VEHICULAR INDUCTIVE POWER TRANSFER SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20170355275A1
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: KWASNICK, ROBERT F., SINDIA, SURAJ, YANG, SONGNAN, YAO, ZHEN
• Granted Patent: US 10,688,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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 vehicular inductive power transfer system includes a power transmission unit and a power receiving unit. The distance between the units and the overall alignment of the units with respect to each other determines the overall efficiency of the energy transfer between the power transmission unit and the power receiving unit. Magnetic fields produced by the inductive power transfer system may exceed allowable standards or regulations for human exposure to electromagnetic fields. An inductive power transfer control circuit autonomously causes an actuator to position at least one of the power transmission unit or the power receiving unit in a three-dimensional space based on one or more measured power transfer parameters. Such positioning may occur while the vehicle is moving or stationary. The control circuit may further autonomously adjust one or more power transfer parameters to maintain magnetic field exposure levels at or below industry standards or governmental regulations.

Claims

1. An inductive energy transfer system, comprising:

a power transfer sub-system that includes one of;

a power transmission unit that includes at least one power transmission coil coupleable to a power supply;

or, a power receiving unit that includes at least one power receiving coil coupleable to a load;

an actuation sub-system operably coupled to the power transfer-subsystem, the actuation sub-system to move the power transfer sub-system in three dimensional (3D) space;

at least one sensor to provide at least one signal that includes data indicative of at least one inductive energy transfer parameter;

control circuitry communicably coupled to the actuation sub-system and to the at least one sensor;

a storage device containing machine-readable instructions communicably coupled to the control circuitry, the machine-readable instructions, when executed by the control circuitry, transform at least a portion of the control circuitry to a dedicated power transfer control circuit, the power transfer control circuit to;

cause the actuation sub-system to physically position at least a portion of the power transfer sub-system in the 3D space at a location based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter.

2. The system of claim 1:

wherein the power transmission unit further comprises a first transceiver;

wherein the power receiving unit further comprises a second transceiver, the second transceiver communicably coupled to the first transceiver; and

wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver bidirectionally exchange information representative of the inductive energy transfer between the power transmission unit and the power receiving unit.

3. The system of claim 1:

wherein the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter includes a parameter indicative of a power transfer between the power transmission unit and the power receiving unit; and

wherein the actuation sub-system physically positions the power transmission unit to maximize the power transfer between the power transmission unit and the power receiving unit for any fixed separation distance between the power transmission unit and the power receiving unit.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the load comprises an energy storage device conductively coupleable to an electric motor operably coupled to a motor-driven vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor provides an output signal that includes data representative of a power transfer rate between the power transmission unit and the power receiving unit.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor generates an output signal that includes data representative of a magnetic field proximate at least a portion of the power transfer sub-system.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second sensor to detect human presence proximate the power transfer sub-system;

wherein the power transfer control circuit limits the magnetic field proximate the power transfer sub-system to a first value responsive to the second sensor detecting a human presence proximate the power transfer sub-system; and

wherein the power transfer control circuit limits the magnetic field proximate the power transfer sub-system to a second value responsive to the second sensor detecting an absence of human presence proximate the power transfer sub-system.

8. The system of claim 1:

wherein the power transmission unit comprises a stationary power transmission unit; and

wherein the power receiving unit comprises a power receiving unit displaceable with respect to the stationary power transmission unit

9. The system of claim 8:

wherein the power receiving unit comprises a power receiving unit operably coupleable to a chassis of a motor vehicle; and

wherein the power transmission unit comprises a power transmission unit disposed in a motor vehicle accessible surface.

10. The system of claim 9:

wherein the motor vehicle accessible surface comprises a roadway; and

wherein the inductive energy transfer system comprises a system to transfer power from the power transmission unit to the power receiving unit as the motor vehicle travels along the roadway.

11. The system of claim 10:

wherein the inductive energy transfer system comprises a system to transfer power from the power transmission unit to the power receiving as the motor vehicle remains stationary with respect to the motor vehicle accessible surface.

12. The system of claim 10:

wherein the chassis of the motor vehicle comprises a chassis adjustable in at least one dimension; and

wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause power transfer control circuit to cause the actuation sub-system to physically position the power transfer sub-system in the 3D space at a location based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter, further cause the power transfer control circuit to further;

adjust the chassis of the motor vehicle in at least one dimension based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a vehicle operator feedback sub-system that includes;

a human perceptible output device; and

feedback control circuitry communicably coupled to the power transfer control circuit, the feedback control circuitry to;

receive a feedback signal from the power transfer control circuit, the feedback signal including information indicative of at least one vehicle position correction to adjust the chassis of the motor vehicle in the at least one dimension based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter; and

generate a feedback output that includes human perceptible instructions on a control input to achieve the at least one vehicle position correction.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising

an autonomous vehicle feedback sub-system that includes:

feedback control circuitry communicably coupled to the power transfer control circuit and at least one vehicular directional control sub-system, the feedback control circuitry to;

receive a feedback signal from the power transfer control circuit, the feedback signal including information indicative of at least one vehicle position correction to adjust the chassis of the motor vehicle in the at least one dimension based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter;

generate a vehicle positional control output to achieve the at least one vehicle position correction; and

communicate the vehicle positional control output to the at least one vehicular directional control sub-system.

