GB2549135A

GB2549135A - Charging surface

Info

Publication number: GB2549135A
Application number: GB1605920.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Worgan Paul; Adam Collett Michael; Omirou Themis; Sutton Matt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-04-07
Filing date: 2016-04-07
Publication date: 2017-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-07
Also published as: GB2549135B

Abstract

A wireless charging device mounted on a platform 2 capable of moving in two planes X and Y via linear actuators 3, 4, or other mechanism, to locate and charge a plurality of portable electronic devices such as smartphones, positioned on a surface 1. The energy transmitting device can locate and identify each chargeable device on the surface, and determine a priority order for the devices to be charged, based on predicted usage and current battery life. The priority order can be determined by the system, and can be modified by a user. The wireless charging surface can preferably rotate and tilt to align itself with a device to be charged. The wireless charging surface may be an inductive power transfer coil.

Description

Charging surface

This invention relates to a surface capable of charging multiple portable electronic devices with an internal energy store.

Today we are using multiple portable electronic devices, such as smartphones and smartwatches, each of which requires the internal energy store to be replenished from a charging source for continued operation. Typically, each device requires a bespoke charger and user intervention to plug or unplug a cable. In the case of inductive charging, the user is often required to align their device with the charging mat to ensure power transfer.

The invention comprises a charging surface capable of moving a proximity based power transfer method, such as an inductive power transfer coil, across the surface and allowing multiple devices to be located and charged.

The charging surface allows users to place multiple devices on the surface and they will be recharged without further user intervention.

Preferably, the charging surface will locate each device and determine a priority order for the device to be charged. Preferably, this priority order will allow the transmit coil to be moved between devices in quick succession and in an order determined by the system and modified by the user. Preferably, the system does not assume equivalence across all devices and does not prioritise the energy state of the device's internal store, instead the system can assign priority to a device based on predicted user device use, allowing devices which are deemed more likely to be used to receive more charging time.

For the device to be recharged, it should contain receiving circuitry compatible with the transmit circuitry. Preferably the charging surface can adapt its orientation to match the receive device's inclination to the surface, to ensure maximum energy delivery to the device.

An example of the invention will be described with accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows multiple exemplar devices placed on a charging surface.

Figure 2 shows how a proximity based power transfer method, such as inductive power transfer, could be moved along a two axis plane. The power transfer transmitter can be moved between multiple identified devices to provide energy.

Figure 3 shows how the transmitter could be moved along a third axis and rotated to minimise the effects of inclined alignments on the surface.

In figure 2 the energy source is mounted on platform 2. The platform 2 is capable of being moved in the labelled x and y directions, through, for example, linear actuators or rails 3, 4. The platform 2 can be moved across the surface 1, and directed towards any device(s) 7 which may require power on the surface 1, as depicted in figure 1. The surface 1 can have a plurality of dimensions in x and y. The charging surface could have a plurality of platforms 2, with figure 2 illustrating a system with a single platform 2.

If the device is inclined with respect to the surface 1, it may be beneficial to align the platform 2 to match the inclination of the device. In figure 3 the platform 2, has an alignment device 5, 6 capable of moving in the positive and negative z direction, as shown in figure 2. Additionally the alignment device 5 can be rotated in both directions about the z axis, and the top plate 6 of the alignment device can be rotated about its joining axis, or in the configuration shown in figure 3, the y axis. Rotation of the alignment platform could be achieved using a motor including stepper or servo motors.

In order for the charging surface to move an energy source between the devices, the system must identify and register the location of any device(s) across the surface. This can be achieved by scanning the platform 2, across the surface 1, and identifying any potential device(s) from a passive identification method, such as a magnetometer on the platform 2 and a magnet in the target device 7. An active method for identification could also be employed such as a radio frequency communication protocol such as WiFi, Bluetooth, RFID, NFC or cellular, where the system can use the signal strength as a location method or protocol to query or identify the device.

Regular scans across the surface 1, can be performed to update the device 7 location, device removal or locate any new devices on the surface.

Once the device(s) have been located a priority order of charging can be determined or set by the user or system for multiple devices. When "time" is used in this paragraph, it should be read as the time spent by the platform 2 under the identified device 7 at a determined x-y location on the charging surface for a set interval. The platform 2 moves between the devices 7 to transfer energy to each identified device 7 over a set interval or in a pseudo-parallel configuration; where each device is not charged at the same time or in parallel, but the platform 2 moves in succession between the devices 7 over a set interval, or in pseudo-parallel. The user or system may choose to allocate more charging time in a set interval, for example a minute, to devices 7 which have a lower indicated charge state. Alternatively the user or system can allocate more time in a set interval to devices which have a larger storage capacity. Furthermore the user or system can omit identified devices 7. Devices 7 could be omitted, for instance if the charge state of the battery is deemed to be full or is a low priority. Additionally the user or system may opt for each identified device(s) 7 to receive an equal amount of time over a set interval. The system may use the identification of the device to make some predictions about the device's 7 predicted use by the user and utilise this information to set the priority order of platform 2 movement, for example expected likelihood of duration of contact with the surface 1, based on previous interactions with the surface 1. The user can view, modify and update the systems decisions preferably, through a computer or smart-device based interface. In the case of only one identified device is present, the platform 2 can move to the identified device position and devote all of the time to charging the identified device.

Data can be passed over the energy link between the charging surface transmitter and receiver in the device. In this way once the device has been identified, further context on the devices charge state or device identity can be obtained.

The energy source moved on platform 2 or the alignment device 5, 6 in figure 3 could include power transfer techniques which benefit from close proximity to the power receiver such as inductive power transfer, radio frequency power transfer, ultrasonic power transfer, capacitive power transfer or hydraulic membrane based power transfer.

Claims

1. A charging surface which can move one or more energy transfer mechanisms across an x-y plane (surface) to provide energy to device(s).

2. A charging surface according to claim 1, in which the energy source can be attached to an alignment device which provides 3 additional degrees of freedom, one in a linear plane and two rotational.

3. A charging surface according to claim 1, wherein device(s) placed on the surface are identified and located with the confines of the surface.

4. A method of automatically assigning priority order and share of charging time between a plurality of differing device(s) based on predicted usage and charging behaviour which can also be overridden by the user, for the charging surface according to claim 1.

5. A charging surface according to claim 4, wherein the energy source(s) is moved between the device(s) in a pseudo-parallel configuration according to the priority order over a set interval.