JP7715658B2 - Vehicle and vehicle control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle and a vehicle control method.

Conventionally, there is known technology for transmitting power contactlessly between a vehicle and a power supply device installed on a road using a transmission method such as magnetic resonance (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Using this technology, it is possible to supply power to a vehicle contactlessly while the vehicle is moving.

However, if there is a positional misalignment in the vehicle width direction between the power receiving coil installed in the vehicle and the power transmitting coil of the power feeding device when the vehicle passes through a power feeding area where the power transmitting coil of the power feeding device is installed, the efficiency of power transmission from the power transmitting coil to the power receiving coil decreases. In response to this, Patent Document 1 describes moving the power receiving coil in the vehicle width direction so that the power receiving coil is positioned at a desired position above the power transmitting coil.

Special table 2019-526219 publication

However, when the power receiving coil is moved in the vehicle width direction by an actuator installed in the vehicle, the displacement of the actuator increases as the positional deviation of the power receiving coil relative to the power transmitting coil increases. As a result, there is a risk that the correction accuracy will decrease due to external disturbances, or that the actuator's movable range will be insufficient to correct the positional deviation.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to accurately correct the positional misalignment in the vehicle width direction between a power receiving coil installed in a vehicle and a power transmitting coil installed on the road.

The gist of this disclosure is as follows:

(1) A vehicle comprising: a power receiving coil that receives power from a power transmitting coil installed on a road; a movable actuator that adjusts the position of the power receiving coil in the vehicle's width direction; and a control device, wherein the control device displaces the movable actuator so that the power receiving coil directly faces the power transmitting coil in the vehicle width direction, and performs correction control of the vehicle's steering angle based on the amount of displacement of the movable actuator.

(2) The vehicle described in (1) above, wherein the control device determines the target value of the steering angle so that the displacement amount becomes zero.

(3) The vehicle described in (2) above, wherein the control device determines the target value of the steering angle so that the average value of the displacement over a predetermined time period becomes zero.

(4) The vehicle described in (2) above, further comprising a low-pass filter that extracts low-frequency components of the displacement, and the control device determines the target value of the steering angle so that the output value of the low-pass filter becomes zero.

(5) The vehicle described in any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the control device feedback controls the movable actuator so that the amount of positional misalignment between the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil in the vehicle width direction is zero, and the execution interval of the correction control is longer than the execution interval of the feedback control.

(6) A vehicle described in any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the control device stops the correction control when a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle is predicted.

(7) The vehicle described in any one of (1) to (6) above, further comprising an output device that outputs information, and the control device, as the correction control, instructs the driver of the vehicle to operate the steering via the output device.

(8) The vehicle described in any one of (1) to (6) above, further comprising a steering actuator that steers the steered wheels of the vehicle, and the control device controls the steering actuator to change the steering angle as the correction control.

(9) The vehicle described in (8) above, wherein the control device controls the steering actuator and the movable actuator so that the speed at which the power receiving coil moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil through control of the steering actuator is slower than the speed at which the power receiving coil moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil through control of the movable actuator.

(10) The vehicle described in (9) above, wherein the control device controls the steering actuator to slow the speed at which the power receiving coil moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil when the vehicle speed is high, compared to when the vehicle speed is low.

(11) A vehicle control method executed by a computer, the vehicle control method including: displacing a movable actuator so that a power receiving coil provided on a vehicle to receive power from a power transmitting coil provided on a road faces the power transmitting coil in the vehicle width direction; and performing correction control of the steering angle of the vehicle based on the displacement amount of the movable actuator.

This invention makes it possible to accurately correct the positional misalignment in the vehicle width direction between the power receiving coil installed in the vehicle and the power transmitting coil installed on the road.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a contactless power supply system for contactlessly supplying power to a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a part of the configuration of the power supply device. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a part of the configuration of the vehicle according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a movable actuator. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a power supply area in which a power transmission coil of a power supply device is installed. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control routine for controlling the movable actuator in the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control routine for correcting the steering angle in the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for instructing a steering operation. FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically illustrating a part of the configuration of the vehicle according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a part of the configuration of a vehicle according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a control routine for correcting the steering angle in the second embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following description, similar components will be given the same reference numerals.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a contactless power supply system 1 for contactlessly supplying power to a vehicle 3 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The contactless power supply system 1 includes a power supply device 2 and a vehicle 3, and performs contactless power supply between the power supply device 2 and the vehicle 3. In particular, in this embodiment, the contactless power supply system 1 performs contactless power supply from the power supply device 2 to the vehicle 3 by magnetic field resonant coupling (magnetic field resonance) while the vehicle 3 is traveling. In other words, the contactless power supply system 1 transmits power from the power supply device 2 to the vehicle 3 using a magnetic field as a medium. Note that contactless power supply is also referred to as contactless power transmission, wireless power transmission, or wireless power supply.

The power supply device 2 is configured to supply power to the vehicle 3 contactlessly. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the power supply device 2 includes a power transmission device 4 and a power source 21. In this embodiment, the power supply device 2 is provided on a road on which the vehicle 3 travels, and is buried underground (below the road surface), for example. Note that at least a portion of the power supply device 2 (for example, the power source 21) may be located above the road surface.

