Wireless charging system with location verification

• US 9,582,950 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Takayuki, Yokoyama, Akihisa, Kawakubo, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US13/850,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20140285317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source

Abstract

The disclosure includes a system and method for charging a target object wirelessly. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the system to: receive data describing a code from a target object, the code being stored on a tagging device and configured to be read wirelessly by a reading device associated with the target object; verify the code; determine that a location associated with the target object satisfies a safe charging range responsive to the verification of the code, the verification of the code indicating a charging distance between a power transmitter and a power receiver associated with the target object satisfies a safe charging distance; and instruct the power transmitter to wirelessly transmit power to the power receiver associated with the target object responsive to determining that the location of the target object satisfies the safe charging range.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

once a reading distance between a reading device positioned adjacent to a power receiver of a target object and a tagging device positioned adjacent to a power transmitter of a charging controller has been satisfied, transmitting a code from the tagging device positioned adjacent to the power transmitter of the charging controller to the reading device positioned adjacent to the power receiver of the target object, the code being stored on the tagging device;

receiving, via a wireless communication unit of the charging controller, a wireless transmission from the reading device of the target object, the wireless transmission including the code that the reading device of the target object received from the tagging device of the charging controller;

verifying the code to verify the target object;

responsive to the code being verified, determining that a charging distance between the power transmitter of the charging station and the power receiver of the target object satisfies a safe charging distance; and

responsive to determining the charging distance between the power transmitter and the power receiver associated with the target object satisfies the safe charging distance, instructing the power transmitter of the charging controller to wirelessly transmit power to the power receiver of the target object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the safe charging distance is a maximal range within which the target object is positioned and configured to be charged wirelessly by the power transmitter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reading device is a radio frequency identification reader and the tagging device is a radio frequency identification tag.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reading device is a near field communication reader and the tagging device is a near field communication tag.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reading device is configured to be positioned within a first distance from the power receiver and the tagging device is configured to be positioned within a second distance from the power transmitter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reading device is attached to the power receiver and the tagging device is attached to the power transmitter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying the code comprises:

retrieving verification data from a storage device;

determining whether the code matches the verification data; and

confirming a verification of the code responsive to determining that the code matches the verification data.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

once a reading distance between a reading device positioned adjacent to a power receiver of a target object and a tagging device positioned adjacent to a power transmitter of a charging controller has been satisfied, transmit a code from the tagging device positioned adjacent to the power transmitter of the charging controller to the reading device positioned adjacent to the power receiver of the target object, the code being stored on the tagging device;

receive, via a wireless communication unit of the charging controller, a wireless transmission from the reading device of the target object, the wireless transmission including the code that the reading device of the target object received from the tagging device of the charging controller;

verify the code to verify the target object;

responsive to the code being verified, determine that a charging distance between the power transmitter of the charging station and the power receiver of the target object satisfies a safe charging distance; and

responsive to determining that the charging distance between the power transmitter and the power receiver associated with the target object satisfies the safe charging distance, instruct the power transmitter of the charging controller to wirelessly transmit power to the power receiver of the target object.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the safe charging distance is a maximal range within which the target object is positioned and configured to be charged wirelessly by the power transmitter.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the reading device is a radio frequency identification reader and the tagging device is a radio frequency identification tag.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the reading device is a near field communication reader and the tagging device is a near field communication tag.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the reading device is configured to be positioned within a first distance from the power receiver and the tagging device is configured to be positioned within a second distance from the power transmitter.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the reading device is attached to the power receiver and the tagging device is attached to the power transmitter.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein to verify the code comprises:

retrieving verification data from a storage device;

determining whether the code matches the verification data; and

confirming a verification of the code responsive to determining that the code matches the verification data.

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

once a reading distance between a reading device positioned adjacent to a power receiver of a target object and a tagging device positioned adjacent to a power transmitter of a charging controller has been satisfied, transmit a code from the tagging device positioned adjacent to the power transmitter of the charging controller to the reading device positioned adjacent to the power receiver of the target object, the code being stored on the tagging device;

receive, via a wireless communication unit of the charging controller, a wireless transmission from the reading device of the target object, the wireless transmission including the code that the reading device of the target object received from the tagging device of the charging controller;

verify the code to verify the target object;

responsive to the code being verified, determine that a charging distance between the power transmitter of the charging station and the power receiver of the target object satisfies a safe charging distance; and

responsive to determining the charging distance between the power transmitter and the power receiver associated with the target object satisfies the safe charging distance, instruct the power transmitter of the charging controller to wirelessly transmit power to the power receiver of the target object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the safe charging distance is a maximal range within which the target object is positioned and configured to be charged wirelessly by the power transmitter.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the reading device is a radio frequency identification reader and the tagging device is a radio frequency identification tag.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the reading device is a near field communication reader and the tagging device is a near field communication tag.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the reading device is configured to be positioned within a first distance from the power receiver and the tagging device is configured to be positioned within a second distance from the power transmitter.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the reading device is attached to the power receiver and the tagging device is attached to the power transmitter.