Alternative wirefree mobile device power supply method & system with free positioning

• US 20040082369A1
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company, Mobilewise, Power Science Inc.
• Original Assignee: Power Science Inc.
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan, Dayan, Tal, Goren, Ofer, Maggs, William Ward
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/22 Contacts for co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/147 Low voltage devices, i.e. safe to touch live conductors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/913 Condition determining device, e.g. oxygen sensor, accelerometer, ionizer chamber, thermocouple

Abstract

The invention provides a power delivery system for a mobile device. The power delivery system includes a contactor device and a plurality of first electrical contacts on the contactor device disposed in an interspersed arrangement wherein first electrical contacts of one polarity are interspersed with first electrical contacts of a second polarity throughout the contactor body.

Claims

3-1. The power delivery system of claim 3, wherein the adaptor device comprises selection logic to determine which of the second electrical contacts has been connected to the pair of first electrical contacts of opposite polarity.

9. A mobile device comprising:

an electrical load energizable by an external adaptive power supply; and

an identification mechanism to provide compatible voltage and polarity settings for the external adaptive power supply when energizing the electrical load.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the identification mechanism comprises an identification element that can be sensed by a sensing circuit of the adaptive power supply to determine the compatible voltage and polarity settings.

11. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the identification mechanism further comprises a memory storage comprising handshaking information including information selected from the group comprising identification information for the mobile device, settings for the adaptive power supply to energize the mobile device, and authentication information required to connect the mobile device to a computer network.

12. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising a modulation mechanism to modulate the handshaking information onto electrical contacts connecting the mobile device to the external adaptive power supply.

13. An electromagnetic coupling device comprising:

a contactor member having a contactor body;

an inductor member;

a mounting arrangement mounting the inductor member within the contact of body, the amounting arrangement comprising longitudinal node and transverse arms supporting the inductor member, and to a drive mechanism connected to the arms and operable to displace the inductor member in a longitudinal and transverse direction;

a sensing unit to sense an optimal position for the inductor member in which inductive coupling between the inductor member and a corresponding inductor member of an adaptor unit is optimal; and

a control mechanism to operate the drive mechanism to move the inductor member to the optimal position.

14. The electromagnetic coupling device of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit detects the optimal position by detecting a homing signal emitted by the inductor member of the adaptor device.

15. The electromagnetic coupling device of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit causes the inducting member of the electromagnetic coupling device to send a sensing signal to locate a position of the inductor member of the adaptor device.

16. A system comprising:

a contactor member comprising a generally flat contactor body having at least one interconnection element to connect a mobile device to a power supply;

an image capture mechanism to capture an image of the mobile device positioned on the contactor member;

an image recognition mechanism to recognize the image of the mobile device; and

a control mechanism to selectively energize the at least one interconnection element based on stored parameters associated with the recognized mobile device and a position of the mobile device on the contactor member.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one interconnection element comprises an electrical contact element.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one interconnection element comprises an inductor element.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a positioning mechanism to position the inductor member in alignment with a corresponding inductor member of the mobile device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the stored parameters include information selected from the group consisting of the information identifying the mobile device, settings for a power supply required to energize the mobile device, and authentication information required to connect the mobile device to a computer network.