US-12620836-B2 - Two-way secure interface for an optical wireless power system

US12620836B2US 12620836 B2US12620836 B2US 12620836B2US-12620836-B2

Abstract

Methods and systems for enabling secure communication between a wireless charging system and at least one external device. The wireless charging system comprises at least one transmitter for supplying receiver(s) with wireless power. The external device may be used to control the wireless charging system by updating configuration files, instructing the transmitter as to which receiver to supply power to, and to supply billing information to enable receiver(s) to pay for wireless charging. The wireless charging system may provide the external device with data, such as receiver details, or images of the vicinity around the transmitter or receiver. The system only carries out the above if a key is presented to the wireless charging system. The key may be a physical key inserted into a component of the wireless charging system, such as into the transmitter, or a numeric key received by the wireless charging system.

Inventors

Ortal Alpert
Yoav Biderman
Ran Sagi

Assignees

WI-CHARGE LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20201004

Claims (20)

1 . A system for distributing power from a transmitter to at least one receiver, the transmitter comprising: a laser adapted to emit a beam; a beam deflection unit adapted to scan the beam in a vicinity of the transmitter in order to identify at least one receiver; a transmitter control unit, configured to control the power of the laser beam and to control the direction of deflection of the laser beam by the beam deflection unit; and at least one communication port, providing connection to an external control unit, for at least one of receiving and transmitting data; wherein the at least one receiver comprises a photovoltaic cell adapted to convert the laser beam into electrical power, and wherein, access is gained to at least one instruction comprising at least one of the following commands: (i) modify a configuration file of the system; (ii) modify a software code in the system; (iii) modify a firmware code in the system; and (iv) send any of the following data through the communication port between the transmitter and the external control unit: (a) an image of the vicinity of the transmitter; (b) an image of the vicinity of the at least one receiver; or (c) identification of the at least one receiver, the access being gained via the at least one communication port, after the transmitter control unit verifies that there is an indication of at least one of: the presence of a hardware key associated with the transmitter, or a numeric key received through the at least one communication port.
2 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the modification of configuration files, software code or firmware code are performed after causing the laser to turn off or to emit a beam below a predetermined power level.
3 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the numeric key is obtained through a signature of the configuration file, software code or firmware code.
4 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein the transmitter control unit is adapted to verify the signature, either prior to emitting the laser beam, or prior to modifying a configuration file, software code, or firmware code in the system.
5 . The system according to claim 3 wherein the transmitter control unit is adapted to verify the signature of the configuration file after modifying a configuration file, software code, or firmware code in the system.
6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the data further comprises at least one of billing information, information regarding charging time of the at least one receiver, information regarding charging power of the at least one receiver and payment details of the at least one receiver.
7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware key creates a communication channel, such that in the absence of use of the key, the data is physically isolated from the communication port.
8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration files comprise any of (i) software updates, (ii) firmware updates, (iii) updates regarding the calibration parameters of the beam emitter or of a power meter in the receiver.
9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless power supply system is adapted to (i) generate an image of the field of view of the transmitter and (ii) identify receivers in the field of view of the transmitter, using either the laser to scan the field of view, or a scanning device, for identification of the direction of receiver devices.
10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the data comprises at least one of (i) the image of the field of view, or (ii) data determined from the identification.
11 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein after the modification of the configuration file, the control unit is adapted to perform a safety check of at least one configuration parameter of the system, and if the at least one configuration parameter is outside predetermined criteria, wireless power supply to the receiver device is not resumed.
12 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the numeric key is an authentication code.
13 . A method for supplying wireless power from a transmitter device to at least one receiver, the method comprising: (a) performing a scan of the vicinity of the transmitter device, to generate an image of the vicinity; (b) identifying the location of at least one receiver within the vicinity; (c) supplying the at least one identified receiver with energy; and (d) ensuring the integrity of the system by requiring a transmitter control unit to execute sensitive instructions received from a control device external to the transmitter, following at least one of: the connecting or presenting of a hardware key to the system, such that a communication channel is enabled; or an indication of a digital authentication key, wherein the sensitive instructions comprise at least one of the following commands: (i) modification of at least one digital file of the transmitter device; and (ii) transmission over a communication port connecting the transmitter device with the external device, at least one of: (a) the image of the vicinity, (b) information regarding the at least one identified receiver, or (c) information regarding the energy supplied to the at least one identified receiver device.
14 . A wireless charging system for distributing power from a transmitter to at least one receiver, the transmitter comprising: a laser adapted to emit a beam into a field of view; a beam deflection unit capable of deflecting the laser beam into at least one direction in the field of view; and a control unit, configured to control the power of the laser beam and to control the direction of deflection of the laser beam by the beam deflection unit; and wherein the at least one receiver comprises a photovoltaic cell adapted to convert the laser beam into electrical power, and wherein the wireless charging system further comprises: a hardware key configured to be connected or presented to the wireless charging system, the hardware key adapted to enable at least one of: (a) execution of at least one instruction received at the control unit, from a device external to the control unit; and (b) a connection between the at least one device external to the transmitter and the control unit; and wherein if the system is not presented with said hardware or digital key, then the system is precluded from (a) executing received instructions and (b) connecting with said device external to the control unit.
