Wireless charging apparatus and method of vehicle

• US 9,742,213 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Sang Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US14/714,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/11 Energy harvesting
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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

A wireless charging apparatus includes: a receiver configured to receive a signal from a smart key apparatus indicating whether a smart key is present in the vehicle; a frequency controller configured to control a wireless charging frequency band when the receiver receives a signal indicating that the smart key is present in the vehicle; and an antenna configured to transmit a frequency controlled by the frequency controller.

Claims

1. A wireless charging apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a signal from a smart key apparatus indicating whether the smart key is present in the vehicle;

a frequency controller configured to control a wireless charging frequency band when the receiver receives a signal indicating that the smart key is present in the vehicle and to change the wireless charging frequency band to a frequency in a range set according to whether the smart key is present in the vehicle or not present in the vehicle; and

an antenna configured to transmit a frequency controlled by the frequency controller.

2. The wireless charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frequency controller is further configured to change the wireless charging frequency band to 200 kHz or more when the receiver receives the signal indicating that the smart key is present in the vehicle.

3. The wireless charging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the wireless charging frequency band is changed back to a frequency in a range of 105 kHz to 115 kHz when the receiver subsequently receives a signal indicating that the smart key is not present in the vehicle.

4. The wireless charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frequency controller is further configured to change the wireless charging frequency band to a frequency in a range of 105 kHz to 115 kHz when the receiver receives a signal indicating that the smart key is not present in the vehicle.

5. The wireless charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is further configured to transmit electric waves of a low frequency band and charge a battery of a cellular phone disposed adjacent to the antenna.

6. The wireless charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the smart key apparatus includes a smart key antenna, the smart key, and a smart key controller.

7. A wireless charging method for a vehicle, the wireless charging method comprising:

receiving a signal from a smart key apparatus indicating whether a smart key is present in the vehicle;

controlling a wireless charging frequency band upon receiving a signal indicating that the smart key is present in the vehicle;

changing the wireless charging frequency band to a frequency in a range set according to whether the smart key is present in the vehicle or not present in the vehicle; and

transmitting the controlled frequency.

8. The wireless charging method according to claim 7, further comprising changing the wireless charging frequency band to 200 kHz or more upon receiving the signal indicating that the smart key is present in the vehicle.

9. The wireless charging method according to claim 8, further comprising changing the wireless charging frequency band back to a frequency in a range from 105 kHz to 115 kHz upon subsequently receiving a signal indicating that the smart key is not present in the vehicle.

10. The wireless charging method according to claim 7, further comprising changing the wireless charging frequency band to a frequency in a range from 105 kHz to 115 kHz upon receiving a signal indicating that the smart key is not present in the vehicle.

11. The wireless charging method according to claim 7, wherein the transmitting of the controlled frequency comprises charging a battery of a cellular phone disposed adjacent to an antenna of the vehicle by transmitting electric waves of a low frequency band.

12. The wireless charging method according to claim 7, wherein the smart key apparatus includes a smart key antenna, the smart key, and a smart key controller.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for performing a wireless charging method for a vehicle, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that control a wireless charging frequency band based on receipt of a signal indicating whether a smart key is present in the vehicle, such that the wireless charging frequency band is changed to 200 kHz or more upon receiving a signal indicating that the smart key is present in the vehicle, and the wireless charging frequency band is changed to a frequency in a range from 105 kHz to 115 kHz upon receiving a signal indicating that the smart key is not present in the vehicle, wherein the changed frequency is transmitted.