Charging wearable computing devices

• US 9,362,775 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Michael Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/783,541
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads

Abstract

A wearable electronic device may be inductively charged during regular operation of a computing device when the electronic device is within a proximity zone of a charging component. The electronic device may be charged in a seamless manner such that the charging occurs when a user uses or operates a computing device in a regular manner. The electronic device and/or the computing device may contain an indicator that indicates a charging value for the electronic device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a wrist wearable display;

a band configured to secure the wrist wearable display on a wrist;

a battery;

a device conductor configured to charge the battery upon receipt of an incident electromagnetic field generated by a peripheral conductor in a computer peripheral device that is inductively coupled to the device conductor; and

a processor in communication with the device conductor; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from the computer peripheral device, an inductor of the computer peripheral device, comparing the indicator of the computer peripheral device to a list of approved indicators, determining based on the comparison that the computer peripheral device is an approved charging device, and

in response to the determination, receiving, at the device conductor from the peripheral conductor, an incident electromagnetic field that induces a charge in the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wrist wearable display comprises a watch display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the wrist wearable display comprises a touchscreen.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the band contains the battery.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the wrist wearable display contains the battery.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein a charging circuit for the battery is closed when the band is fastened.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an indicator configured to indicate a charge value.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of a computer peripheral device identity, a computer peripheral device type, and an available charge amount.

9. A charging device comprising:

a regular use area which, when used by a user wearing a wearable device, causes the wearable device to be within a proximate zone of the regular use area;

a peripheral conductor configured to generate an electromagnetic field that induces a charge in the wearable device when the wearable device is within the proximate zone;

a processor in communication with the device conductor; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from the computer peripheral device, an inductor of the computer peripheral device, comparing the indicator of the computer peripheral device to a list of approved indicators, determining based on the comparison that the computer peripheral device is an approved charging device, and

in response to the determination, receiving, at the device conductor from the peripheral conductor, an incident electromagnetic field that induces a charge in the device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the charging device is part of a computer peripheral device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the computer peripheral device is a wrist support comprising the peripheral conductor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the peripheral conductor is configured to charge a battery during regular use of the wrist support.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the computer peripheral device is a keyboard.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein peripheral conductor is configured to charge a battery during regular use of the keyboard.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the computer peripheral device is a mouse pad.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the peripheral conductor is configured to charge a battery during regular use of the mouse pad.

17. The device of claim 9, wherein the regular use area is a wrist rest area for an input device selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, a mouse pad, and a laptop base.

18. The device of claim 9, wherein the regular use area is a portion of a mobile device selected from the group consisting of a tablet, a mobile phone, and a media player.

19. The device of claim 9, wherein the peripheral conductor draws power from a power source.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the power source is a peripheral device battery.

21. The device of claim 9, wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of a wearable device identity, a wearable type, and an available charge amount.