Inductive signal transfer system for computing devices

• US 8,712,324 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Corbridge, Mark, Chatterjee, Manjirnath, Lehr, Michael, Hessenflow, Allan, Neubarth, Stuart, Rasco, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US12/478,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/572, 455/573, 455/574, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/274, 455/280, 455/284, 455/286, 455/292
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 50/80 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

At least two devices are provided that can each form part of a system to inductively exchange power and data. One device is capable of inductively transmitting a power signal to a second device, and to receive feedback from the second device in order to regulate the power signal.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

a first computing device and a second computing device that are each configured to (i) inductively transmit or inductively receive a power signal, and (ii) inductively communicate data using a communication protocol; and

wherein each of the first and second computing devices is configured to inductively communicate data by inductively signaling data packets that are structured in accordance with the communication protocol, which includes at least one of (i) an initial data packet that is transmitted repeatedly until an acknowledgement response data packet is received, or (ii) the acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted in response to receiving the initial data packet;

wherein the first and second computing device are configured to inductively signal data in response to being brought into sufficient proximity to one another.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the first and second computing devices include data packets for authenticating or enumerating at least one of the first or second computing devices.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second computing devices inductively transmits power to the other device and regulates the power signal in response to data indicative of a voltage or current state of the other device, and wherein each of the first and second computing devices includes one or more coils to signal power and data.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first and second computing devices are configured to automatically communicate with one another using a radio frequency communication medium upon the first and second computing devices being inductively coupled using the communication protocol.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the communication protocol enables data that is indicative of power requirements of at least one of the first or second computing devices to be inductively communicated amongst the first and second computing devices, and wherein said data is used to modulate the power signal to accommodate the power requirements indicated by the said data.

6. The computing device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first or second computing devices inductively signals data using the communication protocol by pulse modulating the inductively transmitted power signal.

7. A computing system comprising:

a mobile computing device and an accessory device that are each configured to (i) inductively transmit or inductively receive a power signal, and (ii) inductively communicate data using a communication protocol; and

wherein each of the mobile computing device and the accessory device is configured to inductively communicate data by inductively signaling data packets that are structured in accordance with the communication protocol, which includes at least one of (i) an initial data packet that is transmitted repeatedly until an acknowledgement response data packet is received, or (ii) the acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted in response to receiving the initial data packet;

wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device are configured to inductively signal data in response to being brought into sufficient proximity to one another.

8. The computing system of claim 7, wherein data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the mobile computing device and the accessory device include data packets for authenticating or enumerating the at least one of the mobile computing device or the accessory device.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the mobile computing device or the accessory device inductively transmits power to the other device and regulates the power signal in response to data indicative of a voltage or current state of the other device.

10. The computing device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the mobile computing device or the accessory device signals the data in real-time in order to enable the other device to regulate the power signal, and wherein the communication protocol is a real-time protocol for regulating the transmitted power signal.

11. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the mobile computing device includes processing resources to signal a feedback to the accessory device that includes data to indicate one or more power conditions on the mobile computing device.

12. The computing system of claim 11, wherein the accessory device includes processing resources to respond to the feedback by modulating an output level of the power signal in order to supply more or less power to the mobile computing device.

13. The computing system of claim 12, wherein the processing resources operative on the accessory device detect, from the feedback, whether power leakage is occurring in signaling the power.

14. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device are configured to implement the real-time protocol by inductively transmitting a data signal at the same time as communicating the power signal.

15. An accessory device for a mobile computing device, the accessory device comprising:

one or more coils which are coupled to a power source in order to establish an inductive link with the mobile computing device; and

processing resources configured to;

control a power signal that is inductively transmitted to the mobile computing device using the one or more coils;

wherein the accessory device is configured to inductively signal data to the mobile computing device using a communication protocol in which the accessory device modulates an inductive data signal that communicates data packets which are structured in accordance with the communication protocol;

wherein data packets that are inductively communicated to the mobile computing device using the one or more coils, in accordance with the communication protocol, include an initial data packet that is repeatedly transmitted from the accessory device until an acknowledgement data packet is inductively received from the mobile computing device.

16. The accessory device of claim 15, wherein the processing resources controls the power signal by (i) identifying at least one of current conditions or voltage conditions on the mobile computing device, and (ii) varying a magnitude of the power signal based on the identified conditions.

17. The accessory device of claim 15, further comprising:

an inductive receiver that is coupled to the processing resources and to at least one of the one or more coils;

wherein the inductive receiver communicates data that is indicative of the one or more current or voltage conditions to the processing resources.

