate of the transmitting end.

[0049] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a wireless power supply device and a wireless power supply method. By making the position of the antenna at the transmitting end of the wireless power generation variable, for example, by having a directional function, the transmitting capabilities of all antennas can be fully utilized in any application scenario, thereby improving antenna utilization.

[0050] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram of a wireless power supply device 200 provided in an embodiment of this application. The wireless power supply device 200 can be either a wireless power transmitter (source) or a wireless power receiver (power recipient). Figure 2 As shown, the wireless power supply device 200 includes an antenna 210 and a drive module 220, the drive module 220 being used to change the position of the antenna 210.

[0052] For example, the drive module 220 can change the position of the antenna 210 by any one or a combination of the following operations: driving the antenna 210 to produce displacement, driving the antenna 210 to produce a turn (that is, causing the direction of the antenna 210 to change).

[0053] For example, in the initial state, the antenna 210 is oriented in the first direction, and the driving module 220 can change the antenna 210 to be oriented in the second direction.

[0054] The drive module 220 can be driven electrically or manually.

[0055] Optionally, the driving method of the driving module 220 is electric drive.

[0056] As an example, the drive module 220 includes a motor and a control linkage. The motor drives the control linkage to rotate, and the control linkage is integrated with the antenna. Therefore, by driving the control linkage to rotate, the antenna can be rotated, i.e., the antenna's direction can be changed. The motor can be activated upon receiving a control command, thereby driving the control linkage to rotate.

[0057] As another example, the drive module 220 includes a motor and a control linkage. The motor drives the control linkage to produce displacement, and the control linkage is integrated with the antenna. Therefore, by driving the control linkage to produce displacement through the motor, the antenna can be driven to move, thereby changing the antenna's position. The motor can be activated upon receiving a control command, thereby driving the control linkage to produce displacement.

[0058] Optionally, the driver module 220 can also support manual driving.

[0059] As an example, the drive module 220 includes a grip that is integrated with the antenna. The user can move or rotate the grip, which can drive a change in the position of the antenna, for example, drive the antenna to produce displacement or rotation (i.e., drive the antenna to change direction).

[0060] It should be understood that the drive module 220 can also change the position (e.g., direction) of the antenna 210 in other feasible ways, which are not limited in this application.

[0061] For example, in an embodiment where the drive module 220 is used only to drive the antenna 210 to change direction, the drive module 220 may also be referred to as a steering module.

[0062] Alternatively, the drive module 220 may be a component external to the antenna 210.

[0063] Alternatively, the drive module 220 may be a component integrated inside the antenna 210.

[0064] When the drive module 220 is integrated inside the antenna 210, the antenna 210 can be understood as an antenna with a position-variable function, such as an antenna with a steering function.

[0065] For example, the wireless power supply device 200 provided in the embodiments of this application can be understood as a wireless power supply device with an antenna that has a variable position function, such as a wireless power supply device with an antenna that has a turning function.

[0066] It should be understood that the wireless power supply device 200 may include one or more antennas. The antenna 210 mentioned in the embodiments of this application represents each antenna installed on the wireless power supply device 200. In other words, the scheme described herein regarding antenna 210 is applicable to any antenna installed on the wireless power supply device 200.

[0067] Optionally, when the wireless power supply device 200 includes multiple antennas, each antenna can correspond to one drive module 220. For example, the wireless power supply device 200 includes M antennas and M drive modules corresponding one-to-one with the M antennas. That is, each of the M drive modules is used to change the position of its corresponding antenna.

[0068] Optionally, if the wireless power supply device 200 includes multiple antennas, the positions of these multiple antennas can be uniformly driven by a single driving module.

[0069] Optionally, such as Figure 3 As shown, the wireless power supply device 200 is the transmitter (i.e., the source) for wireless power supply.

