Wireless Charging Pod and Charging Pod Rack for Game Devices with Rechargeable Batteries

• US 20190305567A1
• Filed: 03/27/2019
• Published: 10/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DD Sports, Inc., Shottracker, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shottracker, Inc.
• Inventors: KEELEY, Thomas J., IANNI, Bruce C., ROSS, Davyeon D., KAHLER, Clint A., MAZIARZ, Michael, HERRON, Patrick M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,862,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/00 Devices for handling or treating balls , e.g. for holding or carrying balls
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/21 for calibration; for correcting measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses

Abstract

A wireless charging pod and charging pod rack for sports equipment and game devices, which automatically detects nearby authorized game devices with rechargeable batteries, and automatically initiate and manage charging operations for authorized game devices, and automatically deactivates the charging operations when the rechargeable batteries are fully charged, or the authorized game devices are moved out of wireless charging range.

Claims

1. A wireless charging pod for automatically charging a rechargeable battery in a game device, comprising:

a device receptacle configured to hold the game device;

b) a proximity sensor configured to continuously detect whether an object is on or near the receptacle;

c) a memory for storing a charge control program, a receive signal strength threshold (RSST) and a nearby device status table;

d) a wireless charging transmitting circuit;

e) a radio frequency transceiver; and

f) a microcontroller;

g) wherein the charge control program includes program instructions that, when executed by the microcontroller, will cause the microcontroller to

(i) activate the radio frequency transceiver to continuously detect and receive a plurality of advertising packets broadcasted by a plurality of game devices within range of the radio frequency transceiver, each advertising packet including a universal unique identifier (UUID) and a media access control (MAC) address,

(ii) for each advertising packet received from a game device, determine based on the UUID that the game device is authorized for recharging, calculate a current received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for the game device, and store the MAC address and the current RSSI for the game device in the nearby device status table,

(iii)responsive to a detection by the proximity sensor that an object is on or near the receptacle, automatically identify a closest game device based on the current RSSI recorded in the nearby device status table for said closest game device,

(iv)activate the radio frequency transceiver to use the MAC address recorded in the nearby device status table for said closest game device to establish a one-to-one radio frequency data communications link with said closest game device; and

(v) activate the wireless charging transmitting circuit to produce an electromagnetic field in a zone adjacent to the receptacle;

h) whereby the electromagnetic field energizes a corresponding wireless charging receiving circuit in the closest game device to start recharging the rechargeable battery in said closet game device.

2. The wireless charging pod of claim 1, further comprising:

a) a receive signal strength threshold (RSST) stored in the memory; and

b) wherein the program instructions in the charge control program will not permit the microcontroller and radio frequency transceiver to establish the one-to-one radio frequency data communications link with the closet game device unless the current received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for said closest game device meets or exceeds the received signal strength threshold (RSST) in the memory.

3. The wireless charging pod of claim 1, further comprising:

a) a receive signal strength threshold (RSST) stored in the memory; and

b) wherein the program instructions in the charge control program will not permit the microcontroller to activate the wireless charging transmitting circuit to start recharging the rechargeable battery in said closest game device unless the current received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for said closest game device meets or exceeds the received signal strength threshold (RSST) in the memory.

4. The wireless charging pod of claim 1, wherein the charge control program further comprises program instructions configured to cause the microcontroller to:

a) receive via the one-to-one radio frequency communications link a charging confirmation message transmitted by said closest game device, the charging confirmation message indicating that said closest game device is detecting said electromagnetic field; and

b) deactivate the wireless charging transmission circuit if the charging confirmation message is not received from said closest game device over said one-to-one radio frequency data communications link.

5. The wireless charging pod of claim 4, wherein the charge control program further comprises program instructions configured to cause the microcontroller to:

a) deactivate the wireless charging transmission circuit;

b) receive via the one-to-one radio frequency communications link a deactivation verification message transmitted by said closest game device, the deactivation verification message indicating that said closest game device detected the deactivation of the electromagnetic field; and

c) reactivate the wireless charging transmission circuit if the deactivation verification message is received from said closest game device over said one-to-one radio frequency data communications link after the wireless charging transmission circuit is deactivated.

