DEVICES FOR CONVEYING WIRELESS POWER AND METHODS OF OPERATION THEREOF

• US 20100323616A1
• Filed: 05/14/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Velasco, Jonathan T., Karmi, Yair, Dunworth, Jeremy D., Li, Peng, Lundby, Stein A., El-Maleh, Khaled Helmi, Grilli, Francesco, Raghavan, Srinivas, Minhas, Sandip S., Mohammadian, Alireza Hormoz, Selby, MaryBeth, Maldonado, David, Von Novak, William H., Burdo, Rinat, Ozaki, Ernest T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,853,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A method may comprise receiving wireless power with a receiver and charging an accumulator with energy from the received wireless power. The method may further include conveying energy from the accumulator to an energy storage device upon a charging level of the accumulator reaching a threshold level.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

charging a first energy storage device with energy received from a wireless power source; and

conveying energy from the first energy storage device to a second energy storage device upon a charging level of the first energy storage device reaching a threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating the conveyance of energy from the first energy storage device to the second energy storage device upon a charging level of the first energy storage device dropping below one of the threshold level and another threshold value having a value lower than the threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying energy from the received wireless power to the first energy storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying power from a receiver operably coupled to the first energy storage device to the second energy storage device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving wireless power from the wireless power source with a receiver coupled to a housing configured to receive an electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving wireless power with a receiver coupled to a housing configured to receive an electronic device comprises receiving wireless power with a receive antenna coupled to a cover of the housing.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving wireless power with a receiver comprises receiving wireless power with a receiver integrated within an electronic device comprising at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a camera, a gaming device, a navigation device, a headset, a tool, and a toy.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein charging a first energy storage device comprising charging at least one of a battery, an ultracapacitor, and a mechanical storage device.

9. A device, comprising:

means for charging a first energy storage device with energy received from a wireless power source; and

means for conveying energy from the first energy storage device to a second energy storage device upon a charging level of the first energy storage device reaching a threshold level.

10. A device, comprising:

a first energy storage device for receiving energy and storing a charge therein; and

a second energy storage device for receiving energy from the first energy storage device, wherein at least one of the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device comprises a wirelessly chargeable energy storage device.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising at least one controller operably coupled to the first energy storage device for transferring energy from the first energy storage device to the second energy storage device.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a camera, a gaming device, a navigation device, a headset, a tool, and a toy.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the device comprises a housing configured to receive an electronic device comprising the second energy storage device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the housing comprises at least one of a sleeve, a shell, a cage, a case, and a cover.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising at least one of the first energy storage device, the second energy storage device, and at least a portion of a receiver is coupled to the housing.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising a receive antenna coupled to a cover of the housing.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the housing is configured to enable a device user to operate the electronic device while the electronic device is positioned within the housing.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the housing comprise one or more access openings for accessing one or more input or output devices.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising an electrical connector positioned within at least one access opening for coupling a port of an electronic device positioned within the housing to the at least one controller.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one controller comprises a first controller operably coupled to each of a receiver and the first energy storage device and a second controller operably coupled to each of the first energy storage device and the second storage device.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the first controller receives power from the receiver and conveys power to at least one of the first energy storage device and the second controller.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the second controller receives energy from at least one of the first energy storage device and the first controller and conveys power to the second energy storage device.

23. The device of claim 11, further comprising an electrical connector for coupling the at least one controller to the second energy storage device.

24. The device of claim 10, further comprising a power converter operably coupled between the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device.

25. The device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second energy storage devices is external to the device.

26. The device of claim 10, wherein an internal resistance of the first energy storage device is higher than an internal resistance of the second energy device.

27. A device, comprising:

a first energy storage device operably coupled to a load for conveying energy thereto; and

a second energy storage device operably coupled to the load for conveying energy thereto;

wherein at least one of the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device comprises a wirelessly chargeable energy storage device.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the second energy storage device conveys energy to the load if the first energy storage device is unable to convey energy to the load.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the first energy storage device receives a charge only after being substantially completely discharged.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the second energy storage device conveys energy to the load only if the first energy storage device is substantially completely discharged.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein each of the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device comprise a wirelessly chargeable energy storage device.

32. The device of claim 27, wherein the first energy storage device comprises a wirelessly chargeable energy storage device and the second energy storage device comprises a legacy battery.

33. The device of claim 27, wherein one of the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device comprises a non-rechargeable energy storage device and the other energy storage device comprises a wirelessly chargeable energy storage device.

34. The device of claim 27, wherein one of the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device comprises a battery for receiving a charge from a renewable energy source.

35. The device of claim 27, wherein the first energy storage device conveys energy to power one or more applications of the device and the second energy storage device conveys energy to power one or more other applications of the device.

36. A method, comprising:

conveying energy from a first energy storage device to a load; and

conveying energy from a second energy storage device to the load if the first energy storage device is unable to convey energy to the load, wherein at least one of the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device comprises a wirelessly chargeable energy storage device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein conveying energy from a first energy storage device to a load comprises conveying energy from one of a battery configured to receive power from a renewable power source, a non-rechargeable battery, and a wirelessly chargeable battery.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein conveying energy from a first energy storage device to a load comprises conveying energy from the first energy storage device to the load until the first energy storage device is substantially completely discharged.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising charging the first energy storage device after the first energy storage device has been substantially completely discharged.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising charging one of the first energy storage device and the second energy device with a renewable energy source.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein charging one of the first energy storage device and the second energy device with a renewable energy source comprises charging the first energy storage device with the renewable energy source if the first energy storage device has a lower storage capacity than the second energy storage device and charging the second energy storage device with the renewable energy source if the second energy storage device has a lower storage capacity than the first energy storage device.