Systems and methods for electric vehicle induction coil alignment

• US 9,815,379 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Chang-Yu, Keeling, Nicholas Athol, Beaver, Jonathan, Kissin, Michael Le Gallais, Budhia, Mickel Bipin
• Primary Examiner(s): Parihar, Suchin
• Application Number:
  US14/160,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20150202970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• 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

Systems and methods in accordance with particular embodiments provide for alignment of an electric vehicle induction coil with a base system induction coil through a determination of the phase of a base system induction coil current signal. In certain embodiments, an electric vehicle induction coil that receives a transmission signal can be determined to be in greater alignment with a base system induction coil that transmits the transmission signal as the phases of the current signals at the base system induction coil and the electric vehicle induction coil converge. One embodiment includes a method of receiving wireless power, including detecting a transmission signal in a wireless power transmission, the transmission signal comprising periodic variations between a first frequency and a second frequency. The method further includes determining a phase of a base system induction coil signal based on the detected transmission signal.

Claims

1. A method of receiving wireless power, comprising:

receiving, at a first coil, a wireless power transmission from a base system induction coil at a level sufficient to charge an electric device;

detecting periodic step changes in an operating frequency of the wireless power transmission, between a first frequency and a second frequency; and

determining a phase of a base system induction coil signal based on timing of the periodic steps.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first coil comprises an electric vehicle induction coil, the method further comprising

determining a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to the base system induction coil by comparing a base system induction coil current phase with a current phase of the electric vehicle induction coil.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first coil comprises an electric vehicle induction coil, the method further comprising

determining a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to the base system induction coil by comparing a base system induction coil current phase with a voltage phase of the electric vehicle induction coil.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first coil comprises an electric vehicle induction coil, the method further comprising

determining a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to the base system induction coil by comparing a base system induction coil voltage phase with a voltage phase of the electric vehicle induction coil.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first coil comprises an electric vehicle induction coil, the method further comprising

determining a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to the base system induction coil by comparing a base system induction coil voltage phase with a current phase of the electric vehicle induction coil.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing, at a comparator, a base system induction coil current phase with a current phase of first coil.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, monitoring a positive counter and a negative counter at an output of the comparator.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, during a transition at both the positive period counter and the negative period counter, whether the transition is indicative of a current at the first coil being in phase with a current at the base system induction coil.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the identifying a phase of the base system induction coil signal is performed using an electric vehicle controller coupled with the electric vehicle induction coil.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second frequency is greater than the first frequency.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second frequency is less than the first frequency.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission is at a level sufficient to charge an electric vehicle.

13. A wireless power receiver, comprising:

an electric vehicle induction coil configured to receive a wireless power transmission for charging an electric vehicle;

a detector configured to detect periodic step changes in an operating frequency of the wireless power transmission, between a first frequency and a second frequency; and

an electric vehicle controller configured to determine a phase of a base system induction coil signal based on timing of the periodic steps.

14. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the electric vehicle controller is configured to determine a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to a base system induction coil that transmits the transmission signal by comparing an electric vehicle induction coil current signal phase with the determined phase of the base system induction coil current signal.

15. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the electric vehicle controller is configured to determine a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to a base system induction coil that transmits the transmission signal by comparing an electric vehicle induction coil voltage signal phase with the determined phase of the base system induction coil current signal.

16. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, the electric vehicle controller is configured to determine a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to a base system induction coil that transmits the transmission signal by comparing an electric vehicle induction coil voltage signal phase with the determined phase of the base system induction coil voltage signal.

17. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the electric vehicle controller is configured to determine a location of the electric vehicle induction coil relative to a base system induction coil that transmits the transmission signal by comparing an electric vehicle induction coil current signal phase with the determined phase of the base system induction coil voltage signal.

18. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, further comprising a comparator configure to compare a base system induction coil current phase with a current phase of the electric vehicle induction coil.

19. The wireless power receiver of claim 18, further comprising a positive counter and a negative counter at an output of the comparator.

20. The wireless power receiver of claim 19, wherein the electric vehicle controller is configured to determine, during a transition at both the positive period counter and the negative period counter, whether the transition is indicative of a current at the first coil being in phase with a current at the base system induction coil.

21. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the second frequency is greater than the first frequency.

22. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the second frequency is less than the first frequency.

23. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the wireless power transmission is at a level sufficient to charge an electric vehicle.

24. A method of transmitting wireless power, comprising:

generating a wireless power transmission signal, for transmission by a base system induction coil to a wireless power receiver, by periodically stepping an operating frequency of the wireless power transmission between a first frequency and a second frequency to indicate a phase of the base system induction coil; and

transmitting, at the base system induction coil, the wireless power transmission signal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the periodic stepping is generated via a step change applied to an inverter voltage operating.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein a location of an electric vehicle induction coil relative to the base system induction coil is determinable by comparing the phase of the base system induction coil signal with a phase of an electric vehicle induction coil of the wireless power receiver.

27. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a base system transmit circuit configured to generate a wireless power transmission signal, for transmission by a base system induction coil to a wireless power receiver, by periodically stepping an operating frequency of the wireless power transmission between a first frequency and a second frequency to indicate a phase of the base system induction coil; and

a base system induction coil configured to transmit the wireless power transmission signal.

28. The transmitter of claim 27, wherein the periodic stepping is generated via a step change applied to an inverter voltage.

29. The transmitter of claim 27, wherein a location of an electric vehicle induction coil relative to the base system induction coil is determinable by comparing the phase of the base system induction coil signal with a phase of an electric vehicle induction coil of the wireless power receiver.