patents

Overview of the First Patent Family
Issued U.S. Patent – U.S. Pat. No. 9,796,280
Filed: March 25, 2013
Issued: October 24, 2017
Priority: March 15, 2013 (U.S. Provisional App. No. 61/794,237)
Priority: March 23, 2012 (U.S. Provisional App. No. 61/614,604)
1 PCT Continuation Application – PCT/US2013/33720
Filed: March 25, 2013
Published: September 26, 2013 (WO 2013/142866)
1 Pending U.S. Continuation Application – U.S. App. No. 15/722,598

Representative Claim
A wireless charging station comprising: a charging unit configured to wirelessly transfer power to a receiver in a vehicle; a control module communicatively coupled to the charging unit and configured to activate the charging unit to transfer the power to the vehicle wirelessly in response to determining the receiver is aligned with the charging unit; a communication unit communicatively coupled to the control module and configured to communicate alignment data with one or more devices associated with the vehicle for displaying a visual indicator to facilitate moving the vehicle such that the receiver is aligned with the charging unit; and a housing body positionable beneath the vehicle for housing the charging unit and the control module, the charging unit being configured to be positioned at least partially under a street, the housing body having a conduit therethrough in which a communication medium is positionable for communicatively coupling the charging unit and the control module to a utility line, the housing body comprising a mounting ring for coupling the charging unit to a lid of the housing body, the lid of the housing body being configured to be substantially flush with the street.

Representative Claim
A wireless charging station comprising: a charging unit configured to wirelessly transfer power to a receiver in a vehicle; a control module communicatively coupled to the charging unit and configured to activate the charging unit to wirelessly transfer the power to the vehicle when the receiver is determined to be aligned with the charging unit; a communication unit communicatively coupled to the control module and configured to communicate an alignment data with one or more devices associated with the vehicle for displaying a visual indicator to facilitate moving the vehicle such that the receiver of the vehicle is aligned with the charging unit; and a housing body housing the charging unit and the control module, the housing body having a conduit therethrough in which a communication medium is positionable for communicatively coupling the charging unit and the control module to a utility line, the housing body comprising a mounting bezel and a removable cover coupled to the mounting bezel, wherein the charging unit is enclosed within the housing body by the removable cover of the housing body and secured to the mounting bezel such that the charging unit is immovable relative to the receiver of the vehicle.

Overview of the Second Patent Family
Issued U.S. Patent – U.S. Pat. No. 10,369,894
Issued: August 27, 2019
PCT Continuation Application – PCT/US2017/57910
Filed: October 23, 2017
Published: April 26, 2018 (WO 2018/076016)

Representative Claim
A method comprising: determining, by a processing device of a user device, a location of a charging station based on a communication that is over a cellular network and that is between the user device and the charging station, the charging station having a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting power to a receiver of an electric vehicle for charging the electric vehicle; generating, by the processing device, a first user interface for display to a user associated with the electric vehicle, the first user interface having directions to the charging station from a current location of the user device; determining, by the processing device, that the electric vehicle is located within a first predetermined distance from the charging station that is physically separate from the electric vehicle; determining, by the processing device, alignment data at least in part by measuring a strength of a surrounding electromagnetic field using one or more low frequency antennas coupled to at least one of the transmitter or the receiver; receiving, by the processing device, the alignment data wirelessly transmitted from the charging station via a communication path that is independent of the cellular network in response to determining that the electric vehicle is located within the first predetermined distance from the charging station; generating, by the processing device, a second user interface for display to the user, the second user interface having alignment instructions for moving the electric vehicle into alignment with the charging station based on the alignment data in response to the electric vehicle being located within the first predetermined distance from the charging station; and activating, by the processing device, a primary coil associated with the transmitter to a lower power state in which power to the primary coil is below that of a higher power state in response

Overview of the Third Patent Family
Issued U.S. Design Patent – U.S. Pat. No. D813,810
Filed: October 21, 2016
Issued: March 27, 2018

Overview of the Fourth Patent Family
Issued U.S. Design Patent – U.S. Pat. No. D889,405
Filed: November 15, 2018
Issued: July 7, 2020

Overview of the Fifth Patent Family
Issued U.S. Utility Patent – U.S. Pat. No. 10,128,697
Issued: November 13, 2018

Representative Claim
A method comprising: activating a primary coil in a transmitter to generate an electromagnetic field in response to a receiver being positioned within a predetermined distance from the primary coil, the receiver being coupled to a battery in an electric vehicle for wirelessly receiving power from the transmitter for charging the battery; measuring a voltage induced on a sensor coil in response to a foreign object being positioned within the electromagnetic field, the sensor coil comprising a first spiral coupled to a second spiral at a point, the first spiral being spiraled in a first direction away from the point and the second spiral being spiraled in a second direction away from the point; determining the foreign object is between the transmitter and the receiver based on the voltage; and recording information in a server, the information including a time that the foreign object is determined to be between the transmitter and the receiver.

Overview of the Sixth Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/670,385
Filed: November 15, 2018

Overview of the Seventh Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/670,387
Filed: November 15, 2018

Overview of the Eight Patent Family
Pending U.S. Utility Provisional Application – U.S. App. No.
63/145,901
Filed: February 4, 2021

Representative Claim
A transmitter assembly for magnetic power transfer, comprising: a primary inductor configured to produce an electromagnetic field; and’ a back shield unit including a primary back shield that has a first surface proximal to the primary inductor and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the primary back shield being at least partially made of a ferromagnetic material and having a property that is non-uniformly distributed from a center region of the primary back shield to an outer perimeter region of the primary back shield, the property including a thickness, a magnetic property, or a combination thereof.

Overview of the Ninth Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/772,717
Filed: March 3, 2021

Overview of the Tenth Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/772,718
Filed: March 3, 2021

Overview of the Eleventh Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/772,720
Filed: March 3, 2021

Overview of the Twelfth Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/772,721
Filed: March 3, 2021

Overview of the Thirteenth Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/772,722
Filed: March 3, 2021

Overview of the Fourteenth Patent Family
Pending U.S. Design Application – U.S. App. No.
29/772,723
Filed: March 3, 2021