METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR OPTIMIZED DEVICE-TO-DEVICE CHARGING

• US 20140117921A1
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Suomela, Riku
• Granted Patent: US 9,431,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0012 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0031 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0037 for power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0075 using inductive coupling transformers or inductances adapted for inductive coupling H01F38/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and computer program product example embodiments provide device-to-device charging. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method comprises receiving, by a first device, a user'"'"'s selection of a charging criterion for balancing stored charges in the first device'"'"'s own battery and in a second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery; determining, by the first device, that recharging of the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is required; computing, by the first device, an amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, in order to satisfy the user'"'"'s selected charging criterion; and transmitting, by the first device, power provided by the first device'"'"'s own battery, to the second device, for charging the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery until the present level of stored battery charge in the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery reaches the computed amount of charging required.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first device, a user'"'"'s selection of a charging criterion for balancing stored charges in the first device'"'"'s own battery and in a second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery;

determining, by the first device, that recharging of the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is required;

computing, by the first device, an amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, in order to satisfy the user'"'"'s selected charging criterion; and

transmitting, by the first device, power provided by the first device'"'"'s own battery, to the second device, for charging the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery until the present level of stored battery charge in the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery reaches the computed amount of charging required.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first device to the second device, a request for stored battery charge data describing a current state of the rechargeable battery in the second device;

receiving, by the first device, stored battery charge data from the second device describing the current state of its rechargeable battery;

accessing, by the first device, a database, to retrieve battery characteristic data for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery;

comparing, by the first device, the stored battery charge data received from the second device with a recharging threshold; and

determining, by the first device, that recharging of the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is required, based on the comparison.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, by the first device, a present level of stored battery charge in the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery and a present level of stored battery charge in the first device'"'"'s own battery; and

terminating, by the first device, the transmitting of power to the second device, when the present level of stored battery charge in the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery reaches the computed amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

wherein the retrieved battery characteristic data for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, includes battery maximum capacity and recharging threshold data, for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

wherein the recharging threshold includes an accessed battery maximum capacity and an accessed recharging threshold data for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the computing of the amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is based on the received stored battery charge data describing the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, an accessed maximum capacity of the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, and stored battery charge in the first device'"'"'s own battery.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing, by the first device, a database, to retrieve battery characteristic data for at least one of the first device'"'"'s battery and the second device'"'"'s battery, including at least one profile of different power consumption with different use cases; and

computing the amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, based on the at least one profile of different power consumption with different use cases.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the power provided by the first device'"'"'s own battery, to the second device, is at least one of power transmitted wirelessly to the second device or power transmitted via a wire to the second device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the first device is either mobile or stationary and the second device is either mobile or stationary.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive a user'"'"'s selection of a charging criterion for balancing stored charges in the apparatus'"'"' own battery and in a second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery;

determine that recharging of the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is required;

compute an amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, in order to satisfy the user'"'"'s selected charging criterion; and

transmit power provided by the apparatus'"'"' own battery, to the second device, for charging the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery until the present level of stored battery charge in the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery reaches the computed amount of charging required.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

transmit to the second device, a request for stored battery charge data describing a current state of the rechargeable battery in the second device;

receive stored battery charge data from the second device describing the current state of its rechargeable battery;

access a database, to retrieve battery characteristic data for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery;

compare the stored battery charge data received from the second device with a recharging threshold; and

determine that recharging of the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is required, based on the comparison.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

monitor a present level of stored battery charge in the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery and a present level of stored battery charge in the apparatus'"'"' own battery; and

terminate the transmitting of power to the second device, when the present level of stored battery charge in the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery reaches the computed amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

wherein the retrieved battery characteristic data for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, includes battery maximum capacity and recharging threshold data, for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

wherein the recharging threshold includes an accessed battery maximum capacity and an accessed recharging threshold data for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

wherein the computing of the amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is based on the received stored battery charge data describing the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, an accessed maximum capacity of the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, and stored battery charge in the apparatus'"'"' battery.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

access a database, to retrieve battery characteristic data for at least one of the apparatus'"'"' battery and the second device'"'"'s battery, including at least one profile of different power consumption with different use cases; and

compute the amount of charging required for the second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, based on the at least one profile of different power consumption with different use cases.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

wherein the power provided by the first device'"'"'s own battery, to the second device, is at least one of power transmitted wirelessly to the second device or power transmitted via a wire to the second device.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

wherein the first device is either mobile or stationary and the second device is either mobile or stationary.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first device, a user'"'"'s selection of a charging criterion for balancing stored charges in the first device'"'"'s own rechargeable battery and in a second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery;

determining, by the first device, that recharging of the first device'"'"'s own rechargeable battery is required;

computing, by the first device, an amount of charging required for the first device'"'"'s own rechargeable battery, in order to satisfy the user'"'"'s selected charging criterion;

receiving, by the first device, power provided by a battery of the second device, for charging the first device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, until a present level of stored battery charge in the first device'"'"'s rechargeable battery satisfies a battery charging criterion for balancing stored charges in the first device'"'"'s rechargeable battery and in the second device'"'"'s battery.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive a user'"'"'s selection of a charging criterion for balancing stored charges in a first device'"'"'s own rechargeable battery and in a second device'"'"'s rechargeable battery;

determine that recharging of the first device'"'"'s rechargeable battery is required;

compute an amount of charging required for the first device'"'"'s own rechargeable battery, in order to satisfy the user'"'"'s selected charging criterion;

receive power provided by a battery of the second device, for charging the first device'"'"'s rechargeable battery, until a present level of stored battery charge in the first device'"'"'s rechargeable battery satisfies a battery charging criterion for balancing stored charges in the first device'"'"'s rechargeable battery and in the second device'"'"'s battery.