Vehicle wireless charger

Abstract

The invention provides a wireless charger for a vehicle. An automobile battery charger includes a controller that extends a pair of tire blocks relative to a housing and along a ground surface to a position based on configuration information from a vehicle such that a fixed length arm rotates relative to the ground surface to raise a charger pad attached to an end thereof to a predetermined position, such that the charger pad is aligned in proximity to a charging coil of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wireless charger for charging an electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Electric vehicles can be propelled by supplying power to the motor via a traction battery. The traction battery can be recharged via a wired and / or wireless charger. In the case of wireless charging, the vehicle pad can receive electromagnetic power transmitted from the charger pad to charge the traction battery. Summary of the invention

[0003] A wireless car battery charger includes: a housing; a pair of extendable tire blocks, the pair of extendable tire blocks at least partially contained by the housing; a fixed length arm, the fixed length arm disposed between the tire blocks and hingedly arranged with the housing; a charger pad, the charger pad hingedly mounted with the arm; and a controller. After receiving configuration information from a vehicle, the controller extends the tire blocks relative to the housing and along the ground to a position based on the configuration information, rotates the arm to a predetermined position to raise the charger pad relative to the ground and align the charger pad near a charging coil of the vehicle.

[0004] A method includes: in response to receiving configuration information from a vehicle, extending tire blocks away from a housing and along a ground surface to a position based on the configuration information, so that an arm disposed between the tire blocks rotates to a predetermined position to raise a charger pad relative to the ground surface and align the charger pad in proximity to a charging coil of the vehicle without changing the length of the arm.

[0005] An automotive battery charger includes: a controller that extends a pair of tire blocks relative to a housing and along a ground surface to a position based on configuration information from a vehicle, and, after contact between a tire of the vehicle and the tire blocks, rotates a fixed-length arm relative to the ground surface to raise a charger pad attached to an end thereof to a predetermined position based on the configuration, so that the charger pad is aligned in the vicinity of a charging coil of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 is a diagram of an electrified vehicle showing a powertrain and energy storage components including an electric machine.

[0007] Figure 2 It is a block topology for vehicle charging system.

[0008] Figure 3 is a diagram of a wireless charging device.

[0009] Figure 4It is a diagram for determining parameters of the wireless charging device configuration.

[0010] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a process for preparing to charge a vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Embodiments are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and that other embodiments may take various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Some features may be enlarged or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art.

[0012] The various features shown and described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings may be combined with features shown in one or more other drawings to produce embodiments not explicitly shown or described. The combinations of features shown provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, for specific applications or implementations, various combinations and modifications of features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired.

[0013] The present disclosure proposes, among other things, a system for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle.

[0014] Figure 1 A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is shown. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle 112 may include one or more motors (electric motors) 114 mechanically coupled to a hybrid transmission 116. The motor 114 may be capable of operating as a motor or a generator. In addition, the hybrid transmission 116 is mechanically coupled to an engine 118. The hybrid transmission 116 is also mechanically coupled to a drive shaft (e.g., a front drive shaft 120), which is mechanically coupled to wheels 122. When the engine 118 is turned on or off, the motor 114 can provide propulsion and deceleration capabilities. The motor 114 can also act as a generator and can provide fuel economy benefits by recovering energy lost as heat in the friction braking system. The motor 114 can also reduce vehicle emissions by allowing the engine 118 to operate at a more efficient speed and allowing the hybrid electric vehicle 112 to be operated in an electric mode when the engine 118 is turned off under certain conditions. In addition or alternatively, the vehicle 112 can be provided with a plurality of motors 114, which are configured to independently propel the front wheels and the rear wheels. For example, the second motor 121 may be coupled to the rear drive shaft 123 and drive the rear wheels independently of the motor 114 driving the front wheels.

