WIRELESS POWER CHARGING TIMING AND CHARGING CONTROL

• US 20100213895A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Keating, Virginia Walker, Kirby, Miles Alexander Lyell, Mangan, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to timing and control of wireless power transfer. A wireless power charging device includes at least one transmitter and a processor in communication with the at least one transmitter. The transmitter is configured for transmitting wireless power to one or more electronic devices, and the processor is configured to deactivate the transmitter during a pre-determined time interval. The charging device may include charging modes that a user may select between from an interface of the charging device. Charging modes may be related to times of operation such as those based on a user schedule, based on energy rates, or with modes programmed by a user. A charging schedule may be created by a user through the interface of the charging device or from an external device in communication with the charging device.

Claims

1. A wireless power charging device, comprising:

at least one wireless power transmitter configured for transmitting wireless power to one or more electronic devices; and

a processor in communication with the at least one wireless power transmitter, wherein the processor is configured to control activation of the wireless power transmitter during a pre-determined time interval.

2. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined time interval is based on current time information.

3. The wireless charging device of claim 2, further comprising an internal time source coupled with the processor and configured to send the current time information to the processor.

4. The wireless charging device of claim 2, further comprising a communication port in communication with the processor, wherein the communication port is configured to receive current time information from an external device.

5. The wireless charging device of claim 1, further comprising an interface configured to visually display charging mode information of the charging device, wherein the charging mode information relates to the pre-determined time interval used by the processor for controlling the wireless power transmitter.

6. The wireless charging device of claim 5, wherein the interface includes an input region configured to permit a user to adjust the pre-determined time interval used by the processor for controlling the wireless power transmitter.

7. The wireless charging device of claim 5, wherein the charging mode information includes a plurality of stored charging modes, and wherein the interface includes an input region configured to permit a user to select between the plurality of modes to change the pre-determined time interval used by the processor for controlling the wireless power transmitter.

8. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a time server.

9. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a portable electronic device configured as at least one of a camera, a phone, an audio/video player, and a personal digital assistant.

10. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate and deactivate the wireless power transmitter in response to at least one charging mode, wherein the at least one charging mode indicates the pre-determined time interval for disabling the wireless power transmitter and at least one other time interval for enabling the wireless power transmitter.

11. The wireless charging device of claim 10, wherein the at least one charging mode is based on costs related to times of energy rates.

12. The wireless charging device of claim 10, wherein at least one charging mode is based on a user schedule.

13. The wireless charging device of claim 10, further comprising an interface configured to switch the charging device from operating according to the at least one charging mode to operating according to another charging mode.

14. The wireless charging device of claim 13, wherein the interface comprises an input region configured to modify the time intervals of the at least one charging mode.

15. The wireless charging device of claim 13, wherein the interface comprises an input region configured to modify the at least one charging mode.

16. A method of operating a charging device, the method comprising:

enabling wireless power transmission to one or more electronic devices during a first pre-determined time interval; and

disabling wireless power transmission to the one or more electronic devices during a second pre-determined time interval.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising programming the first and second pre-determined time intervals through an interface of the charging device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising programming the first and second pre-determined time intervals through transmitting time interval information from an external device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling and disabling wireless power transmission to one or more electronic devices during a plurality of additional pre-determined time intervals.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein enabling and disabling wireless power transmission occurs automatically as in response to a pre-determined charging schedule.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising updating the pre-determined charging schedule with new time information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein updating the pre-determined charging schedule includes receiving a data file from an external device, wherein the data file contains the new time information.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

obtaining current time information, wherein the first pre-determined time interval is within a pre-determined allowable time period based on the current time information, and wherein the second pre-determined time interval is not within a pre-determined allowable time period based on the current time information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein obtaining current time information includes obtaining time information from an external device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein obtaining current time information includes obtaining time information from internal oscillator of the charging device.

26. A charging device, comprising:

means for enabling wireless power transmission to one or more electronic devices during a first pre-determined time interval; and

means for disabling wireless power transmission to the one or more electronic devices during a second pre-determined time interval.

27. The charging device of claim 26, wherein the first and second pre-determined time intervals are part of a pre-determined charging schedule.

28. The charging device of claim 26, further comprising means for changing time information of the pre-determined charging schedule.

29. A wireless power receiving device, comprising:

a wireless power receiver configured to couple with a radiated field from a wireless power charging device and further configured to convert the radiated field into power for the wireless power receiving device; and

a transmitter for transmitting time information to the wireless power charging device to deactivate the radiated field during pre-determined time intervals.

30. The wireless power receiving device of claim 29, wherein the time information comprises a user programmable charging schedule.

31. The wireless power receiving device of claim 29, further comprising an electronic display configured to display information related to the charging status of at least one nearby wireless charging device.