WIRELESS CHARGING FOR AN INPUT DEVICE

• US 20170256977A1
• Filed: 01/03/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Sauterel, Fabrice, Pate, Christopher, Plancherel, Laurent
• Granted Patent: US 10,622,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

An apparatus including a removable modular insert disposed within a housing of a host device, the housing including one or more magnets, and one or more conductive contacts disposed on the removable modular insert to magnetically couple to the one or more magnets and secure the modular insert within the housing of the host device, and electrically couple the modular insert to the host device. A conductive coil can be coupled to the modular insert to electromagnetically receive power from a base device having a surface, where the host device moves and operates along the surface of the base device. The apparatus can include a communication device and a processor to control the communication device for communication between the modular insert and the host device, and control operation of the conductive coil. The communication device further controls the electromagnetic coupling between the modular insert and the base device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a removable modular insert disposed within a housing of a host device, the housing including one or more magnets; and

one or more conductive contacts disposed on the removable modular insert to;

magnetically couple to the one or more magnets and secure the modular insert within the housing of the host device; and

electrically couple the modular insert to the host device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a conductive coil coupled to the modular insert to electromagnetically receive power from a base device having a surface, wherein the host device moves and operates along the surface of the base device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the base device operates as a computer mouse pad.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a battery to store the electromagnetically received power from the base device.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a communication device; and

a processor to;

control the communication device for communication between the modular insert and the host device; and

control operation of the conductive coil.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the processor further controls the communication device to control communication and the electromagnetic coupling between the modular insert and the base device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processor further controls the communication device to control wireless communication between the host device and a computing device that the host device is communicatively paired to.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication is performed via a Bluetooth®

communication protocol.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the modular insert is coin shaped, and wherein the modular insert, when disposed within the housing, is secured in a cavity within the host device.

10. A host device comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed in the housing; and

a cavity formed in the housing and including one or more magnets, the cavity to receive a removable modular insert disposed within the cavity and controlled by the processor,

wherein the modular insert includes one or more conductive contacts to magnetically couple to the one or more magnets and secure the modular insert within the housing of the host device, and

wherein the modular insert electrically couples the modular insert to the host device.

11. The computer mouse of claim 10 wherein the modular insert further includes a conductive coil to electromagnetically receive power from a base device having a surface, wherein the computer mouse moves and operates along the surface of the base device.

12. The host device of claim 11 wherein the modular insert includes a communication device controlled by the processor to communicate with and control operation of the conductive coil.

13. The host device of claim 11 wherein the base device operates as a computer mouse pad.

14. The host device of claim 11 further comprising a battery, controlled by the processor, to store the electromagnetically received power from the base device.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, within a cavity of a host device, a removable modular insert that includes a conductive coil;

establishing, by the host device, a communicative coupling with the modular insert;

controlling operation of the modular insert via the communicative coupling; and

establishing and controlling electromagnetic power coupling between the conductive coil and a base device when the host device is placed in close proximity to the base device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the cavity includes one or more magnets disposed therein, and wherein receiving the removable modular insert in the cavity further includes magnetically securing the modular insert in the cavity via the one or more magnets.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the communicative coupling with the modular insert includes electrical coupling via the one or more magnets.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the base device is a computer mouse pad and the host device moves and operates along a surface of the base device.