US-20260128619-A1 - APPARATUS

US20260128619A1US 20260128619 A1US20260128619 A1US 20260128619A1US-20260128619-A1

Abstract

An apparatus includes a power-emitting device including an antenna, power circuitry to provide power via the antenna for wireless charging of a power-receiving device, and a processor. The processor is configured to analyze signals from the antenna to determine the presence of at least one of the power-receiving device a foreign object (FO) proximal the power-emitting device. The processor is configured to control the power circuitry to either interrupt or not initiate provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device based on the analysis of at least one of the signals from the antenna and the power provided by the power circuitry indicating the power-emitting device is proximal to the FO. In response to determining the FO has been removed, the processor is configured to control the power circuitry to provide power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device.

Inventors

Chetan Verma
Markus Wobak

Assignees

NXP B.V.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251031
Priority Date: 20241107

Claims (20)

1 .- 15 . (canceled)
16 . An apparatus comprising: a power-emitting device comprising: an antenna, power circuitry configured to provide power via the antenna for wireless charging of a power-receiving device, and a processor configured to at least analyze signals from the antenna to determine the presence of the power-receiving device proximal the power-emitting device and to determine the presence of a foreign object (FO) proximal the power-emitting device, and wherein the processor is configured to: analyze the signals from the antenna and the power provided by the power circuitry being to determine the power-emitting device is proximal to the FO; control the power circuitry to interrupt or stop provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device, continue to analyze the signals from the antenna; and determine the signals are indicative of removal of the FO such that the FO is no longer proximal the power-emitting device while the power-receiving device remains proximal the power-emitting device; and in response to determining the removal of the FO, control the power circuitry to provide the power via the antenna for wireless charging of the power-receiving device.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein, to analyze the signals from the antenna and the power provided by the power circuitry being to determine the power-emitting device is proximal to the FO, the processor is configured to: determine a decrease in an efficiency of transfer of the power between the power-emitting device and the power-receiving device, based on information indicative of the power received by the power-receiving device in the signals from the antenna and information indicative of the power provided by the power circuitry; and determine a rate of change, above a threshold, in the power provided by the power circuitry for wireless charging of the power-receiving device.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to, based on the analysis of the signals indicating that the power-emitting device is proximal to the power-receiving device and no FO is proximal the power-receiving device, control the power circuitry to provide power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to control the power circuitry to interrupt or stop provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device comprises the processor being configured such that: if the analysis of the signals is indicative of the power-emitting device being proximal to the FO at a time when the power circuitry is providing power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device, the processor is configured to control the power circuitry to interrupt the provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device; and if the analysis of the signals is indicative of the power-emitting device being proximal to the FO and at later time the power-receiving device is determined to be proximal to the power-emitting device in addition to the FO, the processor is configured to control the power circuitry to not initiate the provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device at least while the FO is determined to be proximal the power-emitting device.
20 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to, as part of determining the signals are indicative of removal of the FO, the processor is configured to: compare one or more signals received from the antenna to a predetermined signature that characterizes signals expected from the antenna without the FO proximal the power-emitting device but with the power-receiving device proximal the power-emitting device; and determine the FO has been removed based on the comparison.
21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the apparatus comprises: antenna loading measurement circuitry configured to measure an antenna voltage from the antenna in response to a current provided to the antenna; and wherein: the processor configured to compare the one or more signals comprises the processor configured to compare the antenna voltage to the predetermined signature; the predetermined signature comprises at least one antenna voltage characterizing when the FO is not proximal the power-emitting device but the power-receiving device is proximal the power-emitting device.
22 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the apparatus comprises: antenna loading measurement circuitry configured to measure an antenna voltage from the antenna in response to a current provided to the antenna; wherein: the antenna loading measurement circuitry is configured to determine an in-phase (I) component and a quadrature (Q) component of the antenna voltage; the processor configured to compare the one or more signals comprises the processor configured to compare the I and Q components of the antenna voltage to the predetermined signature; and the predetermined signature is based on I and Q components characterizing when the FO is not proximal the power-emitting device but the power-receiving device is proximal the power-emitting device.
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the FO has been removed based on a condition that the I component and the Q component of the antenna voltage is within a threshold tolerance of the I and Q components of the predetermined signature following the control of the power circuitry to interrupt the provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device.
24 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the predetermined signature based on one or more measurements of the respective antenna voltages at a time when the power-emitting device is proximal to the power-receiving device while the FO is not proximal to the power-emitting device.
25 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the processor is configured to: store a plurality of predetermined signatures in a memory; and compare the one or more signals to determine whether the I and Q components of the antenna voltage match with any one of the plurality of predetermined signatures.
26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the processor is configured: to store the plurality of predetermined signatures each with a confidence score in a memory; wherein, based on the antenna voltage matching with any one of the plurality of predetermined signatures, the processor is configured to: establish a communication phase between the power-emitting device and the power-receiving device; upon successfully establishing the communication phase, not decrease the confidence score of the respective signature of the plurality of predetermined signatures; and optionally, upon unsuccessfully establishing the communication phase, decrease the confidence score of the respective signature of the plurality of predetermined signatures; and wherein the confidence score is used to determine whether to retain or remove the respective signature of the plurality of predetermined signatures from the memory.
27 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the antenna voltage is indicative of an impedance of the antenna.
