Optical communication and charging device and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941748-B2
Application number	US-201615134084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2016
Priority date	Jul 15, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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.

Assignees

• Flextronics Ap Llc

Inventors

• Lucrecio Armando J
• Ma Jiayin
• DEVA Shaily

Classifications

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• H04B10/1143

  Bidirectional transmission · CPC title

• H04B10/807

  Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal · CPC title

• H02J50/80

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title

• H02J50/30 Primary

  using light, e.g. lasers · CPC title