FOREIGN OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD SUITABLE FOR SOURCE RESONATOR OF WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A system to detect a foreign object proximate to a source resonator, said system comprising:
- a visible light camera mounted so as to have a camera field of view that includes the source resonator, and configured to output image data indicative of visible light intensity detected by pixels in the camera;
a multiple zone temperature sensor mounted so as to have a sensor field of view that includes the source resonator and is similar to the camera field of view, and configured to output thermal data indicative of a zone temperature for each of the multiple zones; and
a controller in communication with the visible light camera and the multiple zone temperature sensor and configured toreceive visible light image data from the camera;
determine an intensity map characterized as an array of intensity data cells;
designate an intensity object on an area of the intensity map;
receive the thermal data from the multiple zone temperature sensor;
determine a thermal map characterized as an array of thermal data cells;
designate a thermal object on an area of the thermal map;
detect the foreign object when the intensity object and the thermal object intersect; and
control an electric current provided to the source resonator when the foreign object is detected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method to detect a foreign object proximate to a source resonator that is part of a wireless energy transfer system. The wireless energy transfer system may be one used to wirelessly charge the batteries of an electric vehicle. Data from a visible light camera and a multiple zone temperature sensor are combined or fused to determine whether a foreign object, such a metallic object or an animal, is in the vicinity of, or in close proximity to, a source resonator. The system controls an electric current provided to the source resonator based on whether a foreign object is detected to reduce or inhibit energy emitted by the source resonator. The visible light camera may be a monochrome or color camera and the temperature sensor may be an infrared camera or a thermopile array.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system to detect a foreign object proximate to a source resonator, said system comprising:
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a visible light camera mounted so as to have a camera field of view that includes the source resonator, and configured to output image data indicative of visible light intensity detected by pixels in the camera; a multiple zone temperature sensor mounted so as to have a sensor field of view that includes the source resonator and is similar to the camera field of view, and configured to output thermal data indicative of a zone temperature for each of the multiple zones; and a controller in communication with the visible light camera and the multiple zone temperature sensor and configured to receive visible light image data from the camera; determine an intensity map characterized as an array of intensity data cells; designate an intensity object on an area of the intensity map; receive the thermal data from the multiple zone temperature sensor; determine a thermal map characterized as an array of thermal data cells; designate a thermal object on an area of the thermal map; detect the foreign object when the intensity object and the thermal object intersect; and control an electric current provided to the source resonator when the foreign object is detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method to detect a foreign object proximate to a source resonator, said detection based on image data from a visible light camera mounted so as to have a camera field of view that includes the source resonator, and a multiple zone temperature sensor mounted so as to have a sensor field of view that includes the source resonator and is similar to the camera field of view, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving visible light image data from the camera, said image data is indicative of visible light intensity detected by pixels in the camera; determining an intensity map characterized as an array of intensity data cells, wherein each intensity data cell has an intensity value based on an intensity characteristic of the image data detected by of one or more of the pixels; designating an intensity object on an area of the intensity map where a cluster of intensity data cells are present that have notable intensity values relative to a reference intensity map; receiving thermal data from the multiple zone temperature sensor, wherein said thermal data includes a zone temperature value for each of the multiple zones; determining a thermal map characterized as an array of thermal data cells, wherein each thermal data cell has a temperature value based on a temperature characteristic of one or more of the multiple zones; designating a thermal object on an area of the thermal map where a cluster of thermal data cells are present that have notable temperature values relative to a temperature threshold; detecting the foreign object when the intensity object and the thermal object intersect; and controlling an electric current provided to the source resonator when the foreign object is detected. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A controller for a system configured to detect that a foreign object is proximate to a source resonator, said system comprising a visible light camera mounted so as to have a camera field of view that includes the source resonator, and configured to output image data indicative of visible light intensity detected by pixels in the camera, and a multiple zone temperature sensor mounted so as to have a sensor field of view that includes the source resonator and is similar to the camera field of view, and configured to output thermal data indicative of a zone temperature for each of the multiple zones, said controller configured to
receive visible light image data from the camera; -
determine an intensity map characterized as an array of intensity data cells; designate an intensity object on an area of the intensity map; receive the thermal data from the multiple zone temperature sensor; determine a thermal map characterized as an array of thermal data cells; designate a thermal object on an area of the thermal map; detect the foreign object when the intensity object and the thermal object intersect; and control an electric current provided to the source resonator when the foreign object is detected.
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Specification