POWER TRANSFER SYSTEM AND METHOD

1 . A power transfer system, said system comprising:

a positioning-device, the positioning-device determining a position of a vehicle moving within a power-transfer-zone;

a base-coil disposed within the power-transfer-zone, the base-coil emitting a magnetic-field in response to electrical power applied to the base-coil; and

one or more controller-circuits in communication with the positioning-device, and the base-coil:

wherein the positioning-device determines whether any portion of the vehicle overlays the base-coil,

in accordance with the determination that any portion of the vehicle overlays the base-coil, the one or more controller-circuits immediately control the electrical power applied to the base-coil such that the base-coil emits the magnetic-field characterized as having value of greater than 27 microteslas.

2 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system further includes a vehicle-coil installed on the vehicle, the vehicle-coil in communication with the one or more controller-circuits,

the vehicle-coil generating a sensed-voltage in response to the magnetic-field emitted by the base-coil,

whereby the one or more controller-circuits further control the electrical power applied to the base-coil based on a vehicle-coil-position within the power-transfer-zone when the vehicle overlays the base-coil.

3 . The system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the one or more controller-circuits control the electrical power applied to the base-coil such that the vehicle-coil generates the sensed-voltage in a range of 0.5V-0.7V when the vehicle overlays the base-coil.

4 . The system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the one or more controller-circuits further control the electrical power applied to the base-coil based on a location of the vehicle-coil on the vehicle when the vehicle overlays the base-coil.

5 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more controller-circuits further control the electrical power applied to the base-coil by controlling a voltage across the base-coil.

6 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more controller-circuits further control the electrical power applied to the base-coil by controlling a current through the base-coil.

7 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more controller-circuits further control a rate of the electrical power applied to the base-coil, the rate characterized by a linear-function.

8 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more controller-circuits further control a rate of the electrical power applied to the base-coil, the rate characterized by a polynomial-function.

9 . A method of operating a power transfer system, said method comprising:

determining a position of a vehicle moving within a power-transfer-zone with a positioning-device;

emitting a magnetic-field, with a base-coil disposed within the power-transfer-zone, in response to electrical power applied to the base-coil;

determining whether any portion of the vehicle overlays the base-coil with the positioning-device; and

controlling the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with one or more controller-circuits in communication with the positioning-device and the base-coil, such that the base-coil immediately emits the magnetic-field characterized as having value of greater than 27 microteslas in accordance with the determination that any portion of the vehicle overlays the base-coil.

10 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the system further includes a vehicle-coil installed on the vehicle, the vehicle-coil in communication with the one or more controller-circuits,

the vehicle-coil generating a sensed-voltage in response to the magnetic-field emitted by the base-coil,

the method further including the step of controlling the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with the one or more controller-circuits, based on a vehicle-coil-position within the power-transfer-zone when the vehicle overlays the base-coil.

11 . The method in accordance with claim 10 , further including the step of controlling the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with the one or more controller-circuits, such that the vehicle-coil generates the sensed-voltage in a range of 0.5V-0.7V when the vehicle overlays the base-coil.

12 . The method in accordance with claim 10 , further including the step of controlling the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with the one or more controller-circuits, based on a location of the vehicle-coil on the vehicle when the vehicle overlays the base-coil.

13 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , further including the step of controlling the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with the one or more controller-circuits, by controlling a voltage across the base-coil.

14 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , further including the step of controlling the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with the one or more controller-circuits, by controlling a current through the base-coil.

15 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , further including the step of controlling a rate of the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with the one or more controller-circuits, the rate characterized by a linear-function.

16 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , further including the step of controlling a rate of the electrical power applied to the base-coil, with the one or more controller-circuits, the rate characterized by a polynomial-function.

17 . A power transfer system, said system comprising:

a positioning-device;

a base-coil; and

one or more controller-circuits in communication with the positioning-device and the base-coil, wherein when any portion of a vehicle overlays the base-coil, the one or more controller-circuits immediately applies electrical power to the base-coil such that the base-coil emits a magnetic-field characterized as having value of greater than 27 microteslas.