MOBILE TERMINAL AND WIRELESS CHARGING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120052923A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Sekwon
• Application Number:
  US12/961,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20120052923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal and a wireless charging method thereof, in which when the mobile terminal performs a wireless charging of a battery using induced current generated from a charging pad, whether the terminal is in a vibration mode is checked, and if so, the vibration mode is changed into a ring mode or a mute mode to receive the induced current, thereby charging the battery, resulting in preventing lowering of charging efficiency, which is caused because the terminal does not meet an alignment condition due to vibration generated from the terminal.

Claims

1. A wireless charging method for a battery in a mobile terminal that uses induced current, the method comprising:

receiving the induced current generated by a charging pad;

determining a notification mode that is set for the terminal upon receipt of the induced current; and

setting the notification mode to a ring mode or a mute mode when the determined set notification mode is a specific mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific mode is a vibration mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether placement of the mobile terminal on the charging pad satisfies an alignment condition.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising guiding an alignment of the mobile terminal on the changing pad when the alignment condition is not satisfied.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the alignment condition comprises that a distance between a center of a coil mounted in the charging pad and a center of a coil mounted in the mobile terminal is within an allowable range.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the notification to the ring mode or the mute mode comprises:

determining whether a notification mode change has been set; and

changing the specific mode into the ring mode or the mute mode according to preset information when the notification mode change has been set.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising outputting a request for the notification mode change when the notification mode change has not been set.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning the notification mode to the specific mode when the battery charging is completed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the specific mode is a vibration mode.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a power reception unit configured to receive induced current generated by a charging pad;

a controller configured to determine a notification mode that is set for the mobile terminal when the induced current is received and to set the notification mode to a ring mode or a mute mode when the determined set notification mode is a specific mode; and

a charging unit configured to wirelessly charge the battery using the received induced current under control of the controller.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the charging pad comprises:

a first coil configured to generate an electromagnetic field upon application of power;

a comparing unit configured to compare the power applied to the first coil to a threshold value;

a switching unit configured to control the application of power to the first coil; and

a charging pad controller configured to control the switching unit according to the result of the comparison.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, further comprising a sensor configured to detect at least a contact or a position of the mobile terminal on the charging pad.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the power reception unit comprises:

a second coil configured to receive the induced current generated by the charging pad;

a rectifier configured to convert the induced current to a direct current; and

a converter configured to convert the direct current to a voltage.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether placement of the mobile terminal on the charging pad satisfies an alignment condition upon initiation of wireless charging.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, when the controller is further configured to guide an alignment of the mobile terminal on the charging pad when the alignment condition is not satisfied.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the alignment condition comprises that a distance between a center of a coil mounted in the charging pad and a center of a coil mounted in the mobile terminal is within an allowable range.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the specific mode is a vibration mode.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a notification mode change has been set and to change the specific mode into the ring mode or the mute mode according to preset information when the notification mode change has been set.

19. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to output a request for the notification mode change when the notification mode change has not been set.

20. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to return the notification mode to the specific mode when the wireless charging of the battery is completed.