Vehicle-to-vehicle charging system

• US 10,011,181 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2016
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M., Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Paul
• Application Number:
  US15/277,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20180086212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle charging system includes an electrical storage device, an extendable arm attachable to a vehicle, and an induction mat supported by the extendable arm. The induction mat is electrically coupled to the electrical storage device, and configured to wirelessly receive an electric charge while the extendable arm is in an extended position.

Claims

1. A vehicle charging system comprising:

an electrical storage device;

an extendable arm having a first end and a second end, the first end attachable to a host vehicle and the second end extendable in a direction away from the host vehicle to an extended position;

an induction mat supported at the second end of the extendable arm, wherein the induction mat is electrically coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to wirelessly receive an electric charge when the host vehicle is moving and the extendable arm is in the extended position; and

a processor programmed to receive a confirmation message from a second vehicle indicating that the second vehicle is ready to provide the electric charge to the host vehicle and command the extendable arm to extend toward the second vehicle as a result of receiving the confirmation message from the second vehicle.

2. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein the induction mat includes at least one induction coil configured to wirelessly receive the electric charge.

3. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle charging system is configured to wirelessly receive the electric charge from the second vehicle when the host vehicle and the second vehicle are moving.

4. The vehicle charging system of claim 2, wherein the host vehicle wirelessly receives the electric charge from an induction mat located on the second vehicle.

5. The vehicle charging system of claim 4, wherein the host vehicle wirelessly receives the electric charge from the second vehicle when an extendable arm of the second vehicle is in the extended position.

6. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein the electric charge is stored in the electrical storage device.

7. The vehicle charging system of claim 6, wherein the electrical storage device includes a battery.

8. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein the induction mat is configured to wirelessly transmit an electric charge to a third vehicle when the host vehicle is moving.

9. The vehicle charging system of claim 8, wherein the induction mat includes at least one induction coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric charge.

10. The vehicle charging system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle charging system is configured to wirelessly transmit the electric charge to the third vehicle when the host vehicle and the third vehicle are moving.

11. The vehicle charging system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle charging system is configured to wirelessly transmit the electric charge when the extendable arm is in an unextended position.

12. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communications system.

13. The vehicle charging system of claim 12, wherein the wireless communications system is programmed to send communications to at least one other vehicle requesting that the at least one other vehicle provide the electric charge to the host vehicle.

14. The vehicle charging system of claim 12, wherein the wireless communications system is programmed to receive communications from at least one other vehicle indicating that the at least one other vehicle can provide the electric charge to the host vehicle.

15. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, further comprising at least one distance sensor.

16. The vehicle charging system of claim 15, wherein the processor is programmed to receive an output signal from the at least one distance sensor, and output a control signal to maintain a predetermined distance of the host vehicle relative to other vehicles when the host vehicle and the other vehicles are moving.

17. A vehicle system comprising:

an extendable arm including a first end and a second end, the first end attachable to a host vehicle;

an induction mat supported by the second end of the extendable arm and extendable in a direction away from the host vehicle, the induction mat configured to wirelessly receive an electric charge;

a wireless communications system that wirelessly communicates with other vehicles;

a processor programmed to command the wireless communication system to transmit a message to the other vehicles requesting an electric charge, to receive a confirmation message from one of the other vehicles confirming that one of the other vehicles is ready to provide the electric charge, to position the host vehicle near the other vehicle, to output a control signal to extend the extendable arm as a result of receiving the confirmation message confirming that one of the other vehicles is ready to provide the electric charge, and to send a message to the other vehicle confirming that the host vehicle is ready to receive the electric charge.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to control a distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle when the host vehicle is receiving the electric charge.

19. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to control a distance between the induction mat and a wireless electric transfer device of the other vehicle when the host vehicle is receiving the electric charge.

20. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to output a control signal to retract the extendable arm when charging is complete.