Devices, methods, and programs that provide vehicle guidance for power reception

• US 8,463,536 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/654,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/30 by voice
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• 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

Power reception guidance devices, methods, and programs guide a vehicle having a power receiving unit to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area. The devices, methods, and programs specifying a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current position of the vehicle when a parking operation is started and output information pertaining to the specified power receiving efficiency on an output unit.

Claims

1. A power reception guidance device for installation in a vehicle having a power receiving unit, the device guiding the vehicle to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area, the device comprising:

a display;

a controller that specifies a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current position of the vehicle when a parking operation is started; and

an output unit that outputs the specified power receiving efficiency, a current remaining capacity of a battery of the vehicle, a position of the power supply unit, and a position of the power receiving unit through the display.

2. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a field intensity detection unit that detects a field intensity of the power receiving unit;

wherein the controller specifies the power receiving efficiency based on a comparison of the detected field intensity and a maximum field intensity generated by the power supply unit.

3. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

specifies a positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit; and

specifies the power receiving efficiency based on the specified positional relationship.

4. The power reception guidance device according to claim 3, wherein:

the controller specifies a new position with increased power receiving efficiency based on the specified positional relationship; and

the output unit outputs information pertaining to the specified new position.

5. The power reception guidance device according to claim 4, wherein:

the controller determines whether the vehicle is located at the new position; and

the output unit outputs information based on the determination of whether the vehicle is located at the new position.

6. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller;

specifies an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

specifies an estimated parking time of the vehicle; and

specifies a power receiving amount to be received by the power receiving unit while the vehicle is parked based on the specified power receiving efficiency and the specified estimated parking time; and

the output unit outputs information based on the specified power receiving amount and the required power amount specified by the required power amount specifying unit.

7. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1,

wherein the output unit outputs information based on a comparison of the specified power receiving efficiency and a required efficiency.

8. The power reception guidance device according to claim 7, wherein the controller:

specifies an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

specifies an estimated parking time of the vehicle; and

specifies the required efficiency based on the specified required power amount and the specified estimated parking time.

9. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller;

specifies an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

specifies an estimated parking time of the vehicle; and

specifies a power receiving time necessary for the power reception of the power receiving unit based on the specified power receiving efficiency and the specified required power amount; and

the output unit outputs information based on the specified power receiving time and the specified estimated parking time.

10. A navigation device comprising the power reception guidance device of claim 1.

21. The power reception guidance device according to claim 3, wherein:

the controller specifies a position of the vehicle that increases the power receiving efficiency based on the specified positional relationship, and

the output unit outputs through the display an arrow that points towards the specified position from a current position of the vehicle.

11. A power reception guidance method for guiding a vehicle having a power receiving unit to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area, the method comprising:

specifying, with a controller, a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current position of the vehicle when a parking operation is started; and

outputting the specified power receiving efficiency, a current remaining capacity of a battery of the vehicle, a position of the power supply unit, and a position of the power receiving unit through a display.

12. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a field intensity of the power receiving unit; and

specifying the power receiving efficiency based on a comparison of the detected field intensity and a maximum field intensity generated by the power supply unit.

13. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

specifying a positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit; and

specifying the power receiving efficiency based on the specified positional relationship.

14. The power reception guidance method according to claim 13, further comprising:

specifying a new position with increased power receiving efficiency based on the specified positional relationship; and

outputting information pertaining to the specified new position.

15. The power reception guidance method according to claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether the vehicle is located at the new position; and

outputting information based on the determination of whether the vehicle is located at the new position.

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

specifying an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

specifying an estimated parking time of the vehicle;

specifying a power receiving amount to be received by the power receiving unit while the vehicle is parked based on the specified power receiving efficiency and the specified estimated parking time; and

outputting information based on the specified power receiving amount and the required power amount specified by the required power amount specifying unit.

17. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising

outputting information based on a comparison of the specified power receiving efficiency and a required efficiency.

18. The power reception guidance method according to claim 17, further comprising:

specifying an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

specifying an estimated parking time of the vehicle; and

specifying the required efficiency based on the specified required power amount and the specified estimated parking time.

19. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

specifying an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

specifying an estimated parking time of the vehicle;

specifying a power receiving time necessary for the power reception of the power receiving unit based on the specified power receiving efficiency and the specified required power amount; and

outputting information based on the specified power receiving time and the specified estimated parking time.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable power reception guidance program for guiding a vehicle having a power receiving unit to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area, the program comprising:

instructions for specifying a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current position of the vehicle when a parking operation is started; and

instructions for outputting the specified power receiving efficiency, a current remaining capacity of a battery of the vehicle, a position of the power supply unit, and a position of the power receiving unit through a display.