Apple patent suggests wireless device charging

[blaggard]

Apple patent suggests wireless device charging

by Michael Grothaus Jun 15th 2011 at 2:00AM

According to a recent Apple patent, users may one day be able to charge their iPhones and iPads wirelessly. The patent, titled "Wireless power utilization in a local computing environment," describes a way that computers, such as an iMac or MacBook, could charge a device like the iPhone when it is put within three feet of the computer. The technology works using near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power transmission.
Now that iOS devices can sync wirelessly, wireless charging would be a godsend and enable users to fully cut the cord. However, another advantage of NFMR power charging goes beyond iOS devices. Imagine never having to replace batteries in Apple's Wireless Keyboard or Magic Mouse. Matter of fact, given the low power requirements for these peripherals, its likely that if Apple does employ NFMR power transmission in future devices, it would likely come to them first. All that would need to be added to a mouse or keyboard is a small coupling antenna.

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/06/15/apple...vice-charging/

[flumperino]

Sweet....

[evilsatan]

Tech exists in it's junior form to charge devices using radio waves so your phone could charge itself all day as you move without the need for a separate device to transmit these radio waves. I assume the charge would be weak so rather than keep you at 100% battery it would just aid your battery life. There was a big part on it on the Gadget Show.

There are already table top devices which you can just rest a game controller etc on and they will charge wirelessly so no reason why Apple won't incorporate the technology. Although as we have seen before a lot of these companies collect patents to block others from using the tech or for use in the distant future.

[Mobileman]

FFS this was on gadget show 2 years ago and it wasnt new tech then!!

[blaggard]

It's NOT new tech but they are implementing it differently and it seems possible that some devices (eg mice) might be completely charge free. Also they don't seem to be incorporating charging platforms like other systems but rather just have a system within which any enable devices can pick up the charge.
Inductive charging has been around for many years, I bought a toothbrush 10 years ago that used it, this is somewhat different and I don't think anyone is using it, in fact it doesn't look like Apple are either but a patent application suggests they are close.

[Lighty]

im currently in my 3rd year of my engineering degree, and we have been working on a kinetic energiser system, cant really explain much but in basic, the human body gives of electrical charges, the design implementation is to have a source negative charged host that can accept the positive charge given off from the human body during kinetic movement, including static. Its a bit hard to explain at the moment but the idea would be similar to a kind of pace maker for your portable devices. Not to charge them fully but to drastically extend portable battery life.

[casio]

wireless charging, untethered updates and sync with the cloud for contacts media etc, could the 30pin dock connecter be the next thing to wave goodbye?

[maltloaf]

It's a souped up version of inductive coupling (e.g. car cellphone antennas through glass in the early 90's) but was always needing huge amounts of power for relatively small benefits. They must have improved the transmission to be suggesting it's close to being useable.

[casio]

didn't the palm pre use inductive charging from a pebble or stone or whatever they called it

[spraky]

didn't the palm pre use inductive charging from a pebble or stone or whatever they called it

Yes it did, but those rechargeable toothbrushes are using it for years.

[casio]

dont they all have the 2 metal contacts like the dect house phones rather than true induction charging, I know mine does but ive had it a while

[blaggard]

dont they all have the 2 metal contacts like the dect house phones rather than true induction charging, I know mine does but ive had it a while

I bought a Braun 10 years ago with no metal contacts, induct charging has been around a long, long time. This idea seems somewhat different though

[Lighty]

Its possibly a kind of inductive charging, with the introduction of modern nano engineering it could be done, as one of the inefficiencies of inductive charging is its relatively low output and massive heat conduction. The main way to combat this is to use really really small coils in the induction transformer but lots of them in order to give much higher frequencies of electromagnetic fields , with nano technology this would certainly be possible.

[losttoy]

I bet they won't give tesla any credit

[spraky]

dont they all have the 2 metal contacts like the dect house phones rather than true induction charging

No, it is induction charging.
Braun and others have been using it for years.

[muttleymacclad]

Wasn't Tesla's idea more mechanical resonance rather than magnetic?
mml

[Mario87]

Would be good to see exactly how this is different to what Braun have been using for longer than I can remember. I have an electric toothbrush that uses inductive charging.

Would be good to see it in action and what part of their design is actually patented that others using similar technology do not have. Looking forward to the day wires are a thing of the past.

However when all our TV's, games consoles, pcs, etc are powered this way and our homes are full of magnetic fields as a result we'll all die from cancer caused by the magnetic fields. Just like being next to electric pylons for long periods of time cause cancer due to their huge magnetic fields they create.

[blaggard]

I'm inclined to agree, waaaaay too much radiation in our lives these days!