Receiver for near field communication and wireless power functionalities

• US 8,983,374 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wiley, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jia, Xin
• Application Number:
  US13/224,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20120149301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/573, 455/572
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to a coexistence of NFC and wireless power functionalities. A device may include an antenna configured to receive a signal. The device may further include a communication circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in a default mode of operation. The device may further include a wireless power circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a signal;

a frequency detector configured to detect a frequency of the signal and to determine if the signal is to power or charge a load based on the detected frequency, the detected frequency having a first frequency value if the signal is to power or charge the load, the detected frequency having a second frequency value if the signal is to communicate, the second frequency value different from the first frequency value;

a communication circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in a default mode of operation;

a wireless power circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in a wireless power mode based on the detected frequency having the first frequency value; and

a controller configured to delay a transition from the default mode to the wireless power mode until an active communication by the communication circuit is finished.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit comprises a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one switching element configured to selectively couple the communication circuit to the antenna and selectively couple the wireless power circuit to the antenna.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the at least one switching element is configured to selectively decouple the wireless power circuit from the antenna in the default mode of operation and selectively decouple the NFC circuit from the antenna in the wireless power mode.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to the frequency detector and further configured to convey one or more signals to the at least one switching element to selectively couple the communication circuit to the antenna and selectively couple the wireless power circuit to the antenna based on a frequency value received from the frequency detector.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to convey one or more signals to the at least one switching element to selectively decouple the communication circuit from the antenna in the wireless power mode.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to convey one or more signals to the at least one switching element to selectively decouple the wireless power circuit from the antenna in the default mode.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the frequency detector is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the antenna and the wireless power circuit.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna tuning element coupled between the antenna and the communication circuit.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna tuning and filter element coupled between the antenna and the wireless power circuit.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that a portion of the signal is not provided for communication and selectively couple the wireless power circuit to the antenna in the wireless power mode and based on the determination that a portion of the signal is not provided for communication such that priority is given to the wireless power mode when the signal is provided for communication.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, and wherein the communication circuit is configured to selectively couple to the first antenna in the default operation, and wherein the wireless power circuit is configured to selectively decouple from the second antenna in the default operation, and wherein the communication circuit is configured to selectively decouple from the first antenna in the wireless power mode, and wherein the wireless power circuit is configured to selectively couple to the second antenna in the wireless power mode.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the frequency detector is coupled to each of the first and second antenna.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the frequency detector is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz of the second antenna.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the second antenna and the wireless power circuit.

17. The device of claim 13, further comprising an antenna tuning element coupled between the first antenna and the communication circuit and a filter element coupled between the second antenna and the wireless power circuit.

18. A method of processing a signal, comprising:

operating a communication circuit in a default mode;

detecting a frequency of the signal;

activating a wireless power circuit to operate in a wireless power mode in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load based on the detected frequency, the detected frequency comprising a first frequency value if the signal is to power or charge the load, the detected frequency comprising a second frequency value if the signal is to communicate, the second frequency value different from the first frequency value; and

delaying activating the wireless power circuit in the wireless power mode until an active communication by the communication circuit is finished.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication circuit comprises a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein operating the communication circuit comprises coupling the communication circuit to an antenna and decoupling the wireless power circuit from the antenna.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein activating the wireless power circuit comprises coupling the wireless power circuit to an antenna and decoupling the communication circuit from the antenna.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein activating the wireless power circuit comprising coupling the wireless power circuit to an antenna and activating a protection circuit configured to prevent the signal from being received by the communication circuit.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting a frequency of the signal comprises detecting a frequency of the signal of substantially 6.78 MHz.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising decoupling the communication circuit from an antenna based on detecting of the signal at the frequency.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising deactivating the wireless power circuit based on an absence of the signal at the first frequency.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising activating the wireless power circuit based on both detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge the load and detecting that a portion of the received signal is not provided for communications such that priority is given when the signal is provided for communication.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a second signal provided for communication; and

deactivating the wireless power circuit and operating the communication circuit based on the detecting of the second signal such that priority is given to the second signal.

28. A device, comprising:

means for receiving a signal;

means for communication configured to selectively couple to the means for receiving a signal in a default mode of operation;

means for detecting a frequency configured to detect that the signal is provided to power or charge a load based on the frequency, the detected frequency comprising a first frequency value if the signal is to power or charge the load, the detected frequency comprising a second frequency value if the signal is to communicate, the second frequency value different from the first frequency value; and

means for wirelessly receiving power configured to selectively couple to the means for receiving a signal in a wireless power mode in response to the detected frequency having the first frequency value; and

means for delaying a transition from the default mode to the wireless power mode until an active communication by the communication circuit is finished.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for receiving a signal comprises an antenna.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for communication comprises a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for wirelessly receiving power comprises a wireless power circuit.

32. The device of claim 28, further comprising means for selectively coupling the communication circuit to the means for receiving a signal and the wireless power circuit to the means for receiving a signal.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the means for selectively coupling comprises a switching element.

34. The device of claim 32, wherein the means for selectively coupling is configured to selectively decouple the means for wirelessly receiving power from the means for receiving a signal in the default mode of operation and selectively decouple the means for communication from the signal receiving means in the wireless power mode.

35. The device of claim 28, further comprising means for conveying one or more signals to the means for selectively coupling to selectively couple the means for communication to the means for receiving a signal and selectively couple the means for wirelessly receiving power to the means for receiving a signal based on a frequency value received from the means for detecting a frequency.

36. The device of claim 28, further comprising means for conveying one or more signals to the means for selectively coupling to selectively decouple the means for communication from the means for receiving a signal in the wireless power mode.

37. The device of claim 28, further comprising means for conveying one or more signals to the means for selectively coupling to selectively decouple the means for wirelessly receiving power from the means for receiving a signal in the default mode.

38. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for detecting a frequency is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz.

39. The device of claim 28, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the signal receiving means and the wireless power circuit.

40. The device of claim 28, further comprising means for tuning coupled between the means for receiving a signal and the means for communication.

41. The device of claim 28, further comprising means for tuning and means for filtering coupled between the means for receiving a signal and the means for wirelessly receiving power.

42. The device of claim 28, further comprising means for determining a portion of the signal is not configured for communication and means for selectively coupling the means for wirelessly receiving power to the means for receiving a signal in the wireless power mode based on a determination that a portion of the signal is not provided for communication such that priority is given to the means for wirelessly receiving power when the signal is provided for communication.

43. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for receiving a signal comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, and wherein the means for communication is configured to selectively couple to the first antenna in the default operation, and wherein the means for wirelessly receiving power is configured to selectively decouple from the second antenna in the default operation, and wherein the means for communication is configured to selectively decouple from the first antenna in the wireless power mode, and wherein the means for wirelessly receiving power is configured to selectively couple to the second antenna in the wireless power mode.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the means for detecting a frequency is coupled to each of the first and second antennas.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein the means for detecting a frequency is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz of the second antenna.

46. The device of claim 43, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the second antenna and the wireless power circuit.

47. The device of claim 43, further comprising means for tuning coupled between the first antenna and the means for communication and means for filtering coupled between the second antenna and the means for wirelessly receiving power.