Wireless power systems with communication

Abstract

To provide a wireless power system for charging a battery-powered device.SOLUTION: A wireless power system 8 includes an accessory 104 such as an earphone or an electronic pen that transmits or relays wireless power to a portable electronic device 100. The portable electronic device 100 includes a wireless charging coil 110 and a sensor 116 that detects a compatible accessory currently coupled to the portable electronic device, performing wireless charging or related functions according to the coupled accessory.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 028,404, filed on September 22, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 075,035, filed on September 4, 2020, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application generally relates to power systems, and more particularly to wireless power systems for charging battery-powered electronic devices.

Background Art

[0002] In a wireless charging system, a wireless power transmitting device, such as a charging mat, wirelessly transmits power to a wireless power receiving device, such as a battery-powered portable electronic device. The wireless power transmitting device has a coil that forms an electromagnetic flux. The wireless power transmitting device has a coil and a rectification circuitry that uses the electromagnetic flux formed by a transmitter to form direct current power that can be used to power an electrical load within the battery-powered portable electronic device.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] A wireless charging system includes an electronic device operable with an accessory. According to some embodiments, the electronic device can include a wireless charging coil, a near-field communication circuit having a near-field communication antenna around the wireless charging coil, a magnetic alignment structure configured to align the near-field communication antenna with a corresponding near-field communication antenna within the accessory when the magnetic alignment structure is magnetically coupled to the accessory, a magnetic sensor configured to detect when the magnetic alignment structure is magnetically coupled to the accessory, and an output device. The near-field communication circuit can be configured to retrieve information from the accessory in response to detecting that the magnetic alignment structure is magnetically coupled to the accessory. The output device can be configured to present an output associated with the accessory using the retrieved information.

[0004] The near-field communication antenna may extend along the inner or outer edge of the wireless charging coil. The magnetic alignment structure may extend along the inner or outer edge of the near-field communication antenna. The output device may be a display configured to show physical characteristics such as a wireless charging mat icon, wireless charging pack icon, removable case icon, battery case icon, dock icon, accessory color, functions associated with the accessory, and ownership information associated with the accessory. The output device may also provide audio, haptic, or other visual feedback when the device is attached to the accessory. Near-field communication may be performed while the wireless power handshake operation is paused or while the wireless power transmission operation is paused.

[0005] Methods for operating an electronic device with an accessory are provided according to several embodiments. Such methods may include using a magnet to magnetically attract a corresponding magnet in the accessory, using a magnetic sensor to detect when the magnet is magnetically attracting the corresponding magnet in the accessory, using a near-field communication circuit to receive information from the accessory in response to the detection that the magnet is magnetically attracting the corresponding magnet in the accessory, and using a display to show an output associated with the accessory based on the retrieved information. The method may further include using a radio charging coil to receive a radio power signal from the accessory, and charging a battery with the radio power signal. The method may further include performing a near-field communication authentication operation while the radio power handshake operation is paused or while active radio power transfer is temporarily paused.

[0006] According to several embodiments, an electronic device operable in a radio power system for receiving radio power signals from a power transmitting device is provided. The electronic device may include a radio power receiving coil configured to receive radio power signals, a near-field communication reader having a near-field communication antenna extending along the periphery of the radio power receiving coil, a magnet at least partially surrounding the near-field communication antenna and configured to be magnetically coupled to a corresponding magnet in the power transmitting device to align the radio power receiving coil with the radio power transmitting coil in the power transmitting device, and a magnetic sensor configured to detect when the magnet is magnetically coupled to an external accessory separate from the power transmitting device, and when the magnet is magnetically coupled to both the external accessory and the power transmitting device. The magnetic sensor can distinguish between when the magnet is magnetically coupled to the external accessory only and when the magnet is magnetically coupled to both the external accessory and the power transmitting device. The power transmitting device may include a first near-field communication tag configured to transmit information about the power transmitting device to the near-field communication reader. The external accessory includes a second near-field communication tag configured to transmit information about the external accessory to the near-field communication reader. The near-field communication (NFC) reader can perform collision avoidance when multiple tags are detected. If a collision is detected, the NFC reader can communicate with only one of the tags, the other tag will be deactivated, then the tag that was just read will be deactivated, and then the first tag that was deactivated will be read. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of an exemplary wireless power system according to several embodiments.

[0008] [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless power transmission and reception circuit according to several embodiments.

[0009] [Figure 3]This is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary wireless charging system according to several embodiments.

[0010] [Figure 4] This is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary wireless charging system according to several embodiments.

[0011] [Figure 5] This is a diagram of an accessory configured to mate with a portable electronic device, according to several embodiments.

[0012] [Figure 6] This is a top view of a portable electronic device according to several embodiments.

[0013] [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of exemplary steps for using a short-range communication circuit to communicate between a portable electronic device and one or more accessories, according to several embodiments.

[0014] [Figure 8] This is a timing diagram illustrating how a magnetometer may be used to detect the presence of one or more accessories, according to one embodiment.

[0015] [Figure 9] This is a flowchart for performing short-range communication according to several embodiments.

[0016] [Figure 10] This is a flowchart for performing short-range communication according to several embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] A wireless power system may include one or more electronic devices that transmit wireless power, one or more electronic devices that receive wireless power, and one or more electronic devices that transmit and receive wireless power. The wireless power transmitting device may be, for example, a wireless charging mat or a wireless charging pack. The wireless power receiving device may be, for example, a portable device such as a wristwatch, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or other electronic device. The wireless power transmitting and receiving device may be an electronic device case (e.g., a removable case for a mobile phone) or other types of electronic devices. The wireless power transmitting device can wirelessly transmit power to the wireless power receiving device. The wireless power transmitting device uses the power from the wireless power transmitting device to supply power to the device and charge the internal battery.

[0018] Wireless power is transmitted from a wireless power transmitting device to a wireless power receiving device using one or more wireless power transmitting coils. The wireless power transmitting device has one or more wireless power receiving coils coupled to a rectifying circuit that converts the received wireless power signal into direct current power.

[0019] An exemplary wireless power system (wireless charging system or wireless power transfer system) is shown in FIG. 1. The devices within the wireless power system 8 may include a wireless power transmitting device such as the wireless power transmitting device 12. The devices within the wireless power system 8 may include a wireless power receiving device such as the wireless power receiving device 24. The devices within the wireless power system 8 may include an electronic device such as the wireless power transmitting and receiving device 18 that can transmit and receive wireless power.

[0020] An exemplary wireless power transmitting device 12 includes a control circuit 16. An exemplary wireless power receiving device 24 includes a control circuit 30. An exemplary wireless power transceiver device 18 includes a control circuit 78. These control circuits may include processing circuits associated with application-specific integrated circuits having a microprocessor, power management unit, baseband processor, digital signal processor, microcontroller, and / or processing circuits. These processing circuits implement desired control and communication functions within devices 12, 18, and 24. For example, processing circuits may be used to select coils, determine power transmission levels, process sensor data and other data for detecting foreign objects and performing other tasks, process user input, handle negotiation / handshakes between devices 12, 18, and 24, transmit and receive in-band and out-of-band data, perform measurements, and otherwise control the operation of the wireless transmitter and wireless receiver, respectively, in System 8.

