INDUCTIVE COUPLING FOR BATTERY SHARING AND MULTI-FUNCTION INDUCTIVE ANTENNA
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A mobile device comprising:
- a housing;
an antenna contained and/or supported by the housing and including a plurality of loops;
a power-receiving circuit contained by the housing, said power-receiving circuit selectively connectable to the antenna;
a power-transmitting circuit contained in the housing, said power-transmitting circuit selectively connectable to the antenna;
a short-range communications circuit contained in the housing and selectively connectable to the antenna, the short-range communications circuit for sending and/or receiving data communications signals via the antenna; and
switching circuitry coupled to the antenna, the power-receiving circuit, the power-transmitting circuit and the short-range communications circuit such that;
when the power-receiving circuit is connected to the antenna, the power-receiving circuit is effectively coupled to a first number of said loops of the antenna;
when the power-transmitting circuit is connected to the antenna, the power-transmitting circuit is effectively coupled to a second number of said loops of the antenna; and
when the short-range communications circuit is connected to the antenna, the short-range communications circuit is effectively coupled to a third number of said loops of the antenna;
said first, second and third numbers of antenna loops not all being equal to each other.
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Abstract
A mobile device includes a housing and an antenna. The mobile device further includes a power-receiving circuit, and power-transmitting circuit, and a short-range communications circuit. The antenna performs multiple functions in that it is shared by the power-receiving circuit, the power-transmitting circuit and the short-range communications circuit. Each of the three circuits is selectively connectable to the antenna. The mobile device is configured to participate in a mobile-to-mobile battery-charge-sharing operation via inductive coupling from mobile device to mobile device.
15 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A mobile device comprising:
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a housing; an antenna contained and/or supported by the housing and including a plurality of loops; a power-receiving circuit contained by the housing, said power-receiving circuit selectively connectable to the antenna; a power-transmitting circuit contained in the housing, said power-transmitting circuit selectively connectable to the antenna; a short-range communications circuit contained in the housing and selectively connectable to the antenna, the short-range communications circuit for sending and/or receiving data communications signals via the antenna; and switching circuitry coupled to the antenna, the power-receiving circuit, the power-transmitting circuit and the short-range communications circuit such that; when the power-receiving circuit is connected to the antenna, the power-receiving circuit is effectively coupled to a first number of said loops of the antenna; when the power-transmitting circuit is connected to the antenna, the power-transmitting circuit is effectively coupled to a second number of said loops of the antenna; and when the short-range communications circuit is connected to the antenna, the short-range communications circuit is effectively coupled to a third number of said loops of the antenna; said first, second and third numbers of antenna loops not all being equal to each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4-8. -8. (canceled)
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9. A method comprising:
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providing a charging device that includes a battery; providing a target device that contains a battery to be charged; charging the battery of the target device by inductive coupling from the charging device to the target device; and at a time when the charging device is not connected to any source of electric power exterior to the charging device setting a limit as to how much charge is to be drawn from the battery of the charging device, said charging step being governed by said limit, said limit defined relative to a capacity of the battery of the charging device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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10-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A method comprising:
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providing a first device that includes a first battery, a first housing, a first antenna, a power-transmitting circuit and a first switch, said first housing including a marked region on an outer surface of the first housing, the marked region adjacent the first antenna; providing a second device that includes a second battery, a second housing, a second antenna, a power-receiving circuit and a second switch; setting the first device to a power-transmitting mode of operation by setting the first switch to a state in which the first switch operatively couples the power-transmitting circuit to the first antenna; setting the second device to a power-receiving mode of operation by setting the second switch to a state in which the second switch operatively couples the power-receiving circuit to the second antenna; and inductively coupling the second device to the first device to charge the second battery while drawing charge from the first battery; said coupling step including placing the second device on the marked region on the outer surface of the first housing.
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20. (canceled)
Specification