METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR POWERING ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20140287681A1
• Filed: 03/20/2013
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: OLLIKAINEN, Jani, JANTUNEN, Joni
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• 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: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/08 with current supply sources at the substations generating ringing current H04M19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Example method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for negotiation of wireless powering of passive objects. Example embodiments of the invention include a method comprising: receiving, via a radio frequency wireless interface of an apparatus, a radio frequency signal from a wireless device, indicating that the wireless device is capable of receiving optical powering; switching on, by the apparatus, an optical energy source in the apparatus; and transmitting, by the apparatus, from the optical energy source, optical power to the wireless device in response to the radio frequency signal.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a radio frequency wireless interface of an apparatus, a radio frequency signal from a wireless device, indicating that the wireless device is capable of receiving optical powering;

switching on, by the apparatus, an optical energy source in the apparatus; and

transmitting, by the apparatus, from the optical energy source, optical power to the wireless device in response to the radio frequency signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the apparatus, a radio frequency wireless message from the wireless device, indicating optical power requirements of the wireless device; and

transmitting, by the apparatus, optical power at a level based on the indicated optical power requirements.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging, via the radio frequency wireless interface of the apparatus, radio frequency wireless messages including data to be communicated with the wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a radio frequency signal providing initial power for the wireless device, the signal comprising near field communication signal; and

transmitting, by the apparatus, optical power to the wireless device, to supplement the energy provided by the radio frequency signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the apparatus, a radio frequency wireless message from the wireless device, indicating no more optical power is required by the wireless device; and

switching off, by the apparatus, the optical energy source in the apparatus;

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a mobile device that includes a camera and the optical energy source in the apparatus comprises an optical flash associated with the camera.

7. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by an apparatus, a radio frequency signal to a mobile wireless device, indicating that the apparatus is capable of receiving optical powering;

receiving, by the apparatus, optical power from the mobile wireless device in response to the radio frequency signal; and

operating, by the apparatus, electronic components in the apparatus, using at least the optical power from the mobile wireless device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using, by the apparatus, an excess portion of the received optical power for reading data from or storing data into an associated memory of the apparatus.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

exchanging, by the apparatus, radio frequency wireless messages including data via a radio frequency wireless interface of the mobile wireless device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting, by the apparatus, a radio frequency wireless message to the mobile wireless device, indicating optical power requirements of the apparatus; and

receiving, by the apparatus, optical power from the mobile wireless device, at a level based on the indicated optical power requirements.

11. A apparatus, comprising:

an optical energy source;

a radio frequency wireless interface;

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, via the radio frequency wireless interface, a radio frequency signal from a wireless device, indicating that the wireless device is capable of receiving optical powering;

switch on the optical energy source in the apparatus; and

transmit, from the optical energy source, optical power to the wireless device in response to the radio frequency signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, 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;

receive a radio frequency wireless message from the wireless device, indicating optical power requirements of the wireless device; and

transmit optical power at a level based on the indicated optical power requirements.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, 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;

exchange, via the radio frequency wireless interface, radio frequency wireless messages including data to be communicated with the wireless device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, 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 a radio frequency signal providing initial power for the wireless device, the signal comprising near field communication signal; and

transmit optical power to the wireless device, to supplement the energy provided by the radio frequency signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, 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;

receive a radio frequency wireless message from the wireless device, indicating no more optical power is required by the wireless device; and

switch the optical energy source in the apparatus;

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a mobile device that includes a camera and the optical energy source in the apparatus comprises an optical flash associated with the camera.

17. A 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;

transmit a radio frequency signal to a mobile wireless device, indicating that the apparatus is capable of receiving optical powering;

receive optical power from the mobile wireless device in response to the radio frequency signal; and

operate electronic components in the apparatus, using at least the optical power from the mobile wireless device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, 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;

use an excess portion of the received optical power for reading data from or storing data into an associated memory of the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, 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;

exchange radio frequency wireless messages including data via a radio frequency wireless interface of the mobile wireless device.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, 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;

transmitting, by the apparatus, a radio frequency wireless message to the mobile wireless device, indicating optical power requirements of the apparatus; and

receiving, by the apparatus, optical power from the mobile wireless device, at a level based on the indicated optical power requirements.

21. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for receiving, via a radio frequency wireless interface of an apparatus, a radio frequency signal from a wireless device, indicating that the wireless device is capable of receiving optical powering;

code for switching on, by the apparatus, an optical energy source in the apparatus; and

code for transmitting, by the apparatus, from the optical energy source, optical power to the wireless device in response to the radio frequency signal.

22. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for transmitting, by an apparatus, a radio frequency signal to a mobile wireless device, indicating that the apparatus is capable of receiving optical powering;

code for receiving, by the apparatus, optical power from the mobile wireless device in response to the radio frequency signal; and

code for operating, by the apparatus, electronic components in the apparatus, using at least the optical power from the mobile wireless device.