Physical and virtual identification in a wireless power network

• US 9,312,728 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2010
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Stoner, William T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US12/763,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,184 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.85, 340/10.34, 455/127.1, 455/343.1, 320/108, 320/109, 320/137, 322/2.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A wireless charging system is disclosed. The wireless charging system includes a detector configured to identify device information related to a device to be powered at a location, a location processor coupled with the detector and configured to deliver location-specific information related to the location to the device to be powered based on the detected device information, a power supply in communication with the location processor configured to wirelessly provide power to the device based on the detected device information, such that the location processor is configured to deliver the location specific information to the device via a first channel, and wherein the power supply is configured to wirelessly provide power to the device via a second channel.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system comprising:

a detector configured to identify device information related to a device to be powered at a location;

a location processor coupled with the detector and configured to deliver location-specific information to the device to be powered, wherein the location-specific information is related to the location of the device to be powered and is based on the identified device information; and

a power supply in communication with the location processor configured to wirelessly provide power to the device to be powered based on the detected device information;

wherein the location processor is configured to deliver the location-specific information to the device to be powered via a first channel, and further wherein the power supply is configured to wirelessly provide power to the device to be powered via a second channel.

2. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the first and second channels are wireless inductive channels.

3. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the first channel is a wireless communication channel selected from the group consisting of:

a Wi-Fi channel, a cellular channel, and a Bluetooth channel.

4. The wireless charging system of claim 1 further comprising:

an authentication processor configured to verify the device information,

wherein the authentication processor is coupled to the detector and receives the device information from the detector, and wherein the authentication processor directs the location processor to deliver the location-specific information.

5. The wireless charging system of claim 4, wherein the authentication processor verifies the device information and location information received from the location processor against a virtual account.

6. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the power supply is an induction power supply.

7. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the power supply is disposed in an armrest of a chair and the device is charged when placed adjacent the armrest.

8. In a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor configured to control a wireless charging station, the storage medium comprising instructions operative for:

receiving, at the wireless charging station, device information from a device;

identifying the device based on both the received device information and a virtual account associated with the device; and

communicating, from the wireless charging station, location-specific information to the device via a wireless connection established by the wireless charging station wherein the location-specific information is related to a location of the device at the wireless charging station.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the virtual account includes customer account information.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the virtual account includes a user virtual account and a location virtual account.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the wireless connection is a connection selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular connection, a Wi-Fi connection, a Bluetooth connection and an inductive power connection.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the location-specific information is information selected from the group consisting of:

product information, loyalty information, and point-of-sale offers.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising:

authenticating the received device information against information stored in the virtual account.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein authenticating the received device information includes receiving a password from the device.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising:

automatically establishing a connection between the device and the wireless charging station when the device is within range of the wireless charging station.

16. A method for providing a wireless charge comprising:

storing user account information in a virtual account, wherein the user account information includes a device identification;

receiving a request for a wireless charge from a device at a wireless charging station deployed at a location;

communicating the device information to the wireless charging station;

verifying the received device information against the stored device information in the virtual account;

communicating, from the wireless charging station, location-specific information to the device based on the received device information, wherein the location-specific information is related to the location;

providing wireless power to the device; and

updating the virtual account to reflect the communicated location-specific information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the location-specific information is information selected from the group consisting of:

product information, loyalty information, and point-of-sale offers, each of which is specific to the location.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

authenticating the received device information against information stored in the virtual account.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein authenticating the received device information includes receiving a password from the device.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

automatically establishing a connection between the device and the wireless charging station when the device is within range of the wireless charging station.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein verifying the received device information against the stored device information in the virtual account includes authenticating the device information against a location stored in the virtual account.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the authenticated device and location information cooperate to access a door lock.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving a second request for the wireless charge from a second device at a second wireless charging station;

communicating device information associated with the second device to the second wireless charging station; and

providing wireless power to the second device via the second wireless charging station.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

appending the second device information to the device information;

communicating the appended device information to the wireless charging station; and

updating the virtual account to reflect the communicated appended device information.