SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESS CHARGING OF A BEACON AND/OR SENSOR DEVICE

• US 20180342888A1
• Filed: 05/23/2017
• Published: 11/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Miraglia, Michael Vincent, Germaine, Gennady
• Granted Patent: US 10,523,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

A beacon and/or sensor device having a primary and secondary power source uses the second power source in case of a requirement to carry out additional tasks such as advanced functions. The secondary power source of the beacon or sensor device is capable of being wirelessly charged by a wireless charging transmitter when brought in close proximity and/or contact to the beacon and/or sensor device. Thus, the primary power source is not used and drained while performing advanced functions.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a primary battery cell capable of providing operating power to the device;

a secondary power source having a capacitor; and

at least one induction coil coupled to the secondary power source and configured to receive power transmission signals from a wireless power charging transmitter to charge the capacitor to provide power for an advanced function.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a beacon or a sensor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the capacitor and primary battery cell do not provide power to the device at the same time.

4. The device of claim 1, comprising a module coupled to the capacitor and capable of receiving power from the capacitor but not from the primary battery cell to perform an advanced function.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the advanced function module includes at least one sensor capable of measuring the surrounding environment of the device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the advanced function module includes a service notification of a machine coupled to the device.

7. The device of claim 1, comprising an advanced function module implementing the advanced function configured to indicate to a controller a requirement of power and to receive power from the capacitor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the capacitor is a super capacitor.

9. The device of claim 1, comprising a power management unit to measure a power level of the capacitor, wherein the power management unit determines if the capacitor requires charging and indicates to a controller that a signal should be sent to the wireless power charging transmitter to begin charging.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the capacitor is a dedicated power supply for the advanced function.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to enter a dormant mode when not operating for a predetermined time period.

12. A beacon comprising:

a primary battery cell capable of providing operating power to a plurality of components of the beacon except for a sensor module;

a secondary power source including a capacitor capable of providing power to the sensor module;

a controller capable of sensing a power level of the capacitor and determining if the power level is too low to operate the sensor module and based upon that determination, sending a Bluetooth®

signal to a wireless power charging transmitter to begin wireless power charging of the capacitor; and

at least one induction coil coupled to the capacitor and configured to receive power transmission signals from the wireless power charging transmitter to charge the capacitor to provide power to the sensor module.

13. The beacon of claim 12, wherein the wireless power charging transmitter provides power to the at least one induction coil through physical contact.

14. A method of operating a device comprising:

providing operating power from a primary power source to components of the device except for an advanced function module;

supplying dedicated power from a secondary power source to the advanced function module;

transmitting a first data signal representing a low power level of the secondary power source from a first antenna to a wireless power charging transmitter; and

receiving power charging transmissions at a plurality of induction coils in the device from the wireless power charging transmitter to charge the secondary power source to provide power for the advanced function module in response to the first data signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the device is a beacon or a sensor.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising:

awakening the device from a dormant mode and operating the advanced function module.

17. The method of claim 14, comprising measuring the power level of the secondary power source using a power management unit.

18. The method of claim 14, comprising transmitting a second data signal which includes information from at least one sensor of the device.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the secondary power source is a super capacitor.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless power charging transmitter is configured to begin induction charging when at least one of the following events occur:

the device is in close proximity to the wireless power charging transmitter, when a Bluetooth®

connection has been established between the device and the wireless power charging transmitter, and when the device and wireless power charging transmitter are in physical contact.