US20150263548A1 - Systems and methods for wireless power distribution allocation - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods for power distribution allocation are provided. A system may establish a first wireless connection between the system and a first mobile device. The system may receive a first power request from the first mobile device, the first power request associated with a first minimum energy charge of the first mobile device, and may determine an available charging capacity of the charging system. The system may determine a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device, and may establish a second wireless connection with a second mobile device. The system may receive a second power request from the second mobile device, and may receive a first charge indicator from the first mobile device associated with a present charging status of the first mobile device. The system may determine a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the second mobile device.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/953,498, entitled “Dynamic Power Transmission for Multiple Wireless Receivers,” filed Mar. 14, 2014.
TECHNICAL FIELD
• This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for wireless power distribution, and more particularly to wireless power distribution allocation.
BACKGROUND
• Mobile devices have become an integral part of the computing landscape. As mobile devices become more capable, they have shifted to perform tasks that have traditionally been performed by non-mobile computers. In one example, mobile devices may have the ability to stream media, display videos, or otherwise consume large amounts of data over the course of a day. The increasing use of mobile devices by consumers, along with a high dynamic range of power consumption across mobile devices, may cause strain on certain components of the mobile device, such as the battery or power source. In some instances, certain applications of mobile devices may consume large portions of the battery powering the mobile device, resulting in a frequent need to charge the mobile device. Charging systems, however, may not optimally charge mobile devices connected to the charging system. Accordingly, systems and methods of wireless power distribution allocation may be desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
• Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
• FIG. 1 is an illustrative schematic diagram of a wireless charging system, in accordance with example embodiments of the disclosure.
• FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for power distribution allocation, in accordance with certain example embodiments of the disclosure.
• FIG. 3 is a dataflow diagram illustrating an example dataflow for the method ofFIG. 2, in accordance with certain example embodiments of the disclosure.
• FIG. 4 is a dataflow diagram illustrating an alternative dataflow, in accordance with certain example embodiments of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
• Embodiments of the disclosure are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like, but not necessarily the same or identical, elements throughout.
• Example embodiments of the disclosure may provide systems and methods for power distribution allocation to mobile devices, such as, but not limited to, mobile communication devices, laptops, smartphones, tablets, wearables (including headsets, watches, health monitors, etc.), or other mobile devices. Example embodiments may include a first mobile device wirelessly connected to a charging system, such as a wireless charging system, and a second mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system. The charging system may be configured to charge, or provide energy, wirelessly to the first and second mobile devices. For example, the charging system may implement or otherwise include magnetic resonance technology to wirelessly distribute or provide energy to the first and second mobile devices. Other forms of wirelessly providing energy may be utilized, examples of which are described herein. The charging system may provide energy to the connected mobile devices based at least in part on one or more power requests from each connected mobile device. However, the first and second mobile devices may have different energy needs based on many factors, for example, the charging cycle of the mobile device, the rate at which energy is being transferred, the capacity of the energy store (e.g., battery) of each mobile device, or other component limitations of each mobile device. Accordingly, each mobile device connected to the charging system may have dynamic power or energy needs.
• According to certain example embodiments of the disclosure, the charging system may account for the dynamic power needs of connected mobile devices in order to optimize use of the charging capacity of the charging system. The charging system may provide power, calculated as energy over time, to connected mobile devices. For example, the mobile devices connected to the charging system may communicate their respective charging needs to the charging system, and the charging system may allocate or reallocate energy that is provided to the first and second mobile devices based on the methods and systems described herein, such that the overall charging capacity of the charging system is utilized and/or optimized. In some instances, the total charging time for all connected devices may be optimized or reduced. For example, the charging system may receive a minimum power request and, in some embodiments, a maximum power request from both the first and second mobile devices. The charging system may also receive a charge indicator from the first and second mobile devices. The charging system may provide energy to the first and second mobile devices based at least in part on the respective minimum or maximum power requests received from the mobile devices. In some instances, a third mobile device may establish a wireless connection with the charging system. The charging system may receive a minimum power request and, in some embodiments, a maximum power request from the third mobile device. The charging system may determine whether or not to provide energy, or how much energy to provide, to the third mobile device based at least in part on the energy being requested by and/or provided to the first and second mobile devices, the minimum power required of a third device, as well as the available charging capacity of the charging system. In some embodiments, the charging system may dynamically reallocate energy being provided to the first and second mobile devices in order to provide energy to the third mobile device. In other embodiments, the charging system may determine real-time energy being provided to, or being received or requested by, connected mobile devices in order to determine available charging capacity of the charging system. Additional systems and methods of power distribution allocation are described herein.
• In example embodiments, the mobile devices discussed herein may have one or more antennas and/or transceivers, such as antennas and/or transceivers (e.g., radios), for wirelessly communicating with, for example, one another and/or the charging system. Sample forms of wireless communication may include WiFi, BLUETOOTH™, BLUETOOTH LE™, Near Field Communication, and other forms of wireless communication including non-radio frequency methods such as infrared radiation. In example embodiments, the mobile devices may be configured to wirelessly receive energy from the charging system. For example, the mobile devices may include resonators for engaging in a resonant magnetic induction energy transfer with the charging system.
• It will be appreciated that in example embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may provide for and result in increased functionality for mobile devices, and/or optimal use of charging capacity for charging systems by utilizing unused capacity of the charging system to provide energy to connected mobile devices.
• Some example elements involved in the operation of the systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein may be better understood with reference to the figures. Referring now toFIG. 1,FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating anexample charging system100 in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, thecharging system100 includes apower transmission unit102.FIG. 1 further depicts a firstmobile device200, a secondmobile device300, and a thirdmobile device400. The embodiment is merely illustrative, as any number of mobile devices may be included. The firstmobile device200, the secondmobile device300, and the thirdmobile device400 may be inwireless communication130 with thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100. Specifically, the firstmobile device200 may be connected to thepower transmission unit102 via a firstwireless connection132. The secondmobile device300 may be connected to thepower transmission unit102 via a secondwireless connection134. The thirdmobile device400 may be connected to thepower transmission unit102 via a thirdwireless connection136. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, additional or fewer mobile devices and/or power transmission units may be included.
• Thepower transmission unit102 may be any one of suitable devices that may be configured to wirelessly provide energy to wirelessly connectedmobile devices200,300,400. In some embodiments, thepower transmission unit102 may incorporate an exemplary charging protocol, for example protocol established by the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) standard. In the illustrated embodiment, thepower transmission unit102 includes one or more processor(s)104, aradio106, an input/output interface (I/O)108, and amemory110. Eachcomponent104,106,108 may be communicatively coupled to thememory110. Thememory110 includes anoperating system112, amessage module116, acommunication module118, and abroadcast module120. The operating system (O/S)112 may provide users with a guided user interface and/or may provide software logic used to control thepower transmission unit102. Themessage module116 may be configured to provide messaging capabilities for thepower transmission unit102. Thecommunication module118 may be configured to transmit and receive communications from mobile devices, for example, in order to establish a wireless connection. Thebroadcast module120 may be configured to emit beacons in some embodiments, for local or nearby mobile devices.
• Thepower transmission unit102 includes anantenna114 in communication with at least theradio106. Thepower transmission unit102 also includes aresonator122 that may be configured to wirelessly provide or distribute energy or power to connectedmobile devices200,300,400. Thepower transmission unit102 may optionally include apower amplifier124 and apower supply126. Thepower transmission unit102 may be connected to anexternal power source131 from which thepower transmission unit102 receives energy. Although each of these components is shown in the illustrated embodiment, other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. For example, thepower transmission unit102 may include capacitive charging technology, contact ultrasound or non-contact ultrasound technology, infrared technology, or other wireless power distribution technologies. Thepower transmission unit102 may come in any shape, size, or form. For example, thepower transmission unit102 may be in the form of, or include, a mat or a sheet, or may be integrated into furniture such as tables or desktops, walls, airplane seats, chairs, armrests, electronic devices such as laptops or computers, or other surfaces at which mobile devices are commonly placed.
• Themobile devices200,300,400 may be any one of suitable devices that may be configured to execute one or more applications, software, and/or instructions to provide one or more services to a user. Themobile devices200,300,400, as used herein, may be any variety of client devices, electronic devices, communications devices, and/or other user devices. Themobile devices200,300,400 may include, but are not limited to, tablet computing devices, electronic book (ebook) readers, netbook computers, Ultrabook™, notebook computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, watches or other wearables, health monitors, personal digital assistants (PDA), smart phones, web-enabled televisions, video game consoles, set top boxes (STB), or the like. Further examples ofmobile devices200,300,400 include peripherals such as wireless keyboards, mouse components, and the like, as well as wearables including, but not limited to, headsets, health monitors, watches, wristbands, ear phones, and the like. While the drawings and/or specification may portray themobile devices200,300,400 in the likeness of a smartphone, a laptop, or a tablet, the disclosure is not limited to such. Indeed, the systems and methods described herein may apply to any mobile device or user device capable of communicating with and receiving energy from thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100. The mobile devices may be used by users for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to, functionality such as web browsing, business, communications, graphics, word processing, publishing, spreadsheets, databases, gaming, education, entertainment, media, project planning, engineering, drawing, or combinations thereof.
• In the illustrated embodiment, the firstmobile device200 includes one or more processor(s)202, an input/output interface (I/O)204, anetwork interface206, amemory208, astorage interface210, and aradio212. Eachcomponent202,204,206,210,212 may be communicatively coupled to thememory208. The firstmobile device200 further includes anantenna214 in communication with at least theradio212. Thememory208 includes an operating system (O/S)216, amessage module218, abroadcast module220, and acommunication module222. Theoperating system216 may provide users with a guided user interface and/or may provide software logic used to control themobile device200. Themessage module218 may be configured to provide messaging capabilities for themobile device200. Thecommunication module222 may be configured to transmit and receive communications from thecharging system100, for example, in order to establish a wireless connection. Thebroadcast module220 may be configured to emit beacons in some embodiments, for local or nearby charging systems. The firstmobile device200 may also include aresonator230 and abattery240, where theresonator230, in the illustrated embodiment, is configured to receive resonant magnetic inductive energy wirelessly from thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100 and to charge thebattery240, as described herein. Although each of these components is shown in the illustrated embodiment, other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. In other embodiments, themobile device200 may include components necessary to receive and store other forms of wirelessly communicated energy, such as capacitive charging.
• Similarly, the secondmobile device300 includes one or more processor(s)302, an input/output interface (I/O)304, anetwork interface306, amemory308, astorage interface310, and aradio312. Eachcomponent302,304,306,310,312 may be communicatively coupled to thememory308. The secondmobile device300 further includes anantenna314 in communication with at least theradio312. Thememory308 includes an operating system (O/S)316, amessage module318, abroadcast module320, and acommunication module322. Theoperating system316 may provide users with a guided user interface and/or may provide software logic used to control themobile device300. Themessage module318 may be configured to provide messaging capabilities for themobile device300. Thecommunication module322 may be configured to transmit and receive communications from thecharging system100, for example, in order to establish a wireless connection. Thebroadcast module320 may be configured to emit beacons in some embodiments, for local or nearby charging systems. The secondmobile device300 may also include aresonator330 and abattery340, where theresonator330 is configured to receive energy wirelessly from thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100 and to charge thebattery340, as described herein. Although each of these components is shown in the illustrated embodiment, other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. In other embodiments, the secondmobile device300 may include components necessary to receive and store other forms of wirelessly communicated energy, such as capacitive charging.
• The thirdmobile device400 also includes one or more processor(s)402, an input/output interface (I/O)404, anetwork interface406, amemory408, astorage interface410, and aradio412. Eachcomponent402,404,406,410,412 may be communicatively coupled to thememory408. The thirdmobile device400 further includes anantenna414 in communication with at least theradio412. Thememory408 includes an operating system (O/S)416, amessage module418, abroadcast module420, and acommunication module422. Theoperating system416 may provide users with a guided user interface and/or may provide software logic used to control themobile device400. Themessage module418 may be configured to provide messaging capabilities for themobile device400. Thecommunication module422 may be configured to transmit and receive communications from thecharging system100, for example, in order to establish a wireless connection. Thebroadcast module420 may be configured to emit beacons in some embodiments, for local or nearby charging systems. The thirdmobile device400 may also include aresonator430 and abattery440, where theresonator430 is configured to receive energy wirelessly from thecharging system100 and to charge thebattery440, as described herein. Although each of these components is shown in the illustrated embodiment, other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. In other embodiments, the thirdmobile device400 may include components necessary to receive and store other forms of wirelessly communicated energy, such as capacitive charging.
• Eachrespective processor104,202,302,402 of thepower transmission unit102 or themobile devices200,300,400 may be implemented as appropriate in hardware, software, firmware, or combinations thereof. Software or firmware implementations of theprocessors104,202,302,402 may include computer-executable or machine-executable instructions written in any suitable programming language to perform the various functions described. Hardware implementations of theprocessors104,202,302,402 may be configured to execute computer-executable or machine-executable instructions to perform the various functions described. Theprocessors104,202,302,402 may include, without limitation, a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a reduced instruction set computer (RISC), a complex instruction set computer (CISC), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any combination thereof. Thepower transmission unit102 and/ormobile devices200,300,400 may also include a chipset (not shown) for controlling communications between one ormore processors104,202,302,402 and one or more of the other components of thepower transmission unit102 or themobile devices200,300,400. Theprocessors104,202,302,402 may also include one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or application specific standard products (ASSPs) for handling specific data processing functions or tasks. In certain example embodiments, thepower transmission unit102 and/or themobile devices200,300,400 may be based on an Intel® Architecture system, and theprocessors104,202,302,402 and chipset may be from a family of Intel® processors and chipsets, such as the Intel® Atom® processor family.
• The input/output interfaces108,204,304,404 included in thepower transmission unit102 and themobile devices200,300,400 may enable the use of one or more user interfaces for receiving user input and/or providing output to the user. A user may be able to administer or manage the systems and methods disclosed herein by interacting with thepower transmission unit102 or themobile devices200,300,400 via the input/output interfaces108,204,304,404, such as a touchscreen interface, a display, a guided user interface, or any other input/output interface. The input/output interfaces108,204,304,404 may be in the form of a touch screen, a microphone, an accelerometer sensor, a speaker, or any other suitable input/output interfaces that may be used by the user to interact with thepower transmission unit102 or themobile devices200,300,400.
• Thememory110 of thepower transmission unit102, as well as thememory208,308,408, of the firstmobile device200, secondmobile device300, and thirdmobile device400, respectively, may include one or more volatile and/or non-volatile memory devices including, but not limited to, magnetic storage devices, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), double data rate (DDR) SDRAM (DDR-SDRAM), RAM-BUS DRAM (RDRAM), flash memory devices, electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), universal serial bus (USB) removable memory, or combinations thereof.
• Thememory110 of thepower transmission unit102, as well as thememory208,308,408, of the firstmobile device200, secondmobile device300, and thirdmobile device400, respectively, may store program instructions that are loadable and executable on eachrespective processor104,202,302,402, as well as data generated or received during the execution of these programs. Turning to the contents of eachmemory110,208,308,408 in more detail, eachmemory110,208,308,408 may include several modules. Each of the modules and/or software may provide functionality for thepower transmission unit102 ormobile devices200,300,400, when executed by theprocessors104,202,302,402. The modules and/or the software may or may not correspond to physical locations and/or addresses in eachmemory110,208,308,408. In other words, the contents of each of the modules may not be segregated from each other and may, in fact be stored in at least partially interleaved positions on eachmemory110,208,308,408.
