Abstract:
The present invention discloses a portable device with a wireless power charger. The portable device can operate its normal function and provide wireless power to the other device at the same time. The present invention further discloses a portable device with a wireless power charger and a display which displays proposed direction or power related information. The present invention further discloses a portable device with a wireless power receiver and a display which displays proposed direction, power related information or positions of wireless power receiver and wireless power charger.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a wireless charger and wireless power receiver, and more particularly, to a wireless charger and wireless power receiver with power transmission efficiency indicator. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    The power supply for portable devices is very important. In the past, portable devices need to connect to power with real power lines. However, as more and more devices need to be connected together, such as monitor needs video line to connect with a computer, speakers need audio line to connect with a computer, network needs network line to connect with the computer and keyboard need keyboard line to connect with the computer, people tried to utilize wireless connection between devices. Nowadays even power supply for portable devices becomes wireless. 
         [0005]    A typical electronic device with a wireless power supply is shown in  FIG. 1 . The electronic device  101  can be a cellular phone, digital camera, flat panel computer or other electronic device, which is put on a wireless charger  103  for receiving electric power. The wireless charger  103  has a power line  105  which connects to an electric outlet for receiving electric power. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a portable device which can provide or receive wireless power, the portable device comprises a display; a wireless charger or receiver; a battery, for providing electric power to maintain operating function of the portable device; and a controller, for controlling the wireless charger or receiver; wherein the display provides a wireless power charging related message. 
         [0007]    According to an objective of the present invention, the present invention discloses a portable device, comprises a display; a wireless charger, for providing wireless power; a battery, for providing electric power to maintain operating function of the portable device or to the wireless charger; and a controller, for controlling the wireless charger; wherein, the portable device is capable of operating its normal function and providing wireless power at the same time. 
         [0008]    The present invention also discloses a portable device, comprises a display; a wireless power receiver, for receiving wireless power; a battery, for providing electric power to maintain operating function of the portable device; and a controller, for controlling the wireless power charging the battery; wherein, the display provides a wireless power charging related message in order to obtain a better wireless charging efficiency. 
         [0009]    The present invention further discloses an electronic system comprises a first portable electronic device which comprises a first battery, for providing power to components of the first portable electronic device; a first wireless charger, capable of wirelessly transmitting a first power; and a first wireless power receiver, capable of wirelessly receiving a third power and storing the third power into the first battery; and a second portable electronic device which comprises a second battery, for providing power to components of the second portable electronic device; a second wireless charger, capable of wirelessly transmitting a second power; and a second wireless power receiver, capable of wirelessly receiving a fourth power and storing the fourth power into the first battery; wherein the third power comes from the second power, the fourth power comes from the first power, and first portable electronic device and the second portable electronic device wirelessly shares their energy with each other by transferring the first power or the second power to each other. 
         [0010]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a portable device and a wireless charger according to the prior art. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing a portable device with wireless power charger and a second device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a portable device with proposed direction on the display of the portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3-1  shows a new relative position of the portable device of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3-2  is an internal function block diagram of a portable device with wireless power charger and an internal function block diagram of a portable device receives wireless power according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3-3  is an internal function block diagram of a portable device with wireless power charger and an internal function block diagram of a portable device receives wireless power according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing a portable device receives wireless power and displays proposed direction. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4-1  is a diagram showing a portable device receives wireless power and displays proposed direction and power related information. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a portable device with movable wireless power charger and a portable device with movable wireless power receiver. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows a portable device on a plate with wireless power charger. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a diagram showing a portable device which displays wireless power charger position and wireless power receiver position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7-1  shows a portable device which displays wireless power charger position, wireless power receiver position and power related information; and a portable device which displays wireless power proposed direction and power related information. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Although wireless charger for electronic device is available today, this kind of charger is dedicated to its device. In other words, user has to carry his charger when he is on business trip. If a user has many electronic devices, the user needs to carry many corresponding chargers with him. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a portable device  200  which comprises a power transmitter  201  embedded in this device. The portable device  200  can be a cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera or other portable device. The portable device  200  has its own traditional function, such as communication function, digital calendar function or camera function. Unlike traditional electronic device, this inventive portable device  200  can serve as an electric power provider without losing its traditional functions. 
