Method, device and system for determining a position of a vehicle

• US 9,821,674 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Bildstein, Michael, Eckert, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US15/024,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20160229304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• 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 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/20 by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, to a device, and to a system for determining a position of a vehicle. The method comprises the method steps: Measuring (S01) at least one first magnetic field strength of a magnetic field at one each first position (A-i) by means of a first magnetic field sensor (11) arranged on a vehicle (1); measuring (S02) at least one second magnetic field strength of the magnetic field at one each second position (B-i) by means of a second magnetic field sensor (12) arranged on the vehicle (1) at a distance from the first magnetic field sensor (11); determining (S03) position data of the vehicle (1) at least by comparing data, which are based on the measured first and second magnetic field strengths, to a predetermined magnetic field data of the magnetic field; and outputting (S04) a signal based on said position data.

Claims

1. A method for ascertaining a position of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring at least one first magnetic field strength of a magnetic field at a respective first position by means of a first magnetic field sensor that is arranged on a vehicle;

measuring at least one second magnetic field strength of the magnetic field at a respective second position by means of a second magnetic field sensor that is arranged on the vehicle at a distance from the first magnetic field sensor;

ascertaining position data for the vehicle at least by comparing data that are based on the measured first and second magnetic field strengths with a predetermined magnetic field information item of the magnetic field; and

outputting a signal on the basis of the position data that includes information about where a reception coil of the vehicle is currently situated relative to a transmission coil disposed in a charging position,

wherein the measurement of the first and second magnetic field strengths is performed regularly or continuously.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is produced by formation of a residual magnetization in a coil.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is produced by application of a voltage to a coil.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is produced continuously or in a pulsating manner.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the predetermined magnetic field information item.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, including automatically controlling the position of the motor vehicle in response to the signal, and wherein the signal is a control signal.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of providing an audible instruction in response to the signal, wherein the signal is a control guideline.

5. A method for ascertaining a position of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring at least one first magnetic field strength of a magnetic field at a respective first position by means of a first magnetic field sensor that is arranged on a vehicle;

measuring at least one second magnetic field strength of the magnetic field at a respective second position by means of a second magnetic field sensor that is arranged on the vehicle at a distance from the first magnetic field sensor;

ascertaining position data for the vehicle at least by comparing data that are based on the measured first and second magnetic field strengths with a predetermined magnetic field information item of the magnetic field; and

outputting a signal on the basis of the position data,

wherein a first magnetic field strength gradient is determined at a third position, a second magnetic field strength gradient is determined at a fourth position, or both; and

ascertaining position data of the vehicle is additionally based on a comparison of the first and/or the second magnetic field strength gradient with the predetermined magnetic field information item of the magnetic field.

6. A method for ascertaining a position of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring at least one first magnetic field strength of a magnetic field at a respective first position by means of a first magnetic field sensor that is arranged on a vehicle;

measuring at least one second magnetic field strength of the magnetic field at a respective second position by means of a second magnetic field sensor that is arranged on the vehicle at a distance from the first magnetic field sensor;

ascertaining position data for the vehicle at least by comparing data that are based on the measured first and second magnetic field strengths with a predetermined magnetic field information item of the magnetic field; and

outputting a signal on the basis of the position data, wherein at least one further magnetic field sensor, which is arranged on the vehicle, each magnetic field sensor being at a distance from every other magnetic field sensor, is used to measure at least one third magnetic field strength of the magnetic field simultaneously with the measurement of the first magnetic field strength and simultaneously with the measurement of the second magnetic field strength;

wherein the ascertainment of the position data of the vehicle is additionally also based on a comparison of data that are based on the at least one third magnetic field strength with the predetermined magnetic field information item of the magnetic field.

8. An apparatus for ascertaining a position of a vehicle, comprising:

a first magnetic field sensor that is arranged on a vehicle for measuring at least one first magnetic field strength of a magnetic field;

a second magnetic field sensor that is arranged on the vehicle at a distance from the first magnetic field sensor for measuring at least one second magnetic field strength of the magnetic field; and

a computation device that is arranged on the vehicle and that is configured to;

compare at least data that are based on the first and second magnetic field strengths of the magnetic field with a predetermined magnetic field information item of the magnetic field, and

ascertain position data for the vehicle based on the magnetic field strengths and with the predetermined magnetic field information item, the position data including information about where a reception coil of the vehicle is currently situated relative to a transmission coil disposed in a charging position,

wherein the measurement of the first and second magnetic field strengths is performed regularly or continuously.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the computation device is configured to automatically control the position of the motor vehicle in response to the position data.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the computation device is configured to provide an audible instruction as a control guideline.

9. A system for ascertaining a position of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first magnetic field sensor that is arranged on a vehicle for measuring at least one first magnetic field strength of a magnetic field;

a second magnetic field sensor that is arranged on the vehicle at a distance from the first magnetic field sensor for measuring at least one second magnetic field strength of the magnetic field; and

a computation device that is arranged on the vehicle and that is configured to;

compare at least data that are based on the first and second magnetic field strengths of the magnetic field with a predetermined magnetic field information item of the magnetic field, and

ascertain position data for the vehicle based on the magnetic field strengths and with the predetermined magnetic field information item,

wherein the measurement of the first and second magnetic field strengths is performed regularly or continuously.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the position data includes information about where a reception coil of the vehicle is currently situated relative to a transmission coil disposed in a charging position.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the computation device is configured to automatically control the position of the motor vehicle in response to the position data.

16. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the computation device is configured to provide an audible instruction as a control guideline.