Selective Power Distribution During Wireless Charging

• US 20150097520A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Low, Khim Leng, Walley, John Stuart, Rajakarunanayake, Yasantha Nirmal, Lin, Ming Yu, Cher, Lee Song, Esnard-Domerego, Domitille Odile Emmeline, Polo, Angel Arturo
• Granted Patent: US 9,774,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Power distribution circuitry to improve wireless power distribution and facilitate wireless power transfer (WPT) operations in a wireless communication device under a variety of operating conditions. In various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, the power distribution circuitry operates to provide a wireless power (WP) supply voltage to wireless communication circuitry of the device in order enable a WPT connection procedure under certain low power conditions. Such conditions might include a power off mode, a sleep mode, and dead/low battery operating conditions wherein the available battery supply voltage is less than a threshold voltage required to enable device components. The power distribution circuitry may switch the supply voltage of the wireless communication circuitry to another available supply voltage source after the WPT connection procedure is completed and wireless power is being received by the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

wireless communication circuitry configured, when enabled, to process a signal for wireless communication;

power supply circuitry configured, when enabled, to generate one or more supply voltages from a battery voltage;

a battery charger configured, when enabled, to charge a battery that supplies the battery voltage;

wireless power circuitry configured, when receiving a wireless power signal, to generate a wireless power (WP) supply voltage; and

a power distribution circuit configured to;

when the wireless communication circuitry and the power supply circuitry are not enabled and when the wireless power circuitry is receiving the wireless power signal, distribute the WP supply voltage to selected circuits within the wireless communication device to facilitate the battery charger charging the battery.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the power distribution circuit detects when the wireless communication circuitry and the power supply circuitry are not enabled and when the wireless power circuitry is receiving the wireless power signal by at least one of:

detecting when the battery voltage is below a device enabling threshold voltage level;

detecting when the wireless communication device is in a power off mode; and

detecting when the wireless communication device is in a sleep mode.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising:

the power distribution circuit including;

a processing circuit to detect when the wireless communication circuitry and the power supply circuitry are not enabled and when the wireless power circuitry is receiving the wireless power signal;

a plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits, wherein one or more of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits are included in the selected circuits and generate one or more supply voltages from the WP supply voltage; and

the wireless communication circuitry including;

a crystal oscillator circuit;

a baseband processing module; and

a transceiver operably coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit and to the baseband processing module, wherein the crystal oscillator circuit, the baseband processing module, and the transceiver are powered by the one or more of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits and facilitate communication between the wireless power circuitry and a wireless power transfer source device.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the power distribution circuit is further configured to:

when the wireless communication circuitry and the power supply circuitry are enabled, when the wireless power circuitry is receiving the wireless power signal, and when the battery voltage is in a first state,

distribute a first supply voltage of the one or more supply voltages to a first set of selected circuits of the wireless communication device;

distribute a second supply voltage of the one or more supply voltages to a second set of selected circuits of the wireless communication device; and

distribute the WP supply voltage to a third set of selected circuits of the wireless communication device.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the power distribution circuit comprising:

a processing circuit to detect when the wireless communication circuitry and the power supply circuitry are enabled, when the wireless power circuitry is receiving the wireless power signal, and when the battery voltage is in the first state; and

a plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits, wherein;

a first set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits are included in the first set of selected circuits and generate one or more supply voltages from the first supply voltage;

a second set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits are included in the second set of selected circuits and generate one or more supply voltages from the second supply voltage; and

a third set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits are included in the third set of selected circuits and generate one or more supply voltages from the WP supply voltage; and

the wireless communication circuitry including;

a crystal oscillator circuit;

a first baseband processing module;

a first transceiver operably coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit and to the first baseband processing module,

a second baseband processing module;

a second transceiver operably coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit and to the first baseband processing module, wherein the crystal oscillator circuit, the first baseband processing module, and the second baseband processing module are powered by the one or more supply voltages generated from the first supply voltage,

wherein the first transceiver is powered by the one or more supply voltages generated from the second supply voltage, and

wherein the second transceiver is powered by the one or more supply voltages generated from the WP supply voltage.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising:

the power distribution circuit including a processing circuit and a plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits, wherein;

the processing circuit detects when the wireless communication circuitry and the power supply circuitry are enabled, when the wireless power circuitry is receiving the wireless power signal, and when the battery voltage is in a first state and, when detected,

distributes a first supply voltage of the one or more supply voltages to a first set of selected circuits of the wireless communication device; and

distributes the WP supply voltage to a second set of selected circuits of the wireless communication device; and

wherein;

a first set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits are included in the first set of selected circuits and generate one or more supply voltages from a first supply voltage; and

a second set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits are included in the second set of selected circuits and generate one or more supply voltages from the WP supply voltage;

the wireless communication circuitry including;

a crystal oscillator circuit;

a first baseband processing module;

a first transceiver operably coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit and to the first baseband processing module,

a second baseband processing module;

a second transceiver operably coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit and to the first baseband processing module, wherein the crystal oscillator circuit, the first baseband processing module, and the second baseband processing module are powered by the one or more supply voltages generated from the first supply voltage, and

wherein the first and the second transceivers are powered by the one or more supply voltages generated from the WP supply voltage.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the power distribution circuit is further configured to:

detect when the wireless communication circuitry and the power supply circuitry are enabled, when the wireless power circuitry is receiving the wireless power signal, and when the battery voltage is in a second state and, when detected, distribute the one or more supply voltages to circuits of the wireless communication device.

