Portable device capable of wireless power reception and transmission

• US 9,509,177 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nahidipour, Aram
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/538,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20140001875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

A mobile device is disclosed that is not only capable of wirelessly receiving power from a source device, but also of wirelessly transmitting power to a destination device. The device includes one or more power modules and corresponding coils for transmitting/receiving signals from which power can be loaded/extracted. In addition, the device can receiving initiation information identifying power transfer standards supported by each of the source and destination devices, and can control its one or more power modules to operate in accordance with the standards identified in the initiation information.

Claims

1. A mobile device capable of receiving power front a source device and transferring power to a destination device, the mobile device comprising:

an initiation module configured to receive initiation information, the initiation information including at least one parameter associated with each of the source device and the destination device;

a power receiver module configured to wirelessly receive power from the source device, the power receiver module including;

a first coil module configured to receive a first power transfer signal from the source device; and

an extraction module configured to extract power from the first power transfer signal;

a power transmitter module configured to wirelessly provide power to the destination device, the power transmitter module including;

a second coil module configured to transmit a second power transfer signal to the destination device; and

a load module configured to load the second coil module with the second power transfer signal; and

a controller module configured to control the power receiver module and the power transmitter module based on the at least one parameter associated with each of the source device and the destination device, respectively, contained in the initiation information,

wherein the controller module is configured to operate the power receiver module in a receive mode during first time intervals and to operate the power transmitter module in a transmission mode during second time intervals that alternate with the first time intervals, and

wherein the controller module is configured to set the first time intervals and the second time intervals based on the initiation information and whether the mobile device is in an operating state.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter of the source device includes a first power transfer standard supported by the source device and the at least one parameter of the destination device includes a second power transfer standard supported by the destination device.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the controller module is configured to operate the power receiver module in accordance with the first power transfer standard, and to operate the power transmitter module in accordance with the second power transfer standard.

4. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first power transfer standard or the second power transfer standard is the Qi standard.

5. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the parameter includes an amount of power requested.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the amount of power requested is defined based on the relative power levels of the devices.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller module is configured to set the first time intervals to be equal in duration to the second time intervals when the mobile device is not in the operating state.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller module is configured to set the first time intervals to be longer in duration than the second time intervals when the mobile device is in the operating state.

9. A mobile device capable of transmitting power to a destination device, the mobile device comprising:

an internal power storage module configured to store electrical power;

an initiation module configured to receive a parameter associated with the destination device, the parameter including an amount of power to be transferred and a power transfer standard supported by the destination device;

a power transmission module configured to receive power from the internal power storage module during first intervals, and to transmit the power to the destination device via a wireless signal during second intervals the power transmission module configured to set the first intervals and the second intervals based on the parameter and whether the mobile device is in an operating state; and

a sensor module configured to detect a total amount of power already transferred.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising a controller module configured to control the power transmission module in accordance with the power transfer standard.

11. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising a power receive module configured to wirelessly receive power from an external source device, and to store the received power in the power storage module.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the initiation module is configured to receive a parameter associated with the source device, and

wherein the parameter associated with the destination device includes a power transfer standard supported by the destination device and the parameter associated with the source device includes a power transfer standard supported by the source device.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising a controller module configured to control the power receive module to receive power from the source device using a power transfer standard supported by the source device, and configured to control the power transmission module to transmit power to the destination device using a power transfer standard supported by the destination device.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein receipt of the parameter indicates a presence of the destination device;

and

wherein power transfer to a source device begins only after the receipt of the parameter indicates the presence of the destination device.

15. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the power transfer standard is the Qi power transfer standard.

16. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the amount of power to be transferred is defined in terms of the relative powers of the mobile device and the destination device.

17. A method for transferring power to a destination device by a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving initiation information relating to the destination device, the initiation information including an amount of power to be transferred;

transmitting power internally stored within the mobile device to the destination device based on the initiation information;

sensing a total amount of power transferred;

comparing the total amount of power transferred to the amount of power to be transferred;

controlling the transmitting of the power based on the comparison;

wirelessly receiving power from a source device;

storing the received power within the mobile device;

switching between transmitting power to the destination device during first intervals and receiving power from the source device dun second intervals; and

setting the first intervals and the second intervals based on the initiation information and an operating state of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the switching includes switching from transmitting power to receiving power after a first time interval and switching from receiving power to transmitting power after a second time interval.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising setting the first time interval and the second time interval based on an operational state of the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the setting includes setting the first time interval to be shorter than the second time interval when the mobile device is in an operational state.