IP Library Granted Patent US 11,394,253
Granted Patent B2
US 11,394,253 · App. 16/518,276 · Granted Jul 19, 2022

Systems, methods and apparatuses for guidance and alignment in electric vehicles wireless inductive charging systems

Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer (Wohlenschwil, CH); Andreas Daetwyler (Unterentfelden, CH); Lukas Sieber (Olten, CH)
Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
H02J50/90B60L53/126B60L53/36B60L53/38B60L53/39G01D5/204G01D5/2066G01R33/02G01R33/0206G01R33/028H01F38/14H02J50/10H04B5/0037H04B5/0087H01F2038/143Y02T10/70Y02T10/7072Y02T90/12Y02T90/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,394,253
App. No.
16/518,276
Granted
Jul 19, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for determining a relative position of a wireless power transmitter from a wireless power receiver is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of sense coils, each configured to generate a respective signal under influence of an alternating magnetic field comprising a plurality of wave pulses, each wave pulse occurring in a respective time slot of a plurality of time slots. The apparatus further comprises a processor configured to determine the relative position of the wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver based on the respective signal from each of the plurality of sense coils.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus for determining a relative position of a wireless power transmitter from a wireless power receiver, comprising:

a plurality of sense coils, each configured to generate a respective signal under influence of an alternating magnetic field comprising a plurality of beacon signals occurring simultaneously, each beacon signal modulated with a unique spreading code; and

a processor configured to determine the relative position of the wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver based on the respective signal from each of the plurality of sense coils,

wherein the respective signal generated by each of the plurality of sense coils comprises at least:

a first portion caused by a first beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals,

a second portion caused by a second beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals, and

a third portion caused by a third beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals,

wherein the processor is configured to estimate a relative phase angle of the first portion, and

wherein the processor is configured to establish relative phase synchronization in the time domain between the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion by shifting a detection time instant by an amount that is a function of the relative phase angle between the first portion and the second portion.

2. An apparatus for determining a relative position of a wireless power transmitter from a wireless power receiver, comprising:

a plurality of sense coils, each configured to generate a respective signal under influence of an alternating magnetic field comprising a plurality of beacon signals occurring simultaneously, each beacon signal modulated with a unique spreading code; and

a processor configured to determine the relative position of the wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver based on the respective signal from each of the plurality of sense coils,

wherein the respective signal generated by each of the plurality of sense coils comprises at least:

a first portion caused by a first beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals,

a second portion caused by a second beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals, and

a third portion caused by a third beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals,

wherein the processor is configured to estimate a relative phase angle of the first portion, and

wherein the processor is further configured to establish relative phase synchronization in the frequency domain between the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion by shifting a phase angle of each of the first portion, the second portion and the third portion by the relative phase angle.

3. A method for determining a relative position of a wireless power transmitter from a wireless power receiver, comprising:

generating, by each of a plurality of sense coils, a respective signal under influence of an alternating magnetic field comprising a plurality of beacon signals occurring simultaneously, each beacon signal modulated with a unique spreading code;

determining the relative position of the wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver based on the respective signal from each of the plurality of sense coils, wherein the respective signal generated by each of the plurality of sense coils comprises at least:

a first portion caused by a first beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals,

a second portion caused by a second beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals, and

a third portion caused by a third beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals;

estimating a relative phase angle of the first portion; and

establishing relative phase synchronization in the time domain between the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion by shifting a detection time instant by an amount that is a function of the relative phase angle between the first portion and the second portion.

4. A method for determining a relative position of a wireless power transmitter from a wireless power receiver, comprising:

generating, by each of a plurality of sense coils, a respective signal under influence of an alternating magnetic field comprising a plurality of beacon signals occurring simultaneously, each beacon signal modulated with a unique spreading code;

determining the relative position of the wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver based on the respective signal from each of the plurality of sense coils, wherein the respective signal generated by each of the plurality of sense coils comprises at least:

a first portion caused by a first beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals,

a second portion caused by a second beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals, and

a third portion caused by a third beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals;

estimating a relative phase angle of the first portion; and

establishing relative phase synchronization in the frequency domain between the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion by shifting a phase angle of each of the first portion, the second portion and the third portion by the relative phase angle.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2025
From: AIR WAVES WIRELESS ELECTRICITY IV, LLC
To: WITRICITY AI TECH, LLC
Reel/Frame 074004/0929 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2025
From: WITRICITY CORPORATION
To: WITRICITY AI TECH, LLC
Reel/Frame 073982/0106 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2025
From: WITRICITY CORPORATION; WITRICITY HOLDINGS, INC.
To: AIR WAVES WIRELESS ELECTRICITY IV, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR LENDERS
Reel/Frame 073860/0204 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2019
From: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
To: WITRICITY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050044/0733 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2019
From: WIDMER, HANS PETER; DAETWYLER, ANDREAS; SIEBER, LUKAS
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 050005/0643 →