Wireless charging for wearable devices with magnetic alignment features
According to examples, a charging interface for a wearable device may include a receiver coil arranged inside the wearable device; a transmitter coil arranged outside the wearable device, where the transmitter coil is to generate a charging voltage for the wearable device via magnetic induction with the receiver coil. The charging interface may include a first pair of magnets having respective polarity axes and positioned at top and bottom portions of the transmitter coil, and a second pair of magnets having respective polarity axes and positioned at top and bottom portions of the receiver coil. The polarity axes to may be aligned with an attachment plane between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil. Furthermore, the polarity axes of the first pair of magnets may be reversed with respect to corresponding second pair of magnets.
1 . A charging interface of a near-eye display device, comprising:
a transmitter coil positioned inside a separation protrusion in a charging-capable case for the near-eye display device, the transmitter coil comprising:
a first helical coil;
a first magnet having a first polarity axis and positioned at a top portion of the transmitter coil, and a second magnet having a second polarity axis and positioned at a bottom portion of the transmitter coil; and
a first core; and
a receiver coil positioned inside a tip portion of a temple of the near-eye display device, the receiver coil comprising:
a second helical coil;
a third magnet having a third polarity axis and positioned at a top portion of the receiver coil, and a fourth magnet having a fourth polarity axis and positioned at a bottom portion of the receiver coil, wherein:
the first polarity axis, the second polarity axis, the third polarity axis, and the fourth polarity axis associated with the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet, respectively, are aligned with an attachment plane between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil;
the first polarity axis and the third polarity axis are reversed with respect to each other;
the second polarity axis and the fourth polarity axis are reversed with respect each other;
the third polarity axis and the fourth polarity axis are reversed with respect to each other; and
the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet are parallel with the attachment plane such the receiver coil and the transmitter coil couple independent of their respective orientation; and
a second core, wherein the transmitter coil is to generate a charging voltage for the near-eye display device via magnetic induction in the receiver coil independent of a folding configuration of the temple of the near-eye display device.
2 . The charging interface of claim 1 , wherein the separation protrusion is positioned in the charging-capable case to separate two temples of the near-eye display device in the folding configuration.
3 . The charging interface of claim 1 , wherein one or more of a length, a radius, and a core material of the receiver coil are selected, at least in part, based on a size and weight limitation of the temple of the near-eye display device.
4 . The charging interface of claim 1 , wherein one or more of a length, a radius, and a core material of the transmitter coil are selected, at least in part, based on a size and of the separation protrusion.
5 . The charging interface of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter coil is further positionable inside an enclosure at one end of a charging cable or a charging station.
6 . The charging interface of claim 1 , wherein the receiver coil is further to receive a charging voltage from a wirelessly charging capable battery.
7 . A charging interface for a wearable device, comprising:
a receiver coil arranged inside the wearable device;
a transmitter coil arranged outside the wearable device, wherein the transmitter coil is to generate a charging voltage for the wearable device via magnetic induction with the receiver coil;
a first magnet having a first polarity axis and positioned at a top portion of the transmitter coil, and a second magnet having a second polarity axis and positioned at a bottom portion of the transmitter coil; and
a third magnet having a third polarity axis and positioned at a top portion of the receiver coil, and a fourth magnet having a fourth polarity axis and positioned at a bottom portion of the receiver coil, wherein:
the first polarity axis, the second polarity axis, the third polarity axis, and the fourth polarity axis associated with the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet, respectively, are aligned with an attachment plane between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil;
the first polarity axis and the third polarity axis are reversed with respect to each other;
the second polarity axis and the fourth polarity axis are reversed with respect each other;
the third polarity axis and the fourth polarity axis are reversed with respect to each other; and
the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet are parallel with the attachment plane such the receiver coil and the transmitter coil couple independent of their respective orientation.
8 . The charging interface of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter coil comprises at least one of:
two helical coils arranged with parallel longitudinal axes and a bracket-shaped ferromagnetic core inside the two helical coils;
a single helical coil and a ferromagnetic core inside the single helical coil; or
two flat spiral coils arranged side-by-side in a coil plane a ferromagnetic backplate attached to the two flat spiral coils.
9 . The charging interface of claim 7 , wherein the receiver coil comprises at least one of:
two helical coils arranged with parallel longitudinal axes and a bracket-shaped ferromagnetic core inside the two helical coils;
a single helical coil and a ferromagnetic core inside the single helical coil; or
two flat spiral coils arranged side-by-side in a coil plane and a ferromagnetic backplate attached to the two flat spiral coils.
10 . The charging interface of claim 7 , wherein the transmitter coil is arranged inside:
an enclosure at one end of a charging cable;
a charging-capable case for the wearable device;
a charging station; or
a wirelessly charging capable battery.
11 . The charging interface of claim 7 , wherein the receiver coil is incorporated into a removable battery and is to:
receive a first charging voltage to charge the removable battery via magnetic induction from the transmitter coil when the removable battery is disconnected from the wearable device; and
generate a second charging voltage to charge the wearable device at another receiver coil via magnetic induction when the removable battery is connected to the wearable device.
12 . The charging interface of claim 7 , wherein the wearable device is one of a near-eye display device, a smartwatch, or a handheld controller.
13 . A method for wirelessly charging a wearable device, the method comprising:
aligning a transmitter coil arranged outside the wearable device with a first receiver coil arranged inside the wearable device via a first pair of magnets and a second pair of magnets, wherein:
the first pair of magnets comprise:
a first magnet having a first polarity axis and positioned at a top portion of the transmitter coil and a second magnet having a second polarity axis and positioned at a bottom portion of the transmitter coil;
the second pair of magnets comprise:
a third magnet having a third polarity axis and positioned at a top portion of the first receiver coil and a fourth magnet having a fourth polarity axis and positioned at a bottom portion of the first receiver coil;
the first polarity axis, the second polarity axis, the third polarity axis, and the fourth polarity axis of the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet, respectively, are aligned with an attachment plane between the transmitter coil and the first receiver coil;
the first polarity axis and the third polarity axis are reversed with respect to each other, the second polarity axis and the fourth polarity axis are reversed with respect each other, the third polarity axis and the fourth polarity axis are reversed with respect to each other, and the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet are parallel with the attachment plane such the first receiver coil and the transmitter coil couple independent of their respective orientation; and
generating a charging voltage at the first receiver coil for the wearable device via magnetic induction from the transmitter coil.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
aligning the transmitter coil with a second receiver coil coupled to a wirelessly charging-capable battery;
generating a charging voltage at the second receiver coil to charge the wirelessly charging-capable battery via magnetic induction from the transmitter coil; and
charging the wearable device via magnetic induction between the second receiver coil acting as the transmitter coil and the first receiver coil when the wirelessly charging-capable battery is connected to the wearable device.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter coil is arranged inside:
an enclosure at one end of a charging cable;
a charging-capable case for the wearable device;
a charging station; or
a wirelessly charging capable battery.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter coil comprises at least one of:
two helical coils arranged with parallel longitudinal axes;
a single helical coil; or
two flat spiral coils arranged side-by-side in a coil plane.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the transmitter coil further comprises at least one of:
a bracket-shaped ferromagnetic core inside the two helical coils;
a ferromagnetic core inside the single helical coil; or
a ferromagnetic backplate attached to the two flat spiral coils.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first receiver coil comprises at least one of:
a single helical coil; or
two flat spiral coils arranged side-by-side in a coil plane.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first receiver coil further comprises at least one of:
a ferromagnetic core inside the single helical coil; or
a ferromagnetic backplate attached to the two flat spiral coils.
20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
facilitating a low speed data exchange through the transmitter coil and the first receiver coil.