Device and system for providing a wireless charging service

Abstract

Wireless charger (100) with: a wireless communication unit (150) configured to receive authentication result information related to a specified electronic device (200) from a database (320); a controller (160) configured to determine, based on energy information related to a first and a second electronic device (200a, 200b), the first or the second electronic device (200a, 200b) as a specified electronic device (200), and a wireless charging unit (110, 120) configured to wirelessly transfer power to the specified electronic device (200) when the authentication result information indicates successful authentication, and to transfer the authentication result information to the specified electronic device (200) when the authentication result information indicates unsuccessful authentication, wherein the energy information includes energy state information related to the electronic device (200) and energy control information, wherein the energy state information includes residual energy information and information about a minimum energy requirement for wireless communication, both of which are related to a corresponding electronic device (200), and wherein the energy control information further includes information relating to whether the charging process for a corresponding electronic device (200) is urgently required or not.

Description

Background of the inventionField of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to a wireless charger and system.

[0002] Because various electronic devices require increasing portability, battery efficiency is becoming an increasingly important factor. Therefore, various approaches have been taken to make batteries highly efficient. Despite these approaches or attempts to increase battery efficiency, no significant progress has been made regarding battery charging.

[0003] In particular, charging different electronic devices requires customized power supplies, which is inconvenient for users. Recently, much research has been devoted to wireless charging for electronic devices. Wireless charging is an innovative power transfer concept capable of transmitting energy electromagnetically, eliminating the need for a cable for the charging process.

[0004] US 2008 / 0 122 297 A1 relates to a wireless power supply system and a charging method for wireless energy transfer. The wireless power supply system comprises a power storage device with a power storage section, a terminal charger for wirelessly supplying power to the power storage device, and a management server with user information. Electric power can be provided to specific users through the mutual communication of user information between the power storage device and the terminal charger, as well as between the terminal charger and the management server.

[0005] US 2010 / 0 174 629 A1 concerns a supply system for charging or billing a device for energy consumption using wireless access to energy. The device requiring energy communicates with the energy supplier, and the billing method is determined. A consumer may be required to provide billing information. If the billing information is already linked to an existing account, the consumer's account is automatically charged for the wireless energy. The account may include prepaid charging minutes that are debited when the wireless energy is provided, or the account may be billed for the wireless energy provided.

[0006] US 2009 / 0 088 077 A1 relates to a communication device comprising a short-range radio frequency communicator capable of initiating a short-range communication by transmitting an RF signal and responding to such initiation, such that communication takes place between two short-range radio frequency communicators when an antenna of a short-range radio frequency communicator wishing to initiate communication by transmitting an RF signal is within range of an antenna of another short-range radio frequency communicator or comes within range of the antenna of another short-range wireless radio frequency communicator that responds to such initiation, such that the magnetic field of the RF signal transmitted by the short-range wireless radio frequency communicator wishing to initiate communication is inductively coupled to the antenna of the short-range wireless radio frequency communicator.which responds to such initiation to enable the transfer of power and / or data between the short-range wireless radio frequency communicators.,

[0007] US 2010 / 0253 281 A1 relates to a wireless charging device. Example embodiments are directed to scheduling wireless power transmission. A method may include scheduling the transmission of wireless power to one or more chargeable devices from the plurality of chargeable devices located within a charging area of ​​a wireless charger based on at least one attribute associated with at least one of the wireless chargers and at least one chargeable device from the plurality of chargeable devices. Brief description of the invention

[0008] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless charging device and system capable of providing a stable wireless charging service to a user by efficiently controlling charging rights for a plurality of electronic devices that wish to use a wireless charging service using a shared wireless charger by providing the wireless charging service through authentication, and at the same time, a profit generation model for providers is proposed.

[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a wireless charging device and system capable of providing a user with an efficient wireless charging service for a plurality of user electronic devices owned by the user and desiring to use the wireless charging service by setting charging priorities of the plurality of electronic devices based on power information in a limited wireless charging environment.

[0010] These objects are achieved with a wireless charger according to claim 1 and a wireless charging system according to claim 13. Preferred developments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0011] To achieve these and other objects and to achieve further advantages, a wireless charging device, as detailed and described herein, includes a wireless communication unit configured to receive authentication result information related to a specified electronic device from a server having a database, a controller discussed below, and a wireless charging unit configured to transmit power to the specified electronic device when the authentication result information indicates successful authentication. Furthermore, the wireless communication unit transmits the authentication result information to the specified electronic device when the authentication result information indicates unsuccessful authentication.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive identification information from the specified electronic device and request the authentication result information from the database stored in a server based on the identification information.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive identification information from the specified electronic device, and the wireless communication unit may request the authentication result information from the server based on the identification information.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may request payment information from the specified electronic device.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive the requested payment information from the specified electronic device and transmit the received payment information to the server.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive confirmation information from the server in response to the payment information and transmit the received confirmation information to the specified electronic device.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive account information related to the specified electronic device from the server, and the wireless charging unit may wirelessly transmit power to the specified electronic device based on the received account information.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive the authentication result information related to the specified electronic device from the server when the specified electronic device is located within a wireless power reception range.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive the authentication result information related to the specified electronic device from the server when the specified electronic device is located within an area where wireless power reception is not possible.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit may receive the authentication result information related to the specified electronic device from the server when the specified electronic device is located within a range where wireless data transmission and wireless data reception are possible.

[0021] To achieve the above objects and other advantages, a wireless charger according to the invention, as shown and described in detail herein, comprises a wireless communication unit configured to receive power information from a first and a second electronic device, a controller configured to determine one of the first and second electronic devices as a specified electronic device based on the power information related to the first and second electronic devices, and a wireless charging unit configured to wirelessly transmit power to the specified electronic device.

[0022] The energy information includes energy state information and / or energy control information related to a corresponding electronic device.

[0023] The power state information includes residual power information and information about a minimum power requirement for wireless communication, both of which are related to a corresponding electronic device.

[0024] The power state information contains information related to wireless data traffic of a corresponding electronic device.

[0025] The power control information also contains information related to whether charging is urgently required for a corresponding electronic device or not.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the controller may monitor whether the wireless charging unit has terminated the wireless power transmission to the specified electronic device, and may determine the electronic device other than the specified electronic device among the first and second electronic devices as a new specified electronic device when the termination of the power transmission is detected.

[0027] To achieve these and other advantages, as detailed and described herein, a wireless charging system is provided, comprising a power receiving device (as a specified electronic device) configured to wirelessly transmit identification information via a power channel or a data channel to a power transmitting device (wireless charger), and a power transmitting device (wireless charger) configured to transmit an authentication request for the power receiving device to a server based on the identification information, receive authentication result information from the server, wirelessly transmit power via the power channel to the power receiving device if the authentication result information indicates successful authentication,and transmit the authentication result information to the power receiving device via the data channel if the authentication result information indicates unsuccessful authentication.

[0028] The scope of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description given below. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description that various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention. Detailed description of the drawings

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are intended to illustrate the invention and which form a part of this specification, show embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention; in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a wireless charger and an electronic device according to embodiments; Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B are block diagrams for exemplifying configurations of an electromagnetic induction-based charger 100 and an electronic device 200 applicable to the embodiments; Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B are block diagrams illustrating configurations of a magnetic resonance-based charger 100 and the electronic device 200 applicable to the embodiments; Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B are perspective views illustrating an exemplary charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to a first embodiment; Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are perspective views illustrating one type of foldable charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to a second embodiment; Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B are perspective views illustrating another type of foldable charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to the second embodiment; Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B are perspective views illustrating still another type of foldable charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to the second embodiment; Fig. 8A and Fig. 8B are perspective views illustrating a slide-type charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to a third embodiment; Fig. 9 is a block diagram of a charger with a voltage which is different from the voltage Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 shown configuration additional configuration; Fig. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration when the electronic device 200 according to the embodiments is a mobile communication device; Fig. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration when the electronic device 200 according to the embodiments is a multimedia device, e.g., a tablet; Fig. 12A is an overview view of a wireless charging system according to an embodiment; Fig. 12B is an overview view of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment; Fig. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control process of a wireless charging system according to an embodiment; Fig. 14A to 14C are overview views of the operation control process of the wireless charging system according to the one embodiment; Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control process of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment; Fig. 16A to 16F are overview views of an operation control process of the wireless charging system according to the other embodiment; Fig. 17A to 17C are overview views of areas for a wireless charging service according to the embodiments; Fig. 18 is an overview view of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment; Fig. 19 is an overview view of energy information about an electronic device 200 according to another embodiment; and Fig. 20 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control process of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment. Detailed description of the invention

[0030] The terms used in this specification are used merely to illustrate specific embodiments and are not intended to be limiting of the present invention. Unless expressly stated otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, can have the same meaning as those commonly understood by one skilled in the art and should not be interpreted to have an overly broad or overly limiting meaning. In addition, if any term used in the description of this specification is an incorrect term that cannot clearly and precisely express the idea underlying this specification, it should be replaced with a technical term that can be properly understood by one skilled in the art.Furthermore, general expressions used in the description of the present patent specification should be interpreted according to dictionary definitions or according to their foreground or background context and not in an overly restrictive sense.

