Methods for warning of electromagnetic fields produced by wireless electric vehicle charging systems

• US 10,403,113 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Antar, Michael, Mills, Ryan, Han, Fang, Chi, Mei-Li, Von Novak, III, William
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/946,743
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 340600, 3405731, 340455, 3406361, 34053911
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• 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: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

Techniques for detecting the presence of a magnetic field associated with a wireless electric vehicle charging (WEVC) system are disclosed. An example of an apparatus for alerting a user of the presence of a magnetic field according to the disclosure includes a mobile device and at least one magnetic flux sensor integrated as part of the mobile device or operably coupled to the mobile device, the at least one magnetic flux sensor configured to detect the presence of the magnetic field associated with a wireless electric vehicle charging system, the mobile device configured to generate an alert based on the presence of the magnetic field detected by the at least one magnetic flux sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for alerting a user of the presence of a magnetic field, comprising:

a mobile device including a charging system configured to receive wireless power for charging the mobile device; and

at least one coil in the charging system configured as a magnetic flux sensor to detect the presence of the magnetic field associated with a wireless electric vehicle charging system, the mobile device configured to generate an alert based on the presence of the magnetic field detected by the at least one magnetic flux sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one magnetic flux sensor is configured to detect the presence of the magnetic field based on a frequency associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the frequency associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system is in a range of 70-120 kHz.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is an implantable medical device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile device includes a display device configured to provide an indication based on the alert.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile device includes a speaker and the alert includes generating an audible alarm with the speaker.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile device includes a transceiver and the alert includes transmitting a radio message via a radio message protocol with the transceiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the radio message is configured to cause the wireless electric vehicle charging system to reduce the magnetic field detected by the at least one magnetic flux sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one coil includes a plurality of loops configured to determine the presence of the magnetic field regardless of an orientation of the at least one coil relative to an orientation of the magnetic field.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the at least one coil is configured to determine a bearing to a source of the magnetic field based the plurality of loops.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile device includes a positioning module configured to determine a current position of the mobile device, the mobile device being configured to activate the at least one magnetic flux sensor based on the current position of the mobile device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.

13. A method of detecting an active base charging pad in a wireless electric vehicle charging system, comprising:

detecting a presence of a magnetic field associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system at a resonant charging coil in a mobile device separate from the wireless electric vehicle charging system; and

generating an alert based on detecting the presence of the magnetic field associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein detecting the magnetic field includes measuring a signal on a resonant charging coil in an implantable medical device.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a field characteristic of the magnetic field.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein determining the field characteristic of the magnetic field includes determining a strength of the magnetic field.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein determining the field characteristic of the magnetic field includes determining a frequency of the magnetic field.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein determining the field characteristic of the magnetic field includes determining an identification value based on an in-band signal modulated with the magnetic field.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein generating the alert includes transmitting a radio message to the wireless electric vehicle charging system via a radio message protocol.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving location information associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system from a location server; and

providing the field characteristic to the location server.

21. An apparatus for detecting an active base charging pad in a wireless electric vehicle charging system, comprising:

an implanted medical device configured to perform a medical function within a user and including;

a resonant circuit including at least one detection coil configured to resonate at a frequency of a magnetic field associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system;

a rectifier circuit operably coupled to the at least one detection coil; and

a transmitter operably coupled to the rectifier circuit and configured to transmit a radio message based on a voltage across the at least one detection coil;

a personal electronic device configured to be worn or carried by the user and including;

a transceiver configured to receive the radio message; and

at least one processor operably coupled to the transceiver and configured to provide a warning to the user based on the radio message.

22. An apparatus for alerting a user of the presence of a magnetic field, comprising:

a mobile device including a charging system configured to receive wireless power for charging the mobile device; and

at least one near field communication coil in the charging system configured to detect the presence of the magnetic field associated with a wireless electric vehicle charging system, the mobile device configured to generate an alert based on the presence of the magnetic field detected by the near field communication coil.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least near field communication coil is configured to detect the presence of the magnetic field based on a frequency associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the frequency associated with the wireless electric vehicle charging system is in a range of 70-120 kHz.