CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a PCT International Application which claims priority to and the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 62/653,138 filed April 5, 2018. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods including wireless chargers and mobile phones in vehicles.

DRAWINGS

[0003] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0004] FIGS. 1 A and 1B are diagrams of mobile phone wireless charging realignment indicators, according to one example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0005] FIG. 2A and 2B are diagrams of wireless chargers having coil location identifiers, according to other example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0006] FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams of a mobile phone application having a coil location identifier, according to another example embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0007] FIGS. 4A-4D are diagrams of an example orientation process involving the wireless charger shown in FIG. 2A and the mobile phone application shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, according to another example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding (but not necessarily identical) parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] As recognized herein, mobile phone wireless chargers in vehicles are convenient for a user to charge a mobile phone ( e.g ., smartphone, cellular phone, etc.) while driving the vehicle, etc. However, a user may still need to manually change profiles on the mobile phone to perform certain operations inside the vehicle, such as turning on or off a short- range wireless communication interface (e.g. BLUETOOTH, etc.), turning on or off a WiFi interface, enabling a WiFi access point mode, turning cellular (e.g, LTE, etc.) data on or off, changing a ringing volume, etc. Similarly, mobile phone applications such as ANDROID AUTO, APPLE CARPLAY, a map application, a music application (e.g. SPOTIFY, etc.), etc., can be programmed to launch at the detection of a tag (e.g, an NFC tag, etc.).

[0011] Near-field communication (NFC) tags may be used to achieve automated functionalities inside a house, inside a vehicle, etc. This can require placing the NFC tag inside the vehicle at a location adjacent to where a mobile phone would be placed. However, some vehicles may not include any suitable fixed locations for holding a mobile phone where an NFC tag could also be adhered adjacent the mobile phone.

[0012] Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of wireless chargers in vehicles that include a tag (e.g, an NFC tag). For example, wireless chargers in vehicles can hold a mobile phone in a defined region. Adding an NFC tag to the wireless charger can facilitate locating the NFC tag adjacent the mobile phone while the mobile phone remains in substantially a fixed location in the vehicle. In this example, the NFC tag does not need to be glued to a car surface, etc., which can avoid affecting interior cosmetics of the vehicle, etc. Adding the NFC tag to the wireless charger may reduce a cost of the NFC tag, reduce complexity of adding the NFC tag to the vehicle, etc.

[0013] When an NFC tag is located in the wireless charger, placement of a mobile phone on the wireless charger may facilitate interaction between the NFC tag and the mobile phone. For example, once the mobile phone is placed on the charger and detects the NFC tag, the mobile phone may turn on or off a short-range wireless communication interface (e.g. BLUETOOTH, etc.) of the mobile phone, turn on or off a WiFi interface of the mobile phone, enable a WiFi access point mode of the mobile phone, turn cellular (e.g, LTE, etc.) data of the mobile phone on or off, change a ringing volume of the mobile phone, open an application ( e.g ., music, maps, etc.) on the mobile phone, etc.

[0014] In some cases, the mobile phone may include an application configured to detect the NFC tag, and change settings of the phone in response to detecting the NFC tag. For example, the NFC tag may be placed inside a housing of the wireless charger and the application on the mobile phone may detect the NFC tag when the mobile phone is placed on the housing of the wireless charger (e.g., to charge the mobile phone, etc.).

[0015] The housing of the wireless charger may not include any magnetic components to avoid interfering with wireless charging capability of the wireless charger (e.g, a magnetic field may interfere with inductive coupling between the wireless charger and the mobile phone, etc.). For example, the wireless charger may include a flat, inclined, etc. surface with an optional clamp in some cases. Alternatively, or additionally, the wireless charger may include a cup holder, a mobile phone belt holster (e.g, located adjacent the driver seat, etc.), etc.

[0016] NFC tag(s) included in the wireless charger(s) may store specific code(s) that can be read by an application on the mobile phone. The application may allow a user to specify (e.g, predetermine) which options, features, etc. to have active on the mobile phone after the mobile phone is placed on the wireless charger, such as turning BLUETOOTH on, turning WiFi off, putting WiFi in an access point mode, starting a music application that is specified (e.g, pre- selected, etc.) by a driver using the application on the mobile phone, etc.

[0017] Similarly, once the mobile phone is removed from the wireless charger the application can revert the mobile phone back to previous settings (e.g, specified off-the-charger settings, etc.). This may occur after a specified timer period delay from communication-loss with the NFC tag, after prompting a user, etc.

