Proximity detection alarm for an inductively charged mobile computing device

• US 8,525,688 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Manjirnath, Skillman, Peter N., Matsuoka, Yoshimichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US12/987,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 343/906, 340/5.74, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/545.3, 320/108
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation

Abstract

Illustrated is a system and method to activate an alarm where a mobile computing device is no longer proximate to a docking station that provides inductive charging and data transfer capabilities for the mobile computing device. The computer system includes at least one coil to provide inductive charging for a mobile computing device. Further, the computer system includes a processor to control the inductive charging of the mobile computing device. Additionally, the computer system includes a proximity sensor operatively connected to the processor, the proximity sensor to determine that the mobile computing device is proximate to the computer system. Moreover, the computer system includes an alarm logic module to activate an alarm when the mobile computing device is no longer proximate to the computer system.

Claims

1. A charging system comprising:

at least one coil to provide inductive charging for a mobile computing device;

a processor to control the inductive charging of the mobile computing device;

a proximity sensor operatively connected to the processor and positioned with respect to a surface of the charging system, the proximity sensor to determine when the mobile computing device is proximate to the surface of the charging system so that the mobile computing device can be inductively charged by the at least one coil; and

wherein the processor implements an alarm logic module to (i) set an alarm in response to the proximity sensor determining that the mobile computing device is proximate to the surface of the charging system, and (ii) activate the alarm when the mobile computing device is no longer proximate to the surface of the charging system.

2. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the charging system includes at least one of a docking station, smart phone, slate computer, printer, or display device.

3. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor includes are least one of a proximity switch, a mechanical switch, an acoustic sensor, a Hall-Effect sensor, or an Infra-Red (IR) sensor.

4. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the alarm module activates the alarm by outputting at least one of a visual or audible indicia.

5. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor determines that the mobile computing device is proximate to the surface of the charging system when the mobile computing device is between 0-2 mm in distance from the surface of the charging system.

6. A mobile computing device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display screen to receive user input;

a speaker; and

a processor coupled to the touch-sensitive display screen and the speaker, the processor to;

receive a user input, via the touch-sensitive display screen, to activate proximity detection for the mobile computing device, the proximity detection to detect when the mobile computing device is receiving an inductive signal from a charging device;

determine, via the proximity detection, that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal from the charging device as a result of the mobile computing device being moved away from a surface of the charging device; and

in response to determining that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal, causing the speaker to output an audible indicia.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 6, further comprising a Light Emitting Diode (LED), wherein the processor causes the LED to provide a visual indicia in response to determining that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 6, wherein the processor determines that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal by determining that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving data from the charging device as a result of the mobile computing device being moved away from the surface of the charging device.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 6, wherein the proximity detection sets a Boolean value denoting that the mobile computing device is to receive the inductive signal.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor, in response to determining that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal, sets the Boolean value to denote that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal in order to cause the speaker to output an audible indicia.

11. A computer implemented method for operating a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input, via a touch-sensitive display screen, to activate proximity detection for the mobile computing device, the proximity detection to detect when the mobile computing device is receiving an inductive signal from a charging device;

determining, via the proximity detection, that an the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal from the charging device as a result of the mobile computing device no longer being proximate to a surface of the charging device; and

in response to determining that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal, causing a speaker of the mobile computing device to output an audible indicia.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the charging device includes at least one of a docking station, smart phone, slate computer, printer, or display device.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein determining that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving the inductive signal includes determining that the mobile computing device is no longer receiving data from the charging device as a result of the mobile computing device no longer being proximate to the surface of the charging device.