Multi-mode rechargeable electric vehicle

1. A rechargeable electric vehicle, comprising:

a power rectifier to convert first alternating current electrical energy to first direct current electrical energy;

a power inverter to convert second direct current electrical energy to second alternating current electrical energy;

a rechargeable energy storage, electrically coupled to the power rectifier and power inverter, for storing the first direct current electrical energy;

a coil electrically coupled to the power rectifier and power inverter, wherein:

in a first mode, the first alternating current electrical energy is received by the coil and passed through the power rectifier to form the first direct current electrical energy for storage in the rechargeable energy storage; and

in a second mode, the second direct current electrical energy is passed through the power inverter to form the second alternating current electrical energy and the second alternating current electrical energy is passed through the coil for wireless transfer, over an air gap, to a secondary coil;

a switch, in electrical communication with the power inverter, power rectifier, and rechargeable energy storage, to selectively direct the second direct current electrical energy from the rechargeable energy storage through the power inverter to the coil and the first alternating current electrical energy from the coil through the power rectifier;

a controller, in signal communication with the switch, to select between the first and second modes; and

a transceiver, in signal communication with the controller, to process a gating signal, the gating signal comprising a field indicating whether the vehicle will receive a charge from or provide a charge to a charging segment, the charging segment being located along a roadway traveled by the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 ,

wherein the controller, in signal communication with the power inverter and power rectifier, selects between the first and second modes in response to an input from an on board sensor indicating a degree or level of electrical energy stored in the rechargeable energy storage.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the coil comprises a primary coil to operate in the second mode and a secondary coil to operate in the first mode.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller, in signal communication with an on board navigation system of the vehicle, selects between the first and second modes in response to determining a power consumption rate of the vehicle base on a current position and a destination of the vehicle received from the on board navigation system.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the controller, using the power consumption rate and the destination of the vehicle, determines a remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination and sets a level of priority for charging the vehicle based on the remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination.

6. A method, comprising:

in a first mode, converting, by a power rectifier, first alternating current electrical energy received by a coil to first direct current electrical energy for storage in a rechargeable energy storage of a rechargeable electric vehicle;

in a second mode, converting, by a power inverter, second direct current electrical energy to second alternating current electrical energy for wireless transfer, by the coil over an air gap, to a secondary coil;

controlling a switch to selectively direct the second direct current electrical energy from the rechargeable energy storage through the power inverter to the coil and the first alternating current electrical energy from the coil through the power rectifier;

selecting, by a controller, between the first and second modes; and

processing, by a transceiver, a gating signal, the gating signal comprising a field indicating whether the vehicle will receive a charge from or provide a charge to a charging segment, the charging segment being located along a roadway traveled by the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

wherein the controller selects between the first and second modes in response to an input from an on board sensor indicating a degree or level of direct current electrical energy stored in the rechargeable energy storage.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein a common coil acts as a primary coil in the second mode and as a secondary coil in the first mode.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the controller, in signal communication with an on board navigation system of the vehicle, selects between the first and second modes in response to determining a power consumption rate of the vehicle base on a current position and a destination of the vehicle received from the on board navigation system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the controller, using the power consumption rate and the destination of the vehicle, determines a remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination and sets a level of priority for charging the vehicle based on the remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination, wherein when the controller determines the remaining charge is a negative number, the level of priority set is high, and wherein when the controller determines the remaining charge is a positive number, the level of priority set is low.

11. A charging segment, comprising:

a power rectifier to convert first alternating current electrical energy to first direct current electrical energy;

a power inverter to convert second direct current electrical energy to second alternating current electrical energy;

a coil in electrically coupled to the power rectifier and power inverter, wherein:

in a first mode, the first alternating current electrical energy is received by the coil and passed through the power rectifier to form the first direct current electrical energy for supplying to a power grid; and

in a second mode, the second direct current electrical energy is passed through the power inverter to form the second alternating current electrical energy and the second alternating current electrical energy is passed through the coil for wireless transfer, over an air gap, to a secondary coil of a rechargeable electric vehicle;

a switch, in electrical communication with the power inverter, power rectifier, and the grid, to selectively direct the direct current electrical energy from the power grid through the power inverter to the coil and alternating current electrical energy from the coil through the power rectifier;

a controller, in signal communication with the switch, to select between the first and second modes; and

a transceiver, in signal communication with the controller, to process a gating signal, the gating signal comprising a field indicating whether the rechargeable electric vehicle will receive a charge from or provide a charge to a charging segment, the charging segment being located along a roadway traveled by the rechargeable electric vehicle.

12. The charging segment of claim 11 , further comprising:

wherein the controller, in signal communication with the power inverter and power rectifier selects between the first and second modes in response to an input from the rechargeable electric vehicle indicating a degree or level of electrical energy stored in a rechargeable energy storage on board the rechargeable electric vehicle.

13. The charging segment of claim 11 , wherein the coil comprises a primary coil to operate in the second mode and a secondary coil to operate in the first mode.

14. The charging segment of claim 11 , wherein the controller, in signal communication with an on board navigation system of the vehicle, selects between the first and second modes in response to determining a power consumption rate of the vehicle base on a current position and a destination of the vehicle received from the on board navigation system.

15. The charging segment of claim 14 , wherein the controller, using the power consumption rate and the destination of the vehicle, determines a remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination and sets a level of priority for charging the vehicle based on the remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination.

16. A method, comprising:

in a first mode, converting, by a power rectifier, first alternating current electrical energy to first direct current electrical energy for supplying, by a coil, to a power grid; and

in a second mode, converting, by a power inverter, second direct current electrical energy received from the power grid to second alternating current electrical energy for wireless transfer, by the coil over an air gap, to a secondary coil of a rechargeable electric vehicle;

controlling a switch to selectively direct the second direct current electrical energy from the power grid through the power inverter to the coil and the first alternating current electrical energy from the coil through the power rectifier;

selecting, by a controller, between the first and second modes; and

processing, by a transceiver, a gating signal, the gating signal comprising a field indicating whether the rechargeable electric vehicle will receive a charge from or provide a charge to a charging segment, the charging segment being located along a roadway traveled by the rechargeable electric vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 ,

wherein the controller selects between the first and second modes in response to an input from the rechargeable electric vehicle indicating a degree or level of electrical energy stored in a rechargeable energy storage on board the rechargeable electric vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein a common coil acts as a primary coil in the second mode and as a secondary coil in the first mode.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the controller, in signal communication with an on board navigation system of the vehicle, selects between the first and second modes in response to determining a power consumption rate of the vehicle base on a current position and a destination of the vehicle received from the on board navigation system.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the controller, using the power consumption rate and the destination of the vehicle, determines a remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination and sets a level of priority for charging the vehicle based on the remaining charge for the vehicle upon reaching the destination.