JP7833932B2 - Information processing device, wireless power transmission system, program, and wireless power transmission method - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an information processing device, a wireless power transmission system, a program, and a wireless power transmission method.

Conventionally, wireless power transmission technologies have been known in which a power supply unit and a power receiving unit transmit power through magnetic or electric field coupling. Furthermore, a technology has been proposed in which multiple resonant coils equipped with conductors for resonance are arranged on a plane, for the purpose of supplying power from several points on a plane. Patent Document 1 describes this type of technology.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-5523

In this type of technology, there is a problem of reduced power supply efficiency when the positions of the power supply and power receiving units are misaligned, for example, when the power supply unit overlaps with multiple power receiving units, or when many loads are connected. Furthermore, in magnetic field coupling types, leaked magnetic fields can affect other equipment, or a magnetic field may be generated between the power supply unit and, for example, the car body. In electric field coupling types, there is a problem that the influence of the electric field cannot be ignored when conductive material approaches the power supply electrode.

The present invention aims to provide a wireless power transmission system that allows for the free selection of the installation location of equipment having a power receiving unit and enables simultaneous operation under multiple loads.

(1) The information processing device according to the present invention comprises: a relative position information acquisition unit that acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between a power supply unit and a power receiving unit in wireless power transmission; a power supply power information acquisition unit that acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power supply value in wireless power transmission; and a position setting information calculation unit that calculates power supply/receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit with the position of the power receiving unit, based on the relative position information and the power supply power information.

(2) In the information processing device of (1), the relative position information acquisition unit includes an angle acquisition unit that acquires relative angle information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and a distance acquisition unit that acquires relative distance information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit.

(3) In the information processing device of (1) or (2), the position setting information calculation unit calculates the positions of the power receiving unit and the power supply unit where the value of the power supply information is maximized.

(4) The wireless power transmission system according to the present invention comprises an information processing device described in any one of (1) to (3), a power receiving unit and a power supply unit having an electric field resonance type wireless power transmission coupler, and a drive unit that changes the position of the power supply unit according to power supply and power receiving position setting information.

(5) In the wireless power transmission system of (4), the drive unit has a drive mechanism that changes the position of the power supply unit in a straight line.

(6) The program according to the present invention causes a computer to execute the following functions: a relative position information acquisition function that acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit in wireless power transmission; a power supply power information acquisition function that acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power supply value in wireless power transmission; and a position setting information calculation function that calculates power supply/receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit with the position of the power receiving unit based on the relative position information and the power supply power information.

(7) The wireless power transmission method according to the present invention comprises: a relative position information acquisition step in which a computer acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between a power supply unit and a power receiving unit in wireless power transmission; a power supply information acquisition step in which a computer acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power supply value in wireless power transmission; and a position setting information calculation step in which a power supply/receiving position setting information is calculated, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit with the position of the power receiving unit based on the relative position information and the power supply information.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide wireless power transmission that allows for the free selection of the installation location of equipment and enables simultaneous operation for multiple loads.

This figure shows an example of a wireless power transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention being applied to an automobile vehicle. This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view of a power supply and power supply coupler and power receiving coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between a power supply, a circuit for controlling the power supply, and an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the linear movement of the power supply coupler and the power receiving coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between a power supply and a power supply coupler and a power receiving coupler in close proximity according to an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the principle for calculating the position of the power supply coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the change in power supply when determining the position of the power supply coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the relationship between the relative position of the coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention and the transmission efficiency between coils. This figure shows the relationship between the relative position of the coupler according to the present invention and the transmission efficiency between capacitive electrodes. This diagram shows the relationship between a power supply and a power supply coupler and a power receiving coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention. This flowchart shows the processing flow of wireless power transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes the information processing device, wireless power transmission system, program, and wireless power transmission method according to embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the drawings. In each figure, identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Figure 1 shows an example of the wireless power transmission system 3 according to the first embodiment being applied to the in-vehicle equipment of an automobile. In the example in Figure 1, for example, an occupant detection sensor 54 is mounted on seats 53a and 53b installed in the vehicle. In this embodiment, in order to increase the degree of freedom in the installation of seats 53a and 53b in the vehicle, power is supplied to the occupant detection sensor 54 by wireless power transmission.