[0018] Example embodiments described herein can increase convenience for the user by reducing the need for the user to manually adjust settings of the mobile phone when entering the vehicle. Instead, simply placing the mobile phone on the wireless charger may automate changing of the mobile phone settings based on detection of the NFC tag associated with the wireless charger. In some cases, the profile (e.g, settings, etc.) of the mobile phone may be changed without any communication between the vehicle and the mobile phone.

[0019] In many cases, the charging surface of a wireless charger does not include a mechanism to hold the mobile phone in place. Therefore, movement of the vehicle in rough conditions, braking, acceleration, etc., can cause the mobile phone to slide away from an optimum charging position that allows the mobile phone to draw increased ( e.g ., maximum, optimum, etc.) power from the wireless charger. In some cases, the mobile phone may go completely out of charging contact with coil(s) of the wireless charger, may move to a blind spot, etc., which can cause wireless charging of the mobile phone to stop.

[0020] Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of mechanisms that allow users to be notified of a need to realign a mobile phone placed on a wireless charger when the mobile phone has moved away from an optimum charging position, has lost partial or complete contact with coil(s) of the wireless charger, etc. For example, a complete loss of contact with coil(s) of the wireless charger may cause a mobile phone to stop charging while a partial loss of contact with coil(s) of the wireless charger may cause the phone to charge more slowly due to lower charging efficiency, etc.

[0021] The wireless charger may be in communication with the vehicle so that the wireless charger has the ability to transmit a notification to the vehicle. In that case, the vehicle may have a specified (e.g., pre-assigned, etc.) scheme to indicate the notification to a driver, etc. Two example indicators 102 and 104 are illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. These indicators may be considered as wireless charging realignment indicators, and could be displayed at any suitable location including a dashboard of the vehicle, a head-up display of the vehicle, a console of the vehicle, etc.

[0022] In one example embodiment, a mobile phone (e.g, receiver) may be paired with a wireless charging transmitter (WCT) via a short-range wireless communication protocol (e.g, BLUETOOTH low-energy (BLE), etc.). The pairing could be achieved by a user manually initiating a pairing request, opening an application on the mobile phone that initiates the pairing request, having the application on the mobile phone automatically initiate a pairing request when the mobile phone comes within a proximity distance threshold of a wireless charging transmitter having an NFC tag (e.g, by the mobile phone detecting the NFC tag), etc.

[0023] Once a pairing connection has been established, the wireless charging transmitter can notify the mobile phone over BLE when the WCT is able to supply a negotiated power required by the phone. This notification may indicate that the mobile phone is placed optimally for charging. As used herein, an optimal charging location may refer to a location of the mobile phone that allows for a substantially fully-rated power transfer between the wireless charger and the mobile phone.

[0024] Once the mobile phone is determined to be in an optimal location for charging, an application on the mobile phone may monitor movement of the phone. For example, the mobile phone may use a gyrometer, accelerometer, etc. of the mobile phone to monitor movement.

[0025] If at any point of time during the charging process the wireless charging transmitter notifies the phone ( e.g ., over BLE, etc.) that the mobile phone has lost a charging connection with the coils of the WCT, that the charging efficiency has reduced below a specified threshold, etc., the application on the mobile phone may determine a cause of the charging power issue.

[0026] If the application on the mobile phone determines that the charging power issue occurred due to movement (e.g., lateral movement, etc.) of the mobile phone, the application may calculate a direction in which the mobile phone should be moved to increase or correct charging contact with the coils of the wireless charging transmitter (e.g, to move the mobile phone back into an optimum charging location, etc.).

[0027] For example, the application on the mobile phone may calculate a direction of movement from the starting location (e.g, optimum charging location, etc.) of the mobile phone using the accelerometer, etc. The application may then determine that an opposite movement of the same degree, distance, etc. of the mobile phone is required to move the mobile phone back to the starting optimum charging location.

[0028] After determining a required orientation, movement, etc. of the mobile phone, the application on the mobile phone may send the orientation, movement, etc. information to the wireless charging transmitter (e.g, in an encoded format, etc.), and the WCT can transmit the information to the vehicle so the vehicle can notify the user. Alternatively, or additionally, the application could send the information from the mobile phone directly to the vehicle if the mobile phone is in communication with the vehicle.

[0029] As described above, the vehicle may display the orientation, movement, etc. information to the user in any suitable manner, such as a dashboard display, etc. For example, the indicator 102 of FIG. 1A indicates to the driver that the mobile phone should be rotated to the left or counterclockwise to return the mobile phone to the optimum charging location. Similarly, the indicator 104 of FIG. 1B indicates to the driver that the mobile phone should be rotated to the right or clockwise to return the mobile phone to the optimum charging location. In other embodiments, other suitable arrows, diagrams, etc. may be used to indicate a desired re- alignment phone movement to the driver.

