Wireless charging apparatus with controlled power level adjustment

• US 10,675,980 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sindia, Suraj, Yang, Songnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nha T
• Application Number:
  US14/846,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20170066334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007188 the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for controlled power level adjustment of a wireless charging apparatus. In one instance, the apparatus may comprise a charging module to radiate an electromagnetic field to wirelessly charge an electronic device in proximity to the wireless charging apparatus; and a control module communicatively coupled with the charging module to adjust a power level of the electromagnetic field, radiated by the charging module, in response to a determination of an environmental condition in relation to the wireless charging apparatus. The control module may be configured to receive information indicative of the environmental condition from multiple sources distributed between the apparatus and the electronic device, and make the determination based at least in part on the received information. The environmental condition may comprise a presence of human tissue in proximity to the wireless charging apparatus. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. A wireless charging apparatus for charging an electronic device, comprising:

a proximity sensor disposed in the wireless charging apparatus, to provide an output signal that indicates the proximity of human tissue to the wireless charging apparatus;

a charging module to radiate an electromagnetic field, to wirelessly charge an electronic device in proximity to the wireless charging apparatus, wherein the charging module includes;

an induction coil to radiate the electromagnetic field;

a power amplifier coupled with the induction coil to control current provided to the induction coil to radiate the electromagnetic field; and

a logic gate coupled with the proximity sensor and power amplifier, to control the power amplifier; and

a control module communicatively coupled with the charging module and proximity sensor wherein the control module is to generate, in response to the output signal received from the proximity sensor, a first control signal to be provided to a first input of the logic gate, wherein a second control signal to be provided to a second input of the logic gate is dependent on a state of the proximity sensor output signal and is to enable the power amplifier to control a charging current of the induction coil, to radiate the electromagnetic field to charge the electronic device.

2. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging module is to radiate an electromagnetic field at a first power level,

wherein the control module is to adjust a power level of the electromagnetic field, which includes to:

determine, based at least in part on the received output signal, whether the human tissue is present in the proximity to the wireless charging apparatus that is below a threshold distance; and

cause the charging module to switch radiation of the electromagnetic field from the first power level to a second power level or keep the radiation substantially at the first power level, based at least in part on a result of the determination.

3. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control module is to receive information from multiple sources that include at least some of:

a camera, an infrared (IR) sensor, a rotational sensor, or a user interaction detection component to detect user activity on the electronic device, wherein the multiple sources are distributed between the wireless charging apparatus and the electronic device.

4. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 3, wherein the IR sensor, the camera, and the component to detect user activity are disposed in the electronic device.

5. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control module is to determine that the human tissue is present at a distance to the wireless charging apparatus that is below the threshold distance, and

to switch the radiation to the second power level, wherein the second power level is lower than the first power level, and wherein the second power level is within a power range mandated by a governmental regulatory agency for electronic devices.

6. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control module is to further determine that the human tissue is present at the distance to the wireless charging apparatus that is below the threshold distance for a period of time that is greater than an exposure time threshold.

7. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control module to determine that the human tissue is present at a distance to the wireless charging apparatus that is below the threshold distance includes to:

determine that the information received from at least one of the multiple sources indicates the presence of human tissue in the proximity to the wireless charging apparatus that is below the threshold distance.

8. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control module is to determine that the human tissue is not present at a distance to the wireless charging apparatus that is below the threshold distance, wherein the second power level is greater than or equal to the first power level.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a plurality of sensors to detect indications of an environmental condition in relation to the electronic device, wherein the environmental condition comprises a presence of human tissue in proximity to the electronic device; and

an electronic device control module that includes a user interaction detection component to detect user activity on the electronic device, wherein the control module is to;

collect, from the plurality of sensors, information that indicates the presence of human tissue in the proximity to the electronic device, on a continuous or periodic basis;

collect user activity information from the user interaction detection component;

detect a presence of a wireless charging apparatus proximate to the electronic device; and

provide the collected information, including user activity information, to the wireless charging apparatus in response to the detection of the presence of the wireless charging apparatus proximate to the electronic device, wherein the plurality of sensors include two or more selected from;

infrared (IR) sensor, rotational sensor, or a camera, wherein the electronic device is to receive adjusted levels of charging power from the wireless charging apparatus in response to the provision of the collected information.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is a mobile device.