[0021] The control circuit within system 8 may be configured to execute operations within system 8 using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and / or software. Software code for executing operations within system 8 is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a tangible computer-readable storage medium) within control circuit 8. The software code may be referred to as software, data, program instructions, instructions, or code. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can include non-volatile memory such as non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM), one or more hard drives (e.g., magnetic drives or solid-state drives), one or more removable flash drives, or other removable media. The software stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be executed on the processing circuits of control circuits 16, 30, and / or 78. The processing circuit can include an application-specific integrated circuit having the processing circuit, one or more microprocessors, a central processing unit (CPU), or other processing circuits.

[0022] The power transmission device 12 may be a stand-alone power adapter (e.g., a wireless charging mat or charging pack including a power adapter circuit), a wireless charging mat or pack coupled to a power adapter or other device by a cable, a portable device, a device incorporated into furniture, a vehicle, or other system, a removable battery case, or other wireless power transmission device. An exemplary configuration in which the wireless power transmission device 12 is a wireless charging mat or pack is sometimes described herein as an example.

[0023] The power receiving device 24 may be a portable electronic device such as a wristwatch, mobile phone, laptop computer, tablet computer, accessories such as earphones or electronic pens (e.g., stylus), head-mounted display, or other electronic device. The power transmitting device 12 may be coupled to a wall outlet (e.g., AC power), may have a battery 32 for supplying power, and / or may have another power source. The power transmitting device 12 may have an AC-DC power converter, such as an AC-DC power converter 14, for converting alternating current (AC) power from the wall outlet or other power source to direct current (DC) power. DC power can be used to power the control circuit 16. During operation, the controller in the control circuit 16 transmits wireless power to the power receiving circuit 54 of device 24 using the power transmitting circuit 52.

[0024] The power transmission circuit 52 may have a switching circuit (e.g., an inverter circuit 61 formed from transistors) that is switched on and off based on a control signal provided by the control circuit 16 to generate an AC current signal via one or more wireless power transmitting coils, such as wireless power transmitting coils 36. These coil drive signals cause the coils 36 to transmit wireless power. The coils 36 may be arranged in a planar coil array or to form a cluster of coils. In some embodiments, the device 12 (e.g., a charging mat, pack, etc.) may have only a single coil. In other embodiments, the wireless charging device may have multiple coils.

[0025] When AC current flows through one or more coils 36, an AC electromagnetic field (e.g., a magnetic field) (radio power signal 44) is generated, which is received by one or more corresponding receiving coils, such as coils 48 in the power receiving device 24. A rectifier circuit, such as a rectifier circuit 50, converts the AC signal (the received AC signal associated with the electromagnetic signal 44) received from one or more coils 48 into a DC voltage signal for supplying power to the device 24. The DC voltage generated by the rectifier circuit 50 (sometimes called the rectifier output voltage Vrect) can be used to charge a battery, such as a battery 58, and can be used to supply power to other components in the device 24.

[0026] Devices 12, 18, and / or 24 can communicate wirelessly using in-band or out-of-band communication. Device 12 may have a wireless transceiver circuit 40 that wirelessly transmits out-of-band signals (for example, to device 18 or device 24) using an antenna. The wireless transceiver circuit 40 may be used to wirelessly receive out-of-band signals from device 18 or device 24 using an antenna. Device 24 may have a wireless transceiver circuit 46 that transmits out-of-band signals. A receiver circuit in the wireless transceiver 46 can receive out-of-band signals using an antenna. Device 18 may have a wireless transceiver circuit 80 that transmits out-of-band signals. A receiver circuit in the wireless transceiver 80 can receive out-of-band signals using an antenna.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, device 12 includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) circuit 53 for transmitting information to a corresponding NFC circuit 55 in device 24. Device 18 may also include an NFC circuit 85 for receiving information from device 12 and / or transmitting information to device 24. The data transmitted using these NFC components may also be considered out-of-band signals and may be radiated using separate NFC antennas within each device. Each NFC circuit may include a circuit that acts as an NFC reader (sometimes called a proximity-coupled device or PCD) and / or an NFC tag (sometimes called a proximity-inductively coupled card or PICC). The NFC tag may be active or passive. An active NFC tag can actively transmit signals to an NFC reader, while a passive NFC tag modulates the carrier waveform transmitted by the NFC reader. The exemplary NFC communication operates at 13.56 MHz. In some embodiments, NFC communication may use millimeter / centimeter wave technology at 10 GHz and above (up to about 300 GHz).

[0028] The wireless transceiver circuits 40, 46, and 80 may also be used for in-band transmission between devices 12, 24, and 18 using coils 36, 48, and 90. Frequency shift keying (FSK) and / or amplitude shift keying (ASK) may be used to transmit in-band data between devices 12, 18, and 24. Power can be transmitted wirelessly during these FSK and ASK transmissions. The power transmitting device 12, the power transmitting and receiving device 18, and the power receiving device 24 are preferably able to communicate information such as received power and battery charge status in order to control wireless power transmission. The control circuit 16 has an external object measurement circuit 41 which may be used to detect external objects on the charging surface of the housing of device 12 (e.g., on the top of a charging mat, or, if necessary, adjacent to the coupling surface of a charging pack). The housing of device 12 may have polymer walls, other dielectric walls, and other housing wall structures surrounding the coils 36 and other circuits of device 12. The charging surface may be formed by the flat outer surface of the upper housing wall of device 12, or it may have other shapes (e.g., concave or convex). In arrangements where device 12 forms a charging pack, the charging pack may have a surface shape that mates with the shape of device 24. The pack or other device 12 may optionally have magnets to detachably attach device 12 to device 24, so that coil 48 aligns with coil 36 during wireless charging.

[0029] Circuit 41 can detect foreign objects such as coils, paper clips, and other metallic objects, and can detect the presence of the radio power receiving device 24 (for example, circuit 41 can detect the presence of one or more coils 48 and / or magnetic core material associated with coils 48). During object detection and characterization operations, the external object (foreign object) measurement circuit 41 can be used to perform measurements on the coil(s) 36, such as Q-value measurement, resonant frequency measurement, and / or inductance measurement, to indicate whether a coil 48 is present and / or whether a foreign object such as a coin or paper clip is present. The measurement circuit can also be used to perform sensor measurements using a capacitive sensor, to perform temperature measurements, and / or to collect information indicating whether a foreign object or other external object (e.g., device 18 or 24) is present on device 12.

[0030] The power transmitting / receiving device 18 may be a battery case or battery pack connected by a cable to a power adapter or other device, a device incorporated into furniture, a vehicle, or other system, a removable battery case, or a portable electronic device such as a wristwatch, mobile phone, laptop computer, tablet computer, earphones or other accessories, or other electronic device. The power transmitting / receiving device 18 is capable of both transmitting and receiving wireless power. Therefore, the power transmitting / receiving device 18 may include power transmission components similar to those of the power transmitting device 12. The power transmitting / receiving device 18 may also include power receiving components similar to those of the power receiving device 24.

[0031] The power transceiver device 18 may have an AC-DC power converter, such as an AC-DC power converter 96, for converting alternating current (AC) power from a wall outlet or other power source to direct current (DC) power. DC power can be used to power the control circuit 78. The control circuit 78 includes a radio transceiver circuit 80 for in-band communication (using the coil 90) and out-of-band communication (using the antenna). The control circuit 78 may also optionally include a measurement circuit 82 (for example, a measurement circuit of the type described in relation to the measurement circuit 41).

[0032] The radio power circuit 84 within device 18 may include both an inverter 86 and a rectifier 88. The inverter circuit 86 (e.g., formed from transistors) may be turned on and off based on control signals provided by the control circuit 78 to produce an AC current signal through one or more coils, such as coils 90. These coil drive signals cause coils 90 to transmit radio power. The coils 90 may be arranged in a planar coil array or to form a cluster of coils. In some arrangements, device 18 may have only a single coil. In other configurations, device 18 may have multiple coils (e.g., two or more coils, 5 to 10 coils, at least 10 coils, 10 to 30 coils, fewer than 35 coils, fewer than 25 coils, or any other preferred number of coils).

[0033] When an AC current flows through one or more coils 90, an AC electromagnetic field (e.g., a magnetic field) (a radio power signal 44) is generated, which is received by one or more corresponding receiving coils, such as one or more coils 48 in the power receiving device 24. In other words, one or more of the coils 90 can be inductively coupled to one or more of the coils 48.

[0034] The power transmitting / receiving device 18 can also receive wireless power (for example, from the power transmitting device 12). The coil(s) 90 can receive an AC electromagnetic field from the transmitting coil 36, which brings a corresponding AC current into the coil(s) 90. A rectifier circuit, such as a rectifier circuit 88, which includes rectifier components such as synchronous rectified metal oxide semiconductor transistors arranged in a bridge network, converts the received AC signal (the received AC signal associated with the electromagnetic signal 44) into a DC voltage signal for supplying power to the device 18 from one or more coils 90. The DC voltage generated by the rectifier circuit 88 can be used to charge a battery, such as a battery 94, and can be used to supply power to other components in the device 18.

[0035] In some applications, the power transceiver device 18 transmits wireless power only (e.g., using an inverter 86 and coil(s) 90). In some applications, the power transceiver device 18 receives wireless power only (e.g., using a rectifier 88 and coil(s) 90). In some applications, the power transceiver device transmits and receives wireless power simultaneously. When transmitting and receiving wireless power simultaneously, the device 18 can optionally perform both power transmission and power reception operations associated with the inverter 86 and rectifier 88 (e.g., the device 18 uses the rectifier to charge a battery and operate the device, and independently uses the inverter to transmit a desired amount of power). Alternatively, the device 18 may relay or pass the received wireless power signal without rectifying the power. The device 18 may include only one coil used for both wireless power transmission and wireless power reception. Alternatively, the device 18 may have at least one dedicated wireless power transmission coil and at least one dedicated wireless power reception coil. The device 18 may have multiple coils used for both wireless power transmission and wireless power reception. Different coils within device 18 may, optionally, be short-circuited together in different operating modes.

[0036] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless charging circuit useful when implementing System 8. A wireless charging system of a power transmitting device 12 and a power receiving device 24 is shown. However, it should be understood that device 18 may have corresponding components for both power transmission and power reception and may be used instead of either device 12 and / or device 24 as needed. As shown in Figure 2, circuit 52 may include an inverter circuit such as one or more inverters 61, or other drive circuits that generate wireless power signals transmitted via an output circuit including one or more coils 36 and a capacitor such as a capacitor 71. In some embodiments, device 12 may include a plurality of individually controlled inverters 61, each supplying a drive signal to each coil 36. In other embodiments, the inverters 61 are shared among the plurality of coils 36 using a switching circuit.

[0037] During operation, control signals for one or more inverters 61 are provided by the control circuit 16 at the control input 74. While a single inverter 61 and a single coil 36 are shown in the embodiment of Figure 2, multiple inverters 61 and multiple coils 36 may be used if desired. In a multiple-coil configuration, a switching circuit (e.g., a multiplexer circuit) can be used to couple a single inverter 61 to multiple coils 36 and / or each coil 36 to its respective inverter 61. During wireless power transmission operation, transistors in one or more selected inverters 61 are driven by AC control signals from the control circuit 16. The relative phase between inverters can be dynamically adjusted. For example, a pair of inverters 61 may produce in-phase or out-of-phase (e.g., a 180° phase difference) output signals.

[0038] By applying a drive signal using an inverter (one or more) 61 (for example, a transistor or other switch in circuit 52), the output circuit formed from the selected coil 36 and capacitor 71 generates an AC electromagnetic field (signal 44) which is received by the wireless power receiving circuit 54 using a wireless power receiving circuit formed from one or more coils 48 and one or more capacitors 72 in device 24.

[0039] If desired, the relative phase between the drive coils 36 (e.g., the phase of one of the drive coils 36 relative to another adjacent drive coil 36) may be adjusted by the control circuit 16 to help enhance the wireless power transmission between device 12 and device 24. The rectifier circuit 50 is coupled to one or more coils 48 (e.g., a pair of coils) and converts the received power from AC to DC, supplying a DC output voltage Vrect between the rectifier output terminals 76 to power load circuits within device 24 (e.g., to charge a battery 58, to power a display and / or other input / output devices 56, and / or other components). A single coil 48 or multiple coils 48 may be included within device 24. In an exemplary configuration, device 24 may be a wristwatch or other portable device having at least two coils 48. These two (or more) coils 48 may be used together when receiving wireless power. Other configurations may be used if desired.

[0040] As described above, in-band transmission using coils 36 and 48 may be used to transmit information (e.g., transmit and receive) between devices 12 and 24. In one exemplary configuration, frequency shift keying (FSK) is used to transmit in-band data from device 12 to device 24, and amplitude shift keying (ASK) is used to transmit in-band data from device 24 to device 12. In other words, a device transmitting radio power can use FSK to transmit in-band data to a device receiving radio power (regardless of whether either device is a dedicated power transmitting / receiving device 12 / 24 or a power transmitting / receiving device 18). A device receiving radio power can use ASK to transmit in-band data to a device transmitting radio power (regardless of whether either device is a dedicated power transmitting / receiving device 12 / 24 or a power transmitting / receiving device 18).

[0041] During these FSK and ASK transmissions, power may be wirelessly transmitted from device 12 to device 24. While the power transmission circuit 52 drives an AC signal to one or more of the coils 36 to generate a signal 44 at the power transmission frequency, the wireless transceiver circuit 40 may modulate the power transmission frequency of the driven AC signal using FSK modulation, thereby modulating the frequency of the signal 44. In device 24, coil 48 is used to receive the signal 44. The power receiving circuit 54 uses the received signal on coil 48 and rectifier 50 to generate DC power. Simultaneously, the wireless transceiver circuit 46 monitors the frequency of the AC signal passing through coil(s) 48 and uses FSK demodulation to extract the transmitted in-band data from the signal 44. This approach makes it possible to transmit FSK data (e.g., FSK data packets) in-band from device 12 to device 24 using coils 36 and 48 while simultaneously wirelessly transmitting power from device 12 to device 24 using coils 36 and 48.

[0042] In-band communication between device 24 and device 12 can utilize ASK modulation and demodulation techniques. The wireless transceiver circuit 46 modulates the impedance of the power receiving circuit 54 (e.g., coil 48) by transmitting in-band data to device 12 using a switch (e.g., one or more transistors in the transceiver 46 coupled to coil 48). This sequentially modulates the amplitude of signal 44 and the amplitude of the AC signal passing through coil(s) 36. The wireless transceiver circuit 40 monitors the amplitude of the AC signal passing through coil(s) 36 and extracts the transmitted in-band data from these signals transmitted by the wireless transceiver circuit 46 using ASK demodulation. By using ASK communication, it becomes possible to transmit ASK data bits (e.g., ASK data packets) in-band from device 24 to device 12 using coils 48 and 36 while power is simultaneously being transmitted wirelessly from device 24 to device 12 using coils 36 and 48.