[0031] A singular representation may include a plural representation to the extent that the context clearly indicates a different meaning. Terms used herein such as "include" or "comprise" should be understood to indicate the presence of multiple components or multiple steps depicted in the patent specification, and may also be interpreted to indicate that some of the components or steps may not be included, or that additional components and steps may be included.

[0032] A suffix "-module" or "-unit" used for components and elements shown in the following description is merely for the purpose of simplifying the description of the patent specification, and the suffix itself has no special meaning or function.

[0033] An electronic device described in the present specification can be interpreted broadly as any portable electronic device, which may be a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal multimedia player (PMP), a tablet, a multimedia device, or a similar device.

[0034] It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the configurations of the embodiments of the present specification are also applicable to stationary terminals, such as digital televisions, desktop computers, and the like, unless expressly limited to a particular terminal.

[0035] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," or "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements are not intended to be limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish the individual elements from one another. For example, within the scope of the present description, a first element could be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element could be referred to as a first element without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0036] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and these components will not be described repeatedly.

[0037] In describing the present invention, where a detailed explanation of a well-known function or structure is considered to detract too much from the gist of the present invention, the corresponding description is omitted since it is clear to a person skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings contribute to clarifying the technical idea of ​​the present invention, but it should be understood that the idea of ​​the present invention is not limited by the accompanying drawings. The idea of ​​the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but should also include any modifications, equivalent embodiments, and substituted embodiments not shown in the drawings.

[0038] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a wireless charger and an electronic device according to embodiments.

[0039] As in Fig. 1, a wireless charging process is provided for an electronic device 200. For this purpose, the electronic device 200 can wirelessly receive energy from the charger 100 to charge or recharge a battery.

[0040] The charger 100 may be an electromagnetic induction and / or electromagnetic resonance charger in which energy is transferred using a specific frequency.

[0041] An induction-based wireless charging process is a technique for wirelessly transmitting energy using primary and secondary coils, that is, a wireless charging process using an electromagnetic induction principle, according to which current from one coil is induced in another coil by means of a magnetic field.

[0042] In a charging process based on the magnetic resonance principle, a resonant frequency of a charger and a resonant frequency of an electronic device are matched so that energy can be transferred from the charger to the electronic device.

[0043] The electronic device 200 and the charger 100 can be arranged at a predetermined distance from each other. Therefore, because the charger 100 and the electronic device 200 are arranged at a predetermined distance d from each other without contacting each other, unlike the prior art, different electronic devices can be charged or recharged simultaneously.

[0044] The following describes configurations of a charger and an electronic device using the principle of electromagnetic induction.

[0045] Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B show block diagrams for exemplifying configurations of an electromagnetic induction-based charger 100 and an electronic device 200 applicable to embodiments.

[0046] First, the charger 100 can be Fig. 2A, charge a battery of the electronic device 200 using an induced current. The electronic device 200 may, as explained later, be a mobile communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a cellular phone) or a multimedia device. Later, with reference to Fig. 10 describes the case where the electronic device is a mobile device.

[0047] The charger 100 is a device for wirelessly charging a battery of the electronic device 200, ie, a power transmission device for transmitting power required to charge the battery.

[0048] The charger 100 may include a charging unit 110 based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. The charging unit 110 based on the principle of electromagnetic induction may include a primary coil 111, a sensor 112, a switching unit 113, a comparison unit 114, a charging controller 115, and an output unit 116.

[0049] The primary coil 111 can generate an electromagnetic field in response to supplied energy. The primary coil 111 can be constructed as a solenoid. Furthermore, an electromagnetic field generated by the primary coil 111 can induce a magnetic field in a secondary coil 2931 of the electronic device 200, thereby generating an induced current in the secondary coil 2931.

[0050] The sensor 112 can detect contact with the electronic device 200 when the electronic device 200 is placed on the charger 100 and detect the position of the electronic device 200 on the charger 100.

[0051] The sensor 112 can enable alignment of the electronic device 200 to a position with the highest charging efficiency when the electronic device 200 is placed on the charger 100. When the electronic device 200 is placed on the charger 100, the highest charging efficiency can be achieved when the center of the primary coil 111 is aligned with the center of the secondary coil 2931.

[0052] Therefore, in order to align the center of the primary coil 111 of the charger 100 with the center of the secondary coil 2931 of the electronic device 200, a magnet may be installed at the center of the primary coil 111. When the center of the secondary coil 2931 approaches the center of the primary coil 111 within a predetermined radius, the magnet may attract the electronic device 200 by its magnetic force, so that the centers of the primary coil 111 and the secondary coil 2931 can be aligned with each other.

[0053] In this case, if the distance between the centers of the primary coil 111 and the secondary coil 2931 is outside an allowable error range D, the charger 100 interprets this as meaning that the electronic device 200 does not meet an alignment condition and may transmit a signal to the electronic device 200 to indicate that wireless charging is not possible.

[0054] That is, if the centers of the primary coil 111 and the secondary coil 2931 overlap each other and the distance between their centers does not satisfy the alignment condition, the charger 100 may block the wireless charging of a battery of the electronic device 200. Here, the charger 100 may transmit information to the electronic device 200 related to a direction and distance in which the center of the secondary coil 2931 is misaligned with the center of the primary coil 111.

[0055] The switching unit 113 can serve to supply external energy to the primary coil 111 according to the control of the charging controller 115 or to stop the external energy supply.

[0056] The comparison unit 114 can be used to check whether the charger 100 is operating normally or abnormally. The comparison unit 114 can detect a voltage or current from an external voltage source and check whether the detected voltage or current exceeds a threshold value. The comparison unit 114 can include a resistor for detecting the voltage or current of the external voltage source and a comparator for comparing the detected voltage or current value with a threshold value to output a comparison result.

[0057] For example, the comparison unit 114 checks whether the external voltage exceeds 5 V and outputs the check result to the charge controller 115. If the external voltage exceeds 5 V, the charge controller 115 controls the switching unit 113 to stop the power transfer to the secondary coil 2931.

[0058] The charging controller 115 can control the switching unit 113 according to the test result supplied by the comparison unit 114. The charging controller 115 also performs communications with the electronic device 200 to check a state of charge of the battery. For example, the charging controller 115 can check the state of charge of the battery 216 by performing short-range communication, e.g., Bluetooth, with the electronic device 200.

[0059] In addition, the charger 100 can charge multiple electronic devices simultaneously.

[0060] That is, two or more electronic devices can be placed on the charger 100 for charging simultaneously, and the electronic devices can be of different types. For example, if a mobile terminal, a multimedia player, a PDA, and similar devices are placed on the charger 100 simultaneously, all of the devices can be wirelessly charged.

[0061] The output unit 116 can display the charge level according to the control of the charging controller 115. The output unit 116 can be an LED and / or an LCD display.

[0062] According to Fig. 2B, the electronic device 200 may include a power supply unit 290. The power supply unit 290 may include a battery 291, a charging unit 292, and a wireless power receiving unit 293.

[0063] The wireless power receiving unit 293 may be adapted to receive an induced current generated in the charger 100.

[0064] The wireless power receiving unit 293 may include a secondary coil 2931, a rectifier 2932, a converter 2933, and a communication controller 2934.

[0065] The secondary coil 2931 can generate an induced current in response to changes in an electromagnetic field generated by the primary coil 111 of the charger 100. That is, the secondary coil 2931 can generate an induced current in response to receiving the induced current generated by the primary coil 111 of the charger 100.

[0066] The rectifier 2932 may be an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter for converting the induced current received via the secondary coil 2931 into a direct current (DC) voltage.

[0067] The converter 2933 can convert the DC voltage output by the rectifier 2932 into a specific voltage.

[0068] That is, converter 2933 may be configured to convert the DC voltage into a voltage suitable for battery charging. For example, if the DC voltage output by rectifier 2932 is 9V, converter 2933 converts this 9V voltage into a 5V voltage.

[0069] The communication controller 2934 can perform communications with the charger 100. The communication controller 2934 can request authentication from the charger to verify whether a corresponding electronic device is a chargeable device or not. Following the authentication request, the communication controller 2934 can transmit identification information, such as the battery's device number or the like, to the charger 100.