18. A computing device comprising:

one or more coils;

processing resources, operative with the one or more coils, to (i) detect a power signal that is inductively transmitted over the one or more coils from an accessory device, and (ii) signal a feedback to the accessory device that includes data that is indicative of a voltage or current condition on the computing device;

wherein the computing device is configured to inductively signal data packets to the accessory device using a communication protocol;

wherein the data packets that are inductively communicated to the accessory device, in accordance with the communication protocol, include an acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted from the computing device in response to the computing device being brought into sufficient proximity or contact with the accessory device to inductively receive an initial data packet.

19. The computing device of claim 18, further comprising a housing that contains a plurality of components of the computing device, and wherein the one or more coils are embedded within a housing segment that comprises a portion of the housing, apart from a remainder of the housing.

20. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the processing resources are configured to signal the feedback inductively using one of the one or more coils.

21. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the processing resources, the one or more coils, and the housing segment are modularized into one manufactured unit.

22. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the data packets that are inductively communicated to the accessory device include data packets for authenticating or enumerating the computing device to the accessory device.

23. The computing device of claim 22, wherein the accessory device is configured to enable or disable one or more features in response to receiving the data packets for authenticating or enumerating the computing device.

24. An accessory device for a computing device, the accessory device comprising:

one or more coils;

processing resources, operative with the one or more coils, to (i) inductively transmit a power signal over the one or more coils to the computing device, and (ii) respond to a feedback signal communicated from the computing device that includes data to indicate how the accessory device is to modulate the power signal based on a power level or consumption on the computing device;

wherein the accessory device and the computing device are configured to inductively signal data to one another using a communication protocol;

wherein data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the computing device and the accessory device, in accordance with the communication protocol, include an initial data packet that is repeatedly transmitted from the accessory device until an acknowledgement data packet is received from the computing device.

25. The accessory device of claim 24, wherein the feedback signal is inductively received using the one or more coils.

26. The accessory device of claim 24, wherein the processing resources include one or more processors.

27. The accessory device of claim 24, further comprising a housing that includes a platform to support a back face of the computing device.

28. The accessory device of claim 27, wherein the platform includes one or more magnets that are positioned to magnetically couple to correspondingly positioned magnetically attractive material on the back face of the computing device.

29. The accessory device of claim 24, wherein the data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the computing device and the accessory device include data packets for authenticating or enumerating the computing device to the accessory device.

30. The accessory device of claim 29, wherein the accessory device is configured to enable or disable one or more features in response to receiving the data packets for authenticating or enumerating the computing device.

31. A device comprising:

one or more coils positioned on the device to establish an inductive link with a second device;

one or more power components to receive power from a power source and to generate a power signal to be provided over the inductive link; and

processing resources to;

maintain the device in a low power state in which the one or more coils are substantially not powered;

detect the second device positioned to be inductively linked with the device; and

respond to detecting the second device by transmitting the power signal using the one or more coils;

wherein each of the device and the second device are configured to inductively signal data to one another using a communication protocol in which one or both devices modulate an inductive data signal that communicates data packets which are structured in accordance with the communication protocol;

wherein the data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the device and the second device, in accordance with the communication protocol, include (i) an initial data packet that is repeatedly transmitted from at least the device until an acknowledgement response data packet is received from the second device, and (ii) the acknowledgement response data packet that is transmitted from at least the second device in response to the second device being brought into sufficient proximity or contact with the device to inductively receive the initial data packet.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein in the low power state, the processing resources are configured to activate the one or more coils for short, intermittent durations in order to determine whether the second device is positioned to be inductively linked with the device.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein the processing resources are configured to activate the one or more coils in response to detecting the second device by identifying one or more of (i) an identity of the second device, (ii) a type of the second device, or (iii) one or more capabilities of the second device.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the data packets that are inductively communicated amongst the device and the second device include data packets for authenticating or enumerating the device to the second device.

35. A method for operating a device to inductively link with a second device, the method comprising:

maintaining the device in a low power state in which one or more coils are substantially not powered;

repeatedly checking for the second device to be sufficiently proximate to the device to enable the two devices to be to be inductively linked;

responding to detecting the second device by inductively signaling a power signal to the second device using the one or more coils; and

inductively exchanging data with the second device in order to regulate the power signal that is signaled to the second device;

wherein inductively exchanging data includes using a communication protocol to exchange data.