PFI:AIR-TT: DeepBeam: Wirelessly chargeable portable batteries through energy beamforming

这个PFI: AIR技术翻译项目的重点是将分布式无线射频（RF）充电概念转化为小型传感器和设备的网络辅助电池补充系统。这将使小型设备（如手机）能够无线充电，从而摆脱电缆和电源插座的限制。该项目名为DeepBeam，将确保此类物联网设备持续运行，最大限度地减少用户参与和电池相关维护停机时间，并为未来10年将广泛部署的数百亿物联网（IOT）设备提供能源管理网络。许多对安全至关重要的传感和监控任务越来越依赖于家庭、工业和公共领域的传感器，这使得DeepBeam在无线能源传输方面的创新成为一个重要的投资领域。该项目将产生一个由多个能量发射器（ETs）和高效能量收集电路组成的概念验证网络。DeepBeam将包含以下独特功能：(i)在能量发射器之间优化安排无线充电操作的软件控制器，以及（ii）可以在未授权频段和蜂窝频段收集能量的电路。与市场上领先的无线充电解决方案相比，DeepBeam的设计特点具有以下优势：40-45%的能量收集效率，数十米的充电半径，以及在任何空间方向上的无限制充电。该项目解决了从研究发现到商业应用的以下技术差距：(i)设计一种基于信道估计技术的波束形成算法，以消除对该设备连续反馈的需要，从而使来自多个源点的能量束能够在目标上正确定向并产生建设性的能量干扰；（ii）开发和制造一种能量收集电路，该电路与现成的传感器接口，并且还能够将接收到的能量聚集在多个频谱带上；（iii）在软件控制器中设计调度算法，根据不断变化的网络需求决定目标接收机的选择和充电波束的有效持续时间。此外，参与该项目的人员，一名博士后研究员和一名研究生，将通过共同申请专利，撰写发明公开文件和参与商业化活动来获得创新和技术翻译经验。PFI团队与东北创业指导网络（VMN）和大学创业教育中心紧密联系，为项目的技术翻译目标提供指导支持。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a distributed wireless radio-frequency (RF) charging concept to a network-assisted battery replenishment system for small form-factor sensors and devices. This will result in the ability to charge small devices, such as cell phones, wirelessly, which will untether them from the constraints of cables and power sockets. The project, called DeepBeam, will ensure such IOT devices operate continuously, with minimum user involvement and battery-related maintenance downtimes, and enable an energy management network for the tens of billions of Internet of Things (IOT) devices that will be pervasively deployed over the next decade. Many safety-critical sensing and monitoring tasks increasingly rely on sensors in homes, industries and public areas, which make DeepBeam's innovation in wireless energy delivery an important area of investment. The project will result in a proof of concept network of multiple energy transmitters (ETs) and a high-efficiency energy harvesting circuit. DeepBeam will incorporate the following unique features: (i) a software controller that optimally schedules wireless charging operations among the energy transmitters, and (ii) a circuit that can harvest energy in both the unlicensed and the cellular frequency bands. DeepBeam's design features provide the following advantages: 40-45% energy harvesting efficiency, charging radius of several tens of meters, and unconstrained charging in any spatial direction when compared to the leading competing wireless charging solutions in this market space.  The project addresses the following technology gaps as it translates from research discovery toward commercial application: (i) Designing a beamforming algorithm based on channel estimation techniques to eliminate the need for continuous feedback from that device, so that the energy beams from multiple source points can be properly oriented with constructive energy interference at the target, (ii) Developing and fabricating an energy harvesting circuit that interfaces with off-the-shelf sensors and is also capable of aggregating the received energy over multiple spectrum bands, (iii) Devising a scheduling algorithm in the software controller that will decide the selection of the target receivers and the active duration of the charging beams based on the changing network needs. In addition, the personnel involved in this project, one post doctoral researcher and one graduate student, will receive innovation and technology translation experiences through jointly filed patents, writing invention disclosure documents and participating in commercialization activities. The PFI team is strongly connected to the Northeastern Venture Mentoring Network (VMN) and the university's Center for Entrepreneurship Education that contribute mentoring support towards the technology translation goals of the project.