Wireless peripheral device powered by harvested power generated by wireless communication

• US 8,811,930 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nahidipour, Aram
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/173,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343.1, 455/127.1, 455/573, 455/522, 455/13.4, 455/572, 455/41.2, 340/572.1, 340/539.26, 235/383, 235/385
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A powerless/wireless peripheral device is disclosed that engages in wireless communication such as near field communication (NFC) and/or far field communication with other communication devices capable of NFC and/or far field communication. The powerless/wireless peripheral device harvests power from the NFC and/or far field communication and operates of the harvested power eliminating the need for an internal battery and/or an external power supply. The powerless/wireless peripheral device supplements a computing device in enabling an operator to interact with the computing device. The powerless/wireless peripheral device is inexpensive, portable and easy to use.

Claims

1. A wireless peripheral device to communicate wirelessly with a powered device, the wireless peripheral device comprising:

an input/output module configured to receive operator information via an input interface;

a transceiver module configured to receive a communication signal from the powered device, and to modulate a transmission signal using the operator information;

a controller module configured to translate the operator information, so as to format an identification address for each portion of the operator information prior to being modulated onto the transmission signal; and

a power harvesting module configured to harvest power from the communication signal, and to provide the harvested power to the transceiver module and to the input/output module.

2. The wireless peripheral device of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna module configured to generate a field for the communication signal.

3. The wireless peripheral device of claim 2, wherein the power harvesting module harvests the harvested power from a magnetic field generated by near field communication (NFC) between the antenna module and the powered device, the powered device being an NFC device.

4. The wireless peripheral device of claim 2, wherein the power harvesting module harvests the harvested power from an electric field generated by far field communication between the antenna module and the powered device, the powered device being a far field communication device.

5. The wireless peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the wireless peripheral device is implemented as a keyboard.

6. The wireless peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to demodulate information recovered from the communication signal, and to route the demodulated information to the input/output module.

7. The wireless peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the wireless peripheral device includes an address that identifies the wireless peripheral device to a wireless peripheral device controller.

8. A method for engaging in wireless communication by a wireless peripheral device, the method comprising:

receiving a communication signal from a powered device;

receiving operator information at an input/output module via an input interface;

modulating a transmission signal with the operator information, wherein the modulating includes translating the operator information so as to format an identification address for each portion of the operator information prior to being modulated onto the transmission signal; and

harvesting power provided by the communication signal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

demodulating information recovered from the communication signal;

routing the demodulated information to the input/output module; and

receiving the operator information by the input/output module.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the demodulating the information recovered from the communication signal further comprises encoding the information recovered from the communication signal so as to format the information recovered from the communication signal.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the harvesting further comprises harvesting power from a magnetic field generated by near field communication (NFC) between the wireless peripheral device and an NFC device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the harvesting further comprises harvesting power from an electric field generated by far field communication between the wireless peripheral device and a far field communication device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the communication signal further comprises receiving a first communication signal operating at a first frequency and receiving a second communication signal operating at a second frequency.

14. A wireless peripheral device to communicate wirelessly with a powered device, the wireless peripheral device comprising:

an input/output module configured to receive operator information via an input interface;

a transceiver module configured to receive a first communication signal operating at a first frequency and to receive a second communication signal operating at a second frequency, and to modulate the first communication signal with the operator information; and

a power harvesting module configured to harvest power from the second communication signal, wherein the harvested power is provided to the transceiver module and to the input/output module.

15. The wireless peripheral device of claim 14, further comprising:

a controller module configured to translate the operator information, so as to format the operator information prior to being modulated onto the first communication signal.

16. The wireless peripheral device of claim 14, further comprising:

an antenna module configured to generate a field for the first and second communication signals.

17. The wireless peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the power harvesting module harvests the harvested power from a magnetic field generated by near field communication (NFC) between the antenna module and the powered device, the powered device being an NFC device.

18. The wireless peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the power harvesting module harvests the harvested power from an electric field generated by far field communication between the antenna module and the powered device, the powered device being a far field communication device.

19. The wireless peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to demodulate information recovered from the first communication signal, and to route the demodulated information to the input/output module.

20. The wireless peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the wireless peripheral device is implemented as a keyboard.