CONTROLLABLE CHARGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20180131201A1
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Published: 05/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thames Technology Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Thames Technology Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Calhoun, Scott A., Steinmetz, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 10,615,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Disclosed are implementations, including a method that includes obtaining sensor data from at least one sensor in communication with a charging station configured to simultaneously charge multiple chargeable devices using power stored in one or more energy storage devices connected to the charging station, including to simultaneously charge at least one inductive chargeable device, and perform a wired charging operation to charge at least one wired chargeable device. The method further includes determining, based on the sensor data, device information for each of chargeable devices, with the determined device information including, for example, a device type, location information, and/or timing information, and controlling charging operations of the charging station to charge the chargeable devices based, at least in part, on the device information for the each chargeable devices within the charging range of the charging station.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining sensor data from at least one sensor in communication with a charging station configured to simultaneously charge multiple chargeable devices using power stored in one or more energy storage devices connected to the charging station, including to simultaneously inductively charge at least one inductive chargeable device, and perform a wired charging operation to charge at least one wired chargeable device through a wired connection;

determining, based on the sensor data, device information for each of one or more chargeable devices within charging range of the charging station, the determined device information for the each of the one or more chargeable devices comprising one or more of;

a device type, location information, or timing information; and

controlling charging operations of the charging station to charge the one or more chargeable devices based, at least in part, on the device information for the each of the one or more chargeable devices within the charging range of the charging station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the charging operations comprises:

selecting one or more charging interfaces, from a plurality of available charging interfaces, of the charging station based on the determined device information; and

indicating the selected one or more charging interfaces.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of available charging interfaces comprises:

a plurality of charging coils configured to wirelessly transfer power to chargeable devices, and a plurality of interface ports to receive charging cables connectable to other chargeable devices;

and wherein selecting the one or more charging interfaces comprises;

selecting an available one of the plurality of interface ports for a first chargeable device determined to be configured to have a charging input port; and

selecting an available one of the plurality of charging coils for a second chargeable device determined to be configured to be wirelessly charged.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining completion of a charging operation for a first device, from the one or more chargeable devices, charged by the charging station; and

providing notification to a user of the first device, in response to the completion of the charging operation, of completion of charging operation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the notification comprises:

sending a wireless communication message to a second device associated with the user of the first device with data indicating the completion of the charging operation for the first chargeable device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second device associated with the user of the first device comprises a wearable wireless device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the notification comprises:

providing a visual indication that the charging operation is completed at a location on the charging station near a first location determined for the first device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the sensor data comprises:

obtaining image data using at least one light capture device positioned near the charging station, for a scene corresponding to an area in the vicinity of the charging station through which users access the charging station;

and wherein determining the device information based on the sensor data comprises identifying from the image data of the scene at least one chargeable device object, corresponding to at least one chargeable device of the one or more chargeable devices, appearing in the image data, and determining an associated device type and location estimate for the identified at least one chargeable device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the sensor data comprises:

obtaining the device information using at least one RF transceiver of the charging station, the at least one RF transceiver configured to transmit wireless communications to wireless devices in the vicinity of the charging station and to receive wireless reply communications from the wireless devices in the vicinity of the wireless station;

and wherein determining the device information based on the sensor data comprises determining from the received wireless reply communications corresponding device type information and corresponding location estimates for at least some of the wireless devices in the vicinity of the charging station.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location information for the each of the one or more chargeable devices comprises one or more of:

sensing location of a chargeable device on a contact-sensing surface of the charging station;

or

determining the location information of the chargeable device based on wireless transmissions from the chargeable device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the location information of the chargeable device based on the wireless transmissions from the chargeable device comprises:

determining a location estimate of the chargeable device based on one or more of;

an RFID transmission from the wireless device, a Bluetooth®

transmission from the wireless device, a Bluetooth-Low-Energy®

(BLE) transmission from the wireless device, or a WLAN transmission.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

charging the one or more energy storage devices of the charging station through electrical power generated by photovoltaic cells in electrical communication with the charging station.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the charging operations of the charging station comprises:

measuring charging attributes for the one or more chargeable devices, including measuring for a first chargeable device from the one or more chargeable devices one or more of;

charging throughput, charging rate, impedance of a battery of the first chargeable device, or capacity of the battery of the first chargeable device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

presenting data relating to at least some of the measured charging attributes on a display screen coupled to the charging station.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein controlling the charging operation further comprises:

determining, based at least in part on the measured charging attributes and the device information for the first chargeable device, an optimal location relative to a fixed location of the charging station, the optimal location being associated with an improved performance of the charging operation; and

presenting data to guide a user to change a position of the first chargeable device to another location, relative to the fixed location of the charging station, corresponding to the determined optimal location.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the wireless charging operation comprises:

configuring a charging circuitry of the charging station based on the determined location information for the one or more chargeable devices.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein configuring the charging circuitry of the charging station comprises:

displacing one of a plurality of moveable charging coils to a coil location in the charging station proximate to a determined relative location of a first chargeable device from the one or more chargeable devices.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein configuring the charging circuitry of the charging station comprises:

activating one of a plurality of charging coils deployed in the charging station to cause the wireless charging operation for a first chargeable device.

19. A charging system comprising:

one or more energy storage devices;

at least one inductive coil coupled to the one or more energy storage devices, the at least one coil configured to inductively charge at least one inductive chargeable device;

at least one wired charging port coupled to the one or more energy storage devices, the at least one charging port configured to charge at least one wired chargeable device;

at least one sensor to obtain sensor data related to one or more chargeable devices within charging range of the charging system; and

a controller, coupled to the one or more energy storage devices, the at least one inductive coil, the at least one charging port, and the at least one sensor, the controller configured to;

determine, based on the sensor data, device information for each of the one or more chargeable devices, the determined device information for the each of the one or more chargeable devices comprising one or more of;

a device type, location information, or timing information; and

control charging operations of the charging system to charge the one or more chargeable devices based, at least in part, on the device information for the each of the one or more chargeable devices within the charging range of the charging system.

20. The charging system of claim 19, wherein the controller configured to control the charging operations is configured to:

select one or more charging interfaces of the charging station, from a plurality of available charging interfaces comprising the at least one charging coil and the at least one wired charging port based on the determined device information, including to;

select an available one of the at least one wired charging port for a first chargeable device determined to be configured to have a charging input port; and

select an available one of the at least one charging coil for a second chargeable device determined to be configured to be wirelessly charged; and

indicate the selected one or more charging interfaces.

21. The charging system of claim 19, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one light capture device, positioned near the charging system, configured to obtain image data for a scene corresponding to an area in the vicinity of the charging system through which users access the charging system;

and wherein the controller configured to determine the device information is configured to identify from the image data of the scene at least one chargeable device object, corresponding to at least one chargeable device of the one or more chargeable devices, appearing in the image data, and determine an associated device type and location estimate for the identified at least one chargeable device.

22. The charging system of claim 19, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one RF transceiver configured to transmit wireless communications to wireless devices in the vicinity of the charging station and to receive wireless reply communications from the wireless devices in the vicinity of the wireless station;

and wherein the controller configured to determine the device information is configured to determine from the received wireless reply communications corresponding device type information and corresponding location estimates for at least some of the wireless devices in the vicinity of the charging station.

23. The charging system of claim 19, wherein the controller configured to control the charging operations of the charging system is configured to:

measure charging attributes for the one or more chargeable devices, including to measure for a first chargeable device from the one or more chargeable devices one or more of;

charging throughput, charging rate, impedance of a battery of the first chargeable device, or capacity of the battery of the first chargeable device,

determine, based at least in part on the measured charging attributes and the device information for the first chargeable device, an optimal location relative to a fixed location of the charging system, the optimal location being associated with an improved performance of the charging operation; and

present data to guide a user to change a position of the first chargeable device to another location, relative to the fixed location of the charging system, corresponding to the determined optimal location.