6. The wireless charging pod of claim 1, wherein the charge control program further comprises program instructions configured to cause the microcontroller to:

a) receive via the one-to-one radio frequency communications link an alignment status message transmitted by said closest game device, the alignment status message indicating a measure of alignment between the wireless charging transmitting circuit and the wireless charging receiving circuit of said closest game device;

b) retrieve an alignment threshold from the memory; and

c) deactivate the wireless charging transmission circuit if the measure of alignment received from the game device over the one-to-one radio frequency data communications link does not meet or exceed the alignment threshold.

7. The wireless charging pod of claim 1, wherein the charge control program further comprises program instructions configured to cause the microprocessor to:

a) receive over the one-to-one radio frequency communications link a battery full confirmation message transmitted by said closest game device, the battery full confirmation message indicating that the level of charge in the rechargeable battery of said closest game device is at 100% charge capacity;

b) deactivate the wireless charging transmission circuit if the battery full confirmation message is received from said closest game device over said one-to-one radio frequency data communications link.

8. ) The wireless charging pod of claim 1, further comprising:

a) a concavity on an upper surface of the receptacle, the concavity being configured to receive and support a semi-spherical shaped bottom surface on said closest game device while said closest game device is located on the receptacle;

b) a printed circuit board located beneath the upper surface of the receptacle, the printed circuit board having a hole of sufficient size and shape so that at least a portion of the concavity on the upper surface of the receptacle extends through the hole in the printed circuit board; and

c) a charge transmission coil located on the printed circuit board and surrounding the circumference of the hole in the printed circuit board, the charge transmission coil being connected to the wireless charging transmission circuit in the wireless charging pod;

d) wherein the concavity on the receptacle, the hole in the printed circuit board and charge transmitting coil on the printed circuit board are arranged to permit at least a portion of said closest game device to be seated below the plane of hole in the printed circuit board, and thereby decrease the distance between the charge transmission coil and a charge receiving coil located in the closest game device.

9. A wireless charging pod for a game device the game device GD-1 having a rechargeable battery RBT, a first microcontroller unit MCU-1, a first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1 and a wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery RBT so that energizing the wireless charging receiving circuit RC-1. will increase a charge V stored in the rechargeable battery RBT, the wireless charging pod comprising:

a) a memory;

b) a receive signal strength threshold (RSST) stored in the memory;

c) a device receptacle R1 configured to hold the game device GD-1;

d) a wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1, connected to the device receptacle RI, that produces an electromagnetic field EF-1 that will energize the wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 if the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 is activated while the wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 is within range of the electromagnetic field EF-1;

e) a second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2 configured to (A) establish a first data communications link L1 for exchanging messages with the first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1 on the game device GD-1, and (B) receive, via the first data communications link L1, a first message M1 transmitted by the first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1 on the game device GD-1;

f) a second microcontroller unit MCU-2 that controls activation and deactivation of the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1; and

g) a charge control program in the memory, the charge control program containing program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2, causes the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 to

(vi) send a signal to the second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2 that causes the second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2 to (A) establish a first data communications link L1 for exchanging messages with the first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1 on the game device GD-1, and (B) receive, via the first data communications link L1, a first message MI transmitted by the first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1 on the game device GD-1;

(vii) determine a receive signal strength indication (RSSI) for the first data communications link LI based on the first message M1,

viii) compare the receive signal strength indication (RSSI) to the receive signal strength threshold (RSST), and

(ix) activate the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 connected to the first receptacle R1 when the receive signal strength indication (RSSI) is greater than or equal to the receive signal strength threshold (RSST);

h) whereby the electromagnetic field EF-1 produced by the activation of the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 energizes the wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1, thereby increasing the charge V stored in the rechargeable battery RBT connected to the game device GD-1.

10. The wireless charging pod of claim 9, wherein the charge control program further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 on the wireless charging pod, prevent activation of the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 connected to the receptacle R1 when the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 determines that that the receive signal strength indication RSSI for the first data communications link L1 is less than the receive signal strength threshold RSST.

11. The wireless charging pod of claim 9, wherein:

a) the memory on the wireless charging pod stores an authorized device identifier;

b) the first message M1 received by the second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2 further includes a unique user identifier (UUID) for the game device GD-1; and

c) the charge control program further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 on the wireless charging pod, causes the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 to (i) compare the unique user identifier (UUID) to the authorized device code, and (ii) activate the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 connected to the receptacle R1 only when the unique user identifier (UUID) matches the authorized device identifier.