• Thememory110,208,308,408 of the respectivepower transmission unit102, firstmobile device200, secondmobile device300, and thirdmobile device400 includes a respectiveoperating system module112,216,316,416. Theprocessors104,202,302,402 of thepower transmission unit102 or the correspondingmobile device200,300,400 may each be configured to access and execute one or more operating systems stored in the respectiveoperating system modules112,216,316,416 to operate the system functions of the electronic device. System functions, as managed by the operating system may include memory management, processor resource management, driver management, application software management, system configuration, and the like. The operating system may be any variety of suitable operating systems including, but not limited to, Google® Android®, Microsoft® Windows®, Microsoft® Windows® Server®, Linux, Apple® OS-X®, or the like.
• Thememory110,208,308,408 of the respectivepower transmission unit102, firstmobile device200, secondmobile device300, and thirdmobile device400 includes arespective broadcast module120,220,320,420. Eachbroadcast module120,220,320,420 may contain instructions and/or applications thereon that may be executed by eachrespective processor104,202,302,402 to provide one or more functionality associated with the directional distribution and reception of wireless signals and task processing. These instructions and/or applications may, in certain aspects, interact with each respectiveoperating system module112,216,316,416 and/or other modules of thepower transmission unit102 and/ormobile devices200,300,400. Eachbroadcast module120,220,320,420 may have instructions, software, and/or code stored thereon that may be launched and/or executed by theprocessors104,202,302,402 to execute one or more applications and functionality associated therewith. These applications may include, but are not limited to, functionality such as web browsing, business, communications, graphics, word processing, publishing, spreadsheets, databases, gaming, education, entertainment, media, project planning, engineering, drawing, or combinations thereof.
• Theradios106,212,312,412 of thepower transmission unit102 and/ormobile devices200,300,400 may be a transmit/receive component, such as a transceiver. Theradios106,212,312,412 may include any suitable radio(s) and/or transceiver(s) for transmitting and/or receiving radio frequency (RF) signals in the bandwidth and/or channels corresponding to the communications protocols utilized by themobile devices200,300,400 to communicate with each other or with other user devices and/or thepower transmission unit102 or another component of thecharging system100. Theradios106,212,312,412 may include hardware and/or software to modulate communications signals according to pre-established distribution protocols. Theradios106,212,312,412 may further have hardware and/or software instructions to communicate via one or more Wi-Fi and/or Wi-Fi direct protocols, as standardized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards. In certain embodiments, theradios106,212,312,412, in cooperation with theirrespective antennas114,214,314,414, may be configured to communicate via 2.4 GHz channels (e.g. 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n), 5 GHz channels (e.g. 802.11n, 802.11ac), or 60 GHZ channels (e.g. 802.11ad). In alternative embodiments, non-Wi-Fi protocols may be used for communications between thepower transmission unit102 and/ormobile devices200,300,400, such as BLUETOOTH™, BLUETOOTH™ LE, Near Field Communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), or other packetized radio communications. Theradios106,212,312,412 may include any known receiver and baseband suitable for communicating via the communications protocols of thepower transmission unit102 and/ormobile devices200,300,400. Theradios106,212,312,412 may further include a low noise amplifier (LNA), additional signal amplifiers, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, one or more buffers, and a digital baseband.
• Theantennas114,214,314,414 included in thepower transmission unit102 and respectivemobile devices200,300,400 may be configured for receiving and/or transmitting communications signals from/to each other or other components of thecharging system100 directly or indirectly. Theantennas114,214,314,414 may be any suitable type of antenna corresponding to the communications protocols used by thepower transmission unit102 and/ormobile devices200,300,400 for the particular signals received and/or transmitted via theantennas114,214,314,414. Some non-limiting examples ofsuitable antennas114,214,314,414 include directional antennas, non-directional antennas, dipole antennas, folded dipole antennas, patch antennas, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, or the like. Eachantenna114,214,314,414 may be communicatively coupled to a radio component to transmit and/or receive signals, such as communications signals to and/or from thepower transmission unit102 and/or themobile devices200,300,400.
• Theantennas114,214,314,414 may be configured to receive and/or transmit signals in accordance with established standards and protocols, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family of standards, including via 2.4 GHz channels (e.g. 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n), 5 GHz channels (e.g. 802.11n, 802.11ac), or 60 GHZ channels (e.g. 802.11ad). In alternative example embodiments, theantennas114,214,314,414 may be configured to receive and/or transmit non-Wi-Fi protocol signals, such as BLUETOOTH™, BLUETOOTH™ LE, Near Field Communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), or other packetized radio communications.
• Eachmobile device200,300,400 includes an energy storage device, such as abattery240,340,440. Eachbattery240,340,440 may be configured to provide energy or otherwise power each respectivemobile device200,300,400. Thebatteries240,340,440 may be any suitable type of battery including, but not limited to, wet cells, dry cells, lead-acid, lithium, lithium hydride, lithium ion, or the like, at any suitable voltage and/or output current. In certain embodiments, thebatteries240,340,440 may be rechargeable and may be recharged by one or more other power sources, such as thepower transmission unit102.
• Thepower transmission unit102 and eachmobile device200,300,400 may include therespective resonator122,230,330,430. Eachresonator122,230,330,430 may be any suitable resonator configured to provide, distribute, transmit, or receive energy. For example, theresonator122 of thepower transmission unit102 may be configured to transmit energy wirelessly, and theresonators230,330,430 of themobile devices200,300,400 may be configured to receive the energy transmitted by theresonator122 of thepower transmission unit102. Theresonators122,230,330,430 may be electromagnetic resonators in one example. Theresonators230,330,430 of themobile devices200,300,400 may be electrically coupled to eachrespective battery240,340,440 of themobile devices200,300,400, and may be configured to charge, recharge, and/or provide energy to thebatteries240,340,440.
• Thepower transmission unit102 may include thepower amplifier124 and thepower supply126. Thepower amplifier124 and thepower supply126 may be electrically coupled to theresonator122 of thepower transmission unit102, and may energize theresonator122 such that theresonator122 may wirelessly transmit energy. Thepower supply126 may be a battery, for example, and/or may be a connection toexternal power source131. Thepower supply126 may further include AC/DC power conversion capabilities and/or converters. Theexternal power source131 may be power provided from a power outlet, as shown. The connection between thepower transmission unit102 and theexternal power supply130 may be a standard wall outlet, a Universal Serial Bus connection, a FIREWIRE™ or LIGHTNING™ connection, or any other connection configured to deliver power to the power transmission unit. In some embodiments, thepower supply126 may be an intermediary between thepower transmission unit102 and theexternal power supply130. Thepower amplifier124 may amplify energy from thepower supply126 to ensure theresonator122 has sufficient energy to wirelessly transmit or distribute energy. For example, thepower amplifier124 may provide current in order to generate flux, thereby inducing voltage at theresonator122.
• Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, anexample method500 and anexample data flow600 for power distribution allocation according to one embodiment of the disclosure are illustrated and will be discussed in conjunction with each other. Referring first toFIG. 2,method500 illustrates one example method for power distribution allocation, in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure, that may be performed by a charging system having the features disclosed herein, for example thecharging system100. Referring now toFIG. 3,data flow600 includes the firstmobile device200 in wireless communication via afirst wireless connection603 with thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100.Data flow600 also includes the secondmobile device300 in wireless communication with thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100 via thesecond wireless connection134.FIG. 3 illustrates data flowing between the components over time, denoted on the vertical axis.
• Still referring to bothFIGS. 2 and 3, atblock502 ofFIG. 2, thecharging system100 may establish a first wireless connection between the chargingsystem100 and the firstmobile device200. The first wireless connection may be established by any of a number of methods. For example, turning toFIG. 3, one embodiment ofblock502 is illustrated by the communications and/or operations included inexchange602, where thefirst wireless connection603 is established. As shown inFIG. 3, thefirst wireless connection603 may be established between thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100 and the firstmobile device200. In the illustrated embodiment, atcommunication604, thepower transmission unit102 may transmit a beacon, for example, to determine if any mobile devices within range want to connect to thepower transmission unit102. The beacon may be emitted or transmitted by thepower transmission unit102 periodically or at predetermined time intervals using any of the above described hardware and/or thecommunication module118. The firstmobile device200 may receive the beacon from thepower transmission unit102 using any of the above described hardware, and in response, atcommunication606, the firstmobile device200 may transmit a response or confirmation to thepower transmission unit102, thereby creating thefirst wireless connection603 between thepower transmission unit102 and the firstmobile device200. Other methods of establishing wireless connections between the chargingsystem100 and mobile devices may be implemented. For example, a handshake or authentication process may be implemented. Further, any component of thecharging system100, including thepower transmission unit102 or any of themobile devices200,300,400 may initiate the respective wireless connections, and additional or fewer communications and/or operations may be performed in order to establish thefirst wireless connection603.