[0070] The charging unit 292 can charge the battery 291 using the induced current received via the secondary coil 2931. That is, the charging unit 292 can supply the induced current generated by the secondary coil 2931 by electromagnetic field induction occurring in a charging pad to the battery 291. The charging unit 292 can include a charging circuit for controlling the battery charging process and an overcurrent / overvoltage protection circuit for preventing overcurrent and overvoltage.

[0071] The following describes configurations of a magnetic resonance-based charger and an electronic device with reference to Fig. 3 described.

[0072] The Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B show block diagrams for exemplifying configurations of a magnetic resonance-based charger 100 and the electronic device 200 applicable to the embodiments.

[0073] First, the concept of resonance is briefly described.

[0074] Resonance refers to a phenomenon in which a vibrating system periodically receives an external force with a frequency corresponding to the system's natural frequency, causing its amplitude to increase significantly. Resonance is a phenomenon that occurs in all types of vibration, e.g., mechanical vibrations, electrical vibrations, etc. In general, when an external force is applied that is sufficient to cause the vibrating system to vibrate, and the natural frequency corresponds to the frequency of the externally applied force, the vibration becomes increasingly stronger, and the amplitude increases.

[0075] Similarly, if multiple vibrating gratings spaced within a predetermined distance from each other vibrate at the same frequency, the multiple vibrating gratings will resonate with each other. The resistance between the multiple vibrating gratings can be reduced. A resonator, or oscillation circuit, can be created using a coil and a capacitor in an electrical circuit. The resonator is typically associated with electromagnetic waves or electrical oscillations. The electrical circuit can use the resonator as a circuit for selecting a specific frequency from electric waves received via an antenna.

[0076] Therefore, the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B may be configured such that the battery can be charged using a coupling of plane wave radiation generated in the charger 100.

[0077] That is, the charger 100 can be Fig. 3A, a charging unit 120 based on the principle of magnetic resonance. The charging unit 120 based on the principle of magnetic resonance may include a transmitting antenna 121, a sensor 122, a matching element 123, an oscillator 124, and a charging controller 125. In addition, the charging device 100 may further include an output unit 126.

[0078] The transmitting antenna 121 may be tuned (aligned) with a receiving antenna such that it is resonant at the same frequency or near the frequency of the receiving antenna.

[0079] Sensor 122 can detect the presence or absence of activated receivers near a near field generated by transmitting antenna 121. For example, sensor 122 can monitor a current influenced by the presence or absence of active receivers near the near field generated by transmitting antenna 121. The detection can be monitored by controller 125 and used to determine whether to activate oscillator 124 to transmit power for communication with electronic device 200.

[0080] The matching element 123 can induce a radio frequency (RF) signal determined by the oscillator 124, reduce a harmonic discharge to a level sufficient to prevent self-interference of devices connected to the electronic device 200, and match the impedance (e.g., 50 ohms) with respect to the transmitting antenna 121.

[0081] The oscillator 124 may be configured to generate an RF signal at a desired frequency and to control a frequency in response to a control signal.

[0082] The controller 125 may activate the oscillator 124 during a transmit or transmission phase, control a frequency of the oscillator 124, and adjust an output power level to implement a communication protocol for interaction with neighboring devices.

[0083] The output unit 126 can display a charge level according to the control of the charging controller. The output unit 126 can be an LED and / or an LCD display.

[0084] According to Fig. 3B, the electronic device 200 may include a power supply unit 290. The power supply unit 290 may include a battery 291, a charging unit 292, and a wireless power receiving unit 293.

[0085] The wireless power receiving unit 293 may include a receiving antenna 2931', a rectifier 2932, a converter 2933, and a communication controller 2934.

[0086] The receiving antenna 2931' may be tuned with respect to the transmitting antenna of the charger 100 such that it is resonant at the same frequency as or near the frequency of the transmitting antenna of the charger 100.

[0087] Rectifier 2932 may convert an RF energy signal received via receiving antenna 2931' into a non-AC voltage. Converter 2933 may convert an energy potential (e.g., a voltage) compatible with electronic device 200 into a rectified RF energy signal.

[0088] The communication controller 2934 can perform communications with the charger 100. The communication controller 2934 can request authentication from the charger 100 indicating whether a corresponding electronic device is a rechargeable device or not. Following the authentication request, the communication controller 2934 can transmit identification information, such as the battery's device number and the like, to the charger 100.

[0089] The charging unit 292 can charge the battery 291 using the RF energy signal received via the receiving antenna 2931'. That is, the charging unit 292 can convert the RF energy signal transmitted from the charger 100 into a format usable in the electronic device 200 for delivery to the battery 291. The charging unit 292 can include a charging circuit for controlling the battery charging process and an overcurrent / overvoltage protection circuit for preventing overcurrent and overvoltage.

[0090] Below is an external structure of the charger with reference to the Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B.

[0091] The Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B show perspective views for exemplifying a charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to a first embodiment.

[0092] According to Fig. 4A, a charger 100 for charging multiple electronic devices may be a pad-shaped charger.

[0093] The pad-shaped charger may be configured such that an upper surface of its body is stepped. The electronic device 200 may be disposed on a lower one of the stepped portions of the body. As mentioned above, the electromagnetic induction-based charging unit 110 or the magnetic resonance-based charging unit 120 may be disposed in the lower stepped portion of the body so that it is protected from external impacts or contact with foreign matter.

[0094] An upper surface of the lower stepped portion may be made of an insulating material, such as plastic, to prevent a short circuit caused by electrically conductive contact with the electronic device. Alternatively, the upper surface may be coated with an insulating material.

[0095] The lower stepped portion may include a guide element that prevents the electronic device from sliding out of the upper surface when placed on the lower stepped portion. The guide element may be installed along one edge of the upper surface of the charger, or multiple guide elements may be installed on portions of the edge of the upper surface.

[0096] A display unit 130 may be arranged in the upper stepped portion of the stepped portions. Here, the upper stepped portion may be inclined so that a front surface of the display unit 130 is not parallel to the ground. That is, if the display unit 130 is installed with its front surface parallel to the ground, a problem may arise in that the displayed content is difficult for a user to see. Therefore, the display unit 130 is preferably installed at an incline. For this purpose, the upper stepped portion may be formed to be inclined toward the lower stepped portion.

[0097] In addition, a plurality of holes may be formed in the upper surface of the pad-shaped charger. Audio output units 140 may be mounted in each of the plurality of holes, so that audio signals or sounds generated by the audio output units 140 can be output to the outside through the plurality of holes.

[0098] Alternatively, the holes may be formed on a side surface of the pad-shaped charger, and the audio output units 140 may be mounted in the plurality of holes on the side surface.

[0099] The aforementioned output unit 116 or 126 may be mounted on the top surface of the pad-shaped charger. The output unit 116 may be a light-emitting diode, as mentioned above, and may therefore be illuminated or off according to a charging state. Alternatively, the output unit 116 may output different colors depending on the charging state.

[0100] A plurality of holes for heat exchange may be formed in the side surface of the pad-shaped charger. Alternatively, the plurality of holes may be formed in the upper surface of the pad-shaped charger. A retaining member may be installed on a lower surface of the pad-shaped charger. The retaining member may generate a frictional force with the surface so that the pad-shaped charger cannot easily slip on the surface. The retaining member may be made of rubber.

[0101] According to Fig. 4B, the pad-shaped charger 100 may have a width that is greater than the sum of the widths of two or more electronic devices, so that at least two electronic devices can be charged simultaneously.

[0102] The Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are perspective views illustrating a type of foldable charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to a second embodiment, and Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of another type of foldable charger for charging multiple electronic devices according to the second embodiment.

[0103] As in the Fig. 5A, Fig. 5B, Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, the charger may be a foldable charger.

[0104] In detail, as in Fig. 5A, a main body of the charger may be covered by a cover body 170 connected to the main body by a joint or hinge. Fig. Figure 5 shows that a hinged connection structure is formed on side surfaces of the main body and the cover body 170. Such a structure enables the cover body 170 to be opened or closed, similar to a book.

[0105] An upper surface of the main body of the charger 100 may be formed into a step shape.

[0106] The main body may accommodate the charging unit 110 based on the principle of electromagnetic induction or the charging unit 120 based on the principle of magnetic resonance.

[0107] An upper surface of the cover body 170 may be formed of an insulating material, such as plastic, to prevent a short circuit caused by electrically conductive contact with the electronic device. Alternatively, its upper surface may be coated with an insulating material.

[0108] A guide member may be provided on the upper surface of the cover body 170 to prevent the electronic device 200 from sliding out of the upper surface when placed on the upper surface. The guide member may be installed along one edge of the upper surface of the charger, or multiple guide members may be installed on parts of the edge of the upper surface.

