Portable computing device with wireless power distribution

• US 9,270,139 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Rofougaran, Maryam, Ibrahim, Brima B., Darabi, Hooman
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US14/808,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20150333563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 214 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A core module for a portable computing device includes wireless power receiver circuitry, battery power circuitry, power supply circuitry, a processor, and an RF link interface. The wireless power receiver module, when operable, receives a wireless power transmit signal and converts it into a supply voltage. The battery power circuitry, when operable, outputs a battery voltage. The power supply circuitry, when operable, converts the supply voltage or the battery voltage into one or more power supply voltages. The processor is operable to select one of the battery voltage, the supply voltage, and one of the one or more power supply voltages to produce a selected voltage. The RF link interface outputs the selected voltage on to an RF link of the portable computing device for providing power to one or more multi mode RF units within the portable computing device.

Claims

1. A core module for a portable computing device, the core module comprises:

a battery power circuitry, when operable, to output a battery voltage;

a converter drive circuit, when operable, to generate from the battery voltage a primary voltage at a switching frequency;

a transformer operable to convert the primary voltage to a secondary voltage at the switching frequency;

a rectifying and filtering circuit operable to convert the secondary voltage to at least one power supply voltage for the core module;

a radio frequency (RF) link interface operable to couple to an RF wired link of the portable computing device; and

a processor operable to;

communicate control information with at least one of a plurality of multi-mode RF units of the portable computing device in a first frequency band via the RF link interface;

communicate wireless communication data with the at least one of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a second frequency band via the RF link interface;

communicate clock information to the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a third frequency band via the RF link interface; and

enable an output of the secondary voltage to the at least one of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a fourth frequency band via the RF link interface.

2. The core module of claim 1, wherein the battery power circuitry comprises:

a battery, when coupled, to output the battery voltage; and

a battery charger, when operable, to charge the battery.

3. The core module of claim 1, wherein the converter drive circuit comprises at least one of:

a buck topology drive circuit;

a boost topology drive circuit;

a half-bridge topology drive circuit; and

a full-bridge topology drive circuit.

4. The core module of claim 1 further comprises:

a wireless power receiver circuitry, when operable, to;

receive a wireless power transmit signal; and

convert the wireless power transmit signal into a supply voltage.

5. The core module of claim 1 further comprises:

a data circuitry operable to generate data; and

the converter drive circuit further including a data modulation circuit this operable to modulate control data onto the secondary voltage to produce a data modulated secondary voltage.

6. The core module of claim 5, wherein the converter drive circuit and the data modulation circuit comprise:

a power supply regulation circuit operable to generate a plurality of power supply regulated drive signals;

a plurality of transistors that are enabled in accordance with the plurality of power supply regulated drive signals;

a pair of half bridge capacitors; and

a modulation unit operable to select full bridge mode or half bridge mode based on the data being modulated.

7. The core module of claim 5, wherein the converter drive circuit and the data modulation circuit comprise:

a power supply regulation circuit operable to generate a plurality of power supply regulated drive signals;

a modulation unit operable to modulate the plurality of power supply regulated drive signals based on the control data being modulated to produce a plurality of modulated power supply regulated drive signals;

a plurality of transistors that are enabled in accordance with the plurality of modulated power supply regulated drive signals; and

a pair of half bridge capacitors, wherein the modulation unit is further operable to select full bridge mode or half bridge mode based on the control data being modulated.

8. A core module for a portable computing device, the core module comprises:

a radio frequency (RF) link interface operable to couple to an RF wired link of the portable computing device; and

a processor operable to;

communicate control information with a multi-mode RF unit of the portable computing device in a first frequency band via the RF link interface and the RF wired link;

communicate data of a wireless communication with the multi-mode RF unit in a second frequency band via the RF link interface and the RF wired link; and

communicate clock information to the multi-mode RF unit in a third frequency band via the RF link interface and the RF wired link.

9. The core module of claim 8 further comprises:

a wireless power receiver circuitry, when operable, to;

receive a wireless power transmit signal; and

convert the wireless power transmit signal into a supply voltage.

10. The core module of claim 8 further comprises:

a converter drive circuit, when operable, to generate a primary voltage at a switching frequency from a battery voltage;

a transformer operable to convert the primary voltage into a secondary voltage at the switching frequency; and

a rectifying and filtering circuit operable to convert the secondary voltage into one or more power supply voltages for the core module.

11. The core module of claim 8 further comprises:

a data circuitry operable to generate data; and

a converter drive circuit, when operable, to generate a primary voltage at a switching frequency from a battery voltage; and

the converter drive circuit further including a data modulation circuit operable to modulate control data onto a secondary voltage to produce a data modulated secondary voltage.

12. The core module of claim 11, wherein the converter drive circuit and the data modulation circuit comprise:

a power supply regulation circuit operable to generate a plurality of power supply regulated drive signals;

a plurality of transistors that are enabled in accordance with the plurality of power supply regulated drive signals;

a pair of half bridge capacitors; and

a modulation unit operable to select full bridge mode or half bridge mode based on the data being modulated.

13. The core module of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to

enable an output of the secondary voltage to the multi-mode RF unit in a fourth frequency band via the RF link interface.

14. The core module of claim 10, wherein the converter drive circuit comprises at least one of:

a buck topology drive circuit;

a boost topology drive circuit;

a half-bridge topology drive circuit; and

a full-bridge topology drive circuit.

15. A core module for a portable computing device, the core module comprises:

a battery power circuitry, when operable, to output a battery voltage;

a converter drive circuit, when operable, to generate from the battery voltage a primary voltage at a switching frequency;

a transformer operable to convert the primary voltage to a secondary voltage at the switching frequency;

a radio frequency (RF) link interface configured to couple with the portable computing device through an RF wired link; and

a processor operable to;

communicate control information with one of a plurality of multi-mode RF units of the portable computing device in a first frequency band via the RF link interface;

communicate wireless communication data with the one of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a second frequency band via the RF link interface;

communicate clock information to the one of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a third frequency band via the RF link interface; and

enable an output of the secondary voltage to the one of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a fourth frequency band via the RF link interface.

16. The core module of claim 15, wherein the battery power circuitry comprises:

a battery, when coupled, to output the battery voltage; and

a battery charger, when operable, to charge the battery.

17. The core module of claim 15, wherein the converter drive circuit comprises at least one of:

a buck topology drive circuit;

a boost topology drive circuit;

a half-bridge topology drive circuit; and

a full-bridge topology drive circuit.

18. The core module of claim 15 further comprises:

a wireless power receiver circuitry, when operable, to;

receive a wireless power transmit signal; and

convert the wireless power transmit signal into a supply voltage.

19. The core module of claim 15 further comprises:

a data circuitry operable to generate data; and

the converter drive circuit further including a data modulation circuit operable to modulate control data onto the secondary voltage to produce a data modulated secondary voltage.

20. The core module of claim 19, wherein the converter drive circuit and the data modulation circuit comprise:

a power supply regulation circuit operable to generate a plurality of power supply regulated drive signals;

a plurality of transistors that are enabled in accordance with the plurality of power supply regulated drive signals;

a pair of half bridge capacitors; and

a modulation unit operable to select full bridge mode or half bridge mode based on the data being modulated.