28 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the processor is configured to determine the presence of the FO proximal the power-emitting device by the processor being configured to provide for transmission of one or more messages for the power-receiving device and to receive one or more response messages during a time when the power circuitry is providing power for wireless charging, wherein the processor is configured to extract from the one or more response messages, information indicative of the power the power-receiving device is receiving and determine changes in the power the power-receiving device is receiving relative to the power the power circuitry is providing.
29 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the processor being configured to analyze the signals from the antenna to determine the presence of the power-receiving device proximal the power-emitting device and to determine the presence of the FO proximal the power-emitting device is provided by the processor being configured to measure changes in impedance of the antenna and compare the changes to predetermined information.
30 . A method of controlling an apparatus comprising a power-emitting device, the power-emitting device comprising an antenna; power circuitry configured to provide power via the antenna for wireless charging of a power-receiving device; and a processor configured to implement the method, the method comprising: analyzing signals from the antenna to determine a presence of one or more of the power-receiving device and a foreign object (FO) proximal the power-emitting device, and based on analysis of at least one of the signals and the power provided by the power circuitry being indicative of the power-emitting device being proximal to the FO, controlling the power circuitry to either interrupt or not initiate the provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device, and in response to the analysis of the signals being indicative that a FO-removal event has occurred, wherein the FO-removal event comprises the FO no longer being proximal the power-emitting device while the power-receiving device remains proximal the power-emitting device, controlling the power circuitry to provide power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device.
31 . The method according to claim 30 , further comprising: comparing the signals from the antenna to a predetermined signature that characterizes signals expected from the antenna without the FO proximal the power-emitting device but with the power-receiving device proximal the power-emitting device; and determining the FO has been removed based on the comparison.
32 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising: measuring an antenna voltage from the antenna using antenna loading measurement circuitry; and wherein the predetermined signature comprises at least one antenna voltage characterizing when the FO is not proximal the power-emitting device but the power-receiving device is proximal the power-emitting device.
33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the predetermined signature comprises a range of antenna voltages characterizing when the FO is not proximal the power-emitting device but the power-receiving device is proximal the power-emitting device.
34 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising: determining, by the antenna loading measurement circuitry, an in-phase (I) component and a quadrature (Q) component of the antenna voltage; comparing, by the processor, the I and Q components of the antenna voltage to the predetermined signature to determine the presence; and wherein the predetermined signature is based on the I and Q components characterizing when the FO is not proximal the power-emitting device but the power-receiving device is proximal the power-emitting device.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, and in particular, an apparatus comprising a power-emitting device, an antenna and power circuitry. It also relates to a method for controlling said apparatus. BACKGROUND Wireless charging of accessories can be convenient for the user. Near Field Communication (NFC) can be used to perform wireless charging (WLC) of small-scale battery-powered accessories. During an ongoing charging activity, a power-emitting device performs regular presence checks for power-receiving devices and foreign objects (FO, i.e. metal or other NFC tags) in close proximity to the power-emitting device. Typically, in the case of FO presence detection, the power-emitting device stops an ongoing charging activity due to safety risks (like overheating) or to avoid damage to the FO (like overexposure of too high magnetic field strength). SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an apparatus comprising: a power-emitting device comprising: an antenna,power circuitry configured to provide power via the antenna for wireless charging of a power-receiving device, anda processor, the processor configured to at least analyse signals from said antenna to determine the presence of the power-receiving device proximal the power-emitting device and to determine the presence of a foreign object, FO, proximal the power-emitting device, andwherein the processor is configured to:based on one or both of said analysis of the signals and the power provided by the power circuitry being indicative of the power-emitting device being proximal to a foreign object, control the power circuitry to either interrupt or not initiate said provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device, andin response to said analysis of the signals being indicative that a FO-removal event has occurred, wherein said FO-removal event comprises the FO no longer being proximal the power-emitting device while the power-receiving device remains proximal the power-emitting device, control the power circuitry to provide power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device. In one or more embodiments said analysis of the signals being indicative of the power-emitting device being proximal to a foreign object is determined by the processor being configured to one or both of: determine a decrease in efficiency of power transfer between the power-emitting device and the power-receiving device, based on information indicative of the power received by the power-receiving device in the signals from said antenna and information indicative of the power provided by the power circuitry; anddetermine a rate of change, above a threshold, in the power provided by the power circuitry for wireless charging of the power-receiving device. In one or more embodiments the processor is configured to, based on said analysis of the signals being indicative that the power-emitting device is proximal to the power-receiving device and no FO is proximal the power-receiving device, control the power circuitry to provide power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device. In one or more embodiments the processor being configured to control the power circuitry to either interrupt or not initiate said provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device comprises the processor being configured such that: if said analysis of the signals is indicative of the power-emitting device being proximal to the FO at a time when the power circuitry is providing power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device, said processor is configured to control the power circuitry to interrupt said provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device; andif said analysis of the signals is indicative of the power-emitting device being proximal to the FO and at later time the power-receiving device is determined to be proximal to the power-emitting device in addition to said FO, said processor is configured to control the power circuitry to not initiate said provision of power for wireless charging of the power-receiving device at least while said FO is determined to be proximal the power-emitting device. In one or more embodiments said processor is configured to, as part of said analysis of the signals being indicative that the FO-removal event has occurred, compare one or more signals received from the antenna to a predetermined signature that characterises signals expected from said antenna without the foreign object proximal the power-emitting device but with the power-receiving device proximal the power-emitting device, and determine the FO-removal event based on said comparison. In one or more embodiments the apparatus includes antenna loading measurement circuitry configured to measure an antenna voltage from the antenna in response to a current provided to the antenna, and wherein said comparison comprises a comparison of the antenna voltage to the predetermined s