12. The wireless charging pod of claim 9, wherein:

a) the second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2 receives and stores in the memory an end-of-charge message transmitted over the first data communications link L1 by the first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1; and

b) the charge control program further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 on the wireless charging pod, will cause the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 to deactivate the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 connected to the receptacle R1 in response to the receipt of the end-of-charge message,

c) whereby the deactivation of the wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2. removes the electromagnetic field energizing the wireless charging receiving circuit, and thereby stops increasing the charge V stored in the rechargeable battery RB connected to the game device GD-1.

13. The wireless charging pod of claim 9, wherein:

a) the second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2 is configured to periodically receive, via the first data communications link L1, a charging status indication transmitted by the first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1; and

b) the charge control program further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 on the wireless charging pod, will cause the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 to (ii) monitor the periodically received charging status indication while the second wireless charging circuit is activated, and (ii) deactivate the second wireless charging circuit connected to the receptacle when the periodically received charging status indication indicates that rechargeable battery RBT connected to the game device GD-1 is not charging;

c) whereby the deactivation of the wireless charging transmission circuit WCTC-1 eliminates the electromagnetic field EF-1 produced by the wireless charging transmission circuit WCTC-1 and stops increasing the charge V stored in the rechargeable battery RBT connected to the game device GD-1.

14. The wireless charging pod of claim 9, wherein:

a) the second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2 is further configured to receive, via the first data communications link L1, a second message M2 transmitted by the first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1 on the game device GD-1; and

b) the charge control program further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit on the wireless charging pod, will cause the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 to)

(i) calculate an updated receive signal strength indication URSSI based on the second message M2 received from the game device GD-1,

(ii) compare the updated receive signal strength indication URSSI to the receive strength signal threshold RSST, and

(iii)deactivate the wireless charging transmission circuit WCTC-1 connected to the receptacle R1 when the updated receive signal strength indication URSSI is less than the receive signal strength threshold RSST;

c) whereby the deactivation of the wireless charging transmission circuit WCTC-1 eliminates the electromagnetic field EF-1 produced by the wireless charging transmission circuit WCTC-1 and stops increasing the charge V stored in the rechargeable battery RBT connected to the game device GD-1.

15. A wireless charging pod rack for two or more game devices, the two or more game devices each having a rechargeable battery RBT, a device microcontroller unit DMCU, a device radio frequency transceiver DRFT and a wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery RB such that energizing the wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC will increase a charge V stored in the rechargeable battery RBT, the wireless charging pod rack comprising:

a) a first wireless charging pod comprising a first memory, a first receive signal strength threshold (RSST-1) stored in the first memory, and a first receptacle R1 configured to hold a first game device GD-1;

b) a first wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1, connected to the first device receptacle R1, which produces a first electromagnetic field EF-1 that will energize a first wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 of the first game device GD-1 if the first wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 is activated while the first wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 of the first game device GD-1 is within range of the first electromagnetic field EF-1;

c) a first radio frequency transceiver RFT-1, connected to the first wireless charging pod, configured to (A) establish a first data communications link L1 for exchanging messages with a first device radio frequency transceiver DRFT-1 on the first game device GD-1, and (B) receive, via the first data communications link L1, a first message M1 transmitted by the first game device GD-1;

d) a first microcontroller unit MCU-1 that controls activation and deactivation of the first wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 of the first receptacle R1;

e) a second wireless charging pod comprising a second memory, a second receive signal strength threshold (RSST-2) stored in the second memory, a second receptacle R2 configured to hold a second game device GD-2;

f) a second wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-2, connected to the second ball receptacle R2, which produces a second electromagnetic field EF-2 that will energize a second wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-2 of the second game device GD-2 if the second wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-2 is activated while the second wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-2 of the second game device GD-2 is within range of the second electromagnetic field EF-2;

g) a second radio frequency transceiver RFT-2, connected to the second wireless charging pod, configured to (A) establish a second data communications link L2 for exchanging messages with a second device radio frequency transceiver DRFT-2 on the second game device GD-2, and (B) receive, via the second data communications link L2, a second message M2 transmitted by the second game device GD-2;

h) a second microcontroller unit MCU-2 that controls activation and deactivation of the second wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-2 connected to the second receptacle R2;

i) a first charge control program in the first memory, the first charge control program comprising program instructions that, when executed by the first microcontroller unit MCU-1 unit, causes the first microcontroller unit MCU-1 to

i) determine a first receive signal strength indication RSSI-1 for the first data communications link Li based on the first message M1,

