An apparatus and method for identifying foreign objects in an inductive charging system having a charging unit and a vehicle for inductive charging, in which the charging unit includes a primary coil and the vehicle has a secondary coil in order to transmit electrical power from the primary coil to the secondary coil during a charging operation. The vehicle includes a camera system, and a camera control unit. The camera system captures at least one image of the charging unit when the vehicle approaches the charging unit, at the beginning of a charging operation and/or during a charging operation. The camera control unit digitally processes the at least one captured image in order to detect a foreign body located on the charging unit.

The invention described herein relates to wireless power transfer systems and methods that efficiently and safely transfer power to electronic devices. In an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for wirelessly receiving power is provided. The apparatus may comprise a receiver circuit comprising a receiver coil configured to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitter via a magnetic field sufficient to charge or power a load of the apparatus. The receiver circuit further comprises a ferrite material having a first side coupled to the receiver coil. The apparatus further comprises a first heat exchanger coupled to a second side of the ferrite material.

An inductive charger alignment system for a vehicle that includes: a plurality of on-board inductive receiving coils adapted to charge an on-board power source; an alignment controller coupled to the coils; an on-board signal element, e.g., a pair of headlamps, coupled to the controller; and an off-board inductive transmitter coil. Further, the controller is configured to direct the element to communicate an alignment between the receiving coils and the transmitter coil to an on-board driver. The alignment may include vehicle forward and side-to-side alignment between the receiving coils and the off-board transmitter coil.

A wireless charging system may be used to charge a battery in a vehicle via a receiving coil. The wireless charging system may include a coil charge device, a linear track, a linear motor, and a charge control module. The coil charge device includes a carriage and a transmitting coil positioned on the carriage. The linear track extends across a designated path. The coil charge device is positioned on and moveable along the linear track. The linear motor is operable to move the coil charge device along the linear track. The charge control module controls a position of the coil charge device along the designated path via the linear motor.

A contactless power supply device includes a power-transmitting-side pad and a power-receiving-side pad. Each of the power-transmitting-side pad and the power-receiving-side pad has a core and a coil. The core has a plate-shaped yoke portion. The coil has a first coil portion and a second coil portion. The first coil portion is arranged on a top surface of the yoke portion. The second coil portion is arranged along an outer periphery of the yoke portion.

The present application relates to the detection of moving vehicles and other objects, in particular though not exclusively for the application of switching stationary charging pads for moving electric vehicle charging. There is provided an electric vehicle detecting apparatus for switching a charging pad for charging a vehicle transmitting a locating signal, the apparatus comprising two sensors separated in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and a detector arranged to detect the vehicle by comparing the locating signals received by each of the two sensors.

Technologies are generally described for a distributed system to provide wireless energy sharing between electrically powered vehicles. In some examples, two or more vehicles traveling on a roadway may be configured to share energy while in route to a destination. The vehicles may be equipped with wireless energy transfer units to enable the vehicles to exchange energy. At least one of the vehicles may be a mobile electric charging station configured to store a large amount of charge and to provide charge to vehicles. The electric charging station may be in communication with a controller, where the controller may be configured to identify vehicles in need of recharge and to identify at least one vehicle having sufficient charge to share. The controller may schedule a time and place for the two vehicles to meet in order to share charge. Additionally, the vehicles may be self-coordinated without a controller.

A vehicle alignment system is adapted to align a vehicle with a wireless power induction coil for wireless charging through use of magnetic resonant induction. The system includes a transmission line disposed in the parking slot so as to guide the vehicle to the wireless power induction coil for charging. The transmission line leaks a signal having an operating frequency that is detected to align the vehicle left-right in the parking slot when the vehicle is aligned for charging by the wireless power induction coil. At least two vehicle mounted antennas mounted on opposite sides of transmission line when the vehicle is aligned in the parking slot detect the operating frequency from the transmission line, and signal processing circuitry detects a relative signal phase between signals detected by the antennas that is representative of alignment of the vehicle with respect to the wireless power induction coil and the parking slot.

A vehicle alignment system is adapted to align a vehicle with a wireless power induction coil for wireless charging through use of magnetic resonant induction. The system includes a transmission line disposed in the parking slot so as to guide the vehicle to the wireless power induction coil for charging. The transmission line leaks a signal having an operating frequency that is detected to align the vehicle left-right in the parking slot when the vehicle is aligned for charging by the wireless power induction coil. At least two vehicle mounted antennas mounted on opposite sides of transmission line when the vehicle is aligned in the parking slot detect the operating frequency from the transmission line, and signal processing circuitry detects a relative signal phase between signals detected by the antennas that is representative of alignment of the vehicle with respect to the wireless power induction coil and the parking slot.

A smart battery includes a battery and a measurement module coupled to measure electrical characteristics of the battery. The smart battery also includes processing logic and a communication interface configured to receive the electrical characteristics and transmit the electrical characteristics to a receiver.