ULTRASONIC LOCATION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SYSTEM

• US 20150336464A1
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: BELL, Christopher W., GIBEAU, John Paul, LATHROP, James A., TREGO, William Christopher, LOVETT, Karin
• Application Number:
  US14/286,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20150336464A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• 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
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging system for charging a vehicle includes a charging station and a vehicle. The charging station includes a wireless charging coil, at least one ultrasonic sensor oriented to detect a vehicle proximate the coil, and a first wireless communication device. The vehicle includes a charge plate, a second wireless communications device in communication with the first wireless communication device, an in-vehicle display, and at least one controller. The controller is configured to present positional information via the display. The positional information corresponds to a vehicle position detected by the at least one sensor and transmitted via the first and second wireless communications devices.

Claims

1. A charging system for charging a vehicle comprising:

a charging station including a wireless charging coil, at least one ultrasonic sensor oriented to detect a vehicle proximate the coil, and a first wireless communications device; and

a vehicle including a charge plate, a second wireless communications device in communication with the first wireless communications device, an in-vehicle display, and at least one controller configured to present positional information via the display, the positional information corresponding to a vehicle position detected by the at least one sensor and transmitted between the first and second wireless communications devices.

2. The charging system of claim 1, further comprising a housing retaining the at least one sensor, a base supporting the coil, and a linkage coupling the base and housing.

3. The charging system of claim 2, wherein the linkage is an adjustable-length linkage.

4. The charging system of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a first portion on a first side of the coil, a second portion on a second side of the coil, and a third portion on a third side of the coil, and wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor retained in the first portion, a second sensor retained in the second portion, and a third sensor retained in the third portion.

5. The charging system of claim 2, further comprising a target member proximate the housing and including a driver targeting aid, the housing having a centerline and the target member being offset from the centerline to a position corresponding with a vehicle driver seat.

6. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to coordinate an automatic vehicle parking event in response to the positional information.

9. The wireless charging station of claim 1, further comprising a second housing and a third housing coupled at opposing ends of the first housing to define a generally U-shaped combined housing, a second sensor retained within the second housing, and a third sensor retained within the third housing.

7. A wireless charging station for a vehicle comprising:

a wireless charging coil;

a first housing proximate the coil;

a first sensor retained within the housing and oriented to detect a vehicle proximate the coil; and

a wireless communications device in communication with the sensor and configured to transmit positional data corresponding to a detected vehicle to an associated vehicle wireless communications device.

8. The wireless charging station of claim 7, wherein the first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

10. The wireless charging station of claim 7, further comprising a base supporting the coil and a linkage coupling the housing to the base.

11. The wireless charging station of claim 10, wherein the linkage is an adjustable-length linkage.

12. The wireless charging station of claim 7, further comprising a target member proximate the housing and including a driver targeting aid, the housing having a centerline and the target member being offset from the centerline to a position corresponding with a vehicle driver seat.

13. The wireless charging station of claim 7, further comprising a second sensor operatively coupled with the coil and oriented to detect a vehicle proximate the coil, wherein the positional data corresponding to a detected vehicle is based on signals from the first and second sensors.

14. A plug-in vehicle comprising:

a wireless charging coil;

a wireless communications device;

an in-vehicle display; and

at least one controller configured to present positional information via the display, the positional information being received via the wireless communications device from an associated wireless charging station including a sensor oriented to detect a vehicle proximity to the wireless charging coil.

15. The plug-in vehicle of claim 14, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to coordinate an automatic vehicle parking event in response to the positional information.