Wireless power transmission device for vehicle and wireless charging method

• US 10,442,298 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Jung, Chun Kil, Hwang, Byong Uk
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parries, Dru
• Application Number:
  US14/917,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20160221459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• 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 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• 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 wireless power transmission device for a vehicle and a wireless charging method are provided. The wireless charging method by the wireless power transmission device for a vehicle can comprise the steps of: transmitting a signal for detection of a wireless power reception device by using a lower frequency band than an operating frequency band used to control the vehicle; receiving a response signal for the transmitted signal and a power control signal from the wireless power reception device; controlling an operating frequency and/or a voltage in the wireless power transmission device for the vehicle according to the power control signal; and transmitting wireless power to the wireless power reception device.

Claims

1. A wireless charging method performed by a wireless power transmission device for use in a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the wireless power transmission device, a detecting signal for detecting a wireless power reception device, wherein the detecting signal is in a frequency band that is different than an operation frequency band used in control of the vehicle;

receiving a response signal and a power control signal from the wireless power reception device in response to the detecting signal;

controlling at least one of a power signal frequency or a voltage of wireless power produced by the wireless power transmission device according to the power control signal; and

transmitting the wireless power to the wireless power reception device,

wherein the controlling includes adjusting the power signal frequency of the wireless power based, at least in part, on a resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device and different than the operation frequency band used in control of the vehicle.

2. The wireless charging method of claim 1, wherein the operation frequency band used in the control of the vehicle includes an operation frequency band of a smart key.

3. The wireless charging method of claim 1, wherein the power signal frequency of the wireless power produced by the wireless power transmission device and the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device are different from each other.

4. The wireless charging method of claim 3, wherein the power signal frequency of the wireless power produced by the wireless power transmission device is higher than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device.

5. The wireless charging method of claim 1, wherein the controlling includes:

setting the power signal frequency to a higher frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for an increase in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is lower than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device; and

setting the power signal frequency to a lower frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for an increase in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is higher than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device.

6. The wireless charging method of claim 1, wherein the controlling includes:

setting the power signal frequency to a lower frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for a decrease in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is lower than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device; and

setting the power signal frequency to a higher frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for a decrease in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is higher than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling includes:

adjusting the power signal frequency to a higher frequency or a lower frequency based on the power control signal,

wherein the power signal frequency is adjusted in a first direction when the power signal frequency is lower than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device, and

wherein the power signal frequency is adjusted in a second direction that is reverse of the first direction when the power signal frequency is higher than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device.

7. A wireless power transmission device for use in a vehicle comprising:

a primary coil configured to transmit a detecting signal for detecting a wireless power reception device, wherein the detecting signal is in a frequency band that is different than an operation frequency band used in control of the vehicle;

the primary coil configured to receive a response signal and a power control signal from the wireless power reception device in response to the detecting signal;

the primary coil configured to produce wireless power for the wireless power reception device; and

a control unit configured to control at least one of a power signal frequency or a voltage of the wireless power produced by the wireless power transmission device according to the power control signal,

wherein the control unit is further configured to adjust the power signal frequency of the wireless power based, at least in part, on a resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device and different than the operation frequency band used in control of the vehicle.

8. The wireless power transmission device of claim 7, wherein the operation frequency band used in the control of the vehicle includes an operation frequency band of a smart key.

9. The wireless power transmission device of claim 7, wherein the power signal frequency of the wireless power produced by the wireless power transmission device and the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device are different from each other.

10. The wireless power transmission device of claim 9, wherein the power signal frequency of the wireless power produced by the wireless power transmission device is higher than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device.

11. The wireless power transmission device of claim 7,

wherein the control unit sets the power signal frequency to a higher frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for an increase in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is lower than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device, and

wherein the control unit sets the power signal frequency to a lower frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for an increase in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is higher than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device.

12. The wireless power transmission device of claim 7,

wherein the control unit sets the power signal frequency to a lower frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for a decrease in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is lower than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device, and

wherein the control unit sets the power signal frequency to a higher frequency when the power control signal indicates a request for a decrease in the wireless power and the power signal frequency is higher than the resonance frequency of the wireless power reception device.