The power supply 21 is the power source for the power transmission device 4 and supplies power to the power transmission device 4. The power supply 21 is, for example, a commercial AC power supply that supplies single-phase AC power. However, the power supply 21 may also be an AC power supply that supplies three-phase AC power.

The power transmission device 4 is configured to generate an AC magnetic field for transmitting power to the vehicle 3. In this embodiment, the power transmission device 4 includes a power transmission side rectifier circuit 41, an inverter 42, and a power transmission side resonant circuit 43. In the power transmission device 4, appropriate AC power (high-frequency power) is supplied to the power transmission side resonant circuit 43 via the power transmission side rectifier circuit 41 and the inverter 42.

The transmission-side rectifier circuit 41 is electrically connected to the power source 21 and the inverter 42. The transmission-side rectifier circuit 41 rectifies the AC power supplied from the power source 21, converts it into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the inverter 42. The transmission-side rectifier circuit 41 is, for example, an AC/DC converter.

The inverter 42 is electrically connected to the power transmission side rectifier circuit 41 and the power transmission side resonant circuit 43. The inverter 42 converts the DC power supplied from the power transmission side rectifier circuit 41 into AC power (high-frequency power) with a higher frequency than the AC power of the power source 21, and supplies the high-frequency power to the power transmission side resonant circuit 43.

The power transmission side resonant circuit 43 has a resonator composed of a power transmission coil 44 and a power transmission side capacitor 45. Various parameters of the power transmission coil 44 and the power transmission side capacitor 45 (such as the outer and inner diameters of the power transmission coil 44, the number of turns of the power transmission coil 44, and the capacitance of the power transmission side capacitor 45) are determined so that the resonant frequency of the power transmission side resonant circuit 43 becomes a predetermined set value. The predetermined set value is, for example, 10 kHz to 100 GHz, and preferably 85 kHz, which is the frequency band defined by the SAE TIR J2954 standard as the frequency band for contactless power supply to vehicles.

The power transmission side resonant circuit 43 is placed directly below the road surface so as to minimize the distance from the road surface. In this embodiment, the power transmission side resonant circuit 43 is placed on the road on which the vehicle 3 travels so that the center of the power transmission coil 44 is located in the center of the lane. When high-frequency power supplied from the inverter 42 is applied to the power transmission side resonant circuit 43, an AC current flows through the power transmission coil 44 of the power transmission side resonant circuit 43. As a result, the power transmission side resonant circuit 43 generates an AC magnetic field for transmitting power to the vehicle 3. Note that in the power transmission device 4, the power source 21 may be a DC power source such as a fuel cell or solar cell, in which case the power transmission side rectifier circuit 41 may be omitted.

Figure 2 is a diagram that schematically illustrates part of the configuration of the power supply device 2. As shown in Figure 2, the power supply device 2 further includes a controller 6 and a communication device 22.

The controller 6 is, for example, a general-purpose computer, and performs various controls on the power supply device 2. In other words, the controller 6 functions as a control device for the power supply device 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 6 includes a memory 61 and a processor 62. The memory 61 and the processor 62 are connected to each other via a signal line. The controller 6 may further include a communication interface or the like for connecting the controller 6 to a communication network such as the Internet.

Memory 61 includes, for example, volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., RAM) and non-volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., ROM). Memory 61 stores programs executed by processor 62, various data used when processor 62 executes various processes, etc.

The processor 62 has one or more central processing units (CPUs) and their peripheral circuits, and performs various processes. The processor 62 may also have arithmetic circuits such as a logic operation unit or a numeric operation unit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inverter 42 of the power transmission device 4 is electrically connected to the controller 6. The controller 6 controls the transmission of power from the power transmission device 4 to the power receiving device 5 via the inverter 42.

The communication device 22 is a device that enables communication between the power supply device 2 and the outside of the power supply device 2. For example, the communication device 22 is configured as a short-range wireless communication module (e.g., a DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) antenna, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) module, etc.) that performs short-range wireless communication. The communication device 22 is electrically connected to the controller 6, and the controller 6 communicates with the vehicle 3 using the communication device 22.

On the other hand, the vehicle 3 is configured to be supplied with power by the power supply device 2 when it passes over a power transmission coil 44 installed on the road. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 3 includes a power receiving device 5, a motor 31, a battery 32, and a power control unit (PCU) 33. In this embodiment, the vehicle 3 is an electric vehicle (BEV) that does not have an internal combustion engine, and the motor 31 outputs power for driving.

The motor 31 is an electric motor (e.g., an AC synchronous motor) and is driven by electricity stored in the battery 32. The output of the motor 31 is transmitted to the wheels 90 via a reduction gear and an axle. The motor 31 may also be a motor generator that functions as both an electric motor and a generator. In this case, when the vehicle 3 decelerates, the motor 31 is driven by the rotation of the wheels 90, and the motor 31 generates regenerative power using the deceleration energy of the vehicle 3.

