EP1602160A1 - Improvements relating to automatically configuring rechargeable devices - Google Patents

Improvements relating to automatically configuring rechargeable devices

Info

Publication number
EP1602160A1
EP1602160A1 EP03809376A EP03809376A EP1602160A1 EP 1602160 A1 EP1602160 A1 EP 1602160A1 EP 03809376 A EP03809376 A EP 03809376A EP 03809376 A EP03809376 A EP 03809376A EP 1602160 A1 EP1602160 A1 EP 1602160A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
control means
recharger
proximity
data
recharging
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03809376A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Lily Ka Lai Cheng
James Westwood Hay
Pilgrim Giles William Beart
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Access Business Group International LLC
Original Assignee
Splashpower Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Splashpower Ltd filed Critical Splashpower Ltd
Publication of EP1602160A1 publication Critical patent/EP1602160A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/0042—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries characterised by the mechanical construction
    • H02J7/0044—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries characterised by the mechanical construction specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/10—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/80—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/90—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
    • H02J50/40—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using two or more transmitting or receiving devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a new system of managing portable rechargeable devices in relation to their recharging stations, and a method of managing portable rechargeable devices in relation to their recharging stations.
  • Portable rechargeable devices are usually charged either by: • attaching a wire from a recharger ( Figure 1 ), or
  • Examples include:
  • devices charged by non-contact means may not need to be physically touching their rechargers - just placing a device close to a recharger may be sufficient to enable charging to take place.
  • the word "on” when used in the context of recharging a device on a recharger, it should be understood to mean that it may either touch its recharger, or be near enough to permit recharging to take place.
  • the word “off' used in such a context should be understood to mean that it is being taken out of contact with its recharger, or far enough away that recharging is no longer possible.
  • today's wire-recharged devices are able to perform certain useful automatic actions when they:
  • Examples include:
  • the Palm PilotTM which is also able to synchronise data with a connected PC via its recharging cradle, on command from a manual pushbutton.
  • Various mobile phones e.g. EricssonTM T68 which can detect when an external hands-free set is plugged in to them, and alter their "profile” setting accordingly.
  • the "profile” is a collection of settings which affect the phone's behaviour, for example the volume setting and the answer mode. If the hands- free set functionality is incorporated in an in-car charging cradle, the combined unit has the functionality of automatically changing its profile when dropped into the cradle, and of automatically reverting to a previous profile when removed from the cradle.
  • Today more and more devices are capable of obtaining their data communications (e.g. voice data or computer data) wirelessly, for example by DECT or Bluetooth or 802.11 WiFi. If such devices are also made capable of being recharged without wires (e.g. by induction-charging) then the devices become entirely wire-free, with obvious benefits of convenience for the user.
  • data communications e.g. voice data or computer data
  • WiFi Wireless Fidelity
  • control means • the receiver having a means for detecting when it is in proximity to the recharger, and signalling this information to the rest of the device ("control means")
  • control means using this information to change the state of the device, or to take some predetermined action.
  • Such a system is advantageous because it provides the device with a means of altering its behaviour in some useful fashion as it is removed from and/or replaced on the recharger.
  • a method of altering the settings, and/or triggering certain behaviour of a portable rechargeable device by means of a receiver capable of detecting that it is in proximity to a recharging station and informing the control software or electronics of the device electronics of this fact.
  • the receiver may receive power for example via an inductive loop or a photovoltaic cell.
  • it may incorporate some kind of power-conditioning circuit, for example a rectifier and a smoothing capacitor, and possibly a voltage regulator, which will then typically be connected both to the power-supply input of the device and to a rechargeable battery.
  • the control means may be dedicated analogue or digital electronics, or a microcontroller running a software program.
  • the communication from the receiver to the control means may be a simple hardware or software binary signal indicating whether or not the device is in proximity to the recharger, or it may be some more sophisticated hardware or software signal indicating for example the three conditions "far from recharger / close to recharger / on recharger".
  • the receiver may detect this condition for example simply by detecting that its received power has crossed a preset threshold.
  • the detection may be conducted by component already mentioned, for example a regulator or charge-controller
  • a signal indicating that the device is being brought closer to the recharger may do any or all of the following:
  • the data may be of any type, for example but not limited to calendar and contact data, photographic data, music data.
  • the device if it is interacting with the user (for example a phone "off- hook", or a computer streaming live video from some expensive source) to cease the interaction (for example, the phone going "on-hook", or the computer ceasing to stream the video). Indeed the device may simply turn- off, or appear to do so.
  • a signal indicating that the device is being taken further from the recharger may cause the device to do any or all of the following:
  • the location and/or orientation in which the device is placed relative to the recharger may be sensed by the device, the recharger or both, and made to control their behaviour or state. For example, placing a phone in a particular part of the recharger might mean “ring quietly” or “refuse calls”. Moving a device relative to its charger might cause its light and/or a light on the recharger to illuminate, making it easier to pick-up in the dark.
  • the control means may detect that it is in the region of a recharger by some other longer-range wireless interface.
  • both the recharger and the device may have bidirectional Bluetooth or 802.11 WiFi interfaces capable of interchanging information. This allows the control means to know when it is "close, but not close- enough to charge". If this is coupled with a means for detecting that the device needs recharging, the recharger may for example light an indicator to indicate its useful presence.
  • the flow of power from the recharging means to the device may be modulated to encode data upon it. It may be modulated in either direction:
  • Such data may be a simple static identity number ("ID"), for example a unique ID or class ID.
  • ID For example the phone number of a phone, or the Internet Protocol or Bluetooth address of a data device
  • the two IDs may be the same, thus communicating the other ID over the recharging link.
  • the ID may even be the ID of a related item, for example the Social Security Number or email address of the owner of a device, or the IP address of a computer within wireless range of the recharging station.
  • such data may be a dynamic flow of novel information between devices, for example the data needed to synchronise a PDA with a PC.
  • the data transfer rate may be quite slow.
  • a device may set its internal state (e.g. the profile of a mobile phone) differently, and/or conduct certain actions (e.g. synchronisation) differently, dependant on the ED of the recharger on which it is placed. For example, a mobile phone may set its profile to ring more quietly when on a recharger with a "home" ID than on one with a "car” ID).
  • a recharger in a public place may read the phone number (or other ED) of a device so that it can bill the user for power received, or push adverts.
  • the power may refuse to work again until it is recharged on a recharger with a particular ID or class of ED's previously-defined.
  • the usable distance within which a device must be of a recharger in order to recharge is usually short and well-defined (compared to that of a typical wireless data system), and thus it is convenient for the user to point or wave the device at the recharger, to make it clear which device should be talking to which.
  • a recharger has a separate wireless Access Point built-in, or attached to or nearby to it (for example one using the Bluetooth or 802.11 protocols), it can advertise the P address of the Access Point to any devices placed on it. Without this, much button-pushing would be required of the user to .configure the device to achieve a simple task, e.g. collecting email, at a new location such as a cafe or office, which may never be visited again.
  • an inductive recharger is placed on a mantelpiece in the living room of a home, and it is set to encode a unique "living room ID" onto its inductive field:
  • this ED mechanism can ensure that when "play” is pressed, the image is sent to the correct TV, and not to the one in the room next door.
  • this ID mechanism can ensure that when "play” is pressed, the audio is sent to the correct loudspeaker music system, and not to the one in the room next door.
  • a music player e.g. an MP3 player
  • the recharging station can even become a "proxy" - an area enabling devices to exchange data with each other.
  • the receiver may optionally have an alternative mode of operation where it is capable of generating power for transfer to another device, rather than receiving it.
  • two devices may exchange EDs or data as described above directly between them without the help of any recharger. Any combination of all of the above may be possible.
  • FIGURE 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
  • a recharger uses an inductive coil to create an alternating magnetic field. This field is picked-up by a device in proximity.
  • the device rectifies smoothes and regulates the power, before delivering it to the control means and, via a charge-controller, to the device battery.
  • the area bordered by a dotted line may be considered to be the "receiver" in the present invention. So far, this is a description typical of any inductively-charged electronic device.
  • the regulator is measuring the power received, and setting the signal line high if the power received is above a threshold, and low otherwise.
  • the control means uses this information to change certain behaviour, for example to set Profile A when the signal line is high and to set Profile B when the signal line is low.
  • the recharger modulates the transmitted power with an ED number which is the ED of a local wireless access point.
  • the receiver now decodes this ID data from the incoming power and passes it to the control means which makes more sophisticated use of it, for example to use it to access the Internet.

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method for causing portable electronic devices to take various actions or state changes when brought into proximity to a recharging station, and/or removed from proximity to a recharging station. Additionally, the actions or changes may vary depending on the relative position of the device on the recharging station.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO AUTOMATICALLY CONFIGURING
RECHARGEABLE DEVICES
This invention relates to a new system of managing portable rechargeable devices in relation to their recharging stations, and a method of managing portable rechargeable devices in relation to their recharging stations.
Portable rechargeable devices (instances of which are hereinafter referred to simply as a "device") are usually charged either by: • attaching a wire from a recharger (Figure 1 ), or
• by dropping the device into some kind of receptive cradle connected to a recharger, or
• by dropping the device onto a surface connected to a recharger (Figure 2) Charging is either by via electrical contacts or a non-contact means, e.g. magnetic induction or light-power.
Examples include:
• The Palm Pilot™ series of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), which sit in a recharging cradle. • Mobile phones, which can be dropped into a cradle in a car for recharging and hands-free operation.
In some cases, devices charged by non-contact means may not need to be physically touching their rechargers - just placing a device close to a recharger may be sufficient to enable charging to take place. So hereinafter in this patent application, when the word "on" is used in the context of recharging a device on a recharger, it should be understood to mean that it may either touch its recharger, or be near enough to permit recharging to take place. Likewise the word "off' used in such a context should be understood to mean that it is being taken out of contact with its recharger, or far enough away that recharging is no longer possible. In some instances, today's wire-recharged devices are able to perform certain useful automatic actions when they:
• are removed from the recharging station and/or
• are replaced on the recharging station and/or • remain on the recharging station
Examples include:
• Hagenuk™ DECT wireless cordless home phones, which if removed from the cradle while ringing automatically go "off-hook" (answer), and if off- hook automatically go "on-hook", terminating the call, as they are replaced onto the cradle.
• The Palm Pilot™, which is also able to synchronise data with a connected PC via its recharging cradle, on command from a manual pushbutton.
• Various mobile phones (e.g. Ericsson™ T68) which can detect when an external hands-free set is plugged in to them, and alter their "profile" setting accordingly. The "profile" is a collection of settings which affect the phone's behaviour, for example the volume setting and the answer mode. If the hands- free set functionality is incorporated in an in-car charging cradle, the combined unit has the functionality of automatically changing its profile when dropped into the cradle, and of automatically reverting to a previous profile when removed from the cradle.
Unrelated to the above, but of relevance to the present invention, there exist devices powered by an external inductive field, and capable of simultaneously exchanging data to and from the remote device generating that field. An example of such data modulation combined with an inductive power source is the passive "RFID" devices and smart labels, for example the Philips MIFARE™ smart tags, which are both powered and interrogated by an inductive field from a nearby reader.
Today more and more devices are capable of obtaining their data communications (e.g. voice data or computer data) wirelessly, for example by DECT or Bluetooth or 802.11 WiFi. If such devices are also made capable of being recharged without wires (e.g. by induction-charging) then the devices become entirely wire-free, with obvious benefits of convenience for the user.
However in this case the mechanical contact connection which today serves to indicate to the device that it is in a cradle is not present in such inductively-charged devices. This removes a useful means of triggering automatic actions such as those described above.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided:
• a recharging station ("recharger") and
• a portable rechargeable device ("device"),
• the device incorporating a means for receiving power from such a recharger without direct electrical contact ("receiver"),
• the receiver having a means for detecting when it is in proximity to the recharger, and signalling this information to the rest of the device ("control means"),
• the control means using this information to change the state of the device, or to take some predetermined action.
Such a system is advantageous because it provides the device with a means of altering its behaviour in some useful fashion as it is removed from and/or replaced on the recharger.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of altering the settings, and/or triggering certain behaviour of a portable rechargeable device by means of a receiver capable of detecting that it is in proximity to a recharging station and informing the control software or electronics of the device electronics of this fact. The receiver may receive power for example via an inductive loop or a photovoltaic cell. Typically it may incorporate some kind of power-conditioning circuit, for example a rectifier and a smoothing capacitor, and possibly a voltage regulator, which will then typically be connected both to the power-supply input of the device and to a rechargeable battery. There may be a separate charge-controller to control the recharging of the battery.
The control means may be dedicated analogue or digital electronics, or a microcontroller running a software program.
The communication from the receiver to the control means may be a simple hardware or software binary signal indicating whether or not the device is in proximity to the recharger, or it may be some more sophisticated hardware or software signal indicating for example the three conditions "far from recharger / close to recharger / on recharger".
The receiver may detect this condition for example simply by detecting that its received power has crossed a preset threshold. The detection may be conducted by component already mentioned, for example a regulator or charge-controller
It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the transition from one signal state to another (an "event") may be a useful trigger for causing actions to take place.
Optionally, a signal indicating that the device is being brought closer to the recharger may do any or all of the following:
• Cause the device to begin reception, transmission or synchronisation of its data with another device, for example a personal computer (PC). The data may be of any type, for example but not limited to calendar and contact data, photographic data, music data. • Cause the device, if it is interacting with the user (for example a phone "off- hook", or a computer streaming live video from some expensive source) to cease the interaction (for example, the phone going "on-hook", or the computer ceasing to stream the video). Indeed the device may simply turn- off, or appear to do so.
• Switch to a different mode of communication with other devices.
Optionally a signal indicating that the device is being taken further from the recharger may cause the device to do any or all of the following:
• Cause the device, if it is signalling for attention from the user (for example, a phone ringing or an alarm sounding) to change into a mode suitable for interaction with the user (for example, the phone going "off-hook" or the alarm silencing). Indeed the device may simply turn-on ready to be used, for example an electric shaver starting.
• "Finish-up" any ongoing data transfers in an ordered fashion, on the assumption that it may be about to go out of range, e.g. leave the house.
• Switch to a different mode of communication with other devices. • Request a security verification from the user (for example, a PIN number or fingerprint). This would be useful in cases where a device is being recharged in a public place, to prevent thieves from find the device useful if they steal it.
Optionally, the location and/or orientation in which the device is placed relative to the recharger may be sensed by the device, the recharger or both, and made to control their behaviour or state. For example, placing a phone in a particular part of the recharger might mean "ring quietly" or "refuse calls". Moving a device relative to its charger might cause its light and/or a light on the recharger to illuminate, making it easier to pick-up in the dark.
Optionally, or additionally, to the control means detecting that it is close to a recharger via the power receiver (which indicates that it may be close-enough to actually charge), it. may detect that it is in the region of a recharger by some other longer-range wireless interface. For example, both the recharger and the device may have bidirectional Bluetooth or 802.11 WiFi interfaces capable of interchanging information. This allows the control means to know when it is "close, but not close- enough to charge". If this is coupled with a means for detecting that the device needs recharging, the recharger may for example light an indicator to indicate its useful presence.
Alternatively or additionally, the flow of power from the recharging means to the device may be modulated to encode data upon it. It may be modulated in either direction:
• by the recharger (e.g. by skipping power cycles) to send data to the device, and/or
• by the device (e.g. by shorting turns during power cycles) to send data to the recharger, and/or
• both of the above.
Such data may be a simple static identity number ("ID"), for example a unique ID or class ID. In the case of devices which also have another ED for different purposes (for example the phone number of a phone, or the Internet Protocol or Bluetooth address of a data device), the two IDs may be the same, thus communicating the other ID over the recharging link. The ID may even be the ID of a related item, for example the Social Security Number or email address of the owner of a device, or the IP address of a computer within wireless range of the recharging station.
Alternatively or additionally, such data may be a dynamic flow of novel information between devices, for example the data needed to synchronise a PDA with a PC.
Depending on the type of power transfer, the data transfer rate may be quite slow.
A device may set its internal state (e.g. the profile of a mobile phone) differently, and/or conduct certain actions (e.g. synchronisation) differently, dependant on the ED of the recharger on which it is placed. For example, a mobile phone may set its profile to ring more quietly when on a recharger with a "home" ID than on one with a "car" ID). A recharger in a public place may read the phone number (or other ED) of a device so that it can bill the user for power received, or push adverts.
Once the power is exhausted on a device, it may refuse to work again until it is recharged on a recharger with a particular ID or class of ED's previously-defined.
It can be difficult for users of wireless devices to configure them such that they are able to communicate with to one another. Such devices tend to have long EDs which must somehow be exchanged in order for a link to be established, and this normally either has to be done by entering many numbers or letters, or by requesting a list of all devices within range and choosing one.
It will be seen that for such devices, for example a wireless PDA trying to synchronise with a PC, the simple reception or exchange of such an ID may be of great help in informing one device of the other's address automatically, so that it may establish a link on a separate communication means, possibly a wireless network with higher data-rate and greater-range.
The usable distance within which a device must be of a recharger in order to recharge is usually short and well-defined (compared to that of a typical wireless data system), and thus it is convenient for the user to point or wave the device at the recharger, to make it clear which device should be talking to which.
If, for example, a recharger has a separate wireless Access Point built-in, or attached to or nearby to it (for example one using the Bluetooth or 802.11 protocols), it can advertise the P address of the Access Point to any devices placed on it. Without this, much button-pushing would be required of the user to .configure the device to achieve a simple task, e.g. collecting email, at a new location such as a cafe or office, which may never be visited again. As another example, imagine that an inductive recharger is placed on a mantelpiece in the living room of a home, and it is set to encode a unique "living room ID" onto its inductive field:
• If the user places a video-camera or digital camera on the recharger to recharge it, and the video camera has a wireless link on it, this ED mechanism can ensure that when "play" is pressed, the image is sent to the correct TV, and not to the one in the room next door.
• Likewise if the user places a music player (e.g. an MP3 player) with a wireless link, this ID mechanism can ensure that when "play" is pressed, the audio is sent to the correct loudspeaker music system, and not to the one in the room next door.
The same scenario could be imagined in a car - where a user may want to ensure that any device they place on an in-car recharger uses their own networks and not those e.g. of the car next door.
As another example, if every device remembers the ID of the last recharger it has encountered (including any recharger it may currently be on), then placing the device on the recharger, even momentarily, becomes a means of establishing a "rendezvous ID" which can be used to exchange data by some other wireless means between two devices.
If the recharger is capable of simultaneously recharging more than one device, the recharging station can even become a "proxy" - an area enabling devices to exchange data with each other.
The receiver may optionally have an alternative mode of operation where it is capable of generating power for transfer to another device, rather than receiving it. In such a case, two devices may exchange EDs or data as described above directly between them without the help of any recharger. Any combination of all of the above may be possible.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show it may be carried into effect, reference shall now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing(s), in which:
FIGURE 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to Figure 3, a recharger uses an inductive coil to create an alternating magnetic field. This field is picked-up by a device in proximity. The device rectifies smoothes and regulates the power, before delivering it to the control means and, via a charge-controller, to the device battery. The area bordered by a dotted line may be considered to be the "receiver" in the present invention. So far, this is a description typical of any inductively-charged electronic device.
What makes it novel is the signal line (heavy dotted line) from the regulator to the control means. In this embodiment, the regulator is measuring the power received, and setting the signal line high if the power received is above a threshold, and low otherwise. The control means uses this information to change certain behaviour, for example to set Profile A when the signal line is high and to set Profile B when the signal line is low.
In a more sophisticated embodiment, the recharger modulates the transmitted power with an ED number which is the ED of a local wireless access point. The receiver now decodes this ID data from the incoming power and passes it to the control means which makes more sophisticated use of it, for example to use it to access the Internet.
The preferred features of the invention are applicable to all aspects of the invention and may be used in any possible combination.
Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of the words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", mean "including but not limited to", and are not intended to (and do not) exclude other components, integers, moieties, additives or steps.

Claims

CLAIMS;
1. A system for recharging portable devices comprising:
• a recharging station ("recharger") and • a portable rechargeable device ("device"),
• the device incorporating a means for receiving power from such a recharger without direct electrical contact ("receiver"),
• the receiver having a means for detecting when it is in proximity to the recharger, and signalling this information to the rest of the device ("control means"),
• the control means using this information to change the state of the device, or to take some predetermined action.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device includes a memory containing data, and wherein, when the control means detects increased proximity to the charger, the control means triggers the device to begin transmission, reception or synchronisation of the data to, from or with another computer.
3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, when the control means detects increased proximity to the charger, the control means triggers the device to cease any ongoing interaction with a user of the device.
4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when the control means detects decreased proximity from the charger, the control means triggers the device to begin interacting with a user of the device.
5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when the control means detects decreased proximity from the charger, the control means triggers the device to finish any ongoing wireless communications.
6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device has a user interface and wherein, when the control means detects decreased proximity from the charger, the control means triggers the device to lock its user interface.
7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a behaviour or operation of the control means changes dependant on where and/or in what rotation the device is placed on the recharger.
8. A system as in any preceding claim, wherein a flow of power from the recharger to the device is modulated to encode data upon it, either by the recharger, the device or both.
9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the encoded data is a static identification number.
10. A system as in claim 9, wherein the number is a wireless network address of the recharger or device.
11. A method of altering the settings, and/or triggering certain behaviour of a portable rechargeable device by means of a receiver capable of detecting that it is in proximity to a recharging station and informing the control software or electronics of the device electronics of this fact.
12. A system for recharging portable devices, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
13. A method of altering the settings, and or triggering certain behaviour of a portable rechargeable device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
EP03809376A 2002-10-28 2003-10-28 Improvements relating to automatically configuring rechargeable devices Withdrawn EP1602160A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0225008 2002-10-28
GB0225008A GB2394843A (en) 2002-10-28 2002-10-28 Charge and data transfer by the same means
PCT/GB2003/004642 WO2004038887A1 (en) 2002-10-28 2003-10-28 Improvements relating to automatically configuring rechargeable devices

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1602160A1 true EP1602160A1 (en) 2005-12-07

Family

ID=9946685

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03809376A Withdrawn EP1602160A1 (en) 2002-10-28 2003-10-28 Improvements relating to automatically configuring rechargeable devices

