System and method having dual function coil providing on-board wireless power

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed having dual function coils that provide on-board wireless power. In one embodiment, a vehicle power system includes a coil to wirelessly receive power from an external source in a first operating mode, a first battery connected to the coil to receive power transmitted from the coil when the coil is in the first operating mode, a second battery to receive power from the first battery, and a switch to switch the coil between the first operating mode and a second operating mode in which the coil receives power from the second battery and wirelessly transmits power from the second battery to an electrical load in the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter described herein generally relates to systems and methods for providing onboard wireless power, and more specifically to systems and methods for receiving power from an external source and providing power to electronic vehicle components via onboard wireless power transmission using a dual-function coil. Background Technology

[0002] As autonomous vehicles (AVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly prevalent, their use cases and capabilities continue to expand. The many new features offered by AVs and EVs require an increasingly wide range of electronic auxiliary components, including various types of sensors such as Global Positioning System (GPS), LiDAR, RADAR, GNSS, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), cameras, computer processors, and more. These added electrical components increase the energy consumption required to control the vehicle and also expand the vehicle's auxiliary load profile. Conventional vehicle electrical systems that include auxiliary components require more auxiliary power and transmission lines to supply energy. Consequently, the placement and distribution of these additional devices using conventional vehicle electrical systems are becoming increasingly complex, expensive, and sophisticated. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The disclosed systems and methods relate to a vehicle electrical system including a dual-function coil that can wirelessly receive power from an external source via inductive charging to charge one or more vehicle batteries and wirelessly transfer power from one or more vehicle batteries to one or more auxiliary components within the vehicle.

[0004] In one embodiment, the disclosed vehicle electrical system includes: a coil that wirelessly receives power from an external source in a first operating mode; a first battery connected to the coil to receive power transmitted from the coil when the coil is in the first operating mode; a second battery that receives power from the first battery; and a switch that switches the coil between the first operating mode and a second operating mode, wherein in the second operating mode, the coil receives power from the second battery and wirelessly transmits power from the second battery to electrical loads in the vehicle.

[0005] In one embodiment, a method for controlling an electrical system for a vehicle includes: wirelessly receiving power from an external source via a coil in a first operating mode; transmitting power from the coil to a first battery while the coil is in the first operating mode; charging a second battery with power from the first battery; and switching the coil from the first operating mode to a second operating mode in which the coil receives power from the second battery and wirelessly transmits power from the second battery to electrical loads in the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Various systems, methods, and other embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification. It will be appreciated that the element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) shown in the figures represent one embodiment of a boundary. In some embodiments, one element may be designed as multiple elements, or multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some embodiments, an element shown as an inner component of another element may be implemented as an outer component, and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

[0007] Figure 1 An embodiment of a vehicle in which the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented is illustrated.

[0008] Figure 2 An embodiment of a vehicle electrical system according to the disclosed subject matter is illustrated.

[0009] Figure 3 The illustration shows example details of the disclosed vehicle electrical system based on the disclosed subject matter.

[0010] Figure 4 The illustration shows an example first operating mode of the disclosed vehicle electrical system according to the disclosed subject matter.

[0011] Figure 5 The illustration shows an example second operating mode of the disclosed vehicle electrical system according to the disclosed subject matter.

[0012] Figure 6 An example embodiment of a three-port converter according to the disclosed subject matter is illustrated.

[0013] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating a method for controlling an electric power system according to the disclosed subject matter is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0014] Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with a dual-mode vehicle power system capable of providing wireless power delivery are disclosed. Wireless power delivery offers significant advantages over conventional wired conducted power delivery. However, conventional vehicle auxiliary power systems use 14-V and 42-V DC conducted electrical systems connected to loads via bulky cables, numerous connectors, and plugs. To overcome these limitations, the disclosed dual-mode vehicle power system provides a wireless charging electrical network with an integrated auxiliary power supply, addressing the aforementioned issues and providing the advantages of wireless charging systems. The disclosed dual-mode vehicle power system also includes a flexible inductive pad providing dual functionality (i.e., receiver and transmitter) that can reduce system size and cost.

[0015] refer to Figure 1An example of vehicle 100 is shown. As used herein, “vehicle” means any form of transport for moving people, animals, goods, etc. In one or more implementations, vehicle 100 is an automobile. While the arrangement will be described generally with respect to automobiles, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosed subject matter is not limited to automobiles. In some implementations, vehicle 100 may be any form of powered multiwheeled vehicle or vehicle that may include a battery and thus benefit from the features discussed herein.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown, vehicle 100 includes multiple elements. It should be understood that in various embodiments, vehicle 100 may not necessarily include... Figure 1 All the components shown. Vehicle 100 may have Figure 1 Any combination of the various elements shown. Additionally, vehicle 100 may have, except... Figure 1 Other components besides those shown. In some arrangements, vehicle 100 may be without... Figure 1 This is achieved using one or more of the components shown. While various components are... Figure 1 While these elements are shown as being located inside vehicle 100, it should be understood that one or more of these elements may be located outside vehicle 100. Furthermore, the elements shown may be physically separated by a large distance.

[0017] Some possible components of vehicle 100 Figure 1 As shown in the appendix and will be attached later. Figure 1 This will be described in detail below. However, for the sake of brevity, further details will be discussed later. Figures 1-7 Provided later Figure 1 A more detailed description of many of the elements is provided. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, reference numerals are repeated in different figures where appropriate to indicate corresponding or similar elements. Furthermore, while the discussion outlines many specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described herein can be practiced using various combinations of these elements.

[0018] In all cases, vehicle 100 includes a vehicle electrical system 170, which is implemented to perform the methods and other functions disclosed herein related to charging one or more batteries 175 of vehicle 100 and distributing power from them. The indicated functions and methods will become clearer in the following discussion of the accompanying drawings.

[0019] refer to Figure 2 The illustration shows Figure 1One embodiment of the vehicle electrical system 170 is shown. The vehicle electrical system 170 includes a coil 200, a compensation circuit 210, a first AC / DC converter 220, a second AC / DC converter 230, a high-voltage (HV) battery 240, and a low-voltage (LV) battery 250. As noted above, the coil 200 can operate in multiple modes.

[0020] In the first operating mode, coil 200 can function as a wireless receiver to receive power from external power source 280 via external coil 290. The power received from external power source 280 is used to charge HV battery 240 via compensation circuit 210 and first AC / DC converter 220, and to charge LV battery 250 via compensation circuit 210 and second AC / DC converter 230.

[0021] In the second operating mode, coil 200 can transmit power stored in batteries 240 and 250 to load 270 in the vehicle. In this mode, coil 200 acts as a transmitter to wirelessly transmit power to load 270, which receives the power via receiver coil 260.

[0022] Figure 3 Further details of the disclosed vehicle electrical system 170 are shown. In one or more embodiments, an external power source 280 is supplied with power from a public power grid, and this external power source 280 provides energy through an underground coil 290. For example, the coil 290 may be installed in a parking space, garage, or other location where the vehicle 100 can receive power.

[0023] When vehicle 100 approaches external power source 280, external coil 290 can wirelessly transmit power to coil 200. In one or more embodiments, vehicle electrical system 170 may include control circuitry 205 controlling switch 206. In one or more embodiments, control circuitry 205 is connected to coil 200 to detect when coil 200 receives power from external coil 290. When control circuitry 205 detects power from external power source 280, control circuitry 205 may set switch 206 to a first position corresponding to a first operating mode (e.g., receiver).

[0024] In the second operating mode, the LV battery 250 can supply power to the coil 200 through the three-port converter 245, the compensation circuit 210, and the switch 206 to wirelessly transmit power to the multi-standard load receiver 260, thereby realizing the transmission of AC power to different loads (271, 272, 273).

[0025] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The power flow diagrams for two different operating modes are shown. Figure 4The first operating mode is shown. In the first operating mode, power received from the external power source 280 is used to charge the HV battery 240 and the LV battery 250 through the compensation circuit 210, the AC / DC converter 215, and the three-port converter 245. Figure 5 A second operating mode is shown. In this mode, an HV battery 240, which has a higher voltage than the LV battery 250, charges the LV battery 250 via a three-port converter 245. The LV battery 250 then transfers power to a coil 200 via a switch 206. The coil 200 then wirelessly transfers power to receivers 260 for loads 271, 272, and 273.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, the coil 200 is implemented as a flexible pad with an inductance adjusted to match the different power requirements of two operating modes.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, in a first operating mode, switch 206 is connected to a first point "a" on coil 200. In a second operating mode, switch 206 is connected to a second point "b" on coil 200. In one or more embodiments, the first operating mode position (point "a") utilizes a larger portion (e.g., more windings) of coil 200 compared to the second operating mode position (point "b").

