Inductive signal transfer system for computing devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computing system comprising:
- a first computing device and a second computing device that are each configured to (i) inductively transmit or inductively receive a power signal, and (ii) inductively communicate data using a communication protocol; and
wherein each of the first and second computing devices is configured to inductively communicate data by inductively signaling data packets that are structured in accordance with the communication protocol, which includes at least one of (i) an initial data packet that is transmitted repeatedly until an acknowledgement response data packet is received, or (ii) the acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted in response to receiving the initial data packet;
wherein the first and second computing device are configured to inductively signal data in response to being brought into sufficient proximity to one another.
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Abstract
At least two devices are provided that can each form part of a system to inductively exchange power and data. One device is capable of inductively transmitting a power signal to a second device, and to receive feedback from the second device in order to regulate the power signal.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A computing system comprising:
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a first computing device and a second computing device that are each configured to (i) inductively transmit or inductively receive a power signal, and (ii) inductively communicate data using a communication protocol; and wherein each of the first and second computing devices is configured to inductively communicate data by inductively signaling data packets that are structured in accordance with the communication protocol, which includes at least one of (i) an initial data packet that is transmitted repeatedly until an acknowledgement response data packet is received, or (ii) the acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted in response to receiving the initial data packet; wherein the first and second computing device are configured to inductively signal data in response to being brought into sufficient proximity to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computing system comprising:
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a mobile computing device and an accessory device that are each configured to (i) inductively transmit or inductively receive a power signal, and (ii) inductively communicate data using a communication protocol; and wherein each of the mobile computing device and the accessory device is configured to inductively communicate data by inductively signaling data packets that are structured in accordance with the communication protocol, which includes at least one of (i) an initial data packet that is transmitted repeatedly until an acknowledgement response data packet is received, or (ii) the acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted in response to receiving the initial data packet; wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device are configured to inductively signal data in response to being brought into sufficient proximity to one another. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An accessory device for a mobile computing device, the accessory device comprising:
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one or more coils which are coupled to a power source in order to establish an inductive link with the mobile computing device; and processing resources configured to; control a power signal that is inductively transmitted to the mobile computing device using the one or more coils; wherein the accessory device is configured to inductively signal data to the mobile computing device using a communication protocol in which the accessory device modulates an inductive data signal that communicates data packets which are structured in accordance with the communication protocol; wherein data packets that are inductively communicated to the mobile computing device using the one or more coils, in accordance with the communication protocol, include an initial data packet that is repeatedly transmitted from the accessory device until an acknowledgement data packet is inductively received from the mobile computing device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A computing device comprising:
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one or more coils; processing resources, operative with the one or more coils, to (i) detect a power signal that is inductively transmitted over the one or more coils from an accessory device, and (ii) signal a feedback to the accessory device that includes data that is indicative of a voltage or current condition on the computing device; wherein the computing device is configured to inductively signal data packets to the accessory device using a communication protocol; wherein the data packets that are inductively communicated to the accessory device, in accordance with the communication protocol, include an acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted from the computing device in response to the computing device being brought into sufficient proximity or contact with the accessory device to inductively receive an initial data packet. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An accessory device for a computing device, the accessory device comprising:
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one or more coils; processing resources, operative with the one or more coils, to (i) inductively transmit a power signal over the one or more coils to the computing device, and (ii) respond to a feedback signal communicated from the computing device that includes data to indicate how the accessory device is to modulate the power signal based on a power level or consumption on the computing device; wherein the accessory device and the computing device are configured to inductively signal data to one another using a communication protocol; wherein data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the computing device and the accessory device, in accordance with the communication protocol, include an initial data packet that is repeatedly transmitted from the accessory device until an acknowledgement data packet is received from the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A device comprising:
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one or more coils positioned on the device to establish an inductive link with a second device; one or more power components to receive power from a power source and to generate a power signal to be provided over the inductive link; and processing resources to; maintain the device in a low power state in which the one or more coils are substantially not powered; detect the second device positioned to be inductively linked with the device; and respond to detecting the second device by transmitting the power signal using the one or more coils; wherein each of the device and the second device are configured to inductively signal data to one another using a communication protocol in which one or both devices modulate an inductive data signal that communicates data packets which are structured in accordance with the communication protocol; wherein the data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the device and the second device, in accordance with the communication protocol, include (i) an initial data packet that is repeatedly transmitted from at least the device until an acknowledgement response data packet is received from the second device, and (ii) the acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted from at least the second device in response to the second device being brought into sufficient proximity or contact with the device to inductively receive the initial data packet. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for operating a device to inductively link with a second device, the method comprising:
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maintaining the device in a low power state in which one or more coils are substantially not powered; repeatedly checking for the second device to be sufficiently proximate to the device to enable the two devices to be to be inductively linked; responding to detecting the second device by inductively signaling a power signal to the second device using the one or more coils; and inductively exchanging data with the second device in order to regulate the power signal that is signaled to the second device; wherein inductively exchanging data includes using a communication protocol to exchange data.
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Specification