[0015] The traction battery or battery pack 124 stores energy that can be used by the motor 114. The vehicle battery pack 124 can provide a high voltage DC output. The traction battery 124 can be electrically coupled to one or more battery electric control modules (BECM) 125. The BECM 125 can be provided with one or more processors and software applications that are configured to monitor and control various operations of the traction battery 124. The traction battery 124 can also be electrically coupled to one or more power electronics modules 126. The power electronics module 126 can also be referred to as a power inverter. One or more contactors 127 can isolate the traction battery 124 and the BECM 125 from other components when open, and couple the traction battery 124 and the BECM 125 to other components when closed. The power electronics module 126 can also be electrically coupled to the motor 114 and provide the ability to transfer energy bidirectionally between the traction battery 124 and the motor 114. For example, the traction battery 124 can provide a DC voltage, and the motor 114 can operate using a three-phase AC current. The power electronics module 126 may convert the DC voltage into a three-phase AC current for use by the motor 114. In regenerative mode, the power electronics module 126 may convert the three-phase AC current from the motor 114 acting as a generator into a DC voltage compatible with the traction battery 124. The description herein is equally applicable to pure electric vehicles. For pure electric vehicles, the hybrid transmission 116 may be a gearbox connected to the motor 114 and the engine 118 may not be present.

[0016] In addition to providing energy for propulsion, the traction battery 124 can also provide energy for other vehicle electrical systems. The vehicle includes a DC / DC converter module 128 that converts the high voltage DC output of the traction battery 124 to a low voltage DC supply that is compatible with other low voltage vehicle loads. The output of the DC / DC converter module 128 can be electrically coupled to an auxiliary battery 130 (e.g., a 12V battery).

[0017] The vehicle 112 may be a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), wherein the traction battery 124 may be recharged by an external power source 136. The external power source 136 may be a connection to an electrical outlet. The external power source 136 may be a distribution network or grid provided by an electric utility company. The external power source 136 may be electrically connected to an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) 138. The EVSE 138 may provide circuits and controls to regulate and manage energy transfer between the power source 136 and the vehicle 112. The external power source 136 may provide DC or AC power to the EVSE 138. In one example, the vehicle 112 may be configured to receive a charge from the EVSE 138 via wired charging. In this case, the EVSE 138 may have a charging connector 140 for plugging into a charging port 134 of the vehicle 112. The charging port 134 may be any type of port configured to transfer power from the EVSE 138 to the vehicle 112. In additional and / or alternative examples, the vehicle 112 may be configured to receive a charge from the EVSE 138 via wireless charging. In this case, the wireless charging may be performed via inductive coupling between the charger pad 135 of the EVSE 138 and the vehicle pad 137 of the vehicle 112. During wireless charging, an oscillating current may pass through the primary coil (transmitting antenna) of the charger pad 135 (receiving antenna) to generate an oscillating magnetic near field that induces a current in the secondary coil of the vehicle pad 137 coupled to the charger pad 135. The vehicle pad 137 may be positioned at various locations on the vehicle 112. For example, the vehicle pad 137 may be positioned at the bottom of the vehicle 112 to wirelessly couple with a charger pad 135 mounted on a parking spot.

[0018] The charging port 134 and the vehicle pad 137 may be electrically coupled to a charger or onboard power conversion module 132. The power conversion module 132 may condition the power supplied from the EVSE 138 to provide the correct voltage and current levels to the traction battery 124. The power conversion module 132 may interface with the EVSE 138 to coordinate power delivery to the vehicle 112.

[0019] One or more electrical loads 146 may be coupled to the high voltage bus. The electrical loads 146 may have associated controllers that operate and control the electrical loads 146 as appropriate. Examples of electrical loads 146 may be heating modules, air conditioning modules, and the like.

[0020] The various components discussed may have one or more associated controllers to control and monitor the operation of the components. The controllers may communicate via a serial bus (e.g., a controller area network (CAN)) or via discrete conductors. A computing platform 150 may be present to coordinate the operation of the various components. It should be noted that computing platform 150 is used as a general term and may include one or more controller devices configured to perform the various operations in the present disclosure. The computing platform 150 may be programmed to perform various operations of the vehicle 112 alone or in combination with other components of the vehicle that are shown or not shown.

[0021] Figure 2 It is a block topology 200 of a vehicle charging system. The computing platform 150 of the vehicle 112 may include one or more processors 204 configured to execute instructions, commands, and other programs that support the processes described herein. For example, the computing platform 150 may be configured to execute instructions of a vehicle application 206 to provide features such as navigation and charging control. Such instructions and other data may be maintained in a non-volatile manner using a variety of types of computer-readable storage media 208. Computer-readable media 208 (also referred to as processor-readable media or storage devices) include any non-temporary media (tangible media) that participate in providing instructions or other data that can be read by the processor 204 of the computing platform 150. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted according to a computer program created using a variety of programming languages ​​and / or technologies, including but not limited to the following items alone or in combination: Java, C, C++, C#, Objective C, Fortran, Pascal, Java Script, Python, Perl, and SQL.

