METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING ELECTRONIC DEVICES WIRELESS CHARGING USING INERTIAL SENSORS

• US 20140312836A1
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lundgren, Mika-Petteri, Vuori, Mikko
• Granted Patent: US 9,653,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises: monitoring a motion of a handset from a wireless charger to detect a presence of the handset on the wireless charger (312); initiating a wireless charging when the presence of the handset is detected on the wireless charger and transmitting a charging notification to an end user (318); sending a battery full message for notifying the end user when the wireless charging is complete and terminating the wireless charging (316); setting the handset to a standby mode and initializing inertial sensor(s) to provide an interrupt signal (330); entering a maintenance charging mode of a battery of the handset when it is below a recharging threshold without notifying the end user (336); and continuing the maintenance charging mode of the wireless charging device until the battery is full (342) or the wireless charging device is removed from the wireless charger transmitter (340).

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method, comprising:

monitoring a motion of a handset from a wireless charger to detect a presence of the handset on the wireless charger;

initiating a wireless charging when the presence of the handset is detected on the wireless charger and transmitting a charging notification to an end user;

sending a battery full message for notifying the end user when the wireless charging is complete and terminating the wireless charging;

setting the handset to a standby mode and initializing inertial sensor(s) to provide an interrupt signal;

entering a maintenance charging mode of a battery of the handset when it is below a recharging threshold without notifying the end user; and

continuing the maintenance charging mode of the wireless charging device until the battery is full or the wireless charging device is removed from the wireless charger transmitter.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein:

the interrupt signal is transmitted when the handset is removed from the wireless charger and when the handset is returned back to the wireless charger.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

monitoring the battery voltage, if the battery voltage is above a charging threshold, the wireless charging is not initiated and the battery full message is notified to the end user and if the battery voltage is below the charging threshold, the wireless charging is initiated and the charging notification is transmitted to the end user; and

terminating the wireless charging and setting a wireless charging IC to a standby mode when the battery is full.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

responsive to the interrupt signal, sending a battery full message to the end user when the wireless charging device is removed from the wireless charger transmitter while in standby mode.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the charging notifications and the full messages are transmitted to the end user and displayed on an charging screen LED or on the handset screen.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the wireless charging device is a handset phone or an electrical device.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the wireless charger transmitter is a wireless charger pad on which the charging device is positioned.

30. A wireless charging system, comprising:

a wireless charger transmitter;

a wireless handset including;

a battery;

an inertial sensor configured to generate an interrupt signal in response to its motion; and

a power management configured to detect the interrupt signal to initiate charging the battery when a battery voltage is below a recharging threshold.

31. The wireless charging system of claim 30, wherein the inertial sensors further comprises:

a gyroscope configured to detect the motion of the wireless handset.

32. The wireless charging system of claim 30, wherein the inertial sensors further comprises:

an accelerometer configured to detect the motion of the wireless handset.

33. The wireless charging system of claim 30, wherein the power management is coupled to:

a display to notify an end user the interrupt signal.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the wireless charging device is a handset phone or an electrical device.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the wireless charger transmitter is a wireless charger pad on which the charging device is positioned.

36. An apparatus, comprising:

means for monitoring a motion of a handset from a wireless charger to detect a presence of the handset on the wireless charger;

means for initiating a wireless charging when the presence of the handset is detected on the wireless charger and transmitting a charging notification to an end user;

means for sending a battery full message for notifying the end user when the wireless charging is complete and terminating the wireless charging;

means for setting the handset to a standby mode and initializing inertial sensor(s) to provide an interrupt signal;

means for entering a maintenance charging mode of a battery of the handset when it is below a recharging threshold without notifying the end user; and

means for continuing the maintenance charging mode of the wireless charging device until the battery is full or the wireless charging device is removed from the wireless charger transmitter.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the interrupt signal is transmitted when the handset is removed from the wireless charger and when the handset is returned back to the wireless charger further comprising:

means for monitoring the battery voltage, if the battery voltage is above a charging threshold, the wireless charging is not initiated and the battery full message is notified to the end user and if the battery voltage is below the charging threshold, the wireless charging is initiated and the charging notification is transmitted to the end user; and

means for terminating the wireless charging and means for setting a wireless charging IC to a standby mode when the battery is full.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the interrupt signal is transmitted when the handset is removed from the wireless charger and when the handset is returned back to the wireless charger and

wherein the computer program code is further configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

monitoring the battery voltage, if the battery voltage is above a charging threshold, the wireless charging is not initiated and the battery full message is notified to the end user and if the battery voltage is below the charging threshold, the wireless charging is initiated and the charging notification is transmitted to the end user; and

terminating the wireless charging and setting a wireless charging IC to a standby mode when the battery is full.

38. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

monitoring a motion of a handset from a wireless charger to detect a presence of the handset on the wireless charger;

initiating a wireless charging when the presence of the handset is detected on the wireless charger and transmitting a charging notification to an end user;

sending a battery full message for notifying the end user when the wireless charging is complete and terminating the wireless charging;

setting the handset to a standby mode and initializing inertial sensor(s) to provide an interrupt signal;

entering a maintenance charging mode of a battery of the handset when it is below a recharging threshold without notifying the end user; and

continuing the maintenance charging mode of the wireless charging device until the battery is full or the wireless charging device is removed from the wireless charger transmitter.

40. A computer program, comprising:

Code for monitoring a motion of a handset from a wireless charger to detect a presence of the handset on the wireless charger;

Code for initiating a wireless charging when the presence of the handset is detected on the wireless charger and transmitting a charging notification to an end user;

sending a battery full message for notifying the end user when the wireless charging is complete and terminating the wireless charging;

code for setting the handset to a standby mode and initializing inertial sensor(s) to provide an interrupt signal;

code for entering a maintenance charging mode of a battery of the handset when it is below a recharging threshold without notifying the end user; and

code for continuing the maintenance charging mode of the wireless charging device until the battery is full or the wireless charging device is removed from the wireless charger transmitter.

41. The computer program of claim 40, wherein the interrupt signal is transmitted when the handset is removed from the wireless charger and when the handset is returned back to the wireless charger further comprising:

Code for monitoring the battery voltage, if the battery voltage is above a charging threshold, the wireless charging is not initiated and the battery full message is notified to the end user and if the battery voltage is below the charging threshold, the wireless charging is initiated and the charging notification is transmitted to the end user; and

Code for terminating the wireless charging and setting a wireless charging IC to a standby mode when the battery is full.

42. The computer program according to claim 40, wherein the computer program is a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer.