Wireless charging control apparatus and method for optimal charging by adjusting the inclination of the electric vehicle being charged

• US 10,399,449 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Jang, Jin Su, Jung, Taek Hyun, Kim, Zeung Il, Seong, Jae Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trischler, John T
• Application Number:
  US15/658,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20180037126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/10 Vehicle control parameters
• 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 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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

A wireless charging control apparatus may include at least one horizontal detector configured for detecting an inclination of an electric vehicle (EV); a suspension control device controlling a plurality of suspensions disposed near wheels of the EV to adjust a height or inclination of the EV; and a controller measuring the inclination of the EV based on data collected from the at least one horizontal sensor, estimating an inclination of a reception pad based on the measured inclination of the EV, and controlling the suspension control device to adjust the inclination of the EV when the inclination of the reception pad is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1. A wireless charging control apparatus comprising:

at least one horizontal detector configured for detecting an inclination of an electric vehicle (EV);

a suspension controller configured for controlling a plurality of suspensions mounted in the EV and disposed adjacent to wheels of the EV to adjust a height or the inclination of the EV; and

a controller measuring the inclination of the EV based on data collected from the at least one horizontal sensor, estimating an inclination of a reception pad based on the measured inclination of the EV, and controlling the suspension controller to adjust the inclination of the EV when the inclination of the reception pad is equal to or greater than a threshold value,

wherein the controller is configured to compare a first unit charge amount measured before an adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad with a second unit charge amount measured after the adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad, and is configured to maintain an adjusted inclination of the reception pad when the second unit charge amount exceeds the first unit charge amount, and is configured to control the suspension controller to restore the inclination of the EV to a previous inclination before the adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad, when the second unit charge amount is equal to or less than the first unit charge amount.

2. The wireless charging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the suspension controller such that the reception pad is in parallel with a transmission pad in a ground assembly (GA) for wireless charging, when the inclination of the reception pad is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

3. The wireless charging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one horizontal detector is disposed in an inertia measurement unit (IMU) mounted on the EV.

4. The wireless charging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one horizontal detector includes at least one of a three-axis G-sensor, a pitch sensor, a roll sensor, a yaw sensor, an inclination sensor, and an acceleration sensor.

5. The wireless charging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suspension controller is configured to control the plurality of suspensions, each of which includes at least one of a spring, a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, a link, and a damper.

6. An electric vehicle (EV) wireless charging apparatus comprising:

a reception pad receiving electric power from a transmission pad in a ground assembly (GA);

at least one horizontal detector configured for detecting an inclination of an EV;

a suspension controller configured for controlling a plurality of suspensions mounted in the EV and disposed adjacent to wheels of the EV to adjust a height or the inclination of the EV; and

a controller measuring the inclination of the EV based on data collected from the at least one horizontal sensor, estimating an inclination of the reception pad based on the measured inclination of the EV, and controlling the suspension controller so that the reception pad is in parallel with the transmission pad when the inclination of the reception pad is equal to or greater than a threshold value,

wherein the controller is configured to compare a first unit charge amount measured before an adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad with a second unit charge amount measured after the adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad, and is configured to maintain an adjusted inclination of the reception pad when the second unit charge amount exceeds the first unit charge amount and is configured to control the suspension controller to restore the inclination of the EV to a previous inclination before the adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad, when the second unit charge amount is equal to or less than the first unit charge amount.

7. The EV wireless charging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one horizontal detector is included in an inertia measurement unit (IMU) mounted on the EV.

8. The EV wireless charging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one horizontal detector includes at least one of a three-axis G-sensor, a pitch sensor, a roll sensor, a yaw sensor, an inclination sensor, and an acceleration sensor.

9. The EV wireless charging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the suspension controller is configured to control the plurality of suspensions, each of which includes at least one of a spring, a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, a link, and a damper.

10. A wireless charging control method comprising:

measuring, by a controller, an inclination of an electric vehicle (EV) using data collected through at least one horizontal sensor;

estimating, by the controller, an inclination of a reception pad based on the measured inclination of the EV; and

controlling, by the controller, at least one suspension mounted in the EV and disposed adjacent to wheels of the EV to adjust the inclination of the reception pad when the inclination of the reception pad is equal to or greater than a threshold value,

wherein the controlling at least one suspension of the EV includes;

determining a first unit charge amount, the first unit charge amount being an amount of energy charged during a first predetermined unit time before an adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad;

determining a second unit charge amount, the second unit charge amount being an amount of energy charged during second redetermined unit time after the adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad;

comparing the first unit charge amount with the second unit charge amount; and

maintaining an adjusted inclination of the reception pad when the second unit charge amount exceeds the first unit charge amount and controlling the at least one suspension of the EV such that the inclination of the EV is restored to a previous inclination of the EV before the adjustment of the inclination of the reception pad.

11. The wireless charging control method according to claim 10, wherein the first predetermined unit time is equal to the second predetermined unit time.

12. The wireless charging control method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one horizontal detector is included in an inertia measurement unit (IMU) mounted on the EV.

13. The wireless charging control method according to claim 10, wherein the inclination of the EV is an angle between a bottom surface of the EV and a ground surface.

14. The wireless charging control method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one horizontal detector includes at least one of a three-axis G-sensor, a pitch sensor, a roll sensor, a yaw sensor, an inclination sensor, and an acceleration sensor.