METHOD FOR DETERMINING WIRELESS CHARGING REQUIREMENTS FOR A DEVICE

• US 20150177330A1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm technologies international, ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/134,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20150177330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/387 Determining ampere-hour charge capacity or SoC
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• 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

The present application relates to a method for determining charging requirements for a device, the method comprising: at a charger for wirelessly charging the device, detecting the presence of the device to be charged; transmitting, from the charger, a query requesting information from the device regarding the charging requirements of the device; and receiving at the charger a response from the device containing the requested information regarding the charging requirements of the device.

Claims

1. A method for determining charging requirements for a device, the method comprising:

at a charger for wirelessly charging the device, detecting the presence of the device to be charged;

transmitting, from the charger, a query requesting information from the device regarding the charging requirements of the device; and

receiving at the charger a response from the device containing the requested information regarding the charging requirements of the device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the device to be charged comprises receiving a signal transmitted by the device to be charged.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged is a response to a polling message transmitted by the charger.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged comprises a polling message transmitted using a short range wireless communications protocol.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the polling message is transmitted using a near field communications (NFC) protocol.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged comprises an audible or ultrasonic sound signal.

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged comprises an optical signal.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting the presence of the device to be charged comprises receiving a signal generated by a vibration sensor of the charger indicating the presence of the device to be charged on the charger.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting the presence of the device to be charged comprises detecting the presence of the device to be charged using a camera of the charger and associated image processing software executed by a processor of the device.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the query is transmitted using a short range wireless communications protocol.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the short range wireless communications protocol is a near field communications (NFC) protocol.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the query includes one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of:

charging standard supported;

charging frequency required;

preferred charging rate;

current charge status; and

battery capacity.

14. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting a charging mode of the charger in accordance with the response received from the device at the charger.

15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting the presence of the device to be charged.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein adjusting a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting the presence of the device to be charged comprises reducing a charging field generated by the charger on detection of the presence of the device.

17. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting removal of a device from the charger.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein adjusting a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting removal of a device from the charger comprises increasing or reducing a charging field generated by the charger on detection of removal of the device.

13. A method according to claim 13, wherein the response includes one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of:

charging standard supported;

charging frequency required;

preferred charging rate;

current charge status; and

battery capacity.

19. A wireless charger comprising:

a charging system coupled to a charging antenna for generating a charging field; and

a communications system, wherein the communication system is configured to;

detect the presence of a device to be charged;

transmit to the device to be charged a query requesting information from the device regarding the charging requirements of the device; and

receive a response from the device containing the requested information regarding the charging requirements of the device.

20. A wireless charger according to claim 19 wherein the communications system is configured to receive a signal transmitted by the device to be charged indicating the presence of the device to be charged.

21. A wireless charger according to claim 20 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged is a response to a polling message transmitted by the charger.

22. A wireless charger according to claim 20 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged comprises a polling message transmitted using a short range wireless communications protocol.

23. A wireless charger according to claim 22 wherein the polling message is transmitted using a near field communications (NFC) protocol.

24. A wireless charger according to claim 19 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged comprises an audible or ultrasonic sound signal.

25. A wireless charger according to claim 19 wherein the signal transmitted by the device to be charged comprises an optical signal.

26. A wireless charger according to claim 19 further comprising a vibration sensor operative to generate a signal indicating the presence of the device to be charged on the charger.

27. A wireless charger according to claim 19 further comprising a camera and a processor executing image processing software, the image processing software being operative to cause the processor to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the device to be charged on the charger.

28. A wireless charger according to claim 19, wherein the communications system is a short range wireless communications system.

29. A wireless charger according to claim 28, wherein the wireless communications system is a near field communications (NFC) system.

30. A wireless charger according to claim 19, wherein the query includes one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of:

charging standard supported;

charging frequency required;

preferred charging rate;

current charge status; and

battery capacity.

31. A wireless charger according to claim 30, wherein the response includes one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of:

charging standard supported;

charging frequency required;

preferred charging rate;

current charge status; and

battery capacity.

32. A wireless charger according to claim 19 further comprising:

a processor configured to control the charging system to adjust a charging mode of the charger in accordance with the response received from the device.

33. A wireless charger according to claim 19 further comprising:

a processor configured to control the charging system to adjust a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting the presence of the device to be charged.

34. A wireless charger according to claim 33 wherein adjusting a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting the presence of the device to be charged comprises reducing a charging field generated by the charger on detection of the presence of the device.

35. A wireless charger according to claim 19 further comprising:

a processor configured to control the charging system to adjust a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting removal of a device from the charger.

36. A wireless charger according to claim 35 wherein adjusting a charging mode of the charger in response to detecting removal of a device from the charger comprises increasing or reducing a charging field generated by the charger on detection of removal of the device.