Time-Modulation of Linear Arrays for Real-Time Reconfigurable Wireless Power Transmission

This paper proposes a smart wireless power transmission method, based on a two-step procedure, exploiting real-time beaming of time-modulated arrays. The sideband radiation phenomenon, which is usually a drawback of these radiating systems, is favorably used for intentional wireless power transfer (WPT): in a first step to precisely localize the tag to be powered and in the second one to perform directive WPT. The approach is first theoretically discussed, then the numerical procedure, which integrates full-wave analysis of the antenna array with nonlinear simulation of the modulated nonlinear feeding network, is used to validate the principle of operation and to include nonlinearities and electromagnetic couplings affecting the whole system performance. The procedure allows a flexible design of the time-modulated-array-based WPT system, taking into account the impact of different array elements layout and spacing on localization and power transmission performance. Experiment of the first step is carried out in a real indoor environment at 2.45 GHz: a TI MSP430 drives a Schottky-diode-based network to provide proper modulated RF excitations of the array elements. Measurements show that the system is able to select tags to be energized randomly distributed in a 100 °-scanning range.

[1]  A. Tennant,et al.  Experimental Two-Element Time-Modulated Direction Finding Array , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[2]  Apostolos Georgiadis,et al.  Boosting the Efficiency: Unconventional Waveform Design for Efficient Wireless Power Transfer , 2015, IEEE Microwave Magazine.

[3]  A. Tennant,et al.  A Two-Element Time-Modulated Array With Direction-Finding Properties , 2007, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters.

[4]  Shiwen Yang,et al.  Design of a uniform amplitude time modulated linear array with optimized time sequences , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[5]  Shiwen Yang,et al.  Design of a Low Sidelobe Time Modulated Linear Array With Uniform Amplitude and Sub-Sectional Optimized Time Steps , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[6]  H. Shanks,et al.  FOUR-DIMENSIONAL ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATORS , 1959 .

[7]  Alessandra Costanzo,et al.  Genetic-based design of a tetra-band high-efficiency radio-frequency energy harvesting system , 2013 .

[8]  Luciano Tarricone,et al.  Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting and Wireless Power Transmission: A Unified Approach , 2014, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[9]  V. Rizzoli,et al.  Prediction of the End-to-End Performance of a Microwave/RF Link by Means of Nonlinear/Electromagnetic Co-Simulation , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[10]  P. D. Mitcheson,et al.  Ambient RF Energy Harvesting in Urban and Semi-Urban Environments , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[11]  Gang Li,et al.  An adaptive beamforming in time modulated antenna arrays , 2008, 2008 8th International Symposium on Antennas, Propagation and EM Theory.

[12]  Chong He,et al.  Sideband Radiation Level Suppression in Time-Modulated Array by Nonuniform Period Modulation , 2015, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters.

[13]  Bernard Uguen,et al.  Optimization of Sparse Time-Modulated Array by Genetic Algorithm for Radar Applications , 2014, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters.

[14]  P. Rocca,et al.  Harmonic Beamforming in Time-Modulated Linear Arrays , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[15]  Federico Viani,et al.  Array Designs for Long-Distance Wireless Power Transmission: State-of-the-Art and Innovative Solutions , 2013, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[16]  R. Zane,et al.  Recycling ambient microwave energy with broad-band rectenna arrays , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[17]  Alessandra Costanzo,et al.  Far-field power transmission by exploiting time-modulation in linear arrays , 2015, 2015 IEEE Wireless Power Transfer Conference (WPTC).

[18]  Franco Mastri,et al.  System-Oriented Harmonic-Balance Algorithms for Circuit-Level Simulation , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems.

[19]  Naoki Shinohara,et al.  Development of phased array for high accurate microwave power transmission , 2011, 2011 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Workshop Series on Innovative Wireless Power Transmission: Technologies, Systems, and Applications.

[20]  Z. Nie,et al.  A Novel Electronic Beam Steering Technique in Time Modulated Antenna Array , 2009 .

[21]  V. Rizzoli,et al.  Rigorous Electromagnetic/Circuit-Level Analysis of Time-Modulated Linear Arrays , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[22]  Paolo Rocca,et al.  Pattern synthesis in time-modulated linear arrays through pulse shifting , 2010 .

[23]  W. Kummer,et al.  Ultra-low sidelobes from time-modulated arrays , 1963 .

[24]  Satoshi Yoshida,et al.  Experimental Demonstration of Microwave Power Transmission and Wireless Communication Within a Prototype Reusable Spacecraft , 2015, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[25]  Li Xin,et al.  A Hybrid ABC-DE Algorithm and Its Application for Time-Modulated Arrays Pattern Synthesis , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[26]  Chong He,et al.  Direction Finding by Time-Modulated Array With Harmonic Characteristic Analysis , 2015, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters.

[27]  Shiwen Yang,et al.  Sideband suppression in time-modulated linear arrays by the differential evolution algorithm , 2002, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters.

[28]  D. Fang,et al.  Single-Sideband Time-Modulated Phased Array , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[29]  A. Georgiadis,et al.  Inkjet-printed “Zero-Power” wireless sensor and power management nodes for IoT and “Smart Skin” applications , 2014, 2014 XXXIth URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS).

[30]  A. Costanzo,et al.  Remotely Identify and Detect by a Compact Reader With Mono-Pulse Scanning Capabilities , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[31]  Gang Li,et al.  Adaptive Nulling with Time-Modulated Antenna Arrays Using a Hybrid Differential Evolution Strategy , 2010 .

[32]  Wayne A. Shiroma,et al.  A retrodirective null-scanning array , 2010, 2010 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[33]  Paolo Rocca,et al.  Instantaneous directivity optimisation in time-modulated array receivers , 2012 .

[34]  Ekram Hossain,et al.  Evolution toward 5G multi-tier cellular wireless networks: An interference management perspective , 2014, IEEE Wireless Communications.

[35]  Shiwen Yang,et al.  4-D Arrays as Enabling Technology for Cognitive Radio Systems , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[36]  A. Tennant,et al.  Simultaneous control of sidelobe level and harmonic beam steering in time-modulated linear arrays , 2010 .

[37]  Shiwen Yang,et al.  Direction of Arrival Estimation in Time Modulated Linear Arrays With Unidirectional Phase Center Motion , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[38]  Pedro Pinho,et al.  Smart Surfaces: Large Area Electronics Systems for Internet of Things Enabled by Energy Harvesting , 2014, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[39]  E. Bekele,et al.  Pulse-Shaping Strategy for Time Modulated Arrays—Analysis and Design , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.