Radio frequency charging system

• US 8,446,257 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chou, Feng-Jian, Hsieh, Chih-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US12/652,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20100176934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.5, 340/10.4, 340/10.34, 340/13.25, 340/572.4
• US Class Current: 340/10.34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) charging system is capable of charging an RF device on a display panel to increase charging efficiency. The RF device generates a response signal upon receiving an RF signal. The RF charging system includes an antenna set having a plurality of antennas, a switch unit, an RF module and a microcontroller unit (MCU). The MCU controls the switch unit to select one antenna from the antenna set. The antenna is able to receive the response signal and is used for transmitting the RF signal, thereby charging the RF device.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) charging system, for charging an RF device that generates a response signal upon receiving an RF signal, the RF charging system comprising:

an antenna set, comprising a plurality of antennas;

a switch unit, coupled to the antenna set;

an RF module, coupled to the switch unit, for generating the RF signal;

a microcontroller unit (MCU), coupled to the switch unit and the RF module, for controlling the switch unit to select from the antenna set an antenna that receives the response signal and has a highest transmit/receive efficiency among the plurality of antennas, and transmitting the RF signal through the selected antenna to charge the RF device; and

a display panel, coupled to the MCU,

wherein the MCU estimates a distance between the RF device and the antenna set according to whether the antennas receive the response signal, and controls the display panel to display a predetermined area when the estimated distance indicates that the RF device is not within the predetermined area of the display panel, and

wherein the antenna comprises concentric ring antennas in different sizes having a same center, and the MCU estimates the distance between the RF device and the center according to a smallest ring antenna capable of receiving the response signal.

2. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna set and the RF device are located on opposite sides of the display panel.

3. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MCU estimates the distance between the RF device and the center further according to a smallest power intensity of the RF signal transmitted by the smallest ring antenna.

4. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predetermined area is a central area of the antenna set, and the MCU controls the display panel to display the predetermined area when the estimated distance between the RF device and the center is greater than a threshold.

5. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RF device is a portable electronic device having a radio frequency identification (RFID) function.

6. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RF module comprises:

an RF circuit, coupled to the MCU, for generating the RF signal under control of the MCU; and

a power amplifier, coupled to the RF circuit and the switch unit, for amplifying the RF signal and providing the amplified RF signal to the selected antenna.

7. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the MCU is further coupled to the power amplifier and is utilized for controlling a power intensity of the power amplifier for amplifying the RF signal.

8. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MCU controls the switch unit to switch between the antennas so that the antennas that receive the response signal charge the RF device for a predetermined time, and the MCU selects one of the antennas that receives the response signal to charge the RF device according to a charged energy amount of the RF device provided by the antennas that receive the response signal during the predetermined time.

9. An RF charging system, for charging an RF device that generates a response signal upon receiving an RF signal, the RF charging system comprising:

a display panel, for detecting a position of the RF device;

an antenna set, having a plurality of antennas, wherein the antennas are concentric ring antennas in different sizes having a same center;

a switch unit, coupled to the antenna set;

an RF module, coupled to the switch unit, for generating the RF signal; and

an MCU, coupled to the display panel, the switch unit and the RF module, for controlling the switch unit to select one antenna from the antenna set, so as to transmit the RF signal generated by the RF module and determining whether the selected antenna receives the response signal;

wherein, the MCU transmits the RF signal via the antenna capable of receiving the response signal, so as to charge the RF device, and when the position of the RF device indicates that the RF device is not within a predetermined area of the display panel, the MCU controls the display panel to display the predetermined area.

10. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the display panel is a touch control panel.

11. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the RF device is a portable electronic device having an RFID function.

12. The charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the RF module comprises:

an RF circuit, coupled to the MCU, for generating the RF signal under control of the MCU; and

a power amplifier, coupled to the RF circuit and the switch unit, for amplifying the RF signal and providing the amplified RF signal to the selected antenna.

13. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the antenna set and the RF device are located on opposite sides of the touch control panel.

14. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the predetermined area is a central area of the antenna set.

15. The RF charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the MCU controls the switch unit to switch the antennas so that each of the antennas that receives the response signal respectively charges the RF device for a predetermined time, and the MCU selects one antenna that receives the response signal according to a charged energy amount of the RF device provided by the each of the antennas that receive the response signal during the predetermined time, so as to charge the RF device.