• Atblock504 ofFIG. 2, thecharging system100 may receive a first power request from the firstmobile device200, where the first power request is associated with a first minimum energy charge of the firstmobile device200, where the first minimum energy charge may be determined by theoperating system112. Referring to thedata flow600 ofFIG. 3, this operation is shown atcommunication608, where the firstmobile device200 may transmit the first power request to thepower transmission unit102. In one embodiment, transmission of the first power request may be initiated by theoperating system216 or thecommunication module222 of the firstmobile device200. The first power request may indicate the minimum energy charge the firstmobile device200 will accept, and may be device dependent. For example, the firstmobile device200 may be unable to receive less than 1 watt of energy from thepower transmission unit102, and the first power request may reflect this minimum accordingly. In instances where the firstmobile device200 has a relatively larger power consumption or consumption rate, such as with a laptop computer, the firstmobile device200 may have a higher minimum power request than compared to instances where the firstmobile device200 consumes relatively little power, for example, a smartphone.
• Thepower transmission unit102 may receive the first power request viacommunication608, and atblock506 of themethod500, thecharging system100 may determine an available charging capacity of thecharging system100. The available charging capacity may be a maximum charging output thecharging system100 is capable of providing, less any charge or energy currently being provided. For example, thecharging system100 may evaluate the overall total charging capacity or power output of thecharging system100, whether thecharging system100 is presently providing energy to any mobile devices, anticipated power requests from mobile devices (e.g., dependent on the charging cycle of the mobile device or additional power requests as discussed below) or other factors in determining the available charging capacity of thecharging system100. In some embodiments, the firstmobile device200 may optionally transmit, and thepower transmission unit102 may receive, a third power request associated with a first maximum energy charge, illustrated by dashedline622, which may be associated with a maximum energy charge that can be requested and/or received by the firstmobile device200. Again, the third power request may be initiated by theoperating system216 and/or thecommunication module222 of the firstmobile device200. Thepower transmission unit102 may store any received power requests inmemory110 or otherwise catalog or create a registry to track the minimum and/or maximum energy charge for a given mobile device, as discussed herein.
• Upon determining an available charging capacity of the charging system, or concurrently, atblock508 thecharging system100 may determine, based at least in part on the first power request and the available charging capacity, a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the firstmobile device200, using for example theoperating system112.Operation610 ofFIG. 3 illustrates thepower transmission unit102 wirelessly providing the determined first energy charge to the firstmobile device200. As discussed herein, the rate at which energy is provided to the firstmobile device200 from thepower transmission unit102 may be determined by thepower transmission unit102 and may be based on the first power request received from the firstmobile device200. In some embodiments, the first energy charge may also be based in part on the third power request.
• While thecharging system100 receives the first power request that is associated with a first minimum energy charge of the firstmobile device200, thecharging system100 may receive additional power requests from the firstmobile device200, although not illustrated. For example, the first power request may indicate the minimum energy charge the firstmobile device200 is willing to accept, but the actual energy charge desired by the firstmobile device200 may be higher. Accordingly, in some embodiments thecharging system100 may determine, using forexample operating system112, the first energy charge to provide to the firstmobile device200 based at least in part on the desired power requested by the firstmobile device200, as well as the first power request and the available charging capacity, and in some instances the third power request. Although illustrated as occurring at different points along the vertical time axis, any portion of any of the operations or steps described above may occur at least partially concurrently with any portion of any other operation or step described above.
• Atblock510, thecharging system100 may establish a second wireless connection between the chargingsystem100 and the secondmobile device300. For example, communications and/oroperations614,616 included inexchange612 ofFIG. 3 may correspond to a beacon transmission sent by thepower transmission unit102 and received by the secondmobile device300 atcommunication614, and in response, the secondmobile device300 may transmit a response or confirmation atcommunication616 to thepower transmission unit102, thereby establishing asecond wireless connection613 between thepower transmission unit102 and the secondmobile device300. As discussed above, any method of establishing a wireless connection between thepower transmission unit102 and the secondmobile device300 may be implemented, and any device may initiate the wireless connection.
• Atblock512 ofmethod500 inFIG. 2, thecharging system100 may receive a second power request from the secondmobile device300, where the second power request is associated with a second minimum energy charge of the secondmobile device300. The second minimum energy charge may be device dependent, for example depending on the energy needs and consumption of the secondmobile device300, as discussed above with respect to the first power request. InFIG. 3,communication618 illustrates the secondmobile device300 transmitting the second power request to thepower transmission unit102. Thepower transmission unit102 may receive the second power request from the secondmobile device300 atcommunication618.
• Upon receiving the second power request from the secondmobile device300, thepower transmission unit102 may determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system atblock514, where the updated available charging capacity may be determined or calculated, in one example by subtracting the first energy charge or a present energy charge allocated to the firstmobile device200 from the charging capability of thecharging system100, where the present energy charge is a realtime energy charge provided to the mobile device. The present energy charge being provided to the firstmobile device200 may correspond to the energy being provided to the firstmobile device200 from thepower transmission unit102 at the time the determination is made. In some instances, the present energy charge may be substantially equal to the first power request, or in other instances the present energy charge may be equal to the last received power request. However, as discussed above, the firstmobile device200 may not only transmit the first power request, corresponding to a minimum energy charge the firstmobile device200 will accept, but may transmit additional power requests, as part of the first power request or separately, that indicate a desired energy charge. Further, as the firstmobile device200 progresses on its respective charge cycle, for example from a constant-current position to a constant-voltage position in a constant-current/constant-voltage charge cycle, it may determine it desires an additional or reduced energy charge and/or rate of charge. For example, a smartphone may desire a slower rate of charge upon completing 80% of its charge cycle. Accordingly, atblock514, thecharging system100 determines a present energy charge being provided to the firstmobile device200 at the time the determination is made. In some embodiments, thecharging system100 may further determine a change in or request for change in the energy charge of the firstmobile device200. For example, thecharging system100 may request a charge indicator from the firstmobile device200 atcommunication619, where the charge indicator is associated with, for example, a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to completion, a charge cycle indicator, or the like. Thecharging system100 may receive atcommunication620, in one example, the charge indicator from the firstmobile device200 indicating that the percentage charge completion of the firstmobile device200 is 79%. Thecharging system100 may use the charge indicator to anticipate that the firstmobile device200 may desire or accept a reduced energy charge shortly (e.g., when the percentage charge completion is 80% or at a corresponding point on the charge cycle of the first mobile device200), and may determine the present energy charge being provided to the firstmobile device200 accordingly.
• Atblock516, thecharging system100 may determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the secondmobile device300. In some embodiments, thecharging system100 may also consider the third power request, associated with the first maximum energy charge of the firstmobile device200 in determining the second energy charge. InFIG. 3,operation624 illustrates thepower transmission unit102 wirelessly providing energy to the secondmobile device300, thereby completingmethod500. Although illustrated as occurring at different points along the vertical time axis, any portion of any of the operations or steps described above may occur at least partially concurrently with any portion of any other operation or step described above.
• It should be noted, that themethod500 may be modified in various ways in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure. For example, one or more operations ofmethod500 may be eliminated or executed out of order in other embodiments of the disclosure. Additionally, other operations may be added tomethod500 in accordance with other embodiments of the disclosure.
• Referring still toFIG. 3, atcommunication626 the firstmobile device200 may transmit a fifth power request to thepower transmission unit102, the fifth power request associated with an energy charge different than the first energy charge. For example, the fifth energy charge may be more or less than the first energy charge. For example, upon charge completion the fifth energy charge may be nothing. Thepower transmission unit102 may receive the fifth energy charge and may determine an updated available charging capacity, as discussed above. In some instances, thepower transmission unit102 may request, atcommunication627, a second charge indicator from the secondmobile device300, as discussed above with respect to the first charge indicator. The secondmobile device300 may receive the request and transmit, atcommunication628, the second charge indicator to thepower transmission unit102. Thepower transmission unit102 may determine, based at least in part on the fifth power request, the available charging capacity of thecharging system100, and/or the second charge indicator if requested and/or received, a fourth energy charge to provide to the firstmobile device200. Atoperation630, thepower transmission unit102 may provide energy to the firstmobile device200 at the fourth energy charge.
