Wirelessly Charging a Second Device from a First Device

• US 20150077038A1
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Global Technologies International Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte., Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chung, Yao-Huan, Chao, David TW., El-Houshy, Tarek, Tseng, Eddie HN., Wang, Yen P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,728,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• 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 mechanism is provided for a first device to wirelessly charge a second device. When in a first charging mode, the first device has a first chargeable radius as a charging radius thereof. An external power source is provided to the first device. In response to the external power source providing power to the first device, the first device changes from the first charging mode to a second charging mode. In response to the first device changing to the second charging mode, the charging radius of the first device changes from the first chargeable radius to a second chargeable radius.

Claims

1. A method for a first device to wirelessly charge a second device, when the first device is in a first charging mode, the first device has a first chargeable radius as a charging radius thereof, the method comprising:

providing an external power source to the first device;

changing from the first charging mode of the first device to a second charging mode of the first device, in response to the external power source supplying power to the first device; and

changing the charging radius of the first device from t le first chargeable radius to a second chargeable radius, in response to the first device being changed to the second charging mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second chargeable radius is larger than the first chargeable radius.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first charging mode includes a battery mode, and the second charging mode includes an enhanced transmission mode, the battery mode dispensing with the external power source and performing the wireless charging with a power storage module of the first device, and the enhanced transmission mode using the external power source to wirelessly charge more devices than the battery mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting and sending an authentication request frame from the first device regularly, wherein the authentication request frame has a first ID;

recognizing the first ID by the second device, in response to receipt of the authentication request frame by the second device;

sending an authentication response frame from the second device in response to recognition of the first ID by the second device, wherein the authentication response frame has a second ID and information pertaining to a power rating of the second device;

recognizing the second ID by the first device, in response to receipt of the authentication response frame by the first device; and

adjusting by the first device the power rating at which the first device wirelessly charges the second device in response to recognition of the second ID by the first device and in accordance with information pertaining to the power rating of the second device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first ID includes one of a device ID and a vendor ID of the first device, and the second ID includes one of a device ID and a vendor ID of the second device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first device includes a first wireless transmitting/receiving module for transmitting power to the second device, and a variable power source control module for adjusting power supplied by a power supply module according to information pertaining to the power rating of the second device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the external power source includes one of an alternating current and a grid electricity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device each comprise one of a handheld electronic device, a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a cellular phone, a tablet computer, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a Walkman, a projector, a consumer electronic product, and a computer peripheral device.

9. A charging device adapted for wirelessly charging a second device, when the charging device is in a first charging mode, the charging device has a first chargeable radius as a charging radius thereof, the device comprising:

an external power source; and

a control module for enabling the charging device to change from the first charging mode to a second charging mode, in response to the external power source supplying power to the charging device, wherein the control module enables the charging radius of the charging device to change from the first chargeable radius to a second chargeable radius in response to the charging device having changed to the second charging mode.

10. The charging device of claim 9, wherein the second charging radius is larger than the first charging radius.

11. The charging device of claim 9, wherein the first charging mode comprises a battery mode in which the external power source does not supply power and the wireless charging is carried out by a power storage module of the charging device, and the second charging mode comprises an enhanced transmission mode, wherein more devices are wirelessly charged in the enhanced transmission mode by the external power source than in the battery mode.

12. The charging device of claim 9, wherein the wireless charging comprises an authentication process, the authentication process comprising:

broadcasting and sending an authentication request frame by the charging device regularly, the authentication request frame having a first ID;

recognizing the first ID by the second device in response to receipt of the authentication request frame by the second device;

sending an authentication response frame from the second device in response to recognition of the first ID by the second device, the authentication response frame having a second ID and information pertaining to a power rating of the second device;

recognizing the second ID by the charging device in response to receipt of the authentication response frame by the charging device; and

adjusting by the control module the power rating at which the charging device wirelessly charges the second device in response to recognition of the second ID by the charging device and in accordance with information pertaining to the power rating of the second device.

13. The charging device of claim 12, wherein the first ID comprises one of a device ID and a vendor ID of the charging device, and the second ID comprises one of a device ID and a vendor ID of the second device.

14. The charging device of claim 12, further comprising a first wireless transmitting/receiving module for transmitting power to the second device, a power supply module for supplying power to the first wireless transmitting/receiving module, and a variable power source control module for adjusting the power supplied by the power supply module in accordance with information pertaining to the power rating of the second device.

15. The charging device of claim 9, wherein the external power source includes one of an alternating current and a grid electricity.

16. The charging device of claim 9, wherein the charging device and the second device each comprise one of a handheld electronic device, a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a cellular phone, a tablet computer, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a Walkman, a projector, a consumer electronic product, and a computer peripheral device.

17. (canceled)

18. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program for a first device to wirelessly charge a second device, when the first device is in a first charging mode, the first device has a first chargeable radius as a charging radius thereof, stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a first device, causes the first device to:

receive an external power source;

change from the first charging mode of the first device to a second charging mode of the first device, in response to the external power source supplying power to the first device; and

change the charging radius of the first device from the first chargeable radius to a second chargeable radius, in response to the first device being changed to the second charging mode.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the second chargeable radius is larger than the first chargeable radius.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the first charging mode includes a battery mode, and the second charging mode includes an enhanced transmission mode, the battery mode dispensing with the external power source and performing the wireless charging with a power storage module of the first device, and the enhanced transmission mode using the external power source to wirelessly charge more devices than the battery mode.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program further causes the first device to:

broadcast and send an authentication request frame regularly, wherein the authentication request frame has a first ID;

recognize a second ID of a second device, in response to receipt of an authentication response frame, wherein the authentication response frame is sent by the second device in response to the second device recognizing the first ID by receipt of the authentication request frame and wherein the authentication response frame has the second ID and information pertaining to a power rating of the second device; and

adjust the power rating at which the first device wirelessly charges the second device in response to recognition of the second ID and in accordance with information pertaining to the power rating of the second device.