Signal quality dependent throttling of devices for reducing electromagnetic interference

• US 10,014,705 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Baratzadeh, Kiavash, Caballero, Ruben, Ranade, Jaydeep V., Robbins, Matthew C., Tuncay, Orbay
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Lewis
• Application Number:
  US15/085,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

This disclosure relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for limiting or throttling an activity of an accessory device communicatively coupled to a computing device. The activity of the accessory device is limited or throttled in order to reduce electromagnetic interference and improve signal quality of a wireless communication in which the computing device is participating. In some embodiments, a decision to throttle can be based on battery charge level of the computing device. For example, in some embodiments, the accessory device is an accessory battery charger configured to provide power to the computing device when a power outlet is not immediately available. If the signal quality of a phone call from the computing device is diminished or the user is in an area of low signal coverage, the accessory battery charger can be limited or throttled in order to prevent interference between the accessory battery charger and computing device.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining at least a threshold quality of service (QOS) for a wireless communication conducted by wireless circuitry in a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is operatively coupled to a charging device comprising a circuit capable of generating electromagnetic interference (EMI) that adversely affects a QOS of the wireless communication, the method comprising:

at the mobile device;

determining the QOS for the wireless communication conducted by the wireless circuitry, wherein the wireless communication comprises a phone call or cellular data transmission;

determining a state of charge (SOC) of a battery of the mobile device; and

when the SOC of the battery is at or above a low-battery threshold SOC and the QOS is less than a threshold QOS, sending a throttling signal to the circuit of the charging device, wherein the throttling signal causes the circuit to reduce an amount of EMI generated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging device includes an auxiliary power supply comprising an accessory battery and a charging circuit coupled to the accessory battery, and the charging device is configured to provide a charging current.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the QOS of the wireless communication is equal to or greater than the threshold QOS and the SOC of the battery is below the threshold SOC;

causing the charging circuit to enter or return to an active charging state for charging the battery of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein QOS is measured in decibels or decibel-milliwatts.

5. A mobile device, comprising:

a wireless circuit;

a processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the mobile device to perform steps that include;

determining signal quality of a wireless communication conducted by the wireless circuit, wherein the wireless communication comprises a phone call or cellular data transmission;

determining a state of charge (SOC) of a battery of the mobile device; and

limiting an activity of a charging device communicatively coupled to the mobile device when the SOC of the battery is at or above a low-charge threshold SOC and the signal quality is at or below a signal quality threshold, wherein limiting the activity reduces electromagnetic interference resulting from the activity.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the charging device is internal or external to the mobile device, and the activity corresponds to sending a charging current.

7. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein a degree by which the activity is limited is based on a mode in which the mobile device is operating.

8. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the steps further include:

selecting the charging device from a list of accessory devices to limit, wherein the list of accessory devices includes multiple accessory devices capable of causing electromagnetic interferences with the wireless communication.

9. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein limiting the activity includes limiting a current or a voltage supplied to or transmitted from the charging device.

10. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the charging device includes an auxiliary battery, the mobile device is a mobile phone, and limiting the activity causes a reduction in current supplied from the auxiliary battery to a battery of the mobile phone.

11. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the steps further include calculating a received signal strength indicator as a basis for signal quality of the wireless communication.

12. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to perform steps that include;

determining a signal quality of a wireless communication comprising a phone call or cellular data transmission;

determining a state of charge of a battery of the computing device; and

when the state of charge of the battery is at or above a threshold state of charge and the signal quality is below a signal quality threshold;

limiting an activity of a charging accessory communicatively coupled to the computing device, wherein limiting the activity reduces interference between the charging accessory and the wireless communication.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication corresponds to a voice call or a data transfer.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein limiting the activity of the charging accessory includes restricting a charging current being transmitted from the charging accessory to the computing device.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein limiting the activity of the charging accessory includes stopping a charging current from being transmitted from the charging accessory to the computing device.

16. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the signal quality is based on one or more quality of service metrics.

17. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the steps further include:

determining, based on a lookup table stored in the memory, a correlation between the signal quality and a limit to be applied to the activity of the charging accessory; and

limiting the activity of the charging accessory based on the limit.

18. The computing device of claim 12, wherein limiting the activity of the charging accessory includes accessing a hierarchy of devices to determine an order of one or more limits to be applied to one or more devices listed in the hierarchy of devices.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the threshold state of charge is a low-battery charge threshold.