In an embodiment, a system includes a contactless reader and an apparatus. The apparatus includes a contactless transponder including a contactless interface and a transponder wired interface and being configured to communicate with a contactless reader according to a contactless protocol through the contactless interface. The apparatus includes a bus coupled to the transponder wired interface, and at least one module coupled to the bus, the at least one module including a processing circuit, the contactless reader being configured to communicate instructions of a software program executable by the processing circuit to the at least one module through the contactless transponder.

A method for transmitting wireless power in a wireless charging system and a wireless power transmitting unit (PTU) are provided. The method for transmitting wireless power in a wireless charging system includes receiving information related to a voltage from each of a plurality of power receiving units (PRUs), identifying a voltage ratio of each of the plurality of PRUs based on the received information where the voltage ratio is a current voltage relative to a first voltage, determining a PRU among the plurality of PRUs based on the identified voltage ratio, and adjusting transmission power according to a voltage setting value of the determined PRU.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a near field communication (NFC) device is provided, comprising: an antenna configured to enable wireless communication with an external device; a charging unit configured to charge the external device by transferring power to said external device through said antenna; a detection unit configured to detect whether the external device is a passive NFC device; a controller configured to control the charging unit in dependence on an output of the detection unit, wherein said output indicates whether the external device is a passive NFC device. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a near field communication (NFC) device is conceived.

A disclosed wireless power transmitting apparatus comprises: a plate; a transmitting coil that transmits wireless power to a cooking device disposed on the plate; a driving circuit that applies a current to the transmitting coil; a communication module that communicates with the cooking device; and a control unit that controls the driving circuit such that the wireless power is periodically transmitted on the basis of a transmission period of the wireless power determined by discharge characteristics of the cooking device when the cooking device enters a standby mode.

A wireless power transfer system includes an antenna base having a charger surface configured substantially as a concave spherical section and a first antenna comprising a spiral wire coil conforming to the charger surface of the antenna base. A target item includes an interface surface configured as a convex spherical section substantially matching the concave spherical section of the charger base. A second antenna is located within the target item and adjacent to the interface surface such that when the target item is placed in the antenna base with the interface surface mated to the charger surface, the first and second antennas are within inductive coupling range for wireless power transfer between the antennas.

The present disclosure provides a range-finding system capable of data communication. The range-finding system includes a rangefinder for acquiring ranging data, a magnetic ring unit having at least two communication channels, and a data processing and control unit. Each communication channel includes a magnetic ring. The magnetic ring unit transmits the ranging data as downlink data from the rangefinder to the data processing and control unit via one or more of the communication channels.

An earbud includes a housing that includes a driver assembly positioned within the housing forming a front volume in front of the driver and a back volume behind the driver. An acoustic insert is positioned behind the driver assembly and attached to an interior surface of the housing such that it forms a bass channel that is routed from the back volume to a vent in the housing.

A power transfer device is a power transmitter (201) or a power receiver (205) conducting power transfer using an electromagnetic power transfer signal employing a repeating time frame comprising a power transfer time interval and an object detection time interval. A power transfer circuit (303, 307) comprises a power transfer coil (203, 207) receiving or generating the power transfer signal during the power transfer time intervals. A communicator (315, 323) communicates with the other device via an electromagnetic communication signal. A communication resonance circuit (317, 321) comprises a communication antenna (319, 325) for transmitting or receiving the electromagnetic communication signal. During the communication, the communication resonance circuit (317, 321) provides a resonance at a first resonance frequency to the communicator (315, 323). A controller (333, 335) adapts the communication resonance circuit to not provide the resonance at the first resonance frequency to the communicator during object detection time intervals. The approach may provide improved detection of resonance objects, such as smart cards (e.g. NFC cards).

Disclosed herein are a number of embodiments for wireless and non-conductive transfers of power and data to electronic devices. These technological advances can be implemented in retail security products (e.g., merchandising display positions for devices such as smart phones, tablet computers, wearables (e.g., smart watches), digital cameras, etc.) as well as docking systems for tablet computers.

A method for operating a wireless power transmission system includes providing, a driving signal for driving a transmission antenna. The method further includes receiving, by at least one transistor of an amplifier, the driving signal at a gate of the at least one transistor and inverting a direct current (DC) input power signal to generate an AC wireless signal. The method further includes determining an operating mode for signal damping during transmission or receipt of wireless data signals by selecting one of a switching mode and an activation mode for the operating mode and determining damping signals based on the operating mode. The damping signals are configured for switching the damping transistor to control signal damping during transmission or receipt of wireless data signals. The method further includes selectively damping, by the damping circuit, the AC wireless signals, during transmission of the wireless data signals based on the damping signals.