         [0025]    The portable device  200  comprises an electric power receiver  207  for receiving electric power from a power adapter  205  and a battery  209 . The portable device  200  further comprises a controller  203  for controlling a power transmitter  201 . The controller  203  can control how much power the power transmitter  201  needs to transmit, analyze charging responses such as parasitic metal object detection to avoid overheating or wasting power, and monitor whether the device is overheated or overloaded. The controller  203  can check whether the power adapter  205  is connected to the electric power receiver  207 . If the connection is built, the controller  203  will allow the power transmitter  201  to transmit power to another device, a second device  210 . The controller  203  can also check whether the power remain level in the battery  209  of the portable device  200  is higher than a first predetermined level. If the power remain level is higher than the first predetermined level, then the controller  203  will allow the power transmitter  201  to transmit power to the second device  210 . However, if the power remain level is lower than a second predetermined level, then the controller  203  will cease the power transmitter  201  to transmit power to the second device  210 . The first predetermined level and the second predetermined level can be two different levels or same level. 
         [0026]    Similarly, the second device  210  comprises a wireless power receiver  211  for receiving wireless power. The second device  210  further comprises a controller  213  for controlling the wireless power receiver  211 . The controller  213  can control whether the wireless power receiver  211  needs to receive wireless power, how much power the wireless power receiver  211  needs to receive, analyze power remain level of a battery  219  to avoid battery damage, overheating or wasting power, and monitor whether the device is overheated or overloaded. The controller  213  also checks whether the power remain level in the battery  219  of the portable device  210  is lower than a third predetermined level. If the power remain level is lower than the third predetermined level, then the controller  213  will allow the power receiver  211  to receive wireless power to the second device  210 . However, if the power remain level is higher than a fourth predetermined level, then the controller  213  will cease the power receiver  211  to receive wireless power to the second device  210 . The third predetermined level and the fourth predetermined level can be two different levels or same level. 
         [0027]    In order to charge the second device  210  faster, the portable device  200  is capable of providing more than one power level to the second device  210 . Taking two power levels as example, the portable device  200  provides a first power level wireless power and a second power level wireless power to the second device  210 . The first power level is higher than the second power level. The controller  213  of the second device  210  will detect the power remain level of battery  219 . If the power remain level of the battery is lower than a fifth threshold, the second device  210  will send out a signal to the portable device  200  and request a faster charging power. The portable device  200  receives the signal and transmits the wireless power of the first power level. If the power remain level of the battery is higher than a sixth threshold, the second device  210  will send out a signal to the portable device  200  and request a slower charging power. The portable device  200  receives the signal and transmits the wireless power of the second power level. 
         [0028]    In another embodiment, even if the portable device  200  is not connected to the power adapter  205 , the power transmitter  201  will also provide wireless power to the second device  210  in some situation. For example, if the power remain level of the second device  210  is very low, and the second device  210  needs to perform a very important work, the portable device  200  can transfer power to the second device  210 . On the contrary, if the power remain level of the portable device  200  is also lower than a predetermined level, the power transmitter  201  will cease to provide wireless power. 
         [0029]    In order to obtain a better power transmission, the controller  203  will determine whether the relative positions between the portable device  200  and the power receiving device, the second device  210  is good enough. In  FIG. 3 , a portable device  300  comprises a display  301 . When the portable device  300  is providing electric power to the other device, a second device  310 , the display  301  will show a proposed direction  303  on the display. User can tilt the portable device  300  according to the proposed direction to obtain a better transmission rate. In  FIG. 3-1 , it shows a relative position between the portable device  300  and the second device  310  after the user changed the position of the portable device  300 . 
         [0030]    In  FIG. 3-2 , detailed structures of the portable device  300  and the other device, a second device  310  are shown. The portable device  300  comprises a power receiver  313 , a controller  315  and a power provider  311 . The power receiver  313  can be an AC to DC converter if the power receiver  313  receives an AC power directly. The power receiver  313  can also be a voltage regulator or a charge pump for providing a target voltage to the power provider  311 . The power provider  311  can be a power driver for providing a magnetic field by current flowing through a coil in the power provider  311 . In order to obtain better efficiency, designer can utilize mutually-attuned LC circuits to lower coefficient of coupling. The power provider  311  can also be a power driver for providing a rapidly alternating electrostatic field. 
         [0031]    The second device  310  comprises a wireless power receiver  317 , a voltage converter  319  and a controller  321 . The wireless power receiver  317  receives the power sending from the portable device  300  and rectifies the form of power it received. The voltage converter  319  couples to the wireless power receiver  317 , regulates the voltage it received and charges a battery in the second device  310 . The controller  321  controls the wireless power receiver  317  and determines whether the wireless power receiver  317  needs to receive power. If the battery is already fully charged, the controller  321  will cease to receive power, and send a fully charged message to the portable device  300 . 
