A recently published Dell patent, discovered by Patently Apple, shows that the company is exploring the possibility of wirelessly charging devices on the surface of a laptop. We’ve seen similar concepts from Apple, which has already won patents for similar technologies. Rather than just dropping your iPhone on the surface of the laptop and letting it charge, Dell’s patent application describes a “wireless charging clip” that can be attached to the PC and then used to charge devices that plug into it. are placed.
Dell
The patent (number 2020239124) was filed in early 2021 and published on Thursday. It doesn’t guarantee a future product or feature, but it gives us a glimpse into what the company is considering.
Dell
The wireless charging clip has a surface with a charging coil and a ferrite plate underneath. The clip would be connected to the PC by magnets.
According to the patent application, the wireless charging clip uses “charging circuit configured” [to] provide inductive power to charge an auxiliary device when the device is placed on top of the first surface, and a connector through which input power is received” from the system on which the charging clip is installed.
Apple has been researching for years to introduce inductive charging into its devices. The US Patent and Trademark Office has already granted Apple patents that use the surface, trackpad, or lid of a MacBook to wirelessly charge Apple products.
Again, there’s no guarantee that Dell or Apple will release a laptop that supports reverse wireless charging in one form or another. After all, we’ve seen products like Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat not hit the market before.
List image by Dell
