IP Library Granted Patent US 9,306,411
Granted Patent B2
US 9,306,411 · App. 14/125,294 · Granted Apr 5, 2016

Electronic device including non-contact charging module

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,306,411
App. No.
14/125,294
Granted
Apr 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

This communication apparatus makes it possible to have a non-contact charging module and a sheet antenna coexist, even in the case where there the non-contact charging module and the sheet antenna in the communication apparatus. The apparatus is provided with: a housing; a secondary-side non-contact charging module, which is housed in the housing, receives power by means of electromagnetic induction, and has a first coil having a conducting wire wound thereon, and a first magnetic sheet facing the first coil; and an NFC antenna, which is housed in the housing, and has a second coil having a conducting wire wound thereon, and a second magnetic sheet facing the second coil. The secondary-side non-contact charging module and the NFC antenna are not laminated to each other.

Claims (30)

1. An electronic device having a communication capability, the electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a non-contact charging module housed in the housing and configured to receive electric power through electromagnetic induction, the non-contact charging module including: (i) a first coil comprised of an electrical line wound to define a first hole within, and (ii) a first magnetic body opposing the first coil, the first magnetic body including a reduced thickness portion opposing the first hole of the first coil; and

a display placed such that the first magnetic body is interposed between the display and the first coil,

wherein

the non-contact charging module is structured to align with a counterpart non-contact charging module including a second hole, the second hole including a magnet in a first case and the second hole not including the magnet in a second case, and the non-contact charging module, in operation, aligns with the counterpart non-contact charging module either in the first case or in the second case.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact charging module, in operation, aligns with the counterpart non-contact charging module in the first case by aligning the first hole with the magnet of the counterpart non-contact charging module.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact charging module, in operation, aligns with the counterpart non-contact charging module in the second case by aligning the first hole with the second hole of the counterpart non-contact charging module.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the reduced thickness portion of the first magnetic body is one of a recess and a through hole.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first hole has a substantially rectangular shape.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein a diagonal dimension of the first hole having a substantially rectangular shape is greater than 15.5 mm.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first hole has a substantially rectangular shape and a diagonal dimension of the first hole is greater than a largest dimension of the magnet of the counterpart non-contact charging module in the first case.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a largest dimension of the first hole is greater than 15.5 mm.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first hole has a size greater than the size of the magnet of the counterpart non-contact charging module in the first case.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the magnet has a substantially circular shape and a diameter of the magnet is 15.5 mm or less.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a largest dimension of the magnet is 15.5 mm or less.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first coil has a substantially rectangular shape.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first coil has a substantially circular shape.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic body has a substantially rectangular shape.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic body is made of a ferrite material.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a battery which overlaps with the non-contact charging module.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a sheet antenna housed in the housing and including a second coil comprised of a wound electrical line.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the sheet antenna does not overlap with the non-contact charging module.

19. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact charging module does not include a magnet.

20. A method of charging an electronic device, comprising:

providing the electronic device including a non-contact charging module configured to receive electric power through electromagnetic induction, the non-contact charging module including: (i) a first coil comprised of an electrical line wound to define a first hole within, and (ii) a first magnetic body opposing the first coil, the first magnetic body including a reduced thickness portion opposing the first hole of the first coil, the electronic device further including a display placed such that the first magnetic body is interposed between the display and the first coil;

when a counterpart non-contact charging module includes a magnet placed in a second hole of the counterpart non-contact charging module, aligning the non-contact charging module with the counterpart non-contact charging module by aligning the first hole of the non-contact charging module with the magnet of the counterpart non-contact charging module; and

when the counterpart non-contact charging module does not include the magnet placed in the second hole of the counterpart non-contact charging module, aligning the non-contact charging module with the counterpart non-contact charging module by aligning the first hole of the non-contact charging module with the second hole of the counterpart non-contact charging module.

Assignments (6)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 048829 FRAME 0921. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 10, 2019
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: SOVEREIGN PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 048846/0041 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2019
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: SOVEREIGN PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 048829/0921 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2016
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039336/0453 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2014
From: HIDAKA, AKIO; NARUSE, TAKUMI; FUJIMURA, MUNENORI; TABATA, KENICHIRO; NISHINO, TOKUJI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032535/0645 →