15 . A system according to claim 14 wherein the at least one instruction comprises a command to modify a software code in the system.
16 . A system according to claim 14 wherein the at least one instruction comprises a command to send an image of the vicinity of the transmitter, through the communication port.
17 . The system according to claim 14 wherein the at least one instruction comprises at least one of the commands to: (i) modify a configuration file of the system (ii) modify a software code in the system (iii) modify a firmware code in the system (iv) send any of the following data through the communication port: (a) an image of the vicinity of the transmitter; (b) an image of the vicinity of the at least one receiver; or (c) identification of the at least one receiver.
18 . The system according to claim 14 wherein the connection enables the control unit to execute at least one of the commands to: (i) modify a configuration file of the system (ii) modify a software code in the system (iii) modify a firmware code in the system (iv) send any of the following data through the communication port: (a) an image of the vicinity of the transmitter; (b) an image of the vicinity of the at least one receiver; or (c) identification of the at least one receiver.
19 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein the modification of configuration files, software code and firmware code are performed after the laser is turned off or configured to emit a beam below a predetermined power level.
20 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein the data further comprises at least one of billing information, information regarding charging time of the at least one receiver, information regarding charging power of the at least one receiver and payment details of the at least one receiver.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a national phase application filed under 35 USC § 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/IL2020/051076 with an International filing date of Oct. 4, 2020, which claims priority of U.S. provisional patent 62/910,581, with a filing date of Oct. 4, 2019. Each of these applications is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. FIELD The present disclosure describes technology related to the field of wireless charging, especially relating to the provision of a secure communication channel between a wireless charging unit and a device external to the wireless charging unit. BACKGROUND The need for wireless power transmission systems is generally accepted as a long-existing need, perhaps since the pioneering work of Nikola Tesla at the beginning of the twentieth century. Some such proposed wireless power systems are based on transmitting electromagnetic beams to photovoltaic cells or to antennae on a receiver, others are based on transmitting an ultrasound beam, or other types of power beams to the receivers. Such suggested transmitting devices are referred to in this disclosure as “transmitters” and may use a laser beam, or another directed-power beam, to supply receivers with power. The “receivers” referred to in this disclosure typically refer to the unit which supplies the transmitted wireless power at its intended destination to the user of the power, typically a portable electronic device, or a device intended to be charged wirelessly, to obviate the need for battery replacement. Receivers are typically equipped with a photovoltaic cell to convert the beam received from the transmitter to usable electrical power, to enable charging or operating client devices without the need to plug the device into a physical socket. In such systems, the transmitter may identify the receiver by receiving from it a reflection of the transmitted beam, and/or receiving a wireless communication from it. Typically, the vicinity of a transmitter is scanned using either the electromagnetic beam emitted by the transmitter, typically on a low power setting, or using a separate light source, RF or ultrasound beam. Once a transmitter has located a receiver, the transmitter may use a scanning mirror or another beam aiming device, to direct its beam towards the identified receiver for charging. Such systems usually operate automatically, by identifying receivers which are within range of the transmitter and powering them. Typically, a transmitter control unit associated with the transmitter is used to control both the scanning and the actual wireless charging. The transmitter control unit may be able to choose to which receivers to supply energy, to choose a power level of the beam, or to instruct the system to perform room scans. Such room scans can be used to detect receivers in the transmitter's field of view (FOV) or in that part of the FOV where the scan is performed. The transmitter control unit may generate an image of the surroundings of the transmitter and determine receiver locations. In International Patent Application published as WO2009/083990, for “Wireless Laser Power Transmitter”, having a common inventor and commonly owned by the present applicant, there is described a system in which a low power probe beam is used between transmitter and receiver to detect when a beam can safely be transmitted to a receiver, before enabling the beam power to be increased to its useful operating level. The disclosures of each of the publications mentioned in this section and in other sections of the specification, are hereby incorporated by reference, each in its entirety. SUMMARY The present disclosure describes new exemplary systems for providing secure communication between a wireless charging unit and an external receiving device. A secure communication channel between a remote external device or unit and a wireless power supply unit, otherwise referred to as a transmitter, allows for many advantages. For example, wireless charging units may contain software and/or firmware files that require periodic updates. Especially if more than one transmitter device is used in a wireless charging system, should the transmitter units be offline, updating multiple transmitter devices may necessitate a technician physically visiting each transmitter unit in order to update the configuration files. On the other hand, given that transmitter devices are in wired or wireless contact with an external control unit, the external unit may have the ability to simultaneously execute updates on multiple transmitter devices by simply sending a command to multiple transmitters. Furthermore, a secure communication channel between a transmitter unit and an external device may allow for an external device to control one or more transmitters and/or transmitter control units and optionally coordinate between transmitter units. The external device may decide which receiver device should be charged by which tr