WIRELESS DOCKING LINK BUDGET OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20140354226A1
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Draaijer, Maurice Herman Johan, Holtman, Koen Johanna Guillaume, Van De Laar, Franciscus Antonius Maria
• Granted Patent: US 9,509,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence

Abstract

A wireless docking station (100) for docking with a wireless mobile device (120), the wireless docking station including: a platform (110) for docking with the wireless mobile device (120); an interface (230) to a radio; a plurality of antennas (221, 222, 223, 224, 225); an antenna switch (220); a signal sensor (210); and a control unit (240); wherein the control unit (240) controls the antenna switch (220) to connect one of the plurality of antennas (221, 222, 223, 224, 225) to the interface (230) based on signals transmitted from the docked wireless device and detected by the signal sensor (210).

Claims

1. A wireless docking station for docking with a wireless mobile device, the wireless docking station comprising:

a platform for docking with the wireless mobile device;

an interface to a radio;

a plurality of antennas;

an antenna switch;

a signal sensor; and

a control unit, wherein the platform is a docking pad comprising the plurality of antennas arranged under the surface of the docking pad; and

the control unit controls the antenna switch to connect one of the plurality of antennas to the interface based on signals detected from the docked wireless mobile device by the signal sensor.

2. The wireless docking station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas are directional antennas.

3. The wireless docking station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas are part of the signal sensor.

4. The wireless docking station of claim 1, wherein the platform is a flat surface on which the mobile wireless device rests.

6. The wireless docking station of claim 1, further comprising a charging coil for charging batteries in wireless mobile devices equipped with induction charging capabilities.

7. The wireless docking station of claim 1, wherein more than one of the plurality of antennas are connected to the interface if more than one wireless mobile device is docked with the wireless docking station.

5. (canceled)

8. A method for wirelessly docking a dockee with a docking station, wherein the docking station comprises a plurality of antennas for connecting with the dockee, the method comprising:

sensing the dockee on a surface of a docking pad via the plurality of antennas, the plurality of antennas being arranged under the surface of the docking pad;

selecting an antenna from the plurality of antennas based on the sensing; and

connecting with the dockee using the selected antenna.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising connecting with the dockee with one of the plurality of antennas before the sensing.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sensing comprises at least one of:

signal strength measurements at each of the plurality antennas;

latency measurements at each of the plurality antennas; and

location measurements of the dockee.