Wireless power interface using an NFC antenna

• US 9,647,725 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Gay, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nha
• Application Number:
  US14/243,317
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A circuit comprises an antenna and a first port coupled to the antenna using a first reactive circuit. A first switching device is coupled across first and second input nodes of the first port, and configured to convey a signal across the first and second input nodes to a Near Field Communication (NFC) circuit in a first mode, and to isolate the NFC circuit from the antenna in a second mode. The antenna has a first resonance at a first frequency in a first mode and has a second resonance at a second frequency in a second mode. A second port is coupled to the antenna using a second reactive circuit. A rectifier has an input coupled to the second port and an output coupled to an energy storage device. A second switching device is coupled across the second port and configured to control an amount of current flowing through the rectifier by alternating between a first state and a second state at a third frequency when the circuit is in the second mode.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

an antenna;

a first port coupled to the antenna using a first reactive circuit, the first port including first and second input nodes;

a first switching device coupled across the first and second input nodes of the first port and configured to convey a signal across the first and second input nodes to a Near Field Communication (NFC) circuit in a first mode, wherein the antenna has a resonance at a first frequency, and to isolate the NFC circuit from the antenna in a second mode;

a second port coupled to the antenna using a second reactive circuit, the second port including first and second input nodes;

a rectifier having an input coupled to the second port and an output coupled to an energy storage device; and

a second switching device configured to control an amount of current flowing through the rectifier, the second switching device being connected across the first and second input nodes of the second port,

wherein when the circuit is in a second mode, the antenna is tuned to have a second resonance at a second frequency and the second switching device alternates between a first state and a second state at a third frequency equal to or higher than the second frequency.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein a coil current flows through the antenna, the second reactive circuit and the second switching device when the second switching device is in the second state,

wherein a charging current flows through the rectifier to charge the energy storage device when the second switching device is in the first state, and

wherein an average magnitude of the charging current flowing through the energy storage device is controlled by varying a duration of the second switching device being in the first state.

3. The circuit of claim 1, further including a third switching device being connected between the input of the rectifier and the second port, wherein when the circuit is configured in the first mode, the third switching device is the first state, and when the circuit is configured in the second mode, the third switching device is in the second state.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first switching device is in an open state when the first switching device is in the first state and a closed state when the first switching device is in the second state, and

wherein the second switching device is in a closed state when the circuit is in the first mode.

5. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second switching device is in a nonconductive state when the second switching device is in the first state and a conductive state when the second switching device is in the second state.

6. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna, and the first frequency is 13.56 MHz.

7. The circuit of claim 6, wherein the second frequency is an Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) frequency of 6.78 MHz, and the second mode is an A4WP charging mode.

8. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first reactive circuit includes a capacitor.

9. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second reactive circuit includes a capacitor.

10. The circuit of claim 9, wherein the second reactive circuit further includes an inductor.