[0028] Figure 6 The topology of an embodiment of the three-port converter 245 is shown. The isolated half-bridge push-pull converter 610 includes capacitor C. h1 C h2 C l1 and C l2 Switch S h1 S h2 S l1 S l2 and S l3 and inductor L l1 It also has a clamping circuit connected between the HV battery 240 and the LV battery 250. The clamping circuit includes a power switch S. l3 and clamping capacitor C l1 And it was used to suppress switch S l1 and S l2 Voltage spikes at both ends and auxiliary voltages for S l1 S l2 and S l3 The implementation of soft switching. In one or more embodiments, a full-bridge circuit 620 is connected between the LV battery 250 and the compensation circuit 210. The full-bridge circuit 620 functions as a rectifier when the coil 200 is in a first operating mode and as an inverter when the coil 200 is in a second operating mode.

[0029] In the second operating mode, the coil is induced by electromagnetic induction L ps1 L ps2 L psn Power is wirelessly transmitted to multiple loads 271, 272, 273. Each load may include compensation circuitry, a rectifier, and a DC / DC converter. In one or more implementations, loads 271, 272, 273 may be, for example, cameras, LiDAR, GPS, sensors, or other types of power-requiring loads.

[0030] The additional and optional features of the vehicle electrical system 170 will now be discussed. Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating a method 700 for controlling a vehicle electrical system 170 according to a disclosed embodiment is shown. (From...) Figures 1-6 Method 700 is discussed from the perspective of vehicle electrical system 170. Although method 700 is discussed in conjunction with vehicle electrical system 170, it should be recognized that method 700 is not limited to implementation within vehicle electrical system 170, which is an example of a system in which method 700 can be implemented.

[0031] At operation 710, the vehicle electrical system 170 receives power from an external power source 280. This power is wirelessly received by a coil 200, which acts as a receiver in a first operating mode. In one or more embodiments, the vehicle electrical system 170 includes control circuitry 205 connected to the coil 200, which can sense whether the coil 200 is receiving power. When control circuitry 205 senses that the coil 200 is receiving power, it can control switch 206 to place the coil 200 in the first operating mode. In one or more embodiments, placing the coil 200 in the first operating mode includes moving switch 206 to a contact point on the coil 200 that utilizes a larger portion of the coil 200 compared to using the coil 200 in a second operating mode. For example, the first operating mode may use more coil windings than the second operating mode.

[0032] At operation 720, the vehicle electrical system 170 transmits power received from the external power source 280 to a first battery, such as the HV battery 240. In one or more embodiments, the vehicle electrical system 170 transmits power received from the external power source 280 to both the HV battery 240 and the LV battery 250 simultaneously, for example, via an AC / DC converter 215 and a three-port converter 245. In one or more embodiments, the vehicle electrical system 170 converts the power transmitted from the coil 200 to the HV battery 240 and / or the LV battery 250 from AC power to DC power.

[0033] At operation 730, the vehicle electrical system 170 uses power from a first battery (e.g., HV battery 240) to charge a second battery (e.g., LV battery 250). In one or more embodiments, the vehicle electrical system 170 transfers power from the HV battery 240 to the LV battery 250 via a three-port converter 245. In one or more embodiments, the first battery (e.g., HV battery 240) supplies a higher voltage than the second battery (e.g., LV battery 250). In one or more embodiments, the first battery (e.g., HV battery 240) supplies power to drive the motor of the vehicle 100, while the second battery (e.g., LV battery 250) supplies power at a lower voltage output level to drive one or more electronic components of the vehicle 100.

[0034] At operation 740, the vehicle electrical system 170 changes the operating mode of coil 200 from a first operating mode to a second operating mode. In one or more embodiments, control circuitry 205 senses that coil 200 is not receiving power from external source 280 and, in response, controls switch 206 to place coil 200 in the second operating mode. In one or more embodiments, placing coil 200 in the second operating mode includes moving switch 206 to a contact point on coil 200 that utilizes a smaller portion of coil 200 compared to using coil 200 in the first operating mode. For example, the second operating mode may use a smaller winding of coil 200 than the first operating mode.