• Atcommunications632 and634, thepower transmission unit102 of thecharging system100 may transmit a request for a charge indicator associated with a present charging status of any or allmobile devices200,300 wirelessly connected to thecharging system100. As discussed above, the charge indicator may include any of a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to completion, a charging cycle position indicator, or the like. Thepower transmission unit102 may transmit such a request periodically, or requests may be triggered by certain actions, such as when a new mobile device wishes to connect to thepower transmission unit102 and/or receive energy charge from thepower transmission unit102.Communications632 and634 may occur at any point and at any time, although illustrated in an example position.
• Similarly, thepower transmission unit102 may transmit requests, atcommunications636 and638, to any or all connectedmobile devices200,300 for a received energy charge indicator. The received energy charge indicator may be associated with an energy charge that has been received by the respective mobile device while connected to thepower transmission unit102. For example, the received energy charge may indicate that the firstmobile device200 has been connected to thepower transmission unit102 for 1 hour and has received 1,000 milliampere-hours of energy charge. Thepower transmission unit102 may receive respective energy charge indicators from connected mobile devices and analyze the energy charge indicator to the energy charge provided to the respective mobile device to determine an efficiency of the wireless charging provided by thepower transmission unit102. Based on the determined efficiency, thepower transmission unit102 may modify the energy charge being provided to the mobile device. For example, if the efficiency is low, the energy charge provided to that mobile device may be increased to compensate for the low efficiency.Communications636 and638 may occur at any point and at any time, although illustrated in an example position.
• Referring now toFIG. 4, an alternate embodiment of the disclosure is illustrated indataflow700. In this embodiment, a use case including the thirdmobile device400 is depicted. Atoperation630, thepower transmission unit102 may be wirelessly providing energy to the firstmobile device200, and atoperation624 thepower transmission unit102 may be wirelessly providing energy to the secondmobile device300, as described above with respect toFIG. 3. For example, thepower transmission unit102 may be able to provide a total of 20 watts of energy, for an initial available charging capacity of 20 watts. In this example, assume the first energy charge being provided to the first mobile device is 5 watts and the second energy charge being provided to the secondmobile device300 is 10 watts, leaving an available charging capacity of 5 watts. Atexchange702, thecharging system100 may establish athird wireless connection603 between thepower transmission unit102 and the thirdmobile device400. For instance,power transmission unit102 may transmit a beacon at communication704 that is received by the thirdmobile device400. In response, the thirdmobile device400 may transmit a response or confirmation to thepower transmission unit102 atcommunication706, thereby establishing thethird wireless connection703. Atcommunication708, the thirdmobile device400 may transmit a fourth power request to thepower transmission unit102, where the fourth power request is associated with a third minimum energy charge of the thirdmobile device400, as discussed above with respect to the first and second minimum energy charges. Continuing the above example, assume the fourth power request is 5 watts. Thepower transmission unit102 may receive the fourth power request from the thirdmobile device400 and may determine a present energy charge being provided to the firstmobile device200 and the secondmobile device300. In some embodiments, thepower transmission unit102 may optionally transmit a charge indicator request, atcommunications710 and712, to the first and secondmobile devices200,300, respectively. In response, the firstmobile device200 may transmit a charge indicator to thepower transmission unit102 atcommunication714, and the secondmobile device300 may transmit a charge indicator to thepower transmission unit102 atcommunication716.
• Thepower transmission unit102 may determine, based at least in part on the present energy charge allocated to the firstmobile device200, the second energy charge allocated to the secondmobile device300, the first minimum power of the firstmobile device200, the second minimum power of the secondmobile device300, the available charging capacity of thecharging system100, and the fourth power request from the thirdmobile device400, a fourth energy charge to provide wirelessly to the thirdmobile device400. Atoperation720, thepower transmission unit102 may begin providing energy wirelessly to the thirdmobile device400, in addition to providing energy to the first and secondmobile devices200,300. Continuing the above example, because thepower transmission unit102 had an available capacity of 5 watts, sufficient to meet the minimum energy charge of the thirdmobile device400, thepower transmission unit102 began providing energy to the thirdmobile device400. If the thirdmobile device400 had a minimum energy charge of 6 Watts, thepower transmission unit102 may have, in some embodiments, determined if the first or second energy charges could be reduced, based on the minimum energy charges for the first and secondmobile devices200,300, and if so, thepower transmission unit102 may have reduced the energy charge to one or both of the first and secondmobile devices200,300, based on the minimum energy charges for the first and secondmobile devices200,300, to accommodate the minimum energy charge for the thirdmobile device400.
• In some embodiments, thecharging system100 may implement a priority order for adjusting the power or energy allocated to a specific connected mobile device, for example adjusting the first energy charge to the firstmobile device200 or the second energy charge to the secondmobile device300. For example, if the firstmobile device200 is a smart phone and the secondmobile device300 is a laptop computer, the charging system may allocate a higher percentage of desired energy charge to the smartphone than the percentage allocated to the laptop computer based on hardware or software logic. For example, the smartphone may charge more quickly than the laptop computer. In some embodiments, users may be able to set a priority order for charging, while in other embodiments, priority may be determined by estimated time to completion, charge cycle position, percentage charge completion, or other factors.
• The systems and methods described herein may result in increased functionality or optimal power distribution allocation of charging systems by maximizing use of available capacity of the charging system. In some embodiments, the charging system may allocate power or energy to a mobile device based at least in part on a minimum energy charge requested by the mobile device, and may reallocate power or energy to the mobile device based at least in part on requests made by the device.
• Embodiments described herein may be implemented using hardware, software, and/or firmware, for example, to perform the methods and/or operations described herein. Certain embodiments described herein may be provided as one or more tangible machine-readable media storing machine-executable instructions that, if executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the methods and/or operations described herein. The tangible machine-readable media may include, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), compact disk rewritable (CD-RWs), and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor devices such as read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs) such as dynamic and static RAMs, erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), flash memories, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of tangible media suitable for storing electronic instructions. The machine may include any suitable processing or computing platform, device or system and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware and/or software. The instructions may include any suitable type of code and may be implemented using any suitable programming language. In other embodiments, machine-executable instructions for performing the methods and/or operations described herein may be embodied in firmware. Additionally, in certain embodiments, a special-purpose computer or a particular machine may be formed in order to identify actuated input elements and process the identifications.
• Various features, aspects, and embodiments have been described herein. The features, aspects, and embodiments are susceptible to combination with one another as well as to variation and modification, as will be understood by those having skill in the art. The present disclosure should, therefore, be considered to encompass such combinations, variations, and modifications.
• The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described (or portions thereof), and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Other modifications, variations, and alternatives are also possible. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all such equivalents.
• While certain embodiments of the invention have been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation.
• This written description uses examples to disclose certain embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice certain embodiments of the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of certain embodiments of the invention is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
• According to example embodiments of the disclosure, there may be a method. The method may include establishing, by a charging system comprising one or more processors, a first wireless connection with a first mobile device, and receiving, by the charging system, a first power request from the first mobile device, the first power request associated with a first minimum energy charge of the first mobile device. The method may include determining, by the charging system, an available charging capacity of the charging system, determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the first power request and the available charging capacity, a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device, and providing, by the charging system, energy wirelessly to the first mobile device. The method may include establishing, by the charging system, a second wireless connection with second mobile device, receiving, by the charging system, a second power request from the second mobile device, the second power request associated with a second minimum energy charge of the second mobile device, and determining, by the charging system, an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge. The method may include determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the second mobile device, and providing, by the charging system, energy wirelessly to the second mobile device. In some examples, the method may include receiving, by the charging system, a third power request from the first mobile device, the third power request associated with a first maximum energy charge of the first mobile device, where the second energy charge provided wirelessly to the second mobile device is based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the third power request.