[0043] The examples of FSK modulation used to transmit in-band data from power transmitting device 12 to power receiving device 24, and ASK modulation used to transmit in-band data from power receiving device 24 to power transmitting device 12, are merely illustrative. In general, information can be transmitted from power transmitting device 12 to power receiving device 24 and from power receiving device 24 to power transmitting device 12 using any desired communication technique. Generally, radio power can be transmitted simultaneously between devices during in-band communication (using ASK or FSK).

[0044] The power transmission frequency used for transmitting wireless power may be, for example, a predetermined frequency of about 125 kHz, at least 80 kHz, at least 100 kHz, 100 kHz to 205 kHz, less than 500 kHz, less than 300 kHz, or other suitable wireless power frequencies. In some configurations, the transmission frequency can be negotiated in communication between devices 12 and 24. In other configurations, the transmission frequency may be fixed.

[0045] It has been explained that power can be transmitted between devices simultaneously while in-band communication is used for data transmission between devices. In other words, in some examples, in-band communication may depend on the modulation of the power transmission signal (e.g., modulation of the power transmission frequency or modulation of the amplitude of the signal at the power transmission frequency). However, other communication techniques that do not depend on the modulation of the power transmission signal may be used. For example, a signal (sometimes called an in-band signal) may be transmitted between coils in a system at a frequency different from the power transmission frequency. A signal transmitted using coils (e.g., coils 36, 48, and 90 in Figure 1) (at the same frequency as or different from the power transmission frequency) may be considered an in-band signal.

[0046] Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a portable electronic device 100 (e.g., a wristwatch, mobile phone, laptop computer, tablet computer, or other electronic device) on the surface of a wireless charging mat (or pack) 102. Device 100 may be a wireless power receiving device (e.g., device 24 in Figure 1) or a wireless power transmitting / receiving device (e.g., device 18 in Figure 1). Device 102 may be a wireless power transmitting device (e.g., device 12 in Figure 1).

[0047] As shown in Figure 3, the device 102 may include a wireless charging coil 120 (e.g., a wireless power transmission coil), an NFC antenna structure 122, and a magnetic alignment structure 124. The wireless charging coil 120 may be wound from a single stranded wire, multiple stranded wires connected in parallel, braided wire, Litz wire, conductive ink or conductive trace such as multilayer tracks on a printed circuit board, or other conductive elements suitable for forming a coil. The coil 120 may represent a single coil or multiple coils (e.g., a planar coil array, a cluster of coils, or any appropriate number of overlapping and / or non-overlapping coil structures). The NFC antenna 122 may be formed around the wireless charging coil 120 (e.g., the NFC antenna 122 may be routed along the inner or outer circumference of the coil 120, or may at least partially or completely surround the coil 120). In one preferred configuration, the wireless charging coil 120 and the NFC antenna 122 may form a concentric loop structure. The magnetic alignment structure 124 may be formed around the NFC antenna 122 (for example, the alignment structure 124 may be formed along the perimeter of the antenna 122, or it may surround the antenna 122 at least partially or completely). In some configurations, the NFC antenna 122 and the magnetic alignment structure 124 may form a concentric loop.

[0048] Device 100 may include a wireless charging coil 110 (e.g., a wireless power receiving coil), an NFC antenna structure 112, a magnetic alignment structure 114, and a magnetic sensor such as a magnetometer 116. The wireless power receiving coil 110 may be configured to receive wireless power signals from a wireless power transmitting coil 120. For example, the wireless power transmitting coil 120 may be driven using an inverter 61 in device 12 in Figure 2, while the wireless power receiving coil 110 may be used to drive a rectifier 50 in device 24 in Figure 2. The wireless charging coil 110 may be wound from a single stranded wire, multiple stranded wires connected in parallel, braided wire, Litz wire, conductive ink or conductive trace such as multilayer tracks on a printed circuit board, or other conductive elements suitable for forming a coil.

[0049] The NFC antenna 112 may be formed around the wireless charging coil 110 (for example, the NFC antenna 112 may be routed along the perimeter of the coil 110, or it may surround the coil 110 at least partially or completely). In one preferred configuration, the wireless charging coil 110 and the NFC antenna 112 may form a concentric loop structure. The NFC antenna structure 112 in device 100 should have the same or similar structure and footprint as the NFC antenna structure 122 in device 102 to ensure optimal coupling between the two antenna structures.

[0050] The magnetic alignment structure 114 may be formed around the NFC antenna 112 (for example, the alignment structure 114 may be formed along the periphery of the antenna 112, or it may surround the antenna 112 at least partially or completely). In some configurations, the NFC antenna 112 and the magnetic alignment structure 114 may form a concentric loop. The magnetic alignment structure 114 in device 100 may be magnetically coupled to the corresponding magnetic alignment structure 124 in device 102 (for example, magnet 114 may magnetically attract magnet 124, and vice versa). When the magnetic alignment structure 114 in device 100 is coupled to the magnetic alignment structure 124 in device 102, the power transmitting coil 120 can be aligned with the power receiving coil 110 (for example, so that coils 110 and 120 are in proper spatial alignment for optimal radio power transmission). Thus, the magnetic alignment structure facilitates proper alignment of the radio power receiving coil with respect to the radio power transmitting coil. The magnetic alignment structures 114 and 124 may be permanent magnets (formed, for example, from a hard magnetic material that remains magnetized).

[0051] According to one embodiment, devices 100 and 102 can communicate before wireless power transmission operation. These communications include communications for establishing wireless power delivery. In some embodiments, these communications include negotiations to support features such as issuing charging notifications, chimes, alerts, or otherwise communicating the properties of device 102 so that the user is notified about the operation of the device. For example, device 100 may receive information indicating that it is placed on a wireless charging mat. In response, device 100 may display a wireless charging mat icon on its display to indicate that its battery is currently being charged from the wireless charging mat.

[0052] Communication may also include NFC-based communication. An NFC reader within device 100 may be triggered or activated using a magnetic sensor such as a magnetometer 116. The magnetometer 116 may be, for example, a Hall effect sensor, a rotating coil magnetometer, a magnetoresistive sensor, a fluxgate sensor, a micro-electromechanical system magnetic field sensor, or other types of magnetic sensors. In some embodiments, the magnetometer 116 is a multi-axis magnetic sensor configured to decode the polarity of the mounting. When the multi-axis magnetic sensor 116 detects that the accessory 104 is coupled to device 100 in a first correct orientation, further processing, such as NFC communication, is triggered. If the multi-axis magnetic sensor 116 detects an unrecognized magnetic reading or indicates that the accessory is coupled in a second incorrect orientation (e.g., upside down), device 100 refrains from any action, such as indicating the mounting via user notification. The magnetic sensor 116 may monitor or measure the magnetic field in the magnetic alignment structure 114. When device 100 is not attached to device 102, the magnetic sensor 116 can measure a first amount of magnetism that is below a threshold level. When device 100 is attached to device 102 (for example, when structures 114 and 124 are aligned), the magnetic sensor 116 can detect a second amount of magnetism that exceeds a threshold level. When the output of sensor 116 exceeds the threshold, the magnetic sensor 116 can send a wake-up signal to the NFC reader in device 100. When operating in this manner, the magnetometer 116 can be used to trigger or initiate NFC communication between devices 100 and 102.

