Charging transmission line under roadway for moving electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10131238-B2
Application number	US-201615055345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A system includes charging segments positioned throughout a transportation network, the charging segments charging rechargeable electric vehicles. Each charging segment includes a primary coil to charge a selected rechargeable electric vehicle; a power inverter to convert alternating electrical current from a power grid to direct electrical current to pass through the primary coil; a switch to activate and deactivate the ability of the primary coil to charge the selected rechargeable electric vehicle; a transceiver to transmit signals to and receive signals from the selected rechargeable electric vehicle in spatial proximity to the charging segment; and a controller to control the switch in response to signals received from the transceiver. The controller determines whether an oncoming vehicle is a rechargeable electric vehicle, enables the switch to activate the primary coil when the oncoming vehicle is a rechargeable electric vehicle, and disables the switch to deactivate the primary coil when the oncoming vehicle is not a rechargeable electric vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of charging segments positioned throughout a transportation network, wherein the plurality of charging segments charge a plurality of rechargeable electric vehicles while the plurality of rechargeable electric vehicles are in motion, each charging segment comprising:
a primary coil embedded in a roadway of the transportation network to charge a selected rechargeable electric vehicle while the selected rechargeable electric vehicle is in motion on the roadway;
a power inverter, in electrical communication with the primary coil, to convert direct current electrical energy from a power grid to alternating current electrical energy to pass the alternating current electrical energy through the primary coil;
a switch, in electrical communication with the primary coil, to activate and deactivate the ability of the primary coil to charge the selected rechargeable electric vehicle;
a transceiver to transmit signals to and receive signals from the selected rechargeable electric vehicle in spatial proximity to the charging segment; and
a controller to control the switch in response to signals received from the transceiver, the controller determining whether an oncoming vehicle is a rechargeable electric vehicle; enabling the switch to activate the primary coil when the oncoming vehicle is a rechargeable electric vehicle; and disabling the switch to deactivate the primary coil when the oncoming vehicle is not a rechargeable electric vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the oncoming vehicle is a rechargeable electric vehicle, the controller further determines one or more of an associated type of rechargeable electric vehicle of the oncoming vehicle, a priority level of the oncoming vehicle, a make and/or model of the oncoming vehicle, a current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, a destination of the oncoming vehicle, a spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil, an electronic calendar of the operator, a normal schedule for an operator of the vehicle, and a number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle; applies one or more rules based on the one or more of an associated type of rechargeable electric vehicle of the oncoming vehicle, a priority level of the oncoming vehicle, a make and/or model of the oncoming vehicle, a current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, a destination of the oncoming vehicle, a spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil, an electronic calendar of the operator, a normal schedule for the operator, and a number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle; and, based on the rule, activates or deactivates the primary coil as the oncoming vehicle, while in motion on the roadway, passes over the primary coil.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more of an associated type of rechargeable electric vehicle of the oncoming vehicle, a priority level of the oncoming vehicle, a make and/or model of the oncoming vehicle, a current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, a destination of the oncoming vehicle, a spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil, an electronic calendar of the operator, a normal schedule for the operator, and a number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle is an associated type of rechargeable electric vehicle of the oncoming vehicle or a priority level of the oncoming vehicle and wherein the controller activates the primary coil when the type or priority level has a first set of values and deactivates the primary coil when the type or priority level does not have the first set of values.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more of an associated type of rechargeable electric vehicle of the oncoming vehicle, a priority level of the oncoming vehicle, a make and/or model of the oncoming vehicle, a current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, a destination of the oncoming vehicle, a spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil, an electronic calendar of the operator, a normal schedule for the operator, and a number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle is a current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, a destination of the oncoming vehicle, and a number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle and wherein the controller activates the primary coil when the current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, destination of the oncoming vehicle, and number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle has a first set of values and deactivates the primary coil when the current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, destination of the oncoming vehicle, and number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle does not have the first set of values.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller activates the primary coil when the oncoming vehicle passes a first predetermined position along the roadway charging the oncoming vehicle while the oncoming vehicle is in motion and deactivates the primary coil when the oncoming vehicle passes a second predetermined position along the roadway, wherein the one or more of an associated type of rechargeable electric vehicle of the oncoming vehicle, a priority level of the oncoming vehicle, a make and/or model of the oncoming vehicle, a current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, a destination of the oncoming vehicle, a spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil, an electronic calendar of the operator, a normal schedule for the operator, and a number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle is the spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil, and wherein the controller activates the primary coil when the spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil has a first set of values and deactivates the primary coil when the spatial location of the oncoming vehicle relative to a spatial position of the primary coil does not have the first set of values.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the oncoming vehicle is a rechargeable electric vehicle, the controller further determines whether the oncoming vehicle has reserved in advance a charge from the primary coil and, when the oncoming vehicle has a reservation, activates the primary coil as the oncoming vehicle passes over the primary coil to provide the reserved charge to the oncoming vehicle while the oncoming vehicle is in motion on the roadway and, when the oncoming vehicle has no reservation, does not activate the primary coil as the oncoming vehicle passes over the primary coil.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a duration and/or magnitude of alternating current electrical energy passed through the primary coil for an oncoming vehicle depends on one or more of one or more of a make and/or model of the oncoming vehicle, a current charging requirement of the oncoming vehicle, and a number of occupants of the oncoming vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver emits a homing signal or an electrical current is passed through the primary coil to enable the oncoming vehicle to align with the primary coil.

9. A method in a system comprising a plurality of charging segments positioned throughout a transportation network, wherein the plurality of charging segments charge a plurality of rechargeable electric vehicles while the plurality of rechargeable electric vehicles are in motion, each charging segment comprising a primary coil embedded in a roadway of the transportation network to charge a selected rechargeable electric vehicle while the selected rechargeable electric vehicle is in motion on the roadway;

Assignees

• Nio Usa Inc

Inventors

• Ricci Christopher P

Classifications

• B60L53/65

  involving identification of vehicles or their battery types · CPC title

• B60L53/126

  Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver · CPC title

• B60L53/32

  by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title