[0109] Independently of the main body, the cover body 170 can additionally accommodate a charging unit 110 based on the principle of electromagnetic induction or a charging unit 120 based on magnetic resonance. The main body and the cover body 170 can accommodate the same type or different types of charging units.

[0110] When the main body is covered by the cover body 170, the charging unit 110 or 120 housed in the main body can be controlled so that it is not activated. For this purpose, a sensor for detecting the open or closed state of the charger or a switch that turns on or off in response to the open or closed state of the charger can be mounted in the cover body 170 or on the upper surface of the main body.

[0111] According to Fig. 5B, when the cover body 170 is unfolded, the cover body 170 may be flush with the main body. The inner surface of the cover body 170 may be flat so that the electronic device 200 can be placed thereon. A guide member may also be provided on the inner surface of the cover body 170 to prevent the electronic device 200 from sliding out when placed on the upper surface.

[0112] When the cover body 170 is opened, the charging unit 110 or 120 housed in the main body can be activated by the aforementioned sensor or switch. When the charging unit 110 or 120 housed in the main body is activated, the sensor 112 or 122 in the charging unit 110 or 120 can detect whether or not an electronic device 200 is placed on the main body of the charger 100. If it is detected that an electronic device 200 is placed on the main body of the charger 100, the charging unit 110 or 120 housed in the main body can start the charging process.

[0113] According to the Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, hinged connection structures may be formed at lower end portions of the main body and the cover body 170 to improve space utilization on a narrow table. That is, even when the cover body 170 is opened, the charger becomes longer in a longitudinal direction, resulting in improved space utilization on a narrow table.

[0114] The Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B show perspective views of yet another type of foldable charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to the second embodiment.

[0115] As in the Fig. 7A and Fig. As shown in Figure 7B, a plurality of cover bodies 171 and 172 may be connected to a main body of the charger 100 by hinges. Each of the cover bodies 171 and 172 may additionally accommodate the above-described electromagnetic induction charging unit 110 or magnetic resonance charging unit 120. Because a plurality of cover bodies are used, the number of chargeable electronic devices can be increased.

[0116] The Fig. 8A and Fig. 8B are perspective views illustrating a slide charger for charging a plurality of electronic devices according to a third embodiment.

[0117] As in Fig. 8A, a charger 100 for charging multiple electronic devices may be a slide-type charger.

[0118] An extendable body 180 may be retractable into a side surface of a main body of the charger 100. The extendable body 180 may be displaced and extended by force applied by a user or by an elastic force, as shown in Fig. 8B. A stopper may be formed at one end of the extendable body 180 to prevent it from being completely separated from the main body even if the extendable body 180 is pulled out by excessive force.

[0119] An upper surface of the main body of the charger 100 may be stepped.

[0120] The above charging unit 110 based on the principle of electromagnetic induction or the charging unit 120 based on the principle of magnetic resonance may be mounted within the main body and the extendable body 180.

[0121] The upper surfaces of the main body and the extendable body 180 may be formed of an insulating material, such as plastic, to prevent short circuits caused by electrical conduction to the electronic device. Alternatively, their upper surfaces may be coated with an insulating material.

[0122] A guide member may be provided on each of the upper surfaces of the main body and the extendable body 180 to prevent the electronic device 200 from sliding out of the upper surface when placed on the upper surface. The guide member may be installed along one edge of the upper surface of the charger, or multiple guide members may be installed on parts of the edge of the upper surface.

[0123] Fig. Figure 9 shows a block diagram of a charger with a voltage regulator with respect to the voltage Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 shown configuration additional configuration.

[0124] As in Fig. 9, the charger 100 may further include a controller 160, a display unit 140, an audio output unit 140, and a communication unit 150 in addition to the electromagnetic induction charging unit 110 or the magnetic resonance charging unit 120.

[0125] The controller 160 can control the charging unit 110 or 120, the display unit 130, the audio output unit 140 and the communication unit 150.

[0126] The display unit 130 may include at least one component among a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display, and a three-dimensional (3D) display.

[0127] The communication unit 150 may include at least one electronic component among a Bluetooth™, a ZigBee, an ultra-wideband (UWB), a wireless USB, and a short-range communication (NFC) component to perform data communication with the electronic device 200.

[0128] The charger 100 may further include a microphone.

[0129] A configuration in the case where the electronic device 200 is a mobile communication device will be described below.

[0130] Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration in the case where the electronic device 200 according to the embodiments is a mobile communication device.

[0131] The electronic mobile communication device 200 may include a power supply unit 290 as shown in the Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 is shown.

[0132] The electronic device 200 may further include components such as a wireless communication unit 210, an audio / video (A / V) input unit 220, a user input unit 230, a capture unit 240, an output unit 250, a memory 260, an interface unit 270, a controller 280, and the like. Fig. Figure 10 shows the electronic device 200 with various components, but it is clear that not all of the components shown are required. Alternatively, more or fewer components may be provided.

[0133] The individual components are described one after the other below.

[0134] The wireless communication unit 210 may typically include one or more modules that enable wireless communications between the electronic device 200 and a wireless communication system or between the electronic device 200 and a network in which the electronic device 200 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 210 may include a broadcast signal receiving module 211, a mobile communication module 212, a wireless internet module 213, a short-range communication module 214, a position information module 215, and the like.

[0135] The broadcast signal receiving module 211 receives a broadcast signal and / or information associated with a broadcast signal from an external broadcast management device via a broadcast channel.

[0136] The broadcast channel may be a satellite channel or a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management device may be a server that generates and transmits a broadcast signal and / or information associated with a broadcast signal, or a server that receives a pre-generated broadcast signal and / or pre-generated information related to a broadcast signal and transmits it to the electronic device. The broadcast signal may, for example, be a television (TV) broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, or a data transmission signal. The broadcast signal may further be a data transmission signal combined with a TV or radio broadcast signal.

[0137] Examples of information associated with a broadcast signal include information associated with a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, a broadcast service provider, etc. The information associated with a broadcast signal may be provided via a mobile communications network and received by the mobile communications module 212.

[0138] The information associated with a broadcast signal can be implemented in various formats. For example, the information associated with a broadcast signal can include the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), the Electronic Service Guide (ESG) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H), etc.

[0139] The broadcast signal receiving module 211 can be configured to receive digital broadcast signals transmitted by various broadcast systems. Such broadcast systems include, for example, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), Media Forward Link Only (MediaFLO), Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H), Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), etc. The broadcast signal receiving module 211 can be configured to be suitable for any broadcast system that transmits analog broadcast signals, as well as for digital broadcast systems.

[0140] Broadcast signals received via the broadcast signal receiving module 211 and / or information associated with broadcast signals can be stored in a suitable device, e.g., in a memory 260.

[0141] The mobile communication module 212 transmits / receives wireless signals to / from at least one network device (e.g., a base station, an external mobile terminal, a server, etc.) of a mobile communication network. The wireless signals may be audio call signals, video (telephony) call signals, or various data formats according to the transmission / reception of text / multimedia messages.

[0142] The wireless Internet module 213 supports wireless Internet access for the electronic device 200. This module can be connected internally or externally to the electronic device 200. Examples of such wireless Internet access include Wireless LAN (WLAN) (WiFi), Wireless Broadcast (Wibro), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPS), and the like.

[0143] The short-range communication module 214 refers to a module for short-range communications. Examples of suitable technologies for implementing this module are BLUETOOTH™, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra-WideBand (UWB), ZigBee™, and the like. Examples of short-range communication technologies are Universal Serial Bus (USB), IEEE 1394, Thunderbolt from Intel Corporation, and the like.

[0144] The position information module 215 refers to a module for detecting or calculating a position of a mobile terminal. An example of the position information module 215 is a Global Positioning System (GPS) module.

[0145] According to Fig. 10, the A / V input unit 220 is configured to provide an audio or video signal input for the electronic device 200. The A / V input unit 220 may include a camera 221 and a microphone 222. The camera 221 receives and processes image frames of still images or video obtained by image sensors in a video call mode or a recording mode. The processed image frames may be displayed on a display unit 251.

[0146] The image frames processed by the camera 221 can be stored in the memory 260 or transmitted externally via the wireless communication unit 210. Depending on the configuration of the electronic device, two or more cameras 221 can also be provided.

[0147] Microphone 222 can receive an external audio signal while the electronic device is set to a specific mode, e.g., a telephone conversation mode, a recording mode, a speech recognition mode, etc. This audio signal is processed into digital data. The processed digital data is converted for output into a format that is transmittable to a mobile communication base station via mobile communication module 212 during the telephone conversation mode. Microphone 222 can include various noise suppression algorithms to remove noise generated during the reception of the external audio signal.

[0148] The user input unit 230 can generate input data entered by a user for controlling the operation of the electronic device. The user input unit 230 can include a keypad, a dome switch, a touchpad (e.g., static pressure / capacitive), a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc.

[0149] The sensing unit 240 provides state measurements for various aspects of the electronic device. For example, the sensing unit 240 may detect an open / closed state of the electronic device 200, a position change of the electronic device 200, the presence or absence of user contact with the electronic device 200, the position of the electronic device 200, an acceleration / deceleration of the electronic device 200, and similar parameters to generate a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the electronic device 200. For example, with respect to a sliding electronic device, the sensing unit 240 may detect whether a sliding portion of the electronic device is open or closed.Other examples of sensing functions of the sensing unit 240 include the presence or absence of voltage provided by the power supply unit 290, the presence or absence of a coupling or other connection between the interface unit 270 and an external device. The sensing unit 240 may include a proximity sensor 241.

[0150] The output unit 250 is configured to output an audio signal, a video signal, or a tactile signal. The output unit 250 may include a display unit 251, an audio output module 252, an alarm unit 253, and a haptic module 254.

[0151] The display unit 251 can output information processed in the electronic device 200. For example, when the electronic device 200 is operating in a phone call mode, the display unit 251 will provide a user interface (UI) or a graphical user interface (GUI) through which information associated with the call is provided. According to another example, when the electronic device 200 is set to a video call mode or a recording mode, the display unit 251 can additionally or alternatively display captured and / or received images, a user interface (UI), or a graphical user interface (GUI).

[0152] The display unit 251 can be implemented, for example, using at least one component among a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display, a three-dimensional (3D) display, etc.

[0153] Some such displays 151 can be implemented as a transparent or optically transparent display through which the external environment is visible, which is referred to as a "transparent display." A representative example of a transparent display is a transparent OLED (TOLED). The back of the display unit 251 can also be implemented as optically transparent. According to this configuration, a user can view an object located behind the terminal body through an area occupied by the display unit 251 of the terminal body.

[0154] According to one configuration aspect of the electronic device 200, two or more display units 251 may be provided. For example, multiple display units 151 may be arranged spaced apart from one another on a surface, integrated with one another, or may be arranged on different surfaces.

[0155] If a layered structure is formed between the display unit 251 and a touch-sensitive sensor (also referred to as a touch sensor), this structure can be referred to as a touch screen. The display unit 251 can then be used as an input device instead of an output device. The touch sensor can be designed as a touch layer, touch plate, or touchpad, etc.

[0156] The touch sensor may be configured to convert changes in pressure applied to a specific part of the display unit 251 or in capacitance occurring at a specific part of the display unit 251 into electrical input signals. The touch sensor may also be configured to detect not only a touch position and touch area, but also a touch pressure.

[0157] When touch inputs are detected by the touch sensors, corresponding signals are transmitted to a touch controller. The touch controller processes the received signals and then transmits corresponding data to controller 280. Therefore, controller 280 can detect which area of ​​display unit 251 has been touched.

[0158] According to Fig. 10, a proximity sensor 241 can be arranged in an interior area of ​​the electronic device 200 covered by the touch screen or near the touch screen. The proximity sensor 241 is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a sensing object approaching a surface or a sensing object located near a surface using an electromagnetic field or infrared rays without mechanical contact. The proximity sensor 241 has a longer service life and is more advantageous than a contact sensor.

[0159] The proximity sensor 241 can be a transmissive photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection photoelectric sensor, a specular reflection photoelectric sensor, a high-frequency vibration proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, an infrared ray proximity sensor, etc. When the touch screen is implemented as a capacitive screen, the approach of an index finger to the touch screen is detected by changes in an electromagnetic field. The touch screen (touch sensor) can be referred to as a proximity sensor.

[0160] For the sake of simplicity, a state in which the pointer is positioned near the touch screen without contact is referred to as 'proximity touch,' whereas a state in which the pointer substantially contacts the touch screen is referred to as 'contact touch.' The position corresponding to the proximity touch of the pointer on the touch screen is a position in which the pointer faces the touch screen perpendicularly when the pointer is approached.

[0161] The proximity sensor 241 detects the proximity touch and proximity touch patterns (e.g., distance, direction, speed, time, position, motion state, etc.). Information related to the detected proximity touch and the detected proximity touch patterns can be output to the touch screen.

[0162] The audio output module 252 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 210 or stored in the memory 260 in a call receiving mode, a call setup mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast signal receiving mode, etc. The audio output module 252 may output audio signals related to functions performed in the electronic device 200, e.g., outputting a beep upon call reception or message reception, etc. The audio output module 252 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, etc.

[0163] The alarm unit 253 outputs signals indicating the occurrence of events in the electronic device 200. The events occurring in the electronic device 200 can be a call reception, a message reception, a key signal input, a touch input, etc. The alarm unit 253 can output not only video or audio signals, but also other types of signals, such as signals indicating the occurrence of events through vibration. Because the video or audio signals can be output by the display unit 251 or the audio output module 252, the display unit 251 and the audio output module 252 can be considered part of the alarm unit 253.

[0164] The haptic module 254 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A representative example of tactile effects generated by the haptic module 254 is vibration. Vibration generated by the haptic module 254 can have a controllable intensity, a controllable pattern, etc. For example, various vibration patterns can be output in a synthesized or sequential manner.

[0165] The haptic module 254 can generate not only vibration, but also other tactile effects provided, for example, by pins moving vertically with respect to a skin they touch (come into contact with), an air flow force or an air suction force through an inflow hole or a suction hole, a touch through a skin surface, by the presence or absence of contact with an electrode, effects achieved by stimuli, e.g., by an electrostatic force, by generating cold or heat sensations using a heat-absorbing or heat-emitting device, and the like.

[0166] The haptic module 254 can be configured to transmit tactile effects (signals) through direct contact with a user or through muscular perception of the user using a finger or hand. Depending on the configuration of the electronic device 200, two or more haptic modules 254 can be provided.

[0167] Memory 260 may store a program for processing and controlling controller 280. Alternatively, memory 260 may temporarily store input / output data (e.g., phone book data, messages, still images, videos, etc.). Additionally, memory 260 may store data related to various vibration patterns and audio outputs for touch input of the touch screen.

[0168] In addition, the memory 260 may store a wireless charging application downloaded from a server providing the application (e.g., app store).

[0169] The memory 260 may be implemented using any suitable storage medium, such as flash memory, a hard disk, a memory card (e.g., SD or DX memory), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc. In addition, the electronic device 200 may operate a web storage that performs the storage function of the memory 260 on the Internet.

[0170] The interface unit 270 can generally be used as an interface between the electronic device 200 and external devices. The interface unit 270 can enable data reception from an external device, power supply to any component in the electronic device 200, or data transmission from the electronic device 200 to an external device. The interface unit 270 can, for example, include wired / wireless headset ports, external charger ports, wired / wireless data ports, memory card ports, ports for connecting devices to an identification module, audio input / output (I / O) ports, video I / O ports, headphone ports, etc.

[0171] The identification module may be configured as a chip for storing various information required to authenticate authorization to use the electronic device 200, including a user identity module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), etc. The device with the identification module (hereinafter referred to as "identification device") may be implemented as a smart card. Therefore, the identification device may be connected to the electronic device 200 via a connector.

[0172] Furthermore, the interface unit 270 can serve as a path for voltage transmitted from an external receiving device to the electronic device 200 when the electronic device 200 is connected to the external receiving device, or as a path for transmitting various command signals supplied to the electronic device 200 from the receiving device by a user. Such various command signals or the voltage supplied from the receiving device can serve as signals for detecting that the electronic device 200 has been accurately placed in the receiving device.

[0173] Controller 280 typically controls the overall operation of electronic device 200. For example, controller 280 performs the control and processing associated with telephone calls, data communications, video calls, etc. Controller 280 may include a multimedia module 281 that enables multimedia playback. Multimedia module 281 may be configured as part of controller 280 or as a separate component.

[0174] The controller 280 may perform pattern recognition processing to recognize a writing or character input on the touch screen as text or an image.

[0175] Controller 280 may perform a wired charging operation or a wireless charging operation according to a user input or an internal input. The internal input may be a signal indicating that an induced current generated by a secondary coil in electronic device 200 has been detected.

[0176] The power supply unit 290, under the control of the controller 280, provides the voltage required by various components. The provided voltage may be an internal voltage, an external voltage, or a combination thereof.

[0177] The power supply unit 290 may be a battery 291 for supplying power to each component of the electronic device 200, and the battery 291 may be a charging unit 292 for wired or wireless charging.

[0178] Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration in the case where the electronic device 200 is a multimedia device such as a tablet.

[0179] The multimedia device 200' can display the Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 shown power supply unit 290.

[0180] The multimedia device 200' may include a controller 280. The multimedia device 200' may further include a display unit 251 and / or an audio output module 252.

