Using an audio cable as an inductive charging coil

• US 8,744,098 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Shedletsky, Anna-Katrina, Lynch, Stephen Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Phan
• Application Number:
  US12/700,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 381/150, 381/384, 381/381, 320/108
• US Class Current: 381/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/06 Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a technique for inductively charging an electronic device. This technique involves winding an audio cable for the electronic device around a charging mechanism multiple times so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil. Next, a magnetic field is created through the charging mechanism to induce a current in the inductive receiving coil. Finally, the induced current in the inductive receiving coil is used to charge a rechargeable battery for the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic media player device that supports inductive charging, comprising:

a housing including a first conductive portion configured to function as a first contact on a surface of the electronic device and a receptacle connector separate from the conductive portion;

wherein the first contact is configured to electrically couple to a second contact-from an audio cable for the electronic device after the audio cable has been wound multiple times around a charging mechanism, so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil, wherein the audio cable includes a plug connector, wherein electrically coupling the first and second contacts and the plug and receptacle connectors completes a high-speed inductive charging circuit between the inductive receiving coil and the electronic device;

a processor and memory configured to play media files;

a battery within the electronic device; and

a charging circuit within the electronic device, wherein the charging circuit is configured to use a current induced by a magnetic field and received from the inductive receiving coil to charge the battery;

wherein the second contact is a second conductive portion located on a first earphone attached to the audio cable.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more conductors within the audio cable include multiple conductors which are coupled in series to form a single receiving coil having more windings than an audio cable with only a single conductor.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the audio cable comprises one of:

a headphone cable;

an earphone cable; and

a microphone cable.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a magnetic element.

4. An audio device that supports inductive charging, comprising:

a first earphone;

a second earphone;

a cable including one or more conductors coupled between the first earphone and the second earphone;

an audio player which produces audio signals for the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the audio player is incorporated into one or both of the first earphone and the second earphone;

a rechargeable battery incorporated into one or both of the first earphone and the second earphone;

a first conductive mesh screen configured to function as a first contact on the first earphone, wherein the first conductive mesh protects a first driver of the first earphone;

a second conductive mesh screen configured to function as a second contact on the second earphone, wherein the second conductive mesh protects a second driver of the second earphone; and

a charging circuit incorporated into one or both of the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the charging circuit is configured to use a current induced by a magnetic field and received from an inductive receiving coil to charge the rechargeable battery, the inductive receiving coil having been formed by winding the cable multiple times around a charging device and electrically coupling the first contact and the second contact to complete a high-speed inductive charging circuit containing the inductive receiving coil.

5. The audio device of claim 4, wherein electrically coupling the first and second contacts involves electrically coupling the first and second contacts through an intervening conductor, wherein the intervening conductor is located in a housing which is configured to receive the first and second earphones.

6. The audio device of claim 4, wherein the one or more conductors within the audio cable include multiple conductors which are coupled in series to form a single receiving coil having more windings than an audio cable with only a single conductor.

10. The audio device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second earphones includes a magnetic element.

7. A first earphone for an audio device, comprising:

an earphone body;

an earphone cable coupled to the earphone body, wherein the earphone cable carries an electrical audio output for the earphone;

an audio driver housed within the first earphone body, wherein the audio driver converts the electrical audio output into an acoustic audio output; and

a first conductive metal mesh screen coupled to the earphone body, wherein the screen is configured to protect the audio driver while allowing the acoustic output to emanate from the audio driver;

wherein the screen is further configured to function as a first electrical contact for an electrical charging signal;

wherein the first electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to a second electrical contact from the earphone cable from the audio device after the earphone cable has been wound multiple times around a charging mechanism, so that one or more conductors in the earphone cable form an inductive receiving coil, wherein electrically coupling the first and second electrical contacts completes a high-speed inductive charging circuit between the inductive receiving coil and the audio device,

wherein the charging circuit is configured to use a current induced by a magnetic field and received from the inductive receiving coil to charge a battery of the audio device;

wherein the second electrical contact is a second conductive metal mesh screen located on a second earphone attached to the earphone cable.

8. The first earphone of claim 7, wherein the earphone cable is also configured to carry the electrical charging signal back to an electronic device which generated the electrical audio input, wherein the electrical charging signal is used to charge the electronic device.

11. The first earphone of claim 7, wherein the earphone body houses a magnetic element.