• The method may also include establishing, by the charging system, a third wireless connection with third mobile device, receiving, by the charging system, a fourth power request from the third mobile device, the fourth power request associated with a third minimum energy charge of the third mobile device, determining, by the charging system, an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge, and determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the fourth power request, a third energy charge to provide wirelessly to the third mobile device. In some examples, the method may include receiving, by the charging system, a fifth power request from the first mobile device, wherein the fifth power request is associated with an energy charge different than the first energy charge, determining, by the charging system, an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge, and determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the fifth power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a fourth energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device. In some embodiments, the method may include requesting, by the charging system, a received energy charge indicator from any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the received energy charge indicator associated with energy charge received by the mobile device from the charging system, wherein either the first energy charge or the second energy charge is based at least in part on received energy charge indicators received by the charging system. In some embodiments, the method may include transmitting, by the charging system, a request for a charge indicator to any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the charge indicator comprising one of: a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to charge completion, or a charge cycle indication, where the request for the charge indicator is transmitted by the charging system periodically at predetermined time intervals, and adjusting one of the first energy charge or the second energy charge based at least in part on charge indicators received by the charging system. The method may include determining, by the charging system, a first present energy charge being provided to the first mobile device, where the first present energy charge is realtime energy being provided to the first mobile device by the charging system, and adjusting the second energy charge based at least in part on the first present energy charge.
• In example embodiments of the disclosure, there may be a charging system. The charging system may include at least one memory that store computer-executable instructions and at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to establish a first wireless connection with a first mobile device, and receive a first power request from the first mobile device, the first power request associated with a first minimum energy charge of the first mobile device. The processor may be configured to determine an available charging capacity of the charging system, determine, based at least in part on the first power request and the available charging capacity, a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device, and provide energy wirelessly to the first mobile device. The processor may be configured to establish a second wireless connection with a second mobile device, receive a second power request from the second mobile device, the second power request associated with a second minimum energy charge of the second mobile device, and determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge. The processor may be configured to determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the second mobile device, and provide energy wirelessly to the second mobile device. In some examples, the processor may be configured to receive a third power request from the first mobile device, the third power request associated with a first maximum energy charge of the first mobile device, where the second energy charge provided wirelessly to the second mobile device is based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the third power request.
• The processor may also be configured to establish a third wireless connection with a third mobile device, receive a fourth power request from the third mobile device, the fourth power request associated with a third minimum energy charge of the third mobile device, determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge, and determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the fourth power request, a third energy charge to provide wirelessly to the third mobile device. In some examples, the processor may be configured to receive a fifth power request from the first mobile device, wherein the fifth power request is associated with an energy charge different than the first energy charge, determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge, and determine, and based at least in part on the fifth power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a fourth energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device. In some embodiments, the processor may be configured to request a received energy charge indicator from any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the received energy charge indicator associated with energy charge received by the mobile device from the charging system, wherein either the first energy charge or the second energy charge is based at least in part on received energy charge indicators received by the charging system. In some embodiments, the processor may be configured to transmit a request for a charge indicator to any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the charge indicator comprising one of: a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to charge completion, or a charge cycle indication, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust one of the first energy charge or the second energy charge based at least in part on charge indicators received by the charging system. The request for the charge indicator may be transmitted periodically at predetermined time intervals. The processor may be configured to determine a first present energy charge be provided to the first mobile device, where the first present energy charge is realtime energy be provided to the first mobile device, and adjust the second energy charge based at least in part on the first present energy charge.
• In example embodiments of the disclosure, there may be a power distribution apparatus. The power distribution apparatus may include a power supply, a power distribution device configured to provide energy wirelessly, at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions and at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to establish a first wireless connection with a first mobile device, and receive a first power request from the first mobile device, the first power request associated with a first minimum energy charge of the first mobile device. The processor may be configured to determine an available charging capacity of the charging system, determine, based at least in part on the first power request and the available charging capacity, a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device, and provide energy wirelessly to the first mobile device. The processor may be configured to establish a second wireless connection with a second mobile device, receive a second power request from the second mobile device, the second power request associated with a second minimum energy charge of the second mobile device, and determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge. The processor may be configured to determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the second mobile device, and provide energy wirelessly to the second mobile device. In some examples, the processor may be configured to receive a third power request from the first mobile device, the third power request associated with a first maximum energy charge of the first mobile device, where the second energy charge provided wirelessly to the second mobile device is based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the third power request.
• The processor may also be configured to establish a third wireless connection with a third mobile device, receive a fourth power request from the third mobile device, the fourth power request associated with a third minimum energy charge of the third mobile device, determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge, and determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the fourth power request, a third energy charge to provide wirelessly to the third mobile device. In some examples, the processor may be configured to receive a fifth power request from the first mobile device, wherein the fifth power request is associated with an energy charge different than the first energy charge, determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge, and determine, based at least in part on the fifth power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a fourth energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device. In some embodiments, the processor may be configured to request a received energy charge indicator from any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the received energy charge indicator associated with energy charge received by the mobile device from the charging system, wherein either the first energy charge or the second energy charge is based at least in part on received energy charge indicators received by the charging system. In some embodiments, the processor may be configured to transmit a request for a charge indicator to any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the charge indicator comprising one of: a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to charge completion, or a charge cycle indication, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust one of the first energy charge or the second energy charge based at least in part on charge indicators received by the charging system. The request for the charge indicator may be transmitted periodically at predetermined time intervals. The processor may be configured to determine a first present energy charge be provided to the first mobile device, where the first present energy charge is realtime energy be provided to the first mobile device, and adjust the second energy charge based at least in part on the first present energy charge.

