USING AN AUDIO CABLE AS AN INDUCTIVE CHARGING COIL

• US 20110188677A1
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Lynch, Stephen Brian, Shedletsky, Anna-Katrina
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/06 Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a technique for inductively charging an electronic device. This technique involves winding an audio cable for the electronic device around a charging mechanism multiple times so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil. Next, a magnetic field is created through the charging mechanism to induce a current in the inductive receiving coil. Finally, the induced current in the inductive receiving coil is used to charge a rechargeable battery for the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for inductively charging an electronic device, comprising:

providing a charging mechanism which is configured to enable a user to wind an audio cable for the electronic device multiple times around the charging mechanism so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil;

generating a magnetic field through the charging mechanism to induce a current in the inductive receiving coil; and

using the induced current in the inductive receiving coil to charge a rechargeable battery for the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a first contact, which is coupled to the one or more conductors in the audio cable, and a second contact, which is associated with the electronic device, so that after the user winds the audio cable around the charging mechanism, the user can electrically couple the first contact to the second contact to complete a circuit between the inductive receiving coil and the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second contact is located on a body of the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second contact is a conductive body of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first contact is located on a first earphone attached to the audio cable.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first contact is conductive metal mesh screen that also protects a driver for the first earphone.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second contact is located on a second earphone which is also attached to the audio cable.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein electrically coupling the first and second contacts involves electrically coupling the first and second contacts through an intervening conductor, wherein the intervening conductor is located in a housing which is configured to hold the first and second earphones.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conductors within the audio cable include multiple conductors which are coupled in series to form a single receiving coil having more windings than an audio cable with only a single conductor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio cable comprises one of:

a headphone cable;

an earphone cable; and

a microphone cable.

11. An inductive charging mechanism for an electronic device, comprising:

a charging post configured so that an audio cable for the electronic device can be wound around the charging post multiple times, so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil;

a ferromagnetic core within the charging post;

an inductive transmitting coil wound around the ferromagnetic core; and

a power source configured to apply a current to the inductive transmitting coil to induce a current in the inductive receiving coil so that the induced current charges a rechargeable battery for the electronic device.

12. The inductive charging mechanism of claim 11,

wherein the audio cable for the electronic device includes a first contact and a second contact, which are coupled to the one or more conductors in the audio cable;

wherein the inductive charging mechanism is additionally configured to hold and electrically couple the first contact and the second contact; and

wherein electrically coupling the first contact and the second contact completes a circuit through the inductive receiving coil.

13. The inductive charging mechanism of claim 11,

wherein the first and second contacts are located on first and second earphones for the audio cable;

and

wherein the first and second contacts are conductive metal mesh screens that also protect drivers for the first and second earphones.

14. The inductive charging mechanism of claim 11, wherein the one or more conductors within the audio cable include multiple conductors which are coupled in series to form a single receiving coil having more windings than an audio cable with only a single conductor.

15. The inductive charging mechanism of claim 11, wherein the audio cable comprises one of:

a headphone cable;

an earphone cable; and

a microphone cable.

16. An electronic device that supports inductive charging, comprising:

the electronic device;

a first contact on a surface of the electronic device;

wherein the first contact is configured to electrically couple to a second contact from an audio cable for the electronic device after the audio cable has been wound around a charging mechanism, so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil, wherein electrically coupling the first and second contacts completes a circuit between the inductive receiving coil and the electronic device; and

a charging circuit within the electronic device, wherein the charging circuit is configured to use an induced current received from the inductive receiving coil to charge a battery within the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the second contact is located on a first earphone attached to the audio cable.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more conductors within the audio cable include multiple conductors which are coupled in series to form a single receiving coil having more windings than an audio cable with only a single conductor.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the audio cable comprises one of:

a headphone cable;

an earphone cable; and

a microphone cable.

20. An audio device that supports inductive charging, comprising:

a first earphone;

a second earphone;

a cable including one or more conductors coupled between the first earphone and the second earphone;

an audio player which produces audio signals for the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the audio player is incorporated into one or both of the first earphone and the second earphone;

a rechargeable battery incorporated into one or both of the first earphone and the second earphone;

a first contact on the first earphone;

a second contact on the second earphone; and

a charging circuit incorporated into one or both of the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the charging circuit is configured to use an induced current received from an inductive receiving coil to charge the rechargeable battery, the inductive receiving coil having been formed by winding the cable around a charging device and electrically coupling the first contact and the second contact to complete a circuit containing the inductive receiving coil.

21. The audio device of claim 20, wherein the first and second contacts are conductive metal mesh screens that also protect drivers for the first and second earphones.

22. The audio device of claim 20, wherein electrically coupling the first and second contacts involves electrically coupling the first and second contacts through an intervening conductor, wherein the intervening conductor is located in a housing which is configured to receive the first and second earphones.

23. The audio device of claim 20, wherein the one or more conductors within the audio cable include multiple conductors which are coupled in series to form a single receiving coil having more windings than an audio cable with only a single conductor.

24. An earphone for an audio device, comprising:

an earphone body;

an earphone cable coupled to the earphone body, wherein the earphone cable carries an electrical audio output for the earphone;

an audio driver housed within the earphone body, wherein the audio driver converts the electrical audio output into an acoustic audio output; and

a screen coupled to the earphone body, wherein the screen is configured to protect the audio driver while allowing the acoustic output to emanate from the audio driver;

wherein the screen includes an electrical contact for an electrical charging signal.

25. The earphone of claim 24, wherein the screen is implemented as a conductive metal mesh.

26. The earphone of claim 24, wherein the earphone cable is also configured to carry the electrical charging signal back to an electronic device which generated the electrical audio input, wherein the electrical charging signal is used to charge the electronic device.