[0181] The multimedia device 200' may further comprise a wireless communication unit 210. The configurations of the display unit 251 and the audio output module 252 may be described in greater detail below. Fig. 10 can be understood.

[0182] The controller 280 can control the display unit 251 and the audio output module 252 to play back content. For example, the controller 280 can output an image in response to the playback of content on a screen of the display unit 251 and output audio signals or sound via the audio output module 252 in response to the playback of content.

[0183] The wireless communication unit 210 may be a short-range communication module that uses short-range wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra-WideBand (UWB), ZigBee, and the like. Wired short-range communication technologies may include Universal Series Bus (USB), IEEE 1394, Thunderbolt from Intel Corporation, and the like.

[0184] The above description concerned the configuration of the multimedia device 200. Operations of the charger 100 and the electronic device 200 will be described below.

[0185] Fig. 12A shows an overview view illustrating one embodiment of a wireless charging system.

[0186] The wireless charging system may include a charger 100, an electronic device 200, and a server 300. The server 300 may include a communication unit 310, a memory 320, and a controller 330.

[0187] The communication unit 310 can enable communications between the server 300 and the charger 100 or between the server 300 and the electronic device 200. According to one embodiment, the communication unit 310 can receive identification information related to the electronic device 200 from the charger 100. Here, the identification information related to the electronic device 200 can be, for example, at least one of a device identification number of the electronic device 200, a MAC (Media Access Control) address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a user ID and password stored in the server 300.

[0188] The communication unit 310 can transmit authentication result information related to the electronic device 200 to the charger 100. Here, the authentication result information related to the electronic device 200 can indicate successful or unsuccessful authentication of the electronic device 200.

[0189] Memory 320 can store a program for processing by controller 330 and buffer input / output data. According to one embodiment, memory 320 can store authentication result information related to electronic device 200.

[0190] The controller 330 typically controls the overall operation of the server 300. According to one embodiment, when an authentication request for the electronic device 200 is received from the charger 100, the controller 330 may determine whether the authentication result information related to the electronic device 200 included in the authentication request is present in the memory 320 or not, and generate authentication result information according to the determination result. For example, the controller 330 may generate authentication result information indicating successful authentication if the identification information is stored in the memory 320, and generate authentication result information indicating unsuccessful authentication if the identification information is not stored in the memory 320.

[0191] The charging unit 110 of the charger 100 can be connected to the power supply unit 290 of the electronic device 200 via a power channel 410. The charging unit 110 can wirelessly supply power to the electronic device 200 or transmit and receive a control signal for wireless power transmission to and from the electronic device.

[0192] The communication unit 150 of the charger 100 can be connected to the wireless communication unit 210 of the electronic device 200 via a data channel 420 and can wirelessly transmit or receive data to or from the electronic device 200.

[0193] The server 300 may be connected to the electronic device 200 via a network. Therefore, the server 300 may receive data for registering the electronic device 200 in the server 300 itself from the electronic device 200 and transmit the registration result to the electronic device 200. In one embodiment, the electronic device 200 may transmit payment information to the server 300, and the server 300 may transmit confirmation information to the electronic device 200 in response to the payment information.

[0194] Fig. 12B shows an overview view of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment.

[0195] A wireless charging system may include a data and power communication unit, an electronic device 200, and a server 300. The data and power communication unit may include a charger 100 and an access point (AP) 500.

[0196] The charger 100 may have the same components as the one in Fig. 12A charger 100 shown. The charger in Fig. However, the charger shown in Figure 12B may differ from the charger shown in Fig. 12A in that the function of the communication unit 150 for data transmission to and reception from the electronic device 200 or server 300 is replaced by the AP 500.

[0197] The AP 500 can perform a function for connecting (via the access point) the charger 100 to the electronic device 200 or the server 300 using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or equivalent standards. The access point 500 can be used as a replacement for the communication unit 150 of the Fig. 12A. The AP 500 may include a communication unit 510, a memory 520, and a controller 530.

[0198] The communication unit 510 can be connected to the wireless communication unit 210 of the electronic device 200 via a data channel 420 and can wirelessly transmit and receive data to and from the electronic device 200. Furthermore, the communication unit 510 can be connected to the communication unit 310 of the server 300 via a network and can transmit and receive data to and from the server 300.

[0199] The memory 520 may store information, such as a network name (Service Set Identifier (SSID)), and the like, used by the AP 500 to enable access from the electronic device 200 to the server 300 over a network.

[0200] The controller 530 can control processing of the communication unit 510 and the memory 520.

[0201] Fig. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control process of a wireless charging system according to an embodiment.

[0202] First, the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 may perform a digital ping transmission function (S111). That is, the charging unit 110 or 120 may transmit a packet containing a message, according to which it is checked whether the electronic device 200 can access it or not.

[0203] In response to the check message, the power supply unit 290 of the electronic device 200 transmits a packet to the charger 100 containing a message indicating the presence of the electronic device 200 (S112).

[0204] In addition, the power supply unit 290 of the electronic device 200 may transmit identification information and configuration information, both related to the electronic device 200, to the charger 100 (S113).

[0205] Therefore, the wireless communication unit 210 of the electronic device 200 can transmit the identification information related to the electronic device 200 to the charger 100 (S114). The communication unit 150 of the charger 100 can receive the identification information.

[0206] The communication unit 150 of the charger 100 may transmit the identification information received from the electronic device 200 to the server 300 (S115).

[0207] The communication unit 310 of the server 300 may receive the identification information related to the electronic device 200, and the controller 330 may search the identification information related to the electronic device 200 in the memory 320 to generate authentication result information.

[0208] The communication unit 310 of the server 300 may transmit the authentication result information to the charger 100 (S116).

[0209] The controller 160 of the charger 100 may analyze the authentication result information and determine whether the authentication result information indicates successful authentication or unsuccessful authentication (S117).

[0210] If the authentication result information indicates successful authentication, the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 can wirelessly transmit power to the electronic device 200 (S118).

[0211] On the other hand, when the authentication result information indicates unsuccessful authentication, the communication unit 150 of the charger 100 may wirelessly transmit the authentication result information to the electronic device 200 (S119).

[0212] Therefore, depending on whether the identification information related to the electronic device 200 is stored in the server 300, the electronic device 200 may receive power or a message indicating unsuccessful authentication.

[0213] The charger 100 may receive account information related to the electronic device 200 from the server 300 and wirelessly transmit power to the electronic device 200 based on the account information. The account information may indicate whether or not a user of the electronic device 200 has paid a fee for using a wireless charging service. If no fee has been paid, the charger 100 may not immediately wirelessly transmit power to the electronic device 200 even if the authentication result information received from the server 300 indicates successful authentication. Furthermore, the charger 100 may wirelessly transmit power to the electronic device 200 according to a charging amount or charging time corresponding to the fee paid according to the account information.

[0214] The Fig. 14A to 14C show overview views of the operation control process of the wireless charging system according to one embodiment.

[0215] As in Fig. 14A, when the electronic device 200 enters a wireless charging service area (e.g., after receiving a message from the charger 100 to check the presence or absence of the electronic device 200), the electronic device 200 may receive an identification information request from the charger 100 and provide an interface for entering the identification information. The wireless charging service area may, as described with reference to Fig. 17, may be an area in which the power supply unit 290 of the electronic device 200 can receive a notification for wireless reception of power from the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100.

[0216] The electronic device 200 may provide an interface for enabling the input of a user ID and password stored in the server 300 via the user input unit 230. Upon receiving the user ID and password via the user input unit 230, the power supply unit 290 or the wireless communication unit 210 of the electronic device 200 may transmit information related to the user ID and password to the charger 100.

[0217] When the charger 100 has received the information related to the user password and the password from the electronic device 200, the communication unit 150 of the charger 100 may transmit an authentication request for the electronic device 200 containing the information related to the user password and the password to the server 300. Furthermore, the charger 100 may receive authentication result information from the server 300 in response to the authentication request from the electronic device 200.

[0218] The controller 160 of the charger 100 can then analyze the authentication result information received from the server 300. If the authentication result information indicates successful authentication, the controller 160 can control the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 to wirelessly transmit power to the electronic device 200. Conversely, if the authentication result information indicates unsuccessful authentication, the controller 160 can control the communication unit 150 of the charger 100 to transmit the authentication result information to the electronic device 200.

[0219] That is, according to Fig. 14B, after wirelessly receiving power from charger 100, display unit 251 of electronic device 200 may display a status indicator indicating that electronic device 200 is charging. The charge status indicator may, for example, display a charge level of the electronic device, such as a charge amount of electronic device 200.

[0220] According to Fig. 14C, the display unit 251 of the electronic device 200 may display a message indicating unsuccessful authentication after receiving the authentication result information from the charger 100. Here, the controller 280 of the electronic device 200 may provide a menu for registering the electronic device 200 or a user of the electronic device 200, a menu for re-entering at least the user ID and password, etc.

