Power feeding system for vehicle, electrically powered vehicle and power feeding apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,798,829 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US12/992,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20110082612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 340/825, 340988-993, 307/104
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• 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 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An IPA-ECU recognizes a position of a power transferring unit by image recognition based on image information from a camera incorporated in a vehicle. Then, the IPA-ECU performs guidance control such that the vehicle is guided to the power transferring unit based on a result of the image recognition (first guidance control). A resonant ECU estimates a distance between the power transferring unit and a power receiving unit based on an electric power feeding condition from the power transferring unit to the power receiving unit. When the power transferring unit comes under a body of the vehicle, an HV-ECU performs guidance control of the vehicle such that a position of the power receiving unit is adjusted to a position of the power transferring unit based on distance information from the resonant ECU (second guidance control).

Claims

1. A power feeding system for an electrically powered vehicle for feeding electric power from a power transferring unit of a power feeding apparatus provided outside of the electrically powered vehicle to a power receiving unit incorporated in the vehicle in a non-contact manner, the power feeding system comprising:

a first sensing system configured to sense a positional relationship between said power transferring unit and said power receiving unit;

a first guidance control system configured to guide said vehicle such that said vehicle is guided toward said power transferring unit based on input from said first sensing system;

a second sensing system configured to sense an electric power feeding condition from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit; and

a second guidance control system configured to guide said vehicle such that a position of said power receiving unit is adjusted toward a position of said power transferring unit based on input from said second sensing system when said vehicle comes within a prescribed distance from said power transferring unit by said first guidance control system, wherein

said second guidance control system is configured to stop said vehicle, when a change ratio of at least one of a received current and received voltage received from said power transferring unit becomes smaller than a predetermined value while said vehicle is moving toward said power transferring unit.

2. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said power transferring unit is arranged on the ground,

said power receiving unit is arranged on an underbody of the vehicle,

an area where said power transferring unit and said power receiving unit face each other is smaller than an area of said underbody of the vehicle,

said first sensing system includes

an image taking device incorporated in said vehicle configured to take an image of an area adjacent to said vehicle, and

an image recognition unit configured to recognize a position of said power transferring unit based on an image taken by said image taking device, and

said prescribed distance is a distance that does not allow said image taking device to take an image of said power transferring unit when said vehicle approaches said power transferring unit and said power transferring unit comes under a body of the vehicle.

3. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said prescribed distance is a predetermined distance that allows said power receiving unit to receive electric power from said power transferring unit.

4. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a communication system for conducting communication between said vehicle and said power feeding apparatus, wherein

said first sensing system further includes a light emission unit indicating a position of said power transferring unit, and

said light emission unit emits light after communication between said vehicle and said power feeding apparatus is established by said communication system.

5. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

said light emission unit emits light in response to an instruction received from said vehicle via said communication system.

6. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a communication system configured to conduct communication between said vehicle and said power feeding apparatus, wherein

said power feeding apparatus is activated in response to an instruction received from said vehicle via said communication system.

7. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said power transferring unit includes a power transferring coil for transferring electric power from a power supply,

said power receiving unit includes a power receiving coil for receiving electric power from said power transferring coil in a non-contact manner, and

said second sensing system includes a distance estimation unit for estimating the distance between said power transferring unit and said power receiving unit based on information about electric power transferred from said power transferring coil to said power receiving coil.

8. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

electric power supplied from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit during adjustment of the position of said power receiving unit toward the position of said power transferring unit by said second guidance control system is smaller than electric power supplied from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit after completion of said adjustment.

9. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said first guidance control system includes a first control unit configured to control steering of said vehicle based on a sensed result by said first sensing system, and

said second guidance control system includes a second control unit configured to control driving and braking of said vehicle based on a sensed result by said second sensing system.

21. The power feeding system for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the second sensing system is configured to sense a distance between said power transferring unit and said power receiving unit based on the electric power feeding condition.

