INTEGRATED INDUCTIVE CHARGING IN PROTECTIVE COVER

• US 20130063873A1
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: WODRICH, Justin Richard, McClure, Stephen Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,907,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00

Abstract

Accurate and reliable techniques for wirelessly powering a tablet device are disclosed.

Claims

1. A protective cover arranged to protect at least a display of a tablet device, comprising:

a body portion having a size and shape in accordance with the display, comprising;

an inductive power transmitter arranged to wirelessly pass power to a corresponding inductive power receiver unit disposed within the tablet device by inductively coupling;

at least a first magnetic element, and

at least a second magnetic element used to secure the body portion to the display in a closed configuration, wherein in the closed configuration the first magnetic element is detected by a sensor disposed within the tablet device, the detection altering a current operating state of the tablet device; and

an attachment mechanism for pivotally attaching the body portion to the tablet device.

2. The protective cover as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a power line connecting the inductive power transmitter to connector arranged to connect the power line to an external power supply; and

a ground line connecting the inductive power transmitter to ground, wherein when the protective cover is attached to the tablet device, a tablet device housing acts as a chassis ground for the inductive power transmitter.

3. The protective cover as recited in claim 2, wherein when the sensor detects the magnetic element, the altering of the current operating state of the tablet device comprises:

determining if the tablet device is operating in a battery mode;

determining a current battery state when the tablet device is operating in the battery mode; and

receiving power at the inductive power receiver unit wirelessly passed from the inductive power transmitter unit in the body portion of the protective cover in accordance with the current battery state.

4. The protective cover as recited in claim 3, the body portion comprising:

a plurality of segments, wherein each segment includes a pocket;

an rigid insert incorporated into each pocket, the rigid insert providing support for the associated segment; and

a folding region between each of the segments arranged to allow the plurality of segments to fold with respect to each other.

5. The protective cover as recited in claim 4, wherein only one segment includes the inductive power transmitter.

6. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 2 wherein the sensor is a Hall Effect sensor arranged to detect a saturating magnetic field generated by the first magnetic element only when the protective cover is in the closed configuration.

7. A method for wireless powering a tablet device, comprising:

determining if a protective cover is in a closed configuration with respect to the tablet device;

enabling a wireless power receiver circuit in the tablet device when it is determined that the protective cover is in the closed configuration with respect to the tablet device; and

wirelessly receiving power from a wireless power transmitter associated with the protective cover.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, the tablet device further comprising;

a battery;

a display; and

a sensor arranged to detect an external stimulus only when the protective cover is in the closed configuration with respect to the display.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the sensor is a Hall Effect sensor and the external stimulus is a saturating magnetic field provided by a magnetic element in the protective cover.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein when the Hall Effect sensor detects the saturating magnetic field, the method further comprises:

determining a power state of the tablet device; and

enabling the wireless power receiver circuit only when the power state of the tablet device is determined to be portable and a charge state of the battery is determined to be not fully charged.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, the method further comprising:

determining that the tablet device is positioned relative to a flat surface at a viewing angle; and

enabling a second wireless power receiver circuit only when it is determined that the tablet device is in the portable mode and is positioned relative to the flat surface at the viewing angle and the tablet device is configured to present video by the display.

12. An apparatus for wireless powering a tablet device, comprising:

means for determining if a protective cover is in a closed configuration with respect to the tablet device;

means for enabling a wireless power receiver circuit in the tablet device when it is determined that the protective cover is in the closed configuration with respect to the tablet device; and

means for wirelessly receiving power from a wireless power transmitter associated with the protective cover.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, the tablet device further comprising;

a battery;

a display; and

a sensor arranged to detect an external stimulus only when the protective cover is in the closed configuration with respect to the display.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the sensor is a Hall Effect sensor and the external stimulus is a saturating magnetic field provided by a magnetic element in the protective cover.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein when the Hall Effect sensor detects the saturating magnetic field, the method further comprises:

means for determining a power state of the tablet device; and

means for enabling the wireless power receiver circuit only when the power state of the tablet device is determined to be portable and a charge state of the battery is determined to be not fully charged.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, the method further comprising:

means for determining that the tablet device is positioned relative to a flat surface at a viewing angle; and

means for enabling a second wireless power receiver circuit only when it is determined that the tablet device is in the portable mode and is positioned relative to the flat surface at the viewing angle and video is being presented by the display.

17. Non-transitory computer readable medium executable by a processor in a tablet device for wirelessly receiving power at the tablet device, comprising:

computer code for determining if a protective cover is in a closed configuration with respect to the tablet device;

computer code for enabling a wireless power receiver circuit in the tablet device when it is determined that the protective cover is in the closed configuration with respect to the tablet device; and

computer code for wirelessly receiving power from a wireless power transmitter associated with the protective cover.

18. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, the tablet device further comprising;

a battery;

a display; and

a sensor arranged to detect an external stimulus only when the protective cover is in the closed configuration with respect to the display.

19. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the sensor is a Hall Effect sensor and the external stimulus is a saturating magnetic field provided by a magnetic element in the protective cover.

20. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein when the Hall Effect sensor detects the saturating magnetic field, the method further comprises:

computer code for determining a power state of the tablet device; and

computer code for enabling the wireless power receiver circuit only when the power state of the tablet device is determined to be portable and a charge state of the battery is determined to be not fully charged.

21. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 20, the method further comprising:

computer code for determining that the tablet device is positioned relative to a flat surface at a viewing angle; and

computer code for enabling a second wireless power receiver circuit only when it is determined that the tablet device is in the portable mode and is positioned relative to the flat surface at the viewing angle and video is being presented by the display.

22. A protective cover used to protect a display of a tablet device, comprising:

an attachment mechanism arranged to provide a repeatable, high precision attachment with a cooperating attachment feature in the tablet device;

a hinge portion connected to the attachment mechanism;

a body portion, the body portion pivotally connected to the hinge portion; and

an inductive power transmission element incorporated into the body portion arranged to combine with an inductive power reception element in the tablet device to form an inductive power transfer circuit configured to wirelessly pass power from the protective cover and the tablet device.

23. The protective cover as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

a power line connecting the inductive power transmission element to an external power supply and a ground.

24. The protective cover as recited in claim 23, wherein the ground is a chassis ground formed by a housing of the tablet device when the protective cover is in a closed configuration with respect to the tablet device.