[0053] In some embodiments, device 100 displays an indication regarding the attachment of an accessory. For example, when a wireless power transmitter is inductively coupled to device 100, device 100 audibly chimes and displays a battery charging icon and chime. In some embodiments, device 100 displays an indication regarding the attributes of the attached accessory. For example, when device 100 is coupled to a purple protective cover, device 100 displays an indication that it is coupled to the purple cover. In some embodiments, device 100 displays an indication regarding the function of the attached accessory. For example, when device 100 is coupled to a battery-powered protective cover, device 100 displays an indication that device 100 is coupled to the purple cover, that the cover has a charged battery, and / or is receiving power from a battery-powered case. In some embodiments, device 100 displays an indication regarding the identification information of the attached accessory. For example, when device 100 is docked, device 100 displays an indication that it is coupled to an unknown device and requests permission to proceed further. In response to user permission, device 100 may indicate that the dock is named "Kitchen" and is associated with several food recipes that may be presented via device 100.

[0054] Figure 4 shows another suitable configuration in which the portable electronic device 100 is inserted into the battery case 104. Device 102 may be a wireless power transmitting device such as a wireless charging mat or pack having a charging surface. Device 104 has a housing such as a housing 138 having a recess R and / or other structure configured to receive device 100. In this way, the user can detachably attach device 100 to device 104 so that device 100 and device 104 can be used together as a portable unit. If it is desired to receive wireless power from device 102, device 104 and device 100 may be placed together on the charging surface of device 102. Device 104 optionally includes an NFC antenna 132 and a magnetic alignment structure 134. The NFC antenna 132 enables device 104 to communicate with device 100 and / or 102. The magnetic alignment structure 143 facilitates spatial alignment and inductive coupling of device 104 with device 100 and / or 102.

[0055] In some embodiments, devices 100 and 104 communicate using NFC antennas 112 and 132, respectively. In some examples, NFC communication occurs during a radio power handshake operation by temporarily suspending the power handshake / negotiation process to perform NFC communication. In some examples, NFC communication occurs during a radio power transmission operation by temporarily suspending active radio power transmission to perform NFC communication. An NFC reader in device 100 can be triggered or activated using a magnetic sensor 116 that monitors or measures the magnetic field in the magnetic alignment structure 114. When device 100 is not attached to device 104, the magnetic sensor 116 can detect a first amount of magnetism below a given threshold. When device 100 is attached to device 104 (e.g., when structures 114 and 134 are aligned), the magnetic sensor 116 can measure a second amount of magnetism above a given threshold. When the output of sensor 116 exceeds a given threshold, magnetic sensor 116 may transmit a signal to an NFC reader in device 100. In this operation, magnetometer 116 can be used to trigger or initiate NFC communication between devices 100 and 104.

[0056] In the example of Figure 4, where the portable electronic device 100 is attached to two different accessory devices, the audio, tactile, and / or visual affordances output by device 100 may be triggered simultaneously when each or both accessories are attached. For example, device 100 may first be placed inside device 104. Once device 100 is placed in the recess R within the housing 138 of device 104, the magnetic alignment structures 114 and 134 can spatially align devices 100 and 104 so that the transmitting coil 130 aligns with the receiving coil 110. Once the magnetic alignment structures 114 and 134 are aligned, the magnetic sensor 116 can detect the presence of device 104 and activate the NFC antenna 112 of the reader in device 100 to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field generated by antenna 112 induces a corresponding current to flow through the antenna 132 of the NFC tag in device 104, thereby activating the NFC tag.

[0057] Figure 5 is a side view of another accessory, such as device 108, which may be attached to device 100. Device 108 may be a stand or dock for holding device 100 in an upright or semi-upright position or for other means of support. In some embodiments, device 108 does not include a wireless charging coil. However, if necessary, device 108 may include one or more wireless charging coils. Device 106 includes an NFC antenna 152 and a magnetic alignment structure 154. The magnetic alignment structure 154 may be formed around the NFC antenna 152 (for example, the magnetic alignment structure 154 may be routed around the antenna 152 and may surround the antenna 152 at least partially or completely). In one suitable configuration, the NFC antenna 152 and the magnetic alignment structure 154 may form a concentric loop structure. The NFC antenna structure 152 in device 108 should have the same or similar structure and footprint as the NFC antenna structure 112 of device 100 to ensure optimal coupling between the two antenna structures. The NFC antenna 152 may be part of an NFC tag in device 108, which can be used to transmit device-specific information to the NFC antenna 112 in device 100.

[0058] The magnetic alignment structure 154 in device 108 may be magnetically coupled to the corresponding magnetic alignment structure 114 in device 100 (for example, magnet 114 may magnetically attract magnet 154, and vice versa). When the magnetic alignment structure 154 in device 108 is coupled to the magnetic alignment structure 114 in device 100, the NFC tag antenna 152 may be aligned with the corresponding NFC reader antenna 112 in device 100 to perform NFC communication.

[0059] According to one embodiment, device 108 may be configured to transmit information to device 100 using NFC before wireless power transmission operation when attached to device 100, so that device 100 can notify, chime, alert, or otherwise display any confirmation information regarding the docking of device 108 to the user. For example, device 100 may receive information from device 108 indicating that it has been inserted into a docking accessory. In response, device 100 may display a dock icon on its display to indicate that it is currently attached to a docking accessory. In another example, device 100 may receive information from device 108 indicating that it has been attached to a dock named "Kitchen". The device may display a kitchen icon on its display and / or provide a default user interface screen associated with the dock.

[0060] Figure 6 is a top view of a wireless charging coil, NFC antenna, and magnetic alignment structure in an exemplary portable electronic device 100. As shown, the device 100 may include one or more coils 110. The coils 110 may be wound around a magnetic core or overlap the magnetic core. The coils 110 may be ring-shaped (sometimes called annular or circular coils) and may have a central opening 164, in which one or more magnetic cores may optionally be formed. A ring-shaped NFC antenna 112 may surround the coils 110 laterally. The antenna structure 112 may be described as annular or circular. A ring-shaped magnetic alignment structure 114 may surround the NFC antenna 112 laterally. The magnetic alignment structure 114 may be described as annular or circular. In Figure 7, the coil 110, antenna 112, and magnetic alignment structure 114 are concentric (for example, each structure 110, 112, and 114 may have a center coinciding with point C). The antenna 112 extends along the periphery of the wireless charging coil 110. The magnetic alignment structure 114 extends along the periphery of the NFC antenna 112. The concentric point C may bisect the horizontal width dimension across the housing of the device 100 (as indicated by the bisector 160), or bisect the vertical length dimension across the housing of the device 110 (as indicated by the bisector 162).

[0061] If necessary, the device 100 may include two or more wireless charging coils, the NFC antenna 112 may be formed from two or more separate antenna members arranged in a circular (annular) pattern, and the magnetic alignment structure 114 may be formed from two or more separate magnetic alignment members arranged in a circular (annular) pattern. Each of the individual NFC antenna members and / or magnetic alignment members may have an arcuate arrangement. In other preferred embodiments, the structures 110, 112, and 114 may be elliptical, triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or have other polygonal footprints.

