System and method for delayed application processor initialization during wireless charging

• US 9,900,056 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chun, Christopher Kong Yee, Hawawini, Shadi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warmflash, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/049,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A system and method providing for delayed initialization of a device in a wireless charging environment. In certain aspects, a device is configured to detect power wirelessly received from a power transmitter. The device may further wirelessly transmit a message to the power transmitter in response to the received power, further determining that a power level of the received power has been adjusted in response to the message. In response to the determining the power level has been adjusted, a controller that is powered by the adjusted power level may be initialized.

Claims

1. A method of operating a device, comprising:

detecting power wirelessly received at a first power level from a power transmitter via a receiver circuit coupled to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter;

wirelessly transmitting, in response to determining that the first power level is below a threshold value, a message to the power transmitter, the message comprising a request for the power transmitter to increase a level of power transmitted;

periodically detecting a level of power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter once the message is transmitted;

delaying a boot sequence of a controller of the device if the level of power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter is less than the threshold value;

determining that the level of power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter has increased above the first power level to or above the threshold value; and

initializing the boot sequence of the controller in response to the determining that the level of power wirelessly received has increased above the first power level to or above the threshold value, wherein the controller is powered by the power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the threshold value is indicative of a power level that is sufficient to power the controller.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to detecting power wirelessly received from the power transmitter, initializing a power management circuit, wherein initializing the boot sequence of the controller occurs in response to the power management circuit initialization.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the threshold value is higher than the first power level.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the message comprises transmitting the message via a personal area network.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a sufficient battery charge level; and

initializing, in response to the detecting of the sufficient battery charge level, a power on sequence of at least a power management circuit.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a wired power source; and

initializing a wireless communication controller in response to the detecting the wired power source.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured as an application processor.

9. An apparatus configured for performing the delay of an initialization sequence of a device, that apparatus comprising:

a power management circuit operably connected to a wireless power receiver circuit and configured to detect power wirelessly received at a first power level from a power transmitter via the wireless power receiver circuit coupled to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter; and

a transceiver configured to, in response to determining that the first power level is below a threshold value, wirelessly transmit a message to the power transmitter, the message comprising a request for the power transmitter to increase a level of power transmitted,

the power management circuit further configured to;

periodically determine a level of power wirelessly received at the wireless power receiver circuit from the power transmitter once the message is transmitted;

delay a boot sequence of a controller of the device if the level of power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter is less than the threshold value;

determine that the level of power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter has increased above the first power level to or above the threshold value;

initialize the boot sequence of the controller in response to the determining that the level of power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter has increased above the first power level to or above the threshold value, the controller configured to be powered by the power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the threshold value is indicative of a power level that is sufficient to power the controller.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further configured to, in response to detecting power wirelessly received from the power transmitter, initialize the power management circuit, wherein the initialization of the boot sequence of the controller occurs in response to the power management circuit initialization.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the threshold value is higher than the first power level.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, the transceiver further configured to transmit the message via a personal area network.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the power management circuit is further configured to:

detect a sufficient battery charge level; and

initialize, in response to the sufficient battery charge level, a power on sequence of at least the power management circuit.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the power management circuit is further configured to:

detect a wired power source; and

initialize, in response to the detection, a wireless communication controller.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured as an application processor.

17. An apparatus for performing the delay of an initialization sequence of a device, the apparatus comprising:

means for controlling the device;

means for detecting power wirelessly received at a first power level from a power transmitter via a means for receiving wireless power coupled to a magnetic field generated by the power transmitter;

means for wirelessly transmitting, in response to determining that the received power level is below a threshold value, a message to the power transmitter, the message comprising a request for the power transmitter to increase a level of power transmitted;

means for periodically detecting a level of power wirelessly received at the receiving means from the power transmitter once the message is transmitted;

means for delaying a boot sequence of the controlling means of the device if the level of power wirelessly received at the receiving means from the power transmitter is less than the threshold value;

means for determining that the level of power wirelessly received at the receiving means from the power transmitter has increased above the first power level to or above the threshold value; and

means for initializing the boot sequence of the controlling means in response to determining that the level of power wirelessly received at the receiving means from the power transmitter has increased above the first power level to or above the threshold value, wherein the controlling means is powered by the power wirelessly received at the receiving means from the power transmitter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the threshold value is indicative of a power level that is sufficient to power the controlling means.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for initializing a power management circuit in response to detecting power wirelessly received from the power transmitter, wherein the initialization of the boot sequence of the controlling means occurs in response to the power management circuit initialization.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the threshold value is higher than the first power level.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for transmitting the message via a personal area network.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

means for detecting a sufficient battery charge level; and

means for initializing, in response to the sufficient battery charge level, a power on sequence of at least a power management circuit.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

means for detecting a wired power source; and

means for initializing, in response to the detecting the wired power source, a wireless communication controller.

24. A method of operating a wireless power receiver device, comprising:

initializing an application processor based on a first initialization sequence of signals in response to detecting power received via a wired power source; and

initializing the application processor based on a second initialization sequence of signals, different than the first initialization sequence of signals, in response to detecting power wirelessly received from a power transmitter,

wherein a level of power received from the power transmitter is periodically detected at the wireless power receiver device, and the initializing based on the second initialization sequence of signals is delayed based at least in part on the periodic detecting if the level of power wirelessly received at the receiver circuit from the power transmitter is less than a threshold value, such that the application processor is not initialized based on the second initialization sequence of signals until the level of power of the power wirelessly received from the power transmitter increases to or above the threshold value.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the threshold value is indicative of a level of power that is sufficient to power the application processor.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the second initialization sequence of signals is further based on establishing a communication link between the wireless power receiver device and the power transmitter.