WIRELESS POWER AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20100279606A1
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Heilsberg, Stuart A., Frankland, Stephen, Hillan, John, Kirby, Miles A., Mangan, Michael J., Ozaki, Ernest T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless electronic devices. A method may comprise receiving a wireless signal with an antenna and identifying one of a wireless charging module and a near-field communication module to which the received signal is associated. The method may further comprise conveying the received signal to the identified one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a wireless signal with an antenna;

identifying one of a wireless charging module and a near-field communication module to which the received signal is associated; and

conveying the received signal to the identified one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying the received wireless signal to at least one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module prior to identifying one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module to which the received signal is associated.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein conveying the received wireless signal to at least one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module comprises conveying the received wireless signal to one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein conveying the received wireless signal to at least one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module comprises conveying the received wireless signal to each of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying comprises determining if the received wireless signal comprises one of wireless power and a near-field communication data signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a wireless signal comprises receiving one of wireless power and a wireless communication signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying comprises coupling the identified one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module to an antenna and decoupling the antenna from one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module to which the received signal is not associated.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the near-field communication module in an active mode.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a signal from the wireless charging module to the near-field communication module requesting access to the antenna while the near-field communication module is operating in an active mode.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating each of the near-field communication module and the wireless charging module in a passive mode.

11. The method of claim 1, changing an operational mode of at least one of the wireless charging module and the near-filed communication module by modifying a position of a selector configured to control a switch configured to selectively couple the antenna to one of the near-field communication module and the wireless charging module.

12. A wireless power apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a wireless signal;

means for identifying one of a wireless charging module and a near-field communication module to which the received signal is associated; and

means for conveying the received signal to the identified one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a wireless signal;

a wireless charging module configured for selectively coupling to the antenna; and

a near-field communication module communicatively coupled to the wireless charging module and configured for selectively coupling to the antenna.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a switch configured to selectively coupling the antenna to one of the near-field communication module and the wireless charging module.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a selector configured to control a configuration of the switch.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the selector comprises a mechanical selector positioned on a surface of the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the selector is configured to automatically control the configuration of the switch in response to a stimulant.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the selector comprises a sensor configured to detect an orientation of the electronic device, the selector configured to automatically control the configuration of the switch in response to being positioned in a specific orientation.

19. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a battery operably coupled to the wireless charging module and configured to receive power from the wireless charging module.

20. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the wireless charging module is configured to extract energy from a near-field communication signal.

21. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein each of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module are configured to transfer a received signal to one another.

22. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is configured to modify an operational state of at least one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module upon an occurrence of one or more events.

23. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is configured to enable a device user to modify an operational state of at least one of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module.

24. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is configured to detect coding within a near-field communication packet header identifying an incoming signal as wireless power.

25. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein each of the wireless charging module and the near-field communication module are configured to modify a time domain multiplexing schedule.