11. A method of charging an electronic device, comprising:

receiving, by a control module of a wireless charging apparatus, from a proximity sensor disposed in the wireless charging apparatus, an output signal indicative of presence of human tissue in proximity to the wireless charging apparatus for a period of time that is greater than an exposure time threshold;

determining, by the control module, the presence of human tissue in proximity to the wireless charging apparatus for the period of time that is greater than the exposure time threshold; and

adjusting, by the control module, a power level of electromagnetic field radiated by the wireless charging apparatus, including;

generating, in response to the output signal received from the proximity sensor, a first control signal to be provided to a first input of a logic gate of a charging module coupled with the control module, wherein the charging module further includes an induction coil to radiate the electromagnetic field;

a power amplifier coupled with the induction coil to control current provided to the induction coil to radiate the electromagnetic field, wherein the logic gate is coupled with the proximity sensor and power amplifier; and

providing a second control signal to a second input of the logic gate, based at least in part on a state of the proximity sensor output signal, to enable the power amplifier to control a charging current of the induction coil, to radiate the electromagnetic field to charge the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11,

further comprising:

determining, by the control module, that the human tissue is present in the proximity to the wireless charging apparatus that is below a threshold distance, for the period of time that is greater than the exposure time threshold, and

wherein adjusting a power level includes switching, by the control module, the power level from a first power level to a second power level is lower than the first power level, wherein the second power level is within a power range mandated by a governmental regulatory agency for electronic devices.

13. The method of claim 11,

further comprising:

resolving, by the control module, that the human tissue is not present in the proximity to the wireless charging apparatus that is below a threshold distance,

wherein adjusting a power level includes switching, by the control module, the power level from a first power level to a second power level is greater than the first power level or keeping the power level substantially at the first power level.

14. One or more non-transitory computing device-readable media having instructions for charging an electronic device stored thereon that, in response to execution on a wireless charging apparatus, cause the wireless charging apparatus to:

receive, from a proximity sensor disposed in the wireless charging apparatus, an output signal indicative of a presence of human tissue in proximity to the wireless charging apparatus for a period of time that is greater than an exposure time threshold;

determine the presence of human tissue in proximity to the wireless charging apparatus for the period of time that is greater than the exposure time threshold; and

adjust, based at least in part on a result of the determination, a power level of electromagnetic field radiated by the wireless charging apparatus, which includes;

generate, in response to the output signal received from the proximity sensor, a first control signal to be provided to a first input of a logic gate of a charging module of the wireless charging apparatus, wherein the charging module further includes an induction coil to radiate the electromagnetic field;

a power amplifier coupled with the induction coil to control current provided to the induction coil to radiate the electromagnetic field, wherein the logic gate is coupled with the proximity sensor and power amplifier; and

provide a second control signal to a second input of the logic gate, based at least in part on a state of the proximity sensor output signal, to enable the power amplifier to control a charging current of the induction coil, to radiate the electromagnetic field to charge the electronic device.

15. The non-transitory computing device-readable media of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the wireless charging apparatus to determine that the human tissue is present in the proximity to the wireless charging apparatus that is below a threshold distance, for the period of time that is greater than the exposure time threshold,

wherein the instructions that cause the wireless charging apparatus to adjust a power level of electromagnetic field further cause the wireless charging apparatus to switch the power level from a first power level to a second power level is lower than the first power level, wherein the second power level is within a power range mandated by a governmental regulatory agency for electronic devices.

16. The non-transitory computing device-readable media of claim 14,

wherein the instructions further cause the wireless charging apparatus to determine that the human tissue is not present in the proximity to the wireless charging apparatus that is below a threshold distance,

wherein the instructions that cause the wireless charging apparatus to adjust a power level of the electromagnetic field further cause the wireless charging apparatus to switch the power level from a first power level to a second power level is greater than the first power level or to keep the power level substantially at the first power level.

17. The non-transitory computing device-readable media of claim 14, wherein the electronic device is a mobile device, and wherein the wireless charging apparatus is a wireless charging pad.