Portable computing device with wireless power distribution

• US 9,118,217 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Rofougaran, Maryam, Ibrahim, Brima B., Darabi, Hooman
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US13/336,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20120091799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A core module for a portable computing device includes a wireless power receiver module, a battery power module, a power supply module, a processing module, and an RF link interface. The wireless power receiver module, when operable, receives a wireless power transmit signal and converts it into a supply voltage. The battery power module, when operable, outputs a battery voltage. The power supply module, when operable, converts the supply voltage or the battery voltage into one or more power supply voltages. The processing module is operable to select one of the battery voltage, the supply voltage, and one of the one or more power supply voltages to produce a selected voltage. The RF link interface outputs the selected voltage on to an RF link of the portable computing device for providing power to one or more multi mode RF units within the portable computing device.

Claims

1. A core module for a portable computing device, the core module comprises:

wireless power receiver circuitry, when operable;

receives a wireless power transmit signal; and

converts the wireless power transmit signal into a supply voltage;

battery power circuitry, when operable, outputs a battery voltage;

power supply circuitry, when operable, converts the supply voltage or the battery voltage into one or more power supply voltages;

a processor; and

a radio frequency (RF) link interface operably coupled to the processor, wherein;

the processor selects one of the battery voltage, the supply voltage, and one of the one or more power supply voltages to produce a selected voltage; and

the RF link interface outputs the selected voltage onto an RF link of the portable computing device for providing power to one or more multi mode (MM) RF units within the portable computing device; and

when an application selected for execution includes a wireless communication, the processor is operable to;

determine a protocol for the wireless communication;

allocate RF link communication resources of the RF link based on the protocol to produce allocated RF link communication resources;

allocate the one or more multi mode (MM) RF units based on the protocol to produce allocated MM RF unit resources;

when the processor executes the application;

the processor is further operable to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream that addresses the allocated MM RF unit resources; and

the RF link interface is operable to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF link signal in accordance with the allocated RF link communication resources.

2. The core module of claim 1, wherein the battery power circuitry comprises:

a battery, when coupled, operable to output the battery voltage; and

a battery charger, when operable, charges the battery.

3. The core module of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to:

generate a control signal regarding power supply voltage generation for at least one of the one or more MM RF units; and

send, via the RF link interface, the control signal to the at least one of the one or more MM RF units.

4. The core module of claim 1 further comprises:

a wireless power transceiver operable to convert the supply voltage or the battery voltage into a second wireless power transmit signal.

5. The core module of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the wireless power transmit signal is present;

when the wireless power transmit signal is present;

enable the wireless power receiver circuitry to convert the wireless power transmit signal into the supply voltage;

determine whether a battery of the battery power circuitry needs charging; and

when the battery needs charging, enable a battery charge of the battery power circuitry.

6. The core module of claim 5 further comprises:

when the wireless power transmit signal is not present;

determine power needs of the core module;

determine power needs of the one or more MM RF units;

determine whether the battery can meet the power needs of the core module and of the one or more MM RF units;

when the battery cannot meet the power needs of the core module and of the one or more MM RF units, determine a power saving mode of operation for at least one of the core module and the one or more MM RF units; and

enable the power savings mode of operation.

19. The core module of claim 1, wherein the power supply circuitry comprises at least one of a:

capacitor;

a series of capacitors;

a DC-DC converter; and

a linear regulator.

