Apple Inc.

Alexei Elias Kosut

Jeffrey J Terlizzi

Scott P Mullins

Zaid A AbuKhalaf

Joseph W Colosimo

Jahan C Minoo

Brandon R Garbus

Mahdi Hamzeh

Zachary C Rich

Christopher C Jensen

Scott Peter Krueger

Timothy Michael Johnson

Parin Patel

Barry J Corlett

Jonathan Jay Andrews

Alireza Safaee

Nicholas Ainsley Sims

Mehmet Kadri Nalbant

Simon M Douglas

Paul M Thompson

Juan Carlos Pastrana

Jukka-pekka J Sjoeroos

Glen A Rhodes

Alan C Cooney

Timothy John Millet

Manu Gulati

Joshua P De Cesare

John Meron Ananny

Gilbert H Herbeck

James Hollabaugh

Eric J Albert

John H Kelm

Matthew G Watson

Girault W Jones

Adrian E Sun

Daniel J Fritchman

Steve Zellers

Cortland S Tolva

Yi Chun Chen

Antonio R De Lima Fernandes

Gregory H Nayman

Robert D Watson

Tony Chi Wang Ng

Gerhard A Schneider

Joshua De Cesare

An apparatus includes components, a distributed timebase circuit, an interface and a Time Synchronization Circuit (TSC). The timebase circuit is configured to provide local timebases in physical proximity to the components, and synchronize the local timebases to a global timebase so as to provide a consistent time measurement. The interface is configured to be coupled to one or more devices. Transmissions on the interface are logically divided into a plurality of frames. Time on the interface is defined based on a frame number identifying a particular frame. The TSC is configured to capture a first timestamp based on the frame number corresponding to a point in time on the interface, and to concurrently capture a second timestamp based on a local timebase corresponding to the point in time, wherein the first timestamp and the second timestamp correlate time on the interface to the consistent time measurement.

Universal serial bus time synchronization

Wireless power transfer devices may be configured to negotiate with each other to operate. For example, a wireless power standard may provide for various levels of power delivery, various frequencies for power transfer, various operating voltages, and so forth. There may be instances in which it is desirable to provide wireless power transfer devices (both PTx and PRx) that are capable of enhanced performance when paired with a compatible device. For example, devices can be configured to operate at higher or more granular power levels, different frequencies, and so forth.

Enhanced wireless power transfer

A wireless power system may include wireless power transmitting devices, wireless power receiving devices, and wireless power transmitting and receiving devices. The devices in the wireless power system may exchange packets in order to transfer various types of data. The data may be transmitted using in-band communication (e.g., amplitude-shift keying modulation or frequency-shift keying modulation). The devices may use locally assigned addresses to communicate with any other device in the wireless power system. Even if a first device is not inductively coupled to a second device, the locally assigned addresses may identify an inductive coupling path from the first device to the second device that includes at least one intervening device. The first device may therefore communicate with the second device using in-band communication packets that are relayed by at least one intervening device.

Communication between devices in a wireless charging system

The embodiments set forth a technique for coordinating notifications across computing devices placed onto a wireless charging apparatus. According to some embodiments, the technique can involve the wireless charging apparatus (1) receiving, from a first computing device, first information that includes (i) a first unique identifier (ID) associated with the first computing device, and (ii) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary computing device known to the first computing device. Subsequently, the wireless charging apparatus can receive, from a second computing device, second information that at least includes a second unique ID associated with the second computing device. Finally, the wireless charging apparatus can, in response to determining that the second unique ID is included in the one or more unique IDs, and cause both the first and second computing devices to display respective notifications in a coordinated manner.

Coordinating complementary notifications across related computing devices connected to a wireless charging apparatus

A wireless power system may include power transmitting devices, power receiving devices, and power transmitting and receiving devices. During a configuration phase (e.g., when placed adjacent to another device), a battery-powered transmitting device may transmit information to the additional device that identifies a presence of the battery in the transmitting device. The battery-powered transmitting device may periodically report its state of charge to a power receiving device using in-band communication. The battery-powered transmitting device may report its state of charge before a power transfer phase (e.g., in the configuration phase) or during the power transfer phase. The battery-powered transmitting device may report its state of charge to the power receiving device in response to a state of charge query from the power receiving device. The power receiving device may display the state of charge of the battery of the power transmitting device.

State of charge information for a wireless power transmitting device

A wireless power system may include power transmitting devices, power receiving devices, and power transmitting and receiving devices. Control circuitry in the power transmitting and receiving device may determine whether to operate in a power receiving mode or a power transmitting mode. The preferred mode for the power transmitting and receiving device may depend on the types of devices within the system, the state of charge of the batteries of the devices in the system, whether or not one or more devices in the system are connected to a wired power source, etc. Each power transmitting and receiving device may have a default mode. Upon detection of an adjacent device, the wireless power transmitting and receiving device enters a configuration phase in its default mode. Before or during a power transfer phase, the power transmitting and receiving device may swap roles from its default mode to another mode.

Wireless power mode switching

The embodiments set forth a technique for coordinating notifications across computing devices placed onto a wireless charging apparatus. According to some embodiments, the technique can involve the wireless charging apparatus () receiving, from a first computing device, first information that includes (i) a first unique identifier (ID) associated with the first computing device, and (ii) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary computing device known to the first computing device. Subsequently, the wireless charging apparatus can receive, from a second computing device, second information that at least includes a second unique ID associated with the second computing device. Finally, the wireless charging apparatus can, in response to determining that the second unique ID is included in the one or more unique IDs, and cause both the first and second computing devices to display respective notifications in a coordinated manner.

A wireless power system includes a wireless power transmitting device such as a wireless charging mat for charging devices such as a cellular telephone and an earbuds battery case. The earbuds battery case receives earbuds and charges the earbuds from a battery. The wireless charging mat supports bidirectional in-band communications between the cellular telephone and the earbuds battery case. The earbuds battery case provides the cellular telephone with information on the battery charge level associated with the battery in the earbuds battery case and a battery charge level associated with each earbud in the earbuds battery case. The cellular telephone receives battery charge level information through the wireless charging mat and displays corresponding indicators. The earbuds battery case has a visual output device such as a light-emitting diode that is illuminated to indicate that the earbuds battery case is being charged.

Wireless power system with battery charge indicators

A wireless charging system may include a wireless power transmitting device that receives multiple wireless power receiving devices. A primary power receiving device that is used to display battery charge status information for other power receiving devices on the power transmitting device may be referred to as a hero device. The other wireless power receiving devices may be referred to as paired devices. When a paired device is added to a wireless power transmitting device where a hero device is already present, the hero device may verify that the paired device is on the same mat as the hero device. The hero device and paired device may then synchronously output a user notification. When a paired device is present on a wireless power transmitting device, the paired device may send battery charge status information to the wireless power transmitting device at predetermined intervals.

Wireless charging systems with multiple power receiving devices

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Alexei Elias Kosut