WIRELESS POWER QUALITY ALERT FOR DELAYED CHARGING WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20180257500A1
• Filed: 03/08/2017
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: ASHBY, Ryan M., JONES, Brandon R., NAMOU, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,401,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction coils
• 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 delayed charging system for a vehicle implements an energy transfer efficiency check prior to the scheduled charge time to confirm sufficient grid power quality and wireless power quality. In addition to this, a foreign object check is performed prior to the scheduled charge. These checks are performed immediately after the customer sets up the delayed session as well as at specified intervals after that. If a power quality issue is detected, the customer will be alerted so they can remedy the situation.

Claims

1. A method of delayed wireless charging for a vehicle battery system, comprising:

initiating a delayed charging event for a vehicle charger; and

during a delay period preceding the delayed charging event, performing a foreign object detection to detect any foreign objects between the vehicle charger and a receiver unit on the vehicle; and

alerting a user of a wireless charging issue if a foreign object is detected.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, during a delay period preceding the delayed charging event, performing a temporary wireless energy transfer and evaluating an energy transfer efficiency and alerting a user of a wireless charging issue if the energy transfer efficiency is not within a predetermined energy transfer efficiency level.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a user'"'"'s personal communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a vehicle horn chirp.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a user'"'"'s personal communication device.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a vehicle horn chirp.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing a foreign object detection is repeated multiple times during the delay period preceding a delayed charging event.

8. A method of delayed wireless charging for a vehicle battery system, comprising:

initiating a delayed charging event for a vehicle charger; and

during a delay period preceding the delayed charging event, performing a temporary wireless energy transfer and evaluating an energy transfer efficiency and alerting a user of a wireless charging issue if the energy transfer efficiency is not within a predetermined energy transfer efficiency level.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a user'"'"'s personal communication device.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a vehicle horn chirp.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of performing a temporary wireless energy transfer and evaluating an energy transfer efficiency is repeated multiple times during the delay period preceding a delayed charging event.

12. A method of delayed wireless charging for a vehicle battery system, comprising:

initiating a delayed charging event for a vehicle charger;

during a delay period preceding the delayed charging event, performing a foreign object detection to detect any foreign objects between the vehicle charger and a receiver unit on the vehicle; and

alerting a user of a wireless charging issue if a foreign object is detected; and

during the delay period preceding the delayed charging event, performing a temporary wireless energy transfer and evaluating an energy transfer efficiency and alerting a user of a wireless charging issue if the energy transfer efficiency is not within a predetermined energy transfer efficiency level.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a user'"'"'s personal communication device.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of alerting a user of a wireless charging issue is via a vehicle horn chirp.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of performing a foreign object detection is repeated multiple times during the delay period preceding a delayed charging event.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of performing a temporary wireless energy transfer and evaluating an energy transfer efficiency is repeated multiple times during the delay period preceding a delayed charging event.