[0062] The magnetic sensor 116 may be positioned close to the magnetic alignment structure 114 in order to effectively measure the magnetism of the alignment structure 114. For example, the magnetic sensor 116 and the alignment structure 114 may be separated by a distance of less than 1 cm, less than 0.5 cm, less than 1 mm, less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.1 mm, 0.1 mm to 1 cm, 0.1 mm to 1 mm, 0.1 cm to 1 cm, 0.1 cm to 0.5 cm, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, or any other appropriate distance.

[0063] Various configurations of the wireless charging coil (e.g., coil 110), NFC antenna (e.g., antenna 112), and magnet (e.g., magnet 114) may be consistent with the techniques described herein. In some embodiments, the NFC antenna 112 is positioned along the outer circumference of the magnet 114, and the wireless charging coil 110 is positioned along the inner circumference of the magnet 114. The positions of the NFC antenna 112 and the wireless charging coil 110 can be reversed. In some embodiments, both the wireless charging coil 110 and the NFC antenna 112 are located inside the inner circumference of the magnet 114. The positions of the wireless charging coil 110 and the NFC antenna 112 can be reversed. In some embodiments, both the wireless charging coil 110 and the NFC antenna 112 are located outside the outer circumference of the magnet 114. The positions of the wireless charging coil 110 and the NFC antenna 112 can be reversed. These examples are illustrative.

[0064] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process involved in attaching a portable electronic device to one or more accessory devices according to embodiments described herein. In block 200, a device such as the portable electronic device 100 (Figure 1) is attached to the accessory devices of Figure 1 (e.g., the power transmitting device 12 in Figure 1, the power transmitting / receiving device 18 in Figure 1, the device 102 in Figure 3, the device 104 in Figure 4, and the device 108 in Figure 5) via magnetic alignment structures (e.g., structures 114 and 124 in Figure 3, and structures 114 and 134 in Figure 4).

[0065] In block 202, the magnetic sensor 116 of the portable electronic device 100 detects the presence of an accessory device that has just been attached to the device 100. In response to the magnetic sensor 116 detecting the proper attachment of the accessory device, in block 204 (Figure 8), the NFC components within the device 100 and the attached accessory communicate with each other. In some embodiments, the NFC communication includes verifying the authenticity of the attached device. In some embodiments, the NFC communication includes encryption. In some embodiments, the NFC communication includes the transmission of information about the device 100 and / or the accessory. In some examples, the device 100 obtains information indicating the type of attached accessory, such as whether the accessory is a dock. In some examples, the device 100 obtains information indicating the function provided by the attached accessory, such as whether the accessory provides power.

[0066] In block 206, device 100 uses the information received in block 204 to display information about the attached accessory on its display. For example, device 100 may display a wireless charging pack graphic or a phone case graphic in response to determining that a wireless charging pack or a phone case has been attached to device 100, respectively. Device 100 may also display a charging icon if it is receiving power, such as a wireless power signal, from the attached accessory. The functions of device 100 may be made available or unavailable based on the information received from the attached accessory. That is, certain applications may be enabled when device 100 is attached to a certain type of accessory. Also, certain applications may be disabled when device 100 is attached to a certain type of accessory. Device 100 may also change the menu of available functions, such as widgets and application icons, based on the information received from the attached accessory.

[0067] As shown by branch 208, device 100 can repeat blocks 202-206 when additional devices are attached. For example, device 100 may be attached to a wireless charging pack via an intervening protective case.

[0068] When device 100 is removed from the accessory, the magnetic sensor 116 can detect the removal of the accessory in block 210 and display information about the removal in block 212. The display of information may include one or more of audio, tactile, and visual displays. When device 100 is removed from the accessory, device 100 can also record the removal location and later display lost item information. For example, by removing device 100 from the vehicle chassis, a meaningful parking location for the vehicle may be provided, and the parking location may be displayed on a map of the local area.

[0069] Figure 8 is a timing diagram showing how the magnetic sensor 116 of device 100 (Figure 1) can detect the attachment and removal of accessories to device 100, for example, between blocks 202 and 210 in Figure 7. The sensor 116 may be configured to collect measurements at predetermined time intervals. For example, the sensor 116 may collect one or more readings at a frequency of once per second (at a frequency of 1 Hz), twice per second (at a frequency of 2 Hz), three times per second (at a frequency of 3 Hz), four or more times per second (at a frequency greater than 3 Hz), three to ten times per second, less than once per second, at most once every two seconds, at most once every three seconds, or at any other appropriate frequency.

[0070] Figure 8 shows exemplary measurements 312 at times t1, t2, and t3, provided by sensor 116. These magnetic measurements fall within a first value range 302. Magnetic sensor outputs within range 302 may indicate that no external accessories or magnetic components are currently attached to device 100. At time t4, a first accessory (e.g., a battery case) may be installed on device 100. During the installation of device 100 and the battery case, the magnetic alignment structure within the battery case may be magnetically coupled to and aligned with the magnetic alignment structure 114 of device 100. Sensor 116 can detect the approach and proximity of the battery case and output a second magnetic measurement 314 within a second value range 304. Magnetic sensor readings falling within range 304 may indicate that one external accessory is currently attached to device 100. Ranges 302 and 304 may be separated by a trigger gap 308 to ensure there is a sufficient margin to distinguish between a first scenario in which no accessories are present and a second scenario in which one accessory is attached.

[0071] At time t9, device 100 and the battery case may be positioned as a single movable unit on a second accessory (e.g., a wireless charging mat or pack). When the battery case is positioned on the charging surface of the second accessory, the magnetic alignment structure within the battery case may be magnetically coupled and aligned with the magnetic alignment structure of the second accessory and the magnetic alignment structure 114 of device 100. As a result, the sensor 116 within device 100 may output a second magnetic measurement value 316 that falls within a third range of values ​​306. A magnetic sensor reading falling within range 306 may indicate that two external accessories are currently attached to device 100 (i.e., device 100 is currently stacked with at least two external accessories). Ranges 306 and 304 may be separated by a trigger gap 310 to ensure there is a sufficient margin to distinguish between a second scenario in which one accessory is attached to device 100 and a third scenario in which device 100 is attached to or coupled with at least two accessories. In this illustrative example in Figure 9, the magnetic sensor 116 distinguishes between the attachment of zero, one, or more external accessories.

[0072] The near-field communication (NFC) reader in device 100 can perform collision avoidance actions when multiple external accessories are detected. For example, both a first NFC tag in a first accessory and a second NFC tag in a second accessory may want to transmit information to the reader in device 100. When such a potential collision is detected, the NFC reader in device 100 can communicate with only one tag, and communication with the other tag is stopped. After communication with the first tag is complete, the reader can proceed to communicate with the second tag.

[0073] Other detection techniques are also possible. In some examples, multiple magnetic sensors may be used. In some examples, if a magnetic sensor indicates the presence of at least one attached accessory, the presence of multiple attached accessories can be detected using NFC communication. In some embodiments, device 100 uses NFC instead of a magnetic sensor 116 to detect when one or more accessories are attached. An NFC reader may periodically send NFC pings to detect whether an accessory is coupled to the housing of device 100.

[0074] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, exemplary techniques for communication using NFC and wireless charging signals are described. Careful ordering in the use of NFC and wireless charging signals can improve and mitigate interference between wireless operations. Figure 9 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for performing NFC communication by pausing wireless power handshake operations, according to several embodiments.