The battery 32 is a rechargeable secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The battery 32 stores power and supplies it to the electronic devices of the vehicle 3 (e.g., the motor 31). When power is supplied to the battery 32 from an external power source via a charging port provided on the vehicle 3, the battery 32 is charged, and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 32 is restored.

The PCU 33 is electrically connected to the battery 32 and the motor 31. The PCU 33 has an inverter, a boost converter, and a DC/DC converter. The inverter converts DC power supplied from the battery 32 into AC power and supplies the AC power to the motor 31. The boost converter boosts the voltage of the battery 32 as needed when the power stored in the battery 32 is supplied to the motor 31. The DC/DC converter lowers the voltage of the battery 32 when the power stored in the battery 32 is supplied to electronic devices such as headlights.

The power receiving device 5 is configured to receive power via the AC magnetic field emitted from the power transmitting device 4. In this embodiment, the power receiving device 5 includes a power receiving resonant circuit 51, a power receiving rectifier circuit 54, and a charging circuit 55. The power receiving device 5 receives power from the power transmitting device 4 and supplies the received power to the battery 32.

The receiving-side resonant circuit 51 is disposed at the bottom of the vehicle 3 so as to minimize the distance from the road surface. In this embodiment, the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 is disposed in the center of the vehicle 3 in the vehicle width direction, and between the front wheels 90 and rear wheels 90 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 3.

The receiving-side resonant circuit 51 has a configuration similar to the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43, and includes a resonator composed of a receiving coil 52 and a receiving-side capacitor 53. Various parameters of the receiving coil 52 and the receiving-side capacitor 53 (such as the outer and inner diameters of the receiving coil 52, the number of turns of the receiving coil 52, and the capacitance of the receiving-side capacitor 53) are determined so that the resonant frequency of the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 matches the resonant frequency of the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43. Note that if the deviation between the resonant frequencies of the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 and the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43 is small, for example, if the resonant frequency of the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 is within ±20% of the resonant frequency of the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43, the resonant frequency of the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 does not necessarily have to match the resonant frequency of the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43.

As shown in Figure 1, when the receiving coil 52 of the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 faces the transmitting coil 44 of the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43 and an AC magnetic field is generated in the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43, the vibration of the AC magnetic field is transmitted to the receiving-side resonant circuit 51, which resonates at the same resonant frequency as the transmitting-side resonant circuit 43. As a result, an induced current flows in the receiving coil 52 of the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 due to electromagnetic induction, and the induced current generates power. In other words, the receiving coil 52 receives power from the transmitting coil 44 installed on the road.

The receiving-side rectifier circuit 54 is electrically connected to the receiving-side resonant circuit 51 and the charging circuit 55. The receiving-side rectifier circuit 54 rectifies the AC power supplied from the receiving-side resonant circuit 51, converts it into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the charging circuit 55. The receiving-side rectifier circuit 54 is, for example, an AC/DC converter.

The charging circuit 55 is electrically connected to the receiving-side rectifier circuit 54 and the battery 32. The charging circuit 55 converts the DC power supplied from the receiving-side rectifier circuit 54 to the voltage level of the battery 32 and supplies it to the battery 32. When the power transmitted from the power transmitting device 4 is supplied to the battery 32 by the power receiving device 5, the battery 32 is charged and the SOC of the battery 32 is restored. The charging circuit 55 is, for example, a DC/DC converter.

Figure 3 is a diagram that schematically illustrates part of the configuration of a vehicle 3 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle 3 further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) 7, a GNSS receiver 34, a map database 35, sensors 36, an HMI 37, a communication device 38, and a movable actuator 8.

The ECU 7 is configured as a computer and performs various controls for the vehicle 3. In other words, the ECU 7 functions as a control device for the vehicle 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the ECU 7 has a communication interface 71, a memory 72, and a processor 73. The communication interface 71, the memory 72, and the processor 73 are connected to each other via signal lines.

The communication interface 71 has an interface circuit for connecting the ECU 7 to an in-vehicle network that complies with standards such as CAN (Controller Area Network).

Memory 72 includes, for example, volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., RAM) and non-volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., ROM). Memory 72 stores programs executed by processor 73, various data used when processor 73 executes various processes, etc.

The processor 73 has one or more central processing units (CPUs) and their peripheral circuits, and executes various processes. The processor 73 may also have an arithmetic circuit such as a logic operation unit or a numeric operation unit.

As shown in FIG. 3, the charging circuit 55 and PCU 33 are electrically connected to the ECU 7. The ECU 7 controls the charging of the battery 32 with power transmitted from the power transmission device 4 to the power receiving device 5 via the charging circuit 55. The ECU 7 also controls the exchange of power between the battery 32 and an electronic device (e.g., the motor 31) via the PCU 33. Note that the ECU 7 may supply the power transmitted from the power transmission device 4 to the power receiving device 5 to an electrical load (e.g., the motor 31) instead of the battery 32.