[0035] At operation 750, the vehicle electrical system 170 transfers power from the second battery (e.g., LV battery 250) to electrical loads in the vehicle 100. These electrical loads may be, for example, cameras, LiDAR, sensors, or other electronic components of the vehicle 100. Power is transmitted wirelessly via coil 200, which functions as a transmitter in the second operating mode. This process terminates at 760.

[0036] The embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in any type of vehicle that may include electronic components, including passenger cars, autonomous vehicles, drones, and other types of vehicles. When implemented in a passenger car, for safety reasons, it is preferred that the vehicle be designed not to deploy metal between the coil 200 and the receiver coil of the electronic component during power transmission.

[0037] Furthermore, while the accompanying drawings generally show the coil 200 deployed at a floor location of the vehicle 100, the location of the coil 200 can be flexible. For example, in one or more implementations, the coil 200 may be mounted vertically at the rear of the vehicle 100 or at other locations within the vehicle 100, for example, to protect passengers from magnetic side effects on the human body. In any case, the disclosed embodiments can improve vehicle design by providing a dual-function coil and eliminating or reducing the need for wiring and cables to deliver power to the various electronic components in the vehicle.

[0038] Showing various components of vehicle 100 Figure 1 The present paper will now be discussed in detail as an example environment in which the systems and methods disclosed herein can operate.

[0039] In one or more embodiments, vehicle 100 is an autonomous vehicle. As used herein, “autonomous vehicle” means a vehicle operating in an autonomous mode. “Autonomous mode” means using one or more computing systems to navigate and / or manipulate vehicle 100 along a driving route to control vehicle 100 with minimal or no input from a human driver. In one or more embodiments, vehicle 100 is highly automated or fully automated. In one embodiment, vehicle 100 is configured with one or more semi-autonomous operating modes, wherein one or more computing systems perform a portion of the navigation and / or manipulation of the vehicle along a driving route, and a vehicle operator (i.e., driver) provides input to the vehicle to perform a portion of the navigation and / or manipulation of vehicle 100 along the driving route.

[0040] In some cases, vehicle 100 is configured to selectively switch between autonomous mode, one or more semi-autonomous operating modes, and / or manual mode. This switching can be achieved in a suitable manner now known or developed later. "Manual mode" means that all or most of the vehicle's navigation and / or maneuvering is performed based on input received from a user (e.g., a human driver). In one or more arrangements, vehicle 100 may be a conventional vehicle configured to operate only in manual mode.

[0041] Vehicle 100 may include one or more processors 110. In one or more arrangements, processor 110 may be the main processor of vehicle 100. For example, processor 110 may be an electronic control unit (ECU). Vehicle 100 may include one or more data memories 115 for storing one or more types of data. Data memories 115 may include volatile and / or non-volatile memory. Examples of suitable data memories 115 include RAM (random access memory), flash memory, ROM (read-only memory), PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), registers, disks, optical disks, hard disks, or any other suitable storage media, or any combination thereof. Data memories 115 may be a component of processor 110, or data memories 115 may be operatively connected to processor 110 for use. The term "operatively connected" as used throughout the description may include direct or indirect connections, including connections without direct physical contact.

[0042] In one or more arrangements, one or more data storage devices 115 may implement database 119 and may also include map data 116. Map data 116 may include maps of one or more geographic areas. In some cases, map data 116 may include information or data about roads, traffic control facilities, road markings, structures, features, and / or landmarks in one or more geographic areas. Map data 116 may be in any suitable form. In some cases, map data 116 may include a bird's-eye view of the area. In some cases, map data 116 may include a ground view of the area, including a 360-degree ground view. Map data 116 may include one or more items included in map data 116 and / or measurements, latitude, distances, and / or information relative to other items included in map data 116. Map data 116 may include digital maps with information about road geometry. Map data 116 may be of high quality and / or highly detailed.

