Automatic coupling of an alternating current power source and an inductive power apparatus to charge a target device battery

• US 8,358,103 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vampire Labs, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vampire Labs, LLC
• Inventors: EASTLACK, JEFFREY RAYMOND
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US12/511,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20100001685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters

Abstract

Several methods and systems to perform automatic coupling of an alternating current power source and an inductive power apparatus to charge a target device battery are disclosed. In an embodiment, an inductive battery charging system includes a connection module to determine when a target device is coupled to a charging apparatus comprised of an inductive power apparatus. The system further includes a monitoring module to determine when a target device battery is below a charging threshold while using power from a supplemental power source. In addition, the system includes an activation module to automatically couple the inductive power apparatus and an alternating current power source when a power level of the target device battery is below the charging threshold.

Claims

1. An inductive battery charging system, comprising:

a connection module to determine when a target device is coupled to an inductive power apparatus;

a monitoring module to determine when a target device battery is below a charging threshold while using power from a supplemental power source; and

an activation module to automatically couple the inductive power apparatus and an alternating current power source when a power level of the target device battery is below the charging threshold;

a separation module to automatically decouple the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source when a desired charging state of the target device battery is observed,

wherein the separation module is comprised of a relay switch,

wherein the inductive power apparatus includes at least one of a transformer to inductively generate an electric current, a rectification circuit, and a voltage regulation circuit.

2. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the relay switch of the separation module is deactivated when the target device and the inductive power apparatus are decoupled.

3. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor of the monitoring module coupled to the target device, wherein the processor is used to evaluate a target device battery power level with respect to the charging threshold.

4. The inductive battery charging system of claim 3, further comprising:

a battery monitor coupled to the target device to determine the target device battery power level;

wherein the target device is comprised of a mobile device.

5. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sense feedback loop of the connection module to identify whether the target device is coupled with at least one of the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source;

an input buffer of the connection module to receive a feedback signal; and

an interrupt controller module to generate an interrupt signal determined by the feedback signal received by the input buffer.

6. The inductive battery charging system of claim 4, further comprising:

an output buffer to generate an engage signal to control a coupling state of the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source.

7. The inductive battery charging system of claim 4, further comprising:

a USB module to generate an engage signal to control the coupling state of the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source.

8. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the connection module determines whether the target device and the inductive power apparatus are coupled together by determining whether power is being provided to the target device by the inductive power apparatus.

9. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the supplemental power source is comprised of at least one of a target device battery, a charger system battery and an alternate inductive power apparatus.

10. The inductive battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a bypass module to initiate a charging sequence by electrically coupling the alternating current power source and the inductive power apparatus when a bypass input is detected.

11. An inductive battery charging method, comprising:

identifying whether a target device is coupled to an inductive power apparatus;

determining whether a power level of a target device battery is below a lower charging threshold while using power from a supplemental power source;

automatically engaging the inductive power apparatus and an alternating current power source when a lower available power threshold of a battery is reached;

automatically decoupling the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source when a desired threshold power level of the target device battery is reached, wherein the inductive power apparatus includes at least one of a transformer to inductively generate an electric current, a rectification circuit, and a voltage regulation circuit; and

deactivating an opto-coupled relay of the inductive power apparatus when the target device and the inductive power apparatus are decoupled.

12. The inductive battery charging method of claim 11, wherein the power level of the target device battery is determined using a processor and a battery monitor, and wherein the target device is comprised of a mobile device coupled to the processor and the battery monitor.

13. The inductive battery charging method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying a coupling of the inductive power apparatus and the target device using a sense feedback loop;

receiving a feedback signal using an input buffer;

transmitting an interrupt signal determined in accordance with the feedback signal received by the input buffer; and

adapting a coupling state of the inductive power apparatus and the alternating current power source based on the interrupt signal.

14. An inductive battery charging system, comprising:

a connection module to confirm whether a target device is coupled to an inductive power apparatus, wherein the inductive power apparatus is comprised of a transformer and the target device is comprised of a mobile device;

a sense feedback loop of the connection module to identify whether the target device is coupled to an alternating current power source using at least one of a sense feedback signal and a power transmitted from the alternating current power source to the target device;

a monitoring module to detect whether a target device battery is below a charging threshold while using power from a supplemental power source;

a battery monitor coupled to the target device to determine a target device battery power level;

a processor of the monitoring module coupled to the target device, wherein the processor is used to evaluate the target device battery power level with respect to the charging threshold;

an activation module to automatically couple the target device and the alternating current power source using the inductive power apparatus when the target device battery is below the charging threshold; and

a separation module to automatically decouple the target device and the alternating current power source when a desired charging state of the target device battery is detected by the monitoring module, wherein the separation module is comprised of an opto-coupled relay.