[0221] Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control process of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment.

[0222] The communication unit 150 of the charger 100 may request payment information from the electronic device 200 when the authentication result information is transmitted to the electronic device 200 (S121). For example, if the electronic device 200 has been registered with the server 300 but no payment information is present, the communication unit 150 of the charger 100 may request the payment information from the electronic device 200.

[0223] In response to the request, the wireless communication unit 210 of the electronic device 200 may transmit the payment information entered by the user to the server 300 (S122). Here, the wireless communication unit 210 of the electronic device 200 may transmit the payment information to the server 300 via the charger 100 (or the communication unit 150 of the charger 100).

[0224] Furthermore, the controller 330 of the server 300 may determine whether the payment information received from the electronic device 200 is valid or not, and the communication unit 310 of the server 300 may transmit payment confirmation information to the electronic device 200 (S123). Here, the communication unit 310 of the server 300 may transmit the payment confirmation information to the electronic device 200 via the charger 100 (or the communication unit 150 of the charger 100).

[0225] Here, the payment confirmation information can indicate a successful payment if the payment information is valid, and a failed payment if the payment information is invalid. The display unit 251 of the electronic device 200 can display the payment confirmation information.

[0226] The Fig. 16A to 16F are overview views for illustrating the operation control process of the wireless charging system according to the other embodiment.

[0227] According to Fig. 16A, when the authentication result information related to the electronic device 200 received from the server 300 indicates unsuccessful authentication, the communication unit 150 of the charger 100 may request payment information with the transmission of the authentication result information to the electronic device 200. Here, the electronic device 200 may provide an interval that allows a user to select (determine) whether or not to input payment information.

[0228] According to Fig. 16B, when the user selects (determines) to enter payment information, the electronic device 200 may receive a wireless charging service selection request from the charger 100 and provide an interface for selecting the wireless charging service.

[0229] According to Fig. 16C, when the user selects the wireless charging service, the electronic device 200 may receive a payment method selection request from the charger 100 and provide an interface for selecting the payment method.

[0230] According to Fig. 16D, when the user selects the payment method, the electronic device 200 may request a request for input of detailed information related to the corresponding payment method from the charger 100 and provide an interface for inputting the detailed information related to the corresponding payment method.

[0231] When the user enters the detailed information for the corresponding payment method, the wireless communication unit 210 of the electronic device 200 can transmit the entered detailed information to the server 300. The controller 320 of the server 300 can then determine whether the payment information is valid and generate payment confirmation information based on the determination result. The communication unit 310 of the server 300 can transmit the payment confirmation information to the electronic device 200.

[0232] According to the Fig. 16E and Fig. 16F, the display unit 251 of the electronic device 200 may display the payment confirmation information received from the server 300. If the payment confirmation information indicates a successful confirmation, a message indicating that the payment has been confirmed may be displayed on the display unit 251, as shown in Fig. 16E. If the payment confirmation information indicates unsuccessful confirmation, a message may be displayed on the display unit 251 indicating that the payment has not been confirmed, as shown in Fig. 16F is shown.

[0233] Fig. 17 shows an overview view illustrating areas of a wireless charging service according to embodiments.

[0234] An area in which the wireless power signal can be provided can be divided into two types. First, an active area refers to an area in which a wireless power signal, through which power is supplied to the electronic device 200, is available. A semi-active area refers to an area of ​​interest in which the charger 100 can detect the presence of the electronic device 200. The semi-active area may also be referred to as a semi-charging area in the case where the charger 100 transmits power to the electronic device 200 for a charging process. Here, the controller 160 can detect whether the electronic device 200 is in the active area or the semi-active area, or has moved away from the area.In particular, the controller 160 may detect whether the electronic device 200 is located in the active region or the semi-active region using a wireless power signal generated by the charging unit 110 or 120 or a sensor separately provided therein. For example, the controller 160 may detect the presence of the electronic device 200 by monitoring whether the characteristic of the power for generating the wireless power signal is changed by the wireless power signal influenced by the electronic device 200 located in the semi-active region. The active region and the semi-active region may vary according to the wireless power transmission method, which may be, for example, an inductive coupling method, a resonant coupling method, or a similar method.For example, the charger 100 may interact with the electronic device 200 disposed in the semi-active area to perform various processes, such as an analog ping transmission function, a digital ping transmission function, and an identification / configuration process, which are described in another part of this document. Areas for a wireless charging service may, according to embodiments, include an active area A, a semi-active area B, and a non-active area C. Areas A, B, and C are each divided according to a predetermined distance based on the center of the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100. Here, areas A and B may be areas where a wireless charging service is available, and area C may be an area where a wireless charging service is not available.

[0235] The electronic device 200 located within area C cannot receive a packet from the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 via the power supply unit 290. The electronic device 200 located within area B can receive a packet from the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 via the power supply unit 290. However, the electronic device 200 located within area B cannot receive power wirelessly or has a power reception efficiency lower than a threshold. The electronic device 200 located within area A can receive a packet from the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 via the power supply unit 290, receive power wirelessly, and has a power reception efficiency higher than the threshold.

[0236] According to Fig. 17A, when the electronic device 200 is located within the area C, the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 cannot receive a response packet from the electronic device 200 even if a digital ping transmission is performed to the electronic device 200, so that it cannot detect the presence of the electronic device 200.

[0237] The communication unit 150 of the charger 100 can separately receive identification information from the electronic device 200 via a data channel. However, because this corresponds to the case where the electronic device 200 is located within the area where the wireless charging service is not available, the charger 100 cannot request authentication of the electronic device 200 from the server 300.

[0238] According to Fig. 17B, ​​when the electronic device 200 is located within area B, the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 can receive a response packet from the electronic device 200 by performing a digital ping transmission function to the electronic device 200, and can receive identification information and configuration information related to the electronic device 200, respectively. Here, the charger 100 can request authentication of the electronic device 200 from the server 300 and receive authentication result information from the server 300. However, if the authentication result information indicates successful authentication, because wireless power transmission is not permitted in area B or the power reception efficiency of the electronic device 200 within area B is lower than a threshold, the charger 100 cannot wirelessly transmit power to the electronic device 200.

[0239] Here, too, the communication unit 150 of the charger 100 can receive separate identification information from the electronic device 200 via a data channel. Because the electronic device 200 is within the area where a wireless charging service is available, the charger 100 can request authentication of the electronic device 200 from the server 300.

[0240] If according to Fig. 17C, if the electronic device 200 is located within area A, the charging unit 110 or 120 of the charger 100 can receive a response packet from the electronic device 200 by performing a digital ping transmission function to the electronic device 200, and can receive identification information and configuration information related to the electronic device 200. Here, the charger 100 can request authentication of the electronic device 200 from the server 300 and receive authentication result information from the server 300. Furthermore, if the authentication result information indicates successful authentication because wireless power transmission is possible in area A and the power reception efficiency of the electronic device 200 within area A is higher than the threshold, the charger 100 can wirelessly transmit power to the electronic device 200.

[0241] In addition, the communication unit 150 of the charger 100 can receive separate identification information from the electronic device 200 via a data channel. Because the electronic device 200 is within the area where the wireless charging service is available, the charger 100 can request authentication of the electronic device 200 from the server 300.

[0242] Fig. 18 shows an overview view of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment.

[0243] The wireless charging system according to the other embodiment may include a charger 100, a first electronic device 200a, and a second electronic device 200b.

[0244] The charger 100 may include a charging unit 110 or 120, a communication unit 150, and a controller 160.

[0245] The charging unit 110 or 120 can wirelessly transmit power to the first or second electronic device 200a or 200b via a power channel 612 or 614.

[0246] The communication unit 150 can wirelessly receive energy information from the first or second electronic device 200a or 220b via the data channels 622 and 624. The energy information comprises at least one piece of energy state information and / or energy control information related to the respective electronic device, wherein details of the energy information can be found with reference to Fig. 19 are described.

[0247] Based on the power information related to the first and second electronic devices 200a and 200b, the controller 160 may determine one of the first and second electronic devices 200a and 200b as a specified electronic device. Furthermore, the controller 160 may control the charging unit 110 or 120 to wirelessly transmit power to the specified electronic device.

[0248] The description of the components 210a, 280a and 290a of the first electronic device 200a and the components 210b, 280b and 290b of the second electronic device 200 corresponds to the description of the components 210, 280 and 290 of the Fig. 12, so that they are not described in more detail here.

[0249] Fig. 19 shows an overview view for illustrating power information of an electronic device according to another embodiment.