[0022] The computing platform 150 may be provided with various features that allow a vehicle occupant / user to interface with the computing platform 150. For example, the computing platform 150 may receive input from a human-machine interface (HMI) control 210 that is configured to provide occupant interaction with the vehicle 112. As one example, the computing platform 150 may interface with one or more buttons (not shown) or other HMI controls (e.g., steering wheel audio buttons, a push-to-talk button, instrument panel controls, etc.) that are configured to invoke functionality on the computing platform 150 and other components of the vehicle 112.

[0023] The computing platform 150 may also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more displays 212 configured to provide visual output to vehicle occupants via a video controller 214. In some cases, the display 212 may be a touch screen that is also configured to receive user touch input via the video controller 214, while in other cases, the display 212 may be a display only without touch input capability. The computing platform 150 may also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more speakers 218 configured to provide audio output to vehicle occupants via an audio controller 220.

[0024] The computing platform 150 may be configured to communicate with a mobile device 222 of a vehicle user via a wireless connection 224. The mobile device 222 may be any of various types of portable computing devices capable of communicating with the computing platform 150, such as a cellular phone, a tablet computer, a smart watch, a laptop computer, a portable music player, a key fob, or other device. In many examples, the computing platform 150 may include a wireless transceiver 226 that communicates with a Wi-Fi controller 228, a near field controller (NFC) 229, a Bluetooth controller 230, and other controllers such as a Zigbee transceiver, an IrDA transceiver, an RFID transceiver (not shown), and is configured to communicate with a compatible wireless transceiver 232 of the mobile device 222. The computing platform 150 may also be provided with location services via a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) controller 234 that is configured to determine the location of the vehicle 112 and plan a navigation route. For example, as an example, the GNSS controller 234 may be configured to support a global positioning system (GPS). Navigation software may be stored in non-volatile storage 208 as part of vehicle applications 206 . Map data used for route planning may also be stored in non-volatile storage 208 as part of vehicle data 236 .

[0025] The mobile device 222 may be provided with a processor 238 configured to execute instructions, commands, and other programs that support processes such as calls, wireless communications, multimedia processing, and digital authentication. The wireless transceiver 232 of the mobile device 222 may communicate with a Wi-Fi controller 240, a Bluetooth controller 242, an NFC controller 244, and other controllers that are configured to communicate with a compatible wireless transceiver 226 of the computing platform 150. The mobile device 222 may be provided with a non-volatile storage device 246 that is configured to store various software and data. For example, the non-volatile storage device 246 may store mobile applications 248 and mobile data 250 to enable various features of the mobile device 222.

[0026] The computing platform 150 may also be configured to communicate with various electronic control units (ECUs) via one or more in-vehicle networks 254. As some examples, the in-vehicle network 254 may include, but is not limited to, one or more of a controller area network (CAN), Ethernet, ultra-wideband (UWB), and media-oriented system transmission (MOST). The ECU may include various controllers configured to perform various operations of the vehicle 112. For example, the ECU may include an autonomous driving controller (ADC) 253, which is configured to perform autonomous driving maneuvers in response to limited user input. The ECU may also include a body control module (BCM) 254, which is configured to control the body operations of the vehicle 112. For example, if the vehicle 112 is provided with an adjustable suspension feature, the BCM 254 may be configured to adjust the height of the suspension at each wheel collectively and / or individually based on user settings. Additionally or alternatively, the BCM 254 may also adjust the suspension height based on the usage scenario. For example, in response to receiving a suspension adjustment request from the EVSE 138 , the BCM 254 may adjust the suspension height of the corresponding wheel accordingly to facilitate wireless charging.

[0027] The ECU may also include a charge controller 255 configured to control charging of the vehicle battery 124. The charge controller 255 may be configured to communicate with the EVSE 138 via a wireless connection 257 to coordinate vehicle charging. Additionally or alternatively, the system may be configured to transmit vehicle information to the EVSE 138 via a wireless connection 258 using a mobile device 222 with or without the involvement of the vehicle charge controller 255. The vehicle 112, the mobile device 222, and the EVSE 138 may also be configured to communicate with a cloud server 259 to obtain various information.

[0028] The EVSE 138 may include one or more processors 260 configured to execute instructions, commands, and other programming that support the processes described herein. As an example, the EVSE 138 may be configured to execute instructions of the station software 262 stored in the storage device 264 to provide functionality such as activation / deactivation of charging, price selection, processing payments, and wireless communications with various digital entities. The EVSE 138 may be provided with an HMI control 266 configured to provide interaction with a user.

