Wireless charger for mobile devices with flexible platform and method

• US 9,276,436 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silicon Spread Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silicon Spread Corporation
• Inventors: Jing, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Thuan
• Application Number:
  US14/076,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 329/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A wireless charger and a method allow the wireless charger to have enhanced portability and a smaller footprint when not performing the charging function. The wireless charger includes a charging circuit providing power on one or more power lines, a housing for the wireless charger, and a flexible platform that includes a charging surface with two or more contact electrodes. The flexible platform may be unfolded or unrolled for charging a mobile device, and folded up or rolled up to achieve a smaller footprint, when not performing a charging operation. The wireless charger may further includes a data communication circuit for data communication between a power-line network and the mobile device.

Claims

1. A wireless charger, comprising:

an interface to an external power source;

a charging circuit coupled to receive power from the external power source through the interface, the charging circuit providing power to one or more power lines;

an energy storage device coupled to the charging circuit and the power lines;

a housing for the wireless charger for housing the charging circuit and the energy storage device; and

a flexible platform including a charging surface that is connected to the power lines, so as to allow the charging surface to receive power from either the charging circuit or the energy storage device, wherein the flexible platform has a first physical configuration, in which the charging surface is exposed for electrically coupling charging electrodes of a mobile device, and a second physical configuration in which the flexible platform is rolled up or folded to make more compact relative to the first physical configuration.

2. The wireless charger of claim 1 wherein, in the second physical configuration, the flexible platform is wrapped around the housing.

3. The wireless charger of claim 1, wherein the housing is cylindrical.

4. The wireless charger of claim 3, further comprising a light source and an on-off switch controlling the light source, the light source and the on-off switch being mounted on opposite ends of the cylindrical housing.

5. The wireless charger of claim 3, wherein the interface to the external power source is mounted on one end of the cylindrical housing.

6. The wireless charger of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery.

7. The wireless charger of claim 1, further comprising a first contact electrode and a second contact electrode mounted on the charging surface.

8. The wireless charger of claim 7, wherein more than two contact electrodes are mounted on the charging surface.

9. The wireless charger of claim 7, wherein the charging circuit comprises a polarity detection circuit that determines the polarities of the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode when a mobile device is in contact with the charging surface, and wherein the charging circuit couples the charging power lines to the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode in accordance with the polarities determined.

10. The wireless charger of claim 7, wherein the charging circuit comprises an identification circuit which identifies parameters of a battery in the mobile device.

11. The wireless charger of claim 7, wherein the charging circuit comprises an effectiveness circuit which monitors progress of a charging operation.

12. The wireless charger of claim 7, wherein the charging circuit comprises detection and handling circuits for one or more exceptional conditions.

13. The wireless charger of claim 12, wherein the exceptional conditions include one or more of:

over-current, over-voltage, over-charged, and high temperature.

14. The wireless charger of claim 1, further comprising a data communication circuit for data communication between a power-line network and the mobile device.

15. The wireless charger of claim 14, wherein data communication on the power lines are based on analog signals, and wherein data communication circuit comprises a first data circuit AC-coupled to the power lines to mediate data signals between the wireless charger and the power-line network.

16. The wireless charger of claim 15, wherein the first data circuit is AC-coupled by blocking capacitors.

17. The wireless charger of claim 15, wherein the first data circuit comprises an analog front end circuit that converts data signals from the wireless charger to analog form and data signals from the power-line network to digital form.

18. The wireless charger of claim 15, further comprising a second data circuit AC-coupled to the power lines to mediate data signals between the wireless charger and the mobile device.

19. The wireless charger of claim 18, wherein the second data circuit is AC-coupled by blocking capacitors.

20. The wireless charger of claim 18, wherein the second data circuit comprises an analog front end circuit that convert data signals from the wireless charger to analog form and data signals from the mobile device to digital form.

21. A method for providing a wireless charger, comprising:

providing an interface to an external power source;

coupling a charging circuit so as to receive power from the external power source through the interface, the charging circuit providing power to one or more power lines;

coupling an energy storage device to the charging circuit and the power lines, so as to allow the power provided by the charging circuit to be stored in or discharged from the energy storage device;

enclosing the charging circuit and the energy storage device in a housing for the wireless charger; and

electrically connecting a flexible platform that includes a charging surface to the power lines, so as to allow the charging platform to receive power from either the energy storage device or the charging circuit, wherein the flexible platform has a first physical configuration, in which the charging surface is exposed for electrically coupling charging electrodes of a mobile device, and a second physical configuration, in which the flexible platform is rolled up or folded to make more compact relative to the first physical configuration.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein, in the second physical configuration, the flexible platform is wrapped around the housing.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the housing is cylindrical.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a light source and an on-off switch controlling the light source, the light source and the on-off switch being mounted on opposite ends of the cylindrical housing.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the interface to the external power source is mounted on one end of the cylindrical housing.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a first contact electrode and a second contact electrode mounted on the charging surface.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein more than two contact electrodes are mounted on the charging surface.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the charging circuit comprises a polarity detection circuit that determines the polarities of the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode when a mobile device is in contact with the charging surface, and wherein the charging circuit couples the charging power lines to the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode in accordance with the polarities determined.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the charging circuit comprises an identification circuit which identifies parameters of a battery in the mobile device.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the charging circuit comprises an effectiveness circuit which monitors progress of a charging operation.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the charging circuit comprises detection and handling circuits for one or more exceptional conditions.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the exceptional conditions include one or more of:

over-current, over-voltage, over-charged, and high temperature.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a data communication circuit for data communication between a power-line network and the mobile device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein data communication on the power lines are based on analog signals, and wherein the data communication circuit comprises a first data circuit AC-coupled to the power lines to mediate data signals between the wireless charger and the power-line network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first data circuit is AC-coupled by blocking capacitors.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the first data circuit comprises an analog front end circuit that converts data signals from the wireless charger to analog form and data signals from the power-line network to digital form.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising a second data circuit AC-coupled to the power lines to mediate data signals between the wireless charger and the mobile device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the second data circuit is AC-coupled by blocking capacitors.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the second data circuit comprises an analog front end circuit that converts data signals from the wireless charger to analog form and data signals from the mobile device to digital form.