Magnetically coupled charger accessory for mobile device

Abstract

A charger for attachment to a mobile device. A housing with a device side surface contains a wireless charger including at least one coil. A first arrangement of magnetic material has a first region exposing a first polarity magnetic field at the device side surface and a second immediately adjacent region exposing an opposite polarity magnetic field at the device side surface. In use, the arrangement magnetically couples the housing to a mobile device and causes the housing to adopt a specific axial orientation on the mobile device thereby assuring substantial axial alignment of the at least one coil with a corresponding coil associated with the mobile device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A charger for attachment to a mobile device comprising:
 a housing having a device side surface;   a wireless charger within the housing, the wireless charger including at least one coil;   a first arrangement of magnetic material having a first region exposing a first polarity magnetic field at the device side surface and a second immediately adjacent region exposing an opposite polarity magnetic field at the device side surface; and   wherein the arrangement, in use, magnetically couples the housing to a mobile device and wherein the arrangement causes the housing to adopt a specific axial orientation on the mobile device, the specific axial orientation assuring substantial axial alignment of the at least one coil with a corresponding coil associated with the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The charger of  claim 1  wherein an attractive force between the arrangement and a complementary arrangement of magnets associated with the mobile device is sufficient to support a weight of the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The charger of  claim 1  wherein a spacing between a first region and a second region in the first arrangement is less than 2 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The charger of  claim 1  wherein the device side surface is substantially planar, and an attachment surface of the mobile device is also substantially planar. 
     
     
         5 . The charger of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a battery within the housing coupled to power the at least one coil. 
 
     
     
         6 . The charger of  claim 5  wherein the wireless charger comprises:
 a second arrangement of magnetic material having a first region exposing a first polarity magnetic field at the device side surface and a second adjacent region exposing an opposite polarity magnetic field at the device side surface, the second arrangement, in use, couple to a second complementary arrangement of magnets associated with the mobile device and in conjunction with the first arrangement causing the housing to adopt a specific orientation on the mobile device. 
 
     
     
         7 . The charger of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a battery pack coupled to the housing. 
 
     
     
         8 . The charger of  claim 7  wherein the battery pack is magnetically coupled to and separable from the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The charger of  claim 1  wherein the wireless charger comprises:
 a second arrangement of magnetic material having a first region exposing a first polarity magnetic field at the device side surface and a second adjacent region exposing an opposite polarity magnetic field at the device side surface, the second arrangement, in use, couple to a second complementary arrangement of magnets associated with the mobile device and in conjunction with the first arrangement causing the housing to adopt a specific orientation on the mobile device. 
 
     
     
         10 . A system for charging a mobile device comprising:
 a case configured to mechanically couple to the mobile device, the case exposing a pattern of magnetic fields on a substantially planar surface of the case, the pattern created by an arrangement of magnetic material couple on or within the case having a first region exposing a first polarity magnetic field at the planar surface and a second immediately adjacent region exposing an opposite polarity magnetic field at the substantially planar surface; and   a wireless charger exposing a complementary pattern of magnetic fields to magnetically couple to the case, the complementary pattern created by a complementary arrangement of magnetic material having a first region exposing the opposite polarity magnetic field at a device side surface of the charger and a second immediately adjacent region exposing the first polarity magnetic field at the device side surface;   wherein a coupling between the pattern and the complementary pattern assure alignment between the wireless charger and a wireless charging interface of the mobile device when the case is coupled to the mobile device.   
     
     
         11 . The system  claim 10  wherein the wireless charger comprises:
 a battery. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system  claim 10  wherein the case comprises:
 a second arrangement of magnetic material having a first region exposing a first polarity magnetic field away from the device side surface and a second adjacent region exposing an opposite polarity magnetic field away from the device side surface. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the wireless charger comprises:
 a second complementary arrangement of magnetic material having a first region exposing a first polarity magnetic field at the device side surface and a second adjacent region exposing an opposite polarity magnetic field at the device side surface, the second complementary arrangement, in use, couple to the second arrangement of magnets associated with the case and in conjunction with the first arrangement causing the charger to adopt a specific orientation on the case. 
 
     
     
         14 . The charger of  claim 10  wherein a spacing between a first region and a second region in the first arrangement is less than 2 mm.