ANTENNA SHARING FOR WIRELESSLY POWERED DEVICES

• US 20100222010A1
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ozaki, Ernest T., Toncich, Stanley S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,682,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/77
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments include an antenna for receiving electromagnetic radiation in a broadcast radiation band and a near-field radiation band to generate a Radio Frequency (RF) signal. A coupling element couples the RF signal to a first port and at least one additional port, which may be a second port and a third port. A wireless power receiver on the first port includes a rectifier for converting the RF signal to a DC signal when the antenna couples to radiation in the near-field radiation band in a coupling-mode region of the antenna. A near-field communication transceiver includes circuitry for communicating information on the antenna in the near-field radiation band when the coupling element couples the second port to the RF signal. A broadcast receiver on the third port includes circuitry for receiving and tuning the broadcast radiation band when the coupling element couples the third port to the RF signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna for receiving electromagnetic radiation in a broadcast radiation band and a near-field radiation band to generate a Radio Frequency (RF) signal;

a coupling element including a common port operably coupled to the RF signal, a first port, and at least one additional port for coupling to a broadcast receiver configured according to the broadcast radiation band; and

a wireless power receiver operably coupled to the first port and comprising a rectifier for converting the near-field radiation band of the RF signal to a DC signal, wherein the antenna couples to the electromagnetic radiation in the near-field radiation band in a coupling-mode region of the antenna when the coupling element couples the first port to the common port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling element comprises a single-pole-three-throw switch for selectively coupling the common port to one of the first port, the second port, or the third port.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling element comprises:

a single-pole-two-throw switch for selectively coupling the common port to a near-field signal or the third port; and

a directional coupler for coupling the near-field signal to the first port and the second port.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a main line of the directional coupler is coupled to the second port and a coupled port of the directional coupler is coupled to the first port.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling element comprises:

a diplexer operably coupled to the common port and for combining the broadcast radiation band on the third port with a near-field signal in the near-field radiation band; and

a single-pole-two-throw switch for selectively coupling the near-field signal to the first port or the second port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling element comprises:

a diplexer operably coupled to the common port and for combining the broadcast radiation band on the third port with a near-field signal in the near-field radiation band; and

a directional coupler for coupling the near-field signal to the first port and the second port.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling element comprises a triplexer operably coupled to the common port and for combining the broadcast radiation band on the third port, a near-field radiation signal in the near-field radiation band on the second port and a wireless power signal in the near-field radiation band on the third port.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the broadcast radiation band comprises an FM radiation band with radiation in frequencies of about 88 to 108 MHz or an AM radiation band with radiation in frequencies of about 540 to 1600 KHz and the near-field radiation band comprises radiation in a frequency band centered around about 13.56 MHz.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and further comprising:

a Near-Field Communication (NFC) transceiver operably coupled to the second port and comprising circuitry for communicating information on the antenna in the near-field radiation band when the coupling element couples the second port to the common port; and

the broadcast receiver operably coupled to the third port and comprising circuitry for receiving and tuning the broadcast radiation band from the RF signal when the coupling element couples the third port to the common port.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the wireless power receiver provides an optimum impedance match with minimal loss at a power transfer frequency in the near-field radiation band; and

the NFC transceiver provides a broad bandwidth in the near-field radiation band to optimize NFC communications.

11. A method, comprising:

with an antenna, receiving electromagnetic radiation in a broadcast radiation band and a near-field radiation band to generate a Radio Frequency (RF) signal;

coupling the RF signal to a first port and at least one additional port;

converting the near-field radiation band of the RF signal to a DC signal when the first port is coupled to the RF signal and the antenna couples to the electromagnetic radiation in the near-field radiation band in a coupling-mode region of the antenna; and

tuning the broadcast radiation band from the RF signal when the at least one additional port is coupled to the RF signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling the RF signal comprises selectively coupling the RF signal to one of the first port, the second port, or the third port.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling the RF signal comprises:

selectively coupling the RF signal to a near-field signal or the third port; and

directionally coupling the near-field signal to the first port and the second port.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling the RF signal comprises:

diplexing the RF signal to combine the broadcast radiation band on the third port and the near-field radiation band on a near-field signal; and