[0030] For increased ( e.g . maximum, optimum, etc.) charging efficiency, a charging coil of the mobile phone should be aligned over one or more charging coils of the wireless charger. However, a driver, user, etc. often does not know the locations of the mobile phone’s charging coil or the wireless charger’s charging coil. Separately, mobile phones have high resolution displays and the ability to run applications. These capabilities may be combined to improve an orientation of the mobile phone for wireless charging.

[0031] Disclosed herein are example embodiments of wireless chargers having a physical (e.g., mechanical, etc.) grid on the wireless charger to show a location of a coil of the wireless charger. For example, FIG. 2 A illustrates a wireless charger 206 having physical grid lines 208 on a surface of the charger.

[0032] The intersection of the grid lines 208 may be a prime location for wireless charging of the mobile phone, and may correspond to a location of a charging coil of the wireless charger. For example, a user can view the grid lines 208, and may align a charging coil of the mobile phone over the intersection of the grid lines 208 to increase (e.g, maximize, optimize, etc.) charging power between the mobile phone and the wireless charger 206.

[0033] As another example, the wireless charger 210 includes multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 212 (broadly, light sources) positioned around a perimeter of the wireless charger 210. The LEDs 212 may light up differently, use different colors, etc. to indicate a prime location of the mobile phone for wireless charging.

[0034] For example, selected LEDs 212 may light up to indicate a virtual intersection (e.g, an intersection of the selected lit LEDs 212, etc.) where a coil of the wireless charger 210 is located. A user can then view the LEDs 212 to align a charging coil of the mobile phone to increase (e.g, maximize, optimize, etc.) charging power between the mobile phone and the wireless charger 210.

[0035] An optimum location for charging the mobile phone may be determined based on test data, etc., regarding efficiency of charging. For example, a measurable improvement and/or drop off in performance may be used as a threshold for determining the optimum location (e.g., below eighty percent of a maximum charging efficiency, etc.). Inefficiency in charging can increase battery temperature, can increase charging time, can reduce charging power (e.g, by at least three watts, at least five watts, at least seven watts, etc.), etc.

[0036] An application on the mobile phone may store a precise location of a charging coil of the mobile phone. As new mobile phones are released, the application may be updated to store locations of different mobile phone charging coils, etc. For example, FIG. 3A illustrates a mobile phone 314 having a charging coil located at the position indicated by reference 316.

[0037] An application on the mobile phone 314 may display an orientation guide on a screen of the mobile phone 314 to indicate the location of the charging coil. For example, FIG. 3B illustrates orientation grid lines 318 that intersect over the location 316 of the charging coil. Therefore, the orientation grid lines 318 can indicate to a user where the charging coil is located in the mobile phone 314.

[0038] An example sequence for using an orientation guide to align a mobile phone charging coil with a wireless charger coil is illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4D. In FIG. 4A, a user places the mobile phone 314 on the wireless charger 206. The mobile phone 314 may communicate with the wireless charger 206 via a short-range wireless communication protocol (e.g. BLUETOOTH, etc.), via near-field communication (NFC), may detect a proximity of the wireless charger 206 via BLUETOOTH, via an NFC tag, etc.

[0039] In response to of detection the wireless charger 206, an application of the mobile phone 314 may open to display the orientation grid lines 318 as shown in FIG. 4B. The user can then determine whether the mobile phone 314 is properly aligned with the wireless charger using the orientation grid lines 318 displayed on the mobile phone 314 and the grid lines 208 on the wireless charger 206. For example, in FIG. 4B the orientation grid lines 318 displayed on the mobile phone 314 are not aligned with the grid lines 208 on the wireless charger 206.

[0040] The user can move the mobile phone 314 using the orientation grid lines 318 displayed on the mobile phone 314 and the grid lines 208 on the wireless charger 206 to properly align the mobile phone 314 and the wireless charger 206. For example, FIG. 3C illustrates the grid lines 318 in proper alignment with the grid lines 208. In some cases, the wireless charger 206 may communicate with the mobile phone 314 to facilitate alignment of the mobile phone 314 with the wireless charger 206. [0041] Once the grid lines 318 are in proper alignment with the grid lines 208 ( e.g ., a charging coil location 316 of the mobile phone 314 is aligned with a charging coil of the wireless charger 206), a feedback indicator 320 (FIG. 4D) may be displayed on the mobile phone 314 to indicate successful alignment. The feedback indicator 320 may be displayed once the alignment is within an efficiency threshold (e.g., within 80% of a maximum charging efficiency, etc.).

