Wireless power utilization in a local computing environment

• US 9,086,864 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Culbert, Michael F., Bilbrey, Brett C., Simon, David I., Arnold, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bae, Ji H
• Application Number:
  US13/510,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. The wireless powered local computing environment includes at least a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply arranged to wirelessly provide power to any of a number of suitably configured devices. In the described embodiments, the devices arranged to receive power wirelessly from the NFMR power supply must be located in a region known as the near field that extends no further than a distance D of a few times a characteristic size of the NFMR power supply transmission device. Typically, the distance D can be on the order of 1 meter or so.

Claims

1. A method of wirelessly transmitting power, comprising:

at a wireless power supply;

coupling a first electromagnetic field of the wireless power supply and a first device;

coupling a second electromagnetic field to a second device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled to the second device;

causing a resonant circuit of the first device to tune and detune to at least one of multiple frequency bands of the wireless power supply;

receiving load states from the first device and the second device;

wirelessly distributing power to the first device and the second device in accordance with the load states, wherein at least a portion of the power received by the first device is wirelessly provided to the second device; and

when an updated load state is communicated between the first device and the second device;

causing a wireless redistribution of the power between the first device and the second device based on the updated load state.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving an initial communication from the first device via a wireless networking protocol for indicating a presence of the first device to the wireless power supply.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a communication channel between the first device and the second device based on the load states.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein establishing the communication channel between the first device and the second device comprises determining a code pattern based on tuning and detuning between the first device and the second device.

5. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to perform steps that include;

coupling a first electromagnetic field of the computing device to a first device;

coupling a second electromagnetic field of the computing device to a second device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled to the second device;

causing a resonant circuit of the first device to tune and detune to at least one of multiple frequency bands of the computing device;

receiving load states from the first device and the second device;

wirelessly distributing power to the first device and the second device in accordance with the load states, wherein at least a portion of the power received by the first device is wirelessly provided to the second device; and

when an updated load state is communicated between the first device and the second device;

causing a wireless redistribution of the power between the first device and the second device based on the updated load state.

6. The computing device as recited in claim 5, wherein the steps further include:

receiving an initial communication from the first device via a wireless networking protocol for indicating a presence of the first device to the computing device.

7. The computing device as recited in claim 5, wherein the steps further include:

establishing a communication channel between the first device and the second device based on the load states.

8. The computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein establishing the communication channel between the first device and the second device comprises determining a code pattern based on tuning and detuning between resonant circuits of the first device and the second device.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a resonant circuit;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to perform steps that include;

coupling a first electromagnetic field of a first device and the apparatus;

communicatively coupling to a second device, wherein the second device is coupled to the first device via a second electromagnetic field;

causing the resonant circuit of the apparatus to tune and detune to at least one of multiple frequency bands of the first device;

providing a load state to the first device;

receiving, based on the load state, wireless power from the first device;

providing wireless power to the second device; and

when an updated load state is received from the second device;

causing a wireless redistribution of the power between the apparatus and the second device based on the updated load state.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the steps include:

establishing a communication channel between the apparatus and the second device by determining a code pattern, wherein the code pattern is based on tuning and detuning between resonant circuits of the apparatus and the second device.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the steps further include:

providing feedback to the first device indicating that a power transfer efficiency has dropped below a threshold.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the steps further include:

causing the resonant circuit of the apparatus to tune and detune to at least one of multiple frequency bands of the first device.

12. A method of wirelessly transmitting power, comprising:

at a wireless power supply;

coupling a first electromagnetic field to a first device;

coupling a second electromagnetic field to a second device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled to the second device;

receiving load states from the first device and the second device;

wirelessly distributing power to the first device and the second device in accordance with the load states, wherein at least a portion of the power received by the first device is wirelessly provided to the second device;

receiving an indication that a power transfer efficiency has dropped below a threshold for at least the first device or the second device; and

when an updated load state is communicated between the first device and the second device;

causing a wireless redistribution of the power between the first device and the second device based on the updated load state.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

establishing a communication channel between the first device and the second device based on the load states.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein establishing the communication channel between the first device and the second device comprises determining a code pattern based on tuning and detuning between the first device and the second device.

15. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to perform steps that include;

coupling a first electromagnetic field of the computing device to a first device;

coupling a second electromagnetic field of the computing device to a second device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled to the second device;

receiving load states from the first device and the second device;

wirelessly distributing power to the first device and the second device in accordance with the load states, wherein at least a portion of the power received by the first device is wirelessly provided to the second device;

receiving an indication that a power transfer efficiency has dropped below a threshold for at least the first device or the second device; and

when an updated load state is communicated between the first device and the second device;

causing a wireless redistribution of the power between the first device and the second device based on the updated load state.

16. The computing device as recited in claim 15, wherein the steps further include:

establishing a communication channel between the first device and the second device based on the load states.

17. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein establishing the communication channel between the first device and the second device comprises determining a code pattern based on tuning and detuning between resonant circuits of the first device and the second device.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a resonant circuit;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to perform steps that include;

coupling a first electromagnetic field of a first device and the apparatus;

communicatively coupling to a second device, wherein the second device is coupled to the first device via a second electromagnetic field;

providing a load state to the first device;

receiving, based on the load state, wireless power from the first device;

providing wireless power to the second device;

providing feedback to the first device indicating that a power transfer efficiency has dropped below a threshold; and

when an updated load state is received from the second device;

causing a wireless redistribution of the power between the apparatus and the second device based on the updated load state.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the steps include:

establishing a communication channel between the apparatus and the second device by determining a code pattern, wherein the code pattern is based on tuning and detuning between resonant circuits of the apparatus and the second device.