[0070] As an example. For instance. Figure 4 As shown, the wireless power supply transmitter (source) is equipped with antennas 1, 2, and 3. In the initial state of the transmitter, antennas 1, 2, and 3 are all oriented downwards towards the bottom of the transmitter. Figure 4 As shown, antennas 1, 2, and 3 can all be mounted on the bottom surface of the transmitter, for example, on the same horizontal plane. Figure 4 As shown, the direction of antenna 1 can be changed to face the receiving end x-1, and the direction of antenna 2 can be changed to face the receiving end x-2.

[0071] As another example. Figure 5 As shown, the wirelessly powered transmitter (source) is equipped with antennas 1, 2, and 3. In the initial state of the transmitter, antenna 1 faces outwards on one side of the transmitter, antenna 2 faces outwards on the other side of the transmitter, and antenna 3 faces downwards from the bottom of the transmitter. Figure 5 As shown, the direction of antenna 1 can be changed to face the bottom of the transmitter, and the direction of antenna 2 can also be changed to face the bottom of the transmitter.

[0072] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the example, the steering of antenna 1 and antenna 2 is achieved through the drive module. Figure 4 and Figure 5 (The driving module is not shown in the diagram). The driving module can be integrated into antenna 1 and antenna 2 respectively, or the driving module can be located outside antenna 1 and antenna 2.

[0073] In existing technologies, the antenna of the transmitting end in wireless power supply is usually fixedly installed, and once installed, the electromagnetic wave transmission range of the antenna is fixed. That is to say, the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves can only be adjusted within the given electromagnetic wave transmission range. However, the antenna cannot cover the receiving end outside the given electromagnetic wave transmission range.

[0074] For example, see Figure 1The example shown illustrates this. The bottom antenna 3 is fixedly mounted at the bottom of the transmitter. Receiving terminals x-1 and x-2 are not within the coverage area of ​​the bottom antenna 3; therefore, the bottom antenna 3 cannot supply power to receiving terminals x-1 and x-2. The side antenna 1 is fixedly mounted on the side of the transmitter facing receiving terminal x-1. Receiving terminals x-2 and receiving terminals 1 through n are not within the coverage area of ​​the side antenna 1; therefore, the side antenna 1 cannot supply power to receiving terminals x-2 and receiving terminals 1 through n. The side antenna 2 is fixedly mounted on the side of the transmitter facing receiving terminal x-2. Receiving terminals x-1 and receiving terminals 1 through n are not within the coverage area of ​​the side antenna 2; therefore, the side antenna 2 cannot supply power to receiving terminals x-1 and receiving terminals 1 through n.

[0075] In practical applications, there may be scenarios where the receiving end is concentrated in one direction. In this case, the antennas installed on the transmitting end that are not facing the receiving end have no power output, resulting in reduced antenna utilization. For example, in Figure 1 In the example, suppose that under certain circumstances, receiving terminals x-1 and x-2 are no longer in use, and in this case, the receiving terminals are concentrated below the transmitting terminal. Since receiving terminals 1 to n are not within the coverage area of ​​side antennas 1 and 2, side antennas 1 and 2 have no power output, resulting in reduced antenna utilization at the transmitting terminal.

[0076] In this embodiment of the application, the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter is variable (e.g., the direction is variable), so the coverage of the antenna can be flexibly varied. This allows the position of the transmitter antenna to be flexibly adjusted according to the position of the power receiving end, so that all antennas can supply power to the power receiving end, thereby improving the antenna utilization rate of the transmitter.

[0077] It should be noted that changing the antenna's position (e.g., changing the antenna's direction) as mentioned in the embodiments of this application is different from changing the antenna's electromagnetic wave emission direction. In this application, by changing the antenna's position, the antenna's coverage range can also be flexibly changed. In the prior art, the transmitting antenna is usually fixedly installed, and the electromagnetic wave emission direction can be adjusted within a given transmission range, but the antenna's coverage range cannot be changed in real time.

[0078] It should be understood that because the transmitting antenna has a directional function, the direction of the antenna can be dynamically adjusted to face the receiving end, so that the transmitting capability of all antennas at the transmitting end can be utilized in any application scenario, thereby improving antenna utilization.