The GNSS receiver 34 detects the current position of the vehicle 3 (e.g., the latitude and longitude of the vehicle 3) based on positioning information obtained from multiple (e.g., three or more) positioning satellites. Specifically, the GNSS receiver 34 captures multiple positioning satellites and receives radio waves transmitted from the positioning satellites. The GNSS receiver 34 then calculates the distance to the positioning satellite based on the difference between the transmission time and reception time of the radio waves, and detects the current position of the vehicle 3 based on the distance to the positioning satellite and the position (orbit information) of the positioning satellite. A specific example of the GNSS receiver 34 is a GPS receiver. The GNSS receiver 34 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, and the output of the GNSS receiver 34, i.e., the current position of the vehicle 3 detected by the GNSS receiver 34, is transmitted to the ECU 7.

The map database 35 stores map information. The map information includes information such as the location of the power supply area in which the power transmission coil 44 of the power supply device 2 is installed. The map database 35 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, and the ECU 7 acquires the map information from the map database 35. Note that the map database may be provided outside the vehicle 3 (for example, on a server), and the ECU 7 may acquire the map information from outside the vehicle 3.

Sensor 36 detects the state quantities of vehicle 3. For example, sensor 36 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of vehicle 3, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of vehicle 3 (the steering angle of the steered wheels), etc. Sensor 36 is electrically connected to ECU 7, and the output of sensor 36, i.e., the state quantities of vehicle 3 detected by sensor 36, is transmitted to ECU 7.

The HMI 37 exchanges information between the vehicle 3 and the driver of the vehicle 3. The HMI 37 has an output unit (e.g., a display, speaker, vibration unit, etc.) that outputs information to the driver of the vehicle 3, and an input unit (e.g., a touch panel, operation buttons, operation switches, microphone, etc.) into which information is input by the driver of the vehicle 3. The HMI 7 is electrically connected to the ECU 7. The output of the ECU 7 is notified to the driver of the vehicle 3 via the HMI 37, and the input from the driver of the vehicle 3 is sent to the ECU 7 via the HMI 37. The HMI 37 is an example of an output device that outputs information. Note that the mobile device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) of the driver of the vehicle 3 may be connected to the ECU 7 via a wired or wireless connection so as to be able to communicate with the ECU 7 and function as the HMI 37.

The communication device 38 is a device that enables communication between the vehicle 3 and the outside of the vehicle 3. For example, the communication device 38 is configured as a short-range wireless communication module (e.g., a DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) in-vehicle device, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) module, etc.) that performs short-range wireless communication. The communication device 38 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, and the ECU 7 communicates with the power supply device 2 using the communication device 38.

The movable actuator 8 adjusts the position of the power receiving coil 52 in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle 3. That is, the movable actuator 8 moves the power receiving coil 52 in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle body that houses the on-board equipment including the power receiving coil 52. The movable actuator 8 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, and the ECU 7 controls the movable actuator 8.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a movable actuator 8. Figure 4 shows the vehicle 3 as seen from the rear, with the movable actuator 8 located at the bottom of the vehicle 3. In this embodiment, the movable actuator 8 is located in the center of the vehicle 3 in the vehicle width direction, and between the front and rear wheels in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 3.

For example, the movable actuator 8 is configured as a mechanical linear actuator. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the movable actuator 8 has a slider 81, a guide rail 82, and a stopper 83. The slider 81 moves linearly on the guide rail 82 between the stoppers 83. In other words, the slider 81 moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle body. The power receiving side resonant circuit 51, including the power receiving coil 52, is fixed to the slider 81 and moves integrally with the slider 81.

Figure 4 shows the position of the slider 81 when the displacement of the movable actuator 8 is zero. When the slider 81 moves to one side (e.g., the right side in Figure 4), the displacement of the movable actuator 8 becomes a positive value, and when the slider 81 moves to the other side (e.g., the left side in Figure 4), the displacement of the movable actuator 8 becomes a negative value. In this embodiment, the movable actuator 8 and the power receiving side resonant circuit 51 are positioned so that the center of the power receiving coil 52 is located on the vehicle width centerline when the displacement of the movable actuator 8 is zero. Therefore, when the displacement of the movable actuator 8 changes from zero, the center of the power receiving coil 52 becomes displaced from the vehicle width centerline.

Note that the configuration of the movable actuator 8 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 4. For example, the movable actuator 8 may be a belt conveyor, a rack and pinion mechanism, a mechanism that moves linearly using electromagnetic force, etc.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, tracking coils 56 that detect the positional deviation of the power receiving coil 52 of the vehicle 3 relative to the power transmitting coil 44 of the power feeding device 2 in the vehicle width direction are arranged on both sides of the power receiving side resonant circuit 51 in the vehicle width direction. The two tracking coils 56 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vehicle width center line. In other words, the distance from one tracking coil 56 to the vehicle width center line is equal to the distance from the other tracking coil 56 to the vehicle width center line.

The tracking coil 56 outputs a radio wave signal or weak AC power emitted from the power transmission device 4 as a detection signal. If there is a positional misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmission coil 44 in the vehicle width direction, a difference will occur between the strength of the detection signal from one tracking coil 56 and the strength of the detection signal from the other tracking coil 56. Therefore, the ECU 7 can detect the amount of positional misalignment of the power receiving coil 52 relative to the power transmission coil 44 in the vehicle width direction based on the detection signal from the tracking coil 56.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a power supply area in which the power transmission coils 44 of the power supply device 2 are installed. In the example of Figure 5, three power transmission coils 44 are arranged spaced apart along the direction of travel of the vehicle 3 on the same lane of the road. The area on the lane in which the power transmission coils 44 are installed corresponds to the power supply area. Note that the number of power transmission coils 44 installed in one power supply area may be any other number (for example, one).

When power is to be supplied to vehicle 3 in a power supply area, the ECU 7 of vehicle 3 uses the communication device 38 to transmit a power supply request signal requesting power supply from the power supply device 2 to vehicle 3 when vehicle 3 approaches the power supply area. When the controller 6 of power supply device 2 receives the power supply request signal from vehicle 3, it causes the power transmission device 4 to generate an AC magnetic field for power transmission. That is, when the controller 6 receives the power supply request signal from vehicle 3, it starts contactless power supply from the power supply device 2 to vehicle 3. However, if the position of vehicle 3 on the lane is off-center, a positional misalignment occurs between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmission coil 44 in the vehicle width direction, reducing the efficiency of power transmission from the power transmission coil 44 to the power receiving coil 52.

For this reason, in this embodiment, the ECU 7 displaces the movable actuator 8 so that the power receiving coil 52 faces the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the ECU 7 displaces the movable actuator 8 so that the displacement of the movable actuator 8 offsets the misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction. For example, in the example of FIG. 4 , the ECU 7 displaces the movable actuator 8 so that the slider 81 moves to the right when the center of the power transmitting coil 44 is located to the right of the center of the power receiving coil 52, and displaces the movable actuator 8 so that the slider 81 moves to the left when the center of the power transmitting coil 44 is located to the left of the center of the power receiving coil 52.

As described above, by correcting the positional misalignment using the movable actuator 8, it is possible to suppress a decrease in power transmission efficiency. However, the greater the positional misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44, the greater the displacement of the movable actuator 8 required to correct the positional misalignment. As a result, there is a risk that the correction accuracy will decrease due to external disturbances, or that the movable range of the movable actuator 8 will be insufficient to correct the positional misalignment.

On the other hand, when the lateral position of the vehicle 3 on the lane changes due to steering of the wheels 90 of the vehicle 3, the position of the power receiving coil 52 relative to the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction changes. Therefore, by correcting the steering angle of the vehicle 3, it is possible to correct the positional misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction.

In this embodiment, the misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction is corrected by combining the positional misalignment correction by the movable actuator 8 with the correction of the steering angle of the vehicle 3. Specifically, the ECU 7 displaces the movable actuator 8 so that the power receiving coil 52 directly faces the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction, and performs correction control of the steering angle of the vehicle 3 based on the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8. This allows the misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction to be corrected with high accuracy.

For example, the ECU 7 executes steering angle correction control so that the displacement of the movable actuator 8 becomes zero. Specifically, the ECU 7 determines a target value for the steering angle so that the displacement of the movable actuator 8 becomes zero. This allows the displacement of the movable actuator 8 to approach zero when the positional misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction is corrected.

Furthermore, the ECU 7 stops the steering angle correction control when a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle 3 is predicted. In other words, the ECU 7 stops the steering angle correction control when the vehicle 3 attempts to move from the lane it is currently traveling in to another lane. This makes it possible to prevent the behavior of the vehicle 3 from becoming unstable due to the execution of unnecessary correction control.

In this embodiment, the vehicle 3 is manually driven by the driver of the vehicle 3. That is, the driver of the vehicle 3 controls the steering of the vehicle 3 via the steering wheel 91 (see Figure 1), and the steering angle of the vehicle 3 is changed by the steering operation by the driver. Therefore, the ECU 7 instructs the driver of the vehicle 3 to operate the steering via the HMI 37 as a steering angle correction control. For example, the ECU 7 determines a target value for the steering angle of the vehicle 3 based on the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8, and instructs the driver to operate the steering to achieve the target value via the HMI 7.

The above-mentioned control flow will now be explained with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a control routine for movable actuator control in the first embodiment. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 7 at predetermined execution intervals.

First, in step S101, the ECU 7 determines whether the vehicle 3 is traveling in a power supply area. For example, the ECU 7 makes this determination by comparing the current position of the vehicle 3 obtained based on the output of the GNSS receiver 34 with the position information of the power supply area stored in the map information of the map database 35. Note that the ECU 7 may also determine that the vehicle 3 is traveling in a power supply area when the power receiving device 5 of the vehicle 3 is receiving power.

If it is determined in step S101 that the vehicle 3 is traveling in a power supply area, the control routine proceeds to step S102. In step S102, the ECU 7 detects the amount of positional deviation in the vehicle width direction between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44. For example, the ECU 7 detects the amount of positional deviation based on the detection signal of the tracking coil 56. Note that the ECU 7 may also detect the amount of positional deviation based on electrical characteristics when the power receiving coil 52 receives power from the power transmitting coil 44 (e.g., the efficiency of power transmission from the power transmitting coil 44 to the power receiving coil 52). Alternatively, a magnetic marker may be provided in the power supply area, and the ECU 7 may detect the amount of positional deviation by detecting a magnetic field using a magnetic field detector or the like.

Next, in step S103, the ECU 7 controls the movable actuator 8 based on the amount of misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction, so that the power receiving coil 52 faces the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction. For example, the ECU 7 feedback-controls the movable actuator 8 so that the amount of misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction becomes zero. After step S103, this control routine ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S101 that the vehicle 3 is not traveling in a power supply area, the control routine proceeds to step S104. In step S104, the ECU 7 initializes the displacement of the movable actuator 8. That is, the ECU 7 sets the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8 to zero. After step S104, the control routine ends.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the control routine for steering angle correction control in the first embodiment. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 7 at predetermined execution intervals.

First, in step S201, similar to step S101 in FIG. 6, the ECU 7 determines whether the vehicle 3 is traveling in a power supply area. If it is determined that the vehicle 3 is not traveling in a power supply area, this control routine ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle 3 is traveling in a power supply area, this control routine proceeds to step S202.

In step S202, the ECU 7 determines whether a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle 3 is predicted. For example, the ECU 7 determines that a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle 3 is predicted when the turn indicator (blinker) of the vehicle 3 is activated (flashing). The activation of the turn indicator is detected, for example, based on whether or not power is supplied to the turn indicator. Note that the sensor 36 of the vehicle 3 may include a torque sensor that detects the steering force applied to the steering wheel 91, and the ECU 7 may determine that a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle 3 is predicted when the steering force detected by the torque sensor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. If it is determined in step S202 that a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle 3 is predicted, this control routine ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S202 that a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle 3 is not predicted, this control routine proceeds to step S203.

In step S203, the ECU 7 acquires the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8. For example, the ECU 7 acquires the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8 based on an input signal to the movable actuator 8. Note that a position detector such as an encoder or potentiometer may be provided on the movable actuator 8, and the ECU 7 may acquire the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8 based on the output of the position detector.

Next, in step S204, the ECU 7 determines the target value of the steering angle of the vehicle 3 based on the displacement of the movable actuator 8. For example, the ECU 7 uses a pre-created map to determine the target value of the steering angle so that the displacement of the movable actuator 8 becomes zero. Note that an upper limit value for the target value of the steering angle may be set in advance to prevent the steered wheels of the vehicle 3 from being steered excessively.

Next, in step S205, ECU 7 compares the current steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor with the target steering angle, and determines the steering operation required to achieve the target steering angle.

Next, in step S206, the ECU 7 instructs the driver of the vehicle 3 via the HMI 37 to perform a steering operation to achieve the target steering angle. For example, the ECU 7 displays a screen on the HMI 37 that instructs the driver to perform a steering operation. Figure 8 shows an example of a screen that instructs the driver to perform a steering operation. In the example of Figure 8, the HMI 37 displays a steering wheel icon, as well as the steering amount and steering direction of the steering wheel. The ECU 7 may instruct the driver of the vehicle 3 to perform a steering operation using text, voice, or vibration. The ECU 7 may also instruct the driver of the vehicle 3 only in the steering direction of the steering wheel as the steering operation. For example, if a right-handed (clockwise) steering operation is instructed by vibration, the ECU 7 vibrates the right portion (e.g., the right half) of the steering wheel using a vibration unit of the HMI 37 provided on the steering wheel. After step S205, this control routine ends.

The displacement of the movable actuator 8 acquired in step S203 may be the average value of the displacement over a predetermined time period. That is, the ECU 7 may determine the target value of the steering angle so that the average value of the displacement over a predetermined time period is zero. This prevents the target value of the steering angle from being frequently changed in response to minute changes in the displacement of the movable actuator 8, and ultimately prevents the driver of the vehicle 3 from being required to perform complicated steering operations.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the vehicle 3 may also be equipped with a filter circuit 9 that filters the displacement of the movable actuator 8. In this embodiment, a low-pass filter (LPF) is used as the filter circuit 9. The LPF attenuates signals with frequencies higher than a predetermined cutoff frequency and passes signals with frequencies lower than the cutoff frequency. In other words, the filter circuit 9 blocks high-frequency components of the displacement of the movable actuator 8 and extracts low-frequency components of the displacement of the movable actuator 8.

In this case, the ECU 7 obtains the output value of the filter circuit 9 (LPF) as the displacement of the movable actuator 8, and determines the target value of the steering angle so that the output value of the filter circuit 9 becomes zero. This prevents the target value of the steering angle from being frequently changed in response to high-frequency components of the displacement of the movable actuator 8, and ultimately prevents the driver of the vehicle 3 from being required to perform complicated steering operations.

