Detection and notification of an unpowered releasable charging device

• US 10,666,084 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lynch, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pacheco, Alexis B
• Application Number:
  US15/179,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20170012463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 320109, 320112, 320113, 320114, 320115, 320107, 320137, 320106, 320134
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

An electronic device may be configured to detect an external charging device when the external charging device is initially engaged with, or connected to, the electronic device. The electronic device, or an alert unit operably connected to the electronic device, can produce one or more alerts for the user if the charging device is in an unpowered state. The alert or alerts can be provided to the electronic device engaged with the charging device and/or to another electronic device or alert unit that is in communication with the electronic device that is engaged with the charging device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an optical emitter configured to emit an optical signal toward a wireless charging device;

an optical detector configured to detect the wireless charging device by detecting the optical signal in response to the optical signal propagating through a portion of the wireless charging device;

a processing device operably connected to the optical detector and configured to;

detect an initial engagement with the wireless charging device as a result of the optical detector detecting the wireless charging device; and

in response to the detected initial engagement with the wireless charging device, determine that the wireless charging device is not supplying power to the electronic device; and

an alert unit operably connected to the processing device and configured to produce an alert in response to receiving, from the processing device, an alert signal indicating that the wireless charging device is not supplying power to the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

emitting the optical signal toward the wireless charging device causes the optical signal to;

propagate through the portion of the wireless charging device; and

return to the electronic device; and

the optical detector is configured to detect the returned optical signal.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein detecting the wireless charging device comprises detecting at least one of a texture, a reflective characteristic, or an absorptive characteristic of a triggering element of the wireless charging device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the optical detector comprises at least one of an image sensor or a light sensor; and

the optical emitter comprises a light source.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the optical detector detecting the wireless charging device comprises detecting the wireless charging device in contact with the electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein detecting the wireless charging device comprises detecting the optical signal in response to the optical signal propagating through a light pipe of the wireless charging device.

7. A method for operating an electronic device, comprising:

emitting, by an optical emitter of the electronic device, an optical signal toward a wireless charging device;

detecting an initial engagement with the wireless charging device as a result of an optical detector of the electronic device detecting the optical signal in response to the optical signal propagating through a portion of the wireless charging device;

in response to detecting the initial engagement with the wireless charging device, determining that the wireless charging device is not supplying power to the electronic device; and

producing an alert in response to determining that the wireless charging device is not supplying power to the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein producing the alert comprises:

transmitting, by a processing device of the electronic device, an alert signal indicating that the wireless charging device is not supplying power to the electronic device; and

receiving, by an alert unit of the electronic device, the alert signal.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting the initial engagement with the wireless charging device comprises detecting the wireless charging device in contact with the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein emitting the optical signal occurs in response to detecting a surface in contact with the electronic device.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

an optical detector configured to detect a wireless charging device by detecting an optical signal in response to the optical signal propagating through a portion of the wireless charging device; and

a processing device operably connected to the optical detector and configured to;

detect, with the optical detector, an initial engagement with the wireless charging device;

determine, in response to detecting the initial engagement, whether the wireless charging device is unpowered; and

generate an alert in response to determining that the wireless charging device is unpowered.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising an optical emitter configured to emit the optical signal toward the wireless charging device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein:

emitting the optical signal toward the wireless charging device causes the optical signal to;

propagate through the portion of the wireless charging device; and

return to the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein detecting the wireless charging device comprises detecting the optical signal in response to the optical signal propagating through a light pipe of the wireless charging device.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the electronic device further comprises an enclosure that defines a first surface of the electronic device; and

the optical detector detects when a second surface of the wireless charging device is in contact with the first surface of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein detecting the wireless charging device comprises detecting at least one of a texture, a reflective characteristic, or an absorptive characteristic of the wireless charging device.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the wireless charging device defines a flat surface configured to interface with a surface of the electronic device.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the optical detector detecting the wireless charging device comprises detecting the flat surface in contact with the electronic device.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, comprising an inductive power transfer receiver configured to receive energy from the wireless charging device and to charge a battery within the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a watch.