[0079] Furthermore, because the transmitting antenna has a directional function, the direction of the antenna can be dynamically adjusted, thereby dynamically adjusting the coverage range of the transmitting antenna, which in turn ensures that the receiving end is within the coverage range of the transmitting antenna.

[0080] Optionally, the wireless power supply device 200 is a wireless power supply receiver (i.e., a power receiving end).

[0081] It should be understood that the antenna of the receiving end of the wireless power supply has a position-variable (e.g., directional) function, which can improve power supply efficiency by adjusting the position (e.g., direction) of the antenna during the process of receiving wireless power.

[0082] Optionally, such as Figure 3 As shown, the wirelessly powered transmitter 200 also includes a control module 230, which controls the drive module 220 to change the position of the antenna 210.

[0083] For example, control module 230 sends a control command to drive module 220, and drive module 220 changes the position of antenna 210 according to the control command. For example, in the example described above where drive module 220 includes a motor and a control linkage, the motor receives the control command from control module 230 and drives the control linkage according to the control command.

[0084] It should be understood that the driver module 220 can also support manual driving.

[0085] For example, the drive module 220 has a grip for the user to hold, and the user can drive the drive module 220 to change the position of the antenna 210 by moving the grip.

[0086] Optionally, in an embodiment where the wireless power supply device 200 is a wireless power transmitter (i.e., a source), the drive module 220 is used to change the position of the antenna 210 so that the antenna 210 faces the wireless power receiver by:

[0087] Change the direction of antenna 210.

[0088] For example, in an embodiment where the transmitter 200 includes a control module 230, the control module 230 is further configured to control the drive module 220 to change the direction of the antenna 210 according to the location of the wirelessly powered receiver, so that the antenna 210 faces the receiver.

[0089] The location of the power receiving end mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be understood as the spatial region to which the power receiving end belongs.

[0090] In this embodiment of the application, the direction of the transmitting end's antenna is changed according to the location of the receiving end, so that the transmitting end's antenna faces the receiving end. Therefore, it can be ensured that the receiving end is within the coverage area of ​​the transmitting end's antenna.

[0091] Optionally, the control module 230 can also control the drive module 220 to change the direction of the antenna 210 according to user instructions, so that the antenna 210 faces the receiving end. As an example, the user can send commands to the control module 230 using a remote control.

[0092] The control module 230 can select the antenna whose direction needs to be changed based on the location of the receiving end (assuming that the transmitting end includes multiple antennas).

[0093] Optionally, the transmitter 200 includes multiple antennas (including...) Figure 3 The control module 230 is further configured to determine the first antenna among multiple antennas that needs to change direction based on the position of the power receiving end; and control the drive module 220 to change the direction of the first antenna so that the first antenna faces the power receiving end.

[0094] As an example, suppose the wireless power supply scenario includes receiver 1, receiver 2, and receiver 3, with different orientations for each receiver. Assume the transmitter 200 includes antenna 1, antenna 2, and antenna 3. The control module 230 is used to determine, based on the position of receiver 1, that antenna 1 should wirelessly supply power to receiver 1, i.e., determine that the direction of antenna 1 needs to be turned towards receiver 1; based on the position of receiver 2, determine that antenna 2 should wirelessly supply power to receiver 2, i.e., determine that the direction of antenna 2 needs to be turned towards receiver 2; and based on the position of receiver 3, determine that antenna 3 should wirelessly supply power to receiver 3, i.e., determine that the direction of antenna 3 needs to be turned towards receiver 3. The control module 230 is also used to control the drive module 220 to change the direction of antenna 1 towards receiver 1; control the drive module 220 to change the direction of antenna 2 towards receiver 2; and control the drive module 220 to change the direction of antenna 3 towards receiver 3.