         [0032]    In  FIG. 3-3 , the power provider  311  can also provide electromagnetic radiation, microwave or laser to the wireless power receiver  317 . The power provider  311  converts the power provided by the power receiver  313  into electromagnetic radiation, microwave or laser form. The wireless power receiver  317  can be an electromagnetic receiver, an antenna, a rectenna or photovoltaic cells. The wireless power receiver  317  receives the wireless power and converts the power into voltage or current form to the voltage converter  319 , then charges the battery in the second device  310 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of this invention. In  FIG. 4 , a portable device  410  receives electric power from the other portable device, a third device  400 . The portable device  410  comprises a display  411 . In order to guide a user to adjust his portable device to a position for receiving more electric power, a proposed direction  413  is shown on the display  411 . User can tilt his portable device  410  according to the proposed direction to obtain a better transmission rate. In  FIG. 4-1 , the portable device  410  further displays a message  415  to user for reference. The message could be an electric power percentage, which is the electric power received by the portable device  400  over the maximum electric power the portable device  410  can receive. The message could further be an electric power percentage, which is the electric power received by the portable device  400  over the electric power transmitted from the portable device  410 . The portable device  400  can get the information of the electric power transmitted from the portable device  410  through a message sends from the portable device  410 , an industrial protocol or standard. The message could also be an absolute electric power which the portable device  410  is receiving. The message could also be a voltage value which the portable device  410  is received, or a current value which the portable device  410  is received, or any information relating to power information. The message could also be a red/orange/green light wherein different light indicates different wireless power receiving status. For example, green light means good wireless power receiving status, orange means average status and red means poor status. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment to realize a first portable device  500  transfers power to a second portable device  510  with better transmission rate. Unlike the previous method, the wireless power provider  511  can change its charging direction by itself. A controller  503  in the first portable device  500  will determine which direction is better for the second portable device  510  to receive more wireless power, and the controller  503  will move the wireless power provider  511  into the desired direction. The second portable device  510  can also has a wireless power receiver  513  which can change its power receiving direction by itself. A controller in the second portable device  510  will determine which direction is more efficient to receive wireless power, and change the direction of the wireless power receiver  513  into that direction. 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  shows a charging plate which can provide wireless power. This kind of plate could embed in furniture, coffee table, counter top etc. There are many electric charging coils  601  within the plate. However, in order to keep the plate&#39;s design or the plate&#39;s original appearance, the charging coils  601  are not visible. When a user puts his/her portable device  600  onto the plate for charging his/her portable device  600 , he/she may put his/her portable device  600  on a relatively low charging rate position. 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 7 , a portable device  700  comprises a wireless power receiver  701 . When the portable device  700  is placed on a charging plate, the charging coils  703  are not fully overlapped with the wireless power receiver  701 . In the case shown in the portable device  700 , only upper left and lower left of the wireless power receiver  701  receives power, therefore the charging efficiency is relatively low. In order to obtain higher charging efficiency, the display  705  of the portable device  700  will show the position of the charging coils  703  and the position of the wireless power receiver  701  as shown in the right figure in  FIG. 7 . User can move his/her portable device  700  by referring to the relatively positions of the charging coils  703  and wireless power receiver  701  to receive more power. 
         [0037]    The portable device can provide more information to user for reference. As shown in  FIG. 7-1 , the portable device  710  further provides a message  705  for user to reference. The message could be an electric power percentage, which is the electric power received by the portable device  710  over the maximum electric power the portable device  710  can receive. The message could further be an electric power percentage, which is the electric power received by the portable device  400  over the electric power transmitted from the portable device  410 . The message could also be an absolute electric power which the portable device  710  is receiving. The message could also be a voltage value which the portable device  710  is received, or a current value which the portable device  710  is received, or any information relating to power information. The message could also be a red/orange/green light wherein different light indicates different wireless power receiving status. For example, green light means good wireless power receiving status, orange means average status and red means poor status. 
         [0038]    The portable device could also show a suggested direction for user to move his/her portable device to receive more power. In  FIG. 7-1 , the portable device  720  displays a suggested direction  707  to user for reference. Although the portable device  720  only shows a suggested direction  707  and a power related message  705 , and the portable device  710  only shows a power related message  705  and the relative positions of wireless power receiver  701  and charging coil  703 , designer can combine or separate these items according to his design purpose, and these modifications will not escape the scope of this invention. 
         [0039]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.