System, apparatus and method for facilitating wireless charging of one or more battery-powered devices

• US 10,404,092 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kwan Hang Mak
• Original Assignee: Kwan Hang Mak
• Inventors: Mak, Kwan Hang
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDaniel, Tynese V
• Application Number:
  US15/350,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20170214267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/502 the energy repeater being integrated together with the emitter or the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a system, apparatus and method for facilitating wireless charging of one or more battery-powered devices. In accordance with the aspects of the system, apparatus and method, one or more first charging coils present in a charging device may generate and emit magnetic flux in response to power supplied to the charging device. Further, a battery cell of one or more battery-powered devices, embedded within the charging device, may include a second charging coil. The second charging coil may receive the magnetic flux emitted based upon a resonant coupling formed between the one or more first charging coils and the second charging coil. The magnetic flux received may induce an electric current within the one or more battery-powered devices. The electric current induced may be utilized for simultaneously charging the battery cell of the one or more battery-powered devices.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system, comprising:

a charging device comprising multiple first charging coils, wherein at least one first charging coil is positioned at a predefined extended distance from at least one other first charging coil,

wherein the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil are magnetically coupled coils having a high quality factor and are resonated at same resonant frequency, and

wherein multiple cycles of resonance is implemented between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil to continuously emit magnetic flux generated by the at least one first charging coil to the at least one other first charging coil in response to power supplied to the at least one first charging coil; and

multiple battery-powered devices embedded within the charging device, wherein a battery cell of each of the multiple battery-powered devices comprises a second charging coil,

wherein the continuous magnetic flux emitted based upon a multiple resonant coupling formed between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil via the multiple cycles of resonance leads to back and forth transfer of energy between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil;

wherein the back and forth transfer of energy induces an electric current within the multiple battery-powered devices;

wherein the electric current induced is utilized for simultaneously charging the battery cell of each of the multiple battery-powered devices;

wherein one of the multiple first charging coils comprises a controller and an oscillating control unit;

wherein the oscillating control unit of the one of the multiple first charging coils ensures that magnetic flux generated by the one of the multiple first charging coils oscillates with the same resonant frequency; and

wherein the controller is configured to continuously monitor the status of the resonant coupling between the one of the multiple first charging coil and the second charging coil.

2. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the charging device is in form of a pouch, wherein the power is supplied to the charging device using a power source connected to the charging device via a wired connection.

3. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the multiple battery-powered devices are selected from smartphones, tablet computers, wearable devices and combinations thereof.

4. The wireless charging system of claim 3, wherein the multiple battery-powered devices are loosely coupled with the charging device, and wherein the loose coupling between the multiple battery-powered devices and the charging device enables the second charging coil to orient in random directions within the battery cell thereby deviating the alignment between the multiple first charging coils and the second charging coil.

5. The wireless charging system of claim 4, wherein the resonant coupling enables the magnetic flux generated by the multiple first charging coils and the magnetic flux received by the second coil to resonate at a same frequency and forming a resonated LC circuit.

6. The wireless charging system of claim 5, wherein an efficiency of electric current induced by the magnetic flux received via the resonant coupling is based upon a coupling coefficient and a quality factor between the multiple first charging coils and the second charging coil.

7. The wireless charging system of claim 6, wherein the at least one first charging coils is positioned at the predefined extended distance from the at least one other first charging coil such that the second charging coil is positioned in between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil, and wherein the second charging coil receives the continuous magnetic flux emitted based upon the multiple resonant coupling formed between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil.

8. The wireless charging system of claim 6, wherein the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil are magnetically coupled coils having a high quality factor, and wherein the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil resonates at a same frequency.

9. The wireless charging system of claim 8, wherein the at least one other first charging coil operates as a resonator capable of enhancing strength of the magnetic flux generated by the at least one first charging coil via a resonance effect, and wherein the magnetic flux, with enhanced strength, is received by the second charging coil thereby enhancing the electric current induced within the multiple battery-powered devices.

10. The wireless charging system of claim 2, wherein the charging device in form of a pouch improves alignment of the multiple battery-powered devices to the charging device when the said multiple battery-powered devices are randomly folded within the charging device.

