METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VARYING A WIRELESS CHARGING CATEGORY OF A WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER IN WIRELESS CHARGING APPLICATIONS

• US 20170047782A1
• Filed: 03/25/2016
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shevde, Sumukh Ashok, Maalouf, Joseph Najib, Gong, Curtis, Von Novak, William Henry III, White, Mark David II
• Granted Patent: US 10,418,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

An apparatus for receiving wireless power is provided. The apparatus a communication circuit configured to transmit a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus. The communication circuit is further configured to receive an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU). The communication circuit is further configured to transmit a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category. The apparatus further comprises a coupler configured to receive a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category. The higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than the first wireless charging category

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving wireless power, comprising:

a communication circuit configured to;

transmit a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus,

receive an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU), and

transmit a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category; and

a coupler configured to receive a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless charging category is associated with an amount of wireless power less than a maximum amount of wireless power the apparatus is configured to receive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than is associated with the first wireless charging category.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to establish a first wireless communication connection with the PTU via the communication circuit in response to the communication circuit receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to abolish the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive an identifier of the PTU and the coupler is configured to receive the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coupler is configured to transition from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.

8. A method for receiving wireless power, comprising:

transmitting a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with an apparatus,

receiving an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU),

transmitting a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category, and

receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first wireless charging category is associated with an amount of wireless power less than a maximum amount of wireless power the apparatus is configured to receive.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than is associated with the first wireless charging category.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising establishing a first wireless communication connection with the PTU in response to receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising abolishing the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an identifier of the PTU, wherein receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category is based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transitioning from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus for receiving wireless power to:

transmit a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus;

receive an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU);

transmit a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category; and

receive a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the first wireless charging category is associated with an amount of wireless power less than a maximum amount of wireless power the apparatus is configured to receive.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than the first wireless charging category.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to establish a first wireless communication connection with the PTU in response to receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to abolish the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to receive an identifier of the PTU, wherein receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category is based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to transition from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.

22. An apparatus for receiving wireless power, comprising:

means for transmitting a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus;

means for receiving an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU);

means for transmitting a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category; and

means for receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first wireless charging category is associated with an amount of wireless power less than a maximum amount of wireless power the apparatus is configured to receive.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than is associated with the first wireless charging category.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for establishing a first wireless communication connection with the PTU in response to the means for receiving the indication of the wireless charging class of the PTU receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for abolishing the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for receiving an identifier of the PTU, wherein and the means for receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category is configured to receive the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for transitioning from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.