Wireless charging of an electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12476486-B2
Application number	US-202418442284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2024
Priority date	May 23, 2022
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

An electric vehicle charger, comprising: a transmitter coil electrically connected to an energy source and configured to inductively couple to a receiver coil on the electric vehicle; a proximity sensor configured to generate alignment data regarding the receiver coil on the electric vehicle and the transmitter coil; and a computing device that is communicatively connected to the proximity sensor, wherein the computing device is configured to: identify the electric vehicle using an authenticated identification datum from the electric vehicle; align the transmitter coil with the receiver coil as a function of the alignment data; and initiate charging of the electric vehicle as a function of the authenticated identification datum.

First claim

What is claims is:

1 . An electric vehicle charger, comprising:
a transmitter coil electrically connected to an energy source and configured to inductively couple to a receiver coil on the electric vehicle; a proximity sensor configured to generate alignment data regarding the receiver coil on the electric vehicle and the transmitter coil; and a computing device that is communicatively connected to the proximity sensor, wherein the computing device is configured to:
identify the electric vehicle using an authenticated identification datum from the electric vehicle;
determine an alignment element as a function of the alignment data, the alignment element including a first threshold distance within which charging can be performed and a second threshold distance within which automatic maneuvering of the electric vehicle can be implemented;
align the transmitter coil with the receiver coil as a function of the alignment element, including using automatic maneuvering of the electric vehicle if the alignment element includes an indication that a distance between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil is less than or equal to the second threshold distance; and
initiate charging of the electric vehicle as a function of the authenticated identification datum.

2 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 1 , wherein the alignment data include a distance between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil.

3 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor is within one of a charging structure and the transmitter coil.

4 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 3 , wherein the charging structure includes an overvoltage protection circuit.

5 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter coil and the receiver coil are concentrically arranged.

6 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter coil includes a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the receiver coil.

7 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter coil includes a diameter larger than a diameter of the receiver coil.

8 . An electric vehicle charger, comprising:
a transmitter coil electrically connected to an energy source and configured to inductively couple to a receiver coil on the electric vehicle; a proximity sensor within the transmitter coil and configured to generate alignment data regarding the receiver coil on the electric vehicle and the transmitter coil; and a computing device that is communicatively connected to the proximity sensor, wherein the computing device is configured to:
identify an electric vehicle using an authenticated identification datum from the electric vehicle;
determine an alignment element as a function of the alignment data, the alignment element including a first threshold distance within which charging can be performed and a second threshold distance within which automatic maneuvering of the electric vehicle can be implemented;
align the transmitter coil with the receiver coil as a function of the alignment element, including using automatic maneuvering of the electric vehicle if the alignment element includes an indication that a distance between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil is less than or equal to the second threshold distance; and
initiate charging of the electric vehicle as a function of the authenticated identification datum.

9 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 8 , wherein the alignment data include a distance between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil.

10 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 8 , wherein the transmitter coil and the receiver coil are concentrically arranged.

11 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 8 , wherein the transmitter coil includes a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the receiver coil.

12 . The electric vehicle charger of claim 8 , wherein the transmitter coil includes a diameter larger than a diameter of the receiver coil.

13 . A method, comprising:
identifying an electric vehicle using an authenticated identification datum from the electric vehicle, the electric vehicle including a receiver coil; generating, using a proximity sensor, alignment data regarding the receiver coil of the electric vehicle and a transmitter coil; determining, using a computer device communicatively connected to the proximity sensor, an alignment element as a function of the alignment data, the alignment element including a first threshold distance within which charging can be performed and a second threshold distance within which automatic maneuvering of the electric vehicle can be implemented; aligning, using the computing device, the transmitter coil with the receiver coil as a function of the alignment element, wherein the transmitter coil is electrically connected to an energy source and configured to inductively couple the transmitter coil with the receiver coil as a function of the alignment element, including using automatic maneuvering of the electric vehicle if the alignment element includes an indication that a distance between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil is less than or equal to the second threshold distance; and initiating charging of the electric vehicle as a function of the authenticated identification datum.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the alignment data include a distance between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the proximity sensor is within one of a charging structure and the transmitter coil.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the charging structure includes an overvoltage protection circuit.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter coil and the receiver coil are concentrically arranged.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter coil includes a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the receiver coil.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter coil includes a diameter larger than a diameter of the receiver coil.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Palombini John Charles
• Donnelly Richard
• Pill Jake
• Hall Edward

Classifications

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · 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

• G06F21/31

  User authentication · CPC title

• H02J50/90

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