[0029] The EVSE 138 may include a wireless transceiver 268 that communicates with an NFC controller 270 , a radio frequency identification (RFID) controller 272 , a Bluetooth controller 274 , a Wi-Fi controller 276 , and other controllers configured to communicate with a compatible wireless transceiver 226 of the vehicle 112 and / or a compatible wireless transceiver 232 of the nomadic device 222 .

[0030] The EVSE 138 may also be provided with one or more actuators 276 configured to operate one or more vehicle guidance and adjustment mechanisms to facilitate wireless charging. As discussed above, the charger pad 135 may be laid flat on a parking space to wirelessly couple to a vehicle pad 137 located at the chassis of the vehicle 112. The charger pad 135 may be configured to wirelessly couple to a variety of compatible vehicles 112 having different suspension heights and vehicle pad placements. For example, an SUV may have a higher suspension to obtain greater ground clearance than a sedan. Different vehicle configurations may result in different vehicle pad placements, all of which are configured to wirelessly couple to the charger pad 135. Although tolerances may be provided for EVSE wireless charging to allow wireless coupling within a predefined range, charging speed and power may be negatively affected when the relative position between the vehicle pad 137 and the charger pad 135 is accurately aligned. For example, a higher placement of the vehicle pad 137 on an SUV may increase the distance from the charger pad 135, thereby reducing charging efficiency. Thus, the EVSE 138 may be provided with an adjustable wireless charging arrangement to better accommodate different vehicle configurations.

[0031] refer to Figure 3 , a diagram 300 showing an exemplary adjustable wireless charging device (charging device) 302 is shown. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the charging device 302 can be electrically connected to the EVSE 138 and configured to perform wireless charging on the vehicle 112. The charging device 302 can include a base portion 304 that is electrically connected to the EVSE 138 via a cable 306. Alternatively, the charging device 302 can be implemented as a part of the EVSE 138. The base portion 304 can be implemented in a generally rectangular shape with a cavity to accommodate various hardware mechanisms under the top cover.

[0032] The charging device 302 may also include two tire blocks 308 to engage with a vehicle tire 122 on the same axle of the vehicle 112. The tire blocks 308 may be positioned on the same side of the base portion along a y-axis corresponding to the lateral direction of the vehicle 112. The two tire blocks 308 may be separated by a distance substantially corresponding to the axle length of the vehicle 112. Each tire block 308 may be provided with an engagement portion 310 at a more distal end, the engagement portion being configured to directly engage / contact the tire 122 of the vehicle 112. The engagement portion 310 may be provided with a certain width (e.g., 15 inches to 25 inches) to accommodate different axle lengths of different vehicles 112. During the operating state, the tire block 308 may extend from the base portion 304 in an x-axis direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction toward the vehicle 112 to engage with the vehicle tire 122. The extension distance of the tire block 308 may be adjusted by one or more actuators 276 coordinated by the EVSE 138 to accommodate various vehicle configurations. In the stored state, the tire blocks 308 may be fully or partially retracted into the base portion 304 so that the vehicle 112 may travel forward and backward without hindrance. The charging device 302 may detect engagement between the tire blocks 308 and the vehicle tires via one or more sensors 312 in communication with the tire blocks 308. When the vehicle 112 is parked at the parking space and properly parked at the charging device 302, the vehicle tires 122 may apply forward pressure on the engagement portions 310 in the x-axis direction, which pushes the tire blocks 308 toward the base portion 304. The forward pressure may be measured by the sensors 312 to detect proper engagement with the vehicle tires 122.

[0033] The charging device 302 may also include a height-adjustable charger pad 135 connected to the base portion via a height-adjustment arm 314. The height-adjustment arm 314 may include a first end attached to the base portion 304 via a first connector 316 and a second end attached to the charger pad 135 via a second connector 318. The height-adjustment arm 314 may also include one or more cavities configured to accommodate cables and harnesses to facilitate power transactions between the charger pad 135 and the vehicle 112. The height-adjustment arm 314 may be configured to adjust the height of the charger pad 135 from the ground in the z-axis direction via one or more actuators 276 to accommodate different vehicle heights. During the operating state, the charger pad 135 may be raised to a specified height corresponding to the position of the vehicle 137 to facilitate wireless charging. In the storage state, the charger pad 135 may be lowered to ground level to minimize the chance of obstructing vehicle travel. While the height adjustment arms 314 and tire blocks 308 are operated in concert by the EVSE 138 , the charging device 302 can provide guidance to vehicles of various configurations and allow for accurate wireless coupling between the charger pad 135 and the vehicle pad 137 .

[0034] refer to Figure 4 , an exemplary diagram 400 is shown illustrating parameters for determining tire block and charger pad locations according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 1 to 3 , the EVSE 138 may be configured to adjust the tire blocks and charger pad positions of the charging device 302 to accommodate the physical configuration of the vehicle 112. As shown, in this example, the vehicle 112 may include a vehicle pad 137 located at the front end of the vehicle 112, generally below the engine compartment. The EVSE 138 may use parameters of both the vehicle 112 and the charging device 302 to determine the tire blocks and charger pad positions. More specifically, the height H2 of the charger pad 135 in the z-axis direction may be determined using the following formula:

[0035] H2=H1-T (1)

[0036] Where H1 represents the distance between the lower surface of the vehicle pad 137 and the ground, and T represents the tolerance representing the gap required between the vehicle pad 137 and the charger pad 135 for optimal inductive coupling.

[0037] Additionally, the extension length X2 indicating the distance that the tire block 308 extends outward from the base portion 304 in the x-axis direction may be determined using the following formula:

[0038] X2=X1-E+T (2)

[0039] Where E represents the extension distance of the tire block 308 from the center of the vehicle pad 107 to the tire perimeter at height C, which indicates the height of the tire block (e.g., 4 inches). X1 represents the distance in the x-axis direction between the midpoint of the charger pad 135 and the front edge of the base portion 304. The distance X1 can be determined using the following formula:

[0040]

[0041] R1 represents the length of the height adjustment arm 314 from the first end to the second end.

[0042] refer to Figure 5 , shows an exemplary flow chart of a process 500 for configuring a wireless charging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 1 to 4, the process 500 may be implemented via the EVSE 138. At operation 502, the EVSE 138 receives a charging request from the requesting vehicle 112 and / or a mobile device 222 associated with the requesting vehicle 112. The charging request may include various vehicle information related to wireless charging. For example, the charging request may include information related to the physical configuration of the vehicle, such as suspension height, location of the vehicle pad 135, tire size, etc. In addition or alternatively, the charging request may include a vehicle brand / model and / or vehicle identification (e.g., a vehicle identification number (VIN)) that enables the EVSE 138 to obtain the physical configuration from the cloud server 259. If the physical configuration of the vehicle 112 is not provided directly in the charging request, the EVSE 138 may instead obtain these physical configurations from the server. The EVSE 138 may receive the charging request directly from the vehicle 112 and / or the mobile device 222 via the wireless transceiver 268. Additionally or alternatively, the EVSE 138 may receive a charging request as a charging appointment from the cloud server 25 when the vehicle 112 is not already in the vicinity of the EVSE 138. The appointment may also include additional information such as an expected arrival time to facilitate charging scheduling.

[0043] At operation 504, the EVSE 138 uses the received vehicle information to determine the configuration of the charging device 302. Figure 4 As discussed, at least two aspects of the charging device configuration may be determined. First, the EVSE 138 may use the received vehicle information to determine the extended length X2 of the tire block 308. The EVSE 138 may also use the received vehicle information to determine the height H2 of the charger pad 135. In different examples, other configuration parameters may also be determined. For example, the charging device 302 may also be provided with the ability to laterally adjust the position of the charger pad 135 in the y-axis direction to accommodate a vehicle configuration in which the vehicle pad 137 is placed away from the lateral center of the vehicle.

[0044] Once the desired height H2 of the charger pad 135 is determined, at operation 506, the EVSE 138 verifies whether the desired height H2 exceeds the designed elevation range of the charger pad 135. For example, an off-road vehicle may have an increased suspension height, making the vehicle pad 135 mounted on the chassis too high and beyond the range of the charging device 302. If the answer is yes, the process proceeds to operation 508, and the EVSE 138 determines whether the suspension height of the requesting vehicle 112 is adjustable. Continuing with the above-mentioned off-road vehicle example, the suspension of the off-road vehicle may be adjustable to adapt to various driving conditions. The suspension height can be increased to adapt to off-road driving conditions and can be lowered to adapt to urban roads. If the vehicle suspension is at an increased height when the charging request is issued, the height H1 of the vehicle pad may exceed the designed range of the charging device 302. If the EVSE 138 determines that the vehicle suspension height is fixed and cannot be reduced, the process proceeds to operation 510, and the EVSE 138 denies the charging request from the requesting vehicle 112. Otherwise, if the EVSE 138 determines that the vehicle's suspension height is adjustable, the process proceeds to operation 512 and the EVSE 138 sends instructions to the requesting vehicle 112 to adjust the suspension height. The instructions may include a target suspension configuration corresponding to a vehicle pad height H1 within the design range of the charging device 302.

