Portable electronic device and capacitive charger providing data transfer and associated methods
First Claim
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
- an electronic device comprising a device communication circuit, a power pack, and a plurality of device capacitive electrodes coupled to said device communication circuit and said power pack; and
a charger comprisinga base,a plurality of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base,a charger controller configured to drive said plurality of charger capacitive electrodes to capacitively charge said power pack of said electronic device when said electronic device is positioned adjacent said base, anda charger communication circuit configured to communicate with said device communication circuit via said plurality of charger capacitive electrodes and said plurality of 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.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
-
an electronic device comprising a device communication circuit, a power pack, and a plurality of device capacitive electrodes coupled to said device communication circuit and said power pack; and a charger comprising a base, a plurality of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base, a charger controller configured to drive said plurality of charger capacitive electrodes to capacitively charge said power pack of said electronic device when said electronic device is positioned adjacent said base, and a charger communication circuit configured to communicate with said device communication circuit via said plurality of charger capacitive electrodes and said plurality of device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A charger configured to capacitively charge an electronic device when the electronic device is placed adjacent the charger, the electronic device comprising a device communication circuit, a power pack, and a plurality of device capacitive electrodes coupled to the device communications circuit and the power pack, the charger comprising:
-
a base configured to receive the portable electronic device thereon; a plurality of charger capacitive electrodes carried by said base; a charger controller configured to drive said plurality of charger capacitive electrodes with a charging signal to capacitively charge the power pack of the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned adjacent said base; and a charger communication circuit configured to communicate with the device communication circuit via said plurality of charger capacitive electrodes and the plurality of device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of operating an electronic device and a charger, the electronic device comprising a device communication circuit, a power pack, and a plurality of device capacitive electrodes coupled to the device communication circuit and the power pack, and the charger comprising a base, a plurality of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base, a charger controller connected to the charger capacitive electrodes, and a charger communication circuit coupled to the plurality charger capacitive electrodes, the method comprising:
-
driving, via the charger controller, the plurality of charger capacitive electrodes, when the electronic device is placed adjacent the base of the charger, with a charging signal to capacitively charge the power pack of the electronic device; and communicating between the charger communication circuit and the device communication circuit via the plurality of charger capacitive electrodes and plurality of device capacitive electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification