Contactless recharging of mobile terminal battery

• US 8,699,946 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jolivet, Paul, Deprun, Jean-Francois
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sorowar, Golam
• Application Number:
  US12/521,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20100048255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• Field of Search: 455/573, 455 411- 413, 455/558, 320/108, 320/114, 320/115, 320/106, 340 101- 104, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 235/385
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07741 comprising a first part operating as a regular record carrier and a second attachable part that changes the functional appearance of said record carrier, e.g. a contact-based smart card with an adapter part which, when attached to the contact card makes the contact card function as a non-contact card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

A mobile terminal has a contactless function module that is used to perform a contactless transaction and also used to perform battery recharging. The mobile terminal has a power source operatively connected with the contactless function module and adapted to be recharged by induced current created by electromagnetic fields detected by the contactless function module.

Claims

1. A method of charging a battery by a contactless unit of a mobile terminal, the method performed by the contactless unit and comprising:

detecting a radio frequency (RF) field;

detecting whether a transaction is requested from a secure element, wherein the secure element is included in the mobile terminal;

determining an operation mode of the battery of the mobile terminal between a normal mode and a limit service mode according to a charging state of the battery of the mobile terminal, wherein the normal mode indicates that the battery of the mobile terminal provides power to the secure element and the contactless module and the limit service mode indicates that the mobile terminal provides a part of services of the normal mode;

transferring the power induced by the RF field to the battery of the mobile terminal when the transaction from the secure element is not requested and the operation mode is the limit service mode;

transferring the power induced by the RF field to the secure element when the transaction from the secure element is requested and the operation mode is the limit service mode; and

transferring the power to the battery of the mobile terminal when the transaction from the secure element is requested and the operation mode is the normal mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF field provides electromagnetic energy for inducing current used for the power.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction is related to a contactless service or contactless function.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure element is a smart card.

5. A mobile terminal comprising:

a contactless unit that is used to perform a contactless transaction and a power source charging operation;

a battery connected with the contactless unit; and

a secure element configured to store data and to be accessed through the contactless unit, wherein the contactless unit is configured to;

detect a radio frequency (RF) field;

detect whether a transaction is requested from a secure element, wherein the secure element is included in the mobile terminal;

determine an operation mode of the battery of the mobile terminal between a normal mode and a limit service mode according to a charging state of the battery of the mobile terminal, wherein the normal mode indicates that the battery of the mobile terminal provides power to the secure element and the contactless module and the limit service mode indicates that the mobile terminal provides a part of services of the normal mode;

transfer the power induced by the RF field to the battery of the mobile terminal when the transaction from the secure element is not requested and the operation mode is the limit service mode;

transfer the power induced by the RF field to the secure element when the transaction from the secure element is requested and the operation mode is the limit service mode; and

transfer the power to the battery of the mobile terminal when the transaction from the secure element is requested and the operation mode is the normal mode.

6. The terminal of claim 5, wherein the contactless unit comprises:

a detector that detects a presence of the electromagnetic fields;

a generator that generates current upon induction from the detected electromagnetic fields; and

a processor that cooperates with and provides control to the detector and the generator in order to provide the generated current to the power source for charging the power source.

7. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the detector performs detection in a periodic or non-periodic manner.

8. The terminal of claim 5, wherein the contactless transaction is related to at least one of a financial payment, transportation access, or other user application employing near-field communication (NFC) techniques.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the secure element is a smart card.