CHARGING APPARATUS AND CHARGING SYSTEM

• US 20070069687A1
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: SUZUKI, Katsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,696,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a charging apparatus for charging a secondary battery incorporated in a portable electronic device. The charging apparatus includes a contactless IC card reader configured to supply operating power to a contactless IC card unit incorporated in the portable electronic device and have an authentication function of authenticating that an object to be authenticated is a correct one, a charging circuit configured to perform contactless charging of the secondary battery, and a control unit configured to activate the charging circuit if an authentication result is OK after the contactless IC card reader authenticates an object to be authenticated when the object to be authenticated is placed.

Claims

1. A charging apparatus for charging a secondary battery incorporated in a portable electronic device, the charging apparatus comprising:

a contactless IC card reader configured to supply operating power to a contactless IC card unit incorporated in the portable electronic device and have an authentication function of authenticating that an object to be authenticated is a correct one;

a charging circuit configured to perform contactless charging of the secondary battery; and

a control unit configured to activate the charging circuit if an authentication result is OK after the contactless IC card reader authenticates an object to be authenticated when the object to be authenticated is placed.

2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply circuit configured to supply operating power to the contactless IC card reader; and

a detection unit configured to detect that an object to be authenticated is placed on the charging apparatus,

wherein the control unit deactivates the power supply circuit while an object to be authenticated is not placed on the charging apparatus and activates the power supply circuit while an object to be authenticated is placed on the charging apparatus, based on a result detected by the detection unit.

3. The charging apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control unit allows the contactless IC card reader to operate in a low-power mode after the start of charging.

4. A charging system comprising a portable electronic device and a charging apparatus for charging the portable electronic device,

wherein the portable electronic device includes a secondary battery to be charged,

a secondary side charging circuit configured to charge the secondary battery, and

a contactless IC card unit, and

the charging apparatus includes a contactless IC card reader configured to supply operating power to the contactless IC card unit and have an authentication function of authenticating that an object to be authenticated is a correct one,

a primary side charging circuit configured to perform contactless charging of the secondary battery, and

a control unit configured to activate the primary side charging circuit if an authentication result is OK after the contactless IC card reader authenticates an object to be authenticated when the object to be authenticated is placed.

5. The charging system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a power supply circuit configured to supply operating power to the contactless IC card reader; and

a detection unit configured to detect that an object to be authenticated is placed on the charging apparatus,

wherein the control unit deactivates the power supply circuit while an object to be authenticated is not placed on the charging apparatus and activates the power supply circuit while an object to be authenticated is placed on the charging apparatus, based on a result detected by the detection unit.

6. The charging system according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the control unit of the charging apparatus allows the contactless IC card reader to operate in a low-power mode after the start of charging.