PARASITIC DEVICES FOR WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER

• US 20100277120A1
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Widmer, Hanspeter, Sieber, Lukas, Cook, Nigel P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,013,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/005 Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A method may include wirelessly receiving power from a near field in a first near field coupling mode region with at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing having a chargeable device positioned therein. The method may further include generating an enhanced near field from the near field with the at least one parasitic antenna and wirelessly receiving power from the enhanced near field at an at least one receive antenna coupled to the chargeable device.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a housing for receiving an electronic device having at least one receive antenna; and

at least one parasitic antenna coupled to the housing and to couple with a near field generated by a transmit antenna and enhance the near field about the at least one parasitic antenna with an enhanced near field coupling mode region stronger than a near field coupling mode region of the transmit antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one parasitic antenna is displaced relative to the housing.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a non-conductive material.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the non-conductive material comprises at least one of plastic and rubber.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one of a cover, a case, a sleeve, a shell, and a cage.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one parasitic antenna comprises at least one of a capacitively loaded loop antenna and a capacitively loaded multi-turn antenna.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, and a camera.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing fits at least partially around the electronic device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one access opening configured to enable a device user to access at least one of an input device and an output device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one parasitic antenna at least one of refocuses an associated near field coupling mode region and reshapes the associated near field coupling mode region.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmit antenna is matched for a loosely coupled regime.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one parasitic antenna is positioned proximate the at least one receive antenna.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one parasitic antenna includes a portion thereof extending beyond an outer edge of the housing.

14. A method, comprising:

wirelessly receiving power from a near field in a first near field coupling mode region with at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing having a chargeable device positioned therein;

generating an enhanced near field from the near field with the at least one parasitic antenna; and

wirelessly receiving power from the enhanced near field at at least one receive antenna coupled to the chargeable device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising wirelessly transmitting power from a wireless charger to the at least one parasitic antenna.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising displacing the at least one parasitic antenna relative to the housing.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving power in at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing comprises receiving power in at least one antenna parasitic coupled to a housing comprising a non-conductive material.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving power in at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing comprises receiving power in at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing comprising at least one of a rubber material and a plastic material.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving power in at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing comprises receiving power in at least one parasitic antenna coupled to at least one of a cover, a case, a sleeve, a shell, a sheath, and a cage.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein wirelessly receiving power in at least one parasitic antenna comprises wirelessly receiving power in at least one of a capacitively loaded loop antenna and a capacitively loaded multi-turn antenna.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein wirelessly transmitting power from the at least one parasitic antenna to at least one receive antenna coupled to the chargeable device comprises wirelessly transmitting power from the at least one parasitic antenna to at least one receive antenna coupled to at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, and a camera.

22. The method of claim 14, wirelessly transmitting power from the at least one parasitic antenna to at least one receive antenna comprises at least one of refocusing a near field coupling mode region associated with the at least one parasitic antenna and reshaping the near field coupling mode region.

23. The method of claim 14, wirelessly receiving power from a near field comprises wirelessly receiving power from a near field generated by a transmit antenna of a wireless charger matched for a loosely coupled regime.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein wirelessly receiving power from the enhanced near field comprises wirelessly receiving power from the enhanced near field at the least one receive antenna matched for a strongly coupled regime.

25. A device that facilitates charging a chargeable device, the device comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving power from a near field in a first near field coupling mode region with at least one parasitic antenna coupled to a housing having a chargeable device positioned therein; and

means for generating an enhanced near field from the near field with the at least one parasitic antenna.