Mobile power transmitter

• US 10,243,415 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Grundmann, Michael, Adolf, Brian, Liu, Eric, Fleck, Mathias, Evers, Maaike, Swinton, Matt, Simonian, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US15/393,955
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing wireless power. The method includes determining a route in an area for a charger vehicle, where the charger vehicle includes a primary wireless power transceiver. The method further includes determining a schedule according to which the charger vehicle travels along the route. The method also includes determining a number of repeater vehicles to deploy in the area to extend a range of the primary transceiver of the charger vehicle. Further, the method includes deploying the determined number of repeater vehicles into the area. Furthermore, the method includes coupling each of the repeater vehicles to the charger vehicle via a respective first wireless resonant coupling link.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more charger vehicles, each charger vehicle comprising;

an energy storage device;

a primary wireless power transceiver, wherein the primary wireless power transceiver is configured to transmit power from the energy storage device to authorized wireless power receivers located within a range of the primary wireless power transceiver;

a controller configured to;

determine a route in an area for the charger vehicle;

determine a schedule according to which the charger vehicle travels along the route;

deploy the charger vehicle in the area, wherein the charger vehicle is configured to travel along the route;

as the charger vehicle travels along the route, cause the primary wireless power transceiver to couple with one or more authorized wireless receivers located within the range of the primary wireless power transceiver, wherein the primary wireless power transceiver couples to the one or more authorized wireless receivers by establishing a respective first wireless resonant coupling link with each of the one or more authorized wireless receivers; and

cause the primary wireless power transceiver to transmit power to at least one of the authorized wireless receivers via the respective first wireless resonant coupling link, and

one or more repeater vehicles, wherein each repeater vehicle comprises a secondary wireless power transceiver configured to regenerate a wireless resonant signal, and wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive information indicative of an interference condition that affects the range of the primary wireless power transceiver; and

determine, based on the received information, a number of repeater vehicles to deploy into the area so as to extend the range of the primary transceiver of the charger vehicle;

deploy the determined number of repeater vehicles into the area; and

cause each repeater vehicle to couple to the charger vehicle via a respective second wireless resonant coupling link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the route in the area based on a location of the one or more authorized wireless receivers in the area.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the route in the area based on a respective price per unit of power that each of the one or more authorized wireless receivers in the area is willing to pay.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, based on a location of the one or more authorized wireless receivers in the area, a number of repeater vehicles to deploy into the area so as to extend the range of the primary transceiver of the charger vehicle;

deploy the determined number of repeater vehicles into the area; and

cause each repeater vehicle to couple to the charger vehicle via a respective second wireless resonant coupling link.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

select at least one receiver of the one or more authorized wireless receivers coupled to the charging vehicle; and

facilitate a handover of the at least one receiver from the charging vehicle to a respective repeater vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller configured to select at least one receiver comprises the controller configured to:

determine a respective strength of each of the first wireless resonant coupling links; and

determine that the respective strength of the respective first wireless coupling link of the at least one receiver is below a threshold.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to:

select a first receiver of the at least one receiver coupled to the respective repeater vehicle; and

facilitate a handover of the first receiver from the respective repeater vehicle to the charger vehicle.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a new authorized wireless receiver;

determine a location of the new authorized wireless receiver;

based on the location of the new authorized wireless receiver, estimate a respective strength of a respective hypothetical wireless resonant coupling link between the new authorized wireless receiver and each one of;

the charging vehicle and each one of the repeater vehicles;

based on the estimated respective strength of each of the respective hypothetical wireless resonant coupling links, select a vehicle from one of;

the charging vehicle and or one of the repeater vehicles; and

cause the new authorized wireless receiver to couple with the selected vehicle by establishing a third wireless resonant coupling link with the selected vehicle.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a strength of each respective second wireless resonant coupling link between the charger vehicle and each of the repeater vehicles;

based on the strength of each respective second wireless resonant coupling link, determine, for each of the repeater vehicles, a respective position with respect to the charger vehicle; and

