Determining presence of a magnet for controlling wireless charging
View Patent ↗A device may measure or detect, using at least one magnetic sensor, a magnetic field to determine whether a magnet is included within a charging device. In some examples, the device may include a receiving coil for charging of a battery based on magnetic induction. In response to determining that a magnet is present within the charging device, the device may instruct the charging device to adjust an amount of electrical current supplied to a transmitting coil.
1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a device configured to charge a battery based on magnetic induction of a receiving coil, a magnetic field; and
while alternating or direct current results from magnetic induction of the receiving coil and based on determining that a magnet is present within a charging device based on the magnetic field, instructing, by the device, the charging device to supply a lower amount of electrical current to a transmitting coil.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to detecting that a temperature exceeds a threshold, instructing the charging device to further lower the amount of electrical current supplied to the transmitting coil.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a location of the magnet.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining a relative position between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil based on the location of the magnet; and
instructing the charging device to adjust the amount of electrical current supplied to the transmitting coil based on the relative position.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the magnet is present within the charging device is based on comparing a measured strength of the magnetic field to a threshold, and wherein instructing the charging device to supply the lower amount of electrical current to the transmitting coil is based on the comparing.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the magnet is located within a predetermined area relative to at least one magnetic sensor.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing audible and/or visual output to indicate that placement of the device relative to the charging device should be adjusted.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a receiving coil;
a battery configured to be charged based on magnetic induction of the receiving coil;
at least one processor; and
memory storing executable instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
detect a magnetic field; and
while alternating or direct current results from magnetic induction of the receiving coil and based on determining that a magnet is present within a charging device based on the magnetic field, instruct the charging device to supply a lower amount of electrical current to a transmitting coil.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
determine a location of the magnet;
determine a relative position between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil based on the location of the magnet; and
instruct the charging device to adjust the amount of electrical current supplied to the transmitting coil based on the relative position.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein determining that the magnet is present within the charging device is based on a comparison of a measured strength of the magnetic field to a threshold, and wherein causing the apparatus to instruct the charging device to supply the lower amount of electrical current to the transmitting coil is based on the comparison.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine a direction of the magnet relative to a magnetic sensor and/or a distance between the magnet and the magnetic sensor.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to provide audible and/or visual output to indicate that placement of the apparatus relative to the charging device should be adjusted.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine that the magnet is located within a predetermined area relative to at least one magnetic sensor.
14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
responsive to determining that a temperature exceeds a threshold, instruct the charging device to further lower the amount of electrical current supplied to the transmitting coil.
15. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one magnetic sensor configured to detect the magnetic field.
16. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus at least to:
detect a magnetic field, wherein the apparatus is configured to charge a battery based on magnetic induction of a receiving coil; and
while alternating or direct current results from magnetic induction of the receiving coil and based on determining that a magnet is present within a charging device based on the magnetic field, instruct the charging device to supply a lower amount of electrical current to a transmitting coil.
17. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
responsive to detecting that a temperature exceeds a threshold, instruct the charging device to further lower the amount of electrical current supplied to the transmitting coil.
18. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 16 , wherein determining that the magnet is present within the charging device is based on a comparison of a measured strength of the magnetic field to a threshold, and wherein causing the apparatus to instruct the charging device to supply the lower amount of electrical current to the transmitting coil is based on the comparison.
19. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
determine a location of the magnet;
determine a relative position between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil based on the location of the magnet; and
instruct the charging device to adjust the amount of electrical current supplied to the transmitting coil based on the relative position.
20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to determine a direction of the magnet relative to at least one magnetic sensor and/or a distance between the magnet and the least one magnetic sensor.
21. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to determine that the magnet is located within a predetermined area relative to at least one magnetic sensor.
22. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to provide audible and/or visual output to indicate placement of the apparatus relative to the charging device should be adjusted.