Electronic device wireless charging system

• US 10,170,918 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zadesky, Stephen P., Dai, Hongli
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Application Number:
  US15/831,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 320107, 320108, 320125, 320132, 320137, 320149, 320162
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

An electronic device. The electronic device may include a battery, and a charging system in electronic communication with the battery. The charging system may be configured to charge at least a partially-depleted battery to a threshold charge value, discontinue the charging in response to the battery being charged to the threshold charge value, and monitor the function of the electronic device to detect at least one of an anticipated event, and an unanticipated event of the electronic device. Additionally the charging system may be configured to recharge the battery in response to detecting one of: the anticipated event occurring a predetermined time subsequent to the recharging of the battery, or the unanticipated event occurring immediately before the recharging of the battery.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a battery; and

a wireless charging system in electronic communication with the battery, the wireless charging system configured to;

inductively couple to a wireless charging device;

predict an event time at which an event of the electronic device will occur;

determine a charge time at which charging should commence such that the battery reaches a threshold charge value at a threshold time that is prior to or substantially the same as the event time; and

initiate charging of the battery at the charge time.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the event is an uncoupling of the wireless charging system from the wireless charging device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the threshold charge value is a first threshold charge value; and

the wireless charging system is further configured to;

prior to predicting the event time, charge the battery to a second threshold charge value; and

discontinue the charging to the second threshold charge value in response to the battery being charged to the second threshold charge value, thereby causing depletion of the battery.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

charging the battery to the first threshold charge value comprises charging the battery at a first charge rate; and

charging the battery to the second threshold charge value comprises charging the battery at a second charge rate different from the first charge rate.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless charging system is further configured to maintain the battery at the threshold charge value in response to the battery being charged to the threshold charge value.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein:

charging the battery to the threshold charge value comprises charging the battery at a first charge rate; and

maintaining the battery at the threshold charge value comprises charging the battery at a second charge rate different from the first charge rate.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein determining the charge time comprises:

determining a current charge value of the battery; and

determining a charge rate for charging the battery.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the event is a first event; and

the wireless charging system is further configured to;

detect a second event; and

in response to detecting the second event, change at least one of the charge time or a charge rate for charging the battery.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the second event comprises a spontaneous interaction with the electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the threshold charge value is a maximum charge value for the battery.

11. A method for wirelessly charging a battery of an electronic device, the method comprising:

inductively charging the battery of the electronic device to a first threshold charge value;

discontinuing the inductive charging to the first threshold charge value in response to the battery being charged to the first threshold charge value, thereby causing depletion of the battery;

predicting an event time at which an event of the electronic device will occur;

determining a charge time at which charging should commence such that the battery reaches a second threshold charge value at a threshold time that is prior to or substantially the same as the event time; and

initiating charging of the battery at the charge time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the event is a first event; and

the method further comprises;

detecting a second event; and

in response to detecting the second event, changing at least one of the charge time or a charge rate for charging the battery.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

charging the battery to the first threshold charge value comprises charging the battery at a first charge rate; and

charging the battery to the second threshold charge value comprises charging the battery at a second charge rate different from the first charge rate.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the event is an uncoupling of the electronic device from a wireless charging device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first or second threshold charge values is a maximum charge value for the battery.

16. A wireless charging device for an electronic device, comprising:

a connection portion configured to inductively couple to a battery of the electronic device;

a wireless charging system in electronic communication with the connection portion and configured to;

initiate inductive charging of the battery to a first threshold charge value;

discontinue the inductive charging to the first threshold charge value in response to the battery being charged to the first threshold charge value, thereby causing depletion of the battery;

predict an event time at which an event of the electronic device will occur;

determine a charge time at which charging should commence such that the battery reaches a second threshold charge value at a threshold time that is prior to or substantially the same as the event time; and

initiate charging of the battery at the charge time.

17. The wireless charging device of claim 16, wherein:

the event is a first event; and

the wireless charging system is further configured to;

detect a second event; and

in response to detecting the second event, change at least one of the charge time or a charge rate for charging the battery.

18. The wireless charging device of claim 17, wherein the second event comprises one of:

an anticipated event;

or

an unanticipated event.

19. The wireless charging device of claim 16, wherein the event is an uncoupling of the electronic device from the wireless charging device.

20. The wireless charging device of claim 16, wherein the wireless charging system further comprises:

a sensor configured to detect whether the wireless charging device is inductively coupled to the electronic device.