cause each of the one or more repeater vehicles to substantially maintain the determined respective position with respect to the charger vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a rapid transit system providing public transit in the area, and wherein the charger vehicle is a commuter bus vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more traffic signals are disposed in the area, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

estimate, based on a location of the charger vehicle with respect to a first traffic signal, a time at which the charger vehicle will be a threshold distance away from the first traffic signal; and

at the estimated time, cause the first traffic signal to indicate right-of-way for the charger vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the route comprises one or more stops at stop locations along the route, wherein a charging zone is located near at least one of the stop locations, and wherein the controller is configured to:

determine that the charger vehicle is within a range of a charging zone;

determine that the charger vehicle is coupled to a power source disposed within the charging zone; and

cause the charger vehicle to receive electrical energy from the power source; and

route the received electrical energy to the electrical storage device to charge the electrical storage device.

13. A method of controlling vehicles deployed in an area, the method comprising:

calculating a respective coupling coefficient corresponding to a threshold coupling strength between a charger vehicle and each of one or more repeater vehicles coupled to the charger vehicle via a first wireless resonant coupling link, wherein the charger vehicle comprises a primary wireless power transceiver, wherein the charger vehicle travels in the area based on a route and a schedule, and wherein each of the one or more repeater vehicles comprises a respective secondary wireless power transceiver;

based on the calculated coupling coefficients, determining, for each of the one or more repeater vehicles, a respective threshold distance from the charger vehicle corresponding to the threshold coupling strength; and

causing the one or more repeater vehicles to travel on respective routes that keep each of the one or more repeater vehicles no greater than the determined respective threshold distance from the charger vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting an authorized wireless receiver;

determining a location of the authorized wireless receiver;

based on the location of the authorized wireless receiver, estimating a respective strength of a hypothetical wireless resonant coupling link between the authorized wireless receiver and each one of;

the charging vehicle and each one of the repeater vehicles;

based on the estimated strength of the hypothetical wireless resonant coupling links, selecting a vehicle from one of;

the charger vehicle or one of the repeater vehicles; and

coupling the authorized wireless receiver with the selected vehicle by establishing a second wireless resonant coupling link with the selected vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the charger vehicle is a commuter bus of a rapid transit system, wherein one or more traffic light signals are disposed in the area, and wherein the method further comprises:

estimating, based on a location of the charger vehicle with respect to a first traffic signal, a time at which the charger vehicle will be a threshold distance away from the first traffic signal; and

at the estimated time, causing the first traffic signal to indicate right-of-way for the charger vehicle.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the route comprises one or more stops at stop areas along the route, wherein a charging zone is located near at least one of the stop areas, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the charger vehicle is within a range of a charging zone;

establishing a second wireless coupling link between the charger vehicle and a wireless power source disposed within the charging zone; and

receiving electrical energy, via the second wireless coupling link, from the wireless power source; and

charging the electrical storage device with the received electrical energy.

17. A method comprising:

determining a route in an area for a charger vehicle, wherein the charger vehicle comprises a primary wireless power transceiver, wherein the charger vehicle is a transit vehicle of a rapid transit system, and wherein the charger vehicle is configured to travel on a priority traffic lane in the area;

determining a schedule according to which the charger vehicle travels along the route;

deploying the charger vehicle in the area;

operating the charger vehicle to travel in the area according to the route;

determining a number of repeater vehicles to deploy in the area to extend a range of the primary transceiver of the charger vehicle, based on a number of vehicles traveling in proximity of the transit vehicle;

deploying the determined number of repeater vehicles into the area; and

coupling each of the repeater vehicles to the charger vehicle via a respective first wireless resonant coupling link.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

calculating a respective coupling coefficient corresponding to a threshold coupling strength between the charger vehicle and each of the one or more repeater vehicles;

based on the calculated coupling coefficients, determining, for each of the one or more repeater vehicles, a respective threshold distance from the charger vehicle corresponding to the threshold coupling strength; and

causing each of the one or more repeater vehicles to maintain a respective position that is no greater than the determined threshold distance from the charger vehicle.