Charging System Power Negotiation via Non-Volatile Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging technologies face challenges in safely and efficiently providing power to devices on planar recharging surfaces, as they often result in short circuits and energy wastage due to conductive objects, and fail to accurately determine the power requirements of devices, leading to over-voltage or over-current issues.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a reporting device and a charging device connected via supply lines, with a non-volatile memory and processors that negotiate power supply configurations, determine compatibility, and switch power levels based on specified budgets, while ensuring secure communication through encryption and authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a planar recharging surface with multiple contact zones is used to enable arbitrary device dispositions, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of short circuits and energy wastage increases due to conductive objects
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection by briefly driving each conductive zone from low potential to high potential and measuring the current drawn before actual charging begins. This preliminary action identifies whether a device is properly present or if a conductive object causes a short circuit, preventing harmful charging from occurring in the wrong scenario
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors current draw during the detection phase and uses this feedback to determine whether to proceed with charging. If the current corresponds to an expected value for a chargeable device, charging is enabled; otherwise, it is prevented, creating a closed-loop safety mechanism
2Productivity
If power is supplied without accurate determination of device requirements, then productivity is improved by immediate charging, but reliability deteriorates due to over-voltage or over-current issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and device identification before initiating power supply. By measuring current draw and analyzing device characteristics in advance, the system determines appropriate power parameters, ensuring both quick charging initiation and device safety through pre-configured power delivery settings
Solution Approach 2:
The system adjusts power supply parameters (voltage, current) based on detected device characteristics. By changing electrical parameters according to the specific device requirements identified during detection, the system optimizes charging speed while preventing over-voltage or over-current conditions that would compromise reliability
3Measurement precision
If conductive zones are selectively energized to detect device presence, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases due to continuous testing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs detection by briefly driving conductive zones in a periodic or sequential manner rather than continuously. Each zone is activated temporarily to measure current draw, then deactivated, creating a rhythm of detection that maintains measurement precision while minimizing energy consumption through controlled, intermittent testing
Data Source
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AI summary
A charging management system is provided based on communications between a charging device and a reporting device. The charging device may interface with the reporting device via a multi-contact surface, a conventional plug, or otherwise, the reporting device may typically comprise a portable, rechargeable device such as a smartphone, smart watch, camera, etc. Communications between the between the charging device and the reporting device take place via the same pair of power lines as are used for providing power from the charging device and the reporting device, by means of a non-volatile memory in the reporting device, which is accessed sequentially by one device or the other, and used to store information to be retrieved by the other to retrieve when activated. This exchange of information may implement a negotiation of a mutually acceptable power supply configuration, an authentication of a particular reporting device, etc.