Radar Transceivers Integrated Wireless Power Charging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inductive power transfer systems for electric vehicles require effective living object protection to prevent exposure to strong electromagnetic fields, especially in open and accessible environments, where existing solutions lack extended functionality beyond basic safety measures.

Innovation Solution

Integration of radar transceivers into wireless power transmitters to detect objects, including vehicles, by correlating radar responses and filtering movement data, allowing for precise vehicle detection and power management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If radar transceivers are integrated into wireless power transmitters to detect objects and vehicles, then measurement precision and detection accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines radar detection functionality with wireless power transfer by integrating radar transceivers into the wireless power transmitter. Multiple radar transceivers are merged into a single system that performs both power transmission and object detection, allowing correlated processing of radar responses from multiple transceivers to improve vehicle detection accuracy while managing system complexity through unified architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless power transmitter is designed to perform multiple functions: wireless power transfer and radar-based object detection. The radar transceivers integrated into the transmitter enable the system to detect living objects, vehicles, and monitor the critical space, providing extended functionality beyond basic power transfer while utilizing the existing infrastructure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple radar transceivers are used to correlate responses for vehicle detection, then detection reliability is improved, but loss of information increases due to data processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoiddata processing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback processing where radar responses from multiple transceivers are correlated and compared. The processor analyzes the correlated responses to determine vehicle presence and underbody height, using feedback from multiple detection points to improve reliability while filtering out redundant information through systematic data correlation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts only the essential information from radar responses by filtering data to identify vehicle presence and underbody height. The processor extracts relevant parameters from correlated radar responses and filters out portions corresponding to movement within predetermined ranges, retaining only critical detection information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the critical space is made open and accessible for vehicle charging, then ease of operation is improved, but object-generated harmful factors increase due to exposure to electromagnetic fields

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging accessibilityVSAvoidelectromagnetic field exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The radar system performs preliminary detection of living objects and vehicles before wireless power transfer begins. By detecting objects in the critical space in advance and determining vehicle presence and positioning, the system can establish safe operating conditions before exposing areas to high electromagnetic fields, enabling open and accessible charging while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The radar detection system acts as an intermediary between the wireless power transmitter and the critical space. It monitors the space for living objects and vehicle presence, providing information that enables safe power transfer operations in open and accessible environments while protecting against electromagnetic field exposure to unauthorized objects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enhances safety by accurately detecting living objects and vehicles, enabling controlled power transfer and reducing exposure to electromagnetic fields, while providing extended functionality beyond basic protection.

Implementation Method 1

Each transceiver is configured to transmit and receive radar signals

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadar: Radar

Implementation Method 2

detecting a radar response at each or a majority of the radar transceivers indicative of an object located at substantially the same first distance from each of the radar transceivers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

An alternating current passing through a primary coupler produces an alternating magnetic field. When a secondary coupler is placed in proximity to the primary coupler, the alternating magnetic field induces an electromotive force (EMF) in the secondary coupler according to Faraday's law

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3234639B1Radar system with several transceivers for monitoring and detecting targets within a surveillance area
Publication Date: 2021.03.17 WITRICITY CORP
  • EP3234639B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3234639B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3234639B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems, methods, and apparatus for living object protection having extended functionality in wireless power transfer applications are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus for detecting objects in a detection area near a wireless power transfer system is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of radar transceivers integrated into a wireless power transmitter, each transceiver configured to transmit and receive radar signals. The apparatus comprises at least one processor configured to receive radar data from the plurality of radar transceivers. The processor is configured to compare responses in the received radar data from each of the plurality of radar transceivers. The processor is configured to determine a presence of a vehicle at a first distance from the plurality of radar transceivers based at least in part on a correlation of the responses in the received radar data from each of the plurality of radar transceivers. The processor is configured to filter portions of the received radar data corresponding to movement within a predetermined range of distances from the plurality of radar transceivers that includes the first distance.