Portable electronic device and capacitive charger providing data transfer and associated methods
First Claim
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
- a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging said portable electronic device;
said portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and an associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by said housing to receive a charging signal to charge said battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint;
said charger comprisinga base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive said portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions,an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base,a charger controller for sensing impedances of said charger capacitive electrodes and selectively driving respective charger capacitive electrodes corresponding to the device conductive footprint based upon sensing the impedances, anda charger data communication unit to communicate with said device data communication unit via said charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The electronic apparatus includes a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is temporarily placed adjacent the charger. The portable electronic device includes a device data communication unit and an associated battery, and a pair of device capacitive electrodes, defining a device conductive footprint, to receive a charging signal to charge the battery. The charger includes a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive the portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, and an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base. A charger controller selectively drives only the charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge the battery. A charger data communication unit communicates with the device data communication unit via the charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes, e.g. by modulating data onto the charging signal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
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a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging said portable electronic device; said portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and an associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by said housing to receive a charging signal to charge said battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint; said charger comprising a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive said portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base, a charger controller for sensing impedances of said charger capacitive electrodes and selectively driving respective charger capacitive electrodes corresponding to the device conductive footprint based upon sensing the impedances, and a charger data communication unit to communicate with said device data communication unit via said charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A charger for capacitively charging a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is placed adjacent the charger, the portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by the housing to receive a charging signal to charge the battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint, the charger comprising:
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a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions; an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base; a charger controller for sensing impedances of said charger capacitive electrodes and selectively driving respective charger capacitive electrodes corresponding to the device conductive footprint based upon sensing the impedances; and a charger data communication unit to communicate with the device data communication unit via said charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of capacitively charging a portable electronic device with a charger, the portable electronic device comprising a housing, a device data communication unit and associated battery carried by the housing, and at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes carried by the housing to receive a charging signal to charge the battery, the at least one pair of device capacitive electrodes defining a device conductive footprint, and the charger comprising a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive the portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base, a charger controller connected to the charger capacitive electrodes, and an associated charger data communication unit, the method comprising:
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placing the portable electronic device adjacent the charger; using the charger controller to sense impedances of the charger capacitive electrodes and selectively drive respective charger capacitive electrodes corresponding to the device conductive footprint based upon sensing the impedances; and communicating data between the charger data communication unit and the device data communication unit via the charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification