System and methods for inductive charging, and improvements and uses thereof

Abstract

Described herein are various systems and methods for use with power supplies and other power sources and chargers and particularly those that use inductive charging, including systems and methods for use thereof, such as improved transfer of wireless power to mobile devices and batteries. In accordance with some embodiments described herein, various methods are described by which the wired and/or wireless power devices and chargers or power supplies can provide additional connectivity and communications capabilities; methods by which the wireless power devices and chargers or power supplies can provide better thermal performance, better detection of external objects, and better power transfer efficiencies; different geometries and/or modes; techniques for enabling the charger to be powered by a power source from another device, such as the power available from the USB or PCMCIA port or similar; and other systems and methods to improve charging efficiency, usage, and other features.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for use with a charging device for charging or powering another device, mobile device and/or battery wirelessly or through wired methods, and including one or more features for
 providing activation of applications and/or transfer of data or signal communication to provide additional functionality;   reducing generated heat and/or undesirable electromagnetic emission;   reducing or eliminating the effect of induced magnetic field outside of the system; and/or   wherein the charger can be powered by a laptop computer or other electronic or electric device or power source and/or can be implemented such that it can fit into an area in an electronic device such as a desktop or notebook or notepad computer or electronic book or similar device.   
     
     
         2 . A method for use with a charging device for charging or powering another device, mobile device and/or battery wirelessly or through wired methods, comprising the steps of one or more of
 providing activation of applications and/or transfer of data or signal communication to provide additional functionality;   reducing generated heat and/or undesirable electromagnetic emission;   reducing or eliminating the effect of induced magnetic field outside of the system; and/or   wherein the charger can be powered by a laptop computer or other electronic or electric device or power source and/or can be implemented such that it can fit into an area in an electronic device such as a desktop or notebook or notepad computer or electronic book or similar device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a base unit, charger and/or power supply;   a device and/or battery;   wherein the base unit, charger and/or power supply and the device and/or battery additionally interact to combine the charging or power transfer, with activation of applications and/or transfer of data or signal communication to provide additional functionality; and   wherein the data or signal can be any information, file or signal not necessarily directly involved in the charging or power supply operation, such as transfer of address, phone number, or calendar information, music or image or video files, GPS location information, or applications, files, or another data, and provided by a wired or wireless interface such as wireless or wired USB, Ethernet, HDMI, Powerline, Optical, Zigbee, Bluetooth, WiFi, WIMAX, Wireless USB, NFC, 3G, 4G, GSM, Satellite, GPS, or another interface.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 providing a base unit, charger and/or power supply; 
 providing a device and/or battery; and 
 wherein the device and/or battery additionally interact to combine the charging or power transfer, with activation of applications and/or transfer of data or signal communication to provide additional functionality, wherein the data or signal can be any information, file or signal not necessarily directly involved in the charging or power supply operation, such as transfer of address, phone number, or calendar information, music or image files, GPS location information or applications, files or another data, and provided by an interface such as wireless or wired USB, Ethernet, HDMI, Powerline, optical, Zigbee, Bluetooth, WiFi, WIMAX, Wireless USB, NFC, 3G, 4G, GSM, Satellite, GPS, or another interface. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 providing a base unit and/or receiver including one or more inductive coils for charging and/or powering one or more electric or electronic devices and/or rechargeable batteries; and 
 providing a means within the base unit and/or receiver for reducing generated heat. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a device and/or battery including an integrated receiver coil for receiving energy by induction, and connectors for connecting the coil to the device and/or battery.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 providing a device and/or battery including an integrated receiver coil for receiving energy by induction, and connectors for connecting the coil to the device and/or battery, wherein the device and/or battery can be a battery pack or battery door and includes contacts that make contact with corresponding contact points within or at a portable device to power the portable device and/or provide other charging or communication information, and to allow the device and/or battery to be switched between using either wired and/or wireless charging paths. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a powered wireless charger capable of being powered by a laptop computer or other power source.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 providing a powered wireless charger capable of being powered by a laptop, desktop, or notepad computer or other electronic power source. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wireless charger/power supply with coils, implemented such that it can fit into an area in an electronic device such as a desktop or notebook or notepad computer or electronic book or similar, wherein such charger and/or power supply can be powered internally by the electronic device.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system can include one or more metal layers with discontinuous portions placed behind and/or around the coil for providing thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver is included in a mobile device, battery, battery door, case, or skin together with a switching circuit to allow charging of the mobile device or battery with an external wired or wireless charger. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein the battery, case, skin, or battery door includes a receiver coil and receiver and switching circuitry, and wherein the output of this circuitry is routed to the battery, case, skin, or battery door connector to mate with the matching connectors on the mobile device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein the battery, case, skin, or battery door may include layers in the coil or behind it to provide shielding form the magnetic field or any generated heat to the mobile device or its battery.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein when the battery is inserted into a mobile device and the device is placed on a wireless charger, the battery can receive power wirelessly from the charger, and/or continue charging and or power the mobile device through wired methods.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein the wirelessly chargeable battery pack may include one or more battery cells, battery protection and/or ID circuit and/or temperature sensors such as thermistors as described above, a wireless charger coil, wireless charger receiver circuit, optional battery charger IC and/or a battery gas gauging to estimate how much power remains in the battery and/or appropriate thermal sensors/circuitry.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein the battery pack can include alignment magnets and/or magnetic and/or thermal shield layers.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein when the mobile device is plugged into an external wired charger and/or charger/data cable and/or a wired charger and/or another device such as a notebook or desktop computer, the external charger/power supply can provide power to charge the battery and/or power the mobile device depending on the state of charge of the battery and/or the design of the internal charger circuitry of the mobile device, and wherein a mobile device charge management IC and/or a switching circuit determine whether to charge the wirelessly chargeable battery through its contacts, in which case, a switch inside the battery routes the optional mobile device charger IC circuit output to charge the battery.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein a thermal sensor or sensors can be placed on or near the battery, mobile device skin or case or battery door, the wireless charging coil, critical components of the circuitry, close to the mobile device interface, or a combination of the above.   
     
     
         20 . A method for charging or powering a device and/or battery wirelessly or through wired methods, whereby the mobile device and/or the charger and/or power supply determines the best method for charging by wirelessly and/or wired power transfer according to a predetermined algorithm in the mobile device and/or battery or the charger and/or power supply or a host device including or connected to the charger and/or power supply.