Charging system

• US 10,418,863 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Jadidian, Jouya, Cabral, Steven W., Pathak, Vaneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US16/212,411
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 320103, 320104, 307150, 180168, 180199, 191 10, 191 22 R
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A mobile charging device may be used to move a battery or a power cord to a target device. The target device may be a vehicle or other equipment with a battery. Power from the power cord or battery in the charging device may be used to provide power to the target device to recharge the battery in the target device. The charging device may couple a power cord to the target device, may couple a connector in the charging device to the target device, or may use a wireless power transfer element such as a coil antenna to transfer power wirelessly to the target device. Sensors may be used to facilitate alignment between the charging device and target device. Sensors may also be used to dynamically detect and avoid foreign objects in the path of the charging device.

Claims

1. A device for providing power to a target device, comprising:

a movement system;

a power cord;

wireless circuitry that is configured to gather wireless beacon signals;

control circuitry that is configured to direct the movement system to move the control circuitry and power cord along a path on a surface based at least partly on the wireless beacon signals to deliver power from the power cord to the target device; and

at least one sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the movement system to guide the control circuitry and power cord around foreign objects detected with the sensor.

2. The device defined in claim 1 further comprising a wireless power transfer element that is configured to transfer power wirelessly from the power cord to the target device.

3. The device defined in claim 2 wherein the wireless power transfer element comprises at least one coil that is configured to be inductively coupled to a wireless power transfer receiver in the target device.

4. The device defined in claim 3 wherein the movement system comprises at least one motor and wheels and wherein the control circuitry is configure to control the at least one motor to rotate at least one of the wheels.

5. The device defined in claim 1 further comprising a cord management system that is operable to retract and dispense the power cord under control of the control circuitry.

6. The device defined claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a radio-frequency signal sensor, a camera, a light detector, a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, a magnetic sensor, a touch sensor, a switch, a strain gauge, an accelerometer, and a microphone.

7. The device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless power transfer element; and

a positioner, wherein the control circuitry is configured to;

control the positioner to align the wireless power transfer element with the target device; and

use the wireless power transfer element to wirelessly transfer power from the power cord to the target device through the aligned wireless power transfer element.

8. The device defined in claim 7 further comprising at least one electrical component configured to supply signals to the control circuitry that the control circuitry uses to align the wireless power transfer element to the target device.

9. The device defined in claim 8 wherein the component comprises a radio-frequency transceiver.

10. The device defined in claim 8 wherein the component comprises a component selected from the group consisting of:

a light detector and a light emitter.

11. The device defined in claim 8 wherein the component comprises a component selected from the group consisting of:

a camera and a magnetic sensor.

12. The device defined in claim 7 further comprising a wireless communications device, wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the wireless communications device in aligning the wireless power transfer element to the target device.

13. The device defined in claim 7 wherein the target device has an alignment structure, the charging device further comprising an alignment structure that is configured to mate with the alignment structure in the target device to align the wireless power transfer element to the target device.

14. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to use a cost function to determine a path for routing the power cord to the target device and wherein the cost function is used to determine the path based at least partly based on values assigned to different areas through which the power cord passes.

15. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the target device comprises a vehicle with a wireless power receiver element and wherein the charging device further comprises a wireless power transfer element that is configured to wirelessly transfer power from the power cord to the wireless power receiver element in the vehicle.

16. A charging device operable to provide power to a target device, comprising:

a positioning system with wheels;

a battery;

control circuitry that is configured to control the positioning system to move the battery to the target device with the wheels and deliver power wirelessly to the target device from the battery; and

sensors, wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the sensors to detect foreign objects as the battery is moved to the target device.

17. The charging device defined in claim 16 further comprising a wireless power transfer element configured to wirelessly transfer the power from the battery to the target device, wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the sensors to align the wireless power transfer element to the target device.

18. The charging device defined in claim 16 wherein the target device comprises a vehicle with a wireless power receiver element and wherein the charging device further comprises a wireless power transfer element that is configured to wirelessly transfer power from the battery to the wireless power receiver element in the vehicle.

19. A charging device operable to couple a power cord to a target device to provide power to the target device, comprising:

wheels;

control circuitry configured to control the wheels to move the power cord to the target device; and

a positioner that is configured to mechanically couple the power cord to the target device to deliver power to the target device from the power cord.

20. The charging device defined in claim 19 wherein the target device has a first connector, wherein the power cord has a second connector, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the positioner to couple the first connector to the second connector to deliver power to the target device through the first and second connectors, further comprising a cord management system that is operable to retract and dispense the power cord under control of the control circuitry, further comprising sensors, wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the sensors to detect foreign objects as the power cord is moved to the target device, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine a path for routing the power cord to the target device.