Variable wireless power transmission

• US 8,928,284 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Carobolante, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US12/850,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/112, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 320/125, 320/155
• US Class Current: 320/125
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to variable power wireless power transmission. A method may include conveying wireless power to a device at a first power level during a time period. The method may further include conveying wireless power to one or more other devices at a second, different power level during another time period.

Claims

1. A wireless charging device, comprising:

at least one transmitter; and

at least one transmit antenna associated with the at least one transmitter, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to operate at a first power level to charge a first chargeable device during a first time period and a second power level to charge at least a second chargeable device during a second time period, wherein operating the at least one transmitter at the first or second power level depends on the degree of a coupling factor between the at least one transmit antenna and at least one receive antenna of the first or second chargeable device,

wherein the first power level is higher than the second power level, and

wherein the coupling factor between the at least one transmit antenna and the at least one receive antenna of the first chargeable device is higher than the coupling factor between the at least one transmit antenna and the at least one receive antenna of the second chargeable device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to operate at the first power level while the first chargeable device and the wireless charging device have a coupling factor greater than 0.1.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to operate at the second power level while the second chargeable device and the wireless charging device have a coupling factor less than 0.1.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to detect a loading effect of one or more receive antennas positioned within an associated charging region.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to determine if either a coupling factor less than 0.1 exists with the one or more receive antennas or a coupling factor greater than 0.1 exists with the one or more receive antennas based on at least one of the detected loading effect, communication means, and an alignment device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first chargeable device comprises a receive antenna having a dimension similar to a dimension of the transmit antenna.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an alignment device configured to enable alignment of a receive antenna of the first chargeable device with the transmit antenna of the at least one transmitter.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the second chargeable device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a camera, a gaming device, a navigation device, and a headset.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a charging surface configured for placement of the first and second chargeable devices.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the transmit antenna is positioned proximate the charging surface.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless charging device comprises at least one of a docking station, a charging tray, and a charging pad.

12. A method of charging one or more devices at a wireless charging device, comprising:

providing wireless power to charge a first chargeable device at a first power level during a first time period; and

providing wireless power to charge at least a second chargeable device at a second, different power level during a second time period,

wherein providing wireless power to charge the first or second chargeable device at the first or second power level depends on the degree of a coupling factor between at least one transmit antenna of the wireless charging device and at least one receive antenna of the first or second chargeable device, and

wherein the first power level is higher than the second power level, and

wherein the coupling factor between the at least one transmit antenna and the at least one receive antenna of the first chargeable device is higher than the coupling factor between the at least one transmit antenna and the at least one receive antenna of the second chargeable device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein conveying wireless power to the device comprises conveying wireless power to a laptop computer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein conveying wireless power to the second chargeable device comprises conveying wireless power to at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a camera, a gaming device, a navigation device, and a headset.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the first chargeable device and the wireless charging device have a coupling factor greater than 0.1 prior to conveying wireless power to the device at the first power level.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the first chargeable device and the wireless charging device have a coupling factor greater than 0.1 comprises at least one of detecting a loading effect on the wireless charging device, communicating between the first chargeable device and the wireless charging device, and sensing the first chargeable device with an alignment device of the wireless charging device.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the second chargeable device and the wireless charging device have a coupling factor less than 0.1 prior to conveying wireless power to the second chargeable device at a second, different power level.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the second chargeable device and the wireless charging device have a coupling factor less than 0.1 comprises at least one of detecting a loading effect between the second chargeable device and the wireless charging device and exchanging data between the second chargeable device and the wireless charging device.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising aligning a receive antenna of the first chargeable device with a transmit antenna of the wireless charging device prior to conveying wireless power to the first chargeable device at the first power level.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the aligning comprises aligning the receive antenna of the first chargeable device with the transmit antenna of the wireless charging device with at least one alignment mechanism coupled to the wireless charging device.

21. A wireless charging device for charging one or more devices at the wireless charging device, comprising:

means for conveying wireless power to a first chargeable device at a first power level during a first time period; and

means for conveying wireless power to at least a second chargeable device at a second, different power level during a second time period, wherein conveying wireless power at the first or second power level depends on the degree of a coupling factor between the at least one transmit antenna of the wireless charging device and at least one receive antenna of the first or second chargeable device,

wherein the first power level is higher than the second power level, and

wherein the coupling factor between at least one transmit antenna and at least one receive antenna of the first chargeable device is higher than the coupling factor between the at least one transmit antenna and at least one receive antenna of the second chargeable device.