An Investigation into the Interactions of the Wireless Battery Charging Technology and Radio-frequency Antennas & Circuits of Mobile Phones

The establishment of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) in December 2008 has highlighted the importance of wireless charging technology. Wireless battery charging pads have been proposed for a wide range of portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones. It is anticipated that more consumer electronic products with inbuilt antenna and wireless energy-receiving module will be developed. While the wireless charging technology involves power electronics and high-frequency magnetics operating at typically 125kHz as recommended by WPC, the mobile phones involve RF-circuits and antenna designs for 800MHz and 1.8GHz typically. So far, there is very little understanding on the merging of these two widely different fields.This project is a fundamental study on the possible interactions and interference between the power electronic charging circuits and the radio-frequency (RF) circuits and antennas of the mobile phones. This study aims at understanding the fundamental problems and then develops solutions to solve these problems. It will investigate (1) the effects of the electromagnetic shield of the charging pad on the signal reception and transmission of the phones, (2) the possible interaction and interference between power electronic charging circuit (relatively high-power low-frequency ac EM flux) and the antennas and RF circuits of the phones (low-power high-frequency signals), (3) new techniques to avoid such interference and (4) new techniques to enhance signal reception and transmission of the phones while being charged.This is a ground-breaking research that merges the fields of power electronics and RF antenna design together. It is envisaged that new knowledge and understanding in this new emerging field will be developed. The outcome has huge application potential that may revolutionize future wireless charging technology and antenna and RF circuit design.