Antenna sharing for wirelessly powered devices

• US 9,246,351 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ozaki, Ernest T, Toncich, Stanley S
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US14/177,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 455/82, 455/41.1, 455/575.7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments include an antenna for receiving electromagnetic radiation in a broadcast radiation band and a near-field radiation band to generate a Radio Frequency (RF) signal. A coupling element couples the RF signal to a first port and at least one additional port, which may be a second port and a third port. A wireless power receiver on the first port includes a rectifier for converting the RF signal to a DC signal when the antenna couples to radiation in the near-field radiation band in a coupling-mode region of the antenna. A near-field communication transceiver includes circuitry for communicating information on the antenna in the near-field radiation band when the coupling element couples the second port to the RF signal. A broadcast receiver on the third port includes circuitry for receiving and tuning the broadcast radiation band when the coupling element couples the third port to the RF signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communication and power transfer, the apparatus comprising:

a coupling element including a common port on a first side of the coupling element, the coupling element configured to selectively couple the common port to a first port on a second side of the coupling element in response to determining that received Radio Frequency (RF) signals are within a first frequency band and to a second port on the second side of the coupling element in response to determining that the received RF signals are within a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, the common port operably coupled to an antenna configured to receive the RF signals;

a wireless power receiver coupled to the first port, the wireless power receiver comprising a matching circuit coupled to the first port and configured to receive wireless charging power from a power transmitter via the antenna when the coupling element selectively couples the first port to the common port; and

a Near-Field Communication (NFC) transceiver coupled to the second port, the NFC transceiver comprising circuitry configured to communicate information via the antenna when the coupling element selectively couples the second port to the common port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the coupling element comprises a switch configured to selectively couple the common port to one of the first port, the second port, or the third port.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the coupling element comprises:

a switch configured to selectively couple the common port to a directional coupler or the third port, the switch configured to selectively couple an RF signal (electromagnetic radiation) in a near-field frequency band to the directional coupler, the directional coupler configured to couple the RF signal in the near-field frequency band to the second port and the first port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the coupling element comprises:

a diplexer operably coupled to the common port and configured to combine or separate a signal corresponding to an RF signal in a broadcast frequency band on the third port and to a near-field signal corresponding to an RF signal in a near-field frequency band; and

a switch configured to selectively couple the near-field signal to the second port or the first port.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the coupling element comprises:

a diplexer operably coupled to the common port and configured to combine or separate a signal corresponding to an RF signal in a broadcast frequency band on the third port and to a near-field signal corresponding to an RF signal in a near-field frequency band; and

a directional coupler configured to couple the near-field signal to the second port and the first port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the coupling element comprises a triplexer operably coupled to the common port and configured to combine or separate a broadcast signal corresponding to an RF signal in a broadcast frequency band on the third port, to a near-field signal corresponding to an RF signal in a near-field frequency band on the second port, and to a wireless power signal in the near-field frequency band on the first port.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, the coupling element further comprising:

a broadcast receiver operably coupled to the third port and comprising circuitry configured to receive and tune a broadcast frequency band from the RF signals when the coupling element couples the third port to the common port.

8. A method for receiving for wireless communication and power transfer, the method comprising:

selectively coupling a common port on a first side of a coupling element to a first port on a second side of the coupling element in response to determining that received radio frequency (RF) signals are within a first frequency band and to a second port on the second side of the coupling element in response to determining that the received RF signals are within a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, the common port operably coupled to an antenna configured to receive the RF signals;

operating a wireless power receiver when the first port is selectively coupled to the common port, the wireless power receiver configured to provide an impedance match; and

transmitting from, receiving by, or a combination thereof, a Near-Field Communication (NFC) transceiver, information via the antenna when the second port is selectively coupled to the common port.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the selectively coupling comprises selectively coupling the common port to one of the first port, the second port, or the third port.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the selectively coupling comprises:

selectively coupling the common port to a directional coupler for an RF signal in a near-field frequency band or the third port; and

directionally coupling the RF signal in the near-field frequency band to the second port and the first port.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the selectively coupling comprises:

diplexing to combine or separate a signal corresponding to an RF signal in a broadcast frequency band on the third port and to a near-field signal corresponding to an RF signal in a near-field frequency band; and

selectively coupling the near-field signal to the second port or the first port via a switch.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the selectively coupling comprises:

diplexing to combine or separate a signal corresponding to an RF signal in a broadcast frequency band on the third port and to a near-field signal corresponding to an RF signal in a near-field frequency band; and

directionally coupling the near-field signal to the second port and the first port.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element, wherein the selectively coupling comprises triplexing to combine or separate a signal corresponding to an RF signal in a broadcast frequency band on the third port, to a near-field signal corresponding to an RF signal in a near-field frequency band on the second port, and to a wireless power signal in the near-field frequency band on the first port.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising a third port on the second side of the coupling element and the method further comprising receiving a signal at a broadcast frequency band when the third port is coupled to the common port.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising converting a near-field frequency signal corresponding to an RF signal in a near-field frequency band to a DC signal, wherein the transmitting, receiving, or a combination thereof, information on the antenna further comprises providing a broad bandwidth in the near-field frequency band to optimize NFC communications.

16. A wireless power receiver for wireless communication and power transfer, the receiver comprising:

means for selectively coupling a common port on a first side of the means for selectively coupling to a first port on a second side of the means for selectively coupling in response to determining that received Radio Frequency (RF) signals are within a first frequency band and to a second port on a the second side of the means for selectively coupling in response to determining that the received RF signals are within a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, the common port operably coupled to an antenna configured to receive the RF signals;

means for receiving wireless charging power from a power transmitter via the antenna when the means for selectively coupling selectively couples the first port to the common port; and

means for transmitting and receiving information via a Near-Field Communication field selectively coupled to the second port via the antenna when the second port is selectively coupled to the common port.

17. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, further comprising a third port on the second side, wherein the means for selectively coupling comprises means for selectively coupling the common port to one of the first port, the second port, or the third port.

18. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, further comprising a third port on the second side, wherein the means for selectively coupling comprises:

means for selectively coupling the common port to a means for directionally coupling or the third port, the means for selectively coupling configured to selectively couple an RF signal in a near-field frequency band to the means for directionally coupling, the means for directionally coupling configured to directionally couple the near-field signal to the second port and the first port.

19. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, further comprising a third port on the second side and further comprising means for receiving a broadcast frequency band when the third port is selectively coupled to the common port.

20. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, further comprising:

means for converting a near-field frequency signal corresponding to electromagnetic radiation in a near-field frequency band to a DC signal; and

wherein the means for transmitting, receiving, or a combination thereof, information on the antenna further comprises means for providing a broad bandwidth in the near-field frequency band to optimize NFC communications.

21. An apparatus for wireless communication and power transfer, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to receive radio frequency (RF) signals;

a wireless power receiver comprising a matching circuit and configured to wirelessly receive wireless charging power over a first frequency band from a power transmitter via the antenna;

a Near-Field Communication (NFC) transceiver configured to communicate information via the antenna within a second frequency band different than the first frequency band; and

a coupling element electrically coupled between the antenna and both the wireless power receiver and the NFC transceiver, the coupling element comprising an N-plexer configured to separate the RF signals into frequency channels corresponding to the first frequency band and the second frequency band to couple the RF signals in the first frequency band to the wireless power receiver and to couple the RF signals in the second frequency band to the NFC transceiver.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a broadcast receiver configured to communicate information via the antenna within a third frequency band different than the first and second frequency bands, wherein the N-plexer comprises a triplexer configured to further separate the RF signal into a further frequency channel corresponding to the third frequency band.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the N-plexer is configured to simultaneously couple the RF signals to the wireless power receiver and the NFC transceiver.