MANAGING THE OUTPUT POWER OF A WIRELESS CHARGER

• US 20160380467A1
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Shao, Lei, Lin, Xintian Eddie, Yang, Songnan
• Application Number:
  US14/871,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20160380467A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for wirelessly charging electronic devices are provided. The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein may wirelessly charge electronic devices by causing a power distribution device to send a group short beacon signal to a plurality of micro-PTU-coils; identifying a load on a first micro-PTU-coil of the plurality of micro-PTU-coils using a detected magnetic flux caused by an object being proximate to the first micro-PTU-coil; determining a location of the object using the identified load on the first micro-PTU-coil; causing the power distribution device to send a group long beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils; receiving, from the object, an advertisement, the advertisement comprising an indication of a coupling strength between the first micro-PTU-coil and the object; determining that the object is an electronic device; and determining to apply a current to the first micro-PTU-coil using the location of the electronic device and the coupling strength data.

Claims

1. A power transfer device comprising:

a plurality of micro-PTU-coils;

at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

cause to send a group short beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils;

identify a load on a first micro-PTU-coil of the plurality of micro-PTU-coils using a detected magnetic flux caused by an object being proximate to the first micro-PTU-coil;

determine a location of the object using the identified load on the first micro-PTU-coil;

cause to send a group long beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils;

receive, from the object, an advertisement, the advertisement comprising an indication of a coupling strength between the first micro-PTU-coil and the object;

determine that the object is an electronic device; and

determine to apply a current to the first micro-PTU-coil using the location of the electronic device and the coupling strength data.

2. The power transfer device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

identify a second load on a second micro-PTU-coil of the plurality of micro-PTU-coils using a second detected magnetic flux caused by a second object being proximate to the second micro-PTU-coil;

determine a second location of the second object using the identified second load on the second micro-PTU-coil;

determine that the second object is an interfering object using the second location of the object and the second detected magnetic flux;

cause to send one or more second periodic short beacon signals to the second micro-PTU-coil;

detecting a change in the second detected magnetic flux; and

determining the second object is removed from the second location using the change in the second detected magnetic flux.

3. The power transfer device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to determine if a strength of the detected magnetic flux satisfies a threshold by measuring a first change in an impedance of the first micro-PTU-coil from the detected magnetic flux induced in the first micro-PTU-coil by the electronic device.

4. The power transfer device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine a change in strength of the detected magnetic flux; and

determine the electronic device is removed from the location.

5. The power transfer device of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to determine a third object has been placed proximate to the first micro-PTU-coil when the electronic device is at the location using a change in the detected magnetic flux.

6. The power transfer device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless radio, wherein the advertisement is received over an out-of-band wireless communication channel by the wireless radio.

7. The power transfer device of claim 6, wherein the out-of-band wireless communication channel is a Bluetooth Low Energy Protocol channel.

8. The power transfer device of claim 7, wherein the advertisement further comprises one or more output voltage values associated with a voltage rectifier in the electronic device.

9. The power transfer device of claim 1, further comprising a power amplifier and a scanner.

10. The power transfer device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the power amplifier to apply the current to the first micro-PTU-coil to charge the electronic device.

11. The power transfer device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the scanner to send the group long beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

causing a power distribution device to send a group short beacon signal to a plurality of micro-PTU-coils;

identifying a load on a first micro-PTU-coil of the plurality of micro-PTU-coils using a detected magnetic flux caused by an object being proximate to the first micro-PTU-coil;

determining a location of the object using the identified load on the first micro-PTU-coil;

causing the power distribution device to send a group long beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils;

receiving, from the object, an advertisement, the advertisement comprising an indication of a coupling strength between the first micro-PTU-coil and the object;

determining that the object is an electronic device; and

determining to cause to apply a current to the first micro-PTU-coil using the location of the electronic device and the coupling strength data.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a second load on a second micro-PTU-coil of the plurality of micro-PTU-coils using a second detected magnetic flux caused by a second object being proximate to the second micro-PTU-coil;

determining a second location of the second object using the identified second load on the second micro-PTU-coil;

determining that the second object is an interfering object using the second location of the object and the second detected magnetic flux;

causing the power distribution device to send one or more second periodic short beacon signals to the second micro-PTU-coil;

detecting a change in the second detected magnetic flux; and

determining the second object is removed from the second location using the change in the second detected magnetic flux.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a change in strength of the detected magnetic flux; and

determining the electronic device is removed from the location.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that a third object has been placed proximate to the first micro-PTU-coil when the electronic device is at the location using a change in the magnetic flux.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise causing a power amplifier to apply the current to the first micro-PTU-coil to charge the electronic device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise causing a scanner to send the group long beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils to determine the first micro-PTU-coil to couple to the electronic device.

18. A method, comprising:

causing a power distribution device to send a group short beacon signal to a plurality of micro-PTU-coils;

identifying a load on a first micro-PTU-coil of the plurality of micro-PTU-coils using a detected magnetic flux caused by an object being proximate to the first micro-PTU-coil;

determining a location of the object using the identified load on the first micro-PTU-coil;

causing the power distribution device to send a group long beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils;

receiving, from the object, an advertisement, the advertisement comprising an indication of a coupling strength between the first micro-PTU-coil and the object;

determining that the object is an electronic device; and

determining to apply a current to the first micro-PTU-coil using the location of the electronic device and the coupling strength data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a strength of the detected magnetic flux; and

determining the electronic device is removed from the location.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

causing a power amplifier to apply the current to the first micro-PTU-coil to charge the electronic device.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

causing a scanner to send the group long beacon signal to the plurality of micro-PTU-coils to determine the first micro-PTU-coil to couple to the electronic device.

20. The method of 18, further comprising:

determining that a third object has been placed proximate to the first micro-PTU-coil when the electronic device is at the location using a change in the detected magnetic flux.