Methods and devices for inductive coupling into power lines

• US 10,038,333 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Condon, Kenneth, Fang, Xue Hai
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sharief, Mohammed J
• Application Number:
  US15/153,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 455 411, 455573
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic device is provided, including a housing having a back surface. The device includes a rechargeable battery, a capacitor, an inductor coil connected to the capacitor, the inductor coil being disposed around an axis oriented perpendicular to the back surface, a rectifier circuit connected to the inductor coil to output a direct current (DC), a DC-DC converter connected to the rectifier circuit, configured to trickle charge the battery with current received from the rectifier circuit, a test load switchably connected to the DC-DC converter, and a feedback circuit configured to detect a voltage level of the test load and provide an indication of the voltage level.

Claims

1. A method of inductive charging an electronic device using a powerline disposed in a premises, comprising:

detecting, with the electronic device, a magnetic field generated by current in the powerline within a wall of the premises at a first location;

determining a power generation level that the electronic device can achieve from inductive charging at the first location;

moving the electronic device to a second location;

providing, while the electronic device is moving, feedback indicating a level of power generation achievable via induction from the powerline;

attaching the electronic device to the wall at a position on the wall where the indicated level of power generation is above a threshold value; and

trickle-charging a rechargeable battery in the device using an inductive charging power circuit disposed in the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the power generation level comprises:

disconnecting the battery from the inductive charging power circuit;

connecting the inductive charging power circuit to a known load;

measuring a voltage across the load; and

determining the power generation level based on the voltage drop.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the feedback indicating the level power generation comprises illuminating a plurality of light emitting diodes in varying colors, including a first color that indicates a low power generation level and a second color that indicates a high power generation level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing feedback indicating the level of power generation comprises transmitting a digitally encoded signal to an external computing device, the digitally encoded signal indicating a value representing an amount of the generated power.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing feedback indicating the level of power generation comprises providing a range of audible sounds including a first audible sound that indicates a low power generation level and a second audible sound that indicates a high power generation level.