SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING A WIRELESSLY CHARGING BATTERY

• US 20170033587A1
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Hong, Yee Bing, Neoh, Huey Ghim, Mohdi, Intan Mazlina Mohd, Oo, Wei Lun, Tham, Mun Yew
• Granted Patent: US 10,483,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for selecting a battery pack of a plurality of battery packs being wirelessly charged. The system includes a wireless charger having a power supply and a plurality of charging coils, each charging coil coupled to the power supply and configured to wirelessly charge a battery pack of the plurality of battery packs using power received via the power supply. The wireless charger communicates with each battery pack to receive battery information. The system further includes an optimal battery selection device configured to detect a battery pack request; select an optimal battery pack of the plurality of battery packs based on a battery pack request and battery information; and provide a notification indicative of the optimal battery pack selected.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a battery pack of a plurality of battery packs being wirelessly charged, the method comprising:

wirelessly charging the plurality of battery packs using a wireless charger;

detecting a battery pack request;

receiving, by an optimal battery selection device, battery information from the plurality of battery packs;

selecting, by the optimal battery selection device, an optimal battery pack of the plurality of battery packs based on the battery pack request and the battery information; and

providing, by the optimal battery selection device, a notification of the optimal battery pack.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery pack request is detected based on receiving a request transmitted from a mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the request from the mobile communication device is generated based on a charge level of an attached battery pack coupled to the mobile communication device and motion of the mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery pack request is detected based on detecting, by the wireless charger, insertion of a battery pack into a charging slot of the wireless charger.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining additional battery information from an added battery pack; and

determining a compatible battery pack type based on the additional battery information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the battery information from the plurality of battery packs includes:

receiving a battery type for each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs; and

receiving a charge level for each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the optimal battery pack comprises:

identifying compatible battery packs of the plurality of battery packs based on the battery types of the plurality of battery packs and the compatible battery pack type; and

identifying one of the compatible battery packs as the optimal battery pack based on the charge level of compatible battery packs.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the notification of the optimal battery pack comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

driving an indicator associated with a charging slot on the wireless charger having the optimal battery pack; and

sending the notification to the optimal battery pack to update an indicator dynamic tag of the optimal battery pack to identify the optimal battery pack as the optimal battery pack, the indicator dynamic tab being read by a tag reader of a mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimal battery selection device includes a processor and a memory and is incorporated within one selected from the group consisting of the wireless charger and a mobile communication device.

10. A system for selecting a battery pack of a plurality of battery packs being wirelessly charged, the system comprising:

a wireless charger including

a power supply,

a plurality of charging coils, each charging coil coupled to the power supply and configured to wirelessly charge a battery pack of the plurality of battery packs using power received via the power supply, and

a wireless communication circuit forming a communication link with each battery pack; and

an optimal battery selection device

having battery information including information received from the plurality of battery packs via the wireless communication circuit, and

configured to;

detect a battery pack request,

determine an optimal battery pack of the plurality of battery packs based on the battery pack request and the battery information, and

provide a notification indicative of the optimal battery pack.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless charger further includes charging slots, each configured to receive one of the plurality of battery packs.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless charger further includes a plurality of battery tag readers forming the wireless communication circuit, wherein

each battery tag reader is associated with one of the charging slots, and

the optimal battery selection device detects the battery pack request upon the battery tag reader associated with one of the charging slots reading a dynamic tag of one of the plurality of battery packs inserted into the one of the charging slots.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless charger further includes a plurality of battery tag readers forming the wireless communication circuit, wherein each battery tag reader is associated with one of the charging slots and configured to read a dynamic tag of one of the plurality of battery packs inserted into the associated one of the charging slots to obtain the battery information.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless charger further includes a plurality of charger indicators, wherein each charger indicator is associated with one of the charging slots and is configured to provide a human-recognizable indication of the optimal battery pack in response to receiving the notification.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless charger further includes a charging mat with a charging surface configured to receive the plurality of battery packs.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication circuit receives the battery pack request from a radio transceiver in a mobile communication device configured to receive and be powered by one of the plurality of battery packs.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the battery pack request from the radio transceiver is generated based on a charge level of an attached battery pack coupled to the mobile communication device and based on sensed motion of the mobile communication device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication circuit receives the battery information from a battery transceiver in each of the plurality of battery packs.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the optimal battery pack includes a dynamic tag storing an value indicative of selection as the optimal battery pack in response to receipt of the notification.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a mobile communication device includes a tag reader configured to read the dynamic tag of the optimal battery pack and, in response, to provide a human-recognizable indication of the optimal battery pack.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein, to determine the optimal battery pack, the optimal battery selection device determines whether the optimal battery pack is compatible with a mobile communication device and whether the optimal battery pack has a charge level above a predetermined threshold.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein the optimal battery selection device includes a processor and a memory and is incorporated within one selected from the group consisting of the wireless charger and a mobile communication device.