selectively coupling the near-field signal to the first port or the second port.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling the RF signal comprises:

diplexing the RF signal to combine the broadcast radiation band on the third port and the near-field radiation band on a near-field signal; and

directionally coupling the near-field signal to the first port and the second port.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein directionally coupling comprises coupling the near-field signal to the second port on a main line of a directional coupler and coupling the near-field signal to the first port on a coupled port of the directional coupler.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the coupling the RF signal comprises triplexing the RF signal to combine the broadcast radiation band on the third port, a near-field radiation signal in the near-field radiation band on the second port and a wireless power signal in the near-field radiation band on the third port.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the broadcast radiation band comprises an FM radiation band with radiation in frequencies of about 88 to 108 MHz or an AM radiation band with radiation in frequencies of about 540 to 1600 KHz and the near-field radiation band comprises radiation in a frequency band centered around about 16.56 MHz.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and further comprising:

transmitting, receiving, or a combination thereof, information on the antenna in the near-field radiation band when the second port is coupled to the RF signal; and

tuning the broadcast radiation band from the RF signal when the third port is coupled to the RF signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

converting the near-field radiation band of the RF signal to the DC signal further comprises providing an optimum impedance match with minimal loss at a power transfer frequency in the near-field radiation band; and

transmitting, receiving, or a combination thereof, information on the antenna further comprises providing a broad bandwidth in the near-field radiation band to optimize NFC communications.

21. A wireless power receiver, comprising:

means for transceiving electromagnetic radiation in a broadcast radiation band and a near-field radiation band to generate a Radio Frequency (RF) signal;

means for coupling the RF signal to a first port and at least one additional port;

means for converting the near-field radiation band of the RF signal to a DC signal when the first port is coupled to the RF signal and the means for transceiving electromagnetic radiation couples to the electromagnetic radiation in the near-field radiation band in a coupling-mode region of the means for transceiving electromagnetic radiation; and

means for tuning the broadcast radiation band from the RF signal when the at least one additional port is coupled to the RF signal.

22. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the means for coupling the RF signal comprises means for selectively coupling the RF signal to one of the first port, the second port, or the third port.

23. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the means for coupling the RF signal comprises:

means for selectively coupling the RF signal to a near-field signal or the third port; and

means for directionally coupling the near-field signal to the first port and the second port.

24. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the means for coupling the RF signal comprises:

means for diplexing the RF signal to combine the broadcast radiation band on the third port and the near-field radiation band on a near-field signal; and

means for selectively coupling the near-field signal to the first port or the second port.

25. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the means for coupling the RF signal comprises:

means for diplexing the RF signal to combine the broadcast radiation band on the third port and the near-field radiation band on a near-field signal; and

means for directionally coupling the near-field signal to the first port and the second port.

26. The wireless power receiver of claim 25, wherein the means for directionally coupling comprises a main line means for coupling the near-field signal to the second port and a coupled port means for coupling the near-field signal to the first port.

27. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and the means for coupling the RF signal comprises means for triplexing the RF signal to combine the broadcast radiation band on the third port, a near-field radiation signal in the near-field radiation band on the second port and a wireless power signal in the near-field radiation band on the third port.

28. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the broadcast radiation band comprises an FM radiation band with radiation in frequencies of about 88 to 108 MHz or an AM radiation band with radiation in frequencies of about 540 to 1600 KHz and the near-field radiation band comprises radiation in a frequency band centered around about 24.56 MHz.

29. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional port comprises a second port and a third port and further comprising:

means for transmitting, receiving, or a combination thereof, information on the means for transceiving electromagnetic radiation in the near-field radiation band when the second port is coupled to the RF signal; and

means for tuning the broadcast radiation band from the RF signal when the third port is coupled to the RF signal.

30. The wireless power receiver of claim 29, wherein:

the means for converting the near-field radiation band of the RF signal to the DC signal further comprises means for providing an optimum impedance match with minimal loss at a power transfer frequency in the near-field radiation band; and

the means for transmitting, receiving, or a combination thereof, information on the means for transceiving electromagnetic radiation further comprises means for providing a broad bandwidth in the near-field radiation band to optimize NFC communications.