[0043] In one or more arrangements, map data 116 may include one or more topographic maps 117. Topographic map 117 may include information about the ground, topography, roads, surfaces, and / or other features of one or more geographic areas. Topographic map 117 may include elevation data for one or more geographic areas. Map data 116 may be of high quality and / or highly detailed. Topographic map 117 may define one or more ground surfaces, which may include paved roads, unpaved roads, land, and other ground-defining elements.

[0044] In one or more arrangements, map data 116 may include one or more static obstacle maps 118. Static obstacle maps 118 may include information about one or more static obstacles located within one or more geographic areas. A “static obstacle” is a physical object whose location does not change or substantially does not change over a period of time and / or whose dimensions do not change or substantially do not change over a period of time. Examples of static obstacles include trees, buildings, curbs, fences, railings, medians, utility poles, statues, monuments, signs, benches, furniture, mailboxes, large rocks, and hills. Static obstacles may be objects that protrude above the ground. One or more static obstacles included in static obstacle maps 118 may have location data, size data, dimension data, material data, and / or other data associated with them. Static obstacle maps 118 may include measurements, dimensions, distances, and / or information about one or more static obstacles. Static obstacle maps 118 may be of high quality and / or highly detailed. Static obstacle maps 118 may be updated to reflect changes within the map area.

[0045] As described above, vehicle 100 may include sensor system 120. Sensor system 120 may include one or more sensors, for example, which may be powered by the disclosed vehicle electrical system 170. As used herein, "sensor" means any device, component, and / or system capable of detecting and / or sensing something. One or more sensors may be configured to detect and / or sense in real time. As used herein, the term "real time" refers to a level of processing responsiveness where the user or system senses something sufficiently immediate for a particular processing or determination to be performed, or where the processor is able to keep up with some external processing.

[0046] In the arrangement of multiple sensors in sensor system 120, the sensors can operate independently of each other. Alternatively, two or more sensors can operate in combination with each other. In this case, two or more sensors can form a sensor network. Sensor system 120 and / or one or more sensors can be operatively connected to processor 110, data memory 115, and / or other components of vehicle 100 (including...). Figure 1 (Any of the elements shown). The sensor system 120 can acquire data on at least a portion of the external environment of the vehicle 100 (e.g., nearby vehicles).

[0047] Sensor system 120 may include any suitable type of sensor. Various examples of different types of sensors will be described herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments are not limited to the specific sensors described. Sensor system 120 may include one or more vehicle sensors 121. Vehicle sensors 121 may detect, determine, and / or sense information about vehicle 100 itself, such as one or more actual states of vehicle 100 as discussed above. In one or more arrangements, vehicle sensors 121 may be configured to detect and / or sense changes in the position and orientation of vehicle 100, for example, based on inertial acceleration. In one or more arrangements, vehicle sensors 121 may include one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMUs), dead reckoning systems, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), global positioning systems (GPS), navigation systems 147, and / or other suitable sensors. Vehicle sensors 121 may be configured to detect and / or sense one or more characteristics of vehicle 100. In one or more arrangements, vehicle sensors 121 may include a speedometer for determining the current speed of vehicle 100.

[0048] Alternatively or additionally, sensor system 120 may include one or more environmental sensors 122 configured to acquire and / or sense driving environment data. "Driving environment data" includes data or information relating to the external environment in which the autonomous vehicle or one or more parts thereof is located. For example, one or more environmental sensors 122 may be configured to detect, quantify, and / or sense obstacles and / or information / data about such obstacles in at least a portion of the external environment of vehicle 100. Such obstacles may be stationary objects and / or moving objects. One or more environmental sensors 122 may be configured to detect, measure, quantify, and / or sense other things in the external environment of vehicle 100, such as lane markings, signs, traffic lights, traffic signs, lane lines, pedestrian crossings, curbs near vehicle 100, objects crossing the road, etc.

[0049] This document will describe various examples of sensors for sensor system 120. Example sensors may be part of one or more environmental sensors 122 and / or one or more vehicle sensors 121. However, it will be understood that embodiments are not limited to the specific sensors described.

[0050] As an example, in one or more arrangements, sensor system 120 may include one or more radar sensors 123, one or more LiDAR sensors 124, one or more sonar sensors 125, and / or one or more cameras 126 (e.g., one or more monocular cameras). In one or more arrangements, the one or more cameras 126 may be high dynamic range (HDR) cameras or infrared (IR) cameras.

