Cover member, electronic device, and method for wireless charging

• US 9,559,548 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Hyung-Jin, Kim, Jang-Rak, Jung, Sung-Sik, Jang, Ji-Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitmore, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US14/466,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20150256021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 320107-108, 320/114
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/02 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A cover member of an electronic device is provided. The cover member includes covers hingedly connected, wherein each cover includes a power receiving member configured to wirelessly receive power.

Claims

1. A cover member of an electronic device, the cover member comprising:

a first side cover and a second side cover hingedly connected

that include a power receiving member configured to wirelessly receive power, respectively; and

a wireless power receiving unit that receives power through at least one of the power receiving members and generates power for charging,

wherein, when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut, the first side cover covers a front side surface of the electronic device and the second side cover covers a back side surface of the electronic device,

wherein the wireless power receiving unit comprises wireless power receivers that are respectively connected with the power receiving members, receive power through correspondingly connected power receiving members, and generate the power for charging,

wherein the wireless power receivers are connected to a charger that charges a battery, and

wherein the wireless power receiving unit further comprises a switch that turns on or off a path between the charger and one of the wireless power receivers connected to one of the power receiving members included in the first side cover, to correspond to an open or shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover.

2. The cover member of claim 1, wherein the wireless power receiving unit is included in one of the first side cover and the second side cover.

3. The cover member of claim 1, wherein each of the wireless power receivers is included in a corresponding cover among the first side cover and the second side cover.

4. A cover member of claim 1, wherein the switch is turned on when the first side cover and the second side cover are open and is turned off when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut.

5. The cover member of claim 1, wherein the second side cover is installed in the electronic device as a back side cover of the electronic device.

6. A cover member of an electronic device, the cover member comprising:

a first side cover and a second side cover hingedly connected that include a power receiving member configured to wirelessly receive power, respectively; and

a wireless power receiving unit that receives power through at least one of the power receiving members and generates power for charging,

wherein the wireless power receiving unit comprises wireless power receivers that are respectively connected with the power receiving members, receive power through correspondingly connected power receiving members, and generate the power for charging,

wherein the wireless power receivers are connected with a charger that charges a battery, and

wherein the wireless power receiving unit further comprises;

a first switch configured to turn on or off a path between the charger and one of the wireless power recivers connected with one of the power receiving members included in the first side cover;

a second switch configured to turn on or off a path between the charger and another of the wireless power receivers connected to another of the power receiving members included in the second side cover; and

a controller configured to control turning on or off of the first switch and the second switch to correspond to an open or shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover and an overturn state of the electronic device.

7. The cover member of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to perform:

turning on both the first switch and the second switch when the first side cover and the second side cover are open;

turning the first switch on and turning the second switch off when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut and the electronic device is upside down; and

turning the first switch off and turning the second switch on when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut and the electronic device is not overturned.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a charger configured to charge a battery through power for charging generated by at least one of wireless power receivers, the wireless power receivers respectively receiving power through power receiving members respectively included in a first side cover and a second cover hingedly connected, and generating the power for charging;

a cover sensor configured to sense an open and shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover; and

a switch configured to turn on or off a path between the charger and one of the wireless power receivers connected with one of the power receiving members included in the first side cover, to correspond to the open or shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover,

wherein, when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut, the first side cover covers a front side surface of the electronic device and the second side cover covers a back side surface of the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the switch is turned on when the first side cover and the second side cover are open and is turned off when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a charger configured to charge a battery through power for charging generated by at least one of wireless power receivers, the wireless power receivers respectively receiving power through power receiving members respectively included in a first side cover and a second cover hingedly connected, and generating the power for charging;

a first switch configured to turn on or off a path between the charger and one of the wireless power receivers connected with one of the power receiving members included in the first side cover;

a second switch configured to turn on or off a path between the charger and another of the wireless power receivers connected with another of the power receiving member included in the second side cover;

a cover sensor configured to sense an open and shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover;

a pose sensor configured to sense whether the electronic device is upside down; and

a controller configured to control turning on or off of the first switch and the second switch to correspond to the open or shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover and an overturn state of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to perform:

turning on both the first switch and the second switch when the first side cover and the second side cover are open;

turning the first switch on and turning the second switch off when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut and the electronic device is upside down; and

turning the first switch off and turning the second switch on when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut and the electronic device is not overturned.

12. A wireless charging method of an electronic device, the wireless charging method comprising:

generating power for charging from power wirelessly received through at least one of power receiving members respectively included in hingedly connected a first side cover and a second side cover; and

charging a battery with the power for charging,

wherein, when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut, the first side cover covers a front side surface of the electronic device and the second side cover covers a back side surface of the electronic device, and

wherein the generating of the power for charging further comprises;

sensing an open or shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover;

generating the power for charging from power wirelessly received through the one of the power receiving members included in the first side cover and the other of the power receiving members included in the second side cover when the first side cover and the second side cover are open; and

generating the power for charging from power wirelessly received through a power receiving member included in the second side cover when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut.

13. A wireless charging method of an electronic device, the wireless charging method comprising:

generating power for charging from power wirelessly received through at least one of power receiving members respectively included in hingedly connected a first side cover and a second side cover; and

charging a battery with the power for charging,

wherein the generating of the power for charging further comprises;

sensing an open or shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover;

sensing whether the electronic device is upside down; and

generating power for charging using at least one power receiving member corresponding to the open or shut state of the first side cover and the second side cover and an overturn state of the electronic device from among the power receiving members.

14. The wireless charging method of claim 13, wherein the generating of the power for charging using the at least one power receiving member further comprises:

generating the power for charging using all of the power receiving members when the first side cover and the second side cover are open;

generating power for charging using one of the power receiving members included in the first side cover when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut and the electronic device is upside down; and

generating power for charging using another of the power receiving members included in the second side cover when the first side cover and the second side cover are shut and the electronic device is not overturned.