Vehicles and vehicle systems for wirelessly charging portable electronic devices

• US 9,800,079 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Wippler, Erik Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Levin, Naum B
• Application Number:
  US14/298,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20150357860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Vehicles and vehicle systems for wirelessly charging portable electronic devices are disclosed. A vehicle includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules, a display, a wireless charger module, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. When executed by the one or more processors, the machine readable instructions cause the vehicle to present a wireless charger module input control on the display, detect tactile input indicative of a selection of the wireless charger module input control, and control the wireless charger module, in response to detecting the tactile input, thereby wirelessly charging the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A vehicle for wirelessly charging a portable electronic device, the vehicle comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless charger module communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the display, and electrically coupled to an electrical system of the vehicle, the wireless charger module being configured to charge the portable electronic device; and

machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors;

present a wireless charger module input control on the display;

detect tactile input indicative of a selection of the wireless charger module input control;

control the wireless charger module, in response to detecting the tactile input, thereby wirelessly charging the portable electronic device;

monitor a level of power consumption of the wireless charger module; and

determine an estimated charge completion time for the portable electronic device at least based on the level of power consumption of the wireless charger module.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger module input control is an activation input control, and the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle to control the wireless charger module by activating the wireless charger module in response to detecting tactile input indicative of the selection of the activation input control.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless charger module input control is a timer set input control;

in response to detecting tactile input indicative of a selection of the timer set input control, the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the vehicle to;

present a timer duration prompt; and

receive a timer duration input indicative of a charge duration; and

the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle to control the wireless charger module by activating the wireless charger module for the charge duration.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless charger module input control is a timer set input control;

in response to detecting tactile input indicative of a selection of the timer set input control, the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the vehicle to;

present a start time prompt; and

receive a start time input indicative of a time to activate the wireless charger module; and

the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle to control the wireless charger module by activating the wireless charger module at the start time.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless charger module input control is a charging rules input control;

in response to detecting tactile input indicative of a selection of the charging rules input control, the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the vehicle to;

present a charging rule setting prompt; and

receive a charging rule setting input; and

the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle to control the wireless charger module in accordance with the charging rule setting input.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein:

the charging rule setting prompt is a charging activation threshold prompt;

the charging rule setting input is a charging activation threshold input indicative of a threshold charge level of the portable electronic device at which wireless charging of the portable electronic device is to be activated; and

the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle to activate the wireless charger module when a charge level of the portable electronic device reaches or falls below the threshold charge level.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle to present wireless charging information on the display.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the wireless charging information includes at least one of a charge status, a charge history, and a charge level.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the wireless charging information includes a charge level icon indicative of a charge level of the portable electronic device.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the display is a touchscreen integrated within a vehicle multimedia system, and the detected tactile input is indicative of tactile input on a surface of the touchscreen.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger module includes a primary coil electrically coupled to the electrical system of the vehicle, and the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle to control the wireless charger module by energizing the primary coil.

12. A vehicle for presenting wireless charging information, the vehicle comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless charger module communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the display, and electrically coupled to an electrical system of the vehicle, the wireless charger module being configured to charge a portable electronic device; and

machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors;

monitor a level of power consumption of the wireless charger module;

determine wireless charging information at least based on the level of power consumption of the wireless charger module; and

present the wireless charging information on the display.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the at least one parameter of the wireless charger module includes at least one of an activation status, a power consumption level, and an activation duration.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the vehicle to determine an estimated charge completion time based on the level of power consumption of the wireless charger module.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the vehicle to present the estimated charge completion time on the display.

16. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the vehicle to

receive charge information from a portable electronic device;

and

determine the wireless charging information based on the received charge information.

17. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

present a wireless charger module input control on the display;

detect tactile input indicative of a selection of the wireless charger module input control; and

control the wireless charger module in response to detecting the tactile input.

18. A vehicle system for wirelessly charging a portable electronic device, the vehicle system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a touchscreen display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless charger module communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the touchscreen display, and electrically coupled to an electrical system of the vehicle, the wireless charger module being configured to charge the portable electronic device; and

machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors;

present a wireless charger module input control on the touchscreen display;

detect tactile input indicative of a selection of the wireless charger module input control;

control the wireless charger module in response to detecting the tactile input, thereby wirelessly charging the portable electronic device;

monitor a level of power consumption of the wireless charger module; and

determine an estimated charge completion time for the portable electronic device at least based on the level of power consumption of the wireless charger module.

19. The vehicle system of claim 18, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors further cause the vehicle system to perform at least the following:

monitor at least one parameter of the wireless charger module;

determine wireless charging information based on the at least one parameter; and

present the wireless charging information on the touchscreen display.