A patent application shows that Samsung is working on its wireless charging system that charges telephones or tablets over the air. So, it is not necessary to lay the device directly on a charger.
Wireless charging without having to place your phone in one place has appealed to the imagination for years. In practice, this still has all kinds of hooks and eyes. So in 2018 we still have to charge new devices like the Galaxy S9 with a traditional wireless charger. Some companies are busy developing new ‘over the air’ charging systems, and Samsung is one of them.
Samsung patent: over the air wireless charging
A patent application (PDF) initially filed in South Korea in 2016 describes a system that ‘transmits’ energy wirelessly to a device somewhere in the same space. Or rather: the patent describes ways of directing energy towards a machine.
Aiming at one phone, and following its movement
Not only can such a charging system focus on specific devices, but thanks to reflectors, obstacles – such as the use itself – can also be circumvented. It tracks the changing position of a phone or tablet. So you can keep running around with your phone while it’s charging.
Space with 1200: transmitter, and 1301 and 1303: reflectors to bypass objects (1311).
As can be seen from the illustrations, this patent application mainly records ideas. The extent to which Samsung is behind the scenes with the concrete development of this kind of equipment is not evident here. In the past, Samsung has often stressed its desire to be at the forefront of battery life and recharging – although, of course, it is indeed not the only one who is currently working hard on development.
However, it will be many years before this type of system, in an affordable and usable form, will be suitable for mass consumption. But: Samsung is also working on it. In any case, that is clear.