Electric vehicle wireless charging with monitoring of duration of charging operational mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9931952-B2
Application number	US-201313925655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2013
Priority date	Jun 27, 2012
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for electric vehicle wireless charging. In one aspect, a method of transferring wireless power to an electric vehicle is provided, including initiating a charging cycle comprising at least one initialization state during which a wireless power link sufficient for charging is established between the wireless power transfer system and the electric vehicle and at least one charging state during which wireless power transfer from the wireless power transfer system to the electric vehicle is performed. The method further includes generating a first timestamp indicating a start time of the wireless power transfer in response to entering the at least one charging state and generating a second timestamp indicating an end time of the wireless power transfer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of transferring wireless power to an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
initiating a charging cycle of a wireless power transfer system, the charging cycle comprising a plurality of operational states comprising:
at least one initialization state during which a wireless power link sufficient for transferring the wireless power is established between the wireless power transfer system and the electric vehicle, the at least one initialization state defining a first period of time during which a first amount of power is transferred; and
at least one charging state during which wireless transfer of a second amount of power from the wireless power transfer system to the electric vehicle sufficient for charging is performed, the at least one initialization state comprising at least one alignment state during which alignment for the at least one charging state is performed, wherein, during the at least one alignment state, the first amount of the power is transmitted to the vehicle at a power level sufficient for the alignment;

starting the at least one charging state;
generating a first timestamp indicating a start time of the wireless power transfer upon starting the at least one charging state;
ending the at least one charging state;
generating a second timestamp indicating an end time of the wireless power transfer upon ending the at least one charging state; and
generating a cost of the wireless power transferred to the vehicle based on excluding the first amount of the power transmitted to the vehicle during the first period.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power transfer system comprises a base pad having at least one base system induction coil and the electric vehicle comprises a vehicle pad having at least one electric vehicle induction coil, and the alignment comprises alignment of the vehicle pad with the base pad to configure the base pad and the vehicle pad for the wireless power transfer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, during the at least one alignment state, the base pad is energized with a first current, and during the at least one charging state, the base pad is energized with a second current greater than the first current.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first current is less than 10% of the second current.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first current is less than 50% of the second current.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first current is between 5% and 15% of the second current or between 40% and 60% of the second current.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second current is sufficient to charge or power the electric vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wireless power transfer station has a maximum track current and the second current is at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 90% of the maximum track current.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a cost based at least in part on the first timestamp and the second timestamp.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cost includes a charge for power used during the at least one charging state and does not include a charge for power used during the at least one initialization state.

11. A wireless power apparatus for charging an electric vehicle comprising a vehicle pad having at least one electric vehicle induction coil, the apparatus comprising:
a base pad having at least one base system induction coil; and
a processor configured to:
control a charging cycle of the apparatus, the charging cycle comprising at least one initialization state during which a wireless power link sufficient for transferring the wireless power is established between the wireless power apparatus and the electric vehicle, the at least one initialization state defining a first period of time during which a first amount of the power is transferred, and at least one charging state during which wireless transfer of a second amount of power from the wireless power apparatus to the electric vehicle sufficient for charging is performed, the at least one initialization state comprising at least one alignment state during which alignment for the at least one charging state is performed, wherein, during the at least one alignment state, the first amount of the power is transmitted to the vehicle at a power level sufficient for the alignment;
start the at least one charging state;
generate a first timestamp indicating a start time of the wireless power transfer upon starting the at least one charging state;
end the at least one charging state;
generate a second timestamp indicating an end time of the wireless power transfer upon ending the at least one charging state; and
generate a cost of the wireless power transferred to the vehicle based on excluding the first amount of the power transmitted to the vehicle during the first period.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the alignment comprises alignment of the vehicle pad with the base pad.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, during the at least one alignment state, the base pad is energized with a first current, and during the at least one charging state, the base pad is energized with a second current greater than the first current.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first current is less than 10% of the second current.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first current is less than 50% of the second current.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first current is between 5% and 15% of the second current or between 40% and 60% of the second current.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second current is sufficient to charge or power the electric vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the wireless power apparatus has a maximum track current and the second current is at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 90% of the maximum track current.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the alignment of the vehicle pad with the base pad comprises configuring the base pad and the vehicle pad for the wireless power transfer.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a cost based at least in part on the first timestamp and the second timestamp.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the cost includes a charge for power used during the at least one charging state and does not include a charge for power used during the at least one initialization state.

22. A wireless power apparatus for charging an electric vehicle comprising a vehicle pad having at least one electric vehicle induction coil, the apparatus comprising:
means for wirelessly transferring power from the apparatus to the vehicle pad;
means for controlling a charging cycle of the apparatus, the charging cycle comprising at least one initialization state during which a wireless power link sufficient for transferring the wireless power is established between the wireless power apparatus and the electric vehicle, the at least one initialization state defining a first period of time during which a first amount of the power is transferred, and at least one charging state during which wireless transfer of a second amount of power from the wireless power apparatus to the electric vehicle sufficient for charging is performed, the at least one initialization state comprising at least one alignment state during which alignment for the at least one charging state is performed, wherein, during th

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Tripathi Manish
• Yenamandra Rao S

Classifications

• B60L2240/80

  Time limits · CPC title

• B60L2240/36

  Temperature of vehicle components or parts · CPC title

• B60L2210/40

  DC to AC converters · CPC title

• B60L2210/30

  AC to DC converters · CPC title

• B60L3/0069

  relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current · CPC title