Inductive power adapter

• US 7,378,817 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mitchell, William, Calhoon, John Charles, Keely, Leroy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane; Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Samuel
• Application Number:
  US10/733,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/108, 320/132, 320/136
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

An inductive power systems transfers energy by inductively coupling a source coil on a power source to a receiver coil on a power portion of a power adapter. The source current is received in the power adapter and converted to direct current for transmission to a computer system. Wireless communication between a power source and the power adapter is provided. A wireless communication arrangement provides for authentication of devices that are allowed by a source to be powered.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured for receiving inductive energy and providing power to a host device, comprising:

a memory for storing computer readable data relevant to receiving the inductive energy;

a processor unit for processing the computer readable data and for processing data communications with a computer system, wherein the processor unit is programmed to operate in a polling listening mode;

a coil controlled by the processor unit to receive an inductive data communication by listening for an inductive source to alternate between an energized and a de-energized state at regular intervals while in the polling listening mode and configured for receiving the inductive energy;

a power supply operatively coupled to the coil and receiving the inductive energy from the coil, the power supply configured to convert the inductive energy from the coil to a direct current; and

a power port for receiving the direct current from the power supply and outputting the direct current from the power supply to a host device.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the processor unit is configured to provide authentication data for inductive energy reception.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a communications device operatively coupled to the coil.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, in which the communications device is configured to receive the computer readable data and transmit the data to the coil.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the processor unit is configured to provide a plurality of power parameters to a power source which provides the inductive energy.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the processor unit is configured to provide a digital security certificate to a power source.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the processor unit is configured to send data to the computer system so as to indicate it is receiving inductive energy.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, further comprising an antenna and a communications device configured to receive the computer readable data and configured to transmit the data to the antenna for wireless data communications to a power source.

9. A computer implemented method of providing inductive energy to a power adapter of a portable electronic host device the power adapter having a processor unit for processing computer readable data, comprising the steps of:

using the processor unit to control a pickup coil in the power adapter to wirelessly receive an inductive polling message from a source by listening for an inductive charging source to alternate between an energized and a de-energized state at regular intervals;

transmitting a request for power to the charging source via said pickup oil responsive to the polling message;

receiving inductive power from the charging source via said Pickup oil responsive to the transmitted request;

displaying an object on a graphical user interface, in response to the step of receiving, in order to visually indicate that external power is being received by the power adapter, wherein the displayed object visually differentiates between the power adapter receiving external inductive power and external utility power;

converting the inductive power to a direct current; and

outputting the direct current via a power port to the portable electronic host device.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, in which the step of transmitting includes a step of transmitting power parameters to the source.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9, in which the step of transmitting includes a step of transmitting authenticating data to the source.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9, further including a step of converting the inductive power to a direct current responsive to the step of receiving.

13. The method in accordance with claim 9, further including a step of transmitting data to a computer system for indicating the step of receiving inductive power.

14. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the step of displaying an object on a graphical user interface includes displaying an icon.