WIRELESS CHARGING OF METAL BACKED ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20160072302A1
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Von Novak, William Henry III, Jeong, Seong Heon, Hansen, Megan
• Granted Patent: US 9,871,384 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A method and system for providing wireless power transfer through a metal object by forming a loop conductor from the metal object through a feature or component embedded within the metal object and by replacing portions of the metal object with insulating components. The method and system utilize a recessed channel to install and isolate conductors that are connected to transmitter or receiver circuits and enable wireless power transfer and other communications. The recessed channel creates a loop around at least a portion of the metal object such that the conductor installed therein may form a loop conductor, which may be connected to a source or sink. In some implementations, a logo embedded within the metal object may create a loop formed by the metal object with a current path around the logo, wherein the metal object itself may be configured to operate as the conductor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power from a transmitter, comprising:

a metal portion comprising a recessed channel extending substantially around a portion of the metal portion; and

a receive circuit configured to inductively couple power via a magnetic field generated by the transmitter to power or charge a load electrically coupled to the receive circuit, the receive circuit comprising at least one conductor placed within the recessed channel, the at least one conductor configured to form a loop substantially around the portion of the metal portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an insulating material placed substantially within the recessed channel and configured to isolate the at least one conductor from the metal portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the insulating material comprises at least one of a plastic, or a rubber, or an epoxy material, or a combination thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductor is further configured to form part of a resonant circuit configured to inductively couple the power via the magnetic field.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductor is configured to generate a current in response to a voltage induced by the magnetic field.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ferromagnetic material placed within the recessed channel as a first layer, wherein the at least one conductor is positioned above the ferromagnetic material within the recessed channel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel extends substantially around a periphery of the metal portion, and wherein the at least one conductor is configured to form a loop substantially around the periphery of the metal portion within the recessed channel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductor is configured to form a plurality of loops substantially around the portion of the metal portion within the recessed channel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one conductor is configured to form a multi-turn loop conductor within the recessed channel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal portion is configured as at least a portion of a housing of at least one of a cellular phone, a GPS unit, a watch, a mobile media device, a laptop computer, or a key fob.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal portion is configured as a metal back cover of a portable electronic device.

12. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power from a transmitter, comprising:

a casing;

a non-conductive portion or area having a shape defined by a graphic or textual representation; and

a receive circuit comprising a metal portion forming a portion of the casing, the receive circuit configured to inductively couple power via a magnetic field generated by the transmitter to power or charge a load electrically coupled to the receive circuit, the shape of the non-conductive portion or area defining a path for electrical current to flow in the metal portion substantially around the shape defined by the graphic or textual representation in response to a voltage induced by the magnetic field.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the metal portion is substantially planar and, when integrated with the non-conductive portion, forms a planar portion of the casing of the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the non-conductive portion or area comprises at least one of a plastic, or a rubber, or an epoxy material, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the non-conductive portion or area having the shape defined by the graphic or textual representation is configured to form a plurality of loops substantially around the metal portion, the plurality of loops defining the path for the electrical current.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the casing forms a portion of a housing of at least one of a cellular phone, a GPS unit, a watch, a mobile media device, a laptop computer, or a key fob.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the metal portion is configured as a substantially planar back portion of the casing of a portable electronic device.

18. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power from a transmitter, comprising:

a casing; and

a receive circuit comprising a metal portion and configured to inductively couple power via a magnetic field generated by the transmitter to power or charge a load electrically coupled to the receive circuit, the metal portion shaped to form a graphic or textual representation that defines a path for electrical current to flow substantially within a portion of the graphic or textual representation in response to a voltage induced by the magnetic field generated by the transmitter.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an insulating material placed beneath the metal portion and configured to substantially isolate the metal portion from the casing, wherein the casing comprises a conductive material.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the insulating material comprises at least one of a plastic, or a rubber, or an epoxy material, or a combination thereof.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein metal portion is configured to generate a current based on exposure to a wireless field.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the graphic or textual representation is configured to form a plurality of loops.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the casing forms a portion of a housing of at least one of a cellular phone, a GPS unit, a watch, a mobile media device, a laptop computer, or a key fob.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the casing is configured to couple to the metal portion and configured to mechanically couple to a portable electronic device.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the casing is configured as a metal back cover of a portable electronic device.

26. A method for wirelessly receiving power at an apparatus from a transmitter, comprising:

inductively coupling power via a magnetic field generated by the transmitter via a receive circuit comprising at least one conductor placed within a recessed channel extending substantially around a portion of a metal portion of the apparatus, the at least one conductor configured to form a loop substantially around the portion of the metal portion; and

powering or charging a load of the apparatus using the inductively coupled power.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising isolating the at least one conductor from the metal portion via an insulating material placed substantially within the recessed channel.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the insulating material comprises at least one of a plastic, or a rubber, or an epoxy material, or a combination thereof.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one conductor is further configured to form part of a resonant circuit configured to inductively couple the power via the magnetic field.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising generating a current in response to a voltage induced by the magnetic field.

31. A method for wirelessly receiving, at an apparatus, power from a transmitter, comprising:

inductively coupling power via a magnetic field generated by the transmitter using a receive circuit comprising a non-conductive portion or area having a shape defined by a graphic or textual representation and a metal portion forming a portion of the apparatus, the metal portion integrated with the non-conductive portion or area and the shape of the non-conductive portion or area defining a path for electrical current to flow in the metal portion substantially around the shape defined by the graphic or textual representation in response to a voltage induced by the magnetic field; and

powering or charging a load coupled to the apparatus.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the metal portion is substantially planar and, when integrated with the non-conductive portion, forms a planar portion of a casing of the apparatus.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the non-conductive portion or area having the shape defined by the graphic or textual representation forms a plurality of loops substantially around the metal portion, the plurality of loops defining the path of the electrical current.