Non-contact charging system

Abstract

To provide a non-contact charging system capable of reducing power consumption of a vehicle for non-contact charging.SOLUTION: A non-contact power receiving system according to the present disclosure is a non-contact charging system in which wireless communication is performed between a ground-side device and a vehicle, and the ground-side device starts charging control of the vehicle in accordance with a result of the wireless communication, and includes means for identifying a position of the vehicle and activating a wireless communication function of the vehicle when the identified position of the vehicle is within a predetermined range from a position of the ground-side device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wireless charging system. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there has been known a contactless charging system in which wireless communication is performed between a ground-side device and a vehicle, and the ground-side device starts charging control of the vehicle in accordance with the results of the wireless communication (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-198562 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional wireless charging systems, a vehicle constantly searches for a ground-based device regardless of its relative position to the ground-based device. This means that the vehicle's wireless communication function is always active, resulting in unnecessary consumption of vehicle power. Given this background, there has been a demand for technology that can reduce the vehicle's power consumption for wireless charging.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a contactless charging system that can reduce the amount of power consumed by a vehicle for contactless charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The contactless power receiving system of the present disclosure is a contactless charging system in which wireless communication is performed between a ground-side device and a vehicle, and the ground-side device starts charging control of the vehicle according to the results of the wireless communication, and is equipped with a means for identifying the position of the vehicle and activating the wireless communication function of the vehicle when the identified position of the vehicle is within a predetermined range from the position of the ground-side device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the amount of power consumed by a vehicle for contactless charging. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a contactless charging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the startup process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the control area. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the determination process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the control area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of a contactless charging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a contactless charging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The contactless charging system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a ground-side device 2 and a vehicle 3. In the contactless charging system 1, the ground-side device 2 determines whether the relative position of the power transmitting coil 11 and the power receiving coil 21 is such that the battery 22 of the vehicle 3 can be charged, and starts charging the battery 22 if the relative position is such that the battery 22 can be charged.

[0011] The ground-side device 2 is a ground facility that supplies power to the vehicle 3. For example, the ground-side device 2 is installed in a parking lot of a commercial facility or a parking lot at home. The ground-side device 2 includes a power supply device 10. The power supply device 10 is a device that transmits power to the vehicle 3 in a contactless manner. An AC power source is connected to the power supply device 10. The AC power source is constituted by a commercial power source, a household power source, or the like, and supplies power to the power supply device 10. The power supply device 10 includes a power transmission coil 11, a power transmission unit 12, a wall box 13, a power transmission ECU 14, and a communication device 15.

[0012] The power transmitting coil 11 is a primary coil installed on the ground 4. The power transmitting unit 12 is a device having the power transmitting coil 11, and is installed on the ground 4 in the parking space together with the power transmitting coil 11. The wall box 13 is installed near the parking space, for example, on the wall of the parking space. The wall box 13 has a power transmitting ECU 14 and a communication device 15 installed therein. The power transmitting unit 12 and the wall box 13 are electrically connected. Power is supplied to the power transmitting unit 12 from an AC power source.

[0013] The power transmitter ECU 14 is an electronic control device that controls the power supply device 10. The power transmitter ECU 14 includes a processor and a memory. The processor is configured with a CPU, etc. The memory is configured with RAM, ROM, etc. Signals from various sensors are input to the power transmitter ECU 14. The power transmitter ECU 14 performs various controls based on the signals input from the various sensors. For example, the power transmitter ECU 14 wirelessly communicates with the vehicle 3 to guide the vehicle 3 to a parking position such that the relative positions of the power transmitting coil 11 and the power receiving coil 21 are such that the battery 22 of the vehicle 3 can be charged. The power transmitter ECU 14 also controls a switching element included in the power conversion unit of the power supply device 10 to adjust the power for transmission. The power transmitter ECU 14 can also perform power transmission control using information acquired by the communication device 15. This power transmission control is wireless power transmission control to the vehicle 3.

[0014] The communication device 15 performs wireless communication with the vehicle 3 parked in the parking space. The communication device 15 transmits information from the power transmission ECU 14 to the vehicle 3 and receives information transmitted from the vehicle 3. The communication device 15 is capable of wireless communication using, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or wireless LAN.

[0015] The vehicle 3 is an electric vehicle that can be charged with power transmitted contactlessly from the ground-side device 2. The vehicle 3 is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), or the like. The vehicle 3 is a vehicle that can be parked in a parking space in which a power transmission coil 11 is installed. The vehicle 3 includes a power receiving device 20, a power receiving coil 21, a battery 22, a vehicle ECU 23, a communication device 24, and a position information acquisition unit 25.

[0016] The power receiving device 20 includes a power receiving coil 21 installed under the body of the vehicle 3. The power receiving coil 21 receives power transmitted contactlessly from the power transmitting coil 11. The power receiving device 20 supplies the power received from the power supply device 10 to a battery 22. The power supply device 10 and the battery 22 are electrically connected.

[0017] The battery 22 is an in-vehicle battery that can be externally charged. The battery 22 stores the power received by the power receiving device 20. The battery 22 is configured as a secondary battery that stores the power supplied from the power receiving device 20.

