PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CAPACITIVE CHARGER PROVIDING DATA TRANSFER AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
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
42 Claims
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1-21. -21. (canceled)
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22. 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 sensing impedances of said charger capacitive electrodes and selectively driving respective charger capacitive electrodes corresponding to the device conductive footprint based upon sensing the impedances, 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 (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. 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 portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions; an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base; a charger controller for sensing impedances of said charger capacitive electrodes and selectively driving respective charger capacitive electrodes corresponding to the device conductive footprint based upon sensing the impedances; 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 (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. 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; using the charger controller to sense impedances of the charger capacitive electrodes and selectively drive respective charger capacitive electrodes corresponding to the device conductive footprint based upon sensing the impedances; 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 (39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification