METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESSLY CHARGING A MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20130002191A1
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Hee-Won, Park, Joon-Ho, Won, Eun-Tae, Koh, Jun-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 9,246,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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

A mobile terminal and a method for wirelessly charging the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes searching for a wirelessly rechargeable mobile terminal; receiving, upon finding a wirelessly rechargeable mobile terminal, power state information from the found rechargeable mobile terminal; setting the mobile terminal as one of a power supplying terminal and a power receiving terminal based on the received power state information; and performing a power charging operation with the found rechargeable mobile terminals according to the setting.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly charging a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

searching for a wirelessly rechargeable mobile terminal;

receiving, upon finding a wirelessly rechargeable mobile terminal, power state information from the found rechargeable mobile terminal;

setting the mobile terminal as one of a power supplying terminal and a power receiving terminal based on the received power state information; and

performing a power charging operation with the found rechargeable mobile terminals according to the setting.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein performing the power charging operation comprises supplying power to the found rechargeable mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is set as the power supplying terminal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power charging operation comprises receiving power from the found rechargeable mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is set as the power receiving terminal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power state information contains residual power amount information indicating a currently remaining power amount in the found rechargeable mobile terminal, a charging requirement reference value indicating a charging need of the found rechargeable mobile terminal, and a surplus power reference value indicating an ability for the found rechargeable mobile terminal supply power to another mobile terminal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein setting the mobile terminal as one of the power supplying terminal and the power receiving terminal based on the received power state information comprises:

setting the mobile terminal as the power supplying terminal when a providable amount of power of the mobile terminal calculated based on power state information of the mobile terminal is greater than a providable amount of power of the found rechargeable mobile terminal indicated by the received power state information of the found rechargeable mobile terminal; and

setting the mobile terminal as the power receiving terminal when the calculated providable amount of power of the mobile terminal is less than the received providable amount of power of the found rechargeable mobile terminal indicated by the received power state information of the found rechargeable mobile terminal.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein setting the mobile terminal as one of the power supplying terminal and the power receiving terminal based on the received power state information further comprises setting, from among the mobile terminal and the found rechargeable mobile terminal, a mobile terminal requesting urgent power reception as the power receiving terminal.

7. A mobile terminal comprising:

a wireless communication unit;

a wireless charging module for wirelessly transmitting and receiving power; and

a controller for searching a wirelessly rechargeable mobile terminal through the wireless communication module, receives, upon finding a wirelessly rechargeable mobile terminal, power state information from the found rechargeable mobile terminal, setting the mobile terminal as one of a power supplying terminal and a power receiving terminal based on the received power state information, and performing a power charging operation according to the setting.

8. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller supplies power to the found rechargeable mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is set as the power supplying terminal.

9. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller receives power from the found rechargeable mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is set as the power receiving terminal.

10. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 7, wherein the power state information contains residual power amount information indicating a currently remaining power amount in the found rechargeable mobile terminal, a charging requirement reference value indicating a charging need of the found rechargeable mobile terminal, and a surplus power reference value indicating an ability for the found rechargeable mobile terminal supply power to another mobile terminal.

11. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller sets the mobile terminal as the power supplying terminal when a providable amount of power of the mobile terminal calculated based on power state information of the mobile terminal is greater than a providable amount of power of the found rechargeable mobile terminal indicated by the received power state information, and sets the mobile terminal as the power receiving terminal when the amount of providable power of the mobile terminal is less than the providable amount of power of the found rechargeable mobile terminal.

12. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller sets, from among the mobile terminal and the found rechargeable mobile terminal, a mobile terminal requesting urgent power reception as the power receiving terminal.