Granted Patent B2

US 12,246,605 · App. 17/587,635 · Granted Mar 11, 2025

Inventors: Yanghe Liu (Ann Arbor, MI); Shailesh N. Joshi (Ann Arbor, MI)

Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

B60L53/122B60L53/305B60L53/62B60L53/66H02J50/80B64C39/024

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system, comprising:

a signal receiver configured to receive, from a dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, a first signal including first information indicative of a location of a first array of coils of the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system;

a second array of coils;

an array of switches configured to connect an alternating current source to the second array of coils; and

a controller configured to:

define a first set of coils of the second array of coils to include a first subset and a second subset, the first subset including the coils that are completely overlapped by the first array of coils, the second subset including the coils that have a degree of overlap, by the first array of coils, that is greater than a threshold degree, but less than completely overlapped,

control, according to the first information, positions of switches of the array of switches, and

control an amount of current conveyed through the second array of coils so that an amount of current conveyed through the second subset is greater than an amount of current conveyed through the first subset.

2. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein a first coil of the second array of coils is interchangeable with a second coil of the second array of coils.

3. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein a first coil of a conductor of the second array of coils is configured to be connected to the alternating current source in parallel with a second coil of the second array of coils.

4. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the first information is further indicative of a state of charge of a battery associated with the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system.

5. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the first information is further indicative of a shape of the first array of coils.

6. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the first information is further indicative of a size of the first array of coils.

7. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , further comprising a signal transmitter configured to transmit, to the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, a second signal including second information indicative of the location of the first set of coils.

8. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , further comprising a signal transmitter configured to transmit, to the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, a second signal including a request and second information indicative of a location of a second set of coils of the second array of coils, the request being for the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system to move from the location of the first array of coils coils, facing the location of the first set of coils, to another location, the other location being facing the location of the second set of coils.

9. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the signal receiver is configured to receive, from another dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, a second signal including second information indicative of:

a size of a third array of coils disposed on the other dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, and

a location of the third array of coils, the location of the third array of coils being facing a location of a second set of coils of the second array of coils.

10. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the positions of the switches associated with the first set of coils to be closed positions.

11. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system is disposed on a vehicle.

12. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle is autonomous.

13. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle comprises a vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

14. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system is configured to remain in operation in an event in which a coil, of the second array of coils, becomes inoperable.

15. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system is configured to remain in operation in an event in which a coil, of the first array of coils, becomes inoperable.

16. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the amount of current conveyed through each of the coils in the first set of coils so that a transfer of power to the first array of coils is uniform.

17. A dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system controller, comprising:

first circuitry configured to receive, from a dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, a first signal including first information indicative of a location of a first array of coils of the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system;

second circuitry configured to control, according to the first information, positions of switches of an array of switches of a dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system, the dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system having a second array of coils; and

third circuitry configured to define a first set of coils of the second array of coils to include a first subset and a second subset, the first subset including the coils that are completely overlapped by the first array of coils, the second subset including the coils that have a degree of overlap, by the first array of coils, that is greater than a threshold degree, but less than completely overlapped,

wherein the dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system controller is configured to control an amount of current conveyed through the second array of coils so that an amount of current conveyed through the second subset is greater than an amount of current conveyed through the first subset.

18. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system controller of claim 17 :

wherein the first information is further indicative of a size of the first array of coils, and

further comprising fourth circuitry configured to cause a second signal be transmitted to the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, the second signal including second information indicative of the location of the first set of coils.

19. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system controller of claim 17 :

wherein the first information is further indicative of a shape of the first array of coils, and

further comprising fourth circuitry configured to cause a second signal be transmitted to the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system, the second signal including a request and second information indicative of a location of a second set of coils of the second array of coils, the request being for the dynamic wireless power transfer reception system to move from the location of the first array of coils, facing the location of the first set of coils, to another location, the other location being facing the location of the second set of coils.

20. The dynamic wireless power transfer transmission system controller of claim 17 :

wherein the location of the first array of coils is facing a location of the first set of coils, and

wherein the second circuitry is configured to cause the positions of the switches associated with the first set of coils to be closed positions.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (15)