Devices, systems, and method for power control of dynamic electric vehicle charging systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9608465-B2
Application number	US-201414472856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2014
Priority date	Apr 18, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle. In one aspect, a method of wirelessly charging an electric vehicle is provided. The method includes, obtaining a request from the electric vehicle for a level of charging power to be delivered from a power transmitter to the electric vehicle via a charging field. The method further includes controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter based on a power efficiency factor and the requested level of charging power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle, comprising:
a communication receiver configured to obtain a request for a level of charging power, wherein the request indicates a level of charging power to be delivered from a power antenna circuit to the electric vehicle via a charging field; and
a controller operationally coupled to the communication receiver and configured to control a current or voltage generator of the power antenna circuit based on a power efficiency factor and the requested level of charging power, wherein the power efficiency factor during a first time period is determined without receiving an amount of power measurement at the electric vehicle during the first time period.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power efficiency factor is based at least in part on a pre-programmed value retrievable by the controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pre-programmed value comprises a value of a lookup table comprising different pre-programmed values for different charging power levels.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power efficiency factor comprises a determination of an efficiency of at least the power delivered by the power antenna circuit to a receive antenna and a rectifier circuit of the electric vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to measure a current or voltage of the power antenna circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the power efficiency factor based on the measured current or voltage of the power antenna circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the communication receiver is further configured to receive an output power measurement or an output error value from the electric vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the power efficiency factor based on the output power measurement or the output error value.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the current or voltage generator based on the power efficiency factor during a first time period, and wherein the output power measurement is received after the first time period.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the output error value comprises a difference between the output power measurement of the electric vehicle and the requested level of charging power, and wherein the output power measurement comprises a measurement of a level of charging power delivered to a load of the electric vehicle from the power antenna circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the current or voltage generator of the power antenna circuit based on a ratio of an input power of the power antenna circuit and the output power measurement.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein an initial value of the ratio comprises a pre-programmed value retrievable by the controller.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the ratio based on the output power measurement or the output error value.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the current or voltage generator of the power antenna circuit based on a change in an electrical characteristic of the power antenna circuit or a receive circuit of the electric vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the electrical characteristic comprises at least one of a current, or an impedance, or a voltage, or a resistance, or a inductance, or resonant frequency, or a phase, or any combination thereof.

16. A method for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle, comprising:
obtaining a request from the electric vehicle for a level of charging power, wherein the request indicates a level of charging power to be delivered from a power transmitter to the electric vehicle via a charging field; and
controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter based on a power efficiency factor and the requested level of charging power, wherein the power efficiency factor during a first time period is determined without receiving an amount of power measurement at the electric vehicle during the first time period.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the power efficiency factor is based at least in part on a pre-programmed value retrievable by the controller.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the power efficiency factor comprises a determination of an efficiency of at least the power delivered by the power antenna circuit to a receive antenna and a rectifier circuit of the electric vehicle.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising adjusting the power efficiency factor based on a measured current or voltage of the power transmitter.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving an output power measurement or an output error value from the electric vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising adjusting the power efficiency factor based on the output power measurement or the output error value.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter comprises controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter based on a ratio of an input power of the power antenna circuit and the output power measurement.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter comprises controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter based on the output power measurement or the output error value.

24. The method of claim 16 , wherein controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter comprises controlling a current or voltage of the power transmitter based on a change in an electrical characteristic of the power transmitter or the electric vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the electrical characteristic comprises at least one of a current, or an impedance, or a voltage, or a resistance, or a inductance, or resonant frequency, or a phase, or any combination thereof.

26. An apparatus for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle, comprising:
means for obtaining a request from the electric vehicle for a level of charging power, wherein the request indicates a level of charging power to be delivered from a power antenna circuit to the electric vehicle via a charging field; and
means for controlling a current or a voltage of the power antenna circuit based on a power efficiency factor and the requested level of charging power, wherein the power efficiency factor during a first time period is determined without receiving an amount of power measurement at the electric vehicle during the first time period.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the obtaining means comprises a receiver, wherein the controlling means comprises a controller.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 , further comprising adjusting the power efficiency factor based on a measured current or voltage of the power antenna circuit.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 , further comprising:
means for receiving an output power measurement or an output error value from the electric vehicle; and
means for adjusting the power efficiency factor based on the output power measurement or the output error value.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Keeling Nicholas Athol
• Camasca Ramirez Claudio Armando
• Beaver Jonathan
• Huang Chang-Yu
• Budhia Mickel Bipin
• Kissin Michael Le Gallais

Classifications

• 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

• B60L53/122

  Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil · CPC title

• B60L53/66

  Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/42

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