WIRELESS CHARGER HAVING AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT FUNCTION AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20170085118A1
• Filed: 05/18/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun Joo
• Granted Patent: US 10,158,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

A wireless charger having an automatic alignment function includes: a charge sensor sensing charging of a portable device disposed on a wireless charging pad within a vehicle; a position regulator regulating positions of the portable device and the charge sensor; and a position sensor sensing the position of the portable device. A controller is configured to move the portable device to a plurality of reference positions on the wireless charging pad sequentially, to detect a charging position on the wireless charging pad based on an induced voltage that is measured in each of the plurality of reference positions and to move the portable device to the charging position.

Claims

1. A wireless charger having an automatic alignment function, the wireless charger comprising:

a charge sensor sensing charging of a portable device disposed on a wireless charging pad within a vehicle;

a position regulator regulating positions of the portable device and the charge sensor;

a position sensor sensing the position of the portable device; and

a controller configured to move the portable device to a plurality of reference positions on the wireless charging pad sequentially, to detect a charging position on the wireless charging pad based on an induced voltage that is measured in each of the plurality of reference positions, and to move the portable device to the charging position.

2. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the controller moves the portable device to each of the reference positions sequentially after vertically aligning the portable device.

3. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the position regulator to align the charge sensor with a central point of the portable device when the induced voltage is measured in each of the reference positions.

4. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the reference positions are a bottom right-hand corner, a bottom left-hand corner, and a top left-hand corner of the wireless charging pad.

5. The wireless charger according to claim 4, wherein the controller calculates the charging position (x, y) according to the following equation:

6. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the controller monitors the portable device periodically to maintain the charging position of the portable device.

7. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the charging pad comprises:

a wireless charging board;

a first moving board on which the portable device is disposed;

a second moving board on which the charge sensor is mounted; and

and

a partition preventing the portable device from being separated.

8. The wireless charger according to claim 7, wherein the first moving board is spaced apart from a top surface of the second moving board by a first distance,

wherein the second moving board is spaced apart from a top surface of the wireless charging board by a second distance,

, and

wherein the partition is disposed at an edge of the first moving board.

9. The wireless charger according to claim 8, wherein the partition has a quadrangular shape and includes a first position sensor on a side of the partition and a second position sensor on another side of the partition.

10. The wireless charger according to claim 9, wherein each of the first position sensor and the second position sensor includes a pressure sensor and a photosensor.

11. A method for aligning a portable device in a wireless charger, the method comprising:

moving, by a controller, a portable device, which is disposed on a wireless charging pad within a vehicle, to a plurality of reference positions sequentially;

measuring, by a charge sensor, an induced voltage in each of the plurality of reference positions;

detecting, by the controller, a charging position on the wireless charging pad based on the measured induced voltage; and

moving, by the controller, the portable device to the charging position.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of moving the portable device to the plurality of reference positions comprises moving the portable device to each of the reference positions after vertically aligning the portable device.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of measuring the induced voltage comprises controlling a position regulator to align the charge sensor with a central point of the portable device when the induced voltage is measured in each of the reference positions.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the reference positions are a bottom right-hand corner, a bottom left-hand corner, and a top left-hand corner of the wireless charging pad.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of detecting the charging position comprises calculating the charging position (x, y) according to the following equation:

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring the portable device periodically to maintain the charging position of the portable device.