[0051] Vehicle 100 may include an input system 130. An "input system" includes any device, component, system, element, arrangement, or group thereof that enables information / data to be input into the machine. Input system 130 may receive input from vehicle passengers (e.g., a driver or passenger). In one or more embodiments, input system 130 may be powered by the disclosed vehicle electrical system 170.

[0052] Vehicle 100 may include an output system 135. An “output system” includes any device, component, arrangement, or group thereof that enables the presentation of information / data to vehicle passengers (e.g., people, vehicle occupants, etc.). Output system 135 may be used as part of an interface that can present, for example, a forecast notification as described above. In one or more embodiments, output system 135 may be powered by the disclosed vehicle electrical system 170.

[0053] Vehicle 100 may include one or more vehicle systems 140. Various examples of one or more vehicle systems 140 are provided below. Figure 1 As shown in the diagram. However, vehicle 100 may include more, fewer, or different vehicle systems. It should be recognized that while specific vehicle systems are defined separately, each or any system or part thereof may be combined or separated in other ways via hardware and / or software within vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 may include a propulsion system 141, a braking system 142, a steering system 143, a throttle system 144, a transmission system 145, a signaling system 146, and / or a navigation system 147. Each of these systems may include one or more devices, components, and / or combinations thereof now known or developed later. One or more of these systems may be operatively connected to the wheels of the vehicle in a manner that allows for the individual application of controls or commands implemented by the respective system.

[0054] Navigation system 147 may include one or more devices, applications, and / or combinations thereof, now known or hereafter developed, configured to determine the geographic location of vehicle 100 and / or determine the route of vehicle 100. Navigation system 147 may include one or more mapping applications to determine the route of vehicle 100. Navigation system 147 may include a Global Positioning System, a Local Positioning System, or a geographic location system. In one or more embodiments, navigation system 147 may be powered by the disclosed vehicle electrical system 170.

[0055] The processor 110, vehicle electrical system 170, and / or autonomous driving module 160 can be operatively connected to communicate with various vehicle systems 140 and / or their individual components. For example, returning to... Figure 1The processor 110 and / or the autonomous driving module 160 can communicate to send and / or receive information from various vehicle systems 140 to control the movement, speed, handling, heading, direction, etc. of the vehicle 100. The processor 110 and / or the autonomous driving module 160 can control some or all of these vehicle systems 140, and therefore can be partially or fully autonomous.

[0056] Processor 110 and / or autonomous driving module 160 may be operable to control the navigation and / or maneuvering of vehicle 100 by controlling vehicle system 140 and / or one or more of its components. For example, when operating in autonomous mode, processor 110 and / or autonomous driving module 160 may control the direction and / or speed of vehicle 100. Processor 110 and / or autonomous driving module 160 may cause vehicle 100 to accelerate (e.g., by increasing the supply of fuel to the engine), decelerate (e.g., by reducing the supply of fuel to the engine and / or by applying brakes), and / or change direction (e.g., by turning the front two wheels). As used herein, “cause” means to make, force, compel, direct, command, instruct, and / or enable an event or action to occur or at least be in a state in which such event or action may occur, either directly or indirectly.

[0057] Vehicle 100 may include one or more actuators 150. Actuator 150 may be any element or combination of elements operable to modify, adjust, and / or alter one or more of the vehicle system 140 or its components in response to signals or other inputs received from processor 110 and / or autonomous driving module 160. Any suitable actuator may be used. For example, one or more actuators 150 may include motors, pneumatic actuators, hydraulic pistons, relays, solenoids, and / or piezoelectric actuators, to name just a few possibilities.

[0058] Vehicle 100 may include one or more modules, at least some of which are described herein. Modules may be implemented as computer-readable program code that, when executed by processor 110, implements one or more of the various processes described herein. One or more modules may be components of processor 110, or one or more modules may be executed on and / or distributed therein on other processing systems to which processor 110 is operatively connected. Modules may include instructions (e.g., program logic) executable by one or more processors 110. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more data memories 115 may contain such instructions.

[0059] In one or more arrangements, one or more of the modules described herein may include artificial or computational intelligence elements, such as neural networks, fuzzy logic, or other machine learning algorithms. Additionally, in one or more arrangements, one or more of the modules may be distributed among multiple modules described herein. In one or more arrangements, two or more of the modules described herein may be combined into a single module.

