Coupling interface and method of operation

Abstract

A charging surface comprising multiple conductive regions can be used to charge an electronic device placed on it the surface so that electrodes on the device engage respective conductive regions of the surface. In order to distinguish such chargeable devices from short circuits and other spurious connections, the coupling interface associated with the charging surface is controlled so as to establish a text voltage across each pair of conductive regions in sequence, and look for pairs of conductive region demonstrating a voltage drop characteristic of a particular class of device. Relationships between every pair of conductive regions can be determined and recording, and the voltage level supplied to each conductive region set accordingly. The coupling interface may furthermore operate toidentify device classes, and to set supply voltages or establish additional connections on the basis of stored device class information. Discrimination on the basis of voltage drop can be enhanced bythe provision of a coupling adapted associated with a device to be detected, where the coupling adapter demonstrates an anti-inversion characteristic, for example implemented with a MOSFET, across atleast a pair of these electrodes.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to establishing electrical connections in the context of supporting arbitrary device setups, and in particular in planar recharging surfaces with multiple contact areas. Background technique [0002] Portable electronic devices have become increasingly common in recent years - phones, media players, tablet and laptop computers, IoT (Internet of Things) devices and more, as well as portable speaker units are now widely distributed. With the trend towards miniaturization on the one hand, and with the ever-increasing size and brightness of displays and the desire for wireless connectivity on the other hand, the demands on the energy storage capacity of the batteries of these devices are increasingly demanding. challenge. Given these considerations, users are increasingly experiencing "low battery anxiety," where the charge levels of their various devices and the time until the next opportunity to recharge the vario...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0014] These methods are not entirely satisfactory as they represent constraints on the layout of the charging surface and / or the contacts of the charging terminals of the device and do not exclude inadvertently caused short circuits

Additionally, prior art approaches tend to require complex electronics in the devices themselves in order for the devices to be efficiently detected and differentiated

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