Mobile terminal, method of controlling wireless charging thereof, and wireless charging system thereof

• US 8,588,867 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Mo, Sang-dok, Lee, Jae-cheol, Park, Un-kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US13/300,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20120231856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/114, 320/109, 455/573, 700/291, 700/295
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for controlling wireless charging of the mobile terminal are provided. A method of controlling wireless charging of a mobile terminal may include: finding devices in a vicinity of the mobile terminal; if a wireless charging device is not found, comparing a previous charging environment with the found devices to determine whether a current state of the mobile terminal is in an environment where wireless charging can be performed; otherwise, if at least one wireless charging device is found, selecting a wireless charging device having a more optimal connection state from among the wireless charging device found; and outputting a result of the determining or the selecting to a user through the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of controlling wireless charging of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

finding devices in a vicinity of the mobile terminal;

if at least one wireless charging device is not found by the mobile terminal, among the found devices, comparing, by the mobile terminal, devices of a previous charging environment where the wireless charging of the mobile terminal can be performed, with the found devices to determine whether the mobile terminal is in the previous charging environment, the at least one wireless charging device configured to perform the wireless charging of the mobile terminal;

if the at least one wireless charging device is found among the found devices, selecting a wireless charging device comprising a more optimal connection state from among the at least one wireless charging device, the more optimal connection state comprising a higher strength of power transmitted and received to and from the wireless charging device; and

outputting a result of the determining or the selecting to a user through the mobile terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring whether the mobile terminal requires the wireless charging based on previous charge patterns of the mobile terminal,

wherein the finding of the devices is performed when the mobile terminal requires the wireless charging.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

analyzing the previous charge patterns and current charge patterns of the mobile terminal and the previous charging environment; and

storing information about the analyzed charge patterns and previous charging environment,

wherein the determining and the monitoring are performed based on the stored information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the previous charging environment comprises information in which a past wireless-charging environment and peripheral devices previously-found, of the mobile terminal, are mapped to each other.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting information about the previous charging environment if the mobile terminal is in the previous charging environment.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

outputting profile information of a device connected to the mobile terminal if the mobile terminal is in the previous charging environment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a location of the mobile terminal is changed; and

selecting a wireless charging device comprising a more optimal connection state from among at least one wireless charging device found in the changed location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the wireless charging device comprising the more optimal connection state from among the at least one wireless charging device based on connection states indicating respective distances between the mobile terminal and the respective at least one wireless charging device, and respective strengths of power transmitted and received to and from the respective at least one wireless charging device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information about a wireless charging device to be used in the wireless charging from the user through the mobile terminal after the result of the selecting is output.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

outputting a location of the wireless charging device, or a charging time required for the wireless charging, or a charging amount, or any combination thereof.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program comprising instructions to cause a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A mobile terminal comprising:

a finding unit configured to find devices in a vicinity of the mobile terminal;

a determination unit configured to compare devices of a previous charging environment where wireless charging of the mobile terminal can be performed, with the found devices to determine whether the mobile terminal is in the previous charging environment, if at least one wireless charging device is not found among the found devices, the at least one wireless charging device configured to perform the wireless charging of the mobile terminal;

a selection unit configured to select a wireless charging device comprising a more optimal connection state from among the at least one wireless charging device, if the at least one wireless charging device is found among the found devices, the more optimal connection state comprising a higher strength of power transmitted and received to and from the wireless charging device; and

an output unit configured to output a result of the determining or the selecting to a user through the mobile terminal,

wherein the finding unit, or the determination unit, or the selection unit, or the output unit, or any combination thereof is implemented by a processor.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, further comprising:

a monitoring unit configured to monitor whether the mobile terminal requires the wireless charging based on previous charge patterns of the mobile terminal,

wherein the finding unit is further configured to perform the finding when the mobile terminal requires the wireless charging.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, further comprising:

an analysis unit configured to analyze the previous charge patterns and current charge patterns of the mobile terminal and the previous charging environment; and

a storage unit configured to store information about the analyzed charge patterns and previous charging environment,

wherein the determination unit and the monitoring unit are further configured to perform the determining and the monitoring based on the stored information.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the previous charging environment comprises information in which a past wireless-charging environment and peripheral devices previously-found, of the mobile terminal, are mapped to each other.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the output unit is further configured to:

output information about the previous charging environment if the mobile terminal is in the previous charging environment.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein, if a location of the mobile terminal is changed, the selection unit is further configured to:

select a wireless charging device comprising a more optimal connection state from among at least one wireless charging device found in the changed location.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the selection unit is further configured to:

select the wireless charging device comprising the more optimal connection state from among the at least one wireless charging device based on connection states indicating respective distances between the mobile terminal and the respective at least one wireless charging device, and respective strengths of power transmitted and received to and from the respective at least one wireless charging device.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 12, further comprising:

an input unit configured to receive information about a wireless charging device to be used in the wireless charging from the user through the mobile terminal after the result of the selecting is output.

20. A wireless charging system comprising:

a mobile terminal configured to;

find one or more peripheral devices by using a near wireless communication function,

if at least one wireless charging device is not directly found among the one or more peripheral devices, compare devices of a previous charging environment where wireless charging of the mobile terminal can be performed, with the one or more peripheral devices to determine whether the mobile terminal is in the previous charging environment, the at least one wireless charging device configured to perform the wireless charging of the mobile terminal in a near wireless communication manner,

if the at least one wireless charging device is directly found among the one or more peripheral devices, select a wireless charging device comprising a more optimal connection state from among the at least one wireless charging device, the more optimal connection state comprising a higher strength of power transmitted and received to and from the wireless charging device, and

output a result of the determining or the selecting to a user through the mobile terminal.

21. The wireless charging system of claim 20, further comprising:

the at least one wireless charging device configured to perform the wireless charging of the mobile terminal in the near wireless communication manner.

22. The wireless charging system of claim 20, further comprising:

the one or more peripheral devices comprising the near wireless communication function.

23. The wireless charging system of claim 20, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured to:

analyze previous charge patterns and current charge patterns of the mobile terminal and the previous charging environment;

store information about the analyzed charge patterns and previous charging environment; and

monitor whether the mobile terminal requires the wireless charging based on the stored information,

wherein the determining is performed based on the stored information.

24. A method of controlling wireless charging of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

finding one or more peripheral devices by using a near wireless communication function;

if at least one wireless charging device is not directly found by the mobile terminal, among the one or more peripheral devices, comparing, by the mobile terminal, devices of a previous charging environment where wireless charging of the mobile terminal can be performed, with the one or more peripheral devices to determine whether the mobile terminal is in the previous charging environment, the at least one wireless charging device configured to perform the wireless charging of the mobile terminal in a near wireless communication manner;

if the at least one wireless charging device is directly found among the one or more peripheral devices, selecting a wireless charging device comprising a more optimal connection state from among the at least one wireless charging device, the more optimal connection state comprising a higher strength power transmitted and received to and from the wireless charging device; and

outputting a result of the determining or the selecting to a user through the mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

analyzing previous charge patterns and current charge patterns of the mobile terminal and the previous charging environment;

storing information about the analyzed charge patterns and previous charging environment; and

monitoring whether the mobile terminal requires the wireless charging based on the stored information,

wherein the determining is performed based on the stored information.