U.S. patent application number 13/208174 was filed with the patent office on 2011-12-01 for wireless charging system for vehicles.
Invention is credited to Ashish A. Pandya, Ravi A. Pandya.
Application Number | 20110291615 13/208174 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40362431 |
Filed Date | 2011-12-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110291615 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pandya; Ravi A. ; et
al. |
December 1, 2011 |
WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES
Abstract
A system of energy storage and charging usable in vehicles and
other applications that eliminate the battery capacity and
automotive range issues is described. In our invention, vehicles
are equipped with charging mechanisms to charge and recharge
onboard batteries using wireless electricity and power transmission
using magnetic resonant coupling between tuned electromagnetic
circuits. The batteries may be charged using wireless charging
systems installed along the roads while the vehicle is in use on
the road. Charging system may optionally utilize infrared laser
beam radiation to transmit power for charging the batteries on
board a vehicle while it is in use as well. The onboard vehicle
batteries may also be charged when the vehicle is not being driven
either by plugging in the vehicle into wall electricity using wired
power connection or may be wirelessly charged using the magnetic
resonant coupling. By locating the charging circuits on roads, a
continuous operation of electric-only mode of hybrid vehicles or
pure electric-only vehicles can be accomplished and fully eliminate
the need for gasoline usage.
Inventors: |
Pandya; Ravi A.; (El Dorado
Hills, CA) ; Pandya; Ashish A.; (El Dorado Hills,
CA) |
Family ID: |
40362431 |
Appl. No.: |
13/208174 |
Filed: |
August 11, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12190439 |
Aug 12, 2008 |
8030888 |
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13208174 |
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60964639 |
Aug 13, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
320/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02T 10/70 20130101;
Y02T 10/7094 20130101; B60L 53/12 20190201; Y02T 10/7016 20130101;
B60L 53/00 20190201; H02J 50/30 20160201; H02J 50/90 20160201; H02J
7/35 20130101; B60L 53/51 20190201; B60L 53/14 20190201; B60L 53/52
20190201; Y02T 10/7072 20130101; H02J 50/80 20160201; Y02T 90/12
20130101; B60L 53/32 20190201; B60L 11/1809 20130101; H02J 50/40
20160201; Y02T 10/7011 20130101; Y02T 90/121 20130101; Y02T 90/128
20130101; B60L 5/005 20130101; H02J 7/34 20130101; H02J 50/12
20160201; Y02T 90/122 20130101; H02J 7/025 20130101; H02J 7/02
20130101; H02J 2300/28 20200101; Y02T 90/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
320/108 |
International
Class: |
H02J 7/00 20060101
H02J007/00 |
Claims
1. A wireless charging system for vehicles, said wireless charging
system comprising a transmitter system and further comprising a
receiver system, said transmitter system to wirelessly transmit
power to said receiver system, said transmitter system wirelessly
coupled to the said receiver system using magnetic resonant
coupling, said transmitter and receiver systems comprising tuned
electromagnetic circuits to perform wireless power transfer from
the said transmitter system to the said receiver system, said
receiver system comprising at least one rechargeable battery system
wirelessly coupled to the said transmitter system to charge the
said rechargeable battery, and the said receiver system further
comprising a load operated by the said rechargeable battery system,
when the said rechargeable battery is charged.
2. A wireless charging system for vehicles, said wireless charging
system comprising a transmitter system and further comprising a
receiver system, said transmitter system to wirelessly transmit
power to said receiver system, said transmitter system comprising
at least one light or laser or infrared laser transmitting device
coupled to the said receiver system using visible or invisible
light spectrum coupling, said receiver system comprising at least
one visible or invisible light detector panel to receive the energy
transmitted by said transmitter, said receiver system further
comprising at least one rechargeable battery system wirelessly
coupled to the said transmitter system to charge the said
rechargeable battery, and the said receiver system further
comprising a load operated by the said rechargeable battery system,
when the said rechargeable battery is charged.
3. The transmitter system of claim 1 further comprises: a. a power
source to supply power to said transmitter system and b. a tuned
electromagnetic resonant coupling transmitter coil to transmit said
power to said receiver system.
4. The receiver system of claim 1 comprising a first rechargeable
battery, and further comprising a second rechargeable battery, said
first rechargeable battery providing power to operate said load
when said second rechargeable battery is coupled to the said
transmitter system for charging.
5. The receiver system of claim 2 comprising a first rechargeable
battery, and further comprising a second rechargeable battery, said
first rechargeable battery providing power to operate said load
when said second rechargeable battery is coupled to the said
transmitter system for charging.
6. The power source of claim 3 comprising hydroelectric power,
solar power, nuclear power, geothermal power, coal power or wind
power source or the like or a combination to power the said
transmitter system.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/190,439, filed Aug. 12, 2008, which, in
turn, claims priority to Provisional Application No. 60/964,639,
filed on Aug. 13, 2007, the disclosures of which are incorporated
by reference in their entireties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to alternative energy
technologies and in particular to rechargeable batteries for
vehicles.
[0003] A significant amount of research and development resources
are being devoted towards alternative energy technologies. Global
warming issues driven from the carbon released in the atmosphere
from burning of fossil fuels and other green house gases has led to
a significant worldwide interest from scientists and researchers to
address the issues. Alternative energy technologies like wind,
solar, electrochemical, magnetic, geothermal, biomass, nuclear and
the like are being pursued aggressively for large scale
commercialization to mitigate the impact of fossil fuel based
energy resources on climate change as well as over cost of such
fuels.
[0004] Electrochemical batteries and fuel cells have been
considered as most promising energy research area by their
supporters. These small and non-polluting devices that produce
energy without combustion could help many residential power needs,
but their most exciting application is in transportation. These
devices are used in the automotive market in hybrid vehicles that
have seen a 20 fold increase in their sales from 10,000 units in
2000 to over 200,000 cars in 2005. The key driving force behind the
development and the sale of hybrid vehicles is the improvement in
fuel efficiency and economy. Hybrid vehicles comprise of both an
internal combustion engine and an electric motor which run on
gasoline and battery power respectively. Today's commercially
available hybrid vehicles use small batteries or fuel cells which
can store 1-2 kilowatt-hours of energy. The electric battery power
is primarily used for shorter distances with stop and go traffic
where the gasoline fuel economy is very low. However, if the
battery capacity of the hybrid vehicles is increased to include 6-8
kilowatt-hours of energy storage, the vehicle could operate in an
electric-only mode for up to 50 miles. However, development of
battery technology for use of such vehicles in electric-only mode
for distances larger than 50 miles is considered extremely
difficult by leading scientists. This would practically prevent
creation of pure electric-only vehicles that give comparable
driving range as presently available gasoline vehicles without
recharging or refueling.
[0005] Today's hybrid vehicles utilize Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)
batteries, however Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries can be used to
double the energy efficiency and power over Ni-MH batteries.
However for pure electric only vehicles at least a doubling of
battery capacity over Li-ion batteries is required which is
considered a nontrivial undertaking by leading research
organizations.
[0006] Our inventions show a system of energy storage and charging
usable in vehicles and other applications that eliminate the
battery capacity and automotive range issues discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention relates generally to alternative energy
technologies and in particular to rechargeable batteries for
vehicles.
[0008] Today's hybrid vehicles utilize Ni-MH batteries with a
capacity in the range of 1-2 Kilowatt-hours that allow it to
operate for 10 to 20 miles without using any gasoline. This range
can be increased to 40 to 50 miles of electric-only operation by
increasing battery capacity to 6-8 kilowatt-hours as is achievable
using Li-Ion battery technology. Such driving distance is
sufficient for many local driving usage patterns where the battery
may get recharged each night before local driving and thus may
avoid using gasoline for the hybrid vehicle. However, whenever the
driving distance is more than the range of 40 to 50 miles, gasoline
has to be used. Thus green-house gases would still be generated in
large portions and would continue to create transportation driven
global warming issues.
[0009] We show a system of energy storage and charging usable in
vehicles and other applications that eliminate the battery capacity
and automotive range issues. In our invention, vehicles are
equipped with charging mechanisms to charge and recharge onboard
batteries while the vehicle is being driven on the road using
wireless electricity and power transmission using magnetic resonant
coupling between tuned electromagnetic circuits. The charging
system may optionally utilize infrared laser beam radiation to
transmit power for charging the batteries on board a vehicle while
it is in use.
[0010] By locating the charging circuits at appropriate places as
illustrated and described below, a continuous operation of
electric-only mode of hybrid vehicles or pure electric-only
vehicles can be accomplished and completely eliminate the need for
gasoline usage. Thus our invention can truly solve the global
warming and green house gases issue created from transportation
methods that use fossil fuels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1A illustrates magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charger for vehicle battery.
[0012] FIG. 1B illustrates magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charger for dual mode vehicle batteries.
[0013] FIG. 2A illustrates magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charger for vehicles.
[0014] FIG. 2B illustrates magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charging system embedded on a road.
[0015] FIG. 3A illustrates Wireless chargers on a road built in
segments.
[0016] FIG. 3B illustrates Continuous Wireless Chargers on a
road.
[0017] FIG. 3C illustrates Segments of Wireless chargers on a road
activated using sensors.
[0018] FIG. 4A illustrates Laser beam coupled wireless charger for
vehicle battery.
[0019] FIG. 4B illustrates Laser beam coupled wireless charger for
dual mode vehicle batteries.
[0020] FIG. 5A illustrates Laser beam coupled Wireless charger for
vehicles.
[0021] FIG. 5B illustrates Laser beam coupled Wireless charger for
vehicles embedded on a road.
[0022] FIG. 6A illustrates Laser Wireless Chargers on the road
built in segments.
[0023] FIG. 6B illustrates Continuous laser wireless chargers on a
road.
[0024] FIG. 6C illustrates Segments of Laser Wireless Chargers on a
road activated using sensors.
DESCRIPTION
[0025] This invention relates generally to alternative energy
technologies and in particular to rechargeable batteries for
vehicles.
[0026] We show a system of energy storage and charging usable in
vehicles and other applications that eliminate the battery capacity
and automotive range issues. In our invention, vehicles are
equipped with charging mechanisms to charge and recharge onboard
batteries using wireless electricity and power transmission using
magnetic resonant coupling between tuned electromagnetic circuits
while the vehicle is being driven on the road. The charging system
may optionally utilize infrared laser beam radiation to transmit
power for charging the batteries on board a vehicle while it is in
use as described below. The onboard vehicle batteries may also be
charged when the vehicle is not being driven either by plugging in
the vehicle into wall electricity using wired power connection or
may be wirelessly charged using the magnetic resonant coupling.
[0027] By locating the charging circuits at on roads as illustrated
and described below, a continuous operation of electric-only mode
of hybrid vehicles or pure electric-only vehicles can be
accomplished and fully eliminate the need for gasoline usage. Thus
our invention can truly solve the global warming and green house
issue created by transportation methods that use fossil fuels.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] Today's hybrid vehicles deploy 1-2 kilowatt-hour
rechargeable batteries which give them an electric only mode
operation for 10 to 20 miles. This range can be extended to 40 to
50 miles using 6 to 8 Kilowatt-hour batteries using Li-Ion
batteries. The batteries cannot be used until they are recharged
once they are used for their target range. Such range of operation
in electric only mode can be useful for local travel, however for
longer distance travel gasoline has to be used which continues to
add green house gases in the atmosphere.
[0029] To extend the battery capacity to store more energy is a
difficult problem to solve and may even require new battery
technology and materials to be invented. Our invention does not
require invention of any new battery technology. Our invention
works with existing rechargeable battery technologies like NiMH,
Li-Ion and the like or fuel cells.
[0030] The rechargeable batteries of the hybrid vehicles today may
be charged by the owners at home or at work or at charging stations
or the like by plugging in the batteries for charging to wired
chargers at such locations extracting electricity from wall
electric plugs and the like. During the period of charging a hybrid
vehicle is not usable. These limitations prevent development of
electric only vehicles that provide the same range as hybrid or
gasoline only vehicles.
[0031] In our invention vehicles may be equipped with wireless
battery charging systems to charge the rechargeable batteries
onboard the vehicle. In our invention wireless battery charging
systems are optionally laid out or built or embedded on the road
surface or may be overhead on the roads or on the sides of the
roads or the like. The road surface mounted wireless charging
systems may be built on roads that may be specifically built to
allow vehicles to drive over them. Similarly chargers may be
mounted overhead on the roads where vehicles may be driven under
them. When a vehicle equipped with a wireless battery charging
system passes over or under or by the wireless charger systems on
roads specifically built with such systems the onboard battery of
the vehicle may be charged as described below. In this patent roads
equipped with charging systems are also referred to as charging
roads.
[0032] FIG. 1A illustrates magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charger for vehicle battery. Transmitting power using wireless
methods has been known for a long time. However, recently
researchers at MIT demonstrated a wireless power transfer using
strongly coupled magnetic resonant coils that use non-radiating
megahertz frequency magnetic field using self-resonant copper
magnetic coils to light a 60 Watt light bulb. This principle of
wireless power transfer is used in this invention to wirelessly
charge a vehicle battery. The power transmitter coil or device,
102, is strongly tuned and coupled magnetically to the power
receiving coil or device, 105, using magnetic resonance to transfer
power even when there is no physical connection between the two
devices, 102 and 105. These coils or devices can be separated from
each other for up to several meters and still achieve a large
portion of transmitter power to be received. Further, unlike an
inductive coupling mechanism that is used in traditional power
supplies where a close proximity between coils is required to
achieve a high power transfer efficiency, the strong magnetic
resonance coupling can be used to achieve a high power transfer
efficiency even when the distance between the transmitting and
receiving devices are several meters. Such a method of power
transfer can achieve orders of magnitude higher efficiency of power
transfer at these distances compared to inductive coupling or
radiated electromagnetic energy used in wireless communication
devices. Further, resonant magnetically coupled non-radiating
magnetic field does not interact strongly with objects that are not
resonant to its frequency and are also not harmful to biological
systems and hence do not pose a significant health hazard for
people.
[0033] The transmitter coil, 102, is powered by a power supply,
101, which may draw its power from a power station or power source
which may be generating its power using technologies like solar
power, nuclear power, geothermal power, coal or wind or the like.
The power supply generates current through the wires, 103 &
104, coupled to the transmitter coil, 102, to generate a
non-radiating resonant magnetic field around the coil. The
receiving coil, 105, is resonant to this magnetic field and
receives the transmitted power when it is within a distance of a
few meters of the transmitter coil, 102, without physical contact
with the transmitter coil. The receiving coil is coupled to a
rechargeable battery and its circuits, 110, through a switch 108,
and the connecting wires, 107 and 106. When the switch, 108, is
closed or turned-on, the circuit connectivity between the receiving
coil and the battery circuit, 110, is established and a current
flow is established which starts charging the battery. Once the
battery, 110, is Charged, the switch, 108, is turned-off to prevent
the battery from overcharging. The figure does not illustrate all
the control circuits that perform the functions of turning various
switches and sensors in this invention on and off, so as to not
obscure the invention. Design and implementation of controlling a
switch to perform the on and off functions are well understood as
may be obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art. Once the
battery is charged the switch, 109, is closed or turned-on which
establishes a circuit connection between the battery and a load,
111, which can then draw power from the battery to do its
operation. In one embodiment of this invention, the load, 111, may
optionally be an electric motor and its associated circuitry used
to drive a vehicle. The vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle or
may be a hybrid vehicle or the like. The rechargeable battery, 110,
may optionally be made of NiMH or Li-Ion or Lead-acid or the like
technologies. As discussed above, our invention is agnostic to the
type of the rechargeable battery technology, except that
appropriate battery circuits in 110 would need to be embodied to
properly operate the battery.
[0034] FIG. 1B illustrates magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charger for dual mode vehicle batteries. The circuits illustrated
in this figure operate similar to those illustrated in FIG. 1A,
however a few components are added in this illustration. A set of
switches, 112 and 113, and another rechargeable battery, 114, is
added in this illustration. Two rechargeable batteries in this
operating mode can thus be used in dual modes, where in, when one
battery is being charged the other may be used to operate the load,
111. For instance, when battery 110 is fully charged and is being
used to operate the load, 111, the battery, 114, may be charged
from the receiving coil 105, when the switch 112 is closed or
turned-on to establish a circuit between the battery, 114, and the
receiving coil, 105, through the wires, 106 and 107. During such
operation, the switches 108 and 113 would be open or turned-off and
the switch 109 would be closed or turned-on to establish
connectivity between battery, 110, and load 111 and establish
separate circuit connectivity between the coil, 105, and battery,
114. Similarly, when the battery 110, is being charged from the
receiving coil, and the battery 114 is being used to operate the
load 111, the switches 109 and 112 would be turned-off or be open
whereas the switches 108 and 113 would be closed or turned-on. Thus
the illustrated system of FIG. 1B can be used to operate a load at
all times, from one or the other battery while the battery not be
used to operate the load is being charged from the wireless
charging elements of this illustration.
[0035] The vehicle batteries used today can hold 1-2 kilowatt-hours
of energy, however Li-ion batteries can hold 6-8 kilowatt-hours of
energy to enable electric only travel mode for 40 to 50 miles. In
our invention, unlike the MIT demonstration of 60 W power transfer,
a much higher level of power transfer may optionally be performed
to charge the batteries in a short time period. The power transfer
may be in the range to 6 to 8 Kilowatts or more using multiple
transmit and receive coils and use parallel paths from such coils
to charge the batteries in a short time period as may be
appreciated by one with ordinary skill in the art.
[0036] FIG. 2A illustrates a Magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charger for vehicles. The figure illustrates a vehicle, 201, with
onboard rechargeable batteries, 110 and 114, along with the receive
coil or device, 105 and the appropriate switches 108, 109, 112 and
113 which are described above for illustration in FIG. 1B. The
wireless power transmitting components, like 101 and 102, along
with their connecting circuits are left off from the vehicle. When
the vehicle comes within the magnetic resonant coupling distance of
the power transmit device or coil, 102, it can start receiving
power to charge its battery or operate a load or the like. The
transmit coil may be deployed in homes, offices, charging stations
or the like where a vehicle using the onboard wireless power
receiving device, 105, can draw power from the transmit coil to
recharge its on board battery or batteries. When the wireless power
transmitter is deployed at locations like a home or an office or a
charging station or a like at fixed designated charging locations,
the vehicle cannot be used while it is being charged. Under such a
scenario a wireless charging device may not add a lot of value to a
user of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, compared to
today's wired charging solutions, except that a close contact with
the charging devices may not be required if a wireless charging
technology is used as described in this patent. However, the
limitation of the usage of hybrid vehicle with regards to the
driving range of 40 to 50 miles only in an electric only mode would
continue to remain.
[0037] FIG. 2B illustrates magnetic resonant coupled wireless
charging system embedded on a road. In this embodiment of our
invention, one or more power transmitting devices, 102, are built
or embedded on the road, 202 or the road surface or the like. In
other embodiments of this invention the power transmitting devices
may be above the road over the vehicles or on the side of the road
as described above. Even though the figure illustrates the power
supply elements, 101, of the wireless power transmitter subsystems,
203(1) through 203(n), are illustrated to be embedded in the road
next to the transmitting coils, 102, it is possible and may be
preferred to have the power supplies be located at a facility away
from the road, like at a power station or the like and the wires,
103 and 104, connecting the power supply, 101 to the transmitting
device or coil, 102, be run from such locations to the transmitting
coils or devices, 102. When a vehicle, 201, equipped with a
wireless receiving device and rechargeable batteries and the like
comes in magnetic resonance coupling distance of the power
transmitter subsystem like 203 (1), it can receive power to charge
its on board rechargeable battery while it is in the coupling
distance which may be a few meters. If only one such power
transmitter subsystem, like 203(1) is present, when the vehicle is
moving, the vehicle may stay in the coupling distance for a few
seconds depending on the speed of the vehicle and would certainly
not be sufficient to charge its battery. However, as illustrated in
this figure, if multiple power transmitter subsystems are embedded
on the road where the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle's onboard
power receiving coil or device, 105, may be coupled to at least one
of the wireless power transmitter subsystems thereby creating an
effect of the receiving coil to be constantly coupled to a power
transmitting device as if the vehicle is stationary near a wireless
power transmitter. Thus using the invention of this patent, a
vehicle can continue to be charged while it is in motion as long as
the vehicle is in the magnetic resonance coupling distance of the
wireless transmitter device. This can drastically lower or
eliminate the need of vehicles to operate on fossil fuels even for
longer distances comparable to the range of today's gasoline fueled
vehicles, if charging roads with appropriate sections of wireless
power transmitter subsystems are available.
[0038] FIG. 3A illustrates wireless chargers on a road built in
segments. In this illustration the wireless power transmitter
subsystems are embedded on sections of the roads which may each
stretch for distances of a few miles to 30 miles or more. For
example, when a vehicle 201 enters the section 301, it may be able
to wirelessly start charging one or more of its on board batteries,
while using one of the charged batteries to continue to drive on
the charging road section 301. If section 301, stretches for say 50
miles, and the vehicle is driven at a speed of 50 miles per hour,
then the onboard rechargeable batteries can be wirelessly charged
for a period of one hour which may be sufficient to transfer a
significant energy to the batteries to continue to drive on the
road for a while before the next stretch or section, 302, of
wireless charging road is reached, when the vehicle can start
charging the batteries again. As described above the power
transmitter subsystems would transmit significant power like for
one embodiment of over 6 to 8 Kilowatt hour. Thus by using the
inventions of this patent, vehicles can achieve electric-only mode
of operation for long distance travel along with local travel and
possibly eliminate or sharply reduce the need for gasoline.
[0039] FIG. 3B illustrates Continuous Wireless Chargers on a road.
There may be special roads build with the wireless power
transmitter subsystems built from one place to another place which
can be used to wirelessly charge on board batteries of vehicles or
even completely power such vehicles to operate using wireless power
transmitted from the wireless transmitter subsystems. Such roads
may be toll roads or built specifically for wireless power charging
for vehicles with wireless power receivers.
[0040] FIG. 3C illustrates Segments of Wireless Chargers on a road
activated using sensors. The vehicles with wireless power receiving
devices onboard vehicles and the wireless power transmitter
subsystems on the roads may optionally comprise of sensors or
communication devices that can communicate with each other (not
illustrated). Thus when a vehicle with a wireless power receiving
device is in magnetic coupling distance of the wireless power
transmitter subsystem the sensors or the communication devices
communicate with each other such that only a small number of
wireless power transmitter subsystems may need to be turned on to
not waste power from power transmitter subsystems that may not be
in a coupling distance of the vehicle. In one embodiment power
transmitter devices within a few meters of the vehicle may be
turned on in a sequence as the vehicle travels while those not in
the coupling distance may be turned off there by saving power from
being wasted. For example, when the vehicle comes near a section of
the road like 304, the power transmitters of section 304 and
optionally sections 305 or the like may be turned-on, however the
transmitters in sections of road beyond 306 may be turned-off.
However, as the vehicle moves forward for example to section 306,
the power transmitters of sections 304 and 305 may be turned-off
while the power transmitters of section 306, 307 and the like may
be turned-on. The number of power transmitters turned-on around the
vehicle may depend on many factors like the range of magnetic
coupling, the strength of the magnetic fields, the length of the
vehicle, the number of receiver devices on the vehicle and the like
as may be appreciated by one with ordinary skill in the art.
Further, if vehicles that do not posses the onboard wireless
charging devices or may not need to charge their batteries or the
like travel on the roads with wireless power transmitters, the
power transmitters would not be turned on there by using their
power only when necessary to charge a vehicle with wireless power
receiver device and optionally only when such a vehicle needs its
batteries to be charged.
[0041] FIG. 4A illustrates laser beam coupled wireless charger for
vehicle battery. Solar panels are used to receive energy from the
sunlight and convert it into electricity. However, this process is
highly inefficient and also dependent on the weather condition for
it to be effective for power generation. Though solar powered
vehicles have been demonstrated they are not in widespread use for
reasons outlined above as well as cost and other reasons. Solar
panels have primarily been used as a way of generating power from
sun light on buildings and fixed locations during periods of
sunlight. The figure illustrates a receiving system that can
convert energy from light (visible or invisible spectrum) to
electricity using a panel of light detectors, 405, that convert the
light in to electricity and are used to charge a battery system
connected to it in a manner similar to that illustrated and
described in FIG. 1A. In this invention one or more light or laser
or infrared laser emitting power devices, 402(1) through 402(n),
are used to transmit power using light or laser or infrared laser
or the like preferably in invisible spectrum though it can also be
in visible spectrum. The power transmitter laser devices, 402(1)
through 402(n), are tuned and coupled to the power receiving panel
of light detectors, 405, using light or laser or infrared laser or
the like to transfer power even when there is no physical
connection between the devices, 402(1) through 402(n) and 405.
These devices can be separated from each other for up to several
meters and still achieve a large portion of transmitter power to be
received. When laser or infrared lasers are used a beam with a very
tight directional control is used to transmit and receive power.
Such a method of power transfer can achieve orders of magnitude
higher efficiency of power transfer at these distances compared to
visible light emitting devices without directional focus. Advances
in current laser diode technologies is such that it is expected
that within near future a 1 kilowatt per 1 cm diode laser bar will
be achievable commercially doubling the current rating of 500 Watts
per 1 cm diode laser. Thus a plurality of such lasers can be used
to generate a significant amount of power which can be transmitted
using the laser power emitting devices, 402(1) through 402(n),
which can then be received by a panel of laser beam power
detectors, 405, with a very high energy transfer efficiency
compared to solar panels.
[0042] The power transmitter laser devices, 402(1) through 402(n),
are powered by a power supply, 401, which may draw its power from a
power station or power source which may be generating its power
using technologies like hydroelectric power, solar power, nuclear
power, geothermal power, coal or wind or the like. The power supply
generates current through the wires, 403 & 404, coupled to the
power transmitter laser devices, 402, to generate a focused beam of
laser or light or infrared laser or the like. The receiving laser
detector panel, 405, is tuned to the appropriate laser or light
frequencies and receives the transmitted power when it is within a
distance of a visibility of the transmitter laser devices without
physical contact with the transmitter devices. The receiving laser
detector panel is coupled to a rechargeable battery and its
circuits, 110, through a switch 108, and the connecting wires, 107
and 106. When the switch, 108, is closed or turned-on, the circuit
connectivity between the receiving detector panel and the battery
circuit, 110, is established and a current flow is established
which starts charging the battery. Once the battery, 110, is
charged, the switch, 108, is turned-off to prevent the battery from
overcharging. The figure does not illustrate all the control
circuits that perform the functions of turning various switches and
sensors in this invention on and off, so as to not obscure the
invention. Design and implementation of controlling a switch to
perform the on and off functions are well understood as may be
obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art. Once the battery is
charged the switch, 109, is closed or turned-on which establishes a
circuit connection between the battery and a load, 111, which can
then draw power from the battery to do its operation. In one
embodiment of this invention, the load, 111, may optionally be an
electric motor and its associated circuitry used to drive a
vehicle. The vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle or may be a
hybrid vehicle or the like. The rechargeable battery, 110, may
optionally be made of NiMH or Li-Ion or Lead-acid or the like
technologies. As discussed above, our invention is agnostic to the
type of the rechargeable battery technology, except that
appropriate battery circuits in 110 would need to be embodied to
properly operate the battery.
[0043] FIG. 4B illustrates laser beam coupled wireless charger for
dual mode vehicle batteries. The circuits illustrated in this
figure operate similar to those illustrated in FIG. 1A, however a
few components are added in this illustration. A set of switches,
112 and 113, and another rechargeable battery, 114, is added in
this illustration. Two rechargeable batteries in this operating
mode can thus be used in dual modes, where in, when one battery is
being charged the other may be used to operate the load; 111. For
instance, when battery 110 is fully charged and is being used to
operate the load, 111, the battery, 114, may be charged from the
receiving coil 105, when the switch 112 is closed or turned-on to
establish a circuit between the battery, 114, and the receiving
coil, 105, through the wires, 106 and 107. During such operation,
the switches 108 and 113 would be open or turned-off and the switch
109 would be closed or turned-on to establish connectivity between
battery, 110, and load 111 and establish separate circuit
connectivity between the coil, 105, and battery, 114. Similarly,
when the battery 110, is being charged from the receiving laser
detector panel, and the battery 114 is being used to operate the
load 111, the switches 109 and 112 would be turned-off or be open
whereas the switches 108 and 113 would be closed or turned-on. Thus
the illustrated system of FIG. 1B can be used to operate a load at
all times, from one or the other battery while the battery not be
used to operate the load is being charged from the wireless
charging elements of this illustration.
[0044] The vehicle batteries used today can hold 1-2 kilowatt-hours
of energy, however Li-Ion batteries can hold 6-8 kilowatt-hours of
energy to enable electric only travel mode for 40 to 50 miles. The
power transfer may be in the range to 6 to 8 Kilowatts or more
using multiple transmitter laser devices and receive panel
detectors and use parallel paths from receiving panels to charge
the batteries in a short time period as may be appreciated by one
with ordinary skill in the art.
[0045] FIG. 5A illustrates a laser beam coupled wireless charger
for vehicles. The figure illustrates a vehicle, 501, with onboard
rechargeable batteries, 110 and 114, along with the receive
detector panel or device, 405 and the appropriate switches 108,
109, 112 and 113 which are described above for illustration in FIG.
1B. The laser power transmitting components, like 401 and 402,
along with their connecting circuits are left off from the vehicle.
When the vehicle comes within the laser beam coupling distance of
the power transmit device, 402, it can start receiving power to
charge its battery or operate a load or the like. The transmit
device may be deployed in homes, offices, charging stations or the
like where a vehicle using the onboard laser power receiving
device, 405, can draw power from to recharge its on board battery
or batteries.
[0046] FIG. 5B illustrates laser beam coupled wireless charging
system embedded on a road. In this embodiment of our invention, one
or more laser power transmitting devices, 402, are built or
embedded on the road, 502 or the road surface or the like. In other
embodiments of this invention the laser power transmitting devices
may be above the road over the vehicles or on the side of the road
as described above. Even though the figure illustrates the power
supply elements, 401, of the laser power transmitter subsystems,
503(1) through 503(n), are illustrated to be embedded in the road
next to the transmitting devices, 402, it is possible and may be
preferred to have the power supplies be located at a facility away
from the road, like at a power station or the like and the wires,
403 and 404, connecting the power supply, 401 to the transmitting
device, 402, be run from such locations to the transmitting
devices, 402. When a vehicle, 501, equipped with a laser receiving
device and rechargeable batteries and the like comes in coupling
distance of the power transmitter subsystem like 503 (1), it can
receive power to charge its on board rechargeable battery while it
is in the coupling distance. If only one such power transmitter
subsystem, like 503(1) is present, when the vehicle is moving, the
vehicle may stay in the coupling distance for a few seconds
depending on the speed of the vehicle and would certainly not be
sufficient to charge its battery. However, as illustrated in this
figure, if multiple power transmitter subsystems are embedded on
the road where the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle's onboard
power receiving device, 405, may be coupled to at least one of the
laser power transmitter subsystems thereby creating an effect of
the receiving panel to be constantly coupled to a power
transmitting device as if the vehicle is stationary near a laser
power transmitter. Thus using the invention of this patent, a
vehicle can continue to be charged while it is in motion as long as
the vehicle is in the laser coupling distance of the laser
transmitter device. This can drastically lower or eliminate the
need of vehicles to operate on fossil fuels even for longer
distances comparable to the range of today's gasoline fueled
vehicles, provided charging roads with appropriate sections of
laser power transmitter subsystems are available.
[0047] FIG. 6A illustrates laser wireless chargers on a road built
in segments. In this illustration the laser power transmitter
subsystems are embedded on sections of the roads which may each
stretch for distances of a few miles to 30 miles or more. For
example, when a vehicle 501 enters the section 601, it may be able
to start charging one or more of it's on board batteries, while
using one of the charged batteries to continue to drive on the
charging road section 601. If section 601, stretches for say 50
miles, and the vehicle is driven at a speed of 50 miles per hour,
then the onboard rechargeable batteries can be charged for a period
of one hour which may be sufficient to transfer a significant
amount energy to the batteries to continue to drive on the road for
a while before the next stretch or section, 602, of charging road
is reached, when the vehicle can start charging the batteries
again. As described above the power transmitter subsystems would
transmit significant power like for one embodiment of over 6 to 8
Kilowatt hour. Thus by using the inventions of this patent,
vehicles can achieve electric-only mode of operation for long
distance travel along with local travel and possibly eliminate or
sharply reduce the need for gasoline.
[0048] FIG. 6B illustrates Continuous laser Wireless Chargers on a
road. There may be special roads build with the laser power
transmitter subsystems built from one place to another place which
can be used to charge on board batteries of vehicles or even
completely power such vehicles to operate using wireless power
transmitted from the laser transmitter subsystems. Such roads may
be toll roads or built specifically for wireless power charging for
vehicles with wireless power receivers.
[0049] FIG. 6C illustrates Segments of laser Wireless Chargers on a
road activated using sensors. The vehicles with wireless laser
power receiving devices onboard vehicles and the wireless laser
power transmitter subsystems on the roads may optionally comprise
of sensors or communication devices that can communicate with each
other (not illustrated). Thus when a vehicle with a wireless power
receiving device is in laser coupling distance of the wireless
laser power transmitter subsystem the sensors or the communication
devices communicate with each other such that only a small number
of wireless laser power transmitter subsystems may need to be
turned on to not waste power from power transmitter subsystems that
may not be in a coupling distance of the vehicle. In one embodiment
power transmitter devices within a few meters of the vehicle may be
turned on in a sequence as the vehicle travels while those not in
the coupling distance may be turned off there by saving power from
being wasted. For example, when the vehicle comes near a section of
the road like 604, the power transmitters of section 604 and
optionally sections 605 or the like may be turned-on, however the
transmitters in sections of road beyond 605 may be turned-off.
However, as the vehicle moves forward for example to section 605,
the power transmitters of sections 604 may be turned-off while the
power transmitters of section 605, and the like may be turned-on.
The number of power transmitters turned-on around the vehicle may
depend on many factors like the range of laser coupling, the
strength of the lasers, the length of the vehicle, the number of
receiver devices on the vehicle, the legal laser safety limits and
the like as may be appreciated by one with ordinary skill in the
art. Further, if vehicles that do not posses the onboard wireless
charging devices or may not need to charge their batteries or the
like travel on the roads with wireless power transmitters, the
power transmitters would not be turned on there by using their
power only when necessary to charge a vehicle with wireless laser
power receiver device and optionally only when such a vehicle needs
its batteries to be charged.
[0050] Even though the illustrations in this patent application
illustrate two batteries on board a vehicle, one with ordinary
skill in the art will appreciate that a vehicle with one or more
batteries based systems may also be devised using the teachings of
this patent application and all such variations are within the
scope and spirit of this invention. When only a single battery is
used, the battery may not optionally be used to drive the load and
just be used to charge the battery and when it is being charged a
fuel engine or the like may be used to drive the vehicle.
[0051] While the foregoing has been with reference to particular
embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art that changes in these embodiments may be made
without departing from the principles and spirit of the
invention.
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