8. A power distribution circuit for use in a device having wireless communication circuitry, power supply circuitry, a battery charger, a battery, and wireless power (WP) circuitry, the power distribution circuit comprising:

a processing circuit configured to;

detect when the power supply circuitry is not enabled and when the WP circuitry is receiving a wireless power signal, wherein the WP circuitry generates a WP supply voltage from the wireless power signal; and

when detected, generate a control signal for powering selected circuits of the device to facilitate the battery charger to charge the battery;

a plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits; and

switching circuitry configured to provide the WP supply voltage to one or more of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits based on the control signal, wherein the one or more of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits generates one or more supply voltages from the WP supply voltage, and wherein the one or more supply voltages power the selected circuits.

9. The power distribution circuit of claim 8, wherein the selected circuits comprising one or more of:

a crystal oscillator circuit of the wireless communication circuitry;

a baseband processing module of the wireless communication circuitry; and

a transceiver of the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the transceiver is operably coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit and to the baseband processing module, wherein the crystal oscillator circuit, the baseband processing module, and the transceiver facilitate communication between the WP circuitry and a wireless power transfer source device.

10. The power distribution circuit of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

detect when the power supply circuitry is enabled to generate a supply voltage from a battery voltage, when the wireless communication circuitry is enabled, when a WP supply voltage is available, and when the battery voltage is in a first state;

when detected, generate the control signal for powering a first set of selected circuits and second set of selected circuits; and

wherein the switching circuitry is further configured to provide the supply voltage to a first set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits and to provide the WP supply voltage to a second set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits based on the control signal, wherein the first set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits generates a first one or more supply voltages for powering the first set of selected circuits, and wherein the second set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits generates a second one or more supply voltages for powering the second set of selected circuits.

11. The power distribution circuit of claim 10, wherein the second set of selected circuits of the wireless communication circuitry comprising a power amplifier.

12. The power distribution circuit of claim 10, wherein, in the first state, the battery voltage is less than a voltage level threshold.

13. The power distribution circuit of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

detect when the power supply circuitry is enabled to generate a supply voltage from a battery voltage, when the wireless communication circuitry is enabled, when the WP supply voltage is available, and when the battery voltage is in a second state;

when detected, generate the control signal for powering circuits of the device; and

wherein the switching circuitry is further configured to provide the supply voltage to a set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits based on the control signal, wherein the set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits generates one or more supply voltages from the supply voltage to power the circuits.

14. The power distribution circuit of claim 8 further comprising:

a substrate for supporting the processing circuit, the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits, and the switching circuitry; and

an integrated circuit package for housing the substrate.

15. A method for execution by a processing circuit for distributing power within a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

detecting when power supply circuitry of the wireless communication device is not enabled and when wireless power circuitry of the wireless communication device is generating a wireless power (WP) supply voltage;

when detected, generating a control signal for powering selected circuits of the wireless communication device to facilitate a battery charger to charge a battery;

enabling distribution of the WP supply voltage to one or more of a plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits based on the control signal, wherein the one or more of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits generates one or more supply voltages from the WP supply voltage, and wherein the one or more supply voltages power the selected circuits.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the selected circuits of the wireless communication device comprising:

a crystal oscillator circuit;

a baseband processing module; and

a transceiver operably coupled to the crystal oscillator circuit and to the baseband processing module.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting when the power supply circuitry is enabled to generate a supply voltage from a battery voltage, when a wireless communication circuitry is enabled, when a WP supply voltage is available, and when the battery voltage is in a first state;

when detected, generating the control signal for powering a first set of selected circuits and second set of selected circuits; and

enabling distribution of the supply voltage to a first set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits and the WP supply voltage to a second set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits based on the control signal, wherein the first set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits generates a first one or more supply voltages for powering a first set of selected circuits, and wherein the second set of the plurality of supply voltage regulating circuits generates a second one or more supply voltages for powering a second set of selected circuits.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, in the first state, a voltage level of the battery voltage is less than a voltage level threshold.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting when the power supply circuitry is enabled to generate one or more supply voltages from a battery voltage, when the wireless power circuitry is generating a WP supply voltage, and when the battery voltage is in a second state; and

when detected, enabling distribution of the one or more supply voltages to power circuits of the wireless communication device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting that the power supply circuitry of the wireless communication device is not enabled and that the wireless power circuitry is generating the WP supply voltage comprising at least one of:

detecting when a battery voltage is below a device enabling threshold voltage level;

detecting when the wireless communication device is in a power off mode; and

detecting when the wireless communication device is in a sleep mode.