Power feed system and power feed method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11722012-B2
Application number	US-202217856919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2022
Priority date	Jul 2, 2021
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A power feed system includes a power feed mat and a computer. The power feed mat includes a plurality of power transmission coils. The power feed mat is configured to feed power to at least one movable body on the power feed mat by using at least one of the plurality of power transmission coils. The computer is configured to determine whether or not to permit power feed to a movable body that requests power feed. In the power feed system, when the computer determines not to permit power feed, the power feed mat does not feed power to the movable body that requests power feed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power feed system, comprising:
a power feed mat; and
a computer, wherein
the power feed mat includes a plurality of power transmission coils,
the power feed mat is configured to feed power to at least one movable body on the power feed mat by using at least one of the plurality of power transmission coils,
the computer is configured to determine whether to permit power feed to a movable body that requests power feed,
when the computer determines not to permit power feed, the power feed mat does not feed power to the movable body that requests power feed, and
the computer
determines whether the movable body that requests power feed falls under a subject movable body adapted to the power feed mat,
determines, when the movable body that requests power feed does not fall under the subject movable body, not to permit power feed to the movable body that requests power feed,
determines, when the movable body that requests power feed falls under the subject movable body and the power feed mat is not feeding power, to permit power feed to the movable body that requests power feed,
determines, when the movable body that requests power feed falls under the subject movable body and the power feed mat is feeding power to another movable body, whether total feed power in the power feed mat exceeds a power capacity of the power feed mat if power is fed simultaneously to all of the movable body that requests power feed and the another movable body,
determines, when the total feed power does not exceed the power capacity even if power is fed simultaneously to all of the movable body that requests power feed and the another movable body, to permit power feed to the movable body that requests power feed, and
determines, when the total feed power exceeds the power capacity if power is fed simultaneously to all of the movable body that requests power feed and the another movable body, whether to permit power feed to the movable body that requests power feed based on a priority of each of the movable body that requests power feed and the another movable body.

2. The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
the computer determines the priority such that a movable body smaller in remaining amount of stored power is higher in priority.

3. The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
when each of the movable body that requests power feed and the another movable body is a movable body for delivery, the computer determines the priority such that a movable body carrying a load is higher in priority than a movable body not carrying a load.

4. The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
when each of the movable body that requests power feed and the another movable body has a task, the computer evaluates the task for each movable body and determines the priority based on a result of evaluating the task.

5. The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
the power feed mat is flexible to such an extent that the power feed mat can be rolled into a cylinder.

6. The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
the power feed mat is formed by combination of a plurality of plate members,
the power feed mat is constructed as being disassemblable into the plurality of plate members, and
each of the plurality of plate members includes at least one power transmission coil among the plurality of power transmission coils.

7. The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
the power feed mat is constructed to be placed on a floor indoors.

8. A power feed system, comprising:
a power feed mat; and
a computer, wherein
the power feed mat includes a plurality of power transmission coils,
the power feed mat is configured to feed power to at least one movable body on the power feed mat by using at least one of the plurality of power transmission coils,
the computer is configured to determine whether to permit power feed to a movable body that requests power feed,
when the computer determines not to permit power feed, the power feed mat does not feed power to the movable body that requests power feed,
the computer is configured to communicate with each of a plurality of movable bodies,
each of the plurality of movable bodies includes
a power storage,
a power reception coil that receives electric power from a power transmission coil included in the power feed mat,
a charging circuit that charges the power storage with electric power received by the power reception coil, and
a first controller that controls the charging circuit,

the computer is configured to transmit a first permission signal to the movable body that requests power feed when the computer determines to permit power feed to the movable body that requests power feed, and
the first controller is configured to carry out control for starting charging of the power storage when alignment between the power reception coil of the movable body that requests power feed and any power transmission coil included in the power feed mat is completed and the movable body receives the first permission signal.

9. The power feed system according to claim 8 , wherein
each of the plurality of movable bodies is an autonomous vehicle configured to travel with electric power stored in the power storage, without human intervention, and
each of the plurality of movable bodies is configured such that, when a corresponding movable body of the plurality of movable bodies arrives at the power feed mat, the corresponding movable body selects one power transmission coil from among the plurality of power transmission coils and aligns the selected power transmission coil and the power reception coil with each other.

10. The power feed system according to claim 8 , wherein
the power feed mat is flexible to such an extent that the power feed mat can be rolled into a cylinder.

11. The power feed system according to claim 8 , wherein
the power feed mat is formed by combination of a plurality of plate members,
the power feed mat is constructed as being disassemblable into the plurality of plate members, and
each of the plurality of plate members includes at least one power transmission coil among the plurality of power transmission coils.

12. The power feed system according to claim 8 , wherein
the power feed mat is constructed to be placed on a floor indoors.

13. A power feed system, comprising:
a power feed mat; and
a computer, wherein
the power feed mat includes a plurality of power transmission coils,
the power feed mat is configured to feed power to at least one movable body on the power feed mat by using at least one of the plurality of power transmission coils,
the computer is configured to determine whether to permit power feed to a movable body that requests power feed,
when the computer determines not to permit power feed, the power feed mat does not feed power to the movable body that requests power feed,
the power feed system further comprises:
a power supply circuit that supplies electric power to each of the plurality of power transmission coils, and
a power control circuit that receives supply of electric power from the power supply circuit and switches between connection and disconnection between each of the plurality of power transmission coils and the power supply circuit,

the power feed mat includes a second controller that controls the power control circuit,
the computer is configured to communicate with the second controller,
the computer is configured to transmit a second permission signal to the power feed mat when the computer determines to permit power feed to the movable body that requests power feed, and
the

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yokoyama Daiki
• Hashimoto Toshiya
• Kobayashi Katsuya
• Hirano Takahiro
• Sugiyama Midori
• Yamashita Ryunosuke

Classifications

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J50/402 Primary

  the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• H02J50/80

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title