Inductive charging between electronic devices

• US 10,886,769 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2019
• Issued: 01/05/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kasar, Darshan R., Graham, Christopher S., Jol, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M Baye
• Application Number:
  US16/557,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20190386507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 320103, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

An electronic device and methods for inductively charging an electronic device using another external electronic device. The electronic device may include an enclosure, a battery positioned within the enclosure, and an inductive coil coupled to the battery. The inductive coil may have two or more operational modes, including a power receiving operational mode for wirelessly receiving power and a power transmitting operational mode for wirelessly transmitting power. The electronic device may also have a controller coupled to the inductive coil for selecting one of the operational modes.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

an enclosure forming a back surface of the portable electronic device;

a display coupled to the enclosure and forming a front surface of the portable electronic device that is opposite from the back surface of the portable electronic device;

a battery within the enclosure and providing electrical power to the display and

a transmit inductive coil positioned within the enclosure and between the display and the back surface of the enclosure, the transmit inductive coil being configured to wirelessly transmit power through the back surface of the enclosure to an external device that is positioned proximate to the back surface of the enclosure.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transmit inductive coil is operatively coupled to the battery and is configured to wirelessly transmit power from the battery to the external device.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a receive inductive coil within the enclosure and configured to wirelessly receive power from the external device that is positioned proximate to the enclosure.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the transmit inductive coil is an inner inductive coil; and

the portable electronic device further comprises an outer inductive coil surrounding the inner inductive coil.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the portable electronic device is operable in two or more operational modes comprising a power receiving mode and a power transmitting mode and wherein:

the power receiving mode includes activating both the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil to receive wireless power; and

the power transmitting mode includes activating only the inner inductive coil to transmit wireless power.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an alignment magnet positioned adjacent to the transmit inductive coil, wherein the alignment magnet is configured to assist in positioning the external device relative to the portable electronic device.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch sensor positioned external to the enclosure;

a speaker within the enclosure and electrically coupled to the battery; and

a microphone within the enclosure and electrically coupled to the battery.

8. An electronic device comprising:

an enclosure forming a back surface of the electronic device;

a display coupled to the enclosure and forming a front surface of the electronic device that is opposite from the back surface of the electronic device;

a battery within the enclosure;

an inductive coil coupled to the battery and positioned within the enclosure between the front surface and the back surface of the enclosure, the inductive coil configured to wirelessly transmit power through the back surface of the enclosure to an external device that is positioned proximate to the back surface of the enclosure, and operate in two or more operational modes comprising;

a power receiving mode for wirelessly receiving power from the external device positioned proximate to the back surface; and

a power transmitting mode for wirelessly transmitting power to the external device positioned proximate to the back surface; and

a controller coupled to the inductive coil and configured to select one of the operational modes of the inductive coil.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the inductive coil is an inner inductive coil; and

the electronic device further comprises an outer inductive coil surrounding the inner inductive coil.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the power receiving mode includes activating both the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil to receive wireless power; and

the power transmitting mode includes activating only the inner inductive coil to transmit wireless power.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising an alignment magnet positioned adjacent to the inductive coil, wherein the alignment magnet is configured to assist in positioning the external device relative to the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising:

a touch sensor disposed over the display;

a speaker within the enclosure and electrically coupled to the battery; and

a microphone within the enclosure and electrically coupled to the battery.

13. A system comprising:

a first electronic device comprising;

an enclosure forming a back surface of the first electronic device;

a display coupled to the enclosure and forming a front surface of the first electronic device that is opposite from the back surface of the first electronic device;

a first battery positioned within the enclosure;

a first inductive coil coupled to the first battery and positioned within the enclosure between the front surface and the back surface of the enclosure; and

a first controller coupled to the first inductive coil for selecting an operational mode of the first inductive coil; and

a second electronic device positioned adjacent the first electronic device, the second electronic device comprising;

a second battery;

a second inductive coil coupled to the second battery; and

a second controller coupled to the second inductive coil for selecting an operational mode of the second inductive coil, wherein;

the first inductive coil is configured to wirelessly transfer power with the second electronic device through the back surface of the first electronic device when the second electronic device is positioned proximate to the back surface of the first electronic device;

the first controller is configured to select a power transmitting operational mode for wirelessly transmitting power from the first battery to the second battery using the first inductive coil, and

the first controller is configured to select a power receiving operational mode for wirelessly receiving power from the second battery to the first battery using the first inductive coil.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the first electronic device further comprises a first alignment magnet positioned adjacent to the first inductive coil;

the second electronic device further comprises a second alignment magnet positioned adjacent to the second inductive coil; and

the second alignment magnet is configured to attract the first alignment magnet to align the first inductive coil of the first electronic device with the second inductive coil of the second electronic device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the first electronic device further comprises an outer inductive coil surrounding the first inductive coil; and

the outer inductive coil is coupled to the first battery and the first controller.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the second electronic device further comprises a second outer inductive coil surrounding the second inductive coil; and

the second outer inductive coil is coupled to the second battery and the second controller.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the first inductive coil of the first electronic device is configured to wirelessly transfer power with at least one of;

the second inductive coil of the second electronic device; and

the second outer inductive coil of the second electronic device; and

the outer inductive coil of the first electronic device is configured to wirelessly transfer power with at least one of;

the second inductive coil of the second electronic device; and

the second outer inductive coil of the second electronic device.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first electronic device is configured to modify a graphical output of the display in response to the first electronic device being proximate to the second electronic device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the graphical output of the display indicates an alignment condition of the first electronic device with respect to the second electronic device.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the back surface of the first electronic device includes a flat surface upon which the second electronic device is positioned to enable wireless power transfer between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.