[0095] As another example. Figure 4 As shown, the wireless power supply transmitter (source) is equipped with antennas 1, 2, and 3. In the initial state of the transmitter, antennas 1, 2, and 3 are all oriented downwards towards the bottom of the transmitter. Figure 4 As shown, antennas 1, 2, and 3 can all be mounted on the bottom surface of the transmitting end, for example, on the same horizontal plane. The control module 230 is used to: acquire the position of the receiving end (i.e., receiving end 1 to receiving end n, and receiving end x-1 and receiving end x-2); detect that receiving end x-1 and receiving end x-2 are not within the coverage area of ​​the current antenna, and determine that the antenna direction needs to be changed; assign antenna 1 to receiving end x-1, assign antenna 2 to receiving end x-2, and assign antenna 3 to receiving end 1 to receiving end n; control the drive module 320 to change the direction of antenna 1 so that it faces receiving end x-1, and control the drive module 320 to change the direction of antenna 2 so that it faces receiving end x-2.

[0096] As yet another example. Figure 5 As shown, the wireless power supply transmitter (source) is equipped with antennas 1, 2, and 3. In the initial state of the transmitter, antenna 1 faces the outer side of one side of the transmitter, antenna 2 faces the outer side of the other side of the transmitter, and antenna 3 faces the bottom of the transmitter. The control module 230 is used to: obtain the position of the receiving end (i.e., receiving end 1 to receiving end n); detect that antennas 1 and 2 do not currently cover the receiving end, determine that the direction of antennas 1 and 2 needs to be changed; control the drive module 320 to change the direction of antenna 1 so that it faces the receiving end 1 to receiving end n, and control the drive module 320 to change the direction of antenna 2 so that it faces the receiving end 1 to receiving end n.

[0097] Optionally, in Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the transmitter 200 includes a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the first antenna represents... Figure 3 The antenna 210 shown in the diagram has its current direction as the first direction and its current direction as the second direction. The control module 230 is used to: determine, based on the position of the receiving end, that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction; control the drive module 220 to change the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; and control the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0098] Beamforming is a technique that directs electromagnetic waves in a specific direction. In wireless power systems, the transmitter emits energy via electromagnetic waves, and beamforming focuses this energy. Typically, an antenna array is used to achieve beamforming. An antenna array contains multiple wave sources. By controlling the relative phase and amplitude of the transmitted waves from these sources, the electromagnetic radiation gain of all sources can be concentrated in one direction (i.e., at the receiver's location), while the radiation gain is very low in other areas. Figure 6 As shown. Therefore, controlling the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology means controlling the relative phase and amplitude between the transmitted waves from multiple wave sources on the first antenna and the second antenna, so that the electromagnetic wave radiation gain of the wave sources on the first antenna and the second antenna is concentrated in one direction (i.e., the location of the receiving end).

[0099] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, by turning the first antenna in the second direction and then controlling the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology, it is equivalent to expanding the number of beamforming antennas.

[0100] It should also be understood that the coverage area of ​​beamforming technology (i.e. the number of focal points) is directly proportional to the number of antennas. Therefore, expanding the number of antennas can improve the energy transmission efficiency of the transmitter, that is, it can improve the antenna utilization rate.

[0101] Optionally, when all receiving ends are concentrated in the same direction, the control module 230 is used to: control the drive module 220 to change the direction of the antenna whose current direction is not in the same direction, so that all antennas of the transmitter 200 are facing the same direction; and control all antennas of the transmitter 200 to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0102] As an example. In Figure 5 In the example shown, after the drive module 220 rotates antenna 1 and antenna 2 toward the direction of receiving end 1 to receiving end n, the control module 230 is also used to control antenna 1, antenna 2 and antenna 3 to transmit electromagnetic waves through beamforming technology.

[0103] It can be understood that, compared to the initial state where beamforming is performed through antenna 3, beamforming is performed through antennas 1, 2, and 3, thus expanding the number of antennas used for beamforming.

[0104] Because the coverage area of ​​beamforming technology (i.e. the number of focal points) is proportional to the number of antennas, increasing the number of antennas can improve the energy transmission efficiency of the transmitter, that is, it can improve the antenna utilization rate.

