# US 2013/0157565 A1 · Method and apparatus for charging a battery in a mobile device through a near field communication (nfc) antenna > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157565 A1 - Document ID: US20130157565A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/706,509 - Filed: 2012-12-06 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14 - Assignees: Marvell World Trade Ltd. - Inventors: Patrick Clement; Antoine Moret - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157565A1 ## CPC - H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling - H02J 50/20: using microwaves or radio frequency waves - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract A near field communication (NFC) antenna in a mobile device is used to wirelessly charge a battery in the mobile device by placing the mobile device on, or in very close proximity to, a charging station that emits an electromagnetic field. An induced current from the NFC antenna is detected that is above a predetermined threshold for longer than a predetermined duration. The induced current is used to charge the battery in the mobile device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of wirelessly charging a battery in a mobile device, the mobile device including a near field communication (NFC) antenna, the method comprising: detecting a current induced in the mobile device from the NFC antenna; determining whether the current induced in the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold for longer than a predetermined duration; and in response to the current induced in the mobile current being determined to be above the predetermined threshold for longer than the predetermined duration, using the current induced in the mobile device that is above the predetermined threshold to charge the battery in the mobile device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the NFC antenna is embedded in the mobile device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile device comprises a NFC module coupled to the NFC antenna, wherein the NFC module is configured is to perform the detecting of the current induced in the mobile device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the NFC module enables the mobile device to wirelessly communicate with another NFC enabled device via a NFC communications protocol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the mobile device further comprises a power management module; and using the current induced in the mobile device that is above the predetermined threshold to charge the battery in the mobile device comprises directing the current induced above the predetermined threshold to the power management module. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein using the current induced in the mobile device that is above the predetermined threshold to charge the battery in the mobile device comprises conditioning the current that is above the predetermined threshold to charge the battery in the mobile device. ### Claim 7 A mobile device comprising: a rechargeable battery; a near field communication (NFC) antenna; a NFC module coupled to the NFC antenna, the NFC module configured to detect a level of a current induced in the NFC antenna; determine whether the current induced in the NFC antenna is above a first predetermined threshold level for longer than a predetermined time duration; and in response to the current induced in the NFC antenna being determined to be above the first predetermined threshold level for longer than the predetermined time duration, charge the rechargeable battery in the mobile device using the current induced in the NFC antenna that is above the first predetermined threshold level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the NFC module is configured to shunt current above a second predetermined threshold level, wherein the second predetermined threshold level is less than the first predetermined threshold level. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the NFC module is configured to shunt current above the first predetermined threshold level for a time that is less than or equal to the predetermined time duration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the NFC module is configured to direct the current induced in the NFC antenna that is above the first predetermined threshold to a power management module to charge the rechargeable battery in the mobile device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the NFC module is implemented as part of a System-on-Chip (SoC) in the mobile device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the NFC module includes a regulator and a power management module. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the regulator is configured to: detect the level of the current induced in the NFC antenna that is above the first predetermined threshold level for longer than the predetermined time duration; and direct the current induced in the NFC antenna that is above the first predetermined threshold level to the power management module. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the power management module is configured to condition the current induced in the NFC antenna that is above the first predetermined threshold level to charge the rechargeable battery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The mobile device of claim 7, wherein upon detection that the level of the current induced in the NFC antenna that is above the first predetermined threshold level persists for longer than the predetermined time duration, the NFC module is configured to control an indicator to indicate that the rechargeable battery is charging. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the NFC module is configured to detect when the rechargeable battery is substantially fully charged, and to control an indicator to indicate that charging of the rechargeable battery is complete. ### Claim 17 A method of wirelessly charging a battery in a mobile device, the method comprising: monitoring a level of a current induced in a near field communication (NFC) antenna coupled to a NFC module embedded in the mobile device; determining whether the level of the current induced in the NFC antenna is above a specified threshold level and persists for longer than a specified time duration; in response to the current induced in the NFC antenna being determined to be above the specified threshold for longer than the specified time duration, directing the current induced in the NFC antenna above the specified threshold to a power management module; and conditioning, by the power management module, the current induced in the NFC antenna above the specified threshold to charge the battery. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the NFC module enables the mobile device to wirelessly communicate with another NFC enabled device via a NFC communications protocol. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the current induced in the NFC antenna that is above the specified threshold is generated in response to the mobile device being placed on a charging station that emits an electromagnetic field. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the NFC module is implemented as part of a System-on-Chip (SoC) in the mobile device.