10. An electrically powered vehicle with electric power fed from a power transferring unit of a power feeding apparatus provided outside of the vehicle and arranged on the ground, the electrically powered vehicle comprising:

a power receiving unit configured to receive electric power transferred from said power transferring unit in a non-contact manner;

a first sensing unit for sensing a position of said power transferring unit;

a first guidance control unit for controlling the vehicle such that the vehicle is guided toward said power transferring unit based on input from said first sensing unit;

a second sensing unit for sensing a distance between said power transferring unit and said power receiving unit based on an electric power feeding condition from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit; and

a second guidance control unit for controlling the vehicle such that a position of said power receiving unit is adjusted toward a position of said power transferring unit based on input from said second sensing unit when the vehicle is within a prescribed distance from said power transferring unit by said first guidance control unit, wherein

said second guidance control system is configured to stop said vehicle, when a change ratio of at least one of a received current and received voltage received from said power transferring unit becomes smaller than a predetermined value while said vehicle is moving toward said power transferring unit.

11. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

said power receiving unit is arranged on an underbody of the vehicle,

an area where said power transferring unit and said power receiving unit face each other is smaller than an area of said underbody of the vehicle,

said first sensing unit includes

an image taking device for taking an image of an area adjacent to said vehicle, and

an image recognition unit for recognizing a position of said power transferring unit based on an image taken by said image taking device, wherein

said prescribed distance is a distance that does not allow said image taking device to take an image of said power transferring unit when the vehicle approaches said power transferring unit and said power transferring unit comes under a body of the vehicle.

12. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

said prescribed distance is a predetermined distance that allows said power receiving unit to receive electric power from said electric power transferring unit.

13. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising a communication unit for conducting communication with said power feeding apparatus, wherein

said communication unit transmits an instruction for lighting of a light emission unit to said power feeding apparatus after communication with said power feeding apparatus is established.

14. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising a communication unit for conducting communication with said power feeding apparatus, wherein

said communication unit transmits an instruction to activate said power feeding apparatus to said power feeding apparatus.

15. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

said power transferring unit includes a power transferring coil for transferring electric power from a power supply,

said power receiving unit includes a power receiving coil for receiving electric power from said power transferring coil in a non-contact manner, and

said second sensing unit includes a distance estimation unit for estimating the distance between said power transferring unit and said power receiving unit based on information about electric power transferred from said power transferring coil to said power receiving coil.

16. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

electric power supplied from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit during adjustment of the position of said power receiving unit toward the position of said power transferring unit by said second guidance control unit is smaller than electric power supplied from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit after completion of the adjustment of the position of said power receiving unit toward the position of said power transferring unit.

17. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

said first guidance control unit includes a first control unit for controlling steering of said vehicle based on input from said first sensing unit, and

said second guidance control unit includes a second control unit for controlling driving and braking of said vehicle based on input from said second sensing unit.

18. A power feeding apparatus for an electrically powered vehicle for feeding electric power, in a non-contact manner, to a power receiving unit incorporated in the electrically powered vehicle, the power feeding apparatus comprising:

a power transferring unit configured to transfer electric power received from a power supply to said power receiving unit in a non-contact manner;

a communication unit for conducting communication with said vehicle; and

a power control unit for controlling electric power transferred from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit, wherein

said vehicle is configured to move such that said power receiving unit moves toward a position of said power transferring unit based on an electric power feeding condition from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit, and

during reception of a signal indicating that said movement is being performed from said vehicle via said communication unit, said power control unit controls said electric power to be smaller than electric power transferred from said power transferring unit to said power receiving unit after completion of said movement, and

said vehicle is configured to stop, when a change ratio of at least one of a received current and received voltage received from said power transferring unit becomes smaller than a predetermined value while said vehicle is moving toward said power transferring unit.

19. The power feeding apparatus for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 18, further comprising a light emission unit indicating a position of said power transferring unit, wherein

said light emission unit emits light after communication with said vehicle is established by said communication unit.

20. The power feeding apparatus for the electrically powered vehicle according to claim 18, wherein

said power control unit is activated in response to an instruction received from said vehicle via said communication unit.