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1602160A1 (en)
AU (1) AU2003301597A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2394843A (en)
WO (1) WO2004038887A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9178387B2 (en) 2008-05-13 2015-11-03 Qualcomm Incorporated Receive antenna for wireless power transfer
US9312924B2 (en) 2009-02-10 2016-04-12 Qualcomm Incorporated Systems and methods relating to multi-dimensional wireless charging
US9583953B2 (en) 2009-02-10 2017-02-28 Qualcomm Incorporated Wireless power transfer for portable enclosures

Families Citing this family (58)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060028176A1 (en) * 2004-07-22 2006-02-09 Qingfeng Tang Cellular telephone battery recharging apparatus
GB0501115D0 (en) * 2005-01-19 2005-02-23 Innovision Res & Tech Plc Combined power coupling and rf communication apparatus
US7711039B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2010-05-04 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. System and method for protecting low voltage transceiver
US7343147B2 (en) 2005-04-04 2008-03-11 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Method and apparatus for powering and loading software into a battery-less electronic device
US7970870B2 (en) 2005-06-24 2011-06-28 Microsoft Corporation Extending digital artifacts through an interactive surface
JP4155408B2 (en) * 2005-09-29 2008-09-24 ソニー・エリクソン・モバイルコミュニケーションズ株式会社 Charging device and charging system
US7514899B2 (en) 2005-11-18 2009-04-07 Avago Technologies Ecbu Ip (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. Method and apparatus for optical wireless charging
US8447234B2 (en) 2006-01-18 2013-05-21 Qualcomm Incorporated Method and system for powering an electronic device via a wireless link
US9130602B2 (en) 2006-01-18 2015-09-08 Qualcomm Incorporated Method and apparatus for delivering energy to an electrical or electronic device via a wireless link
US7952322B2 (en) 2006-01-31 2011-05-31 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Inductive power source and charging system
US8169185B2 (en) 2006-01-31 2012-05-01 Mojo Mobility, Inc. System and method for inductive charging of portable devices
US11201500B2 (en) 2006-01-31 2021-12-14 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Efficiencies and flexibilities in inductive (wireless) charging
US7948208B2 (en) 2006-06-01 2011-05-24 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices
US11329511B2 (en) 2006-06-01 2022-05-10 Mojo Mobility Inc. Power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices
US8004235B2 (en) 2006-09-29 2011-08-23 Access Business Group International Llc System and method for inductively charging a battery
CN101563922A (en) * 2006-11-17 2009-10-21 诺基亚公司 System comprising a charging, data transmission and levitation apparatus and a mobile apparatus
US8482157B2 (en) 2007-03-02 2013-07-09 Qualcomm Incorporated Increasing the Q factor of a resonator
US9774086B2 (en) 2007-03-02 2017-09-26 Qualcomm Incorporated Wireless power apparatus and methods
US8199117B2 (en) 2007-05-09 2012-06-12 Microsoft Corporation Archive for physical and digital objects
US9124120B2 (en) 2007-06-11 2015-09-01 Qualcomm Incorporated Wireless power system and proximity effects
JP2010539821A (en) 2007-09-13 2010-12-16 クゥアルコム・インコーポレイテッド Maximizing the power generated from wireless power magnetic resonators
WO2009039113A1 (en) 2007-09-17 2009-03-26 Nigel Power, Llc Transmitters and receivers for wireless energy transfer
EP2208279A4 (en) 2007-10-11 2016-11-30 Qualcomm Inc Wireless power transfer using magneto mechanical systems
US8212518B2 (en) 2007-10-15 2012-07-03 Nxp B.V. Method of controlling a power transfer system and power transfer system
WO2009050625A2 (en) * 2007-10-15 2009-04-23 Nxp B.V. Power transfer system
RU2010138844A (en) 2008-02-22 2012-03-27 Эксесс Бизнес Груп Интернейшнл Ллс (Us) INDUCTIVE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM WITH REGISTRATION OF BATTERY TYPE
US8855554B2 (en) 2008-03-05 2014-10-07 Qualcomm Incorporated Packaging and details of a wireless power device
US8629576B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2014-01-14 Qualcomm Incorporated Tuning and gain control in electro-magnetic power systems
KR101589836B1 (en) 2008-04-21 2016-01-28 퀄컴 인코포레이티드 Short range efficient wireless power transfer
US20110050164A1 (en) 2008-05-07 2011-03-03 Afshin Partovi System and methods for inductive charging, and improvements and uses thereof
EP2180672B1 (en) 2008-10-23 2018-01-24 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Mobile device system for a motor vehicle
TWI478460B (en) 2009-01-06 2015-03-21 Access Business Group Int Llc Inductive power supply
US8497658B2 (en) 2009-01-22 2013-07-30 Qualcomm Incorporated Adaptive power control for wireless charging of devices
FR2946830B1 (en) * 2009-06-15 2012-11-30 Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa MULTIPURPOSE SUPPLY SUPPORT FOR ELECTRONIC APPARATUS NOMADE.
DE102009050529B4 (en) 2009-10-23 2020-06-04 Volkswagen Ag Mobile device system for a motor vehicle
DE202009017289U1 (en) 2009-12-22 2010-03-25 Volkswagen Ag Control panel for operating a mobile phone in a motor vehicle
JP5365748B2 (en) 2009-12-28 2013-12-11 豊田合成株式会社 Recharge or connection tray for portable electronic devices
EP2580844A4 (en) 2010-06-11 2016-05-25 Mojo Mobility Inc System for wireless power transfer that supports interoperability, and multi-pole magnets for use therewith
DE102011009213B4 (en) 2010-08-10 2021-12-23 Volkswagen Ag Motor vehicle with a telephone control
DE102010033901B4 (en) 2010-08-10 2022-03-17 Volkswagen Ag Motor vehicle with a display for showing variable information for operating functions of the motor vehicle
DE102010033883B4 (en) 2010-08-10 2021-12-23 Volkswagen Ag Method for data transfer between a mobile device and a motor vehicle
US9420458B2 (en) 2010-12-13 2016-08-16 Volkswagen Ag Method for the use of a mobile appliance using a motor vehicle
EP2652937A1 (en) 2010-12-14 2013-10-23 GN Netcom A/S Docking station for a handheld telecommunication device
US9496732B2 (en) 2011-01-18 2016-11-15 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Systems and methods for wireless power transfer
US10115520B2 (en) 2011-01-18 2018-10-30 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Systems and method for wireless power transfer
US11342777B2 (en) 2011-01-18 2022-05-24 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Powering and/or charging with more than one protocol
US9356659B2 (en) 2011-01-18 2016-05-31 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Chargers and methods for wireless power transfer
US9178369B2 (en) 2011-01-18 2015-11-03 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Systems and methods for providing positioning freedom, and support of different voltages, protocols, and power levels in a wireless power system
DE102011013761A1 (en) 2011-03-12 2012-09-13 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for operating motor vehicle i.e. motor car, involves automatically initializing Bluetooth type communication link by shock sensor according to unique knocking of mobile telephone against motor vehicle at predetermined area
US9722447B2 (en) 2012-03-21 2017-08-01 Mojo Mobility, Inc. System and method for charging or powering devices, such as robots, electric vehicles, or other mobile devices or equipment
US10929336B2 (en) 2012-11-19 2021-02-23 Nokia Technologies Oy Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for synchronized conversation between co-located devices
US20140171123A1 (en) * 2012-12-13 2014-06-19 Visteon Global Technologies, Inc. Reconfiguration of mobile electronic devices based on location
EP2770601B1 (en) * 2013-02-22 2016-08-17 HTC Corporation Method of protecting a power receiver
US9837846B2 (en) 2013-04-12 2017-12-05 Mojo Mobility, Inc. System and method for powering or charging receivers or devices having small surface areas or volumes
US9601267B2 (en) 2013-07-03 2017-03-21 Qualcomm Incorporated Wireless power transmitter with a plurality of magnetic oscillators
GB2535721B (en) * 2015-02-25 2019-09-04 Jaguar Land Rover Ltd Method of assisting use of an electronic device on-board a vehicle
US11444485B2 (en) 2019-02-05 2022-09-13 Mojo Mobility, Inc. Inductive charging system with charging electronics physically separated from charging coil
US11290586B2 (en) 2020-04-17 2022-03-29 Cisco Technology, Inc. Hook switching for telephone based on wireless charging protocol

Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8432807D0 (en) * 1984-12-31 1985-02-06 Emx International Ltd Loop data link
NL9101590A (en) * 1991-09-20 1993-04-16 Ericsson Radio Systems Bv SYSTEM FOR CHARGING A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY FROM A PORTABLE UNIT IN A RACK.
GB9204200D0 (en) * 1992-02-27 1992-04-08 Goble Nigel M An inductive loop power transmission system
US5229652A (en) * 1992-04-20 1993-07-20 Hough Wayne E Non-contact data and power connector for computer based modules
US5455466A (en) * 1993-07-29 1995-10-03 Dell Usa, L.P. Inductive coupling system for power and data transfer
GB2330461B (en) * 1994-06-30 1999-06-02 Nec Corp Noncontacting charging device
US5982764A (en) * 1995-05-18 1999-11-09 Aura Communications, Inc. Time-multiplexed short-range magnetic communications
TW463399B (en) * 1999-03-19 2001-11-11 Seiko Epson Corp Electronic device
US6127799A (en) * 1999-05-14 2000-10-03 Gte Internetworking Incorporated Method and apparatus for wireless powering and recharging
US6323775B1 (en) * 1999-08-10 2001-11-27 Telefonaktiebolaget Im Ericsson (Publ) Method, system and apparatus for proximity-based recharge notification
US6429622B1 (en) * 2000-11-14 2002-08-06 Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ) Method and apparatus for authenticating a charging unit by a portable battery-operated electronic device
JP2002199062A (en) * 2000-12-25 2002-07-12 Hitachi Ltd Portable terminal equipment
GB2388748A (en) * 2002-05-17 2003-11-19 Hewlett Packard Co A Camera which Transmits Image Data to a Local Receiver which Transmits Image Data to a Network

