WIRELESS INTERROGATION AND WIRELESS CHARGING OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

摘要

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, wireless chargers combined with wireless interrogators. The wireless chargers can transmit power wirelessly, while also wirelessly interrogating a nearby transponder, such as an RFID tag. The wireless chargers with wireless interrogators can also be programmable to allow user-implemented rules operable in response to an interrogation. Such rules can impose restrictions upon whether wireless charging is allowed to take place. Such rules can also be used to select a power-transmitting protocol that is particularly suited for the electronic device being charged. Other embodiments are disclosed.

主权项

1. A wireless charger, comprising:
a housing comprising:
a wireless power-receiving device comprising receive circuitry and a receive coil located within the housing;a separate wireless power-transmitting device comprising transmit circuitry and a transmit coil located within the housing;a power-handling controller comprising electronic hardware connecting the receive circuitry with the transmit circuitry and located within the housing to transfer the power received by the wireless power-receiving device to the wireless power-transmitting device; andinterrogation circuitry in communication with the transmit coil, comprising:
signal transmitting circuitry to cause the transmit coil to generate a wireless interrogation signal; andsignal receiving circuitry to obtain information from a wireless interrogation response signal in response to the transmit coil receiving the wireless interrogation response signal,wherein the wireless charger is capable of simultaneously receiving power wirelessly and transmitting the power wirelessly from the power-transmitting device outside of the wireless charger, wherein the wireless charger is also capable of accomplishing at least one of transmitting the wireless interrogation signal and obtaining the information from the wireless interrogation response signal.