[0250] Energy information related to the electronic device 200 may, as mentioned above, include energy state information and / or energy control information related to the electronic device 200. The energy state information related to the electronic device 200 may include a remaining energy percentage and / or the amount of data for wireless traffic (amount of data for wireless transmission and reception) for the electronic device 200. In addition, the energy state information related to the electronic device 200 may further include a minimum energy consumption used for wireless communication of the electronic device 200.

[0251] The power control information related to the electronic device 200 may be a setting value indicating whether charging is urgent or not for the electronic device 200, ie, indicating "urgent" or "normal." Therefore, the power control information in the electronic device 200 may be set by a user.

[0252] According to Fig. 19, the communication unit 150 may receive energy information from the first and second electronic devices 200a and 200b, and the controller 160 may determine an electronic device 200 to which energy should be wirelessly transmitted based on the received energy information.

[0253] For example, the first electronic device 200a may have a remaining energy percentage (actual charge amount / total available charge amount) of 11% and a minimum energy requirement used for wireless communication (minimum charge amount used for wireless communication / total available charge amount) of 10%. Furthermore, the second electronic device 200b may have a remaining energy percentage of 19% and a minimum energy requirement used for wireless communication of 20%.

[0254] The controller 160 may determine the charging priorities based on a reference value obtained by dividing the remaining energy percentage for each electronic device by the minimum energy demand used for wireless communication. According to one example, the first electronic device 200a has 11 / 10 as a reference value, and the second electronic device has 19 / 20 as a reference value. In this example, the controller 160 may determine the second electronic device 200b with the lower reference value as a specified electronic device. According to another example, when the reference values ​​of the first and second electronic devices 200a and 200b are all greater than 1, the controller 160 may determine an electronic device that first entered a wireless charging service area as a specified electronic device.

[0255] For example, assume that the wireless data traffic (ie, the recently executed wireless data traffic per unit time, such as the current data traffic) of the electronic device 200a is 30 Mb / day and the wireless data traffic of the second electronic device 200b is 50 Mb / day.

[0256] Here, the controller 160 can determine charging priorities by setting wireless data traffic as reference values. According to one example, the first electronic device 200a has a reference value of 30, and the second electronic device 200b has a reference value of 50. Here, the controller 160 can determine the second electronic device 200b with the higher reference value as a specified electronic device.

[0257] It is further assumed, for example, that the urgency of the charging process is set to “urgent” for the first electronic device 200a and to “normal” for the second electronic device 200b.

[0258] Here, the controller 160 can establish charging priorities by setting the charging status "urgent" or "normal" as reference values. According to one example, the controller 160 can determine the first electronic device 200a with the charging status "urgent" as a specified electronic device.

[0259] Fig. 20 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control process of a wireless charging system according to another embodiment.

[0260] The communication unit 150 may receive energy information from the first and second electronic devices 200a and 200b (S131).

[0261] The controller 160 may determine one of the first and second electronic devices 200a and 200b as a specified electronic device based on the power information (S132).

[0262] The charging unit 110 or 120 can transmit power wirelessly to the specified electronic device (S133).

[0263] In addition, the controller 160 may monitor whether the wireless power transmission from the charging unit 110 or 120 to the specified electronic device has stopped (S141). For example, the controller 160 may monitor whether the charging unit 110 or 120 receives a notification indicating that the charging process has been completed from the specified electronic device or a notification indicating that an error occurred during the charging process from the specified electronic device.

[0264] When it is determined that the wireless power transmission to the specified electronic device has been stopped (S142), the controller 160 may designate an electronic device among the first and second electronic devices 200a and 200b that has not been designated as a specified electronic device in step S132 as a new specified electronic device (S143).

[0265] The charging unit 110 or 120 can wirelessly transmit energy to the new specified electronic device (S144).

[0266] The wireless charging device described in the present specification can provide a wireless charging service for an authenticated electronic device, allowing a more stable wireless charging service to be provided to a user. Furthermore, the priorities for the wireless charging service can be controlled based on energy information, allowing the wireless charging service to be provided to the user more efficiently.

[0267] The above-mentioned method may be implemented in a storage medium readable by a computer or similar devices using software and / or hardware.

[0268] When implemented in hardware, the embodiments described herein may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic devices configured to perform the functions described herein, or a selected combination thereof. In some cases, these embodiments are implemented by the controller 160 of the charger 100 or by the controller 280 of the mobile electronic device 200 or the multimedia device 200'.

[0269] When implemented through software, the embodiments, such as procedures and functions, may be implemented together with separate software modules, each performing at least one of the functions and operations. The software codes may also be implemented by a software application written in any suitable programming language. Furthermore, the software codes may be stored in memory 260 and executed by controller 280.

[0270] The embodiments and advantages described above are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present results and findings can be readily applied to other types of devices. This description is intended to be illustrative only and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The features, structures, methods, and other characteristics of the embodiments described herein may be combined in various ways to obtain further and / or alternative embodiments.

[0271] The present invention may be embodied in various forms without departing from its nature. The above-described embodiments are not intended to be limited by any details of the foregoing description unless expressly stated otherwise, but are intended to be broadly interpreted within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, including various changes and modifications and equivalent embodiments.

Claims

[1] Wireless charger (100) with: a wireless communication unit (150) configured to receive authentication result information related to a specified electronic device (200) from a database (320); a controller (160) configured to determine the first or second electronic device (200a, 200b) as a specified electronic device (200) based on energy information related to a first and a second electronic device (200a, 200b), and a wireless charging unit (110, 120) configured to wirelessly transmit power to the specified electronic device (200) when the authentication result information indicates successful authentication, and to transmit the authentication result information to the specified electronic device (200) when the authentication result information indicates unsuccessful authentication, wherein the energy information comprises energy state information related to the electronic device (200) and energy control information, wherein the energy state information includes residual energy information and information about a minimum energy requirement for wireless communication, both of which are related to a corresponding electronic device (200), and wherein the power control information further includes information related to whether or not the charging operation for a corresponding electronic device (200) is urgently required. [2] The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) receives identification information from the specified electronic device (200) and requests the authentication result information from the database (320) based on the identification information. [3] The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the wireless charging unit (110, 120) receives identification information from the specified electronic device (200), and wherein the wireless communication unit (150) requests the authentication result information based on the identification information from the database (320). [4] The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) requests payment information from the specified electronic device (200). [5] The device (100) of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) receives the requested payment information from the specified electronic device (200) and transmits the received payment information to the database (320). [6] The device (100) of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) receives confirmation information from the database (320) in response to the payment information and transmits the received confirmation information to the specified electronic device (200). [7] Device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) receives account information related to the specified electronic device (200) from the database (320), and the wireless charging unit (110, 120) transmits energy wirelessly to the specified electronic device (200) based on the received account information. [8] The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) receives authentication result information related to the specified electronic device (200) from the database (320) when the specified electronic device (200) is within a wireless power reception range. [9] The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) receives authentication result information related to the specified electronic device (200) from the database (320) when the specified electronic device (200) is located within an area where wireless power reception is not possible. [10] The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) receives authentication result information related to the specified electronic device (200) from the database (320) when the specified electronic device (200) is located within a range in which wireless data transmission and reception are possible. [11] The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit (150) transmits information to the specified electronic device (200) to enable authentication after an unsuccessful authentication. [12] The device (100) of claim 11, wherein the information comprises a request for payment information. [13] Wireless charging system with: a specified electronic device (200) configured to wirelessly transmit identification information to a wireless charger (100) via a power channel (410) or a data channel (420), the specified electronic device (200) comprising a first and a second electronic device (200a, 200b); wherein the wireless charger (100) is configured to transmit an authentication request for the specified electronic device (200) to a database (320) based on the identification information, receive authentication result information from the database (320), wirelessly transmit power to the specified electronic device (200) via the power channel (410) if the authentication result information indicates successful authentication, and transmit the authentication result information to the specified electronic device (200) via the data channel (420) if the authentication result information indicates unsuccessful authentication, and wherein the wireless charger (100) comprises a controller (160) configured to determine the first or second electronic device (200a, 200b) as a specified electronic device (200) based on energy information related to the first and second electronic devices (200a, 200b), wherein the energy information comprises energy state information related to the electronic device (200) and energy control information, wherein the energy state information includes residual energy information and information about a minimum energy requirement for wireless communication, both of which are related to a corresponding electronic device (200), and wherein the power control information further includes information related to whether or not the charging operation for a corresponding electronic device (200) is urgently required. [14] The wireless charging system of claim 13, wherein the wireless charger (100) is configured to receive authentication and payment information via RFID or short-range communication from the specified electronic device (200). [15] The wireless charging system of claim 13, wherein the wireless charger (100) transmits information to the specified electronic device (200) to enable authentication after unsuccessful authentication. [16] The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein the information comprises a request for payment information.

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