Wireless charging

• US 9,630,516 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Enomoto, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/463,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20160052404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 320104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• 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

One or more embodiments of techniques or systems for vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging are provided herein. A first vehicle may be equipped with a first vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging system and a second vehicle may be equipped with a second vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging system. The first vehicle may be placed in a charge providing mode and the second vehicle may be placed in a charge receiving mode. Respective vehicles may detect or monitor for hazards prior to, during, or after wireless charging. When hazards are detected, notifications may be provided to promote safety while wireless charging occurs. The first vehicle may be pulled alongside, in front of, or behind the second vehicle within a charging proximity to facilitate wireless charging. Control may be provided such that charging or starting the second vehicle is possible without exiting the first vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging, comprising:

an interface component receiving a user input and placing a first vehicle in a charge receiving mode based on the user input;

a sensor component detecting one or more hazards in a real world environment;

a notification component transmitting one or more alerts based on the one or more detected hazards to a second vehicle to orient the second vehicle within a charging proximity of the first vehicle; and

a secondary charge component generating an induced current based on exposure to a time varying magnetic field generated by the second vehicle when the second vehicle is oriented within the charging proximity of the first vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface component places the first vehicle in the charge receiving mode by electrically connecting the secondary charge component to a battery of the first vehicle via a switch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor component comprises an image capture unit, a radar unit, a laser unit, or an infrared unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification component renders one or more audio alerts based on one or more of the detected hazards.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary charge component comprises one or more induction coils.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising a converter component converting a voltage associated with the secondary charge component to a voltage associated with one or more vehicle specifications associated with the first vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a communication component transmitting one or more vehicle specifications of the first vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a control component monitoring a charge level of a battery of the first vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8, comprising a communication component transmitting the charge level of the battery.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification component transmits one or more of the alerts based on a proximity of the second vehicle to the first vehicle.

11. A system for vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging, comprising:

an interface component receiving a user input and placing a first vehicle in a charge providing mode based on the user input;

a sensor component detecting one or more hazards in a real world environment;

a notification component rendering one or more alerts based on the one or more detected hazards to orient the first vehicle within a charging proximity of a second vehicle; and

a primary charge component generating a time varying magnetic field based on a charging current when the first vehicle is oriented within the charging proximity of the second vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the interface component places the first vehicle in the charge providing mode based on a proximity of one or more of the detected hazards from the first vehicle.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor component comprises an image capture unit, a radar unit, a laser unit, or an infrared unit.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the primary charge component comprises one or more induction coils.

15. The system of claim 11, comprising a communication component receiving one or more vehicle specifications of the second vehicle, a charge level of a battery of the second vehicle, or a status of the second vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, comprising a control component adjusting an amperage of the charging current based on one or more of the vehicle specifications of the second vehicle.

17. A method for vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging, comprising:

engaging a first vehicle in a charge receiving mode;

detecting one or more hazards in a real world environment;

transmitting one or more notifications based on the one or more detected hazards to the second vehicle to orient the second vehicle within a charging proximity of the first vehicle; and

inducing a current in the first vehicle based on exposure to a time varying magnetic field generated by the second vehicle when the second vehicle is oriented within the charging proximity of the first vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein engaging the first vehicle in the charge receiving mode comprises electrically connecting a component associated with the induced current to a battery of the first vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17, comprising converting a voltage associated with the induced current to a voltage associated with one or more vehicle specifications of the first vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, comprising monitoring a charge level of a battery of the first vehicle.