[0042] As described above, the orientation grid lines 318 on the mobile phone 314 may be controlled by an application (e.g, software stored in memory, etc.) on the mobile phone 314. Therefore, the orientation grid lines 318 may be varied depending on a type of the wireless charger 206, a use case of the mobile phone 314 and/or wireless charger 206, etc.

[0043] The example embodiments described herein may allow a user to place a mobile phone more accurately, which can result in a faster charging experience, a more complete charging experience, etc. As described above, the orientation grid lines 318 displayed on the mobile phone 314 and the grid lines 208 on the wireless charger 206 can be used for re- alignment of the mobile phone 314 as necessary, etc.

[0044] Users may wish to exit a vehicle while leaving their belonging inside the vehicle (e.g, for athletic activities, etc.). However, in these cases the users often must carry their vehicle keys with them even when they leave their mobile phone in the vehicle. Some vehicle manufacturers have used number locks on a door handle to address this problem, but this approach is not aesthetically pleasing.

[0045] Disclosed herein are example embodiments of wearable mobile devices (e.g, smartwatches, etc.) including an application in communication with a mobile phone inside a vehicle (e.g, in communication with an application on the mobile phone). In these cases, the wearable mobile device can communicate with the mobile phone (e.g, a paired mobile phone) to send a command from the wearable mobile device to the mobile phone.

[0046] When the mobile phone is placed over a vehicle’s wireless charger and in communication with the wireless charger (e.g, authenticated with the wireless charger), a communication path to the vehicle may be established over a vehicle bus. This communication path can be used to send a command from the wearable mobile device to the vehicle (e.g, through the mobile phone and the wireless charger).

[0047] For example, example embodiments described herein may allow a user to lock or unlock the vehicle using an application, input, etc. on the wearable mobile device without requiring the user to carry keys for the vehicle or the mobile phone ( e.g ., while the user is performing an athletic activity, etc.). Similarly, a wearable mobile device may be used to remote start a vehicle (e.g., in hot or cold conditions) if the wearable mobile device has an appropriate data connection to the mobile phone and/or vehicle (e.g, APPLE watch series 3 LTE, etc.).

[0048] Many vehicles provide a mechanism to save and remember different vehicle settings such as seat positions, rearview mirror position, sideview mirror position, etc., for different drivers of the vehicle. Typically, a switch must be activated on a key fob, in the vehicle, etc., to apply a saved setting for a given driver when the driver enters a seat of the vehicle. However, drivers then have to remember which memory setting number belongs to the driver, which may be different for different vehicles used by the driver. Also, the driver must use a manual switch and go through a sequence of steps to assign the settings to a specified user and save them. This process requires complex actions, and can limit a number of available settings (e.g, only 2 driver settings stored in a vehicle, etc.).

[0049] Disclosed herein are example embodiments where a mobile phone can be used to authenticate and identify a driver. As the driver places the mobile phone over a wireless charger transmitter (WCT), the mobile phone can communicate with the WCT over NFC, BLE, etc. to identify and/or authenticate the mobile phone. The wireless charging transmitter can then relay the mobile phone information to the vehicle to use respective memory settings assigned to the specific driver corresponding to the mobile phone.

[0050] Additionally, or alternatively, an application on the mobile phone could send a command to the vehicle (e.g, via the wireless charging transmitter) to instruct the vehicle to remember and assign a current setting to the current driver (e.g, the driver associated with the mobile phone). This could be particularly useful whenever a driver makes a small adjustment and wants the vehicle and/or mobile phone to remember (e.g, store) the small adjustment.

[0051] In some embodiments, the application on the mobile phone could optionally show the settings graphically (e.g, pictorially, etc.), could provide a confirmation indication of what settings are being saved, etc. The example approaches described herein could be used to remember (e.g, store) climate control settings for a specific driver associated with a mobile phone.

[0052] In some cases, the settings may not be saved in a memory of the mobile phone, but may use data stored in a vehicles memory such as a seat position setting, an HVAC setting, etc. An application on the mobile phone may send a command to the vehicle to update these settings.

[0053] As described herein, the example mobile phones and wireless chargers may include a microprocessor, microcontroller, integrated circuit, digital signal processor, etc ., which may include memory. The mobile phones and wireless chargers may be configured to perform ( e.g ., operable to perform, etc.) any of the example processes described herein using any suitable hardware and/or software implementation. For example, the mobile phones and wireless chargers may execute computer-executable instructions stored in a memory, may include one or more logic gates, control circuitry, etc.

[0054] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements, intended or stated uses, or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.