SYSTEM FOR CHARGING ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20170338684A1
• Filed: 11/12/2015
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: PowerbyProxi Limited (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: MISHRIKI, Fady, KING, Benjamin Martin, WICKHAM, Henry
• Application Number:
  US15/526,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338684A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A system for charging electronic devices, the system comprising: one or more wireless power transmitters 202, each transmitter having one or more power transmitting elements 212; one or more receiver electronic devices 204 including wireless power receivers, each receiver having one or more power receiving elements 216, the transmitters 202 and receivers 204 being configured to transfer electrical power wirelessly between the transmitting 212 and receiving 216 elements; and one or more non-receiver electronic devices configured to receive electrical power from a power supply via a wired connection, wherein the one or more transmitters 202 are configured to receive electrical power from the power supply via the wired connection of the one or more non-receiver electronic devices.

Claims

1. A system for charging electronic devices, the system comprising:

one or more wireless power transmitters, each transmitter having one or more power transmitting elements;

one or more receiver consumer electronic devices including wireless power receivers, each receiver having one or more power receiving elements, the transmitters and receivers being configured to transfer electrical power wirelessly between the transmitting and receiving elements; and

one or more non-receiver consumer electronic devices configured to receive electrical power from a power supply via a wired connection,

wherein the one or more transmitters are configured to receive electrical power from the power supply via the wired connection of the one or more non-receiver consumer electronic devices.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more receiver devices are configured to be able to receive electrical power from the power supply via the wired connection of the one or more non-receiver electronic devices.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the wired connection is one or more cables, each cable having a connector portion; and

at least one of the connector portions being adapted to house one of the one or more transmitters and one of the one or more receiver devices being configured such that the receiver thereof is positioned to transfer power with the transmitter connector portion.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transmitter connector portion and configured receiver device physically connect via a magnetic connection.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more transmitters is integrated into one of the one or more non-receiver devices.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transceiver providing bi-directional power transfer between non-receiver consumer electronic devices and/or receiver consumer electronic devices.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a communication link between non-receiver consumer electronic devices and/or receiver consumer electronic devices for routing power commands and/or a data link to an external data connection.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more transmitters are housed in a charging pad, the receiver consumer electronic devices including handheld portable devices, wearable devices and/or peripheral devices, and/or the non-receiver consumer electronic devices including non-battery powered or stationary devices, and/or non-handheld portable devices.

9. A charging hub for a number electronic devices, comprising:

a power input circuit for distributing power to one or more wireless transmitters and one or more wired connections;

the transmitter having one or more power transmitting elements configured to transfer electrical power wirelessly to one or more receiver electronics devices;

the wired connection configured to supply electrical power to a non-receiver electronic device.

10. The charging hub of claim 9, wherein the power input circuit comprises on or more of the following:

a cable socket for receiving a power supply cable;

a second cable socket for receiving a said wired connection to supply a non-receiver device;

a selector for switching power distribution to one or more of the wireless transmitters and/or wired connections.

11. The charging hub of claim 10 further comprising a cable connected to the power input circuit and configured to transfer power from a power supply to the charging hub.

12. The charging hub of claim 10, wherein the wired connection comprises a cable for supplying a respective non-receiver device.