ENHANCED WIRELESS CHARGING

• US 20180334039A1
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Published: 11/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wellen Sham
• Original Assignee: Wellen Sham
• Inventors: Sham, Wellen
• Granted Patent: US 10,668,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/10 characterised by the energy transfer between the charging station and the vehicle
• 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: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• 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

Embodiments facilitate wireless charging of the EV by using a charging method that employs higher voltages with higher power transmission rate than induction wireless charging. A few charging methods satisfying such criteria are provided: including microwave and laser charging. Components may be designed to facilitate charging of EVs using such methods. For example, components may be designed to create a vacuum between a power transmitter fixed to parking spot and a power receiver fixed to the EV. The microwave or laser may be transmitted through this vacuum.

Claims

1. A charging station for wireless power transmission, the charging station comprising a parking spot, the parking spot being configured to receive electric power from a power grid, wherein the parking spot comprises:

a control unit;

a hollowed-out component, wherein the hollowed-out component is configured to be coupled to a counterpart hollowed-out component of an electric vehicle to facilitate a vacuum zone between the parking spot and the electric vehicle; and

a power transmitter; and

, wherein

the control unit is configured to;

receive a request to charge an electric vehicle;

in response to the request being received, generating an instruction to create the vacuum zone between the parking spot and the electric vehicle through the hollowed-out component; and

in response to the vacuum being created, generating an instruction to convert the electric power received from the power grid to a radio medium having a frequency higher than 500 megahertz such that the radio medium is transmitted from the power transmitter to the electric vehicle through the vacuum zone; and

the vacuum generator is configured to create the vacuum between the parking spot and the electric vehicle through the hollow-out component.

2. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the radio medium includes microwave.

3. The charging station of claim 2, wherein the power transmitter is configured to transmit microwave through the vacuum to a power receiver mounted on a chassis of the electric vehicle.

4. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the radio medium includes a laser.

5. The charging station of claim 4, wherein the power transmitter is configured to transmit the laser through the vacuum to a power a power receiver mounted on a chassis of the electric vehicle.

6. The charging station of claim 1, wherein a power transmission rate at which the electric power is transmitted from the charging station to the electric vehicle is between 20 kilo watts per hour to 60 kilo watts per hour.

7. The charging station of claim 1, wherein voltage for the power transmission between the charging station and the electric vehicle is between 400 volts and 800 volts.

8. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an instruction to activate charging of the electric vehicle after the request has been received.

9. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an instruction to deactivate charging of the electric vehicle after an indication that the electric vehicle is fully charged has been received.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine whether the hollowed-out component is aligned with a hollowed-out component of the charging station through sensor inputs.

10. An electric vehicle configured for wireless power transmission, the electric vehicle comprising:

a control unit;

a hollowed-out component mounted on chassis of the electric vehicle, wherein the hollowed-out component is configured to be coupled to a counterpart hollowed-out component of a parking spot to facilitate a vacuum zone between the electric vehicle and parking spot; and

a power receiver disposed within the hollow-out component; and

, wherein

the control unit is configured to;

generate a request to charge an electric vehicle; and

generate an instruction to receive through the power transmitter a radio medium having a frequency higher than 500 megahertz, radio medium being wirelessly received from a power transmitter of a charging station through the vacuum zone created between the charging station and the electric vehicle through the hollow-out component.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the radio medium includes microwave.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the power receiver is configured to receive microwave through the vacuum.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the radio medium includes a laser.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 13, wherein the power receiver is configured to receive the laser through the vacuum.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein a power transmission rate at which the electric power is transmitted from the charging station to the electric vehicle is between 20 kilo watts per hour to 60 kilo watts per hour.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein voltage for the power transmission between the charging station and the electric vehicle is between 400 volts and 800 volts.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an instruction to transmitting the request to the charging station.