Wireless charging apparatus and method

• US 9,973,237 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2013
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Woo-Ram, Kim, Joon-Il, Jang, Kyu-Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): DiBenedetto, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/859,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20130264997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 320107, 320108, 307104
• 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: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A wireless charging method and apparatus are provided. A non-contact wireless local communication unit performs non-contact wireless local communication for wireless charging authentication through a non-contact wireless local communication antenna. A wireless power receiver receives supply power from a wireless power transmitter by using a resonator resonating on a resonance frequency equal to that of the wireless power transmitter after the wireless charging authentication. A charging controller performs wireless charging by using the supply power received by the wireless power receiver. One or more switches switch between a connection between the non-contact wireless local communication antenna and the non-contact wireless local communication unit, and a connection between the wireless power receiver and the charging controller.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a body of the electronic device having a first connection terminal; and

a battery cover having a second connection terminal,

wherein the first connection terminal is physically and electrically connected to the second connection terminal while the battery cover is attached to the body, and the first connection terminal is physically and electrically unconnected to the second connection terminal while the battery cover is detached from the body,

wherein the body comprises;

a non-contact wireless local communication unit configured to perform non-contact wireless local communication for wireless charging authentication through a non-contact wireless local communication antenna, when the electronic device is put on a wireless power transmitter for wireless charging and the non-contact wireless local communication unit is connected with the non-contact wireless local communication antenna in an initial or idle state;

a charging controller configured to perform wireless charging by using supply power received by a wireless power receiver; and

a first switch configured to perform a first switching operation for connecting the first connection terminal with one of the non-contact wireless local communication unit and the charging controller, and

wherein the battery cover comprises;

the wireless power receiver configured to receive the supply power from the wireless power transmitter after the wireless charging authentication;

the non-contact wireless local communication antenna configured to perform non-contact wireless local communication with the wireless power transmitter; and

a second switch configured to perform a second switching operation for connecting the second connection terminal with one of the non-contact wireless local communication antenna and the wireless power receiver.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless power receiver is configured to receive the supply power from the wireless power transmitter by using a resonator resonating on a resonance frequency equal to that of the wireless power transmitter.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the non-contact wireless local communication is Near Field Communication (NFC).

4. A wireless charging method by an electronic device, comprising:

transmitting identification information to a wireless power transmitter to request authentication of a non-contact wireless local communication, when the electronic device is put on the wireless power transmitter for wireless charging and a non-contact wireless local communication unit of the electronic device is connected with a non-contact wireless local communication antenna of the electronic device in an initial or idle state;

and

performing wireless charging by using wireless power received through the wireless power receiver,

wherein performing the first switching operation comprises;

switching a first connection terminal of a first switch connected with the non-contact wireless local communication unit to the charging controller according to the first switching operation; and

switching a second connection terminal of a second switch connected with the non-contact wireless local communication antenna to the wireless power receiver according to the first switching operation,

wherein the first connection terminal of the first switch is arranged at a body of the electronic device and the second connection terminal of the second switch is arranged at a battery cover of the electronic device, and

wherein the first connection terminal is physically and electrically connected to the second connection terminal while the battery cover is attached to the body, the first connection terminal is physically and electrically unconnected the second connection terminal while the battery cover is detached from the body.

5. The wireless charging method of claim 4, further comprising:

when the wireless charging is completed, performing a second switching operation to connect the non-contact wireless local communication unit with the non-contact wireless local communication antenna; and

transmitting a wireless charging completion signal to the wireless power transmitter,

wherein performing the second switching operation comprises;

switching the first connection terminal connected with the charging controller to the non-contact wireless local communication unit according to the second switching operation; and

switching the second connection terminal connected with the wireless power receiver to the non-contact wireless local communication antenna according to the second switching operation.

6. The wireless charging method of claim 4, wherein non-contact wireless local communication is Near Field Communication (NFC).