Coupled resonator in a metal back cover

• US 10,361,588 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jeong, Seong Heon
• Primary Examiner(s): Jager, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US15/149,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed, having electronic components and a metal case configured to house the electronic components. A power receiving element may be disposed on the metal case near an edge thereof. The power receiving element may couple with a magnetic field that emanates from the edge of the metal case, when the metal case is exposed to an externally generated magnetic field, to wirelessly receive power from the externally generated magnetic field.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

electronic components;

a metal case configured to house the electronic components; and

a power receiving element comprising a coil defining an area, the coil disposed on an inner portion of the metal case without openings within the area that permit the power receiving element to couple with an externally generated magnetic field and located adjacent to at least one edge of the metal case and configured to couple with a magnetic field that emanates from the at least one edge of the metal case when the metal case is exposed to the externally generated magnetic field, to wirelessly receive power from the externally generated magnetic field.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a rectifier circuit among the electronic components electrically connected to the power receiving element and configured to rectify a voltage induced in the power receiving element to generate wirelessly received power.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the power receiving element is disposed on one side of the at least one edge of the metal case.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the at least one edge of the metal case is at a top, bottom, or side of the metal case.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the power receiving element encircles a periphery of the metal case.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, further comprising a display side and a transparent cover on the display side, wherein the power receiving element is disposed adjacent to the transparent cover.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the metal case includes a cutout at a periphery of the metal case, wherein at least a portion of the at least one edge of the metal case is located at the cutout.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising one or more antennas configured for wireless communication and exposed through the cutout of the metal case, wherein the electronic components comprise communication electronics, and the one or more antennas are communicably coupled to the communication electronics.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an additional power receiving element configured to magnetically couple to the power receiving element.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the power receiving element is closer to the at least one edge of the metal case than is the additional power receiving element.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the power receiving element lies across the at least one edge of the metal case.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the metal case is disposed between a source of the externally generated magnetic field and the power receiving element.

13. A method for wireless power transfer comprising:

inducing eddy currents in a metal case configured to house an electronic device;

magnetically coupling to a magnetic field that emanates at a periphery of the metal case in response to the eddy currents induced in the metal case, using a power receiving element comprising a coil defining an area, the coil disposed on an inner portion of the periphery of the metal case without openings within the area that permit the power receiving element to couple with an externally generated magnetic field from outside of the metal case; and

generating wirelessly received power for the electronic device from a voltage induced in the power receiving element in response to magnetically coupling to the magnetic field that emanates from the periphery of the metal case.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising magnetically coupling to flux lines of the magnetic field that emanate from the portion of the periphery of the metal case.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the periphery of the metal case is at a top, bottom, or side of the metal case.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising magnetically coupling to a magnetic field that emanates at a circumferential periphery of the metal case.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising magnetically coupling to a magnetic field that emanates from the power receiving element using an additional power receiving element.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising tuning the additional power receiving element to have a resonant frequency substantially equal to a frequency of an externally generated magnetic field used to induce the eddy currents.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising illuminating the metal case with an externally generated magnetic field to induce the eddy currents in the metal case.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising setting a resonant frequency of the power receiving element substantially equal to a frequency of the externally generated magnetic field.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising operating the power receiving element at a frequency substantially equal to a frequency of the externally generated magnetic field.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising rectifying the voltage induced in the power receiving element to generate the wirelessly received power.

23. An electronic device comprising:

means for housing components that comprise the electronic device, the means for housing including a metal case;

means for magnetically coupling to an externally generated magnetic field to wirelessly receive power, the means for magnetically coupling disposed on an inner portion defining an area of the metal case the means for housing without openings that permit the power receiving element to couple with an externally generated magnetic field from outside of the metal case; and

means for producing wirelessly receive power from the means for magnetically coupling.