Vehicle Inductive Power Exchange for Traffic Signal Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the event of a power outage, traffic signals typically turn off, causing traffic congestion and inconvenience to authority personnel who must manually direct traffic and manage portable generators.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle is equipped with an induction charging system that allows it to wirelessly supply power to external devices like traffic signals and street lights through electromagnetic coils in the roadway, enabling seamless operation during outages without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If portable generators are used to supply power to traffic signals during power outages, then traffic signals can remain operational, but authority personnel face inconvenience in managing and using the portable generators
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables vehicles to automatically supply power to traffic signals during outages through wireless power transfer. The vehicle's power supply system detects power outage conditions and automatically activates wireless power transmission to the traffic signal, eliminating the need for authority personnel to manually deploy and manage portable generators. The traffic signal system also automatically detects and switches to wireless power reception mode when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical connection system of portable generators with wireless power transfer technology. Instead of physically connecting generators to traffic signals through cables and manual operations, the system uses electromagnetic fields for contactless power transmission, substituting mechanical deployment and connection processes with automated wireless energy transfer.
2Productivity
If authority personnel manually direct traffic at intersection points during power outages, then traffic congestion is eased, but police officers experience inconvenience and increased workload
Solution Approach 1:
The traffic signal system automatically detects power outage conditions and switches to wireless power reception from nearby vehicles, maintaining operational status without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the power transition and continues to control traffic flow, eliminating the need for police officers to manually direct traffic at intersections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes wireless power transfer capabilities in advance during normal operation, allowing vehicles to charge while parked or moving slowly through the intersection. This preliminary power accumulation enables automatic switching to backup power mode when outages occur, maintaining traffic signal operation without requiring last-minute manual intervention.
3Extent of automation
If wireless power transfer is implemented between vehicles and infrastructure, then manual intervention is eliminated, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's power supply system serves multiple functions: it charges the vehicle battery during normal operation by receiving power from the roadway, and it automatically switches to supplying power to traffic signals during outages. The roadway's wireless power transfer infrastructure also serves dual purposes by transmitting power to vehicles during normal operation and receiving power from vehicles during outages to supply to traffic signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches operational modes based on real-time conditions. The vehicle's power supply system can operate in receive mode during normal conditions and automatically transitions to transmit mode during power outages. The roadway infrastructure similarly switches between transmitting power to vehicles and receiving power from vehicles. This dynamic adaptability allows a single system to handle multiple scenarios without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.
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 user convenience by allowing vehicles to supply power to external devices wirelessly, reducing congestion and eliminating the need for manual traffic direction during power outages.
Implementation Method 1
The vehicle inductive power exchange device and the roadway inductive power exchange device may include electromagnetic coils that may facilitate power exchange between the vehicle electrical storage unit and the power source, when the two electromagnetic coils are in proximity to each other.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method to supply power to external device(s) is disclosed. The system may include a vehicle having a vehicle inductive power exchange device that may be configured to operate in a vehicle reception mode and a vehicle transmission mode. In the vehicle reception mode, the device may be configured to receive power from a power source installed at a roadway and charge the vehicle electrical storage unit. In the vehicle transmission mode, the device may be configured to transmit power from the vehicle electrical storage unit to the power source, which enables the power source to supply power to an external device. The vehicle may include a processor configured to obtain a trigger signal to activate the vehicle transmission mode, and activate the vehicle transmission mode responsive to obtaining the trigger signal to transmit power from the vehicle electrical storage unit to the power source.