Wireless Charging: LAPIS and Shanghai Amphenol join

The purpose: providing wireless charging solutions for hearable and wearable devices that are trending towards greater compactness and sophistication.

Advanced antenna customisation technology allows Amphenol to provide compact antennas that meet the needs for smaller, thinner housings in the hearable and wearable device markets. At the same time, LAPIS Technology provides compact high performance wireless power supply ICs that leverage wireless digital and analogue circuit technologies cultivated over many years through LSI development.

This time, with technical support provided by LAPIS Technology, Shanghai Amphenol Airwave Communication Electronics, an operation within Amphenol Corporation, will provide a wireless charging solution that solves design constraints regarding housing along with issues such as increased development workforce.
This reference design – that matches power transmission and reception centred on the antenna and wireless charger IC – contributes to rapid device development by providing one-stop support to global customers for achieving wireless charging functionality.

Going forward, both companies will continue to combine their technologies to add value to compact wireless charging solutions – including the use of NFC communication and other functions required by the market.

Sally Yin, General Manager, Shanghai Amphenol Airwave Communication Electronics:
“Partnering with LAPIS Technology allows Amphenol to provide value-added wireless charging solutions. This will enable customers to further reduce size along with development lead times. Shortening development lead time in particular is one of the major advantages for new product development. We are extremely pleased to be able to improve customer satisfaction even more through these benefits!”

Sumihiro Takashima, President, LAPIS Technology: “We are honoured to work with Amphenol, a leader in the antenna industry, to provide novel solutions to our customers. By combining with our products, we are confident that we can provide the most efficient solutions to meet the challenges facing the market.”

Overview of each company’s technologies

1. Amphenol’s antenna technology

Amphenol’s thin, compact antenna design is made possible through experience and expertise cultivated over many years. One key strength is the ability to propose antennas suitable for 3D enclosures, centred on LDS and FPC types. This makes it possible to place the antenna along the housing, which is difficult to achieve with PCB antennas. The result is not only improved design quality, but greater space savings that contributes to set miniaturisation.

2. Wireless charging technology from LAPIS

LAPIS Technology's wireless charging chipsets incorporate the control circuitry necessary for transmitting and receiving power, leading to smaller system size along with shorter lead times by eliminating the need to develop MCU programs. What’s more, using the 13.56MHz frequency band (same as NFC) for power transmission and reception supports even smaller antennas.

Terminology

Matching
Involves adjusting the transmission and receiving antennas to reduce energy loss. This requires technological expertise in antenna design and board layout.
Near Field Communication (NFC)
A short-range wireless communication technology that uses the 13.56MHz frequency band.
Laser Direct Structuring (LDS)
A process technology that allows antennas to be manufactured on 3D plastic. This eliminates the need for antenna components, making it ideal for smaller sets.
Antennas
PFC types are thinner, lighter, and more flexible than PCB antennas. PCB antennas are mounted directly on the printed circuit board (PCB). They can be integrated with electronic circuits to reduce manufacturing lead time.