R&S shows first RF wireless power test system prototype

Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) has shown a proof of concept for testing far field wireless power systems using the AirFuel Alliance RF standard.

The radio frequency (RF) wireless power tester combines the R&S test and measurement equipment along with wireless charging development kits available on the market. It also includes test automation features and a user friendly web interface.

The R&S wireless power transfer (WPT) project aims to develop a comprehensive testing system for wireless power transmitters and receivers.

• Airfuel Alliance launches RF standard

RF wireless powering is a contactless power transfer technology that enables multiple devices to be powered simultaneously within several meters of the power source. This eliminates the need for wires and the hassle of maintaining batteries. RF wireless powering has a wide range of applications, and its most prominent use cases are for low power IoT devices. For example, inside a smart building or a smart car, this technology would enable the many sensors to be powered without manual recharging or battery exchange.

WPT also enables the use of battery-less devices, which potentially reduces the impact of batteries on the environment.

The WPT test setup comprises the R&S SMB100B RF and microwave signal generator, R&S FSV3000 signal and spectrum analyzer and R&S NGU source measure unit (SMU) used as a battery emulator, along with two R&S HMC8012 digital multimeters. The entire system can be controlled and automated via a web interface.

“Today, we have over 15 billion connected IoT devices, yet we still power them manually. At the very least, low power IoT devices should be powered over the air and without human interaction. We clearly see that wireless RF energy can meet this need, offering a maintenance free solution that provides power on demand to multiple devices – even when the devices are in use or in motion,” said Dr.-Ing. Rania Morsi, head of the WPT project at Rohde & Schwarz

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, President and Chairman of AirFuel Alliance, says: “I want to thank Rohde & Schwarz for their leadership in developing a wireless power tester (WPT) for the AirFuel RF standard. The WPT will enable companies to test and validate conformance to the AirFuel RF standard and accelerate the deployment of interoperable RF wireless power solutions.”