On Exploration of SDR-Based Wireless RF Power Transfer: Reception Angle Perspectives

Radio Frequency (RF) waves, emanating from sources like radio towers, satellites, and cellular phones, constitute a significant untapped energy reservoir. RF-based wireless power transfer (WPT) stands out as a technique capable of harnessing this energy to support low-power standalone applications, offering a potential solution for sustainable energy demands. In this study, we conduct experimental assessments utilizing a software-defined radio (SDR) and an energy harvesting (EH) module. Both basic (viz., square, sinusoidal, triangular) and advanced (viz., Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)) waveforms are examined within the practical WPT framework. The primary aim is to scrutinize the suitability of these waveforms for WPT under real-world constraints, encompassing reception angles, separation distance, and waveform transmission power. The study enhances understanding by exploring harvested energy for these investigative metrics, an aspect rarely delved into in the existing literature.