Wireless power transfer device for charging mobile/portable devices

• US 9,281,701 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Large, Yvan, Blanchard, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/679,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20140139178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/108, 320/114, 320/115, 336/15, 336/65, 336/90, 336/110, 336/130, 336/131
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/90 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

Abstract

A charging system having a charging device with a groove for receiving a mobile/portable device for charging is provided having a magnetic core located in a housing of the charging device with the magnetic core having a base and two legs that are located around the groove. A coil is wrapped around the base and a driver circuit is connected to the coil as well as to an external power source. A power receiver is located in a mobile/portable device that can be placed in the groove in the charging device. The power receiver includes a receiver magnetic core as well as a receiving coil wrapped around the receiver magnetic core for receiving an inductive current from the charging device. A charging circuit is connected to the receiving coil and adapted to be connected to the battery of the mobile/portable device for charging.

Claims

1. A wireless mobile/portable device charging system, comprising:

a charging device having a housing with a groove for receiving the mobile/portable device for charging, a magnetic core located in the housing, the magnetic core has a base and two legs that are located around the groove, and a coil wrapped around the base, and a driver circuit is connected to the coil and to an external power source;

a power receiver adapted to be located on a mobile/portable device in an area that is engagable in the groove of the charging device, the power receiver including a receiver magnetic core, a receiving coil wrapped around the receiving magnetic core for receiving an inductive current, and a charging circuit connected to the receiving coil and adapted to be connected to a battery of the mobile/portable device.

2. The charging system of claim 1, wherein longitudinal ends of the groove in the housing are open.

3. The charging system of claim 1, wherein a depth (d) of the groove in charging device encompasses a portion of the power receiver.

4. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core comprises a plurality of magnetic cores located in the housing.

5. The charging system of claim 4, wherein at least two of which are located adjacent to one another.

6. The charging system of claim 4, wherein there is a plurality of the coils, with a separate one of the coils wrapped around the base of each of the magnetic cores.

7. The charging system of claim 6, wherein there are a plurality of the driver circuits and a separate one of the driver circuits is connected to each of the coils.

8. The charging system of claim 7, wherein the driver circuits are configured to detect a location of the power receiver based on a load being detected at a location of the power receiver in the groove.

9. The charging system of claim 4, wherein the magnetic cores have a width in a longitudinal direction of the groove that is greater than a diameter of the receiving core.

10. The charging system of claim 4, wherein the coil is wrapped around the bases of a plurality of the magnetic cores.

11. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the receiving magnetic core is a rod having a height that is less than a thickness of the mobile/portable device that is adapted to be positioned in the groove generally parallel to the base of the magnetic core.

12. The charging system of claim 1, further comprising the mobile/portable device, the receiver magnetic core being located in a bezel of the device.

13. The charging system of claim 12, wherein the bezel including a molded core holder having snap engagement tabs for holding the receiving magnetic core in position, and the receiving coil is wrapped around the core holder.

14. The charging system of claim 1, wherein a total clearance between both faces of the mobile/portable device and the groove is less than 0.1 inches.

15. The charging system of claim 12, wherein a plurality of the power receivers are located in the mobile/portable device, each of the power receivers is adapted to receive an inductive current from the charging device.

16. The charging system of claim 1, wherein a depth of the groove is less than a distance from a side of the mobile/portable device to a display screen on the mobile/portable device.

17. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the mobile/portable device is a tablet computer.

18. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the groove is adapted to receive a plurality of the mobile/portable devices for simultaneous charging of the mobile/portable devices.

19. A wireless charging device adapted to charge a mobile/portable device including an inductive power receiver, the charging device comprising:

a housing that has a groove for receiving the mobile/portable device for charging;

a magnetic core located in the housing, the magnetic core has a base and two legs that are located around the groove;

a coil wrapped around the base of the magnetic core for generating an inductive magnetic field; and

a driver circuit connected to the coil and to an external power source.

20. The charging device of claim 19, wherein longitudinal ends of the groove are open.

21. The charging device of claim 19, wherein the magnetic core comprises a plurality of magnetic cores.

22. The charging device of claim 21, wherein there is a plurality of the coils, with a separate one of the coils wrapped around the base of each of the magnetic cores.

23. The charging device of claim 22, wherein there are a plurality of the driver circuits and a separate one of the driver circuits is connected to each of the coils.

24. The charging system of claim 23, wherein the driver circuits are configured to detect a location of the power receiver based on a load being detected at a location of the power receiver in the groove.

25. The charging device of claim 24, wherein the magnetic cores have a width in a longitudinal direction of the groove that is greater than a diameter of the receiving core.

26. A method for wirelessly charging a mobile/portable device that includes an inductive power receiver, comprising:

providing a charging device having a housing that has a groove for receiving the mobile/portable device for charging, a magnetic core has a base and two legs is located around the groove, a coil is wrapped around the base of the magnetic core for generating an inductive magnetic field, and a driver circuit is connected to the coil and to an external power source;

placing a mobile/portable device including a power receiver in the groove of the charging device so that the power receiver is located in the groove, the power receiver including a receiver magnetic core, a receiving coil wrapped around the receiver magnetic core for receiving an inductive current, and a charging circuit connected to the receiving coil and to a battery of the mobile/portable device, the mobile/portable device being positionable anywhere along the groove; and

charging the battery of the device via an inductive charge generated in the receiving coil from the charging device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the magnetic core comprises a plurality of magnetic cores, and there are a plurality of the coils, with one a separate one of the coils wrapped around the base of each of the magnetic cores, and a plurality of the driver circuits, one connected to each of the coils, the method further comprising:

detecting a location of the power receiver based on a load on one of the driving circuits; and

providing power to the coil at the location detected.

28. A mobile/portable device adapted to be charged using a wireless charging device, the mobile/portable device comprising:

at least two power receivers located in a device housing, the power receivers each including a receiver magnetic core, and the power receivers being located along one or more edges of the housing;

a charging circuit connected to the at least two power receivers; and

a battery connected to the charging circuit.

29. The mobile/portable device according to claim 28, wherein the power receivers each include a receiving coil which is wrapped around the receiver magnetic core and is adapted to receiving an inductive current from the wireless charging device.

30. The mobile/portable device according to claim 28, wherein the device is a mobile telephone.

31. The mobile/portable device according to claim 28, wherein the device is a tablet-type computing device.

32. The mobile/portable device according to claim 28, wherein the at least one power receiver is located in a bezel around a periphery of the device housing.

33. The mobile/portable device according to claim 28, wherein a plurality of the power receivers are located in the device housing along at least two sides of the device housing to allow placement in the charging device in different orientations.

34. The mobile/portable device according to claim 28, wherein the receiver magnetic core in a molded core holder in the device housing having snap engagement tabs for holding the receiver magnetic core in position, and the receiving coil is wrapped around the core holder.

35. The mobile/portable device according to claim 28, wherein the power receivers are located along at least two edges of the housing.