Wirelessly charging a mobile device and utilizing the mobile device as a power source

• US 9,548,622 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Vick, Ronald, Oberhauser, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): GARBOWSKI, LEIGH M
• Application Number:
  US14/305,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20150364943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for wirelessly charging a mobile computing device and utilizing the mobile computing device as a power source. The apparatus includes: a first data and power interface; a second data and power interface; a wireless charging unit; and a control unit. The operation of the wireless charging unit and the control unit is configured to provide a first mode of operation of the apparatus when an external source connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface is a load device in which power is delivered from the mobile computing device to the load device via the first and second data and power interfaces, and a second mode of operation of the apparatus in which power is delivered from a power receiver of the wireless charging unit to the mobile computing device via the first data and power interface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly charging a mobile computing device and utilizing the mobile computing device as a power source, the apparatus comprising:

a first data and power interface, adapted to be connected to a data and power port of the mobile computing device;

a second data and power interface, adapted to be connected to a wired power source or load device;

a wireless charging unit, comprising a power receiver adapted to wirelessly receive power from a wireless power source; and

a control unit, configured to control the wireless charging unit;

wherein the wireless charging unit and the control unit are configured to provide multiple modes of operation for the apparatus;

wherein a first mode of operation of the apparatus includes the load device being connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface with power being delivered from the mobile computing device to the load device via the first and second data and power interfaces;

wherein a second mode of operation of the apparatus includes the wired power source being connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface with power being delivered to the mobile computing device from the wired power source via the first and second data and power interfaces; and

wherein a third mode of operation of the apparatus includes the wireless power source wirelessly providing power to the power receiver of the wireless charging unit, with the wireless charging unit delivering power to the mobile computing device via the first data and power interface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless charging unit and the control unit are configured to utilize the third mode of operation under conditions where no load device or wired power source is connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface and power is available from the wireless power source.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless charging unit further comprises a wireless charging controller, the wireless charging controller including an input pin that controls a mode of operation of the wireless charging unit, and wherein the operation of the wireless charging unit and the control unit are configured to suspend wireless charging in the first and second modes of operation of the apparatus and enable wireless charging in the third mode of operation of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit comprises an inverter or a transistor and the control unit is configured such that the inverter or the transistor causes a value to be output to the input pin of the wireless charging controller to enable wireless charging under conditions where no load device and no wired power source are connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit comprises an inverter or a transistor and the control unit is configured such that the inverter or the transistor causes a value to be output to the input pin of the wireless charging controller to suspend wireless charging under conditions where a load device or a wired power source is connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an ID pin of the first data and power interface is in communication with an ID pin of the second data and power interface.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to provide the first mode of operation based on the ID pin of the first data and power interface being grounded.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless charging unit further comprises a wireless charging controller, the wireless charging controller including an input pin that controls a mode of operation of the wireless charging controller;

wherein the control unit is configured to control the wireless charging unit via the input pin of the wireless charging controller so as to suspend wireless charging in the first and second modes of operation of the apparatus and to enable wireless charging in the third mode of operation of the apparatus; and

wherein a pin of the second data and power interface adapted to be connected to the wired power source is connected to another input pin of the wireless charging controller.

9. A system comprising:

a mobile computing device; and

an apparatus for wirelessly charging the mobile computing device and utilizing the mobile computing device as a power source, the apparatus comprising;

a first data and power interface, adapted to be connected to a data and power port of the mobile computing device;

a second data and power interface, adapted to be connected to a wired power source or load device;

a wireless charging unit, comprising a power receiver adapted to wirelessly receive power from a wireless power source; and

a control unit, configured to control the wireless charging unit;

wherein the wireless charging unit and the control unit are configured to provide multiple modes of operation for the apparatus;

wherein a first mode of operation of the apparatus includes the load device being connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface with power being delivered from the mobile computing device to the load device via the first and second data and power interfaces;

wherein a second mode of operation of the apparatus includes the wired power source being connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface with power being delivered to the mobile computing device from the wired power source via the first and second data and power interfaces; and

wherein a third mode of operation of the apparatus includes the wireless power source wirelessly providing power to the power receiver of the wireless charging unit, with the wireless charging unit delivering power to the mobile computing device via the first data and power interface.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the wireless charging unit further comprises a wireless charging controller, the wireless charging controller including an input pin that controls a mode of operation of the wireless charging unit;

wherein the control unit is configured to control the wireless charging unit via the input pin of the wireless charging controller to suspend wireless charging in the first and second modes and enable wireless charging in the third mode; and

wherein a pin of the second data and power interface adapted to be connected to the wired power source is connected to another input pin of the wireless charging controller.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a device control unit configured to control a charging rate associated with charging the mobile computing device in the second and third modes of operation, wherein the charging rate for the mobile computing device in the second mode of operation is different from the charging rate for the mobile computing device in the third mode of operation.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the wireless charging unit and the control unit are configured to utilize the third mode of operation under conditions where no device is connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface and power is available from the wireless power source.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the wireless charging unit further comprises a wireless charging controller, the wireless charging controller including an input pin that controls a mode of operation of the wireless charging unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the wireless charging unit via the input pin of the wireless charging controller to suspend wireless charging in the first and second modes and enable wireless charging in the third mode.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the control unit comprises an inverter or a transistor and the control unit is configured such that the inverter or the transistor causes a value to be output to the input pin of the wireless charging controller to enable wireless charging under conditions where no load device and no wired power source are connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface.

15. A method for providing wireless charging to a mobile computing device and using the mobile computing device as a power source for a load device, the method comprising:

determining, via a control unit in communication with a wireless charging unit, whether a mobile computing device is connected to a first data and power interface of an apparatus and whether a wired power source, a load device, or nothing is connected to a second data and power interface of the apparatus; and

determining, via the control unit and the wireless charging unit, a mode of operation for the apparatus based on the determining;

wherein a first mode of operation of the apparatus includes the load device being connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface with power being delivered from the mobile computing device to the load device via the first and second data and power interfaces;

wherein a second mode of operation of the apparatus includes the wired power source being connected to the apparatus via the second data and power interface with power being delivered to the mobile computing device from the wired power source via the first and second data and power interfaces; and

wherein a third mode of operation of the apparatus includes a wireless power source wirelessly providing power to the power receiver of the wireless charging unit, with the wireless charging unit delivering power to the mobile computing device via the first data and power interface.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein delivering power to the mobile computing device from the wired power source in the second mode of operation and delivering power to the mobile computing device from the wireless power source in the third mode of operation are performed at different charging rates.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the wireless charging unit further comprises a wireless charging controller, the wireless charging controller including an input pin that controls a mode of operation of the wireless charging unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the wireless charging unit via the input pin of the wireless charging controller.