Non-contact charger capable of wireless data and power transmission and related battery pack and mobile device

• US 7,936,147 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hanrim Postech Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kook, Yoon-Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/843,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/107, 320/108, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115, 320/157, 320/158, 320/162, 320/163, 455/73
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

Disclosed is a non-contact charger. The present invention provides a non-contact charger capable of wireless data communication and power supply between a non-contact charger capable of computer UBS communication and a charging battery-pack of a mobile device, using an induced electromotive force, thereby to enable data communication and power supply at the same time and to make good signal transmission without other poor contacts in the contact transmission.

Claims

1. A non-contact charger comprising:

a connector configured to connect to a communication port of a computer and configured to receive a power signal and a data signal from the computer when the connector is connected to the communication port;

a communication driver coupled to the connector and configured to generate an input data based on the data signal received from the computer;

a converter configured to convert the input data generated by the communication driver to a transmission signal to wirelessly transmit the input data to a target object; and

a primary coil configured to generate an induced electromotive force based on the transmission signal to wirelessly transmit the input data to the target object along with an input power signal for the target object.

2. The non-contact charger according to claim 1, wherein the input power signal comprises a power source for the target object.

3. The non-contact charger according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a USB connector.

4. The non-contact charger according to claim 1, wherein the power signal received from the computer comprises a power source for the non-contact charger.

5. The non-contact charger according to claim 1, wherein the communication driver is configured to convert the data signal received from the computer to an IrDA signal.

6. The non-contact charger according to claim 5, further comprising an IrDA port for transmitting the converted IrDA signal to the target object.

7. The non-contact charger according to claim 1, wherein the target object comprises a mobile device.

8. A non-contact charger comprising:

a connector configured to connect to a communication port of a computer and configured to receive a power signal and a data signal from the computer when the connector is connected to the communication port;

a communication driver coupled to the connector and configured to convert the data signal to an IrDA signal;

an IrDA port for wirelessly transmitting the converted IrDA signal to a target object; and

a primary coil configured to generate an induced electromotive force based on the power signal and wirelessly transmit the power signal to the target object.

9. The non-contact charger according to claim 8, wherein the connector comprises a USB connector.

10. The non-contact charger according to claim 8, wherein the power signal received from the computer comprises a power source for the non-contact charger.

11. The non-contact charger according to claim 8, wherein the target object comprises a mobile device.

12. A non-contact charger comprising:

a primary coil configured to generate an electric power signal and transmit the generated electric power signal to an external unit, the primary coil being configured to receive an electromotive force generated by the external unit and generate an inductive current in response to the electromotive force; and

a current sensor configured to monitor the inductive current generated by the primary coil to obtain identification information of the external unit,

wherein the current sensor is configured to control the transmission of the generated electric power signal to the external unit based on the identification information.

13. The non-contact charger according to claim 12, wherein the identification information comprises an optimum voltage condition of the external unit.

14. The non-contact charger according to claim 12, wherein the identification information comprises a power saver code for reducing an electric power in the non-contact charger.

15. The non-contact charger according to claim 12, wherein the current sensor is configured to adjust the electric power signal generated in the primary coil based on the identification information.

16. The non-contact charger according to claim 12, wherein the current sensor is configured to adjust a frequency of the electric power signal based on the identification information.

17. The non-contact charger according to claim 12, wherein the current sensor generates PWM pulses having a constant interval in the primary coil.

18. The non-contact charger according to claim 12, wherein the current sensor determines whether the identification information contains a predetermined signal unique to the external unit.

19. The non-contact charger according to claim 18, wherein, when the current sensor determines that the identification information contains the predetermined signal, the primary coil wirelessly transmits the electric power signal to the external unit.

20. The non-contact charger according to claim 18, wherein, when the current sensor determines that the identification information does not contain the predetermined signal or fails to receive the identification information, the primary coil disables transmission of the electric power signal to the external unit.

21. A battery pack comprising:

a rechargeable battery cell;

a charger body comprising an induction coil and configured to receive a power signal through a magnetic field induced by the induction coil;

a charger controller coupled to the induction coil to process the power signal and transmit the processed power signal to the battery cell; and

a shielding member disposed between a surface of the battery cell and the induction coil,

wherein the shielding member comprises a board in the form of a mesh comprising Ni—

Cu compound.

22. The battery pack according to claim 21, wherein the shielding member further comprises a plate made of a metal alloy comprising Al, Cu, and Ni.

23. The battery pack according to claim 21, wherein the shielding member insulates the battery cell from the induction coil.

24. A method for wirelessly charging an object comprising:

connecting a non-contact charger to a communication port of a computer and receiving a power signal and a data signal from the computer;

generating an input data based on the data signal received from the computer;

converting the generated input data to a transmission signal to wirelessly transmit the input data to a target object; and

generating an induced electromotive force in an induction coil based on the transmission signal to wirelessly transmit the input data to the target object along with an input power signal for the target object.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the input power signal comprises a power source for the target object.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein connecting the non-contact charger to the communication port comprises connecting through a USB connector.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the power signal comprises a power source for the non-contact charger.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising converting the data signal received from the computer to an IrDA signal and transmitting the IrDA signal to the target object.

29. A method for wirelessly charging an object comprising:

connecting a non-contact charger to a communication port of a computer and receiving a power signal and a data signal from the computer;

generating an induced electromotive force in an induction coil based on the power signal and wirelessly transmit the power signal to a target object;

converting the data signal to an IrDA signal; and

wirelessly transmitting the converted IrDA signal to the target object.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein connecting the non-contact charger to the communication port comprises connecting through a USB connector.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the power signal comprises a power source for the non-contact charger.

32. A method for wirelessly charging an external unit, comprising:

generating an electric power signal in a primary coil and transmitting the generated electric power signal to an external unit;

receiving an electromotive force generated by the external unit;

generating an inductive current in the primary coil in response to the electromotive force;

monitoring the inductive current in the primary coil to obtain identification information of the external unit; and

controlling the transmission of the generated electric power signal from the primary coil to the external unit based on the identification information.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the identification information comprises an optimum voltage condition of the external unit.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the identification information comprises a power saver code for reducing an electric power in the non-contact charger.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein controlling the transmission of the generated electric power signal comprises adjusting the electric power signal generated in the primary coil based on the identification information.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein adjusting the electric power signal comprises adjusting a frequency of the electric power signal based on the identification information.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein controlling the transmission of the generated electric power signal comprises generating PWM pulses having a constant interval in the primary coil.

38. The method according to claim 32, further comprising determining whether the identification information contains a predetermined signal unique to the external unit.

39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising disabling the transmission of the electric power signal to the external unit if the current sensor determines that the identification information does not contain the predetermined signal or fails to receive the identification information.

40. A method of shielding a battery cell in a battery pack, wherein the battery pack comprises a rechargeable battery cell and an induction coil configured to receive a power signal through a magnetic field induced by the induction coil, the method comprising:

shielding a surface of the battery cell from the induction coil by providing a shielding member disposed between the surface of the battery cell and the induction coil,

wherein the shielding member comprises a board in the form of a mesh comprising Ni—

Cu compound.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the shielding member further comprises a plate made of a metal alloy comprising Al, Cu, and Ni.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the shielding member insulates the battery cell from the induction coil.