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2004038887A1 *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9178387B2 (en) 2008-05-13 2015-11-03 Qualcomm Incorporated Receive antenna for wireless power transfer
US9184632B2 (en) 2008-05-13 2015-11-10 Qualcomm Incorporated Wireless power transfer for furnishings and building elements
US9190875B2 (en) 2008-05-13 2015-11-17 Qualcomm Incorporated Method and apparatus with negative resistance in wireless power transfers
US9236771B2 (en) 2008-05-13 2016-01-12 Qualcomm Incorporated Method and apparatus for adaptive tuning of wireless power transfer
US9954399B2 (en) 2008-05-13 2018-04-24 Qualcomm Incorporated Reverse link signaling via receive antenna impedance modulation
US9991747B2 (en) 2008-05-13 2018-06-05 Qualcomm Incorporated Signaling charging in wireless power environment
US9312924B2 (en) 2009-02-10 2016-04-12 Qualcomm Incorporated Systems and methods relating to multi-dimensional wireless charging
US9583953B2 (en) 2009-02-10 2017-02-28 Qualcomm Incorporated Wireless power transfer for portable enclosures

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2004038887A1 (en) 2004-05-06
GB0225008D0 (en) 2002-12-04
AU2003301597A1 (en) 2004-05-13
GB2394843A (en) 2004-05-05

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
WO2004038887A1 (en) Improvements relating to automatically configuring rechargeable devices
US20070096691A1 (en) Wireless battery charger detection and notification
US8463183B2 (en) Headset charge via short-range RF communication
CN101438617B (en) System and method for storing near field communication tags in an electronic phonebook
CN102341986B (en) Extending device functionality amongst inductively linked devices
JP4528332B2 (en) Method for ensuring safe NFC function of wireless mobile communication device, and wireless mobile communication device having safe NFC function
JP4459159B2 (en) Terminal device
TWI607615B (en) Wireless charging method and charge controller thereof
KR100900476B1 (en) Mobile communication device and battery recharge method thereof
CN202334469U (en) Selection circuit of near field communication and wireless charging shared induction module
WO2014015779A1 (en) Method and apparatus for achieving compatibility of wireless charging and near field communication (nfc)
JP4699982B2 (en) Charging apparatus, charging method, and program
JP3955290B2 (en) Communication system and communication terminal device
EP1834394A1 (en) Method and apparatus for near field communications
JP5777954B2 (en) Charging stand control terminal, charging stand controlled by the charging stand control terminal, control method of charging stand control terminal, charging stand control method, charging stand control terminal control program, charging stand control program, and recording medium
JP2008148242A5 (en)
JP4293155B2 (en) Cordless phone
CN107546873A (en) The control method and device of wireless charging distance, electronic equipment
JP4028527B2 (en) Communication system, communication terminal device, wireless key device, and program
CN102415082A (en) Mobile terminal having data transfer function, and method of controlling operations of mobile terminal
TWM525019U (en) Power supplying device and power receiving device of wireless charging system and charge controller thereof
CN106299515B (en) Charging method and device
CN211321032U (en) Wireless charging device and vehicle
CN113225107A (en) Antenna activation method for near field communication device
JP2006246392A (en) Communication control system

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20050830

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL LT LV MK

DAX Request for extension of the european patent (deleted)
RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: SPLASHPOWER LIMITED

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: AMWAY (EUROPE) LIMITED

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: ACCESS BUSINESS GROUP INTERNATIONAL LLC

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20140110

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20160503