Multi-turn configurable grid charging coil

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850634-B2
Application number	US-201715789863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2017
Priority date	Oct 20, 2017
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for an external vehicle charging system. The external vehicle charging system includes a first set of inductive coils. The first set of inductive coils include a first inductive coil and a second inductive coil and are configured to provide an alternating magnetic field to one or more inductive loops of a vehicle. The external vehicle charging system includes a sensor configured to detect a position of the one or more inductive loops and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a first threshold distance between the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil to reduce or eliminate interference. The processor is configured to activate the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil so that the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil align with the one or more inductive loops based on the detected position and the first threshold distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An external vehicle charging system, comprising:
a first inductive coil configured to move in three-dimensions to align with a first inductive loop of a vehicle and to provide a magnetic field to the first inductive loop of the vehicle;
a camera configured to capture an image of an underside of the vehicle; and
a processor coupled to the first inductive coil and the camera, the processor being configured to:
obtain user input that includes a configuration setting that indicates to activate the first inductive coil from among a first plurality of inductive coils,
identify the first inductive loop in the image of the underside of the vehicle,
determine a position of the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the image of the underside of the vehicle,
determine a distance that the first inductive coil is offset from the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the position of the first inductive loop of the vehicle and a location of the first inductive coil,
determine whether the first inductive coil is aligned with the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the distance, and
activate the first inductive coil when the first inductive coil is aligned with the first inductive loop of the vehicle and the configuration setting that indicates to activate the first inductive coil is obtained.

2. The external vehicle charging system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
position the first inductive coil within a threshold distance of the first inductive loop.

3. The external vehicle charging system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to move the first inductive coil in a vertical direction perpendicular to a plane of a charging pad and a lateral direction parallel to the plane of the charging pad.

4. The external vehicle charging system of claim 1 , further comprising a second inductive coil that is adjacent to the first inductive coil and configured to provide the magnetic field to a second inductive loop of the vehicle.

5. The external vehicle charging system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first layer of inductive coils that includes the first plurality of inductive coils, wherein the first plurality of inductive coils includes the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil; and
a second layer of inductive coils that includes a second plurality of inductive coils.

6. The external vehicle charging system of claim 5 , wherein the second plurality of inductive coils are vertically aligned and below the first plurality of inductive coils.

7. The external vehicle charging system of claim 5 , wherein the second plurality of inductive coils are offset from the first plurality of inductive coils.

8. The external vehicle charging system of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensions include a first dimension along a length of the vehicle, a second dimension along a width of the vehicle and a third dimension perpendicular to a plane of a charging pad.

9. The external vehicle charging system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
render, on a display, one or more indicators that indicate to a driver to move the vehicle forward, backward, to the left or to the right to align the first inductive loop and the first inductive coil.

10. A method for wirelessly charging a vehicle, comprising:
capturing, using a camera, an image of an underside of the vehicle;
obtaining, by a processor, user input that includes a configuration setting that indicates to activate a first inductive coil from among a plurality of inductive coils;
identifying, by the processor, a first inductive loop of a plurality of inductive loops in the image of the underside of the vehicle;
determining, by the processor, a position of the first inductive loop based on the image of the underside of the vehicle;
determining, by the processor, a distance that the first inductive coil of the plurality of inductive coils is offset from the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the position of the first inductive loop of the vehicle and a location of the first inductive coil;
determining, by the processor, whether the first inductive coil is aligned with the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the distance;
moving, using the processor, the first inductive coil in three-dimensions to align the first inductive coil with the first inductive loop; and
activating, by the processor, the first inductive coil when the first inductive coil is aligned with the first inductive loop of the vehicle and the configuration setting that indicates to activate the first inductive coil is obtained.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of inductive coils include a second inductive coil, wherein the second inductive coil is adjacent to the first inductive coil.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein moving the first inductive coil in three-dimensions includes moving the first inductive coil in a lateral direction and in a vertical direction.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein identifying the first inductive loop of the plurality of inductive loops in the image of the underside of the vehicle includes comparing the first inductive loop to a database of objects to identify the first inductive loop.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the position of the first inductive loop based on the image of the underside of the vehicle includes comparing dimensions of the first inductive loop to dimensions of an object in the database of objects.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
sequentially activating each inductive coil of the plurality of inductive coils, wherein determining whether the first inductive coil is aligned with the first inductive loop of the vehicle is further based on the sequential activation of each inductive coil of the plurality of inductive coils.

16. A vehicle charging system, comprising:
a first inductive coil configured to move in three-dimensions to align with a first inductive loop of a vehicle;
a camera configured to capture an image of an underside of the vehicle; and
a processor coupled to the first inductive coil and the camera, the processor being configured to:
obtain user input that indicates a configuration setting that indicates to activate the first inductive coil from among a plurality of inductive coils,
determine a position of the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the image of the underside of the vehicle,
determine a distance that the first inductive coil is offset from the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the position of the first inductive loop of the vehicle and a location of the first inductive coil,
determine that the first inductive coil is aligned with the first inductive loop of the vehicle based on the distance, and
activate the first inductive coil when the first inductive coil is aligned with the first inductive loop of the vehicle and the configuration setting that indicates to activate the first inductive coil is obtained.

17. The vehicle charging system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
position the first inductive coil within a threshold distance of the first inductive loop.

18. The vehicle charging system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to move the first inductive coil in a vertical direction perpendicular to a plane of a charging pad and a lateral direction parallel to the plane of the charging pad.

19. The vehicle charging system of claim 16 , wherein the three-dimensions include a first dimension along

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Wang Chi-Ming
• Dede Ercan M

Classifications

• B60L53/39 Primary

  with position-responsive activation of primary coils · CPC title

• H02J50/10 Primary

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• Y02T90/12

  Electric charging stations · CPC title

• H02J50/90

  involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

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