Intelligent initiation of inductive charging process

• US 10,714,986 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mojo Mobility, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mojo Mobility, Inc.
• Inventors: Partovi, Afshin
• Primary Examiner(s): Robbins, Jerry D
• Application Number:
  US14/556,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,052 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0247 Orientating, locating, transporting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0252 PM holding devices H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for intelligent initiation of an inductive charging process. In accordance with an embodiment, the system comprises a receiver coil or receiver associated with a mobile device, and provided as a separable or after-market accessory for use with the mobile device. When the mobile device is placed in proximity to a base unit having one or more charger coils, the charger coil is used to inductively generate a current in the receiver coil or receiver associated with the mobile device, to charge or power the mobile device. The base unit and mobile device communicate with each other prior to and/or during charging or powering to determine a protocol to be used to charge or power the mobile device.

Claims

1. A universal system including a base unit for an intelligent inductive power transfer process, the system having a charger or power supply being capable of operating under a plurality of inductive power transfer protocols for communication and control of the inductive power transfer process such that each power transfer protocol allows wireless charging operation between receivers and the base unit, the receivers and the base unit being of different manufacturers but also being capable of adhering to an appropriate universal charging protocol chosen from inductive power transfer protocols that are not interoperable,

wherein the base unit and the receivers communicate unidirectionally or bi-directionally with each other prior to charging or powering to determine the appropriate universal charging protocol and then proceed to charge or power mobile devices via the receivers using the appropriate universal charging protocol;

wherein the appropriate universal charging protocol defines and establishes one or more of the power transfer frequencies of the charger, a communication method or communication encoding, or data rate and message structure or power requirement; and

wherein the system allows for ineroperability of different communication protocols that are otherwise inoperable without the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit and mobile devices communicate with each other to verify the authenticity, power requirements and/or other characteristics of the mobile devices and/or verify or handshake the presence of the mobile devices proximate the base unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit and/or mobile devices include a microcontroller that determines the authenticity, power requirements and/or other characteristics of the mobile devices and determines the protocol to be used to charge or power the mobile devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit periodically powers its charger coil and checks for the presence of mobile devices in proximity to the base unit which receiver coil or receiver can receive power from the charger coil.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit periodically pings for the presence of mobile devices in proximity to the base unit, and wherein a receiver coil or receiver thereby activated performs an initiation process whereby its ID, presence, power, voltage or other requirements are communicated to the base unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit periodically pings for the presence of mobile devices in proximity to the base unit, and wherein the length of a ping is of sufficient length for a receiver to power up its microcontroller and to respond back, and for the response to be received and understood.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit pings for the presence of mobile devices only upon discovery of a nearby receiver coil or receiver.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit and/or mobile devices include a microcontroller that implements in firmware an algorithm for supporting multiple different charging protocols, for use with the mobile devices, and/or to communicate parameters to increase or decrease power or voltage provided to the receiver coil or receiver.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit and/or mobile devices include a microcontroller, and wherein the system supports different protocols to be used to charge or power the mobile devices, including wherein the microcontroller receives and decodes signals and in response takes action to provide more or less power to the charger coil, by adjusting the frequency, duty cycle and/or input voltage to the charger coil.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit is provided within an automobile, for use in charging or powering mobile devices within the automobile, and/or the mobile devices comprise the automobile that can be charged by a base unit.

11. A universal method of an intelligent inductive power transfer process, the method being capable of a plurality of inductive power transfer protocols for communication and control of the inductive power transfer process such that each power transfer protocol allows wireless charging operation between receivers and the base unit, the receivers and the base unit being of different manufacturers but also being capable of adhering to an appropriate universal charging protocol chosen from inductive power transfer protocols that are not interoperable, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a receiver coil or receiver associated with a battery mobile device or provided as a separable or after-market accessory for use with the mobile device;

wherein the base unit and the receivers communicate with each other unidirectionally or bi-directionally prior to charging or powering to determine the appropriate universal charging protocol and then proceed to charge or power mobile devices via the receivers using the appropriate universal charging protocol; and

wherein the appropriate universal charging protocol defines and establishes one or more of the power transfer frequencies of the charger, a communication method or communication encoding, or data rate and message structure or power requirement; and

wherein the method allows for ineroperability of different communication protocols that are otherwise inoperable without the method.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit and mobile devices communicate with each other to verify the authenticity, power requirements and/or other characteristics of the mobile devices and/or verify or handshake the presence of the mobile devices proximate the base unit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit and/or mobile devices include a microcontroller that determines the authenticity, power requirements and/or other characteristics of the mobile devices and determines the protocol to be used to charge or power the mobile devices.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit periodically powers its charger coil and checks for the presence of mobile devices in proximity to the base unit which receiver coil or receiver can receive power from the charger coil.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit periodically pings for the presence of mobile devices in proximity to the base unit, and wherein a receiver coil or receiver thereby activated performs an initiation process whereby its ID, presence, power, voltage or other requirements are communicated to the base unit.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit periodically pings for the presence of mobile devices in proximity to the base unit, and wherein the length of a ping is of sufficient length for a receiver to power up its microcontroller and to respond back, and for the response to be received and understood.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit pings for the presence of mobile devices only upon discovery of a nearby receiver coil or receiver.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit and/or mobile devices include a microcontroller that implements in firmware an algorithm for supporting multiple different charging protocols, for use with the mobile devices, and/or to communicate parameters to increase or decrease power or voltage provided to the receiver coil or receiver.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit and/or mobile devices include a microcontroller, and wherein the system supports different protocols to be used to charge or power the mobile devices, including wherein the microcontroller receives and decodes signals and in response takes action to provide more or less power to the charger coil, by adjusting the frequency, duty cycle and/or input voltage to the charger coil.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the base unit is provided within an automobile, for use in charging or powering mobile devices within the automobile, and/or the mobile devices are automobiles that can be charged by a base unit.