7. A core module for a portable computing device, the core module comprises:

wireless power receiver circuitry operable to;

receives a wireless power transmit signal; and

converts the wireless power transmit signal into a supply voltage;

battery power circuitry operable to output a battery voltage;

power supply circuitry, when operable, converts the supply voltage or the battery voltage into one or more power supply voltages;

a processor; and

a radio frequency (RF) link interface operably coupled to the processor, wherein;

the processor selects one of the battery voltage, the supply voltage, and at least one of the power supply voltages to produce a selected voltage based on a power supply output control signal; and

the RF link interface outputs the selected voltage onto an RF link of the portable computing device for providing power to at least one multi mode (MM) RF unit within the portable computing device; and

when an application selected for execution includes a wireless communication, the

processor is operable to;

determine a protocol for the wireless communication;

allocate RF link communication resources of the RF link based on the protocol to produce allocated RF link communication resources;

allocate the at least one MM RF unit based on the protocol to produce allocated MM RF unit resources;

when the processor executes the application;

the processor is further operable to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream that addresses the allocated MM RF unit resources; and

the RF link interface is operable to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF link signal in accordance with the allocated RF link communication resources.

8. The core module of claim 7, wherein the battery power circuitry comprises:

a battery, when coupled, operable to output the battery voltage; and

a battery charger, when operable, charges the battery.

9. The core module of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

generate a control signal regarding power supply voltage generation for at least one of the one or more MM RF units; and

send, via the RF link interface, the control signal to the at least one of the one or more MM RF units.

10. The core module of claim 7 further comprises:

a wireless power transceiver operable to convert the supply voltage or the battery voltage into a second wireless power transmit signal.

11. The core module of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the wireless power transmit signal is present;

when the wireless power transmit signal is present;

enable the wireless power receiver circuitry to convert the wireless power transmit signal into the supply voltage;

determine whether a battery of the battery power circuitry needs charging; and

when the battery needs charging, enable a battery charge of the battery power circuitry.

12. The core module of claim 11 further comprises:

when the wireless power transmit signal is not present;

determine power needs of the core module;

determine power needs of the one or more MM RF units;

determine whether the battery can meet the power needs of the core module and of the one or more MM RF units;

when the battery cannot meet the power needs of the core module and of the one or more MM RF units, determine a power saving mode of operation for at least one of the core module and the one or more MM RF units; and

enable the power savings mode of operation.

13. The core module of claim 7, wherein the wireless power receiver circuitry being tuned to a wireless power tone, the wireless power receiver circuitry converts the wireless power tone into the supply voltage.

14. The core module of claim 7, wherein the power supply circuitry comprises at least one of a:

capacitor;

a series of capacitors;

a DC-DC converter; and

a linear regulator.

20. The core module of claim 7, wherein the protocol for the wireless communication comprises at least one of a:

BLUETOOTH protocol;

IEEE 802.11 protocol;

cellular data protocol; and

cellular voice protocol.

15. A core module for a portable computing device comprising:

wireless power receiver circuitry operable to receive and convert a wireless power transmit signal into a supply voltage;

battery power circuitry operable to output a battery voltage;

power supply circuitry operable to convert either of the supply voltage and the battery voltage into a plurality of power supply voltages;

a processor operable to select one of the battery voltage, the supply voltage, and one of the plurality of power supply voltages to produce a selected voltage; and

a radio frequency (RF) link interface coupled to the processor, wherein the RF link interface outputs the selected voltage onto an RF link for providing power to at least one multi mode (MM) RF units;

the processor further operable, when an application selected for execution includes a wireless communication, to;

determine a protocol for the wireless communication;

allocate RF link communication resources of the RF link based on the protocol to produce allocated RF link communication resources;

allocate the one or more multi mode (MM) RF units based on the protocol to produce allocated MM RF unit resources;

when the processor executes the application;

the processor is further operable to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream that addresses the allocated MM RF unit resources; and

the RF link interface is operable to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF link signal in accordance with the allocated RF link communication resources.

16. The core module of claim 15 further comprises:

the battery power circuitry includes;

an external battery coupler operable to output the battery voltage; and

a battery charger, when operable, charges a battery via the external battery coupler.

17. The core module of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to:

generate a control signal regarding power supply voltage generation for at least one of the one or more MM RF units; and

send, via the RF link interface, the control signal to the at least one of the one or more MM RF units.

18. The core module of claim 15 further comprises:

a wireless power transmitter operable to convert the supply voltage and/or the battery voltage into a wireless power transmit signal.