System and method to align a source resonator and a capture resonator for wireless electrical power transfer

• US 9,236,758 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Fisher, Scott F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robbins, Jerry D
• Application Number:
  US13/677,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20140132208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

A system and a method to provide alignment between a source resonator and a capture resonator. The system and method may be used to align a vehicle having a capture resonator to the source resonator of a wireless inductive battery charging system for an electric vehicle. The system includes a display device, a sensor to determine a location of the source resonator relative to the capture resonator, and a controller in communication with the source resonator, the capture resonator, the sensor, and the display device. The controller is programmed to determine a relative distance and a relative direction between the source resonator and the capture resonator, determine a transfer efficiency of electrical power between the source resonator and the capture resonator. The display device is configured to indicate the relative distance and the relative direction between the source resonator and the capture resonator and indicate the transfer efficiency.

Claims

1. A method to align a source resonator and a capture resonator, said source resonator is coupled to an electrical power source to provide an electric current to the source resonator that causes the source resonator to emit a magnetic charging signal, said capture resonator disposed on a vehicle when the vehicle is being guided to a parked position, said capture resonator is configured to wirelessly receive the magnetic charging signal and provide electrical power based on the magnetic charging signal, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a display device;

determining a vehicle track as the capture resonator approaches the source resonator;

illustrating the vehicle track on the display device as the capture resonator approaches the source resonator via the display device; and

maintaining an indication of the vehicle track on the display device as the capture resonator approaches the source resonator via the display device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

determining a relative distance and a relative direction between said source resonator and said capture resonator; and

indicating the relative distance and the relative direction between said source resonator and said capture resonator via the display device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

determining a transfer efficiency of electrical power between said source resonator and said capture resonator; and

indicating the transfer efficiency via the display device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

determining whether the vehicle is parked; and

indicating an efficiency score via the display device, wherein the efficiency score is based on the transfer efficiency determined when the vehicle is parked.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the efficiency score is graphically represented within a plurality of concentric zones.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

determining a location of said source resonator relative to said capture resonator based on the relative distance and the relative direction between said source resonator and said capture resonator determined at a time the vehicle was parked; and

indicating the location of said source resonator relative to said capture resonator via the display device, wherein the location is indicated within one of the plurality of concentric zones.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

determining a current state of charge for a battery electrically coupled to said capture resonator; and

indicating the current state of charge via the display device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

determining a charging time for the battery based on the current state of charge and the transfer efficiency; and

indicating the charging time via the display device.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

determining whether the efficiency score exceeds a threshold; and

indicating a request to reinitiate a parking process via the display device when the efficiency score is below the threshold.

10. A system to provide alignment between a source resonator and a capture resonator, the source resonator is coupled to an electrical power source to provide an electric current to the source resonator that causes the source resonator to emit a magnetic charging signal, the capture resonator is configured to wirelessly receive the magnetic charging signal and provide electrical power based on the magnetic charging signal, said system comprising:

a display device;

a sensor configured to determine a location of said source resonator relative to said capture resonator;

a controller in communication with said source resonator, said capture resonator, the sensor, and the display device, the controller configured to determine a vehicle track as the capture resonator approaches the source resonator, wherein the display device is configured to illustrate the vehicle track as the capture resonator approaches the source resonator and to maintain an indication of the vehicle track as the capture resonator approaches the source resonator via the display device based on commands from the controller.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said capture resonator is disposed on a vehicle that is to be guided into a parked position.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to determine a relative distance and a relative direction between said source resonator and said capture resonator, wherein the display device is configured to indicate the relative distance and the relative direction between said source based on commands from the controller.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to determine a transfer efficiency of electrical power between said source resonator and said capture resonator, wherein the display device is configured to indicate the transfer efficiency based on commands from the controller.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the vehicle is parked and the display device is configured to indicate an efficiency score based on commands from the controller, wherein the efficiency score is based on the transfer efficiency determined when the vehicle is parked.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the efficiency score is graphically represented within a plurality of concentric zones.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the display device is configured to indicate the location of said source resonator relative to said capture resonator determined at a time the vehicle was parked based on commands from the controller, wherein the location is indicated within one of the plurality of concentric zones.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine a current state of charge for a battery electrically coupled to said capture resonator and the display device is configured to indicate the current state of charge based on commands from the controller.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to determine a charging time for the battery based on the current state of charge and the transfer efficiency and the display device is configured to indicate the charging time based on commands from the controller.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the efficiency score exceeds a threshold and the display device is configured to indicate a request to reinitiate a parking process when the efficiency score is below the threshold based on commands from the controller.