Wireless charging

[blackeagle603]

...using near field magnetic resonance. Coming soon to a mobile device near you (i hope).

Just saw an article about wireless charging "ezone" being demonstrated by Qualcomm at GSMA Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona. more...

[308Mike]

Interesting. I wonder what the range of the field is?

[mekender]

i know that they are experimenting whit electrical transmission of pulses across thin air for circuit creation... no more copper circuit pathways, no more heat...

[Dedicated_Dad]

Interesting. I wonder what the range of the field is?

Looks like a tray you have to lay the device upon.

This tech has been around forever - just like an electric toothbrush that needs no metal contacts, just set it on the stand.

I don't think this will ever fly because of the billion$$ made on forcing us to buy new car-chargers and what-not every time we get a new phone. The last several generations of LG have all used identical chargers except for adding a new groove here or there to keep you from using your old one. Soon as I figured this out I got out my dremel and saved a hundred bucks.

This new generation - from Santa - has a whole new style, and 2 models from the same generation are so different they require totally different chargers. I fixed 'em though - I pulled out the USB cable and my little USB travel-unit. Not stroking ME, bastiges! Not this time, at least...

DD

[308Mike]

Well you know it's just charging by induction of current. I'm sure if I thought about it long enough and hard enough I could reason it out, going from 110 v AC to 12v DC through an induction field - the same things as using the toothbrush chargers (like you said), but on a slightly larger scale. and the DC batteries won't overcharge, so they can sit there all day. No heat dispersion problems, all devices are probably either 6v or 12v. Hell, make chargers for each type, make MORE money.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Dedicated_Dad]

Actually, as I understand it, the magnetic field simply excites a coil inside the device, thus the voltage would be inherent in the device and not the charger. Buy your tray and charge ALL your properly equipped crap.

TFA said they expected it to be used for any portable elec. including bluetooth headsets.

DD

[308Mike]

If it was TRULY determined by the DEVICE and NOT the charger, it would make a revolution in DC charging devices.

That would mean, no more having separate chargers for all the different DC charging devices I have - the several different types of flashlights/spotlights, handi-talky radios, VHF radios, Streamlights/Maglights/Pelican lights, etc., etc., ... - a truly incredible achievement and HUGE relief to the consumer!!!!

[HTRN]

They've been talking about this for awhile. The real barrier is cost - wall warts are CHEAP. An Induction charger may cost as much as the device itself(100 bucks or more). Add in the additional cost of parts to the devices...

I'm not holding my breath.


HTRN

[blackeagle603]

I won't hold my breath either but I will hold my stock.

If anyone does, Qcom has the horsepower to get it out in the market at a price point and integrated with other products like few others.

#1 wireless chip maker.
Largest fabless semiconductor mfg.
Long and deep partnership/licensing/distribution relationships with the "GE's" of Asia (Samsung, LTE, Panasonic, Huawei, et al).
A growing MEMS business that's still off most folks radar.

Mix in some 6 std deviation bell curve brains from MIT/Cal Tech/IIT (india) in Corp R&D who are major lifelong pwr geeks lead by (beloved) madman Franklin Antonio. Throw in a few key Eng transfers from General Atomics and the world leading UCSD magnetics program just across the highway... Makes for an interesting technology cluster.