[0060] Vehicle 100 may include one or more autonomous driving modules 160. Autonomous driving module 160 may be configured to receive data from sensor system 120 and / or any other type of system capable of capturing information relating to vehicle 100 and / or its external environment. In one or more arrangements, autonomous driving module 160 may use such data to generate one or more driving scenario models. Autonomous driving module 160 may determine the position and speed of vehicle 100. Autonomous driving module 160 may determine the position of obstacles, obstacles, or other environmental features (including traffic signs, trees, bushes, adjacent vehicles, pedestrians, etc.).

[0061] The autonomous driving module 160 may be configured to receive and / or determine the location information of obstacles in the external environment of the vehicle 100 for use by the processor 110 and / or one or more modules described herein to estimate the position and orientation of the vehicle 100, the vehicle position in global coordinates based on signals from multiple satellites, or any other data and / or signals that may be used to determine the current state of the vehicle 100 or to determine the position of the vehicle 100 relative to its environment, for the purpose of either creating a map or determining the position of the vehicle 100 relative to map data.

[0062] The autonomous driving module 160 can be configured to determine (one or more) driving paths and, based on data from the sensor system 120, the driving scenario model, and / or any other suitable source, determine current autonomous driving maneuvers for the vehicle 100, future autonomous driving maneuvers, and / or modifications to the current autonomous driving maneuvers. “Driving maneuver” refers to one or more actions that affect the movement of the vehicle. Examples of driving maneuvers include: acceleration, deceleration, braking, turning, moving laterally of the vehicle 100, changing lanes, merging into a lane, and / or reversing, to name just a few. The autonomous driving module 160 can be configured to implement the determined driving maneuvers. The autonomous driving module 160 can directly or indirectly cause such autonomous driving maneuvers to be implemented. As used herein, “cause” means to make, command, instruct, and / or enable an event or action to occur or at least be in a state where such event or action is likely to occur, either directly or indirectly. The autonomous driving module 160 can be configured to perform various vehicle functions and / or transmit data to, receive data from, interact with, and / or control the vehicle 100 or one or more of its systems (e.g., one or more of vehicle systems 140).

[0063] This document discloses detailed embodiments. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be illustrative only. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as the basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to utilize the aspects herein in various ways with virtually any suitable detailed structure. Furthermore, the terminology and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather to provide an understandable description of possible implementations. Figures 1-7 Various embodiments are shown, but the embodiments are not limited to the structures or applications shown.

[0064] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, including one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than shown in the figures. For example, depending on the functions involved, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or sometimes they may be executed in reverse order.

[0065] The systems, components, and / or processes described above can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, and can be implemented in a centralized manner within a single processing system or in a distributed manner where different elements are distributed across multiple interconnected processing systems. Any kind of processing system or other apparatus suitable for performing the methods described herein is appropriate. A typical combination of hardware and software can be a processing system having computer-usable program code that, when loaded and executed, controls the processing system to perform the methods described herein. Systems, components, and / or processes can also be embedded in machine-readable computer-readable storage devices, such as computer program products or other data program storage devices, which tangibly implement a program of machine-executable instructions to perform the methods and processes described herein. These elements can also be embedded in an application product that includes all the features that enable the implementation of the methods described herein and, when loaded into a processing system, enable the execution of those methods.

[0066] Furthermore, the arrangements described herein can take the form of a computer program product implemented in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code contained thereon (e.g., stored thereon). Any combination of one or more computer-readable media can be utilized. A computer-readable medium can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. The phrase "computer-readable storage medium" refers to a non-transitory storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (not an exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media will include the following: portable computer disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0067] Generally, modules as used herein include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or implement specific data types. In a further aspect, memory generally stores the modules. The memory associated with a module may be a buffer or cache embedded in a processor, RAM, ROM, flash memory, or other suitable electronic storage medium. In yet another further aspect, as contemplated in this disclosure, modules are implemented as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), system-on-a-chip (SoC) hardware components, programmable logic arrays (PLAs), or other suitable hardware components embedded with a predetermined set of configurations (e.g., instructions) for performing the disclosed functions.

[0068] Any suitable medium can be used to transmit the program code implemented on a computer-readable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, fiber optic, cable, RF, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer program code for performing the operations of various aspects of this arrangement can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including languages ​​such as Java. TM Object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk and C++, as well as conventional programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar languages, are supported. Program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network (including local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs)), or can establish a connection with an external computer (e.g., through the internet provided by an internet service provider).

[0069] As used herein, the terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more. As used herein, the term “multiple” is defined as two or more. As used herein, the term “another” is defined as at least a second or more. As used herein, the terms “comprising” and / or “having” are defined as including (i.e., open language). As used herein, the phrase “at least one of… and…” refers to and covers any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As an example, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” includes only A, only B, only C, or any combination thereof (e.g., AB, AC, BC, or ABC).

[0070] Various aspects of this document may be implemented in other forms without departing from its spirit or substance. Therefore, its scope should be indicated by reference to the following claims rather than the foregoing description.

Claims

1. A vehicle electrical system for a vehicle, comprising: A coil that wirelessly receives power from an external source in the first operating mode; A first battery is connected to a coil to receive power from the coil when the coil is in a first operating mode; The second battery receives power from the first battery; A switch that switches the coil between a first operating mode and a second operating mode. In the second operating mode, the coil receives power from the second battery and wirelessly transmits the power from the second battery to the electrical loads in the vehicle. as well as A three-port converter that connects between the first battery, the second battery, and the coil. The three-port converter converts the power supplied from the coil to the first battery from AC power to DC power, converts the power supplied from the first battery to the second battery from a higher voltage to a lower voltage, and converts the power supplied from the second battery to the coil from DC power to AC power.

2. The vehicle power system of claim 1, further comprising: The control circuit senses the electrical current received by the coil and is also connected to the switch to actuate it. Specifically, when the control circuit senses that the coil is receiving power from an external source, the control circuit sets the switch to the first operating mode position, and when the control circuit does not sense that the coil is receiving power from an external source, the control circuit sets the switch to the second operating mode position.

3. The vehicle electrical system as described in claim 2, wherein, Compared to the second operating mode position, the first operating mode position uses a larger portion of the coil.

4. The vehicle electrical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The first battery has a higher voltage output compared to the second battery.

5. The vehicle electrical system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: AC / DC converter It is used to convert the power transmitted from the coil to the first battery.

6. The vehicle electrical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The three-port converter includes an isolated half-bridge push-pull converter and a full-bridge topology between the second battery and the coil. The isolated half-bridge push-pull converter has clamping circuitry connected between the first battery and the second battery.

7. The vehicle electrical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, When the coil is in the first operating mode, both the first battery and the second battery are charged by the coil.

8. The vehicle electrical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, Electrical loads are one or more of sensors, cameras, GPS devices, or mobile computing devices.

9. The vehicle electrical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The coil is deployed vertically in the rear of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle electrical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The coil and electrical load receiver are aligned along an axis that does not pass through the passenger seating space inside the vehicle.

11. A method for controlling an electrical system for a vehicle, comprising: Power is wirelessly received from an external source through a coil in the first operating mode; When the coil is in the first operating mode, power is transferred from the coil to the first battery; The second battery is charged using power from the first battery; as well as The coil is switched from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, in which the coil receives power from the second battery and wirelessly transmits the power from the second battery to the electrical loads in the vehicle. The method further includes: By using a three-port converter connected between the first battery, the second battery, and the coil, the power transmitted from the coil to the first battery is converted from AC power to DC power, the power transmitted from the first battery to the second battery is converted from a higher voltage to a lower voltage, and the power transmitted from the second battery to the coil is converted from DC power to AC power.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Is the sensing coil receiving power? When the coil is receiving power from an external source, switch the coil from the first operating mode to the second operating mode; as well as When the coil does not receive power from an external power source, switch the coil to the second operating mode.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Compared to the second operating mode, the first operating mode uses a larger portion of the coil.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Compared to the second battery, the first battery supplies a higher voltage output.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising: When the coil is in the first operating mode, the coil charges both the first battery and the second battery.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The coil is deployed vertically in the rear of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Align the coil and the receiver of the electrical load along an axis that does not pass through the passenger seating space inside the vehicle.

Images