Alignment coils of wireless charging for electronic device

• US 10,381,857 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Li, Xianxi
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Nghia M
• Application Number:
  US15/084,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/003 for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination coordinate measuring G01B7/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/31 for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas

Abstract

One embodiment provides an electronic device including: a processor; a power supply module coupled to the processor; a receiving antenna coupled to the power supply module, wherein receiving antenna cooperates with a transmitting antenna of a wireless charger to charge the power supply module wirelessly; an inductor arranged with respect to the receiving antenna, wherein the inductor comprises a first wire and a second wire through which a first induced voltage and a second induced voltage are generated respectively; a comparator for comparing the first and second induced voltages; and wherein the processor determines if the receiving antenna is aligned with respect to the transmitting antenna of the wireless charger based upon the comparison of the first and second induced voltages. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a power supply module operatively coupled to the processor;

a receiving antenna operatively coupled to the power supply module, wherein the receiving antenna cooperates with a transmitting antenna of a wireless charger to charge the power supply module wirelessly;

an inductor arranged with respect to the receiving antenna, wherein the inductor comprises a first wire and a second wire, disposed opposite to each other, through which a first induced voltage and a second induced voltage are generated respectively, wherein the first wire is different from and unconnected to the second wire;

a comparator for comparing the first and second induced voltages;

a memory operatively coupled to the processor and that stores instructions executable by the processor to determine whether the receiving antenna is aligned with respect to the transmitting antenna of the wireless charger based upon the comparison of the first and second induced voltages;

wherein the first wire encircles a first region and the second wire encircles a second region, the first region and the second region having the same area irrespective of whether the first region and the second region are a matching shape;

wherein the electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to send a command for a prompt message to be sent out responsive to determining that the receiving antenna is not aligned with respect to the transmitting antenna of the wireless charger.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first wire and the second wire are disposed symmetrically on the first dimension.

4. The electronic of claim 3, wherein when the first induced voltage is equal to the second induced voltage, it is determined that the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the first dimension;

and

when the first induced voltage is not equal to the second induced voltage, it is determined that the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are not aligned on the first dimension.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit:

obtains the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage;

compares the first induced voltage with the second induced voltage; and

determines, based on a comparison result of the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the first dimension.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the processing circuit comprises:

a first monitoring unit, wherein the first monitoring unit is operatively connected to the induction circuit, and is configured to;

monitor the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage;

compare the first induced voltage with the second induced voltage; and

output a comparison result of the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage; and

a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is electrically connected to the first monitoring unit, and is configured to determine, based on the comparison result of the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the first dimension, and send out a prompt message.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the processing circuit:

acquires a comparison result of the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage, and

determines, based on the comparison result of the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the first dimension.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processing circuit comprises:

a first monitoring unit, wherein the first monitoring unit is electrically connected to the induction circuit and is configured to monitor the comparison result of the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage; and

a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is electrically connected to the first monitoring unit, and is configured to determine, based on the comparison result of the first induced voltage and the second induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the first dimension, and send out a prompt message.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein a negative electrode of the first wire is electrically connected to a first preset voltage, a positive electrode of the first wire is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the second wire, and the first monitoring unit comprises:

a first voltage monitor electrically connected to a negative electrode of the second wire, wherein the first voltage monitor is configured to monitor a voltage of the negative electrode of the second wire, and output the voltage of the negative electrode of the second wire; and

the processing unit is configured to determine, based on the first preset voltage and the voltage of the negative electrode of the second wire monitored by the first voltage monitor, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the first dimension, and send out a prompt message.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein a first capacitor is disposed between the first voltage monitor and the negative electrode of the second wire and is configured to filter an interference signal in an output signal from the negative electrode of the second wire.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first monitoring unit further comprises:

a first resistor, wherein one end of the first resistor is electrically connected to a common end of the first capacitor and the first voltage monitor and the other end of the first resistor is electrically connected to a second preset voltage; and

wherein the voltage value of the second preset voltage is a positive value, and the absolute value of the second preset voltage is greater than the absolute value of the first preset voltage.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first voltage monitor is a first analog to digital converter, and:

monitors the voltage of the negative electrode of the second wire,

converts a monitored voltage value into a digital signal, and

outputs the digital signal.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the induction circuit further comprises:

a third wire and a fourth wire disposed opposite to each other on a second dimension, wherein when the transmitting antenna works, the third wire generates a third induced voltage based on a magnetic flux through a third region encircled by the third wire, and when the transmitting antenna works, the fourth wire generates a fourth induced voltage based on a magnetic flux through a fourth region encircled by the fourth wire, wherein areas of the third region and the fourth region are the same; and

the processing circuit is further configured to determine, based on the third induced voltage and the fourth induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the second dimension.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the third wire and the fourth wire are disposed symmetrically on the second dimension.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein when the third induced voltage is equal to the fourth induced voltage, it is determined that the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the second dimension;

and

when the third induced voltage is not equal to the fourth induced voltage, it is determined that the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are not aligned on the second dimension.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit:

obtains the third induced voltage and the fourth induced voltage,

compares the third induced voltage with the fourth induced voltage, and

determines, based on a comparison result of the third induced voltage and the fourth induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the second dimension.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit acquires a comparison result of the third induced voltage and the fourth induced voltage, and determine, based on the comparison result of the third induced voltage and the fourth induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the second dimension.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processing circuit comprises:

a second monitoring unit, wherein the second monitoring unit is electrically connected to the induction circuit, and is configured to monitor the comparison result of the third induced voltage and the fourth induced voltage; and

the processing unit is electrically connected to the second monitoring unit, and is configured to determine, based on the comparison result of the third induced voltage and the fourth induced voltage, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the second dimension, and send out a prompt message.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein a negative electrode of the third wire is electrically connected to a third preset voltage, a positive electrode of the third wire is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the fourth wire, and the second monitoring unit comprises:

a second voltage monitor electrically connected to a negative electrode of the fourth wire, wherein the second voltage monitor is configured to monitor a voltage of the negative electrode of the fourth wire, and output the voltage of the negative electrode of the fourth wire; and

the processing unit is configured to determine, based on the third preset voltage and the voltage of the negative electrode of the fourth wire monitored by the second voltage monitor, whether the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are aligned on the second dimension, and send out a prompt message.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein a second capacitor is disposed between the second voltage monitor and the negative electrode of the fourth wire, and is configured to filter an interference signal in an output signal from the negative electrode of the second wire;

wherein the second monitoring unit further comprises;

a second resistor, wherein one end of the second resistor is electrically connected to a common end of the second capacitor and the second voltage monitor, and the other end of the second resistor is electrically connected to a fourth preset voltage;

the voltage value of the fourth preset voltage is a positive value, and the absolute value of the fourth preset voltage is greater than the absolute value of the second preset voltage; and

wherein the second voltage monitor is a second analog to digital converter, and is configured to monitor the voltage of the negative electrode of the fourth wire and to convert a monitored voltage value into a digital signal, and output the digital signal.