Furthermore, the execution interval of the control routine for steering angle correction control in FIG. 7 may be longer than the execution interval of the control routine for movable actuator control in FIG. 6. That is, the execution interval of steering angle correction control may be longer than the execution interval of feedback control of movable actuator 8. In other words, the execution frequency of steering angle correction control may be lower than the execution frequency of feedback control of movable actuator 8. This can prevent the driver of vehicle 3 from being required to perform frequent steering operations.

Second Embodiment
The configuration and control of the vehicle according to the second embodiment are basically the same as the configuration and control of the vehicle according to the first embodiment, except for the points described below. Therefore, the following description of the second embodiment of the present invention will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

Figure 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating part of the configuration of a vehicle 3' according to a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the vehicle 3' further includes a surrounding information detection device 10, a steering actuator 11, and a brake actuator 12.

The surrounding information detection device 10 acquires data (images, point cloud data, etc.) about the surroundings of the vehicle 3' and detects information about the surroundings of the vehicle 3' (e.g., surrounding vehicles, pedestrians, white lines, etc.). For example, the surrounding information detection device 10 includes millimeter-wave radar, a camera (e.g., a stereo camera), a LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging), an ultrasonic sensor (sonar), or any combination of these. The surrounding information detection device 10 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, and the output of the surrounding information detection device 10, i.e., the surrounding information about the vehicle 3' detected by the surrounding information detection device 10, is transmitted to the ECU 7.

The steering actuator 11 steers the steered wheels of the vehicle 3'. The steering actuator 11 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, which controls the steering actuator 11 to control the steering of the vehicle 3'.

The brake actuator 12 decelerates (brakes) the vehicle 3'. The brake actuator 12 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, which controls the brake actuator 12 to control the deceleration (braking) of the vehicle 3'.

The motor 31 shown in FIG. 1 also functions as a drive device for accelerating the vehicle 3'. Based on the output of the surrounding information detection device 10, the ECU 7 uses the motor 31, steering actuator 11, and brake actuator 12 to control the behavior of the vehicle 3' so that the vehicle 3' drives autonomously. In other words, the vehicle 3' is an autonomous vehicle in which some or all of the acceleration, steering, and deceleration (braking) of the vehicle 3' are performed automatically.

As described above, in the second embodiment, the ECU 7 controls the steering of the vehicle 3' using the steering actuator 11, and the steering angle of the vehicle 3' is changed by the steering actuator 11. Therefore, the ECU 7 controls the steering actuator 11 to change the steering angle of the vehicle 3' as a correction control for the steering angle of the vehicle 3'.

In the second embodiment, the control routine for controlling the movable actuator shown in FIG. 6 is executed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. At this time, in step S102, the ECU 7 may detect a positional deviation in the vehicle width direction between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 based on the output of the periphery information detection device 10. In this case, for example, the ECU 7 detects a positional deviation in the vehicle width direction between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 based on the relative positional relationship between the white lines on the road detected by the periphery information detection device 10 and the vehicle 3'.

Figure 11 is a flowchart showing a control routine for steering angle correction control in the second embodiment. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 7 at predetermined intervals.

Steps S301 to S304 are executed in the same manner as steps S201 to S204 in Figure 7. After step S304, in step S305, the ECU 7 controls the steering actuator 11 based on the target value of the steering angle determined in step S304. Specifically, the ECU 7 feedback-controls the steering actuator 11 so that the steering angle of the vehicle 3' detected by the steering angle sensor matches the target value. After step S305, this control routine ends.

As in the first embodiment, the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8 acquired in step S303 may be the average value of the displacement amount over a predetermined time period. That is, the ECU 7 may determine the target value of the steering angle so that the average value of the displacement amount over a predetermined time period is zero. This prevents the target value of the steering angle from being frequently changed in response to minute changes in the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8, and ultimately prevents a deterioration in the ride comfort of the vehicle 3' due to fluctuations in the steering angle of the vehicle 3'.

Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, the ECU 7 may obtain the output value of the filter circuit 9 (LPF) as the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8, and determine the target value of the steering angle so that the output value of the filter circuit 9 becomes zero. This makes it possible to prevent the target value of the steering angle from being frequently changed in response to high-frequency components of the displacement amount of the movable actuator 8, and ultimately to prevent a deterioration in the ride comfort of the vehicle 3' due to fluctuations in the steering angle of the vehicle 3'.

Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, the execution interval of the control routine for steering angle correction control in FIG. 11 may be longer than the execution interval of the control routine for movable actuator control in FIG. 6. That is, the execution interval of feedback control of steering actuator 11 may be longer than the execution interval of feedback control of movable actuator 8. In other words, the execution frequency of feedback control of steering actuator 11 may be lower than the execution frequency of feedback control of movable actuator 8. This makes it possible to prevent a deterioration in ride comfort of vehicle 3' caused by frequent changes in the steering angle of vehicle 3'.

