Data communications enabled by wire free power transfer

• US 20070202931A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Science Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Power Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Yeechun, Su, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits

Abstract

A system and method is provided for enabling data transfer over the same electrical routing network utilized by the mobile device to obtain electric power from an external power source. The system includes a contact base connected to a power supply, and mobile device adapters. The contact base is a flat surface that comprises a segmented conductive area with conductive contact pads on the surface, and a plurality of base controller modules that detect the presence of compatible mobile devices placed on the contact surface and routes the electrical power through the contact points on the surface to the compatible mobile devices accordingly, after a handshake protocol. The data communication portion of the system comprises a power line communication bypass circuit and a repeater for power line communication either within or adjunct to the power supply that powers the contact base. It further comprises, on the mobile device side, a power line communication adapter which converts the analog waveform the mobile device receives through its electrical contacts into digital data and vice versa.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a substantially flat top surface having a plurality of electrical conductive contact points, the contact points are configured to form an electrical contact with conducting contacts of a secondary device placed on the surface, the electrical contact to transfer power and data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact to transfer DC electric current with or without a superimposed AC current.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical conductive contact points are segmented into a plurality of mutually isolated blocks to be controlled by electrical switches, with said isolated blocks connected to at least two said electrical switches which are connected to distinct said conductors.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said conductors are to conduct AC current in a radio frequency range of at least 3 kilohertz.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conductors are to conduct the AC current with a loss of radio frequency power limited to 80 dB or less.

6. The system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a power supply configured to support coupling of said AC current between an input and an output of the power supply with a loss of radio frequency power limited to 80 dB or less.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said power supply includes a shunt for said AC current with a coupling loss limited to 80 dB of radio frequency power or less.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said power supply includes a radio frequency repeater that is adapted to amplifying AC current traveling between the input and output of said power supply.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said power supply comprises a radio frequency regenerative repeater.

10. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein a switching noise of said power supply does not interfere with said AC current.

11. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the secondary device comprises at least one device adapter module which includes function blocks to process said AC current.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said function blocks comprise a radio frequency front end, a baseband processing unit, and a medium access controller.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said function blocks include radio frequency filters to reduce noise from interfering with the processing of said AC current.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said medium access controller uses carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol.

15. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said function blocks process said AC current using a power line communications protocol of HomePlug.

16. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein one or more of said conductors is a coplanar waveguide (CPW).

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the secondary device additionally comprises a data compressor and a data decompressor.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of controller modules to detect the presence of mobile devices placed on the surface and to route power through the contact to the compatible mobile devices, after a handshake protocol.