[0045] At operation 514, in response to the requesting vehicle 112 entering the vicinity of the EVSE 138, a direct wireless communication link 257 is established between the EVSE 138 and the requesting vehicle 112. This operation may be optional, depending on how the EVSE 138 received the original charge request. For example, when the vehicle 112 sent the charge request, direct wireless communication may have been established. In this case, operation 514 may not be necessary. Otherwise, if the vehicle 112 previously sent a charge request to the EVSE 138 via the cloud server 259, operation 514 may be performed to facilitate subsequent operations of process 500.

[0046] At operation 516, the EVSE 138 extends the tire blocks 308 of the charging device 302 to the specified extension length X2 by operating one or more actuators 276. In response to the successful extension of the tire blocks 308, at operation 518, the EVSE 138 instructs the vehicle 112 to approach at the charging device 302 via the wireless link 257. In one example, if ADC is available for the vehicle 112, the instruction can be transmitted to the requesting vehicle 112 as an autonomous driving instruction. The vehicle 112 can approach and park at the charging device 302 in an autonomous manner, completely or partially without driving input.

[0047] At operation 520, the EVSE 138 verifies whether the tires of the requesting vehicle 112 have engaged with the tire blocks 308 indicating successful parking at the designated location. As discussed above, the sensor 312 can detect the pressure towards the base portion 304 caused by the vehicle tire 122 pressing against the engagement portion 310 of the tire blocks 308. Once the pressure indicating successful parking is detected, the process proceeds to operation 522, and the EVSE 138 raises the arm 314 of the charging device 302 to raise the charger pad 135 to the designated height H2. In response to detecting the successful wireless coupling between the charger pad 135 and the vehicle pad 137, the EVSE 138 begins charging the vehicle 112.

[0048] The algorithm, method or process disclosed herein can be delivered to or implemented by a computer, a controller or a processing device, and the computer, the controller or the processing device can include any dedicated electronic control unit or a programmable electronic control unit. Similarly, the algorithm, method or process can be stored in various forms as data and instructions that can be executed by a computer or a controller, including but not limited to information permanently stored on a non-writable storage medium such as a read-only memory device and information that can be changed and stored on a writable storage medium such as an optical disk, a random access memory device or other magnetic and optical media. The algorithm, method or process can also be implemented with a software executable object. Alternatively, the algorithm, method or process can be implemented in whole or in part using a combination of suitable hardware components (such as an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, a state machine or other hardware components or devices) or firmware, hardware and software components.

[0049] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms covered by the claims. The words used in the specification are descriptive rather than limiting, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The words "a processor" and "multiple processors" are interchangeable herein, as are the words "a controller" and multiple controllers.

[0050] As previously described, the features of the various embodiments may be combined to form additional embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or shown. Although various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features or characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired overall system properties, depending on the specific application and implementation. These properties may include, but are not limited to, strength, durability, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, and the like. Thus, embodiments described as being less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of this disclosure and may be desirable for a particular application.

[0051] According to the present invention, there is provided a wireless car battery charger, which has: a housing; a pair of extendable tire blocks, the pair of extendable tire blocks being at least partially accommodated by the housing; a fixed-length arm, the fixed-length arm being disposed between the tire blocks and being hingedly arranged with the housing; a charger pad, the charger pad being hingedly mounted with the arm; and a controller, the controller being configured to, after receiving configuration information from a vehicle, extend the tire blocks relative to the housing and along the ground to a position based on the configuration information, so that the arm is rotated to a predetermined position to raise the charger pad relative to the ground and align the charger pad near a charging coil of the vehicle.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the controller is further programmed to rotate the arm to the predetermined position after contact between a tire of the vehicle and the tire block prevents further movement of the vehicle toward the housing.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the controller is further programmed to instruct the vehicle to move toward the housing after the extending and before the rotating.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the controller is further programmed to retract the tire blocks toward the housing and rotate the arms toward the ground after charging is completed.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the charger pad is hingedly mounted with the arm such that the charger pad remains parallel to the ground during rotation of the arm.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the configuration information includes a ride height of the vehicle.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the predetermined position is based on the configuration information.