The ECU 7 may also control the steering actuator 11 and the movable actuator 8 so that the speed at which the power receiving coil 52 moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil 44 under the control of the steering actuator 11 is slower than the speed at which the power receiving coil 52 moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil 44 under the control of the movable actuator 8. This makes it possible to quickly correct positional misalignment while suppressing deterioration in the ride comfort of the vehicle 3' due to sudden changes in the steering angle of the vehicle 3'. In this case, for example, the ECU 7 may make the gain of the feedback control of the steering actuator 11 smaller than the gain of the feedback control of the movable actuator 8, or may make the time constant of the feedback control of the steering actuator 11 longer than the time constant of the feedback control of the movable actuator 8.

Furthermore, when the speed of the vehicle 3' is high, the ECU 7 may control the steering actuator 11 to slow the speed at which the power receiving coil 52 moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil 44, compared to when the speed of the vehicle 3' is low. In this case, for example, the ECU 7 controls the steering actuator 11 to linearly or gradually (step-wise) slow the speed at which the power receiving coil 52 moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil 44 as the speed of the vehicle 3' detected by the vehicle speed sensor increases. This allows the steering angle of the vehicle 3' to be changed at an appropriate speed according to the speed of the vehicle 3', and ultimately further reduces deterioration in the ride comfort of the vehicle 3'.

In the second embodiment, the steering of the vehicle 3' may be controlled by the driver during normal driving of the vehicle 3', and the steering of the vehicle 3' may be controlled by the steering actuator 11 only when steering angle correction control is executed.

<Other embodiments>
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims. For example, the vehicles 3, 3' may be hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) equipped with an internal combustion engine and a motor as power sources for traveling.

The ECU 8 may also execute steering angle correction control so that the displacement of the movable actuator 8 is equal to or less than a predetermined value or within a predetermined range. Furthermore, if the amount of positional misalignment between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction can be detected, feedback control of the movable actuator 8 and steering angle correction control may be executed before the vehicle 3, 3' arrives at the power supply area.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the vehicle 3 may be equipped with a surrounding information detection device 10, and the ECU 7 may detect the positional deviation between the power receiving coil 52 and the power transmitting coil 44 in the vehicle width direction based on the output of the surrounding information detection device 10.

3, 3' Vehicle 7 Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
8 Movable actuator 44 Power transmitting coil 52 Power receiving coil

Claims (11)

A vehicle,
a power receiving coil that receives power from a power transmitting coil installed on the road;
a movable actuator for adjusting a position of the power receiving coil in the vehicle width direction;
a control device;
the control device displaces the movable actuator so that the power receiving coil faces the power transmitting coil in a vehicle width direction, and performs correction control of a steering angle of the vehicle based on an amount of displacement of the movable actuator ;
the movable actuator is disposed so that a center of the power receiving coil is located on a vehicle width centerline when a displacement amount of the movable actuator is zero, and includes a slider that moves integrally with the power receiving coil in a vehicle width direction relative to a vehicle body;
A vehicle in which the displacement amount of the movable actuator is a positive value when the slider moves to one side, and a negative value when the slider moves to the other side . The vehicle described in claim 1, wherein the control device determines the target value of the steering angle so that the displacement amount becomes zero. The vehicle described in claim 2, wherein the control device determines the target value of the steering angle so that the average value of the displacement over a predetermined time period becomes zero. further comprising a low-pass filter that extracts low-frequency components of the displacement amount;
3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the control device determines the target value of the steering angle so that the output value of the low-pass filter becomes zero. the control device feedback-controls the movable actuator so that a positional deviation between the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil in a vehicle width direction becomes zero;
The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an execution interval of the correction control is longer than an execution interval of the feedback control. A vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control device stops the correction control when a lane change, right turn, or left turn of the vehicle is predicted. further comprising an output device for outputting information;
The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the control device performs the correction control by instructing a driver of the vehicle to operate a steering wheel via the output device. Further provided is a steering actuator for steering the steered wheels of the vehicle,
The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the control device controls the steering actuator as the correction control so as to change the steering angle. The vehicle described in claim 8, wherein the control device controls the steering actuator and the movable actuator so that the speed at which the power receiving coil moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil through control of the steering actuator is slower than the speed at which the power receiving coil moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil through control of the movable actuator. The vehicle described in claim 9, wherein the control device controls the steering actuator to slow the speed at which the power receiving coil moves in the vehicle width direction relative to the power transmitting coil when the vehicle speed is high, compared to when the vehicle speed is low. A computer-implemented vehicle control method, comprising:
displacing the movable actuator so that a power receiving coil provided on the vehicle to receive power from a power transmitting coil provided on the road faces the power transmitting coil in the vehicle width direction;
executing correction control of a steering angle of the vehicle based on a displacement amount of the movable actuator ,
the movable actuator is disposed so that a center of the power receiving coil is located on a vehicle width centerline when a displacement amount of the movable actuator is zero, and includes a slider that moves integrally with the power receiving coil in a vehicle width direction relative to a vehicle body;
The vehicle control method , wherein the displacement amount of the movable actuator is a positive value when the slider moves to one side, and a negative value when the slider moves to the other side .