Wireless charging system for electric vehicle with adjustable flux angle

• US 10,293,700 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Javaid, Bilal, Lewis, Allan, Robb, John, Naserian, Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelton, Nathaniel R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Manuel
• Application Number:
  US15/387,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20180178666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 307104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 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 Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A method includes: detecting a position of a moving, wireless charging-capable vehicle which travels over a primary coil of a wireless charging system operable to wirelessly charge the vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle; controlling the plurality of cross-coil junction units such that electric current flows through one or both of the top coil and the bottom coil in a manner which produces a first angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil in relation to the detected position of the vehicle; and when a switching time occurs, controlling the plurality of cross-coil junction units to change the flow of electric current through one or both of the top coil and the bottom coil in a manner which produces a second angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle given the position of the primary coil in relation to an updated position of the vehicle as the vehicle traverses the primary coil.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a position of a moving, wireless charging-capable vehicle which travels over a primary coil of a wireless charging system operable to wirelessly charge the vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle,

wherein the primary coil includes a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units that permit electric current to pass from one of the top coil and the bottom coil to the other of the top coil and the bottom coil;

controlling the plurality of cross-coil junction units such that electric current flows through one or both of the top coil and the bottom coil in a manner which produces a first angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil in relation to the detected position of the vehicle; and

when a switching time occurs, controlling the plurality of cross-coil junction units to change the flow of electric current through one or both of the top coil and the bottom coil in a manner which produces a second angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle given the position of the primary coil in relation to an updated position of the vehicle as the vehicle traverses the primary coil,

wherein the first angle of magnetic flux is different than the second angle of magnetic flux.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching time is a time at which wireless power transfer efficiency between the primary coil and the secondary coil will improve by altering an angle of the magnetic flux produced by the primary coil.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating the switching time according to a speed of the vehicle and the detected position of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a switching interval according to the speed of the vehicle,

wherein the switching time occurs once the switching interval has elapsed after activation of the wireless charging.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, as the vehicle traverses the primary coil:

the first angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is at a first position, and

the second angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is at a second position that is forward the first position in a moving direction of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when another switching time occurs, controlling the plurality of cross-coil junction units to change the flow of electric current through one or both of the top coil and the bottom coil in a manner which produces a third angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle given the position of the primary coil in relation to another updated position of the vehicle as the vehicle traverses the primary coil,

wherein the third angle of magnetic flux is different than the first and second angles of magnetic flux.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a switching interval according to a speed of the vehicle,

wherein the other switching time occurs once the switching interval has elapsed after occurrence of the switching time.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, as the vehicle traverses the primary coil:

the first angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is at a first position,

the second angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is at a second position that is forward the first position in a moving direction of the vehicle, and

the third angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is at a third position that is forward the first and second positions in the moving direction of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein, as the vehicle traverses the primary coil:

the first angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is positioned to a first side of the primary coil,

the second angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is positioned directly above the primary coil, and

the third angle of magnetic flux is produced when the secondary coil is positioned to a second side of the primary coil opposite the first side.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the position of the vehicle comprises:

receiving GPS information from the vehicle; and

estimating the position of the vehicle based on the received GPS information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary coil is one of a plurality of primary coils arranged sequentially in a dynamic wireless charging system.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring a first primary coil of the plurality of primary coils;

detecting the position of the vehicle as the vehicle traverses the first primary coil; and

activating a second primary coil of the plurality of the primary coils subsequent to the first primary coil based on the position of the vehicle detected as the vehicle traverses the first primary coil.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting of the position of the vehicle as the vehicle traverses the first primary coil comprises:

activating a low-power mode of the first primary coil;

monitoring a level of voltage or current in the first primary coil as the vehicle traverses the first primary coil; and

determining that the vehicle is positioned directly above the first primary coil when the monitored level of voltage or current in the primary coil indicates a maximum coupling state between the first primary coil and the secondary coil.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

estimating a time at which the vehicle will arrive at the second primary coil according to a speed of the vehicle and the position of the vehicle determined when the maximum coupling state between the first primary coil and the secondary coil occurs; and

activating the second primary coil as the vehicle at the estimated time.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle is positioned such that the secondary coil is misaligned with the primary coil, the first or second angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle is an angle offset from a vertical axis extending upwardly from the primary coil.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein one end of each cross-coil junction unit is connected to the top coil, and another end of each cross-coil junction unit is connected to the bottom coil.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed along one line traversing a diameter of the top coil and the bottom coil.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed along multiple lines traversing a diameter of the top coil and the bottom coil.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each line of cross-coil junction units is angularly offset from an adjacent line of cross-coil junction units by 45 degrees.

20. A wireless charging system comprising:

a primary coil that is operable to wirelessly charge a moving, wireless charging-capable vehicle which travels over the primary coil,

wherein the primary coil charges the vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle, the primary coil including a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units that permit electric current to pass from one of the top coil and the bottom coil to the other of the top coil and the bottom coil; and

a wireless charging controller configured to;

detect a position of the vehicle which travels over the primary coil,

control the plurality of cross-coil junction units such that electric current flows through one or both of the top coil and the bottom coil in a manner which produces a first angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil in relation to the detected position of the vehicle, and

when a switching time occurs, control the plurality of cross-coil junction units to change the flow of electric current through one or both of the top coil and the bottom coil in a manner which produces a second angle of magnetic flux for optimally wirelessly charging the vehicle given the position of the primary coil in relation to an updated position of the vehicle as the vehicle traverses the primary coil,

wherein the first angle of magnetic flux is different than the second angle of magnetic flux.