Placement Optimization in Wireless Charging Systems under the Vector Model

This paper addresses the optimization of power provisioning in systems of wireless energy transfer. In this context, a vectorial representation of wireless waves recently becomes a precious tool; being more reliable and precise than one-dimensional models, it enables an increased potential for power maximization and control that before seemed impossible. We study the deployment of nodes and chargers for power maximization, for the first time under the vector model. In particular, we present both offline and approximation protocols and provide an evaluation of their performance. The main idea of our approach is to take advantage of the high precision offered by the vector model of WPT waves, in order to fine-tune the exact positioning of wireless chargers. The results of the conducted simulations demonstrate the advantages of our approaches in terms of power maximization; interestingly our findings suggest that even some slight optimization in the exact placement of chargers can significantly improved received power.