Charging station for mobile device with solar panel

• US 9,853,489 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alta Devices Incorporated (He Jun Li,)
• Original Assignee: Alta Devices Incorporated (He Jun Li,)
• Inventors: He, Gang, Kayes, Brendan, France, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dibenedetto, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/989,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20160218553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 320101, 320107, 320108, 320114, 320115, 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A charging device configured to charge a mobile device through the solar cells integrated on the mobile device. The charging device converts wall power to light energy which can be absorbed by the solar cells and then converted to electricity for storage in the rechargeable battery of the mobile device. The charging device includes a light source configured to emit a light beam having a spectrum tuned to the spectral response of the solar cells. The charging device includes a proximity sensor for detecting the presence of a mobile device within the charging device housing and responsively signaling the activation of the light source. The charging device includes logic for wirelessly communicating with the mobile device as well as controlling the charging process in various stages and aspects. The light source may be LEDs that also serve to transmit light communication signals to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of charging a mobile device integrated with a solar cell, said method comprising:

detecting presence of said mobile device placed on a charging dock by a proximity sensor;

establishing two-way light signal communication between said charging dock and said mobile device by configuring a light source sources of said charging dock to send signals to said solar cell encoded as a sequence of light pulses, said light signal communication including receiving signals from said solar cell at said light source under reverse bias;

determining a category of said solar cell based on said light signal communication; and

based on said category, drawing electrical power to activate said light source of said charging dock to generate a light beam for radiating said solar cell, wherein said solar cell is operable to convert said light beam to electrical energy for storage in a rechargeable battery of said mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving signals includes receiving a first signal generated by said solar cell and transmitted from said mobile device to said charging dock, wherein said first signal indicates said category of said solar cell, wherein said first signal is encoded as a sequence of light pulses, and wherein said first signal is generated by said solar cell under a reverse bias.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving signals includes receiving a second signal transmitted from said mobile device to said charging dock, wherein said second signal indicates that said rechargeable battery is fully charged, wherein said second signal is encoded as a sequence of light pulses, and wherein said second signal is generated by said solar cell under a reverse bias, the method further comprising:

deactivating said light source responsive to said second signal.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising decline charging said mobile device upon determining that said category is ineligible for charging by said charging dock.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said proximity sensor is configured to:

detect an absence or an incorrect placement of the mobile device on said charging dock, and generate an indication for deactivating said light source.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said proximate sensor is configured to detect an incorrect placement by monitoring a photogenerated current, voltage and/or photoluminescence of the solar cell.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting said light source of said charging dock based on said category.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a signal from said charging dock to said mobile device regarding characteristics of said light beam, wherein said signal is emitted from said light source and is encoded as a sequence of light pulses in a binary form.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED) material, and wherein said solar cell comprises said LED material.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said charging dock has a plurality of light sources including said light source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said category indicates whether said solar cell is a first type of solar cell including GaAs or CdTe solar cells, or a second type of solar cells including Si or CIGS solar cells, and wherein said light source is selectively activated from said plurality of light sources to correspond to said first type or said second type of solar cell indicated by said category.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring includes controlling a bias of said light source.

13. A charging device for charging a mobile device having a solar cell, comprising:

a housing configured to accommodate said mobile device having said solar cell;

a light source coupled to said housing and configured to emit a light beam for radiating said solar cell, wherein said solar cell is operable to convert said light beam to electricity for storage in a rechargeable battery of said mobile device;

a wall power adaptor configured to convert wall power to an electrical voltage supplied to said light source; and

a control logic configured to control said light source to establish two-way light signal communication between said charging dock and said mobile device to have said light source send signals to said solar cell encoded as a sequence of light pulses, said light signal communication including receiving signals from said solar cell at said light source under a reverse bias.

14. The charging device of claim 13, wherein said radiating of said solar cell includes a mixture of infrared light and visible light for informing users that light charging is in progress.

15. The charging device of claim 13, wherein said light source comprises GaAs-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and wherein said solar cell comprises a GaAs solar cell.

16. The charging device of claim 13, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect presence of said mobile device within said housing;

wherein said control logic is coupled to said sensor and configured to turn on said light source responsive to a signal sent from said sensor,

wherein;

said sensor is further configured to detect decoupling of said mobile device with said housing; and

said control logic is further configured to turn off said light source responsive to a signal sent from said sensor.

17. The charging device of claim 13, wherein said light signal communication comprises receiving information from said mobile device regarding one or more of a product model of said mobile device, a type of said solar cell, a rechargeable battery usage status, an output light intensity from said light source, or a requested charging power for said mobile device.

18. The charging device of claim 13, further comprising an indicator coupled to said control logic and configured to send an indication to users regarding a charging process status.

19. The charging device of claim 13, further comprising a network interface operable to communicate with said mobile device via a wireless network.

20. A charging accessory for charging a mobile device having a solar cell, said charging accessory comprises:

a housing configured to accommodate said mobile device having said solar cell;

a light source coupled to said housing, said light source configured to emit light beams for radiating said solar cell, wherein said solar cell is operable to convert said light beams to electricity for storage in a rechargeable battery of said mobile device;

a communication interface configured to communicate with said mobile device;

control logic coupled to said light source and configured to control said light source to establish two-way light signal communication between said charging accessory and said mobile device to have said light source send signals to said solar cell encoded as a sequence of light pulses, said light signal communication including receiving signals from said solar cell at said light source under a reverse bias, and said control logic further configured to control said plurality of light sources based at least on said light signal communication; and

a wall power adaptor configured to convert wall power to an electrical voltage supplied to said light source.

21. The charging accessory of claim 20, wherein said light source is configured to generate light beams suitable for different types of solar cell, and wherein said housing is adaptable to mobile devices of varying dimensions.

22. The charging accessory of claim 20, wherein said solar cell comprises a GaAs solar cell, and wherein further said light source comprises GaAs-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and wherein said GaAs-based LEDs are configured to transmit a light signal for said light signal communication with said mobile device.

23. The charging accessory of claim 20, further comprising a proximity sensor coupled to said control logic and configured to detect presence of said mobile device within said housing.