ADVANCED INDUCTIVE CHARGING PAD FOR PORTABLE DEVICES

• US 20100039066A1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Xiao, Wang, Min, Wang, Jian, Yuan, Tong, Zhang, Chunhui
• Granted Patent: US 8,248,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection

Abstract

Systems and methodologies for efficient inductive charging of electronic devices are provided herein. A charging device as described herein can utilize a sensor-integrated resonating circuit with automatic frequency control to provide low-cost inductive charging functionality for electronic devices. As further described herein, a device to be charged can be equipped with a power receiver operable to receive power from the charging device via electromagnetic induction. The power receiver can additionally be utilized for initiation of charging such that charging for a device commences upon its associated power receiver being brought within range of an inductive charging surface at the charging device. Further, a charging device as described herein can have an inductive charging surface as well as a non-charging surface for providing other services such as information display. A charging device can integrate with an external information source to obtain items to be displayed at a non-charging surface thereon.

Claims

1. A system for charging an electronic device, comprising:

a charging device having at least one charging surface located thereon;

an initialization component that enables charging at the charging device upon detecting that a charging surface located thereon is engageable by an electronic device;

a load detection component that detects device engagement at the charging surface; and

a charging component that wirelessly provides power to an engaged device at the charging surface via electromagnetic induction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the initialization component further comprises a timer module that disables charging at the charging device upon determining that no device engagement has occurred at the charging device within a predetermined time period following enablement of charging.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the load detection component detects device engagement at least in part by determining whether a power receiver associated with an electronic device has been brought within inductive range of the charging surface.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a resonating state monitor that determines a resonating frequency of the power receiver, wherein the charging component provides power to the associated electronic device via electromagnetic induction using the resonating frequency determined by the resonating state monitor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the charging component comprises a switching circuit that facilitates periodic variance in an inductive current utilized for providing power to the associated electronic device via electromagnetic induction at the resonating frequency determined by the resonating state monitor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging surface at the charging device facilitates simultaneous charging of a plurality of disparate electronic devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging surface comprises a visible indicator that charging is occurring for one or more electronic devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the initialization component comprises an orientation tracking component that determines whether the charging device is oriented such that a charging surface thereon is engageable.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the orientation tracking component comprises at least one accelerometer.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the charging device further comprises a display surface that displays graphical information upon a determination by the orientation tracking component that the charging device is oriented to allow viewing of the display surface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the charging device obtains information to display at the display surface from a disparate information source.

12. A method of controlling an electronic charging pad to facilitate charging of an electronic device, comprising:

initializing a charging mode upon detecting that a charging area at the charging pad is oriented to allow engagement therewith;

detecting engagement between the charging area and at least one power receiver associated with at least one electronic device to be charged; and

providing power to at least one engaged power receiver via electromagnetic induction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting further comprises:

determining whether a power receiver is detected within a predetermined time following initialization of the charging mode; and

disabling the charging mode pending detection of a power receiver upon determining that a power receiver has not been detected within the predetermined time.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing comprises:

determining a resonating frequency of an engaged power receiver; and

inductively providing power to the engaged power receiver at the determined resonating frequency.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising disabling the charging mode upon detecting removal of an engaged power receiver from the charging area.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing at least one visual or auditory indication that power is being provided to the at least one engaged power receiver.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the detecting comprises detecting engagement between a plurality of power receivers associated with respective electronic devices and the charging area; and

the providing comprises providing power to the engaged power receivers simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying a display surface associated with the charging pad; and

displaying information at the display surface upon determining that the display surface is visibly oriented.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the displaying comprises:

obtaining display information from an external information store; and

displaying the obtained display information at the display surface.

20. A system for controlling an inductive charging surface to inductively provide power to a portable electronic device, comprising:

means for initializing charging upon determining that the inductive charging surface is oriented to enable coupling thereto;

means for detecting coupling of an inductive power receiver associated with a portable electronic device to the charging surface upon initialization of charging;

means for determining a resonant frequency associated with the inductive power receiver; and

means for providing power to the portable electronic device at least in part by passing a periodic inductive current through the inductive charging surface at the resonant frequency associated with the inductive power receiver, thereby creating a magnetic field between the charging surface and the power receiver and inducing a current at the power receiver.