[0105] In this embodiment, by changing the direction of the antenna at the transmitting end, more or all antennas on the transmitting end can be made to face the same direction, and beamforming technology can be used to transmit energy, thus expanding the number of beamforming antennas, thereby improving the energy transmission utilization rate of the transmitting end and increasing the antenna utilization rate of the transmitting end.

[0106] For example, when all receiving ends are concentrated in the same direction, adjusting all antennas that are not in the same direction at the transmitting end to face the receiving end, and using beamforming technology to transmit energy, so that all antennas at the transmitting end are beamformed as an antenna array, can better improve the energy transmission utilization rate of the transmitting end and improve the antenna utilization rate of the transmitting end.

[0107] Optionally, such as Figure 3 As shown, the transmitter 200 may further include a receiver module 240 for receiving location information transmitted by the receiver. The control module 230 is used to obtain the location information of the receiver from the receiver module 240, and thereby control the drive module 220 to adjust the position of the antenna 210 so that it faces the receiver according to the position of the receiver.

[0108] For example, the antenna mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be an antenna subarray, that is, an antenna array containing multiple wave sources.

[0109] For example, the wireless power supply device 200 (transmitter and / or receiver) in the embodiments of this application includes one or more antenna subarrays.

[0110] Antenna subarrays can use beamforming technology to transmit electromagnetic wave energy.

[0111] Assuming the transmitter includes an antenna subarray, the transmitter can use this antenna subarray to transmit electromagnetic wave energy using beamforming technology.

[0112] As can be seen from the above description, in this embodiment of the application, by enabling the antenna of the wireless power generation transmitter to have a position-variable function (e.g., a turning function), the position of the antenna can be dynamically adjusted to face the receiving end, thereby enabling the transmission capabilities of all antennas of the transmitter to be utilized in any application scenario and improving antenna utilization.

[0113] As an example. Figure 7 This is an example diagram of a wirelessly powered transmitter (source) 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. The transmitter 700 includes a control module 710, a receiver module 720, a transmitter module 730, and an antenna array pool 740.

[0114] Antenna array pool 740 includes multiple antenna subarrays (such as...) Figure 7 The antenna subarrays shown are 1, 2, ..., n, each with a position-variable function (e.g., a steering function).

[0115] For example, each antenna subarray has a built-in drive module 220, or each antenna subarray is connected to an external drive module 220. Figure 7 (Driver module 220 is not shown in the image).

[0116] The receiving module 720 is used to receive the location information of the power receiving end.

[0117] For example, the receiving module 720 receives the location information of the powered terminal sent by the powered terminal.

[0118] For example, the receiving module 720 receives the location information of the powered end sent by the user using a remote control.

[0119] The control module 710 is used to obtain the position of the receiving end from the receiving module 720, and control one or more antenna subarrays in the antenna array pool 740 to change their position, for example, change their direction, according to the position of the receiving end.

[0120] Taking the control module 710 controlling the antenna subarray 2 to change direction as an example, the control module 710 sends a control command to the drive module 220 in the antenna subarray 2 to drive the drive module 220, so that the direction of the antenna subarray 2 changes.

[0121] The transmitting module 730 is used to select one or more antenna subarrays in the antenna array pool 740 for transmitting electromagnetic waves.

[0122] The control module 710 can correspond to the control module 230 in the previous embodiment. For details, please refer to the above description, which will not be repeated here.

[0123] The antenna array pool 740 can correspond to the antenna 210 and driving module 220 in the previous embodiment. In other words, the antenna array pool 740 can include the antenna 210 and driving module 220 in the previous embodiment. For details, please refer to the above description, which will not be repeated here.

[0124] As an example. Figure 8 This is an example diagram of a wirelessly powered receiving end 800 provided in an embodiment of this application. The receiving end 800 includes an antenna 810, a transmitting module 820, a receiving module 830, and an energy storage module 840.

[0125] The transmitting module 820 is used to transmit the location information of the receiving end 800 to the transmitting end via the antenna 810.