[0075] In block 400, the portable electronic device 100 is attached to an accessory such as the wireless power transmitting device 12 shown in Figure 1. In block 402, the accessory detects the presence of the portable electronic device 100. In block 404, the power transmitting accessory 12 initiates a wireless power handshake operation with the portable electronic device 100. These handshake operations may include authentication, negotiation of supported communication protocols and power transmission levels, etc. In block 406, the power transmitting accessory 12 pauses the wireless power handshake operation to allow NFC communication to be performed between NFC components within devices 12 and 100. In some embodiments, these NFC communications include those described with reference to block 204 in Figure 7. In block 408, after the NFC communication, the power transmitting accessory 12 resumes the wireless power handshake operation. After the necessary handshake and power negotiation operations are performed in block 410, the wireless power transmission accessory 12 initiates active wireless power transmission by transmitting a wireless power signal to the portable electronic device 100 at an appropriate (e.g., negotiated) level. During active wireless power transmission in block 410, devices 12 and 100 can further communicate with each other, such as via in-band communication, to transmit control signals and / or feedback signals to maintain wireless power transmission.

[0076] The example in Figure 9, in which device 100 is attached to a power transmitting accessory, is merely illustrative. In another example, device 100 may be attached to an accessory such as the power transmitting / receiving device 18 in Figure 1. In such a scenario, device 100 can communicate with the accessory via short-range communication and then decide whether to transmit radio power to the accessory or receive radio power from the accessory.

[0077] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for performing near-field communication by pausing an active, ongoing wireless power transmission, according to several embodiments. In some embodiments, the NFC communication operation in block 204 of Figure 8 is performed after the wireless power transmission device 12 and the portable electronic device 100 have negotiated about wireless power transmission and initiated wireless power transmission.

[0078] In block 500, the portable electronic device 100 is attached to an accessory such as the wireless power transmitting device 12 shown in Figure 1. In block 502, the wireless power transmitting accessory 12 detects the presence of the portable electronic device 100. In block 504, the wireless power transmitting accessory 12 initiates a wireless power handshake operation with the portable electronic device 100. These handshake operations may include authentication, negotiation of supported communication protocols and power transmission levels, etc. In block 506, after the handshake and power negotiation operations have been performed, the wireless power transmitting accessory 12 initiates active wireless power transmission at an appropriate (e.g., negotiated) level. During the operation of block 506, the power transmitting accessory can transmit wireless power signals to the device 100 via a wireless power charging coil and optionally perform in-band communication to transmit control and data signals between the two devices.

[0079] In block 508, the wireless power transmission accessory 12 pauses its active wireless power transmission operation (for example, by temporarily stopping wireless power transmission and operating the accessory in wireless power transmission off mode). While in wireless power transmission off mode, near-field communication can be performed between NFC circuits within devices 12 and 100. In some embodiments, these NFC communications include those described with reference to block 204 in Figure 8. In block 510, after the necessary NFC communications have been performed, the wireless power transmission device 12 resumes its active wireless power transmission operation.

[0080] While the methods of operation are described in a specific order, it should be understood that other operations may be performed between the described operations, the described operations may be timed to occur at slightly different times, or the described operations may be distributed to a system that allows the operation to occur at various intervals associated with the operations, as long as the overlay operations are processed in the desired manner.

[0081] The above describes an exemplary embodiment of a wireless power transfer system utilizing NFC communication. This information can be usefully used to control efficient wireless charging operation and to allow the user to evaluate the characteristics of accessories inductively coupled to the user's device. Some implementers of this technology intend to assist in the identification and handling of devices in a wireless charging system by considering the passage of identifiers such as serial numbers, UIDs, manufacturer IDs, and MAC addresses.

[0082] Entities implementing this technology should take care to ensure that well-established privacy policies and / or privacy practices are adhered to to the extent that any sensitive information is used in a particular implementation. Specifically, such entities are expected to implement and consistently apply privacy practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Implementers should inform users of where personally identifiable information is expected to be transmitted in the wireless power transmission system and allow users to "opt in" or "opt out" of participation. For example, such information may be presented to users when they place their devices on a wireless power transmitter.

[0083] Furthermore, the intent of this disclosure is that personal data should be managed and handled in a manner that minimizes the risk of unintended or unauthorized access or use. Risks can be minimized by limiting data collection and deleting data when it is no longer needed. Furthermore, where applicable, data de-identification can be used to protect user privacy. For example, device identifiers can be masked to convey device characteristics without uniquely identifying the device. Where appropriate, de-identification can be facilitated by removing identifiers, controlling the amount or specificity of data stored, controlling how data is stored, and / or by other means such as differential privacy. For example, a dock paired with a user device can identify itself using minimal necessary information, such as the byte value 0x00000001. A device explicitly paired by the user can understand that 0x00000001 refers to the kitchen dock, but the bit value of 0x00000001 itself does not inherently convey this level of information. Robust encryption can also be used to reduce the possibility of communications between inductively coupled devices being spoofed or intercepted. NFC authentication can provide additional protection by preventing certain information from being exchanged with unauthorized NFC devices.

[0084] Any entity responsible for collecting, analyzing, disclosing, transmitting, storing, or otherwise using any personal data shall adhere to a robust privacy policy and / or privacy practices. Specifically, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or government requirements for the strict confidentiality of personal data. Such policies should be readily accessible to users and should be updated as data collection and / or use changes. Personal data from users should be collected for the lawful and legitimate use of the entity and should not be shared or sold for any other purpose. Furthermore, such collection / sharing should be carried out only after informing and obtaining the user's consent. In addition, such entities should consider taking all necessary steps to protect and secure access to such personal data and to ensure that others with access to the personal data faithfully adhere to those privacy policies and procedures. Furthermore, such entities may undergo third-party evaluations to demonstrate their compliance with widely accepted privacy policies and practices. Furthermore, policies and practices should be adapted to the specific types of personal data collected and / or accessed, and should comply with applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations.

[0085] According to one embodiment, there is an electronic device that can operate with an accessory, comprising: a wireless charging coil; a near-field communication circuit having a near-field communication antenna around the wireless charging coil; a magnetic alignment structure configured to align the near-field communication antenna with a corresponding near-field communication antenna in the accessory, and to align the wireless charging coil with the corresponding wireless charging coil in the accessory when the magnetic alignment structure is magnetically coupled to the accessory; and a magnetic sensor configured to detect when the magnetic alignment structure is magnetically coupled to the accessory, wherein the near-field communication circuit is configured to receive information from the accessory in response to detection that the magnetic alignment structure is magnetically coupled to the accessory and to an output device configured to present an output associated with the accessory using the received information.

[0086] According to another embodiment, the short-range communication antenna extends along the periphery of the wireless charging coil, and the magnetic alignment structure extends along the periphery of the short-range communication antenna.

[0087] According to another embodiment, the output device includes a display configured to use the received information to present icons associated with the accessories.

[0088] According to another embodiment, the icons include icons selected from the group consisting of a wireless charging mat icon, a wireless charging pack icon, a removable case icon, a battery case icon, and a dock icon.

[0089] According to another embodiment, the output device includes a display configured to use the received information to present the physical characteristics associated with the accessory.

[0090] According to another embodiment, the physical properties include the color of the accessory.

[0091] According to another embodiment, the output device includes a display configured to use the received information to present the functions associated with the accessory.

[0092] According to another embodiment, the function includes an operating mode that changes depending on the position of the accessory.

[0093] According to another embodiment, the output device includes a display configured to use the received information to present ownership information associated with the accessory.

