Optical communication and charging device and method of use

• US 9,941,748 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Lucrecio, Armando J., Ma, Jiayin, Deva, Shaily
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, DZUNG D
• Application Number:
  US15/134,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20170019180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• 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 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

Techniques for remote interactions with devices, such as charging, communications, and user interaction, are provided. Specifically, systems and methods to provide charging of devices, such as, remote charging by photovoltaic (PV) cells, infrared (IR) illumination, audio signals, and LEDs such as laser LEDs to charge devices such as watches, jewelry, car panels, headphones and phones, are presented.

Claims

1. An optical communications and charging system comprising:

a transmitter/charger configured to receive a first communications signal and a power signal from an external source, the transmitter/charger comprising a light source, wherein the transmitter/charger is configured to operate in different selectable modes including a power charging only mode, an optical communications only mode, and both a power charging and optical communications mode, and wherein the light source is configured to transmit the first communications signal and/or the power signal based on a particular selected mode of the different selectable modes;

a lens configured to receive the first communications signal and/or the power signal; and

a target device comprising;

a battery; and

a PV cell in communication with the battery, the target device configured to receive, at the PV cell, the first communications signal and/or the power signal transmitted by the light source, the target device configured to transmit a second communications signal to the transmitter/charger;

wherein the power signal received by the target device enables the PV cell to charge the battery, and wherein the first communications signal received by the target device is demodulated via the PV cell.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser/LED diode.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the power received by the transmitter/charger is received via at least one of a USB connector and a wireless connector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter/charger and the lens are components of a common enclosure structure.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the common enclosure structure further comprises a photon detector configured to receive the second communications signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the target device outputs the second communications signal to the photon detector.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the target device and the common enclosure structure of transmitter/charger are not in physical communication, and the light source wirelessly transmits the first communications signal and/or the power signal.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a modulator configured to manage the first and the second communications signals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication signal comprises data to enable a software update of the targeted device.

10. A method of optical communications and charging, the method comprising:

providing an optical communications and charging system comprising;

a transmitter/charger configured to receive a first communications signal and a power signal from an external source, the transmitter/charger comprising a light source, wherein the transmitter/charger is configured to operate in different selectable modes including a power charging only mode, an optical communications only mode, and both a power charging and optical communications mode, and wherein the light source is configured to transmit the first communications signal and/or the power signal based on a particular selected mode of the different selectable modes;

a lens configured to receive the first communications signal and/or the power signal; and

a target device comprising a battery and a PV cell in communication with the battery, the target device configured to receive, at the PV cell, the first communications signal and/or the power signal transmitted by the light source, the target device configured to transmit a second communications signal to the transmitter/charger;

engaging the transmitter/charger charging device with an external source;

providing a first communications signal and/or a power signal to the transmitter/charger from the external source;

transmitting the first communications signal and/or the power signal from the light source of the transmitter/charger to the target device based on the particular selected mode of the different selectable modes; and

determining whether the first communications signal and/or the power signal comprises the power signal;

wherein, upon determining that the transmitted first communications signal and/or the power signal comprises the power signal, the PV cell receives the power signal and the battery is charged; and

wherein, upon determining that the transmitted first communications signal and/or the power signal comprises the first communications signal, the first communications signal received by the target device is demodulated via the PV cell.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the light source is a laser/LED diode.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the power received by the transmitter/charger is received via at least one of a USB connector and a wireless connector.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitter/charger and the lens are components of a common enclosure structure.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the common enclosure structure further comprises a photon detector configured to receive the second communications signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the target device outputs the second communications signal to the photon detector.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the target device and the common enclosure structure of transmitter/charger are not in physical communication, and the light source wirelessly transmits the first communications signal and/or the power signal.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising a modulator configured to manage the first and the second communications signals.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first communication signal comprises data to enable a software update of the targeted device.