[0126] The receiver module 830 is used to receive electromagnetic waves emitted by the transmitter via the antenna 810.

[0127] The energy storage module 840 is used to store the electromagnetic wave energy received by the receiving module 830.

[0128] It should be understood that, depending on the functions of the power receiving terminal 800, the power receiving terminal 800 may also include other functional modules.

[0129] For example, the power receiving end 800 is a sensor, and the power receiving end 800 may also include a sensing module and a corresponding control module. This application does not limit this.

[0130] like Figure 9 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment also provides a wireless power supply system 900, including a wireless power supply transmitter 910 and a power receiving end 920, wherein the direction of the antenna of the transmitter 910 and / or the power receiving end 920 can be changed.

[0131] Optionally, the transmitter 910 is used to change the antenna of the transmitter 910 according to the position of the receiver, so that the antenna faces the receiver.

[0132] Optionally, the transmitter 910 includes a first antenna and a second antenna, the current direction of the first antenna being the first direction and the current direction of the second antenna being the second direction; the transmitter 910 is used to: determine, based on the position of the receiver, that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction; change the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; and control the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0133] Optionally, all power receiving ends in the wireless power supply system are concentrated in the same direction; wherein, the transmitter 910 is used to: change the direction of antennas whose current direction is not in the same direction, so that all antennas of the transmitter 910 are facing the same direction; and control all antennas of the wireless power supply equipment to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0134] Optionally, the antenna of the transmitter 910 includes an antenna subarray.

[0135] Optionally, the receiving end is used to send the location information of the receiving end to the transmitting end 910.

[0136] For example, the transmitter 910 is the wireless charging device 200 that serves as the transmitter in the previous embodiment. For a detailed description, please refer to the above, and it will not be repeated here.

[0137] For example, transmitter 910 is transmitter 700 in the previous embodiment. For a detailed description, please refer to the above, and it will not be repeated here.

[0138] For example, the power receiving terminal 920 is the power receiving terminal 800 in the previous embodiment. For a detailed description, please refer to the above, which will not be repeated here.

[0139] The control modules involved in the above embodiments can be processing modules or implemented by processor-related circuits.

[0140] The various embodiments described herein can be independent solutions or combinations thereof based on their inherent logic, and all such solutions fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0141] The apparatus embodiments provided in this application have been described above. The method embodiments provided in this application will be described below. It should be understood that the description of the method embodiments corresponds to the description of the apparatus embodiments. Therefore, any content not described in detail can be referred to the apparatus embodiments above. For the sake of brevity, it will not be repeated here.

[0142] like Figure 10 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment also provides a method 1000 for wireless power supply. The method 1000 includes steps S1010 and S1020.

[0143] S1010: Obtain the location of the wireless power receiving end.

[0144] S1020, depending on the location of the receiving end, changes the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter so that the antenna of the transmitter faces the receiving end.

[0145] Optionally, step S1020 includes: changing the direction of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter according to the location of the power receiving end, so that the antenna of the transmitter faces the power receiving end.

[0146] Optionally, step S1010 includes: receiving location information sent by the power receiving end.

[0147] Optionally, in step S1010, the system may also receive instruction information sent by the user using a remote control to obtain the location information of the power receiving end.

[0148] Optionally, the transmitting end includes a first antenna and a second antenna, the current direction of the first antenna is the first direction, and the current direction of the second antenna is the second direction; step S1020 includes: determining that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction according to the position of the receiving end; changing the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; the method 1000 further includes: controlling the first antenna and the second antenna to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0149] Optionally, all the receiving ends of the wireless power supply are concentrated in the same direction; step S1020 includes: changing the direction of the antennas of the transmitting end that are not in the same direction, so that all the antennas of the transmitting end are facing the same direction; the method 1000 further includes: controlling all the antennas of the transmitting end to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

[0150] It should be understood that method 1000 is executed by a wirelessly powered transmitter. For example, the executing entity of method 1000 is the wirelessly powered device 200, which serves as the transmitter in the previous embodiment. As another example, the executing entity of method 1000 is the transmitter 700 in the previous embodiment.