(ii) compare the first receive signal strength indication RSSI-1 to the first receive signal strength threshold RSST-1, and

(iii) activate the first wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 connected to the first receptacle RI when the first receive signal strength indication RSSI-1 is greater than or equal to the first receive signal strength threshold RSST-1, and

j) a second charge control program in the second memory, the second charge control program comprising program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 unit or the second microcontroller unit MCU-2, causes the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 to

(i) determine a second receive signal strength indication RSST-2 for the second data communications link L2 based on the second message M2,

(ii) compare the second receive signal strength indication RSSI-2 to the second receive signal strength threshold RSST-2, and

(iii) activate the second wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-2 connected to the second receptacle R2 when the second receive signal strength indication RSSI-2 is greater than or equal to the second receive signal strength threshold RSST-2;

k) whereby

(i) the first wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 of the game device GD-1 is energized by the first electromagnetic field EF-1 produced by the first wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 of the first wireless charging pod, thereby increasing a charge V1 stored in a first rechargeable battery RBT-1 connected to the first game device GD-1, and

(ii) the second wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-2 of the second game device GD-2 is energized by the second electromagnetic field EF-2 produced by the second wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-2 of the second wireless charging pod, thereby increasing a charge V2 stored in a second rechargeable battery RBT-2 connected to the second game device GD-2.

16. The wireless charging pod rack of claim 15, wherein the first receive signal strength threshold RSST-1 and the second receive signal strength threshold RSST-2 are of equal value.

17. The wireless charging pod rack of claim 15, wherein:

a) the first electromagnetic field EF-1 will energize the second wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-2 of the second game device GD-2 if the first wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-1 is activated while the second wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-2 of the second game device GD-2 is within range of the first electromagnetic field EF-1; and

b) the second electromagnetic field EF-2 will energize the first wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 of the first game device GD-1 if the second wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-2 is activated while the first wireless charging receiving circuit WCRC-1 of the first game device GD-1 is within range of the second electromagnetic field EF-2.

18. The wireless charging pod rack of claim 17, wherein the first charge control program further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the first microcontroller unit MCU-1 on the first wireless charging pod, prevent activation of the first wireless charging circuit WCTC-1 connected to the first receptacle R1 when the first microcontroller unit MCU-1 determines that the first receive signal strength indication RSSI-1 for the first data communications link L1 is less than the first receive signal strength threshold RSST-1.

19. The wireless charging pod rack of claim 17, wherein the second charge control program further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 on the second wireless charging pod, prevent activation of the second wireless charging transmitting circuit WCTC-2 connected to the second receptacle R2 when the second microcontroller unit MCU-2 determines that that the second receive signal strength indication RSSI-2 for the second data communications link L2 is less than the second receive signal strength threshold RSST-2.

20. A method for automatically charging a rechargeable battery in a game device using a wireless charging pod, the method comprising:

a) activating a radio frequency transceiver on the wireless charging pod to continuously detect and receive a plurality of advertising packets broadcasted by a plurality of game devices within range of the radio frequency transceiver, each advertising packet including a universal unique identifier (UUID) and a media access control (MAC) address,

b) for each advertising packet received from a game device, determining based on the UUID that the game device is authorized for recharging, calculate a current received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for the game device;

c) storing the MAC address and the current RSSI for the game device in a nearby device status table in a memory of the wireless charging pod;

d) detecting with a proximity sensor on the wireless charging pod that an object is on or near a receptacle on the wireless charging pod, the receptacle being configured to hold and support the game device;

e) responsive to said detection of the object by the proximity sensor, automatically identifying a closest game device based on the current RSSI stored in the nearby device status table for said closest game device;

f) causing a radio frequency transceiver on the wireless charging pod to use the MAC address recorded in the nearby device status table for said closest game device to establish a one-to-one radio frequency data communications link with said closest game device; and

g) activating a wireless charging transmitting circuit on the wireless charging pod to produce an electromagnetic field in a zone adjacent to the receptacle;

h) whereby the electromagnetic field energizes a corresponding wireless charging receiving circuit in the closest game device to start recharging the rechargeable battery in said closet game device.