# US 12,009,673 B2 · Inductive power and data transfer between mobile device and vehicle via common coil > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,673 B2 - Document ID: US12009673B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/234,384 - Filed: 2021-04-19 - Published: 2022-10-20 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Aaron Matthew DeLong; John Robert Van Wiemeersch; Vivekanandh Elangovan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009673B2 ## CPC - H02J 7/65: against overtemperature - H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling - H02J 50/80: involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A coil is electrically connected with an energy storage unit via circuitry. The coil wirelessly receives power from a cellular phone adjacent to the coil for transfer to the energy storage unit via the circuitry, and wirelessly receives data from the cellular phone. The coil may also wirelessly transfer power and data to the cellular phone. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a coil arranged adjacent to an exterior body panel of the vehicle; an energy storage unit; and one or more controllers programmed to selectively actuate switches connected with the coil to effectively increase a number of turns of the coil, and then drive the coil with current from the energy storage unit at a first frequency to wirelessly transfer power from the energy storage unit to a cellular phone adjacent to the coil, and drive the coil with current from the energy storage unit at a second frequency greater than the first frequency to wirelessly transfer data to the cellular phone. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers are further programmed to selectively actuate the switches to effectively decrease the number of turns of the coil prior to driving the coil with the current at the second frequency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers are further programmed to drive the coil with current from the energy storage unit such that the coil generates heat. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the coil is configured to wirelessly receive power from the cellular phone for the energy storage unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the coil is further configured to wirelessly receive data from the cellular phone. ### Claim 6 A method comprising: driving a coil of a vehicle with direct current from an energy storage unit such that the coil generates heat; driving the coil with current from the energy storage unit at a first frequency to wirelessly transfer power from the energy storage unit to a cellular phone adjacent to the coil; driving the coil with current from the energy storage unit at a second frequency greater than the first frequency to wirelessly transfer data to the cellular phone; and wirelessly receiving data via the coil from the cellular phone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising actuating switches connected with the coil to effectively change a number of turns of the coil. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising actuating the switches to effectively increase the number of turns of the coil prior to driving the coil with the current at the first frequency. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising actuating the switches to effectively decrease the number of turns of the coil prior to driving the coil with the current at the second frequency. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein driving the coil with direct current is responsive to ambient temperature being less than a predetermined value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising wirelessly receiving power via the coil from the cellular phone for the energy storage unit. ### Claim 12 A communication and power system for a vehicle, comprising: an energy storage unit; circuitry; a coil electrically connected with the energy storage unit via the circuitry, and configured to wirelessly receive power from a cellular phone adjacent to the coil for transfer to the energy storage unit via the circuitry, and to wirelessly receive data from the cellular phone; and one or more controllers programmed to, responsive to ambient temperature being less than a threshold, drive the coil with current from the energy storage unit such that the coil generates heat. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The communication and power system of claim 12 further comprising one or more controllers programmed to drive the coil with alternating current from the energy storage unit to wirelessly transfer power from the energy storage unit to the cellular phone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The communication and power system of claim 12 further comprising one or more controllers programmed to drive the coil with alternating current from the energy storage unit to wirelessly transfer data to the cellular phone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The communication and power system of claim 12 further comprising switches connected to the coil and configured to effectively change a number of turns of the coil.