Inductive Power Transfer Using Acoustic or Haptic Devices

• US 20150288193A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Crosby, Justin D., Vitt, Nikolas T., Geaves, Gary P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,044,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/04 Construction, mounting, or centering of coil

Abstract

A first electronic device includes a first coil that is operative in at least two modes. In a first mode, the first coil may be utilized to moves a membrane to produce one or more sound waves, register movement of a membrane to detect one or more sound waves, or generates one or more haptic outputs. In the second mode, the first coil may be used to inductively transmit power to and/or inductively receive power from a second coil included in a second electronic device. In various cases, the second coil may be a dedicated inductive power transmission coil. In other cases, the second coil may be capable of multimode operation similar to the first coil.

Claims

1. A system for inductive power transfer, comprising:

a first electronic device having a membrane;

a first coil associated with the first electronic device; and

a controller operable to change the first coil between a first mode and a second mode, wherein;

the first coil is operable in the first mode to move the membrane to produce one of sound or a haptic output or detect the sound using the membrane; and

the first coil is operable in the second mode to inductively transmit power to a second electronic device or inductively receive power from the second electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coil is a component of at least one of a speaker of the first electronic device, a microphone of the first electronic device, or a haptic device of the first electronic device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device includes an additional controller operable to change a second coil between a third mode and a fourth mode, wherein:

the second coil is operable in the third mode to move an additional membrane to produce one of additional sound or an additional haptic output or detect the additional sound using the additional membrane; and

the second coil is operable in the fourth mode to inductively transmit power to the first electronic device or inductively receive power from the first electronic device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second coil is a component of at least one of a speaker of the second electronic device, a microphone of the second electronic device, or a haptic device of the second electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coil is a component of an acoustic component of the first electronic device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first coil is positioned around at least one center magnetic element.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one center magnetic element comprises a permanent magnet.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one center magnetic element comprises an electromagnet.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the electromagnet comprises a fields coil.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the electromagnet is activated in the first mode such that a polarity of the electromagnet at least one of opposes or matches a polarity of the first coil.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electromagnet is deactivated in the second mode.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the electromagnet is activated in the second mode such that the electromagnet assists the first coil in inductively transmitting the power to the second electronic device or inductively receiving the power from the second electronic device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein a first surface of the first electronic device is configured to mate with a second surface of the second electronic device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the mating positions the first coil to be in proximity to a second coil associated with the second electronic device.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising the second electronic device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device applies current to the first coil of at least one first frequency in the first mode and of at least one second frequency in the second mode.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein applying the current to the first coil of the at least one second frequency causes the at least one first coil to at least one of:

move the membrane to produce the sound wherein the sound is audibly imperceptible by a human;

not move the membrane;

not produce the haptic output;

or

produce the haptic output wherein the haptic output is imperceptible by the human.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coil is simultaneously operable in at least the first mode and the second mode.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a first coil; and

a controller operable to change the first coil between a first mode and a second mode, wherein;

the first coil is operable in the first mode to move the membrane to produce one of sound or a haptic output or detect the sound using the membrane; and

the first coil is operable in the second mode to inductively transmit power to a second electronic device or inductively receive power from the second electronic device.

20. A method for inductively transferring power, the method comprising:

operating a first coil associated with a first electronic device in a first mode wherein the first coil is operable in the first mode to move a membrane to produce one of sound or a haptic output or detect the sound using the membrane; and

operating the first coil in at least one second mode wherein the first coil is operable in the second mode to inductively transmit power to a second electronic device or inductively receive power from the second electronic device.