Systems, methods, and apparatus for partial electronics integration in vehicle pads for wireless power transfer applications

• US 9,815,381 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Keeling, Nicholas Athol, Beaver, Jonathan, van Boheemen, Edward Leonardus, Kissin, Michael Le Gallais, Huang, Chang-Yu, Budhia, Mickel Bipin
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US14/861,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20160250932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• 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 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/02 continuously variable, e.g. variometers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for partial electronics integration in vehicle pads for wireless power transfer applications are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus for wirelessly receiving charging power is provided. The apparatus comprises a first enclosure including at least a receive coupler configured to generate an alternating current under the influence of an alternating magnetic field in a first enclosure. The first enclosure further includes a rectifier circuit configured to modify the alternating current to produce a direct current for output from the first enclosure to a controller circuit in a disparately located second enclosure. The apparatus further comprises at least one direct current inductor configured to receive the direct current from the rectifier circuit. In some implementations, the apparatus further comprises the controller circuit in the second enclosure. The controller circuit is configured to selectively provide the direct current to a battery.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving charging power, the apparatus comprising:

a first enclosure including at least;

a receive coupler configured to generate an alternating current under the influence of an alternating magnetic field; and

a rectifier circuit configured to modify the alternating current to produce a direct current for output from the first enclosure to a controller circuit in a disparately located second enclosure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one direct current inductor configured to receive the direct current from the rectifier circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one direct current inductor is located in the first enclosure.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one direct current inductor is located in the second enclosure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the second enclosure including the controller circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to selectively provide the direct current to a battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise a parallel-tuned resonant circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise a current doubler circuit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise an interleaved current doubler circuit.

10. A method for wirelessly receiving charging power, the method comprising:

generating, within a first enclosure, an alternating current under the influence of an alternating magnetic field,

modifying, via a rectifier circuit within the first enclosure, the alternating current to produce a direct current, and

outputting the direct current from the first enclosure to a controller circuit in a disparately located second enclosure.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising selectively providing the direct current to a battery via the controller circuit.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise a parallel-tuned resonant circuit.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise a current doubler circuit.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise an interleaved current doubler circuit.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising computer program code that, when executed by an apparatus, causes the apparatus to:

generate, within a first enclosure, an alternating current under the influence of an alternating magnetic field,

modify, via a rectifier circuit within the first enclosure, the alternating current to produce a direct current, and

output the direct current from the first enclosure to a controller circuit in a disparately located second enclosure.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to selectively provide the direct current to a battery via the controller circuit.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise a parallel-tuned resonant circuit.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise a current doubler circuit.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein electrical components in the first enclosure and the second enclosure comprise an interleaved current doubler circuit.

20. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving charging power, the apparatus comprising:

first enclosing means enclosing at least;

means for generating an alternating current under the influence of an alternating magnetic field; and

means for modifying the alternating current to produce a direct current for output from the first enclosing means to means for controlling the apparatus, the means for controlling the apparatus being disposed in disparately located second enclosing means.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for receiving the direct current from the means for modifying the alternating current.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for receiving the direct current is enclosed by the first enclosing means.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for receiving the direct current is enclosed by the second for enclosing at least one electrical component.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising the means for controlling the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein electrical components in the first enclosing means and the second enclosing means comprise a parallel-tuned resonant circuit.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein electrical components in the first enclosing means and the second enclosing means comprise a current doubler circuit.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein electrical components in the first enclosing means and the second enclosing means comprise an interleaved current doubler circuit.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for generating an alternating current comprises a receive coupler.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for modifying the alternating current comprises a rectifier circuit.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for controlling the apparatus comprises a controller circuit.