15. The system of claim 1:

wherein the power receiving unit comprises a stationary power receiving unit; and

wherein the power transmission unit comprises a power transmission unit displaceable with respect to the stationary power receiving unit.

16. The system of claim 15:

wherein the power receiving unit comprises a stationary power receiving unit operably coupleable to a chassis of a motor vehicle; and

wherein the power transmission unit comprises a power transmission unit disposed in a motor vehicle accessible surface.

17. The system of claim 16:

wherein the inductive energy transfer system comprises a system to transfer power from the power transmission unit to the power receiving as the motor vehicle remains stationary with respect to the motor vehicle accessible surface.

18. A computer-implemented inductive power transfer method, comprising:

receiving, at a power transfer control circuit interface, a first signal that includes information indicative of at least one inductive energy transfer parameter between an inductive power transmission unit and an inductive power receiving unit;

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, at least one control output, the control output including data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of at least one of;

an inductive power transmission unit;

or, an inductive power receiving unit, the position in the 3D space based on an inductive energy transfer between the inductive power transmission unit and the inductive power receiving unit based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter; and

communicating the at least one control output to a communicably coupled actuation sub-system, the actuation sub-system operably coupled to at least one of;

the inductive power transmission unit or the inductive power receiving unit.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 wherein receiving a first signal that includes information indicative of at least one inductive energy transfer parameter comprises:

receiving, at the power transfer control circuit interface, a first signal that includes information indicative of a power transfer rate between the inductive power transmission unit and the inductive power receiving unit.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, at the power transfer control circuit interface, a second signal that includes information indicative of a human presence proximate at least one of;

the inductive power transmission unit or the inductive power receiving unit; and

receiving, at the power transfer control circuit interface, a third signal that includes information indicative of a magnetic field proximate at least one of;

the inductive power transmission unit or the inductive power receiving unit.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20 wherein generating the control output further comprises:

generating at least one control output that includes data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of at least one of;

the inductive power transmission unit;

or, the inductive power receiving unit such that the position limits the magnetic field proximate at least one of;

the inductive power transmission unit;

or, the inductive power receiving unit to a first threshold value responsive to a receipt of the second signal indicative of a human presence.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein generating the control output further comprises:

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, a control output that includes data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of at least one of;

the inductive power transmission unit;

or, the inductive power receiving unit based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter responsive to a receipt of the second signal indicative of no human presence.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 wherein generating the control output further comprises:

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, a control output that includes data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of an inductive power receiving unit coupleable to a chassis of a motor vehicle with respect to an inductive power transmission unit disposed in a motor vehicle accessible surface.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 wherein generating the control output including data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of an inductive power receiving unit coupleable to a chassis of a motor vehicle with respect to an inductive power transmission unit disposed in a motor vehicle accessible surface comprises:

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, at least one control output to control inductive power transfer from an inductive power transmission unit disposed in a roadway surface to the inductive power receiving unit as the motor vehicle travels along the roadway surface.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 wherein generating the control output including data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of an inductive power receiving unit coupleable to a chassis of a motor vehicle with respect to an inductive power transmission unit disposed in a motor vehicle accessible surface comprises:

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, at least one control output to control inductive power transfer from an inductive power transmission unit disposed in a roadway surface to the inductive power receiving unit as the motor vehicle remains stationary with respect to the motor vehicle accessible surface.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 wherein generating the control output further comprises:

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, a chassis height signal output to an adjustable motor vehicle chassis adjustable in at least one dimension, the chassis height signal output to optimize the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving, at the power transfer control circuit interface, a signal that includes information indicative of a physical position of the motor vehicle with respect to the roadway surface; and

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, a feedback output signal that includes information representative of human perceptible instructions to achieve a motor vehicle position correction with respect to the roadway surface.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving, at the power transfer control circuit interface, a signal that includes information indicative of a physical position of the motor vehicle with respect to the roadway surface; and

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, a feedback output signal to autonomously communicate a feedback output to the motor vehicle the feedback output including information to autonomously position the motor vehicle with respect to the roadway surface.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 wherein generating the control output further comprises:

generating, by the power transfer control circuit, a control output that includes data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of an inductive power transmission unit disposed in a motor vehicle accessible surface with respect to an inductive power transmission unit coupleable to a chassis of a motor vehicle.

30. A storage device that includes machine-readable instructions that when executed by controller circuitry transform the controller circuitry to an inductive power transfer control circuit, the inductive power transfer control circuit to:

receive a first signal that includes information indicative of at least one inductive energy transfer parameter between an inductive power transmission unit and an inductive power receiving unit;

generate at least one control output, the control output including data indicative of a position in a three-dimensional (3D) space of at least one of;

an inductive power transmission unit;

or, an inductive power receiving unit, the position in the 3D space based on an inductive energy transfer between the inductive power transmission unit and the inductive power receiving unit based on the at least one inductive energy transfer parameter; and

communicate the at least one control output to a communicably coupled actuation sub-system, the actuation sub-system operably coupled to at least one of;

the inductive power transmission unit or the inductive power receiving unit.

31. The storage device of claim 30 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the inductive power transfer control circuit to receive a first signal that includes information indicative of at least one inductive energy transfer parameter, further cause the inductive power transfer control circuit to:

receive a first signal that includes information indicative of a power transfer rate between the inductive power transmission unit and the inductive power receiving unit.