Apparatus and method for non-contact recharging and near field communication in a portable electronic device

• US 8,957,633 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Levin, Naum B
• Application Number:
  US13/588,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/137, 455/41.1, 340/354.8
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Apparatus and methods in a near field communication capable electronic device are disclosed. An antenna receives a near field signal from a recharging pad or a reader to provide a reception signal. A detector coupled to the antenna receives the reception signal and detects therefrom a voltage, current or power value representing a power level of the near field signal. A switch is coupled to the detector, and switches the reception signal corresponding to the recharging pad or the reader to a recharging transceiver to recharge a battery, or to a near field communication transceiver, respectively, on the basis of the detected voltage. A Hall-effect type magnetic sensor may be used as an alternative to the detector.

Claims

1. An apparatus in a near field communication capable electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna to receive a near field signal from a recharging pad or a reader to provide a reception signal;

a detector coupled to the antenna to receive the reception signal and detect therefrom a voltage, current or power value representing a power level of the near field signal; and

a switch coupled to the detector, to switch the reception signal corresponding to the recharging pad or the reader to a recharging transceiver to recharge a battery, or to a near field communication transceiver, respectively, on the basis of the detected voltage, current or power value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the detector and the switch, the controller configured to receive the detected voltage, current or power value from the detector and to control a switch position of the switch on the basis of the detected value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the detected voltage, current or power value is greater than a predetermined first value, the switch switches the reception signal to the recharging transceiver, and if the detected value is less than a predetermined second value, the switch switches the reception signal to the near field communication transceiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detected value is a current value, and the predetermined first and second values are each in the range of 1 mA to 500 mA.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a resistor coupled between the antenna and ground, and the detector detects the voltage, current or power value as a measure of the voltage across, current through, or power dissipated by, the resistor, respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reception signal switched by the switch is the reception signal provided by the antenna after passing through the detector.

7. An apparatus in a near field communication capable device, the apparatus comprising:

a sensing part for recognizing a magnetic field value from a magnet embedded into a recharging pad or a reader and converting the magnetic field value into a voltage value; and

a switch coupled to the sensing part, to switch a reception signal corresponding the recharging pad or the reader to a recharging transceiver to recharge a battery, or a near field communication transceiver, respectively, on the basis of the voltage value.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a controller coupled to the sensing part and the switch, the controller configured to receive the detected voltage value from the sensing part and to control a switch position of the switch on the basis of the detected value.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a near field antenna to receive the reception signal from one of the recharging pad and the reader and to provide the reception signal to the switch.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein if the voltage received from the sensing part is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the switch is moved to the direction where the non-contact recharging transceiver is located, and if the voltage received from the sensing part is less than the predetermined value, then the switch is moved to the direction where the near field communication transceiver is located.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the predetermined value is a voltage value corresponding to a current value in the range of 1 mA to 500 mA.

12. A method operative in an electronic device capable of near field communication, the method comprising:

receiving a near field signal transmitted from a recharging pad or a reader through an antenna to provide a reception signal;

detecting a voltage, current or power level of the reception signal, representing a power level of the near field signal; and

switching the reception signal corresponding to the recharging pad or the reader, to a recharging transceiver or a near field communication transceiver, respectively, on the basis of the detected voltage, current or power level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the reception signal is switched to the recharging transceiver if the detected voltage, current or power level is above a first predetermined value, and the reception signal is switched to the near field communication transceiver if the detected voltage, current or power level is below a second predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein current is detected, and the first and second predetermined values are each in the range of 1 mA to 500 mA.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the detected voltage, current or power is respectively measured across, through, or dissipated in, a resistor coupled between an antenna and ground.

16. A method operative in an electronic device capable of near field communication, the method comprising:

recognizing a magnetic field value from a magnet embedded into a recharging pad or a reader, and converting the magnetic field value into a voltage value; and

switching a reception signal corresponding to the recharging pad or the reader to a recharging transceiver to recharge a battery, or to a near field communication transceiver, respectively, on the basis of the voltage value.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein if the voltage value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the reception signal is switched to the recharging transceiver, and if the voltage value is less than the predetermined value, the reception signal is switched to the near field communication transceiver.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined value is a voltage value corresponding to a current value in the range of 1 mA to 500 mA.