[0018] The vehicle ECU 23 is an electronic control device that controls the vehicle 3. The vehicle ECU 23 has the same hardware configuration as the power transmission ECU 14. The vehicle ECU 23 executes various vehicle controls based on signals input from various sensors mounted on the vehicle 3 and information acquired through communication using the communication device 24. The vehicle controls include charging control for storing power transmitted contactlessly from the power transmission unit 12 in the battery 22. The charging control is control for transmitting power contactlessly from the power transmission coil 11 to the power receiving coil 21 and storing the power received by the power receiving coil 21 in the battery 22. The vehicle ECU 23 can also detect that the vehicle 3 is located within a predetermined range from the parking space by comparing pre-stored data on the position of the parking space with the position of the vehicle 3 acquired by the position information acquisition unit 25.

[0019] The communication device 24 performs wireless communication with an external device such as the ground device 2. The communication device 24 performs wireless communication with the communication device 15 of the power supply device 10 when the vehicle 3 performs contactless charging. The communication device 24 transmits information from the vehicle 3 to the power supply device 10 and receives information transmitted from the power supply device 10 to the vehicle 3. In this embodiment, it takes a predetermined time to start up the communication device 24, and also takes a predetermined time to set and authenticate a password for wireless communication.

[0020] The position information acquisition unit 25 is configured by a position information acquisition device such as a GPS, etc. The position information acquisition unit 25 acquires the position information of the vehicle 3 and outputs the acquired position information to the vehicle ECU 23.

[0021] In this contactless charging system 1, contactless charging is performed from the power supply device 10 to the vehicle 3 when wireless communication is established between the vehicle 3 and the power supply device 10. When the vehicle 3 and the power supply device 10 are paired by wireless communication, power is transmitted contactlessly from a power transmission coil 11 on the ground to a power receiving coil 21 on the vehicle side. In the vehicle 3, control is performed to supply the power received by the power receiving coil 21 to a battery 22.

[0022] In the wireless charging system 1 having such a configuration, the ground device 2 executes the startup process described below to reduce the amount of power consumed by the vehicle 3 for wireless charging. Below, the operation of the vehicle 3 when executing this startup process will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 2.

[0023] [Startup process] 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the startup process according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The flowchart shown in FIG. 2 starts when the start switch of the vehicle 3 is switched from the off state to the on state, and the startup process proceeds to step S1. The startup process is executed at predetermined control intervals while the start switch of the vehicle 3 is in the on state.

[0024] In the process of step S1, the vehicle ECU 23 acquires the position information of the vehicle 3 from the position information acquisition unit 25 and compares the acquired position information of the vehicle 3 with pre-stored data on the position of the control area to determine whether the vehicle 3 has entered the control area. Specifically, the vehicle ECU 23 determines whether the vehicle 3 has entered the control area, which is a range within a boundary A surrounding the installation position of the wall box 13 (WB) as shown in FIG. 3, as a control area for searching for an access point (AP) for performing contactless charging. If the result of the determination is that the vehicle 3 is within the control area (step S1: Yes), the vehicle ECU 23 proceeds to the process of step S2 in the startup process. On the other hand, if the vehicle 3 is not within the control area (step S1: No), the vehicle ECU 23 proceeds to the process of step S3 in the startup process.

[0025] In the process of step S2, the vehicle ECU 23 activates the communication device 24 (VA) to perform wireless communication and searches for an access point for performing contactless charging, thereby completing the process of step S2 and terminating the series of activation processes.

[0026] In the process of step S3, the vehicle ECU 23 waits without starting up the communication device 24 (VA), thereby completing the process of step S3 and ending the series of start-up processes.

[0027] 4, if the vehicle 3 is located within the control area, the communication device 24 (VA) is activated, a password for wireless communication is set, and wireless connection with the ground-side device 2 is established (step S15), the vehicle ECU 23 permits the vehicle 3 to be guided to the parking space. On the other hand, if the vehicle 3 is not located within the control area, the communication device 24 (VA) is not activated, a password for wireless communication is not set, or wireless connection with the ground-side device 2 is not established (step S11-14: No), the vehicle ECU 23 prohibits the vehicle 3 from being guided to the parking space (step S16). For these reasons, it is preferable to set the boundary A of the control area outside the area within the boundary B where wireless connection with the ground-side device 2 is possible, as shown in FIG. 5, taking into consideration the time required to activate the communication device 24 and set and authenticate a password for wireless communication.

[0028] As described above, in the wireless charging system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicle ECU 23 identifies the location of the vehicle 3, and activates the wireless communication function of the vehicle 3 when the identified location of the vehicle 3 is within a predetermined range from the location of the ground-side device 2. This reduces the amount of power consumed by the vehicle 3 for wireless charging.

[0029] Further advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The disclosure in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general disclosed concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1. Wireless charging system 2 Ground side equipment 3 vehicles 4 ground 10 Power supply device 11. Transmission coil 12 Power Transmission Unit 13 Wall Box 14 Power Transmission ECU 15. Communications equipment 20 Power receiving device 21 Receiving coil 22 Battery 23 Vehicle ECU 24 Communication equipment 25 Location information acquisition section

Claims

[Claim 1] A wireless charging system in which wireless communication is performed between a ground-side device and a vehicle, and the ground-side device starts charging control of the vehicle according to the result of the wireless communication, A wireless charging system comprising: means for identifying the position of the vehicle and activating a wireless communication function of the vehicle when the identified position of the vehicle is within a predetermined range from the position of the ground-side device.

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