Claims (27)

The claimed invention is:

1. A method comprising:

establishing, by a charging system comprising one or more processors, a first wireless connection with a first mobile device;

receiving, by the charging system, a first power request from the first mobile device, the first power request associated with a first minimum energy charge of the first mobile device;

determining, by the charging system, an available charging capacity of the charging system;

determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the first power request and the available charging capacity, a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device;

providing, by the charging system, energy wirelessly to the first mobile device;

establishing, by the charging system, a second wireless connection with a second mobile device;

receiving, by the charging system, a second power request from the second mobile device, the second power request associated with a second minimum energy charge of the second mobile device;

determining, by the charging system, an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge;

determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the second mobile device; and

providing, by the charging system, energy wirelessly to the second mobile device.

2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising receiving, by the charging system, a third power request from the first mobile device, the third power request associated with a first maximum energy charge of the first mobile device;

wherein the second energy charge provided wirelessly to the second mobile device is based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the third power request.

3. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

establishing, by the charging system, a third wireless connection with a third mobile device;

receiving, by the charging system, a fourth power request from the third mobile device, the fourth power request associated with a third minimum energy charge of the third mobile device;

determining, by the charging system, an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge; and

determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the fourth power request, a third energy charge to provide wirelessly to the third mobile device.

