US-12627377-B2 - Optical communications for portable electronic devices

US12627377B2US 12627377 B2US12627377 B2US 12627377B2US-12627377-B2

Abstract

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that can transfer data and power between an optical-communication device and an electronic device without the need for electrical contacts on the electronic device. An example can include infrared transmitters and receivers in both the optical-communication device and the electronic device for optical communication. This can further include a coil in the optical-communication device that can be powered to inductively induce currents in a corresponding coil in the electronic device to charge a battery. One or more attachment components, such as magnets or magnetic elements, can be used to secure the optical-communication device to the electronic device. The optical-communication device to the electronic device can each include an alignment magnet or magnetic element. Either or both the optical-communication device and the electronic device can include digital signal processors in their receive paths to compensate for distortions and artifacts in the optical transmission and receive paths.

Inventors

Christian I. Moore

Assignees

APPLE INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230517

Claims (14)

1 . An optical-communication device comprising: a housing having a contacting surface, the contacting surface comprising a window; a coil in the housing near the contacting surface to inductively provide power to an electronic device; an optical transmitter in the housing to provide optical data to be received by the electronic device; an optical receiver in the housing to receive optical data through the window of the optical-communication device from the electronic device; a digital-signal processor coupled to the optical receiver to process the optical data received by the optical receiver from the electronic device, the digital-signal processor to at least partially compensate for artifacts in the received optical data caused by marring of the window of the optical-communication device and a corresponding window of the electronic device; and a first magnet to be attracted to a first corresponding magnet in the electronic device to attach the optical-communication device to the electronic device.
2 . The optical-communication device of claim 1 wherein the corresponding window of the electronic device comprises a lens.
3 . The optical-communication device of claim 1 further comprising a second magnet to be attracted to a second corresponding magnet in the electronic device to align the optical-communication device to the electronic device.
4 . The optical-communication device of claim 3 wherein the window of the optical-communication device is formed of an infrared transmissive material.
5 . The optical-communication device of claim 4 further comprising a connector receptacle for forming pathways for power and data.
6 . The optical-communication device of claim 5 further comprising control electronics coupled between the connector receptacle and the coil to receive power from the connector receptacle and to provide an alternating current to the coil.
7 . The optical-communication device of claim 6 further comprising optical-to-electrical circuits to convert a transmit electrical signal to a transmit optical signal to be transmitted and to convert a received optical signal to a received electrical signal.
8 . The optical-communication device of claim 7 further comprising a battery in the housing, the battery coupled to the coil and the optical-to-electrical circuits.
9 . The optical-communication device of claim 3 wherein the window is shaped as an identifying mark.
10 . An optical data system comprising: an optical-communication device comprising: a housing having a window; a connector; an electrical-to-optical circuit to convert electrical data received at the connector to first optical data; a first magnet; and an optical transmitter to transmit the first optical data through the window; and an electronic device comprising: a housing having a window; a display on a surface of the electronic device; a first camera for use in photography and to receive the first optical data through the window from the optical-communication device when the electronic device is mated to the optical-communication device; a digital-signal processor coupled to the first camera to process the first optical data received by the first camera from the optical-communication device, the digital-signal processor to at least partially compensate for artifacts in the received first optical data caused by marring of the window of the electronic device and the window of the optical-communication device; and a second magnet, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet secure the optical-communication device to the electronic device.
11 . The optical data system of claim 10 wherein the window of the electronic device comprises a lens.
12 . The optical data system of claim 10 wherein the electronic device further comprises a second camera for use in photography and to transmit second optical data and the optical-communication device further comprises an optical receiver to receive the transmitted second optical data.
13 . An electronic device comprising: a housing; a display on a surface of the electronic device; a first camera for use in photography and to receive first optical data from an optical-communication device when the electronic device is mated to the optical-communication device; a digital-signal processor coupled to the first camera to process the first optical data received by the first camera from the optical-communication device, the digital-signal processor to at least partially compensate for artifacts in the received first optical data caused by marring of a window of the electronic device and a corresponding window of the optical-communication device; and a first magnet, the first magnet to secure the electronic device to a second magnet in the optical-communication device, wherein the electronic device further comprises a second camera for use in photography and to transmit second optical data to the optical-communication device.
14 . The electronic device of claim 13 wherein the window of the electronic device comprises a lens of the first camera.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/344,000, filed on May 19, 2022, which is incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND The number of types of electronic devices that are commercially available has increased tremendously the past few years and the rate of introduction of new devices shows no signs of abating. Devices, such as tablets, laptops, desktops, all-in-one computers, smart phones, storage devices, wearable devices, portable media players, navigation systems, remote controls, monitors, and others, have become ubiquitous. These electronic devices can often include one or more connector receptacles though which they can provide and receive power and data. These connector receptacles can accept connector inserts that can be at a first end of a cable, where the cable can be attached to a second electronic device, power adapter, or other device at a second end. But these connector receptacles can include metallic contacts over which power and data are transferred, and unfortunately metallic contacts can corrode when exposed to liquids or moisture. In particular, electrochemical migration can occur as voltages are applied to a contact having a liquid at its surface. The resulting corrosion can degrade functionality and appearance of the contacts. As a result, the usefulness of electronic devices having exposed contacts is reduced where they are exposed to sweat or other liquids. To avoid such corrosion, the contacts can be plated using exotic materials. But it can be desirable to conserve resources. Also, these contacts can become marred with use and this wear can damage the protective plating on the contacts, thereby exposing the contacts to further corrosion. Data can also be transferred using wireless radio frequency (RF) connections, but such RF connections can be subject to interference and signal drop-out. Thus, what is needed are circuits, methods, and apparatus that can transfer data and power to an electronic device without the need for electrical contacts on the electronic device. SUMMARY Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention can provide circuits, methods, and apparatus that can transfer data and power to an electronic device without the need for electrical contacts on the electronic device. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention can provide an optical-communication device. This optical-communication device can include optical data paths for transmitting data to and receiving optical data from an electronic device. The optical data can be infrared or other wavelength optical data. This optical-communication device can be a wireless charging and optical-communication device. For example, it can include a coil that can be used to inductively generate currents in a corresponding coil in the electronic device that can be used to charge a battery in the electronic device. The optical-communication device can further include one or more attachment structures to help secure the optical-communication device to the electronic device to allow power and data transfers. The optical-communication device can include one or more magnets or magnetic elements to be attracted to one or more magnets or magnetic elements in the electronic device. The optical-communication device can further include an alignment magnet to be attracted to a corresponding alignment magnet in the electronic device to align the optical-communication device to the electronic device for optical data transmission and reception. The optical-communication device can include a housing having a charging surface, where the charging surface can include a window formed of an infrared transmissible material. The window can have various shapes, for example a window can have a shape that identifies a type of device, a manufacturer, a country of origin, or other attribute of the optical-communication device. A digital-signal processor can be included in the optical receive path for the optical-communication device. This digital-signal processor can compensate for smudges, scratches, and other artifacts on the window of the optical-communication device as well as a corresponding window on the electronic device. A connector receptacle of the optical-communication device can receive power and data to be converted to optical data for transmission to the electronic device. The connector receptacle can further provide data optically received and converted to an electrical signal by the optical-communication device. Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention can provide an electronic device. This electronic device can include optical data paths for transmitting data to and receiving optical data from an optical-communication device. The optical data can be infrared or other wavelength optical data. This electronic device can be charged by the optical-communication device. For example, the electronic device can include a coil th