Wirelessly transmitting power from a first transceiver to a second transceiver in a computing device using pivoting hinges
View Patent ↗A computing device may include a first housing attached to a second housing by one or more hinges. A second power transceiver in the second housing may receive power from a power source and wirelessly transmit the power to a first power transceiver in the first housing. The first power transceiver may distribute the power to a first display device and to a computer motherboard located in the first housing. The first power transceiver may include first magnets positioned to attract second magnets in the second power transceiver. Each power transceiver may include a bearing on either end that enables each power transceiver to rotate, such that a first coil of the first power transceiver is in a line of sight of a second coil of the second power transceiver, regardless of an orientation of the computing device.
1. A computing device comprising:
a first housing comprising:
a computer motherboard; and
a first power transceiver to receive wirelessly transmitted power;
a power bus to distribute power from the first power transceiver to the computer motherboard;
a second housing comprising:
a power source; and
a second power transceiver to wirelessly transmit power from the power source to the first power transceiver; and
one or more hinges to rotatably couple the first housing to the second housing;
wherein the first power transceiver and the second power transceiver each comprise:
a circuit board comprising a coil;
a first pivot comprising:
a first slot to receive a first end of the circuit board;
a first cylindrical protrusion over which a first toroidal-shaped bearing is placed; and
a first cylindrical cavity into which is placed a first cylindrical-shaped magnet;
a second pivot comprising:
a second slot to receive a second end of the circuit board;
a second cylindrical protrusion over which a second toroidal-shaped bearing is placed; and
a second cylindrical cavity into which is placed a second cylindrical-shaped magnet.
2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein electrical power is wirelessly transmitted the from the first power transceiver to the second power transceiver at a frequency of between:
about 100 Kilohertz (KHz) to about 300 KHz; or
about 4 Megahertz (MHz) to about 8 MHz.
3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first power transceiver and the second power transceiver each further comprise:
a ferrite plate located behind the circuit board; and
a metal plate located behind the ferrite plate.
4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
a first set of magnets is located in the first power transceiver and face outward with a first polarity; and
a second set of magnets is located in the second power transceiver and face outward with a reverse polarity as compared to the first polarity, causing the first set of magnets to have an attraction to the second set of magnets.
5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computer motherboard further comprises:
at least one central processing unit (CPU);
a graphics processing unit (GPU); and
one or more memory storage devices; and
one or more input/output (I/O) ports.
6. The computing device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a first display device in the first housing connected to a first video signal from an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) output of the GPU to; and
to a second display device in the second housing connected to a second video signal from a DisplayPort (DP) output of the GPU.
7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first power transceiver is enclosed in a first enclosure having a first clear window; and
the second power transceiver is enclosed in a second enclosure having a second clear window to enable a first coil of the first power transceiver to be approximately parallel to a second coil of the second power transceiver.
8. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first power transceiver, electrical power from a power source, the first power transceiver located behind a first display device in a first housing of a computing device;
wirelessly transmitting the electrical power from the first power transceiver to a second power transceiver, the second power transceiver located behind a second display device in a second housing that is rotatably attached to the first housing by one or more hinges; and
sending the electrical power from the second power transceiver to a computer motherboard located in the second housing.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein wirelessly transmitting the electrical power from the first power transceiver to the second power transceiver comprises one of:
wirelessly transmitting the electrical power from the first power transceiver to the second power transceiver at a frequency of between about 100 Kilohertz (KHz) and about 300 KHz; or
wirelessly transmitting the electrical power from the first power transceiver to the second power transceiver at a frequency of between about 4 Megahertz (MHz) to 8 MHz.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the computer motherboard comprises:
a graphics processing unit (GPU) comprising a DisplayPort (DP) output connected to the first display device and an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) output connected to the second display device;
at least one central processing unit (CPU);
one or more memory storage devices; and
one or more input/output (I/O) ports.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the first power transceiver comprises:
a first circuit board comprising a first coil;
a first set of magnets facing outward with a first polarity; and
a first pair of bearings that enable the first circuit board to rotate; and
the second power transceiver comprises:
a second circuit board comprising a second coil;
a second set of magnets facing outward with a reverse polarity that has a magnetic attraction to the first set of magnets; and
a second pair of bearings that enable the second circuit board to rotate.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the magnetic attraction between the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets causes:
the first power transceiver to rotate within the first pair of bearings;
the second power transceiver to rotate within the second pair of bearings; and
the first coil to remain facing the second coil regardless of an orientation of the computing device.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the first power transceiver further comprises:
a first ferrite plate located behind the first circuit board;
a first metal plate located behind the first ferrite plate;
a first enclosure having a first clear window; and
the second power transceiver comprises:
a second ferrite plate located behind the second circuit board;
a second metal plate located behind the second ferrite plate; and
a second enclosure having a second clear window, wherein the first coil of the first power transceiver is within a line of sight of the second coil of the second power transceiver.
14. A computing device comprising:
a first housing comprising:
a first power transceiver to receive wirelessly transmitted power from a second power transceiver, wherein the first power transceiver comprises:
a first circuit board comprising a first coil;
a first set of magnets facing outward with a first polarity; and
a first pair of bearings, wherein each bearing of the first pair of bearings is located on either end of the first power transceiver; and
a power bus to distribute power from the first power transceiver to a computer motherboard;
a second housing comprising:
the second power transceiver, wherein the second power transceiver wirelessly transmit power from a power source to the first power transceiver, wherein the second power transceiver comprises:
a second circuit board comprising a second coil;
a second set of magnets facing outward with a reverse polarity that has a magnetic attraction to the first set of magnets; and
a second pair of bearings, wherein each bearing of the second pair of bearings is located on either end of the first power transceiver; and
one or more hinges to rotatably couple the first housing to the second housing.
15. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein the computer motherboard comprises:
a graphics processing unit (GPU) comprising a DisplayPort (DP) output connected to a first display device and an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) output connected to a second display device;
at least one central processing unit (CPU);
one or more memory storage devices; and
one or more input/output (I/O) ports.
16. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein the magnetic attraction between the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets causes:
the first power transceiver to rotate within the first pair of bearings;
the second power transceiver to rotate within the second pair of bearings; and
the first coil to remain facing the second coil regardless of an orientation of the computing device.
17. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein:
the first power transceiver further comprises:
a first ferrite plate located behind the first circuit board; and
a first metal plate located behind the first ferrite plate, wherein the first metal plate comprises a copper alloy; and
the second power transceiver further comprises:
a second ferrite plate located behind the second circuit board; and
a second metal plate located behind the second ferrite plate; and
the first metal plate and the second metal plate each comprises a copper alloy.
18. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein:
the first housing further comprises:
a computer motherboard that includes a graphics processing unit (GPU); and
a first display device connected to an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) output of the GPU; and
the second housing further comprises:
a second display device connected to a DisplayPort (DP) output of the GPU.
19. The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the second housing further comprises:
a battery; and
a battery charger to:
receive power from a source external to the computing device; and
charge the battery.
20. The computing device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a first enclosure in which the first power transceiver is enclosed, the first enclosure having a first clear window; and
a second enclosure in which the second power transceiver is enclosed, the second enclosure having a second clear window to enable the first coil of the first power transceiver to be in a line of sight of the second coil of the second power transceiver.