Method and apparatus for varying a wireless charging category of a wireless power receiver in wireless charging applications

• US 10,418,855 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shevde, Sumukh Ashok, Maalouf, Joseph Najib, Gong, Curtis, Von Novak, III, William Henry, White, II, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Tra, Anh Q
• Application Number:
  US15/081,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20170047782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 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

Abstract

An apparatus for receiving wireless power is provided. The apparatus a communication circuit configured to transmit a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus. The communication circuit is further configured to receive an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU). The communication circuit is further configured to transmit a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category. The apparatus further comprises a coupler configured to receive a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category. The higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than the first wireless charging category.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving wireless power, comprising:

a communication circuit configured to;

transmit a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus,

receive an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU),

compare a power associated with the first wireless charging category to another power associated with the wireless charging class of the PTU,

determine if the wireless charging class of the PTU is compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category based on the comparison, and

transmit a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the determination; and

a coupler configured to receive a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless charging category is associated with an amount of wireless power less than a maximum amount of wireless power the apparatus is configured to receive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than is associated with the first wireless charging category.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to establish a first wireless communication connection with the PTU via the communication circuit in response to the communication circuit receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to abolish the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive an identifier of the PTU, and the coupler is configured to receive the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coupler is configured to transition from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to:

transmit the second indication of the second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus prior to the coupler receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power associated with the first wireless charging category and the other power associated with the wireless charging class of the PTU are stored in a memory of the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the power associated with the first wireless charging category and the other power associated with the wireless charging class of the PTU are stored in the memory with at least one table including one or more power values of respective charging categories and charging classes.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the power associated with the first wireless charging category and the other power associated with the wireless charging class of the PTU are stored in the memory with at least one table including a ranked listing of charging categories and charging classes.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to:

receive an identifier of the PTU; and

transmit the second indication of the second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the identifier of the PTU.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to:

determine if the identifier of the PTU is associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category based on the identifier of the PTU; and

transmit the second indication of the second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the determination that includes the identifier of the PTU.

8. A method for receiving wireless power, comprising:

transmitting a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with an apparatus;

receiving an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU);

comparing a power associated with the first wireless charging category to another power associated with the wireless charging class of the PTU;

determining if the wireless charging class of the PTU is compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category based on the comparing;

transmitting a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the determining; and

receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first wireless charging category is associated with an amount of wireless power less than a maximum amount of wireless power the apparatus is configured to receive.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the higher wireless charging category indicates an ability to receive a greater amount of wireless power than is associated with the first wireless charging category.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising establishing a first wireless communication connection with the PTU in response to receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising abolishing the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an identifier of the PTU, wherein receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category is based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transitioning from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.

15. At least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus for receiving wireless power to:

transmit a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus;

receive an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU);

compare a power associated with the first wireless charging category to another power associated with the wireless charging class of the PTU;

determine if the wireless charging class of the PTU is compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category based on the comparison;

transmit a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus based on the determination; and

receive a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

16. The at least one medium of claim 15, wherein the first wireless charging category is associated with an amount of wireless power less than a maximum amount of wireless power the apparatus is configured to receive.

17. The at least one medium of claim 15, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to:

establish a first wireless communication connection with the PTU in response to receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU; and

abolish the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

18. The at least one medium of claim 15, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to receive an identifier of the PTU, wherein receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category is based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

19. The at least one medium of claim 18, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to transition from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.

20. An apparatus for receiving wireless power, comprising:

means for transmitting a first indication of a first wireless charging category associated with the apparatus;

means for receiving an indication of a wireless charging class of a power transmit unit (PTU);

means for comparing a power associated with the first wireless charging category to another power associated with the wireless charging class of the PTU;

means for determining if the wireless charging class of the PTU is compatible with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category responsive to operation of the means for comparing;

means for transmitting a second indication of a second wireless charging category associated with the apparatus responsive to operation of the means for determining; and

means for receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising;

means for establishing a first wireless communication connection with the PTU in response to the means for receiving the indication of the wireless charging class of the PTU receiving a first wireless communication connection request from the PTU; and

means for abolishing the first wireless communication connection based on the wireless charging class of the PTU being compatible with the higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for receiving an identifier of the PTU, wherein the means for receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category is configured to receive the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category based on the identifier of the PTU being associated with a higher wireless charging category than the first wireless charging category; and

means for transitioning from receiving a level of wireless power corresponding to the first wireless charging category to receiving the level of wireless power corresponding to the second wireless charging category in a plurality of incremental steps.