Smartphones with qi technology. Overview of G-power Wireless charging. Why is it needed

Today, it is already hard for us to imagine our life without mobile gadgets. This has led to the fact that a huge amount of wires accumulate near household outlets, among which it is not so easy to find the necessary “charging”. In this case, a wireless charger will help solve the problem. The principle of its operation is very simple - just place the gadget on a special panel to charge it. The accessory is based on the principle of operation of the induction coil. This technology is called Qi. It has become very popular lately. In 2015, the globally popular brand began selling furniture that will have a built-in wireless charging module. Today, all flagship smartphones support Qi. It is expected that soon transmitters or, in other words, modules can be found at airports, restaurants, cinemas, fast food, shopping centers, which will allow charging phones and tablets at any time. In fact, this will make life easier for users of mobile gadgets. We are entering a new era where it is not necessary to carry around with you everywhere for all the devices we use.

Wireless chargers for Qi-enabled gadgets

The wireless power standard is called Qi. In Russian, the word is pronounced as "Qi". The standard bears such a name in honor of the term of Eastern philosophy. It is developed by the WPC Wireless Electromagnetic Energy Consortium. This organization brings together world electronics manufacturers and sets itself an important task - to standardize the process of charging gadgets using the induction method.

In the near future, all devices can be charged without being connected to the network. It's incredibly convenient. Each of us at least once faced with a situation where. We urgently need to find a way out. Soon, wireless charging modules will appear in all public places, as well as at every user's home. At home, you can simply place the module in a convenient place, and it will never get lost, unlike wired "charging". It is enough just to place a gadget on it and wait a bit until the battery capacity is replenished.

The principle of operation of wireless "charging" is based on the properties of an induction coil to transmit electric current. In the school physics course, we were taught that when an induction coil is connected to a power source, a magnetic field arises in it, perpendicular to the turns of the coil. Thus, if you place two coils within the range of the magnetic field and at the same time connect one of them to a power source, then voltage will appear in the second coil. In this case, it is important to take into account the fact that two induction coils should in no case be in contact with each other. Such a simple principle lies in the operation of wireless chargers that support Qi technology.

There are two varieties of the Qi standard. The first involves charging at low power - 5 watts, and the second - at high power - 120 watts. Qi high power is not currently produced by manufacturers due to objective factors. With Qi at 120 watts, you can charge your laptop. Qi at 5 watts is used to replenish the capacity and phones. It should be noted that different current strengths are required for a tablet and a smartphone. A wireless charger for a phone creates a current of 1 amp, and for a tablet computer - 2 amps. When choosing an accessory, be sure to pay attention to such characteristics.

Qi Energy Efficiency

A modern wireless charger consists of two components. One of them is built directly into a gadget that supports Qi and is called a wireless charging receiver. In fact, it is a receiver that conducts electrical current to the battery. The second component is called the transmitter. If the purchase of wireless “charging” is meant, we are talking about the transmitter. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most common are round and rectangular transmitters.

If the accessory for charging the gadget works in the background, then the pulse sent every 0.4 seconds by the transmitter will not change the voltage in the coil built into the transmitter. We can conclude that a modern accessory can recognize in which mode to function. As soon as a smartphone is nearby at a distance of several centimeters, the voltage in the induction coil will drop sharply, and the device will switch to active mode. As soon as the smartphone's battery is charged, the corresponding signal will put the charger into the background. It can be concluded that modern wireless accessories for battery replenishment are energy efficient.

Is Qi technology secure?

The power of wireless chargers is 5 watts. It is not enough to have an effect on the human body. We can talk about a negative impact only if the power of such devices is 120 watts. But such models are not produced on an industrial scale. This explains the lack of wireless chargers for laptops. It is important to know that wireless battery charging technology has long been used in many models of electric shavers and electric toothbrushes, which once again proves its safety.

Which smartphones support wireless charging?

First of all, we want to note that not all gadgets today support the wireless charge function. Apple intentionally places products on the market that are not compatible with Qi. In this case, we recommend purchasing a special case with a built-in telecoil.

Flagship devices basically always support Qi technology. These include such popular smartphone models as Samsung Galaxy S6, Sony Xperia Z4v, Samsung Galaxy S6 Active, Google Nexus 6, Motorola Droid Turbo, Nokia Lumia 930, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Already, dozens of models from various manufacturers can be charged using a wireless accessory, which provides maximum convenience for users.

Can you make your own wireless charger?

Wireless chargers are quite expensive, given that they are a conventional induction coil. The question arises: "How to make a module with your own hands?". In principle, if you have knowledge of the basics of physics and special equipment for measuring the strength and power of an electric current, this will not be a big problem. Fans of radio electronics are able to assemble devices that are not so simple, but we do not recommend ordinary users to conduct such experiments.

On aliexpress.com, you can find separately wireless device receivers for some smartphone models, including the Google Nexus line. It's easy enough to install on your phone. Under the cover of the device there are two contacts, which provide for a positive and negative pole. It is enough to buy and connect the receiver, after which you can conduct a wireless charging test. This solution is optimal if you somehow got a wireless charger, for example, you were presented with a gift, and your gadget model does not yet support the Qi function.

Wireless battery charging technology is gaining more and more popularity in the modern world. In the future, in many public places it will be possible to replenish the battery capacity. It is expected that stadiums, parks, restaurants, cinemas, fast foods will be equipped with wireless chargers. When buying smartphones, we recommend paying attention to the support for the Qi function, which is present in all flagship models in 2015.

Finally, you can get rid of wires once and for all: a new generation of mobile devices supports QI wireless charging technology. CHIP will tell you how it works.

Smartphone Nokia Lumia 920 on a QI wireless charger Smartphones, e-readers, tablets - many of us have been owners of these devices for a long time. Their batteries require regular charging, and this is quite troublesome. In many cases, this is a problem, since most smartphones run out of battery in one day. Therefore, it is long overdue to find a solution that takes into account both our forgetfulness and the constant need of mobile devices for electricity. Ideal would be a device, upon contact with which the gadget would immediately begin to receive a charge. To do this, the Wireless Power Consortium, which unites more than 100 IT companies, including Sony and Panasonic, has developed a single standard for wireless chargers. It is called QI (pronounced "chi"), which means "energy flow" in Chinese. The first version of the standard appeared in 2010, but the implementation of the technology was slow. It wasn't until mid-2011 that American provider Verizon began offering QI-enabled smartphones, including Samsung's Galaxy models. In 2013, the situation will change, which will be facilitated by the appearance of QI-smartphones in Russia: the new top model Lumia 920 from Nokia has built-in QI support, and for the Lumia 820, a rear cover for wireless charging is optionally available.

Quick recharge for smartphones

According to the QI standard, the charging current for a mobile device should be no more than 5W. The standard does not provide for a specific method of energy transfer, but induction charging is currently implemented, with both transmitter and receiver equipped with coils. In the transmitter coil, which is supplied with alternating current, an alternating magnetic field arises. As soon as the receiver coil is affected by a magnetic field, an alternating current also appears in it. For the most efficient transfer of energy, it is necessary to ensure the best interaction of the receiving coil with the magnetic field. In this case, the optimal distance between the transmitter and receiver depends on the diameter of the coil. The size of the transmitter coil provided by the QI standard, depending on the design features of the transmitter, ranges from 30–80 mm. The required distance is approximately a tenth of this value, that is, both devices should be located close to each other. With increasing distance, the efficiency of energy transfer decreases catastrophically - from more than 70 to several percent. In addition, for optimal transmission, it is also necessary to choose a good position of the coils in space. According to the QI standard, this task will be performed by a magnetic core in the center of the transmitter coil, which will be attracted to the magnet in the receiver.

Magnetic field as a means of communication

The magnetic field, in addition to energy, also transmits information in the form of bits and bytes generated by phase modulation of the field. Communication between the transmitter and receiver is established at the moment when the mobile device, such as a phone, is on the surface of the charger. The transmitter sends a pulse every 400ms. If the voltage does not change, this means that no energy is being transferred. A voltage drop indicates the presence of a QI-enabled receiver. After detecting the last one, the transmitter sends out a stronger pulse to "wake up" the receiver. He, in turn, "negotiates" with the transmitter on the conditions of charging, that is, the required amount of electricity, strength and frequency of the current. After that, the power transfer phase begins, the effectiveness of which the receiver reports to the transmitter every 32 ms, sending him data packets with information about errors, which can be corrected if necessary. After the battery is charged, the receiver sends an “End Power Transfer” packet and the transmitter stops working.

The new version of the standard (1.1), which appeared in April 2012, provides for the use of more efficient chargers than the base standard. Version 1.1 has a good chance of success, but not all companies are involved in the development and implementation of technology: Apple does not support QI at all, and Samsung and Qualcomm are developing their own standard. Next year, Intel intends to launch ultrabooks with support for wireless chargers. To do this, the company will use not induction, but a resonant method, but it is still unknown whether it will be compatible with QI or not.

How does wireless smartphone charging work? August 21st, 2016

Now more and more often I hear about wireless charging. Four months ago, when I was looking for a new car, I saw a Kia "Sportage" with such a built-in charger. I also thought, who is it designed for, for units? It seemed that for this you need to have some kind of cool phone model or some kind of expensive equipment. But it turns out that my mid-range phone also supports this technology. I thought, I do not know the principles of how it works. It seemed to me that this technology is still quite "far" from the layman, but it is already nearby and quite accessible.

Let's take a closer look...

It turns out that the principle of operation of a wireless charger is very simple - just place the gadget on a special panel to charge it. The accessory is based on the principle of operation of the induction coil.

Cordless toothbrushes have been using wireless charging for a long time. The technology has traditionally been accompanied by problems of low efficiency and slow charging, but these were not a critical drawback for a toothbrush or electric razor that you only use for a few minutes every day. Using inductive charging is safer in that there is no wire and it won't short out and you won't accidentally touch badly insulated areas with wet hands.

This method of energy transfer has become very popular in recent times. In 2015, the globally popular brand began selling furniture that will have a built-in wireless charging module. Today, all flagship smartphones support Qi.

It is expected that soon transmitters or, in other words, modules can be found at airports, restaurants, cinemas, fast food, shopping centers, which will allow charging phones and tablets at any time. In fact, this will make life easier for users of mobile gadgets. We are entering a new era where it is not necessary to carry wired chargers everywhere with us for all the devices we use.

The wireless power standard is called Qi. In Russian transcription, the word is pronounced as "Qi". The standard bears such a name in honor of the term of Eastern philosophy and means the flow of energy. It is developed by the WPC Wireless Electromagnetic Energy Consortium. This organization brings together world electronics manufacturers and sets itself an important task - to standardize the process of charging gadgets using the induction method. In the near future, all devices can be charged without being connected to the network. It's incredibly convenient. Each of us at least once faced with a situation where the smartphone is discharged. We urgently need to find a way out. Soon, wireless charging modules will appear in all public places, as well as at every user's home.

At home, you can simply place the module in a convenient place, and it will never get lost, unlike wired "charging". It is enough just to place a gadget on it, wait a bit until the battery capacity is replenished. The principle of operation of wireless "charging" is based on the properties of an induction coil to transmit electric current. In the school physics course, we were taught that when an induction coil is connected to a power source, a magnetic field arises in it perpendicular to the turns of the coil. Thus, if you place two coils within the range of the magnetic field and at the same time connect one of them to a power source, then voltage will appear in the second coil. In this case, it is important to take into account the fact that two induction coils should in no case be in contact with each other. Such a simple principle lies in the operation of wireless chargers that support Qi technology.

There are two varieties of the Qi standard. The first involves charging at low power - 5 watts, and the second - at high power - 120 watts. Qi high power is not currently produced by manufacturers due to objective factors. With Qi at 120 watts, you can charge your laptop. Qi at 5 watts is used to replenish the battery capacity of tablet computers and phones. It should be noted that different current strengths are required for a tablet and a smartphone. A wireless charger for a phone creates a current of 1 amp, and for a tablet computer - 2 amps. When choosing an accessory, be sure to pay attention to such characteristics.

To better understand how wireless charging works, it should be noted that the magnetic field is capable of transmitting not only electric current, but also data on bytes and bits, which was taken into account by the developers of the Qi standard. The interaction between the coils will only occur when the gadget with the built-in transmitter is close to the transmitter. If the accessory for charging the gadget will function in the background, then the pulse sent every 0.4 seconds by the transmitter will not change the voltage in the coil built into the transmitter. We can conclude that a modern accessory can recognize in which mode to function. As soon as a smartphone is nearby at a distance of several centimeters, the voltage in the induction coil will drop sharply, and the device will switch to active mode. As soon as the smartphone's battery is charged, the corresponding signal will put the charger into the background. It can be concluded that modern wireless accessories for battery replenishment are energy efficient.

More charts and formulas

Some users mistakenly believe that the Qi wireless charging function can be harmful to health. The fact is that magnetic radiation is not ionizing. In its effect on the body, it is similar to a mobile signal, a Wi-Fi signal, a radio signal. At the same time, the signal of the mobile network that comes from the tower is stronger and has a continuous character, while electromagnetic radiation disappears immediately after charging the smartphone’s battery. The power of wireless chargers is 5 watts. It is not enough to have an effect on the human body. We can talk about a negative impact only if the power of such devices is 120 watts. But such models are not produced on an industrial scale. This explains the lack of wireless chargers for laptops. It is important to know that wireless battery charging technology has long been used in many models of electric shavers and electric toothbrushes, which once again proves its safety.

prospects

This inductive charging may be convenient, but the short range is a problem. This drastically reduces the usability of this technology. Will this change? May be. There has been a lot of research into the potential of wireless charging and there have been advances in range in various technologies. Lasers, microwave ovens, and more powerful variants of inductive charging have been able to achieve longer transmission distances. Disadvantages prevent widespread this too powerful radiation of the above technologies. You can get burned or worse. It is difficult to say who will take the lead in this market. The first candidate is Apple, because the company has patented a device that can allegedly charge at a distance of up to one meter. The Wireless Power Consortium is also constantly looking for better options. And then there's Intel, which recently announced that it's working on an integrated magnetic device technology that will be placed in a laptop and distribute power to nearby smartphones and peripherals.

sources

The method of charging gadgets without direct contact with wires is becoming more and more firmly established in our lives.

It is no longer necessary to regularly connect the phone with wires to the socket. It is enough to place it on a special surface, and the battery will begin to receive power.

How does wireless charging work?

At the heart of wireless chargers is such a physical phenomenon as magnetic induction, which allows you to transfer electricity over a distance from one induction coil to another.

The main part of such a device is a charging station, which is a primary coil in a plastic case. It is connected to an electrical outlet, after which an electromagnetic field is created around it at a short distance. A smartphone equipped with a secondary receiver coil is placed on the charging station and begins to receive electricity to power the battery.

What is Qi?

Theoretically, the possibility of wireless charging can be implemented in various ways, so the characteristics of the charging station may vary. This means that a wireless charger from one smartphone may not work with a smartphone from another manufacturer.

To avoid this, global electronics manufacturers have united in the Wireless Electromagnetic Energy Consortium and adopted a single standard called Qi. In Russian, this is read as "Qi". It is within this standard that most wireless chargers and phones are manufactured.

