Inductive power source and charging system

A system for use with a mobile or electronic device and/or battery, case, battery cover, shell, or skin for charging or powering the mobile or electronic device and/or battery inductively, comprising:

• a base unit including one or more primary coils therein, wherein each of the one or more primary coils has a generally planar or curved shape and wherein each of the one or more primary coils is capable of being selectively switched or activated, by a switch in the base unit associated with that coil, so that, when an electrical current is passed through the one or more primary coils a magnetic field is generated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base unit and the one or more primary coils;
• wherein when the mobile or electronic device and/or battery, case, battery cover, shell, or skin covering the mobile or electronic device that includes a receiver coil, said receiver coil also having a generally planar or curved shape, is placed close to or in contact with the base unit, so that the one or more primary coils in the base unit and the receiver coil in the mobile or electronic device and/or battery, case, battery cover, shell, or skin covering the mobile electronic device are generally aligned upon one another about their centers, including that the planes of their faces are generally parallel, and the one or more primary coils is activated, the perpendicular magnetic field inductively generates an electrical current in the receiver coil within or on the mobile or electronic device and/or battery, case, battery cover, shell, or skin covering the mobile or electronic device and/or battery, which is used to provide regulated power to charge and/or power the mobile or electronic device and/or battery;
• wherein each switch in the base unit, that is associated with the one or more primary coils, can be switched on to activate the one or more primary coils, and to generate an electrical current in any receiver coil aligned with the one or more primary coils;
• wherein a microcontroller unit or identification component at the receiver is configured to provide wireless identification and/or authentication of the receiver to the base unit, using current modulator or / other form of wireless communication;
• wherein a regulator in the base unit and/or the mobile or electronic device and/or battery, case, battery cover, shell, or skin covering the mobile or electronic device or battery, determines operating characteristics of the device and/or battery, including one or more of charging capacity, present charge, voltage level and/or temperature, senses one or more of the current drawn from the receiver or output current provided to the device and/or battery, and regulates the current and/or voltage to be within the range of one of either a predefined value or an appropriate power parameter of the mobile electronic device and/or battery as sensed by the regulator;
• and;
• wherein, when the mobile or electronic device and/or battery, case, battery cover, shell, or skin is positioned in proximity to the base unit, so that the receiver coil is generally aligned upon the one or more primary coils in the base unit , the mobile or electronic device and/or battery, case, battery cover, shell, or skin and the base unit operate with one another prior to and during charging to determine and then activate the one or more primary coils which is most appropriately aligned with the receiver coil,
• receive at the receiver inductive energy from the base unit,
• power the microcontroller unit or identification component to identify and/or authenticate the receiver, and
• continue to operate with one another prior to and during charging, to verify the continued presence of the receiver near the base unit, and/or wirelessly exchange additional information to provide optimum power transfer to the receiver.

A system for use with a battery, battery-powered, electronic, or mobile device for charging or powering the battery, battery-powered, electronic or mobile device inductively, comprising:

• a base unit including one or more primary coils therein, wherein each of the one or more primary coils has a generally planar or curved shape and wherein each of the one or more primary coils is capable of being selectively switched or activated, by a switch in the base unit associated with that coil, so that, when an electrical current is passed through the one or more primary coils a magnetic field is generated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base unit and the one or more primary coils;
• one or more mobile, electronic, or other device and/or a battery, battery door, or skin for use with the device, which are capable of being inductively powered or charged, each comprising
• a receiver for one of inductively powering or charging the device and/or battery, wherein the receiver includes a receiver coil having a generally planar or curved face, so that when the receiver coil is generally aligned upon the one or more primary coils in the base unit also having a generally planar or curved face, so that the planes of their faces are generally parallel, and when a magnetic field is applied in a direction substantially perpendicular to the face of the receiver coil using induction from the one or more primary coils in the base unit, an electrical current is generated within the receiver coil and is used to power or charge the device and/or battery,
• a regulator that
• determines operating characteristics of the device and/or battery, including one or more of charging capacity, present charge, voltage level and/or temperature,
• senses one or more of the current drawn from the receiver coil, or output voltage or output current provided to the device and/or battery, and regulates the current and/or voltage to be within the range of one of either a predefined value or an appropriate power parameter of the mobile or electronic device and/or battery as sensed by the regulator, and
• a microcontroller unit or identification component located within the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin, wherein the microcontroller unit or identification component is configured to provide wireless identification and/or authentication of the receiver to the base unit, using current modulation or other form of wireless communication;
• and wherein, when the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin is positioned in proximity to the base unit, so that the receiver coil is generally aligned upon the one or more primary coils in the base unit, the mobile, electronic, or other device and/or battery, battery door, or skin and the base unit operate with one another prior to and during charging to determine and then activate the one or more primary coils which is most appropriately aligned with the receiver coil, receive at the receiver inductive energy from the base unit, power the microcontroller unit or identification component to identify and/or
• authenticate the receiver, and continue to operate with one another prior to and during charging, to verify the continued presence of the receiver near the base unit, and/or wirelessly exchange additional information to provide optimum power transfer to the receiver.