11. A method for facilitating wireless charging of multiple battery-powered devices, the method comprising:

providing a wireless system comprising a charging device embedded with multiple battery-powered devices, wherein the charging device comprises multiple first charging coils, wherein at least one first charging coil is positioned at a predefined extended distance from at least one other first charging coil, and wherein the multiple battery-powered devices comprise a second charging coil,

wherein the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil are magnetically coupled coils having a high quality factor and are resonated at same resonant frequency;

continuously emitting magnetic flux generated by the at least one first charging coil to the at least one other first charging coil by implementing multiple cycles of resonance,

wherein the continuous emission of the magnetic flux leads to back and forth transfer of energy between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil in response to power supplied to the at least one first charging coil; and

inducing, by the back and forth transfer of energy between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil, an electric current within the multiple battery-powered devices,

wherein the electric current induced is utilized for simultaneously charging a battery cell of each of the multiple battery-powered devices;

wherein one of the multiple first charging coils comprises a controller and an oscillating control unit;

wherein the oscillating control unit of the one of the multiple first charging coils ensures that magnetic flux generated by the one of the multiple first charging coils oscillates with the same resonant frequency; and

wherein the controller is configured to continuously monitor the status of the resonant coupling between the one of the multiple first charging coil and the second charging coil.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising positioning the at least one first charging coil at a predefined extended distance from the at least one other first charging coil such that the second charging coil is positioned in between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving, by the second charging coil, the magnetic flux generated by the at least one first charging coil having stronger coupling effect with the second charging coil.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising magnetically coupling at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil having a high quality factor, and wherein the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil resonates at a same frequency.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising enabling the at least one other first charging coil to operate as a resonator configured for enhancing strength of the magnetic flux generated by the at least one first charging coil via a resonance effect, and wherein the magnetic flux, with enhanced strength, is received by the second charging coil thereby enhancing the electric current induced within the multiple battery-powered devices.

16. A wireless charging apparatus, comprising:

a charging device accommodating multiple battery-powered devices, wherein the charging device further comprises multiple first charging coils, wherein the at least one first charging coil is positioned at a predefined extended distance from the at least one other first charging coil,

wherein the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil are magnetically coupled coils having a high quality factor and are resonated at same resonant frequency, and

wherein multiple cycles of resonance is implemented between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil to continuously emit magnetic flux generated by the at least one first charging coil and received by the at least one other first charging coil,

the multiple battery-powered devices embedded within the charging device, wherein a battery cell of each of the multiple battery-powered devices comprises a second charging coil,

wherein the continuous magnetic flux emitted based upon a multiple resonant coupling formed between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil via the multiple cycles of resonance leads to back and forth transfer of energy between the at least one first charging coil and the at least one other first charging coil in response to power supplied to the at least one first charging coil,

wherein the back and forth transfer of energy induces an electric current within the multiple battery-powered devices;

wherein the electric current induced is utilized for charging the battery cell of each of the multiple battery-powered devices;

wherein the charging device further comprises a display interface for indicating the status of the charging of the battery cell of each of the multiple battery-powered devices; and

a power source for supplying the power to the charging device and the display interface, wherein the power source is further connected to the charging device via a wired connection,

wherein one of the multiple first charging coils comprises a controller and an oscillating control unit;

wherein the oscillating control unit of the one of the multiple first charging coils ensures that magnetic flux generated by the one of the multiple first charging coils oscillates with the same resonant frequency; and

wherein the controller is configured to continuously monitor the status of the resonant coupling between the one of the multiple first charging coil and the second charging coil.

17. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein the multiple battery-powered devices are selected from smartphones, tablet computers, wearable devices and combinations thereof.

18. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein the power source is one of a power adaptor or a USB port or a battery pack.

19. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein the display interface is a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

20. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein the charging device is in form of a pouch, and wherein the charging device improves alignment of the multiple battery-powered devices to the charging device when the said multiple battery-powered devices are randomly folded within the charging device.