Portable electronic device and capacitive charger providing data transfer and associated methods
First Claim
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
- a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging said portable electronic device;
said portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and an associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by said housing to receive a charging signal to charge said battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint;
said charger comprising a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive said portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base, a charger controller for selectively driving only said charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge said battery of said portable electronic device when said portable electronic device is positioned on said base of said charger, and a charger data communication unit to communicate with said device data communication unit via said charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The electronic apparatus includes a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is temporarily placed adjacent the charger. The portable electronic device includes a device data communication unit and an associated battery, and a pair of device capacitive electrodes, defining a device conductive footprint, to receive a charging signal to charge the battery. The charger includes a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive the portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, and an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base. A charger controller selectively drives only the charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge the battery. A charger data communication unit communicates with the device data communication unit via the charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes, e.g. by modulating data onto the charging signal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
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a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging said portable electronic device;
said portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and an associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by said housing to receive a charging signal to charge said battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint;
said charger comprising a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive said portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base, a charger controller for selectively driving only said charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge said battery of said portable electronic device when said portable electronic device is positioned on said base of said charger, and a charger data communication unit to communicate with said device data communication unit via said charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A charger for capacitively charging a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is placed adjacent the charger, the portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by the housing to receive a charging signal to charge the battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint, the charger comprising:
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a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive said portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions;
an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base;
a charger controller for selectively driving only said charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge said battery of said portable electronic device when said portable electronic device is positioned on said base of said charger; and
a charger data communication unit to communicate with the device data communication unit via said charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of capacitively charging a portable electronic device with a charger, the portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by the housing to receive a charging signal to charge the battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint, and the charger comprising a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive the portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base, a charger controller connected to the charger capacitive electrodes, and an associated charger data communication unit, the method comprising:
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placing the portable electronic device adjacent the charger;
selectively driving, via the charger controller, only the charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge the battery of the portable electronic device to thereby capacitively charge the battery of the portable electronic device; and
communicating data between the charger data communication unit and the device data communication unit via the charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification