Apparatus and method for full-orientation over-the-air charging in portable electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9614385-B2
Application number	US-201414541494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus and method for full-orientation over-the-air charging includes a receiver coil associated with a portable electronic device for wireless charging; and a repeater coil associated with a device selectively configured to engage or support the portable electronic device for wireless charging, wherein the device is one of a cover, holster, or case for the portable electronic device; wherein, when the device is selectively engaged or supporting the portable electronic device, a portion of the repeater coil overlaps a portion of the receiver coil forming a magnetic coupling therebetween and supporting wireless charging of the portable electronic device in a plurality of orientations of the portable electronic device relative to a transmitter coil.

First claim

We claim:

1. A portable electronic device system for wirelessly charging a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device system comprising:
a receiver coil associated with the portable electronic device for wireless charging; and
a repeater coil associated with a device selectively configured to engage or support the portable electronic device for wireless charging, wherein the device is one of a cover, holster, or case for the portable electronic device;
wherein the receiver coil occupies two planes with a first portion of the receiver coil in a first plane and a second portion of the receiver coil in a second plane;
wherein the repeater coil occupies two planes with a first portion of the repeater coil in a first plane and a second portion of the repeater coil in a second plane, the second portion of the repeater coil and the second portion of the receiver coil form a magnetic coupling therebetween, and the first portion of the repeater coil and the first portion of the receiver coil having substantially no magnetic coupling therebetween due to a chassis of the portable electronic device; and
wherein, when the device is selectively engaged or supporting the portable electronic device, a portion of the repeater coil overlaps a portion of the receiver coil forming a magnetic coupling therebetween and supporting wireless charging of the portable electronic device in a plurality of orientations of the portable electronic device relative to a transmitter coil.

2. The portable electronic device system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of orientations comprise a front side of the portable electronic device facing the transmitter coil and a back side of the portable electronic device facing the transmitter coil and a bottom side of the portable electronic device facing the transmitter coil.

3. The portable electronic device system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver coil and the repeater coil each are L-shaped with a bottom portion of each overlapping forming a magnetic coupling therebetween.

4. The portable electronic device system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver coil is located on or at a back side and a bottom side of the portable electronic device, and the repeater coil is located on or at an inside and a bottom side of the device.

5. The portable electronic device system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver coil and the repeater coil are formed on a flexible substrate with an approximately 90 degree bend therein.

6. The portable electronic device system of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to cover a front side of the portable electronic device, the front side of the portable electronic device comprises a display and user interface mechanisms which prevent inclusion of a coil in the portable electronic device at the front side.

7. The portable electronic device system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver coil is coupled to a battery associated with the portable electronic device and the repeater coil is not physically connected to the battery or the receiver coil.

8. A coil arrangement for wirelessly charging a portable electronic device, the coil arrangement comprising:
a receiver coil associated with the portable electronic device for wireless charging, wherein the receiver coil occupies two planes with a first portion of the receiver coil in a first plane and a second portion of the receiver coil in a second plane;
wherein the receiver coil is configured to operate cooperatively with a repeater coil disposed in a device selectively engaged to the portable electronic device, wherein the device is one of a cover, holster, or case for the portable electronic device; and
wherein the repeater coil occupies two planes with a first portion of the repeater coil in a first plane and a second portion of the repeater coil in a second plane, the second portion of the repeater coil and the second portion of the receiver coil form a magnetic coupling therebetween, and the first portion of the repeater coil and the first portion of the receiver coil have substantially no magnetic coupling therebetween due to a chassis of the portable electronic device.

9. The coil arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the receiver coil and the repeater coil each are L-shaped with a bottom portion of each overlapping forming a magnetic coupling therebetween.

10. The coil arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the receiver coil is located on or at a back side and a bottom side of the portable electronic device, and the repeater coil is located on or at an inside and a bottom side of the device.

11. The coil arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the receiver coil and the repeater coil are formed on a flexible substrate with an approximately 90 degree bend therein.

12. The coil arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the device is configured to cover a front side of the portable electronic device, the front side of the portable electronic device comprises a display and user interface mechanisms which prevent inclusion of a coil in the portable electronic device at the front side.

13. The coil arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the receiver coil is coupled to a battery associated with the portable electronic device and the repeater coil is not physically connected to the battery or the receiver coil.

14. The coil arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the receiver coil and the repeater coil support charging of the portable electronic device in a plurality of orientations relative to a transmitter coil.

15. The coil arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of orientations comprise a front side of the portable electronic device facing the transmitter coil and a back side of the portable electronic device facing the transmitter coil.

16. A method for wirelessly charging a portable electronic device, the method comprising:
engaging the portable electronic device with a device covering at least a front side and a bottom portion of the portable electronic device, wherein the device is one of a cover, holster, or case for the portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device has a receiver coil for wireless charging and the device has a repeater coil for wireless charging, wherein the receiver coil occupies two planes with a first portion of the receiver coil in a first plane and a second portion of the receiver coil in a second plane; and
wherein the repeater coil occupies two planes with a first portion of the repeater coil in a first plane and a second portion of the repeater coil in a second plane, the second portion of the repeater coil and the second portion of the receiver coil form a magnetic coupling therebetween, and the first portion of the repeater coil and the first portion of the receiver coil have substantially no magnetic coupling therebetween due to a chassis of the portable electronic device; and
wirelessly charging the portable electronic device, in a plurality of orientations, with the receiver coil and the repeater coil operating cooperatively.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of orientations comprise a front side of the portable electronic device facing a transmitter coil and a back side of the portable electronic device facing the transmitter coil; and
wherein the receiver coil and the repeater coil each are L-shaped with a bottom portion of each overlapping forming a magnetic coupling therebetween.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the receiver coil is located on or at a back side and a bottom side of the portable electronic device, and the repeater coil is located on or at an inside and a bottom side of the device.

Assignees

• Motorola Solutions Inc
• Motorola Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Oo Wei Lun
• Chong Chee Khon
• Lee Sin Keng

Classifications

• H02J7/731 Primary

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02B40/90

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01F38/14

  Inductive couplings {(for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10)} · CPC title

• H02J7/025

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/0044 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic