Auxiliary devices and methods for non-contact hardware shutdown and/or reset of electronic devices

Abstract

An auxiliary device for charging and facilitating hardware shutdown/reset of an electronic device includes a charge transmitter configured to transmit electric power signals, an input user interface for receiving a user input, a wireless control signal transmitter configured to transmit wireless control signals, and a microcontroller unit (MCU). The MC is configured to: determine a user instruction based on the user input; enable the wireless control signal transmitter to transmit a wireless control signal in response to the user instruction; and control the charge transmitter to selectively transmit the electric power signals according to a timing sequence selected based on the user instruction. In some embodiments, the input user interface and the wireless control signal transmitter are a same device (e.g., a slidable magnet).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An auxiliary device comprising:
 a charge transmitter configured to transmit electric power signals;   an input user interface for receiving a user input;   a wireless control signal transmitter configured to transmit wireless control signals; and   a microcontroller unit (MCU) configured to:
 determine a user instruction based on the user input; 
 enable, in response to the user instruction, the wireless control signal transmitter to transmit a wireless control signal; and 
 control the charge transmitter to selectively transmit the electric power signals according to a timing sequence selected based on the user instruction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , wherein the charge transmitter includes a wireless charging transmitter. 
     
     
         3 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , wherein the input user interface includes one or more buttons, one or more switches, a touch screen, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the input user interface includes a button or switch;   actuating the button or switch for a first time period indicates a first user instruction; and   actuating the button or switch for a second time period indicates a second user instruction.   
     
     
         5 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the input user interface includes two buttons;   actuating a first one of the two buttons indicates a first user instruction; and   actuating a second one of the two buttons or both of the two buttons indicates a second user instruction.   
     
     
         6 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless control signal transmitter includes:
 an electromagnetic coil configured to generate a magnetic field;   an infrared light source configured to emit steady infrared light or infrared light pulses; or   a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter configured to transit an RF signal.   
     
     
         7 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , wherein the user instruction includes a hardware shutdown of an electronic device or a hardware reset of the electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The auxiliary device of  claim 7 , wherein the MCU is configured to:
 in response to the user instruction being the hardware shutdown of the electronic device:
 enable the wireless control signal transmitter; 
 disable the charge transmitter after a first time delay; and 
 signal, via an output user interface, a user to disengage the electronic device and the auxiliary device; and 
   in response to the user instruction being the hardware reset of the electronic device:
 enable the wireless control signal transmitter; 
 disable the charge transmitter after a third time delay; and 
 enable the charge transmitter to transmit the electric power signals again after a fourth time delay. 
   
     
     
         9 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , further comprising an output user interface for indicating a status of the auxiliary device. 
     
     
         10 . The auxiliary device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an input port for receiving electric power from an external source; and   a switch connecting the input port to the charge transmitter or the wireless control signal transmitter, the switch controlled by the MCU.   
     
     
         11 . An auxiliary device comprising:
 a charge transmitter configured to transmit electric power signals;   a slidable magnet;   a Hall-effect sensor adjacent to the slidable magnet and configured to detect a magnetic field generated by sliding and holding the slidable magnet at one or more locations; and   a microcontroller unit (MCU) configured to:
 determine a user instruction based on the magnetic field; and 
 control the charge transmitter to selectively transmit the electric power signals according to a timing sequence selected based on the user instruction. 
   
     
     
         12 . The auxiliary device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 sliding the slidable magnet for a first number of times indicates a first user instruction; and   sliding the slidable magnet for a second number of times indicates a second user instruction.   
     
     
         13 . The auxiliary device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 holding the slidable magnet at a first position for a first time period indicates a first user instruction; and   holding the slidable magnet at the first position for a second time period indicates a second user instruction.   
     
     
         14 . The auxiliary device of  claim 11 , wherein the user instruction includes a hardware shutdown of an electronic device or a hardware reset of the electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The auxiliary device of  claim 14 , wherein the MCU is configured to:
 in response to the user instruction being the hardware shutdown of the electronic device:
 disable the charge transmitter after a first time delay; and 
 signal, via an output user interface, a user to disengage the electronic device and the auxiliary device; and 
   in response to the user instruction being the hardware reset of the electronic device:
 disable the charge transmitter after a second time delay; and 
 enable the charge transmitter to transmit the electric power signals again after a third time delay. 
   
     
     
         16 . The auxiliary device of  claim 11 , further comprising an output user interface for indicating a status of the auxiliary device. 
     
     
         17 . The auxiliary device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an input port for receiving electric power from an external source; and   a switch connecting the input port to the charge transmitter, the switch controlled by the MCU.   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising, at an auxiliary device:
 enabling a wireless charging transmitter to transmit wireless power signals to an electronic device;   receiving a user input;   enabling, in response to the user input, a wireless control signal transmitter to transmit a wireless control signal for shutting down the electronic device;   disabling the wireless charging transmitter after a first time delay; and   performing, based on the user input,
 signaling a user to remove the electronic device; or 
 reenabling the wireless charging transmitter to transmit the wireless power signals to the electronic device to restart the electronic device. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the wireless control signal includes a magnetic field signal, an infrared light signal, or a radio-frequency signal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining a user instruction based on a duration of the user input, an input device that receives the user input, or both the duration and the input device.