Communication between devices and device accessories

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10271189-B2
Application number	US-201715442581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2017
Priority date	Jun 1, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

Various embodiments include a device that implements a high bandwidth wireless data interface for communication between the device and a device accessory. The device can include an external shell and a display (e.g., a touchscreen). In some embodiments, the external shell and the display together hermetically seal various other components of the device. In various embodiments, the device includes an attachment mechanism, an alignment mechanism (e.g., for magnetic alignment between a device and a device accessory), a wireless data transceiver, and a wired or wireless energy source (e.g., for sharing power between the device and the device accessory). The wireless data transceiver can transmit data at extremely high electromagnetic frequencies between the device in the device accessory.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
an external shell defining an outer surface of the device, the external shell comprising a non-metallic region;
a wireless data transceiver enclosed by the external shell and disposed proximate to the non-metallic region of the external shell, the wireless data transceiver transmitting data through the non-metallic region of the external shell at extremely high electromagnetic frequencies between the device and a device accessory;
a sensing switch, enclosed by the external shell, detecting when the device accessory is proximate to the device and, responsive thereto, activating an energy source; and
an attachment mechanism, enclosed by the external shell, securing the device accessory proximate to the device, the attachment mechanism including the energy source enclosed by the external shell, the energy source transferring energy between the device accessory and the device, the energy source surrounding the wireless data transceiver, when the energy source engages with an energy source of the device accessory the attachment mechanism aligning the wireless data transceiver of the device and a wireless data transceiver of the device accessory to communicate substantially perpendicularly through the external shell and enabling communication at the extremely high electromagnetic frequencies comprising 30 GHz to 300 GHz, by minimizing scattering of the extremely high electromagnetic frequencies traveling through the non-metallic region of the external shell, the attachment mechanism activating the sensing switch when the device accessory is secured to the device.

2. The device of claim 1 , the attachment mechanism comprising a ferromagnetic material enclosed within the external shell, the ferromagnetic material proximate to a non-ferromagnetic and non-magnetizable region of the external shell, the ferromagnetic material attaching to a magnet placed proximate to the ferromagnetic material.

3. The device of claim 2 , the sensing switch detecting a magnetic field of the device accessory and, responsive thereto, activating the energy source.

4. A device comprising:
an external shell defining an outer surface of the device, the external shell comprising a non-metallic region;
a wireless data transceiver enclosed by the external shell and disposed proximate to the non-metallic region of the external shell, the wireless data transceiver transmitting data through the non-metallic region of the external shell at electromagnetic frequencies between the device and a device accessory; and
an attachment mechanism holding the device accessory proximate to the device, the attachment mechanism including an energy source surrounding the wireless data transceiver, when the energy source engages with an energy source of the device accessory the attachment mechanism aligning the wireless data transceiver of the device and a wireless data transceiver of the device accessory to communicate substantially perpendicularly through the external shell and enabling communication at extremely high electromagnetic frequencies comprising 30 GHz to 300 GHz, by minimizing scattering of the extremely high electromagnetic frequencies traveling through the non-metallic region of the external shell.

5. The device of claim 4 , the attachment mechanism comprising:
a ferromagnetic material, enclosed within the external shell, proximate to a non-ferromagnetic and non-magnetizable region of the external shell, the ferromagnetic material attaching to a magnet placed proximate to the ferromagnetic material.

6. The device of claim 4 , the attachment mechanism comprising:
a magnet, enclosed within the external shell, proximate to a non-ferromagnetic and non-magnetizable region of the external shell, the magnet attaching to a ferromagnetic material placed proximate to the magnet.

7. The device of claim 4 , comprising:
the energy source enclosed by the external shell and disposed proximate to a second non-metallic region of the external shell, the energy source transferring energy between the device accessory and the device through the second non-metallic region.

8. The device of claim 7 , the energy source comprising:
an energy storage; and
a plurality of connectors connected to the energy storage, the plurality of connectors transferring energy when in contact with a plurality of connectors of the device accessory.

9. The device of claim 7 , the energy source comprising:
an energy storage producing varying electrical current; and
a wireless power transfer mechanism connected to the energy storage and wirelessly transferring energy to the device accessory by inducing electrical current flow in a wireless power transfer mechanism of the device accessory.

10. The device of claim 7 , comprising a sensing switch detecting when the device accessory is proximate to the device and responsive thereto activating the energy source.

11. The device of claim 10 , the sensing switch comprising at least one of a Hall effect sensor, a proximity sensor, or a touch sensor.

12. The device of claim 10 , the energy source comprising:
an energy storage releasing energy when the sensing switch activates the energy source; and
a plurality of connectors connected to the energy storage, the plurality of connectors transferring energy when in contact with a plurality of connectors of the device accessory.

13. The device of claim 10 , the energy source comprising:
an energy storage producing varying electrical current, and releasing energy when the sensing switch activates the energy source; and
a solenoid, connected to the energy storage, wirelessly transferring energy to the device accessory by inducing electrical current flow in a solenoid of the device accessory.

14. The device of claim 10 , the energy source comprising:
a circuit switch coupled to the sensing switch, the circuit switch enabling energy transfer when the sensing switch detects the device accessory is proximate to the device.

15. A device accessory comprising:
an external shell defining an outer surface of the device accessory, the external shell comprising a non-metallic region, and a non-ferromagnetic and non-magnetizable region;
a wireless data transceiver enclosed by the external shell and disposed proximate to the non-metallic region of the external shell, the wireless data transceiver transmitting data through the non-metallic region of the external shell at electromagnetic frequencies between the device accessory and a device;
an energy source enclosed by the external shell and disposed proximate to the non-ferromagnetic and non-magnetizable region of the external shell, the energy source transferring energy through the non-ferromagnetic and non-magnetizable region of the external shell between the device accessory and the device; and
an attachment mechanism enclosed by the external shell, securing the device accessory proximate to the device, the attachment mechanism including the energy source surrounding the wireless data transceiver, when the energy source engages with an energy source of the device the attachment mechanism aligning the wireless data transceiver of the device accessory and a wireless data transceiver of the device to communicate substantially perpendicularly through the external shell and enabling communication at extremely high electromagnetic frequencies comprising 30 GHz to 300 GHz, by minimizing scattering of the extremely high electromagnetic frequencies traveling through the non-metallic region of the external shell.

16. The device accessory of claim 15 , the attachment mechanism comprising a magnet e

Assignees

• Essential Products Inc

Inventors

• Evans V David John
• Tate Joseph Anthony
• Gagne-Keats Jason Sean
• Leggett William Francis
• Kim James Jong-Sik
• Zavin Rebecca Schultz
• Rubin Andrew E

Classifications

• H02J50/00

  Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power · CPC title

• H04W4/80 Primary

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title