Smart charging systems for portable electronic devices

• US 10,298,037 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Paul X., Gao, Zheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M Baye
• Application Number:
  US15/721,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20190103751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 320114
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/20 without armatures cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 ; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Embodiments describe a charging component for an electronic device that includes an interface surface comprising a portion of an external surface of a housing of the electronic device; a plurality of contacts positioned at the interface surface and exposed for making contact with contacts of a connector; one or more sensors for detecting a separation event; an inductor coil positioned proximate to the interface surface, wherein a central axis of the inductor coil is perpendicular to at least a portion of the interface surface; and a processor coupled to the inductor coil and the one or more sensors, wherein the processor is configured to change an operation of the inductor coil based at least in part on a measurement from the one or more sensors.

Claims

1. A charging component for an electronic device, comprising:

an interface surface comprising a portion of an external surface of a housing of the electronic device;

a plurality of contacts positioned at the interface surface and exposed for making contact with contacts of a connector;

one or more sensors for detecting a separation event;

an inductor coil positioned proximate to the interface surface, wherein a central axis of the inductor coil is perpendicular to at least a portion of the interface surface; and

a processor coupled to the inductor coil and the one or more sensors, wherein the processor is configured to change an operation of the inductor coil based at least in part on a measurement from the one or more sensors.

2. The charging component of claim 1, wherein the central axis intersects at least a portion of the interface surface.

3. The charging component of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic element disposed within the housing of the electronic device and proximate to the interface surface.

4. The charging component of claim 3, wherein the inductor coil is wound around at least a portion of the magnetic element and configured to generate a magnetic field through the magnetic element to define a magnetic polarity of the magnetic element.

5. The charging component of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes at least one of a movement sensor, optical sensor, or an accelerometer.

6. The charging component of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to change an operation of the inductor coil to disconnect the charging component from an external power source.

7. The charging component of claim 6, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer or an optical sensor.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a battery disposed within the housing and configured to store energy and discharge the stored energy; and

a charging component configured to receive power from an external power source to provide energy to the battery;

wherein the charging component comprises;

an interface surface comprising a portion of an external surface of a housing of the electronic device;

a plurality of contacts positioned at the interface surface and exposed for making contact with contacts of a connector,

one or more sensors for detecting a separation event;

an inductor coil positioned proximate to the interface surface, wherein a central axis of the inductor coil is perpendicular to at least a portion of the interface surface; and

a processor coupled to the inductor coil and the one or more sensors, wherein the processor is configured to change an operation of the inductor coil based at least in part on a measurement from the one or more sensors.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the central axis intersects at least a portion of the interface surface.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a magnetic element disposed within the housing of the electronic device and proximate to the interface surface.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the inductor coil is wound around at least a portion of the magnetic element and configured to generate a magnetic field through the magnetic element to define a magnetic polarity of the magnetic element.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensors includes at least one of a movement sensor, optical sensor, or an accelerometer.

13. A smart charging system, comprising:

a connector comprising;

a mating surface;

a permanent magnet positioned adjacent to the mating surface;

a first communication contact positioned at the mating surface; and

a haptic device configured to move the connector in response to one or more inputs from the first communication contact;

and an electronic device configured to receive power by way of the connector;

the electronic device comprising

a housing;

a battery disposed within the housing and configured to store energy and discharge the stored energy; and

a charging component configured to receive power from an external power source to provide energy to the battery;

wherein the charging component comprises;

an interface surface comprising a portion of an external surface of a housing of the electronic device;

a plurality of contacts positioned at the interface surface and exposed for making contact with contacts of a connector;

one or more sensors for detecting a separation event;

an inductor coil positioned proximate to the interface surface, wherein a central axis of the inductor coil is perpendicular to at least a portion of the interface surface; and

a processor coupled to the inductor coil and the one or more sensors, wherein the processor is configured to change an operation of the inductor coil based at least in part on a measurement from the one or more sensors.

14. The smart charging system of claim 13, wherein the inductor coil is controllable to attract the permanent magnet in the connector to the interface surface and repel the permanent magnetic in the connector from the interface surface.

15. The smart charging system of claim 14, wherein the inductor coil is configured to attract the permanent magnetic according to a force curve comprising an initial repelling force followed by a subsequent attracting force.

16. The smart charging system of claim 13, wherein the charging component further comprises a second communication contact positioned at the interface surface corresponding to the position of the first communication contact such that the first and second communication contacts couple together when the interface surface makes contact with the mating surface.

17. The smart charging system of claim 16, wherein the one or more inputs are sent from the electronic device to the haptic device through the first and second communication contacts.

18. The smart charging system of claim 17, wherein the electronic device is configured to command the haptic device to vibrate the connector upon a determination that the interface surface has made contact with the mating surface.

19. The smart charging system of claim 13, wherein the central axis intersects at least a portion of the interface surface.

20. The smart charging system of claim 13, further comprising a magnetic element disposed within the housing of the electronic device and proximate to the interface surface.