The maximum power of wireless chargers is 5W with a current of 1A. This is enough to successfully charge the smartphone battery. The efficiency of such charges is somewhat lower than those that work from sockets, so it will take a little more time to reach 100% charge.

On top smartphones of well-known brands, such as Samsung and iPhone, the receiver (receiving coil) is installed at the production stage, and this does not affect the thickness of the gadgets - they remain thin.

DIY wireless charging

If the manufacturer did not provide for the possibility of wireless charging initially, then with the help of a special adapter you can fill this gap. There are special films with an induction coil on sale, which are selected depending on the smartphone model. They can be installed under its cover. In this case, the connection is made via the contacts provided for this purpose.

It is also possible to place the coil between the back cover and the case, and a special cable from it is installed in the power connector. The thickness of such a receiver film is about 2 mm, so the external gadget will hardly change.

In terms of intensity, electromagnetic radiation from the charging station is lower when compared with a cellular signal. Upon reaching 100% battery charge, the power controller turns off the induction field. Therefore, users should not be afraid for their health - such a charger will not cause any harm.

Where to charge "by air"?

The wireless method of charging the battery is gaining more and more recognition. In cinemas, cafes, airports, special podiums for wireless charging appear. Thanks to a single standard, they can charge any phones that support Qi.

Manufacturers of interior elements successfully install charging stations in tables, armchairs, table lamps. In new car models, engineers have provided special podiums in the dashboard, on which you can place a smartphone for charging. Moreover, now there is no need to purchase cigarette lighter chargers for the car, which saves the user from unnecessary wires.

It would be great to never charge your smartphone, or if it charged without any contact while connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot. Unfortunately, today no manufacturer can promise you this, but there is a way to forget about the need to connect a charging cable. It's about the so-called. Today, the Qi standard is actively developing, and many devices already support it. Let's see what it is and whether we should use it.

What is this?

So, as already mentioned, wireless charging allows you to recharge the battery of the device without connecting a power cable to it. However, the charging contact is still needed, and the device will not start charging until it is placed on a special platform or charging mat. Some devices natively support wireless charging technology, and the necessary elements are built into the case, and some devices can be taught to charge wirelessly using a special case, which, however, seriously increases their size.

Supported devices are charged using induction, which means that the element that is needed for wireless charging is nothing more than a coil that is affected by charging using electromagnetic fields. This process occurs imperceptibly to the human eye. The only thing you will see is the battery charge indication on the smartphone screen.

Why is this needed?

In fact, using a charging cable is not convenient enough. Cables wear out, get tangled up and get lost. It is much more convenient to have a platform that is always in the same place, at home and at work. The Qi standard is now widespread, and today wireless charging can be found in cafes, hotels and many other places. This is more convenient than looking for an outlet and cable suitable for your smartphone.

Finally, the last and most non-obvious plus can be appreciated by the owners of devices protected from moisture. When there is no need to connect a cable, there is no need to open the cap on the case, which wears out quickly enough and is not very convenient.

And what are the disadvantages?

I would like to say that they are not, but it is not. The main disadvantage of wireless charging technology is less energy efficiency. The smartphone will not charge as quickly as when connected with a cable, and electricity will be used less efficiently, and part of it will be lost as heat. However, slow smartphone charging should not bother you if you can always put your smartphone on the mat at home or at work.

Another drawback is the rather high cost compared to conventional chargers. This is a more complex technology, and another nuance follows from this. Wireless charging is quite difficult to integrate into a device that is too thin.

What devices support wireless charging?

Almost every modern device supports wireless charging, but some, like the iPhone, will not be able to charge without an additional accessory. Devices from Asus, Google, HTC, Cat, LG, Kyocera, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony and Yota Devices support wireless charging. A complete list of such devices can be found at this link.

According to AndroidPit