Wireless powering and charging station

• US 8,294,300 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cook, Nigel P., Sieber, Lukas, Widmer, Hanspeter
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/353,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 320108-109
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/025 using non-contact coupling, e.g. inductive, capacitive

Abstract

A base including a magnetically resonant antenna therein for relaying energy to a portable device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a holder having a plurality of surfaces that are shaped to contact a plurality of outer surfaces of a portable electronic device and to secure the portable electronic device in a position, the portable electronic device including a wireless power receive element coupled to a load; and

a resonant circuit within the holder, said resonant circuit including a coil in series with a capacitive element, said resonant circuit comprising a parasitic antenna having an inductive-capacitive value that is tuned to a frequency and configured to, when in operation, receive power from a wireless field generated by a transmitter, and that repeats wirelessly received power to the wireless power receive element of the portable electronic device at a power level sufficient to charge or power the load, the resonant circuit having no wired connection to the load.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said resonant circuit is integrated in a location that substantially defines a perimeter of the portable electronic device.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein said perimeter of the holder is substantially disk shaped.

4. A system as in claim 2, wherein inner surfaces of the holder are sized to hold a portable phone.

5. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter, wherein said transmitter generates an electromagnetic field at a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said resonant circuit.

6. A system as in claim 1, further comprising electrical contacts that connect to the portable electronic device.

7. A system as in claim 6, wherein said resonant circuit further comprises a coupling loop, electrically separate from the coil and capacitive element, and wherein said coil and capacitive element are not electrically connected to said electrical contacts.

8. A system comprising:

a transmitter configured to, when in operation, transmit an electromagnetic field at a first frequency, said transmitter having a transmitter inductive element and a capacitor, the transmitter having an inductive-capacitive value that is tuned to resonate at a resonance frequency corresponding to said first frequency; and

a holder, having a plurality of surfaces that are shaped to contact a plurality of outer surfaces of a portable electronic device and to secure the portable electronic device in a position, the portable electronic device including a wireless power receive element coupled to a load, the holder having a resonant circuit therein, said resonant circuit having a resonant circuit inductive coil in series with a capacitive element, said resonant circuit comprising a parasitic antenna having an inductive-capacitive value that is tuned to resonate at a resonance frequency corresponding to said first frequency and that repeats wirelessly received power to the wireless power receive element of the portable electronic device at a power level sufficient to charge or power the load, the resonant circuit having no wired connection to the load.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein said resonant circuit is integrated in a location that substantially defines a perimeter of the portable electronic device.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein said perimeter of the holder is substantially disk shaped.

11. A system as in claim 8, wherein inner surfaces of the holder are sized to contact a plurality of outer surfaces of a portable electronic device and to secure the portable electronic device in a position.

12. A system as in claim 8, further comprising electrical contacts that connect to the portable electronic device.

13. A system as in claim 8, wherein said resonant circuit further comprises a coupling loop, electrically separate from the resonant circuit inductive coil and the capacitive element, and wherein said resonant circuit inductive coil and capacitive element are not electrically connected to said contacts.

14. A system comprising:

a portable electronic device having a housing,

said portable electronic device having a receiver configured to receive wirelessly transmitted power from a resonant circuit comprising a parasitic antenna that is configured to, when in operation, receive power from a wireless field generated by a transmitter and a transmit element and that repeats wirelessly received power, the receiver including a receive circuit having a receiver element and a ferrite rod coupled to a load, the resonant circuit having no wired connection to the load, and

the received wirelessly transmitted power operating at least one circuit within the portable electronic device.

15. A system as in claim 14, wherein said receive circuit is integrated in a location that defines at least a portion of a perimeter of the portable electronic device.

16. A system as in claim 14, further comprising a holder having inner surfaces sized to hold a portable phone.

17. A system as in claim 14, further comprising a transmitter, wherein said transmitter generates an electromagnetic field at a frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit.

18. A system as in claim 14, wherein said resonant circuit includes a resonant circuit coil in series with a capacitor.

19. A system comprising:

a portable electronic device having a housing with an outer shape that has a first portion that is elongated along a first axis relative to a second portion,

said portable electronic device having a receiver configured to receive wirelessly transmitted power from a resonant circuit comprising a parasitic antenna that is configured to, when in operation, receive power from a transmitter and a transmit element and that repeats wirelessly received power,

said repeated wirelessly received power operating at least one circuit within the portable electronic device,

and said receiver including a receive circuit having a receiver element coupled to a load that includes a ferrite rod that extends substantially parallel to the first axis, the resonant circuit having no wired connection to the load.

20. A system comprising:

a holder having a plurality of surfaces that are shaped to contact a plurality of outer surfaces of a portable electronic device and to secure the portable electronic device in a position, the holder having a coupling element connected to electrical contacts that are configured to connect to the portable electronic device; and

a resonant circuit within the holder, said resonant circuit having a resonant circuit coil in series with a capacitive portion and having an inductive-capacitive value that is tuned to a frequency, the resonant circuit configured to, when in operation, receive power from a wireless field generated by a transmitter and a transmit element and, the resonant circuit repeating wirelessly received power to the coupling element, the resonant circuit having no wired connection to the coupling element.

21. A system as in claim 20, wherein said resonant circuit further comprises a coupling loop, electrically separate from the resonant circuit coil and capacitive portion, and wherein said resonant circuit coil and capacitive element are not electrically connected to said electrical contacts.

22. A system as in claim 20, wherein said resonant circuit is configured to wirelessly receive power, and wherein said holder is configured to transfer power to the portable electronic device through said electrical contacts.

23. A system as in claim 20, wherein said holder is coupled to a power source through a wired connection, and wherein the resonant circuit is configured to wirelessly transfer power to the portable electronic device.

24. A system comprising:

means for securing a portable electronic device, the means for securing shaped to contact a plurality of outer surfaces of the portable electronic device and to secure the portable electronic device in a position, the portable electronic device including a receive element coupled to a load; and

means for resonating in response to a wireless field, said means for resonating being disposed within the means for securing the portable electronic device, said means for resonating comprising a parasitic antenna having an inductive-capacitive value that is tuned to a frequency and configured to, when in operation, receive power from a transmitter and a transmit coil and that repeats wirelessly received power to the receive element of the portable electronic device at a power level sufficient to charge or power the load, the means for resonating having no wired connection to the load.

25. A method comprising:

operating a resonant circuit as a parasitic antenna having an inductive-capacitive value that is tuned to a frequency, wherein the resonant circuit is within a holder having a plurality of surfaces that are shaped to contact a plurality of outer surfaces of a portable electronic device and to secure the portable electronic device in a position, the portable electronic device including a wireless power receive element coupled to a load;

receiving power from a wireless field generated by a transmitter; and

repeating wirelessly received power to the wireless power receive element of the portable electronic device at a power level sufficient to charge or power the load, the resonant circuit having no wired connection to the load.