[0151] It should be understood that the embodiments of this application can be applied to scenarios where multiple nodes (power receiving ends) are wirelessly powered.

[0152] It should also be understood that the embodiments of this application can also be applied to other technical fields, such as smart home sensor networks, industrial measurement sensor networks, environmental measurement sensor networks, etc.

[0153] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0154] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0155] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0156] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0157] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0158] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0159] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0160] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A wireless power supply device, used as a transmitter in wireless power supply, characterized in that, include: A first antenna and a second antenna, which are used to transmit electromagnetic wave energy, wherein the current direction of the first antenna is the first direction and the current direction of the second antenna is the second direction; The driving module is used to change the position of the first antenna; The control module is used to determine, based on the position of the power receiving end in the wireless power supply, that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction so that the first antenna faces the power receiving end; The driving module is controlled to change the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; The first and second antennas are controlled to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

2. The wireless power supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second antenna is currently oriented toward the receiving end.

3. The wireless power supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module is used for: When all power receiving ends are concentrated in the same direction, the drive module is controlled to change the direction of the antenna whose current direction is not in the same direction, so that all antennas of the wireless power supply device are facing the same direction. All antennas controlling the wireless power supply device transmit energy using beamforming technology.

4. The wireless power supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first antenna is an antenna subarray.

5. The wireless power supply device according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Also includes: The receiving module is used to receive the location information sent by the power receiving terminal.

6. A wireless power supply system, characterized in that, The system includes a wirelessly powered transmitter and receiver. The positions of the antennas of the transmitter and / or receiver are changeable. Each antenna includes a first antenna and a second antenna. The current direction of the first antenna is a first direction, and the current direction of the second antenna is a second direction. The transmitting end is used to determine, based on the position of the receiving end, that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction, so that the first antenna faces the receiving end; Change the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; The first and second antennas are controlled to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

7. The wireless power supply system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second antenna is currently oriented toward the receiving end.

8. The wireless power supply system according to claim 6, characterized in that, All power receiving terminals in the wireless power supply system are concentrated in the same direction; The transmitting end is used for: Change the orientation of antennas whose current orientation is not in the same direction, so that all antennas of the transmitting end are facing the same direction; All antennas at the transmitting end are controlled to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

9. The wireless power supply system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The antenna at the transmitting end includes an antenna subarray.

10. The wireless power supply system according to any one of claims 6-9, characterized in that, The receiving end is used to send the location information of the receiving end to the transmitting end.

11. A method for wireless power supply, characterized in that, include: Obtain the location of the wireless power receiver; Based on the location of the receiving end, the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter is changed so that the antenna of the transmitter faces the receiving end. The antenna is used to transmit electromagnetic wave energy. The antenna includes a first antenna and a second antenna. The current direction of the first antenna is a first direction, and the current direction of the second antenna is a second direction. The step of changing the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter according to the position of the power receiving end, so that the antenna of the transmitter faces the power receiving end, includes: Based on the location of the power receiving end, it is determined that the first antenna needs to be turned to the second direction so that the first antenna faces the power receiving end; Change the direction of the first antenna to the second direction; The method further includes: The first and second antennas are controlled to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second antenna is currently oriented toward the receiving end.

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, All power receiving devices in wireless power supply are concentrated in the same direction; The step of changing the position of the antenna of the wireless power supply transmitter according to the position of the power receiving end includes: Change the orientation of antennas whose current orientation is not in the same direction, so that all antennas of the transmitting end are facing the same direction; The method further includes: All antennas at the transmitting end are controlled to transmit energy using beamforming technology.

14. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The antenna at the transmitting end includes an antenna subarray.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11-14, characterized in that, Obtaining the location of the wirelessly powered receiver includes: Receive the location information sent by the power receiving terminal.

Images