[0094] According to another embodiment, the near-field communication circuit is further configured to perform an authentication operation with an accessory, and the near-field communication circuit is configured to receive unprotected data before the authentication operation and to receive protected data after the authentication operation.

[0095] According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes a control circuit configured to perform a wireless power handshake operation with an accessory, the authentication operation being performed while the wireless power handshake operation is paused.

[0096] According to another embodiment, the wireless charging coil is configured to receive a wireless power signal from an accessory during wireless power transmission operation, and the authentication operation is performed while the wireless power transmission operation is paused.

[0097] According to one embodiment, a method is provided for operating an electronic device, comprising: using a magnet to magnetically attract an accessory containing a corresponding magnet; using a magnetic sensor to detect the presence of a magnet in the accessory; using a short-range communication circuit to receive information from the accessory; and using a display to show an output associated with the accessory based on the received information.

[0098] According to another embodiment, the electronic device includes a battery, and the method includes using a wireless charging coil to receive a wireless power signal from an accessory and to charge the battery with the received wireless power signal.

[0099] According to another embodiment, the method includes using a near-field communication circuit to perform a near-field communication authentication operation, the near-field communication circuit receiving general data before the near-field communication authentication operation and receiving identification data after the near-field communication authentication operation.

[0100] According to another embodiment, the method includes using a control circuit to perform a wireless power handshake operation with an accessory, pausing the wireless power handshake operation to perform a near-field authentication operation, and resuming the wireless power handshake operation once the near-field authentication operation is complete.

[0101] According to another embodiment, a wireless charging coil receives a wireless power signal during active wireless power transmission mode, and the method includes pausing the active wireless power transmission mode to perform a near-field communication authentication operation, and resuming the active wireless power transmission mode once the near-field communication authentication operation is complete.

[0102] According to another embodiment, the method includes enabling an application or application function in response to the characteristics of an attached accessory.

[0103] According to one embodiment, an electronic device is provided that can operate in a wireless power system for receiving wireless power signals from a power transmitting device, and includes: a wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals; a short-range communication reader having a short-range communication antenna extending along the periphery of the wireless power receiving coil; a magnet at least partially surrounding the short-range communication antenna and configured to be magnetically coupled to a corresponding magnet in the power transmitting device so as to align the wireless power receiving coil with a wireless power transmitting coil in the power transmitting device; and a magnetic sensor configured to detect when the magnet is magnetically coupled to an external accessory separate from the power transmitting device, and when the magnet is magnetically coupled to both the external accessory and the power transmitting device.

[0104] According to another embodiment, the magnetic sensor is further configured to distinguish between a case where the magnet is magnetically coupled only to an external accessory and a case where the magnet is magnetically coupled to both an external accessory and a power transmitting device.

[0105] According to another embodiment, the power transmission device includes a first near-field communication tag configured to transmit information about the power transmission device to a near-field communication reader, and the external accessory includes a second near-field communication tag configured to transmit information about the external accessory to a near-field communication reader.

[0106] According to another embodiment, the radio power receiving coil is configured to receive radio power signals during active radio power transmission mode, and the near-field communication reader is configured to receive information transmitted from the first and second near-field communication tags before or while the active radio power transmission mode is stopped.

[0107] According to another embodiment, the magnetic sensor is further configured to detect when the magnet is magnetically coupled to an additional accessory different from the external accessory and the power transmission device.

[0108] The above is merely illustrative, and various modifications may be made to the described embodiments. The above embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Claims

1. An electronic device that can operate with a power transmission device and can also operate with external accessories, A wireless charging coil configured to receive wireless power from the aforementioned power transmitting device, It is a magnetic structure, The wireless charging coil is magnetically coupled to a corresponding magnetic structure within the power transmitting device so as to be aligned with the wireless power transmitting coil within the power transmitting device. Magnetically coupled with the corresponding magnetic structure within the external accessory, A magnetic structure configured in such a way, A magnetic sensor configured to detect the removal of the external accessory from the electronic device, A display configured to show information regarding the detected removal of the external accessory from the electronic device, An electronic device equipped with the following features.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further, A short-range communication antenna configured to receive information from the external accessory, in response to the detection that the magnetic structure is magnetically attached to the external accessory, An electronic device equipped with the following features.

3. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the display is configured to indicate the detected removal position of the external accessory from the electronic device, Electronic devices.

4. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the display is configured to show a map indicating the detected removal location of the external accessory from the electronic device, Electronic devices.

5. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the display is configured to show the color of the external accessory, Electronic devices.

6. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the display is configured to show the device type of the external accessory, Electronic devices.

7. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the display is configured to display lost item information relating to the detected removal of the external accessory from the electronic device, Electronic devices.

8. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic structure is concentric with the wireless charging coil. Electronic devices.

9. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the short-range communication antenna is concentric with the wireless charging coil. Electronic devices.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic sensor is (1) A first state in which the electronic device is not magnetically coupled to the power transmitting device but is magnetically coupled to the external accessory using the magnetic structure, (2) A second state in which the electronic device is magnetically coupled to both the external accessory and the power transmitting device using the magnetic structure, Includes a multi-axis magnetic sensor configured to distinguish between, Electronic devices.

11. A method for operating an electronic device having a wireless charging coil, a magnetic structure, and a magnetic sensor, wherein the method is Using the aforementioned wireless charging coil, wireless power is received from a power transmission device, Using the aforementioned magnetic structure, the wireless charging coil is magnetically coupled to a corresponding magnetic structure within the power transmitting device so as to be aligned with the wireless power transmitting coil within the power transmitting device. Using the aforementioned magnetic structure, magnetic coupling occurs with the corresponding magnetic structure within the external accessory. Using the magnetic sensor, the removal of the external accessory from the electronic device is detected. To display information regarding the detected removal of the external accessory from the electronic device, A method that includes [a certain feature].

12. The method according to claim 11, further, Upon detecting that the magnetic structure is magnetically attached to the external accessory, information is received from the external accessory using a short-range communication antenna. A method that includes [a certain feature].

13. The method according to claim 12, further, To display the detected removal position of the external accessory from the electronic device, A method that includes [a certain feature].

14. The method according to claim 12, further, Displaying the color of the aforementioned external accessory, A method that includes [a certain feature].

15. The method according to claim 12, further, Displaying the device type of the aforementioned external accessory, A method that includes [a certain feature].

16. A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device capable of operating together with external accessories and a power transmission device in a wireless charging system, wherein the electronic device includes a wireless charging coil and a battery, and the one or more programs are While the wireless charging coil is aligned with the wireless power transmitting coil in the power transmitting device, the battery is charged using the wireless power received from the power transmitting device by the wireless charging coil. To detect the attachment of the power transmitting device to the electronic device, To detect the attachment of the external accessory to the electronic device, To detect the removal of the external accessory from the electronic device, To display information regarding the detected removal of the external accessory from the electronic device, A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium containing instructions for performing the following actions.

17. A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 16, wherein the one or more programs further include: In response to detecting the attachment of the external accessory to the electronic device, information is received from the external accessory. A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium containing instructions for performing the following actions.

18. A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further include: To display the detected removal position of the external accessory from the electronic device, A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium containing instructions for performing the following actions.

19. A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further include: Displaying the color of the aforementioned external accessory, A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium containing instructions for performing the following actions.

20. A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further include: Displaying the device type of the aforementioned external accessory, A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium containing instructions for performing the following actions.

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