[0058] According to the present invention, a method includes: in response to receiving configuration information from a vehicle, extending tire blocks away from a housing and along a ground surface to a position based on the configuration information, so that an arm disposed between the tire blocks rotates to a predetermined position to raise a charger pad relative to the ground surface and align the charger pad in the vicinity of a charging coil of the vehicle without changing the length of the arm.

[0059] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes rotating the arm to the predetermined position in response to contact between a tire of the vehicle and the tire block preventing further movement of the vehicle toward the housing.

[0060] In one aspect of the invention, the method comprises, after said extending and before said rotating, instructing said vehicle to move towards said housing.

[0061] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes retracting the tire blocks toward the housing and rotating the arms toward the ground in response to charging being completed.

[0062] In one aspect of the invention, the configuration information includes a ride height of the vehicle.

[0063] In one aspect of the invention, the predetermined location is based on the configuration information.

[0064] According to the present invention, there is provided an automotive battery charger having: a controller programmed to extend a pair of tire blocks relative to a housing and along a ground surface to a position based on configuration information from a vehicle, and, after contact between a tire of the vehicle and the tire blocks, to rotate a fixed-length arm relative to the ground surface to raise a charger pad attached to an end thereof to a predetermined position based on the configuration, so that the charger pad is aligned in the vicinity of a charging coil of the vehicle.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the controller is further programmed to instruct the vehicle to move toward the housing after the extending and before the rotating.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the controller is further programmed to retract the tire blocks toward the housing and rotate the arms toward the ground after charging is completed.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the configuration information includes a ride height of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A wireless car battery charger, comprising: case; a pair of extendable tire blocks at least partially received by the housing; a fixed-length arm disposed between the tire blocks and hingedly arranged with the housing; a charger pad hingedly mounted to the arm; as well as a controller programmed to, after receiving configuration information from a vehicle, extend the tire blocks relative to the housing and along the ground to a position based on the configuration information, rotate the arm to a predetermined position to raise the charger pad relative to the ground and align the charger pad in proximity to a charging coil of the vehicle.

2. The wireless car battery charger of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to rotate the arm to the predetermined position after contact between a tire of the vehicle and the tire block prevents the vehicle from moving further toward the housing.

3. The wireless automobile battery charger of claim 2, wherein the controller is further programmed to instruct the vehicle to move toward the housing after the extending and before the rotating.

4. The wireless car battery charger of claim 2, wherein the controller is further programmed to retract the tire blocks toward the housing and rotate the arms toward the ground after charging is completed.

5. The wireless car battery charger of claim 1, wherein the charger pad is hingedly mounted with the arm such that the charger pad remains parallel to the ground during rotation of the arm.

6. The wireless automobile battery charger of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes a ride height of the vehicle.

7. The wireless automobile battery charger of claim 1, wherein the predetermined position is based on the configuration information.

8. A method comprising: In response to receiving configuration information from the vehicle, the tire blocks are extended away from the housing and along the ground to a position based on the configuration information, so that the arms disposed between the tire blocks are rotated to a predetermined position to raise the charger pad relative to the ground and align the charger pad in proximity to the charging coil of the vehicle without changing the length of the arms.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising rotating the arm to the predetermined position in response to contact between a tire of the vehicle and the tire block preventing further movement of the vehicle toward the housing.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising, after said extending and before said rotating, directing said vehicle to move toward said housing.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising retracting the tire blocks toward the housing and rotating the arms toward the ground in response to charging being completed.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the configuration information includes a ride height of the vehicle. The method of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined location is based on the configuration information.

14. An automotive battery charger, comprising: a controller programmed to extend a pair of tire blocks relative to the housing and along the ground to a position based on configuration information from a vehicle, and, after contact between a tire of the vehicle and the tire blocks, to rotate the fixed-length arm relative to the ground to raise a charger pad attached to an end thereof to a predetermined position based on the configuration such that the charger pad is aligned proximate to a charging coil of the vehicle.

15. The automotive battery charger of claim 14, wherein the controller is further programmed to retract the tire blocks toward the housing and rotate the arms toward the ground after charging is complete.

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