4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the charging system, a fifth power request from the first mobile device, wherein the fifth power request is associated with an energy charge different than the first energy charge;

determining, by the charging system, an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge; and

determining, by the charging system and based at least in part on the fifth power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a fourth energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device.

5. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising requesting, by the charging system, a received energy charge indicator from any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the received energy charge indicator associated with energy charge received by the mobile device from the charging system;

wherein either the first energy charge or the second energy charge is based at least in part on the received energy charge indicators received by the charging system.

6. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the charging system, a request for a charge indicator to any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the charge indicator comprising one of: a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to charge completion, or a charge cycle indication; and

adjusting, by the charging system, one of the first energy charge or the second energy charge based at least in part on charge indicators received by the charging system.

7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the request for the charge indicator is transmitted by the charging system periodically at predetermined time intervals.

8. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising determining, by the charging system, a first present energy charge being provided to the first mobile device, where the first present energy charge is realtime energy being provided to the first mobile device by the charging system; and

adjusting, by the charging system, the second energy charge based at least in part on the first present energy charge.

9. A charging system comprising:

at least one memory that store computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

establish a first wireless connection with a first mobile device;

receive a first power request from the first mobile device, the first power request associated with a first minimum energy charge of the first mobile device;

determine an available charging capacity of the charging system;

determine, based at least in part on the first power request and the available charging capacity, a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device;

provide energy wirelessly to the first mobile device;

establish a second wireless connection with a second mobile device;

receive a second power request from the second mobile device, the second power request associated with a second minimum energy charge of the second mobile device;

determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge;

determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the second mobile device; and

provide energy wirelessly to the second mobile device.

10. The charging system ofclaim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a third power request from the first mobile device, the third power request associated with a first maximum energy charge of the first mobile device;

wherein the second energy charge provided wirelessly to the second mobile device is based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the third power request.

11. The charging system ofclaim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

establish a third wireless connection with a third mobile device;

receive a fourth power request from the third mobile device, the fourth power request associated with a third minimum energy charge of the third mobile device;

determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge; and

determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the fourth power request, a third energy charge to provide wirelessly to the third mobile device.

12. The charging system ofclaim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a fifth power request from the first mobile device, wherein the fifth power request is associated with an energy charge different than the first energy charge;

determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge; and

determine, based at least in part on the fifth power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a fourth energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device.

13. The charging system ofclaim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to request a received energy charge indicator from any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the received energy charge indicator associated with the energy charge received by the mobile device from the charging system;

wherein either the first energy charge or the second energy charge is based at least in part on received energy charge indicators received by the charging system.

14. The charging system ofclaim 9, wherein the charging system transmits a request for a charge indicator to any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the charge indicator comprising one of: a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to charge completion, or a charge cycle indication; and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust one of the first energy charge or the second energy charge based at least in part on the charge indicators received by the charging system.

15. The charging system ofclaim 14, wherein the request for the charge indicator is transmitted by the charging system periodically at predetermined time intervals.

16. The charging system ofclaim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a first present energy charge being provided to the first mobile device, where the first present energy charge is realtime energy being provided to the first mobile device by the charging system; and

adjust the second energy charge based at least in part on the first present energy charge.

17. A power distribution apparatus comprising:

a power supply;

a power distribution device configured to provide energy wirelessly;

at least one memory that store computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

establish a first wireless connection with a first mobile device;

receive a first power request from the first mobile device, the first power request associated with a first minimum energy charge of the first mobile device;

determine an available charging capacity of the charging system;

determine, based at least in part on the first power request and the available charging capacity, a first energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device;

provide energy wirelessly to the first mobile device;

establish a second wireless connection with a second mobile device;

receive a second power request from the second mobile device, the second power request associated with a second minimum energy charge of the second mobile device;

determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge;

determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a second energy charge to provide wirelessly to the second mobile device; and

provide energy wirelessly to the second mobile device.

18. The power distribution apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a third power request from the first mobile device, the third power request associated with a first maximum energy charge of the first mobile device;

wherein the second energy charge provided wirelessly to the second mobile device is based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the third power request.

19. The power distribution apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

establish a third wireless connection with a third mobile device;

receive a fourth power request from the third mobile device, the fourth power request associated with a third minimum energy charge of the third mobile device;

determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge; and

determine, based at least in part on the first power request, the second power request, the updated available charging capacity, and the fourth power request, a third energy charge to provide wirelessly to the third mobile device.

20. The power distribution apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a fifth power request from the first mobile device, wherein the fifth power request is associated with an energy charge different than the first energy charge;

determine an updated available charging capacity of the charging system, based at least in part on the first energy charge and the second energy charge; and

determine, based at least in part on the fifth power request, and the updated available charging capacity, a fourth energy charge to provide wirelessly to the first mobile device.

21. The power distribution apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to request a received energy charge indicator from any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the received energy charge indicator associated with energy charge received by the mobile device from the charging system;

wherein either the first energy charge or the second energy charge is based at least in part on received energy charge indicators received by the charging system.

22. The power distribution apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the charging system transmits a request for a charge indicator to any mobile device wirelessly connected to the charging system, the charge indicator comprising one of: a percentage charge completion, an estimated time to charge completion, or a charge cycle indication; and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust one of the first energy charge or the second energy charge based at least in part on charge indicators received by the charging system.

23. The power distribution apparatus ofclaim 22, wherein the request for the charge indicator is transmitted by the charging system periodically at predetermined time intervals.

24. The power distribution apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a first present energy charge being provided to the first mobile device, where the first present energy charge is realtime energy being provided to the first mobile device by the charging system; and

adjust the second energy charge based at least in part on the first present energy charge.

25. A method comprising:

establishing, by a charging system comprising one or more processors, wireless connections with at least two mobile devices;

receiving, by the charging system, at least two power requests from the at least two mobile devices, the at least two power requests associated with minimum energy charges of the mobile devices;

determining, by the charging system, an available charging capacity of the charging system; and

providing, by the charging system, energy wirelessly to the at least two mobile devices, wherein an energy charge wirelessly provided to each of the at least two mobile devices is based at least in part on the at least two power requests and the available charging capacity.

26. A mobile device comprising:

at least one memory that store computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

establish a wireless connection with a charging system;

transmit a first power request to the charging system, the first power request associated with a minimum energy charge of the mobile device and a maximum energy charge of the mobile device;

wirelessly receive a first energy charge from the charging system, based at least in part on the first power request; and

wirelessly receive a second energy charge from the charging system, based at least in part on the first power request, where the second energy charge is different than the first energy charge.

27. The mobile device ofclaim 26, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit a second power request to the charging system, the second power request associated with an updated minimum energy charge or an updated maximum energy charge of the mobile device, wherein the second energy charge is based at least in part on the second power request.

Images