Roadway Charging Coil Detection for EV Steering and Coil Integrity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle charging systems embedded in roadways face challenges in maintaining optimal alignment with charging coils, especially in curves and with irregular coil spacing or damaged coils, leading to inefficiencies and reduced charging performance.
Innovation Solution
The use of Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) ground penetrating radar to detect and map roadway-embedded charging coils, allowing for optimized vehicle path planning and steering adjustments to maximize inductive coupling, while also assessing coil integrity and recommending lane changes for better charging rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual markings or sensors are used to guide vehicle alignment with embedded charging coils, then charging alignment is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's existing camera and processor to detect and track charging coil markings, rather than requiring separate dedicated alignment sensors. The driver assistance system leverages available vehicle components to perform alignment functions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If coupling factors are monitored for laterally-spaced receiver coils to adjust vehicle travel path, then immediate alignment is improved, but excessive alignment errors occur in curves
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively detects and tracks the positions of multiple charging coils ahead of the vehicle using visual markings, rather than reactively adjusting based on coupling factors. This allows the vehicle to maintain proper alignment through curves by anticipating coil positions in advance, improving adaptability to curved roadways.
3Reliability
If embedded coil spacing irregularities and damaged coils are present, then charging reliability deteriorates, but no compensation mechanism exists
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the positions and conditions of detected charging coils, comparing actual coil locations against expected spacing patterns. When irregularities or damaged coils are detected, the system provides feedback to adjust vehicle alignment and steering to compensate for these issues, maintaining charging reliability despite roadway conditions.
4Measurement precision
If ground penetrating radar is used to detect and map charging coils, then alignment precision and charging efficiency are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical ground penetrating radar with an optical detection system using cameras and image processing. This substitutes electromagnetic radar technology with optical methods, achieving comparable coil detection accuracy while reducing system complexity and cost through the use of standard vehicle camera components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances charging efficiency by accurately aligning vehicle-mounted receiving coils with roadway-embedded transmission coils, improves coupling efficiency, and enables predictive battery charging scenarios, ensuring optimal charging performance even in curves and with damaged coils, while also facilitating maintenance and vehicle navigation.
Implementation Method 1
A ground penetrating radar transceiver is configured to interrogate the roadway including a region of the roadway toward which the vehicle is heading. The ground penetrating radar transceiver generates reflectance data including reflections from the charging coils and from embedded cabling coupling the charging coils.
Implementation Method 2
The ground penetrating radar transceiver generates reflectance data including reflections from the charging coils and from embedded cabling coupling the charging coils.
Implementation Method 3
an inductive charge receiver configured to inductively couple to a series of charging coils embedded in a roadway over which the vehicle travels in order to transfer charge to the storage battery
Data Source
AI summary
An electric vehicle having an electrical storage battery includes an inductive charge receiver configured to inductively couple to a series of charging coils embedded in a roadway over which the vehicle travels in order to transfer charge to the storage battery. A ground penetrating radar transceiver is configured to interrogate the roadway including a region of the roadway toward which the vehicle is heading. The ground penetrating radar transceiver generates reflectance data including reflections from the charging coils and from embedded cabling coupling the charging coils. An object analyzer is responsive to the reflectance data and configured to map the series of charging coils relative to the vehicle. A path controller is configured to determine a steering operation of the vehicle along the roadway for optimizing a charge transfer from the series of charging coils to the inductive charge receiver.