Power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices
DCFirst Claim
1. A charger system for use with a mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, for charging and/or powering the device and/or battery inductively, comprising:
- a base unit having a surface, and comprising a plurality of primary coils arranged behind and parallel to the surface,wherein each of the primary coils is positioned within the base unit, andwherein each of the primary coils is associated with a switching circuit in the base unit, which switching circuit is capable of being selectively switched to activate its associated primary coil so that, when an electrical current is passed through that activated primary coil, a magnetic field is generated by that activated primary coil in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base unit, andwherein the base unit and/or switching circuit includes a capacitive or other component that decreases harmonics in that activated primary coil;
a power supply for passing a current through the primary coils when activated, to generate the magnetic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the primary coils;
a communications interface that the base unit, and the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, use to communicate with one another during powering or charging, topoll each of the primary coils, or receive a signal from a sensor associated therewith, to verify the presence of the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device placed upon or close to the surface of the base unit,select, based on the polling or sensing, from within the plurality of primary coils, and selectively switch, using their associated switching circuits to activate, only those one or more primary coils which are determined to be most closely aligned with a receiver coil at the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, andperiodically thereafter exchange information to provide power transfer to the device and/or battery, including device and/or battery charging or power status or presence; and
wherein the substantially perpendicular magnetic field is used to inductively generate a current in the receiver coil within or on the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device placed upon the activated primary coil of the base unit, to charge or power the device and/or battery, andwherein the base unit, and receiver coil or circuitry associated therewith, use current modulation performed by the receiver coil or its circuitry, to provide an indication that is then used by the base unit todetermine and regulate one or more of output voltage, current, or power provided by the base unit to the device and/or battery to be within the range of one or more of a value of a required voltage, current, or other power parameter for the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, and/orverify the continued presence of the receiver coil near the base unit.
4 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices. A pad or similar base unit comprises a primary, which creates a magnetic field by applying an alternating current to a winding, coil, or any type of current carrying wire. A receiver comprises a means for receiving the energy from the alternating magnetic field and transferring it to a mobile or other device. The receiver can also comprise electronic components or logic to set the voltage and current to the appropriate levels required by the mobile device, or to communicate information or data to and from the pad. The system may also incorporate efficiency measures that improve the efficiency of power transfer between the charger and receiver.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A charger system for use with a mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, for charging and/or powering the device and/or battery inductively, comprising:
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a base unit having a surface, and comprising a plurality of primary coils arranged behind and parallel to the surface, wherein each of the primary coils is positioned within the base unit, and wherein each of the primary coils is associated with a switching circuit in the base unit, which switching circuit is capable of being selectively switched to activate its associated primary coil so that, when an electrical current is passed through that activated primary coil, a magnetic field is generated by that activated primary coil in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base unit, and wherein the base unit and/or switching circuit includes a capacitive or other component that decreases harmonics in that activated primary coil; a power supply for passing a current through the primary coils when activated, to generate the magnetic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the primary coils; a communications interface that the base unit, and the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, use to communicate with one another during powering or charging, to poll each of the primary coils, or receive a signal from a sensor associated therewith, to verify the presence of the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device placed upon or close to the surface of the base unit, select, based on the polling or sensing, from within the plurality of primary coils, and selectively switch, using their associated switching circuits to activate, only those one or more primary coils which are determined to be most closely aligned with a receiver coil at the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, and periodically thereafter exchange information to provide power transfer to the device and/or battery, including device and/or battery charging or power status or presence; and wherein the substantially perpendicular magnetic field is used to inductively generate a current in the receiver coil within or on the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device placed upon the activated primary coil of the base unit, to charge or power the device and/or battery, and wherein the base unit, and receiver coil or circuitry associated therewith, use current modulation performed by the receiver coil or its circuitry, to provide an indication that is then used by the base unit to determine and regulate one or more of output voltage, current, or power provided by the base unit to the device and/or battery to be within the range of one or more of a value of a required voltage, current, or other power parameter for the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, and/or verify the continued presence of the receiver coil near the base unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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10. A system for simultaneously charging or powering a plurality of mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery and/or skin or battery door for use with the device, comprising:
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a base unit having a surface and comprising a plurality of primary coils arranged behind and parallel to the surface, wherein each of the primary coils are positioned within the base unit and include a switching circuit that is capable of being selectively switched or activated by a switch in the base unit associated with that primary coil so that, when an electrical current is passed through an activated primary coil, a magnetic field is generated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base unit, one or more capacitive or other components that decreases harmonics in the activated primary coil, a power supply for passing a current through the primary coils to generate magnetic fields for each primary coil in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the primary coils, one or more aligning magnets within the base unit, which are oriented so that their magnetic field is perpendicular to the surface of the base unit, that encourage the general alignment of the primary coil with the a receiver coil using corresponding magnets at the receiver coil, mobile, or electronic device and/or battery, and/or skin or battery door for use with the device, and a plurality of mobile, or electronic devices and/or battery, and/or skin or battery door for use with the device, capable of inductive powering or charging, each mobile, or electronic device or battery, each of which comprising a battery for powering a mobile, or electronic device, and a receiver that is one of attached to, incorporated within, or coupled to the mobile, or electronic device or the battery, wherein the receiver comprises a receiver coil; wherein the substantially perpendicular magnetic fields are used to inductively generate a current in the plurality of the receiver coils within one or more of the mobile, or electronic device and/or battery and/or skin or battery door for use with the device, proximate the base unit, to charge or power the mobile, or electronic device and/or battery and/or skin, including polling each of the primary coils, or receiving a signal from a sensor associated therewith, to verify the presence of the mobile, or electronic device and/or battery placed upon the surface of the base unit, selecting, based on the polling or sensing, from the plurality of primary coils, and selectively switch, using their associated switching circuits to activate, only those primary coils which are determined to be in general alignment with a receiver coil at the device and/or battery, and periodically thereafter use current modulation performed by the receiver coil or its circuitry, to provide an indication, or otherwise exchanging information, including device and/or battery charging status or presence, to provide power transfer to the device and/or battery; and a regulator that regulates one or more of output voltage, current, or power provided by the receiver to a mobile, or electronic device and/or battery and/or skin or battery door for use with the device, proximate the base unit, to be within the range of one or more of a value of voltage, current, or other power parameter for the mobile device and/or battery, and/or to modify the duty cycle, frequency or input voltage of the base unit or charger switching circuit therein to modify the output voltage and/or current to the device and/or battery or a charger circuit for the battery.
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19. A charger system for use with a mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, for charging and/or powering the device and/or battery inductively, comprising:
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a base unit having a surface, and comprising one or more primary coils, wherein each of the primary coils is positioned within the base unit, wherein each of the primary coils is associated with a switching circuit in the base unit, which switching circuit is capable of being selectively switched to activate its associated primary coil so that, when an electrical current is passed through that activated primary coil, a magnetic field is generated by that activated primary coil in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base unit, and wherein the base unit and/or switching circuit includes a capacitive or other component that increases energy transfer efficiency by that activated primary coil; a power supply for passing a current through the primary coil when activated, to generate the magnetic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the primary coil; wherein the base unit, and the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, communicate with one another during powering or charging, to poll the one or more primary coils, or receive a signal from a sensor associated therewith, to verify the presence of the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device placed upon the surface of the base unit, select, based on the polling or sensing, from within the one or more primary coils, and selectively switch, using their associated switching circuits to activate, only that one or more primary coils which is determined to be most closely aligned with a receiver coil at the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, and periodically thereafter exchange information to provide power transfer to the device and/or battery, including device and/or battery charging or power status or presence; and wherein the base unit, and receiver coil or circuitry associated therewith, provide an indication that is then used by the base unit to determine the presence of a receiver or one or more of output voltage, current, or power provided by the base unit to the device and/or battery to be within the range of one or more of a value of a required voltage, current, or other power parameter for the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of using a charger system for use with a mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, for charging and/or powering the device and/or battery inductively, comprising the steps of:
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providing a base unit having a surface, and comprising one or more primary coils, wherein each of the primary coils is positioned within the base unit, wherein each of the primary coils is associated with a switching circuit in the base unit, which switching circuit is capable of being selectively switched to activate its associated primary coil so that, when an electrical current is passed through that activated primary coil, a magnetic field is generated by that activated primary coil in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base unit, and wherein the base unit and/or switching circuit includes a capacitive or other component that increases energy transfer efficiency by that activated primary coil; passing a current through the one or more primary coils when activated, to generate the magnetic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the primary coils; wherein the base unit, and the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, communicate with one another during powering or charging, to poll the one or more primary coils, or receive a signal from a sensor associated therewith, to verify the presence of the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device placed upon the surface of the base unit, select, based on the polling or sensing, from within the one or more primary coils, and selectively switch, using their associated switching circuits to activate, only that one or more primary coil which is determined to be most closely aligned with a receiver coil at the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, and periodically thereafter exchange information to provide power transfer to the device and/or battery, including device and/or battery charging status or presence; and wherein the base unit, and receiver coil or circuitry associated therewith, provide an indication that is then used by the base unit to determine the presence of a receiver or one or more of output voltage, current, or power provided by the base unit to the device and/or battery to be within the range of one or more of a value of a required voltage, current, or other power parameter for the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification