Charging batteries for electronic devices by talking

• US 8,836,276 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Prescott, Nigel Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US13/042,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20120229073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 379/420.01
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/04 with moving coil systems and stationary magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01

Abstract

A device includes a battery that is operable to power the device. A power generating mechanism includes a diaphragm that generates power when the diaphragm vibrates. The diaphragm vibrates in response to force being exerted upon the diaphragm. Control circuitry of the electronic device utilizes the generated power to charge the battery. In some implementations, the power generating mechanism includes a force focusing guide that directs and/or focuses the force onto the diaphragm. In various implementations, the power generating mechanism may includes a wire coil that moves with respect to a magnet when the diaphragm vibrates, causing power to generate within the wire coil. In various other implementations, the power generating mechanism includes a piezoelectric element that is positioned adjacent to the diaphragm and is compressed and/or decompressed by vibration of the diaphragm, causing power to generate within the piezoelectric element.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

at least one battery that is operable to provide power to operate the electronic device;

at least one power generating mechanism including at least one diaphragm that is operable to vibrate; and

control circuitry, electrically coupled to the at least one battery and the at least one power generating mechanism, that charges the at least one battery utilizing power generated by the at least one power generating mechanism;

wherein the at least one power generating mechanism generates power when the at least one diaphragm vibrates in response to force being exerted upon the at least one diaphragm; and

wherein the control circuitry charges the at least one battery utilizing the power generated by the at least one power generating mechanism while the electronic device is operating utilizing power front the at least one battery.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force being exerted upon the at least one diaphragm comprises at least one of sound waves, air movement, or atmospheric pressure.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one power generating mechanism further comprises at least one coil of wire positioned around at least one magnet and coupled to the at least one diaphragm and wherein the at least one power generating mechanism generates power by the at least one coil of wire moving with respect to the at least one magnet in response to vibration of the at least one diaphragm.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one power generating mechanism further comprises at least one piezoelectric element coupled to the at least one diaphragm and wherein the at least one power generating mechanism generates power by vibration of the at least one diaphragm exerting force upon the at least one piezoelectric element.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is operable to provide the power generated by the at least one power generating mechanism to operate the electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force being exerted upon the at least one diaphragm comprises at least one sound wave and wherein the at least one power generating mechanism includes at least one sound wave focusing guide that focuses the at least one sound wave on the at least one diaphragm.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one sound wave focusing guide comprises a conical shaped element with a first diameter located proximate to the at least one diaphragm and a second diameter located distal to the at least one diaphragm and wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is operable to perform at least one electronic device function related to sound received by at least one sound sensor.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a portable computer, a telephone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, and a audio recorder.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one power generating mechanism includes the at least one sound sensor.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one power generating mechanism and the at least one sound sensor are disposed within a proximity such that sound waves detected by the at least one sound sensor vibrate the at least one diaphragm.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one power generating mechanism comprises at least one microphone.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the electronic device further comprises operating components; and

the electronic device operating utilizing power from the at least one battery comprises the operating components utilizing power from the at least one battery to power as speaker during a telephone call.

14. A method for charging a battery for an electronic device, the method comprising:

vibrating at least one diaphragm of at least one power generating mechanism by exerting force upon the at least one diaphragm;

generating power in response to vibration of the at least one diaphragm utilizing the at least one power generating mechanism; and

charging at least one battery of an electronic device utilizing the power generated by the at least one power generating mechanism while the electronic device is operating utilizing power from the at least one battery.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said operation of generating power in response to vibration of the at least one diaphragm utilizing the at least one power generating mechanism further comprises moving at least one coil of wire in relation to at least one magnet that is located adjacent to the at least one coil of wire in response to vibration of the at least one diaphragm.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said operation of generating power in response to vibration of the at least one diaphragm utilizing the at least one power generating mechanism further comprises exerting force upon at least one piezoelectric element of the at least one power generating mechanism utilizing the at least one diaphragm in response to vibration of the at least one diaphragm.

17. A system for charging a battery for an electronic device, comprising:

at least one power generating mechanism comprising at least one diaphragm that is operable to vibrate; and

an electronic device, comprising;

at least one battery that is operable to provide power to operate the electronic device; and

control circuitry that charges the at least one battery utilizing power generated by the at least one power generating mechanism while the electronic device is operating utilizing power from the at least one battery;

wherein the at least one power generating mechanism generates power when the at least one diaphragm vibrates in response to force being exerted upon the at least one diaphragm.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one power generating mechanism is a component of the electronic device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a portable computer, a telephone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, and an audio recorder.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the force being exerted upon the at least one diaphragm comprises at least one sound wave and wherein the at least one power generating mechanism further comprises at least one sound wave focusing guide that focuses me at least one sound wave on the at least one diaphragm.