Moving Object, Wireless Power Feeding System, and Wireless Power Feeding Method

• US 20110199028A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shionairi, Yutaka, Koyama, Jun, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Granted Patent: US 9,887,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• 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 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1407 on vehicles not being driven by a motor, e.g. bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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

An object is to provide a moving object structure capable of reducing power loss caused when power is supplied from a power feeding device to a moving object by wireless communication. Another object is to provide a moving object structure capable of reducing the intensity of radio waves radiated to the surroundings. A moving object having a plurality of antennas receives radio waves transmitted from a power feeding device. At least one of the plurality of antennas is installed apart from the other antenna(s) of the moving object. Then, the radio waves transmitted from the power feeding device are received by all the plurality of antennas and converted into electric energy. Alternatively, the radio waves transmitted from the power feeding device are received by one or more selected from the plurality of antennas and converted into electric energy.

Claims

1. A moving object comprising:

a plurality of antennas configured to generate first electric signals and second electric signals from first radio waves and second radio waves transmitted from a power feeding device, respectively, wherein the first radio waves and the second radio waves are transmitted sequentially;

a signal processing circuit configured to extract data on positional relationships between the power feeding device and the plurality of antennas with usage of the first electric signals;

a secondary battery configured to store electric energy with usage of the second electric signals; and

an electric motor configured to receive the electric energy from the secondary battery.

2. The moving object according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selection circuit configured to select an antenna from the plurality of antennas based on intensities of the first electric signals,

wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to compare the intensities of the first electric signals.

3. The moving object according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is one selected from the group consisting of automobiles, motorized bicycles, aircrafts, boats, and railroad cars.

4. The moving object according to claim 1, wherein the intensity of the first radio waves is lower than the intensity of the second radio waves.

5. A wireless power feeding system comprising:

a power feeding device having a first antenna; and

a moving object,

wherein the moving object comprises;

a plurality of second antennas configured to generate first electric signals and second electric signals from first radio waves and second radio waves transmitted from the first antenna, respectively, wherein the first radio waves and the second radio waves are transmitted sequentially;

a signal processing circuit configured to extract data on positional relationships between the first antenna and the plurality of second antennas with usage of the first electric signals; and

a secondary battery configured to store electric energy with usage of the second electric signals.

6. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a selection circuit configured to select a second antenna from the plurality of second antennas based on intensities of the first electric signals,

wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to compare the intensities of the first electric signals.

7. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 5, wherein the moving object is one selected from the group consisting of automobiles, motorized bicycles, aircrafts, boats, and railroad cars.

8. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 5, wherein the intensity of the first radio waves is lower than the intensity of the second radio waves.

9. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 5, wherein the electric energy is configured to be supplied to an electric motor provided on the moving object.

10. A wireless power feeding system comprising:

a power feeding device having a plurality of first antennas; and

a moving object,

wherein the moving object comprises;

a second antenna configured to generate first electric signals and a second electric signal from first radio waves and second radio waves transmitted from the plurality of first antennas, respectively, wherein the first radio waves and the second radio waves are transmitted sequentially;

a signal processing circuit configured to extract data on positional relationships between the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna with usage of the first electric signals; and

a secondary battery configured to store electric energy with usage of the second electric signal.

11. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a selection circuit configured to select a first antenna from the plurality of first antennas based on intensities of the first electric signals,

wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to compare the intensities of the first electric signals.

12. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 10, wherein the moving object is one selected from the group consisting of automobiles, motorized bicycles, aircrafts, boats, and railroad cars.

13. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 10, wherein the intensity of the first radio waves is lower than the intensity of the second radio waves.

14. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 10, wherein the electric energy is configured to be supplied to an electric motor provided on the moving object.

15. A wireless power feeding method comprising:

generating first electric signals by a plurality of antennas of a moving object from first radio waves transmitted from a power feeding device;

modifying a positional relationship between the power feeding device and the moving object based on intensities of the first electric signals;

generating second electric signals by the plurality of antennas from second radio waves transmitted from the power feeding device; and

storing electric energy in a secondary battery with usage of the second electric signals.

16. The wireless power feeding method according to claim 15, further comprising:

selecting an antenna from the plurality of antennas based on the intensities of the first electric signals.

17. The wireless power feeding method according to claim 15, wherein the moving object is one selected from the group consisting of automobiles, motorized bicycles, aircrafts, boats, and railroad cars.

18. The wireless power feeding method according to claim 15, wherein the intensity of the first radio waves is lower than the intensity of the second radio waves.

19. The wireless power feeding method according to claim 15, further comprising:

supplying the electric energy stored in the secondary battery to an electric motor provided on the moving object.

20. A wireless power feeding method comprising:

generating first electric signals by a second antenna of a moving object from first radio waves transmitted from a plurality of first antennas of a power feeding device;

selecting a first antenna from the plurality of first antennas based on intensities of the first electric signals;

generating a second electric signal by the second antenna from second radio waves transmitted from the selected first antenna; and

storing electric energy in a secondary battery with usage of the second electric signal.

21. The wireless power feeding method according to claim 20, wherein the moving object is one selected from the group consisting of automobiles, motorized bicycles, aircrafts, boats, and railroad cars.

22. The wireless power feeding method according to claim 20, wherein the intensity of the first radio waves is lower than the intensity of the second radio waves.

23. The wireless power feeding method according to claim 20, further comprising:

supplying the electric energy stored in the secondary battery to an electric motor provided on the moving object.