Energous WattUp mid-range power transmitter granted approval by FCC
Wireless charging technology company Energous announced that it has received Federal Communications Commission certification of the WattUp Mid Field transmitter, which when perfected will deliver RF-based power to compatible devices at a distance of three feet.
The company notes that the latest demonstrated version of the technology isn't brand-specific, and can deliver power with a device in contact with the charger, or to devices a maximum of three feet away.
WattUp technology has three range bands, contact or short, the now approved three-foot mid-range, and 15-foot long-range which remains not approved. At present it is unclear exactly how practical a three-foot transmission range will be other than on a user's desk for compatible phones, laptops, and input devices.
The FCC approval is the first of its kind to use a new category of FCC rules allowing for higher power delivery at range.
However, FCC approval doesn't mean that the device is shipping in any form -- and the company has had a few missteps along the way.
During the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, Energous CEO Steve Rizzone said that the company had signed a deal with "one of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world."
"I cannot tell you who it is," Energous Rizzone said. "But, I can virtually guarantee that you have products from this company on your person, sitting on your desk, or at home."
In December 2016, Energous inked a deal to develop and market hardware components through longtime Apple chip supplier Dialog Semiconductor, suggesting a future iPhone might support similar technology.
Apple is Dialog's biggest consumer electronics contract, and is believed to account for more than 70 percent of the firm's revenues. Further, Energous in a recent quarterly conference call said "most, if not all, of Energous' early adopters are existing Dialog customers."
Under the deal's terms, Dialog is investing $10 million in Energous to become the firm's exclusive component supplier. For Energous, the partnership grants access to Dialog's sales and distribution channels
Energous and Dialog launched the DA4100 RF-Transmit integrated circuit integrated in the WattUp platform in February, and promised to ship by the end of the year.
The WattUp platform uses small antennas to transfer power, instead of relying on a system of inductive charging coils. This change in transmission technology greatly increases the distance devices can be from the power transmitter, allowing users to place the charging smartphones and tablets a few feet away, rather than placing them on a special mat or using a specific magnetic connector, as used by existing systems.
Energous itself has previously cranked up the rumor mill without delivering, however. In March 2015, the company revealed a development and licensing agreement with a "tier one" consumer electronics company, and name-checked Apple in a regulatory filing. Nothing materialized from either the licensing agreement, or the regulatory filing.
The company claimed at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show that it would be shipping before the end of that year, as well.
Energous will be demonstrating the WattUp technology at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, between Jan 9. and Jan. 12.
The company notes that the latest demonstrated version of the technology isn't brand-specific, and can deliver power with a device in contact with the charger, or to devices a maximum of three feet away.
WattUp technology has three range bands, contact or short, the now approved three-foot mid-range, and 15-foot long-range which remains not approved. At present it is unclear exactly how practical a three-foot transmission range will be other than on a user's desk for compatible phones, laptops, and input devices.
The FCC approval is the first of its kind to use a new category of FCC rules allowing for higher power delivery at range.
However, FCC approval doesn't mean that the device is shipping in any form -- and the company has had a few missteps along the way.
During the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, Energous CEO Steve Rizzone said that the company had signed a deal with "one of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world."
"I cannot tell you who it is," Energous Rizzone said. "But, I can virtually guarantee that you have products from this company on your person, sitting on your desk, or at home."
In December 2016, Energous inked a deal to develop and market hardware components through longtime Apple chip supplier Dialog Semiconductor, suggesting a future iPhone might support similar technology.
Apple is Dialog's biggest consumer electronics contract, and is believed to account for more than 70 percent of the firm's revenues. Further, Energous in a recent quarterly conference call said "most, if not all, of Energous' early adopters are existing Dialog customers."
Under the deal's terms, Dialog is investing $10 million in Energous to become the firm's exclusive component supplier. For Energous, the partnership grants access to Dialog's sales and distribution channels
Energous and Dialog launched the DA4100 RF-Transmit integrated circuit integrated in the WattUp platform in February, and promised to ship by the end of the year.
The WattUp platform uses small antennas to transfer power, instead of relying on a system of inductive charging coils. This change in transmission technology greatly increases the distance devices can be from the power transmitter, allowing users to place the charging smartphones and tablets a few feet away, rather than placing them on a special mat or using a specific magnetic connector, as used by existing systems.
Energous itself has previously cranked up the rumor mill without delivering, however. In March 2015, the company revealed a development and licensing agreement with a "tier one" consumer electronics company, and name-checked Apple in a regulatory filing. Nothing materialized from either the licensing agreement, or the regulatory filing.
The company claimed at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show that it would be shipping before the end of that year, as well.
Energous will be demonstrating the WattUp technology at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, between Jan 9. and Jan. 12.
Comments
The FCC approval used for it can't be used for microwave transmitters.
Also you can’t ionize an electron that requires a 10^16 Hz photon with 10,000,000 RF frequency photons even though added all together they would have the same energy as the one x-ray photon by itself. That is prohibited by Einstein’s photoelectric effect for which he won the Nobel prize in physics for.
Their product page (http://http//www.energous.com/technology/receivers/) says this:
"WattUp® uses pocket-forming technology to accurately direct energy to the receiver. The technology dynamically adjusts the shape and content of the RF waves so they can be directed to a specific location in 3D space. (my emphasis) There, the energy is gathered by the receiver’s special antennas where WattUp® ASICs convert the RF signal to DC current, delivering a charge to the battery."
To me, this implies some sort of steerable (transmit) antenna, although "pocket-forming" means nothing to me. Their software technology page touts a highly configurable system of charging multiple devices at different power levels (and 3D locations), so there must be some micro-location method (beacons?) to tell the transmitter the device's exact 3D location. Of course, I could be reading too much into this.
I couldn't find what happens if you move the device during charging. Will it stop charging? Will the system redirect the charging signal dynamically as the device is moved?
Edit: their FAQ page states that the 5.8 GHz WiFi band is used for energy transmission, and Bluetooth (specifically BTLE) is used for control. I don't see where 3D location info is created. I don't think BTLE has any location information.
They seem to be moving quite fast.
Charge the phone from the laptop/desktop machine
Charge the Pencil from the iPad
Tesla, the father of our modern electrical system, designed this wireless electrical transmission over 100 years ago.
"We're actually transferring all of our silicon operations to Dialog," Energous CEO Steve Rizzone said .... "All the Energous technology will be sold under the Dialog branding and all sales orders will be going through Dialog. It'll take us about 90 days to do all that."
Why is that important? Dialog confirms that Apple is developing their own power chips to replace Dialog's, doing so as early as 2019. Pretty sure it was discussed here a few weeks ago.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/12/04/dialog-semi-admits-apple-designed-power-chips-could-come-in-the-next-few-years