Wireless Charging Station Positioning via Satellite Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the position of a wireless charging station for electric vehicles are limited to a range of 3 to 5 meters, which is insufficient for autonomous driving systems that require precise positioning from a greater distance.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a vehicle's satellite positioning system, including a receiving unit and secondary coil, to determine the spatial coordinates of the charging station's primary coil by receiving satellite signals from multiple satellites, allowing for precise positioning without additional components and filtering out errors, enabling accurate navigation for autonomous approaches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a request signal is used to determine the position of the vehicle relative to the charging unit, then the position can be determined within a range of 3 to 5 meters, but the range is insufficient for autonomous driving systems that require precise positioning from a greater distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces satellite positioning signals as an intermediary to enable long-distance position determination. The receiving unit in the vehicle receives satellite signals to determine the vehicle's position relative to the charging station from a distance greater than 3-5 meters, resolving the contradiction between detection range and precision by using satellite-based positioning as a mediator for remote position detection.
2Length of stationary object
If satellite positioning signals are used to determine position from a greater distance, then the detection range is extended, but errors caused by signal reflections and propagation time differences increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the system continuously receives satellite positioning signals and processes multiple measurements to determine the vehicle's position. By using feedback from repeated signal receptions and comparisons, the system can filter out errors from signal reflections and propagation time differences, maintaining reliability while extending detection range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of signal reflections and propagation time differences into a benefit by using multiple satellite signals. The errors from individual signals are transformed into useful information through comparative analysis and filtering of multiple measurements, where the harmful variations help identify and eliminate erroneous data points, improving overall position determination accuracy.
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
Enables accurate determination of the charging station's position from a greater distance, improving navigation and reducing errors caused by signal reflections and propagation time differences, facilitating precise autonomous vehicle charging.
Implementation Method 1
The primary coil is connected to a power supply (also referred to as a charging unit). These units together form a charging station. The power supply may comprise a radio-frequency generator which generates an AC current (alternating current) in the primary coil of the WPT ground unit, thus inducing a magnetic field.
Implementation Method 2
transferring electric energy to a battery of the vehicle from the ground to the underbody of the vehicle using magnetic induction via a so-called underbody clearance
Implementation Method 3
The vehicle comprises a receiving unit of a satellite positioning system and a secondary coil in the vehicle underbody
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining the position of a charging station for wirelessly transferring electric energy to a vehicle, wherein the charging station comprises a ground unit with a primary coil configured to generate an electromagnetic charging field for transferring electric energy to the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle comprises a receiving unit of a satellite positioning system and a secondary coil in the vehicle underbody, comprises performing, by the receiving unit of the vehicle, a plurality of position determination operations for at least part of the duration of a charging process during which the vehicle is arranged with respect to the ground unit such that the secondary coil of the vehicle has a predefined positional relationship with respect to the primary coil of the ground unit. The method also includes determining spatial coordinates of the receiving unit of the vehicle from the plurality of position determination operations, and inferring spatial coordinates of the primary coil of the ground unit from the known position of the receiving unit relative to the secondary coil in the vehicle.