Inductive Charging Vehicle Positioning via Adaptive Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual guidance of vehicles to inductive charging stations lacks the accuracy required for efficient energy transfer, as existing methods like satellite-assisted positional determination and camera-based localization are insufficient for precise positioning.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a vehicle-mounted camera system that acquires images to recognize operating and environmental states, adapts illumination signals for reference elements at the charging station, and uses these signals to automatically control the vehicle's positioning through a control signal transmitted to the charging station, ensuring accurate alignment and orientation despite varying weather and visibility conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If satellite-assisted positional determination is used for vehicle positioning, then the positioning system is simple to implement, but the positioning accuracy is insufficient for inductive charging requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces reference elements with illumination means as intermediaries between the satellite positioning system and the vehicle. These reference elements provide visual markers that the vehicle's camera can detect to determine precise position and orientation relative to the charging station,弥补ing the insufficient accuracy of satellite positioning alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely satellite-based electronic positioning with a hybrid system that incorporates optical recognition. The camera apparatus captures images of reference elements, and image processing algorithms calculate position and orientation, substituting mechanical/optical measurement for electronic signal processing to achieve higher precision
2Measurement precision
If camera-based localization is used to improve positioning accuracy, then the positioning precision increases, but the system becomes more complex and computationally demanding
Solution Approach 1:
The reference elements use specific colors or color patterns that are easily distinguishable from the environment. The illumination means emit light with specific spectral characteristics, allowing the camera to quickly identify and track these markers without complex image processing, reducing computational demand while maintaining high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination means of the reference elements flash or emit light periodically. This periodic action creates distinctive temporal patterns in the captured images, enabling the system to easily distinguish reference elements from static background objects and other light sources, simplifying the image processing algorithm
3Reliability
If standard illumination signals are used for reference elements, then the system is simple to implement, but the illumination signals cannot be distinguished from other light sources in various environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters of the illumination signals, specifically using specific colors, emission spectra, or flashing patterns that differ from natural light sources. The vehicle's camera is configured to detect these specific parameters, allowing reliable distinction from sun, headlights, and other ambient light sources across various weather and visibility conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the camera's detection of illumination signals to adjust and confirm the recognition of reference elements. If the illumination signal characteristics match expected patterns, the system confirms successful identification; otherwise, it can request re-detection or adjust parameters, ensuring reliable recognition despite environmental variations
Data Source
AI summary
A method for positioning a vehicle, having an inductive charging coil, at a stationary inductive charging station. The method includes: recognizing an operating state of the vehicle, and/or a state of the environment of the vehicle, based on an acquired first camera image; ascertaining a suitable illumination signal for at least one illumination device of a reference element of the inductive charging station based on the recognized operating state or environmental state; emitting a control signal to the inductive charging station based on the ascertained suitable illumination signal; recognizing the reference element based on an acquired second camera image and of the ascertained suitable illumination signal; determining a relative position and/or an orientation of the vehicle based on the recognized reference element in the second camera image; and controlling the vehicle based on the determined relative position and/or of the orientation.