Architecture of portable electronic devices with wireless charging receiver systems

• US 10,381,881 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wittenberg, Michael B., Brzezinski, Makiko K., Kowalski, Stefan A., Graham, Christopher S., McClure, Morgan T., de Jong, Erik G., Ness, Trevor J., Kardassakis, Peter J., Nath, Jayesh, Clavelle, Adam T., Ehman, Rex Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Borroto, Alfonso Perez
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yeshaw, Esayas G
• Application Number:
  US16/122,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20190074729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein describe a wireless power receiving system for an electronic device includes: a first inductor coil configured to receive power primarily at a first frequency and from magnetic fields propagating in a first direction; and a second inductor coil configured to receive power primarily at a second frequency and from magnetic fields propagating in a second direction, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising a top portion including a display and a bottom portion including a window, the bottom portion is configured to mate with the top portion to form an internal cavity;

an antenna disposed within the internal cavity and comprising an antenna element and a conductive antenna body coupled to a bottom surface of the antenna element, the antenna having an opening disposed at the center of the antenna and defined by an inner edge of the antenna;

a wireless charging receiver system disposed within the internal cavity and the antenna opening, the wireless charging receiver system comprising a primary coil having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a ferromagnetic shield covering a portion of at least two surfaces of the primary coil, and a secondary coil wound about overlapping portions of the primary coil and the ferromagnetic shield; and

a sensor module disposed within the internal cavity and the inner diameter of the primary coil, the sensor module comprising at least one sensing device configured to measure a parameter of an environment external to the portable electronic device.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the primary coil is configured to receive time-varying magnetic flux propagating in a first direction and at a first frequency, and wherein the secondary coil is configured to receive time-varying magnetic flux propagating in a second direction different from the first direction and at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the conductive antenna body is a layer of conductive material that conforms to the bottom surface of the antenna element and is configured to send and receive communication signals through radio waves.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic shield extends from a first radial location to a second radial location different from the first radial location.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the inner edge of the antenna conforms to an outer profile of the wireless charging receiver system.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is configured to measure the parameter of the environment through the window of the bottom portion of the housing.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises:

a top level forming the outer edge of the antenna;

a bottom level forming the antenna opening and the inner edge of the antenna; and

a step region disposed between the top level and the bottom level.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the top level and the bottom level are each planar structures that are oriented along separate but parallel planes, and the step region is a vertical portion of the antenna that has a circular profile and couples the top level to the bottom level.

9. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising a top portion including a display and a bottom portion including a window, the bottom portion is configured to mate with the top portion to form an internal cavity, wherein the window includes a plurality of ink layers coated on portions of an inner surface and an outer surface of the window;

a spacer disposed within the internal cavity and comprising a non-conductive material, the spacer having an opening disposed at the center of the spacer and defined by an inner edge of the spacer;

a wireless charging receiver system disposed within the internal cavity and the opening, the wireless charging receiver system comprising a primary coil having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a ferromagnetic shield covering a portion of at least two surfaces of the primary coil, and a secondary coil wound about overlapping portions of the primary coil and the ferromagnetic shield;

a sensor module disposed within the internal cavity and the inner diameter of the primary coil, the sensor module comprising at least one sensing device configured to measure a parameter of an environment external to the portable electronic device;

an alignment module coupled to the sensor module, the alignment module comprising an alignment magnet and a DC shield attached to a top surface of the alignment magnet; and

an electromagnetic shield layer positioned between the wireless charging receiver system and the window of the bottom portion of the housing.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one IR transparent layer and at least one IR opaque layer are coated on a portion of the inner surface of the window such that the center of the window is uncovered by the plurality of ink layers.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein at least one conductive ink layer is coated on a portion of the outer surface of the window such that the center of the window is uncovered by the at least one conductive ink layer.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a system-in-package disposed between the top portion of the housing and the spacer.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the spacer comprises:

a top level forming the outer edge of the spacer;

a bottom level forming the opening and the inner edge of the spacer; and

a step region disposed between the top level and the bottom level.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the inner edge of the spacer and the step region both have circular profiles.

15. A wireless charging system, comprising:

a first wireless charging transmitter comprising;

a first housing having a first charging surface; and

at least one first transmitter coil formed of a plurality of turns of stranded wire disposed within the first housing and below the first charging surface, the at least one first transmitter coil configured to generate first time-varying magnetic fields through and above the first charging surface; and

a wireless charging receiver comprising;

a housing comprising a top portion including a display and a bottom portion including a window, the bottom portion is configured to mate with the top portion to form an internal cavity;

an antenna disposed within the internal cavity and comprising an antenna element and a conductive antenna body coupled to a bottom surface of the antenna element, the antenna having an opening disposed at the center of the antenna and defined by an inner edge of the antenna;

a wireless charging receiver system disposed within the internal cavity and the antenna opening, the wireless charging receiver system comprising a primary receiver coil having an inner diameter and an outer diameter and configured to receive the first time-varying magnetic fields generated by the at least one first transmitter coil, a ferromagnetic shield covering a portion of at least two surfaces of the primary receiver coil, and a secondary receiver coil wound about overlapping portions of the primary receiver coil and the ferromagnetic shield; and

a sensor module disposed within the internal cavity and the inner diameter of the primary receiver coil, the sensor module comprising at least one sensing device configured to measure a parameter of an environment external to the portable electronic device.

16. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein the at least one transmitter coil is configured to generate the time-varying magnetic fields in the first direction at the first frequency.

17. The wireless charging system of claim 15, further comprising a second wireless charging transmitter comprising:

a second housing having a second charging surface; and

at least one second transmitter coil formed of a plurality of turns of stranded wire disposed within the second housing and below the second charging surface, the at least one second transmitter coil configured to generate second time-varying magnetic fields through and above the second charging surface and in a second direction different from the first direction at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

18. The wireless charging system of claim 17, wherein the secondary receiver coil is configured to receive the second time-varying magnetic fields generated by the at least one second transmitter coil of the second wireless charging transmitter.

19. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein the antenna comprises:

a top level forming the outer edge of the antenna;

a bottom level forming the antenna opening and the inner edge of the antenna; and

a step region disposed between the top level and the bottom level.

20. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein the conductive antenna body is a layer of conductive material that conforms to the bottom surface of the antenna element and is configured to send and receive communication signals through radio waves.