As shown in Figure 1, the wireless power transmission system 3 comprises an information processing device 1 and a power transmission/reception device 2. The power transmission/reception device 2 includes a power supply unit 21 and a power receiver unit 25. The power supply unit 21 has a power supply section 22, and the power receiver unit 25 has a power receiving section 26. The power supply section 22 is provided with a power supply antenna 23, and the power receiver unit 25 is provided with a power receiver antenna 27. Since the power supply section 22 and the power receiving section 26 are coupled and transmit wireless power, the power supply section 22 may be referred to as a power supply coupler 22, and the power receiving section 26 may be referred to as a power receiving coupler 26, respectively, in this specification.

The power supply coupler 22, power receiving coupler 26, power supply antenna 23, power receiving antenna 27, etc., are shown as examples where two of each are installed. In this case, they may be shown separately as power supply coupler 22a, power supply coupler 22b, etc.

The information processing device 1 includes a control unit 10. The control unit 10 controls a communication means 17, a power supply unit 21, and a drive mechanism 24 including a single-axis ball screw shaft 48 (described later), and controls the positions of the power supply couplers 22a, 22b and the power supply antennas 23a, 23b. The power receivers 25a, 25b include power receiver couplers 26a, 26b and power receiver antennas 27a, 27b. The power supply unit 21 and power receiver 25 have control circuits (not shown in Figure 1), and based on instructions from the information processing device 1, the transmission and reception of radio waves, the power supply circuit, or the power receiving device circuit are controlled, respectively.

For the couplers used in wireless power transmission between the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26, for example, capacitive coupling and magnetic field coupling types are applicable. In this embodiment, the configuration employing capacitive coupling will be primarily described. Therefore, the coupling in the coupler is sometimes referred to as capacitive coupling.

The power supply unit 21 is mounted on the interior material 52 provided in the body 51 of the automobile. As will be described in detail later, a single-axis ball screw shaft 48 is provided inside the power supply unit 21, and the position of the power supply coupler 22 can be changed.

Seats 53a and 53b are equipped with power receivers 25a and 25b to supply power to the aforementioned occupant detection sensor 54. Power receiver 25 has a power receiving coupler 26 and a power receiving antenna 27.

The power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 are capacitively coupled, and power from the power supply 4 (described later in Figure 5) is transmitted wirelessly.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 1. As shown in Figure 2, the information processing device 1 comprises a control unit 10, an input/output unit 16, a communication means 17, and a storage unit 18. The control unit 10 includes a processor 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, and an input/output interface 15. The information processing device 1 may be a general-purpose personal computer capable of performing various functions by installing various programs, or it may be a computer embedded in dedicated hardware.

The processor 11 performs various calculations and processes. The processor 11 is, for example, a CPU (central processing unit), MPU (micro processing unit), SoC (system on a chip), DSP (digital signal processor), GPU (graphics processing unit), ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), PLD (programmable logic device), or FPGA (field-programmable gate array). Alternatively, the processor 11 may be a combination of several of these. Furthermore, the processor 11 may also be a combination of these components with a hardware accelerator or the like.

The processor 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. The processor 11 performs various processes according to the program recorded in the ROM 12 or the program loaded into the RAM 13. Part or all of the program may be incorporated into the circuitry of the processor 11.

Bus 14 is also connected to the input/output interface 15. The input/output unit 16 and the communication means 17 are connected to the input/output interface 15.

The input/output unit 16 is electrically connected to the input/output interface 15 by wire or wireless connection. The input/output unit 16 consists of, for example, an input unit such as a keyboard and mouse, and an output unit such as a display for displaying images and a speaker for amplifying sound. The input/output unit 16 may also have an integrated display and input function, such as a touch panel.

The communication means 17 is a device for the processor 11 to communicate with other devices via a network, such as the Internet (not shown). The storage unit 18 is a storage device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD), that stores characteristic evaluation procedures, characteristic evaluation results, etc.

The hardware configuration shown in Figure 2 is merely an example and is not limited to this configuration. In addition to configurations consisting of various processing units such as single processors, multi-processors, and multi-core processors, a combination of these processing units and processing circuits such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) may be adopted to realize a functional processor configuration. The information processing device 1 may not have a storage unit 18, but rather a configuration in which the storage unit 18 is provided separately. The information processing device 1 may not have a communication means 17, and for example, a standalone configuration may be adopted.

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the information processing device 1 functionally comprises a relative position information acquisition unit 101, a power supply information acquisition unit 102, a position setting information calculation unit 103, and a management command unit 104, all of which are implemented by the processor 11 shown in Figure 2.

The relative position information acquisition unit 101 acquires information regarding the relative position between the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 shown in Figure 1, i.e., relative position information. The power supply information acquisition unit 102 acquires information regarding the power supplied from the power supply coupler 22 to the power receiving coupler 26, i.e., power supply information. The position setting information calculation unit 103 calculates position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply coupler 22 with the position of the power receiving coupler 26, based on the relative position information and power supply information. The management command unit 104 controls the position of the power supply unit 22 or the power receiving unit 26 based on the relative position information, power supply information, and position setting information.

Relative position information, power supply information, and position setting information are stored in the storage unit 18. This information is then exchanged with the outside world via the input/output unit 16 and the communication means 17.

Figure 4 shows an example of a power supply unit 21 and a power supply coupler 22 applied to the wireless power transmission system 3 set up inside a vehicle as shown in Figure 1. The power supply unit 21 is fastened to the interior material 52 on the vehicle body 51 with an automotive-grade resin clip 55. The power supply unit 21 is configured as a substantially plate-shaped member with a recess in the longitudinal direction. A power receiving coupler 26, for example, located on a seat 53, is inserted into and fixed to this recess. The power supply coupler 22 is held within the power supply unit 21 so as to be movable along the X-axis in Figure 4.

The power supply unit 21 has a single-axis ball screw shaft 48 and a power supply coupler 22 is mounted on it. A command from the management command unit 104 shown in Figure 2, located in the information processing device 1 shown in Figure 1, causes the ball screw of the single-axis ball screw shaft 48 to rotate, allowing the power supply coupler 22 to move along the X-axis in Figure 4, parallel to the axial direction of the ball screw. The power transmission and reception device 2 in Figure 4 is equipped with two power reception couplers 26, labeled 26a and 26b, respectively.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration for setting the position of the power supply coupler 22 in a wireless power transmission system 3, in which two sets of power supply couplers 22 and two sets of power receiving couplers 26 are configured.

Power supply 4 supplies power to the information processing device 1, the resonant coil 43, and the power supply coupler 22. Power supply 4 supplies a predetermined high-frequency AC power to the power supply coupler 22. For example, power supply 4 generates a high-frequency AC signal from a 50 Hz or 60 Hz AC voltage supplied from an outlet not shown in Figure 5. A relay 42 is provided between power supply 4 and the resonant coil 43. The information processing device 1 is connected to a relay drive circuit 41, a ball screw drive circuit 44, a pulse input circuit 46, and a communication means 17. The relay drive circuit 41 drives the relay 42. Power from power supply 4 is supplied to the resonant coil 43 and the power supply coupler 22 via the contacts of the relay 42. The power supply coupler 22 is installed on a single-axis ball screw shaft 48 of the power supply unit 21. The ball screw drive circuit 44 rotates the ball screw of the single-axis ball screw shaft 48 via a ball screw drive mechanism 45, thereby moving the power supply coupler 22 installed on the single-axis ball screw shaft 48 in the axial direction. The pulse input circuit 46 receives pulses from the ball screw position detector 47 and detects the position of the single-axis ball screw shaft 48, or in other words, the position of the power supply coupler 22 fixed to the single-axis ball screw shaft 48. Figure 5 shows a situation where the positions of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 are aligned.

The resonant coil 43 may be mounted not only at the power receiving coupler installation location, but also in the cable section or within the wireless coupler. The ball screw position detector 47 has a position sensor, for example, using a Hall IC. Other types of sensors, such as optical sensors, may also be used.

Figure 6 shows an example where the power supply coupler 22 of the power supply unit 21 moves in a straight line. The management command unit 104 of the information processing device 1 moves the power supply coupler 22 linearly, as shown in Figure 6A, and brings the power supply coupler 22 close to the power receiving coupler 26, as shown in Figure 6B. The capacitive coupling formed when the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 are superimposed realizes the wireless power transmission of this embodiment.

In this embodiment, the procedure by which the management command unit 104 of the information processing device 1 brings the power supply coupler 22 closer to the power receiving coupler 26 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 7 illustrates the movement of the power supply coupler 22. The communication means 17 includes, for example, a receiving antenna array 19. The power supply coupler 22 has a feeder antenna 23. The feeder antenna 23 functions as a transmitting antenna that transmits radio waves, and the receiving antenna array 19 receives these radio waves. Each antenna constituting the receiving antenna array 19 receives radio waves transmitted from the feeder antenna 23. The relative position information acquisition unit 101 of the information processing device 1 acquires relative position information between the power supply unit 22, which is the power supply coupler 22, and the power receiving unit 26, which is the power receiving coupler 26. The positions of the power supply unit 22, which is the power supply coupler 22, and the positions of the power receiving unit 26, which is the power receiving coupler 26, are represented by the positions of the feeder antenna 23 and the power receiving antenna 27, respectively. The relative position information acquisition unit 101 has an angle acquisition unit 101a that acquires relative angle information between the receiving antenna array 19 and the feeder antenna 23 and the power receiving antenna 27. The angle acquisition unit 101a acquires the relative angle between the power supply unit 22 (power supply coupler 22) and the power receiving unit 26 (power receiving coupler 26). The relative position information acquisition unit 101 includes a distance acquisition unit 101b that acquires relative distance information between the receiving antenna array 19 and the power supply antenna 23 and power receiving antenna 27. The distance acquisition unit 101b acquires the relative distance between the power supply unit 22 (power supply coupler 22) and the power receiving unit 26 (power receiving coupler 26).

The angle acquisition unit 101a (Figure 3) of the relative position information acquisition unit 101 acquires the phase difference of the radio waves received by each transmitting antenna, and calculates the angle θ, for example θa or θb in Figure 7, between a reference line L1, which is a straight line passing through the receiving antenna array 19 and parallel to the single-axis ball screw shaft 48, and a straight line connecting the transmitting antenna (feeder antenna 23) and the receiving antenna array 19. This angle θ can be acquired using, for example, a standardized specification such as Bluetooth® Version 5.1.

To obtain the angle θ, the AoA (Angle of Arrival) method of Bluetooth 5.1 (hereinafter referred to as BLT 5.1) is used, for example. In addition to normal data communication, BLT 5.1 transmits a monotonous sine wave, and therefore transmits an unmodulated radio wave for a certain period as a Constant Tone Extension (CTE). This CTE is received by the receiving antenna array 19, and the incident angle is calculated. Since the distance between the antennas constituting the receiving antenna array 19 and the wavelength of the incident radio wave are known, the angle θ can be determined by finding the phase difference between the antennas of the radio wave incident on the antennas.

The distance acquisition unit 101b of the relative position information acquisition unit 101 detects the intensity of radio waves and calculates the distance d1a from the receiving antenna array 19 to the feeder antenna 23a, and the distance d1b from the receiving antenna array 19 to the feeder antenna 23b. The relative distance information includes the distance d1a from the receiving antenna array 19 to the feeder antenna 23a, the distance d1b from the receiving antenna array 19 to the feeder antenna 23b, and the difference between these distances. This calculation of distance d1 can be achieved, for example, using the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) function provided in Bluetooth. Since only direct waves are received by the receiving antenna array 19, the phenomenon that RSSI weakens as the distance d1 increases is utilized. If it is difficult to obtain the required accuracy due to the influence of the surrounding environment such as reflected waves, measures such as canceling out the influence of reflected waves between receiving antennas can be taken.
As described above, the angle θ and distance d1 are determined, and the relative position information acquisition unit 101 acquires the position of the feeder antenna 23 relative to the receiving antenna array 19.

Furthermore, if the distance d2 between the reference line L1 and the feeder 21 is known, the position of the feeder 21 can be determined solely from the relative angle information between the receiving antenna array 19 and the feeder antenna 23 acquired by the angle acquisition unit 101a. Distances d1a and d1b can also be determined from the angle θa between the reference line L1, the feeder antenna 23a, and the receiving antenna array 19, or the angle θb between the reference line L1, the feeder antenna 23b, and the receiving antenna array 19, and distance d2. Specifically, distances d1a and d1b can be calculated using the formulas d1a = d2/sinθa and d1b = d2/sinθb.

By combining these results, the relative position information acquisition unit 101 determines the position of the power supply antenna 23 and the power supply coupler 22. Alternatively, the power supply coupler position detection method may be performed using only the ball screw position detector 47, without using the position detection by the power supply antenna 23.

Similarly, the relative position information acquisition unit 101 acquires the angle θ formed by the line connecting the receiving antenna array 19 and the power receiving antenna 27 with respect to the reference line L1, and the distance d1 between the receiving antenna array 19 and the power receiving antenna 27. The position of the power receiving antenna 27 and the position of the power receiving coupler 26 are then determined by the relative position information acquisition unit 101.

The relative position information acquisition unit 101 acquires the relative positions of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 from their respective positions.

The position setting information calculation unit 103 calculates power supply and power receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the positions of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26, based on the relative positions of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 acquired by the relative position information acquisition unit 101. This power supply and power receiving position setting information is, for example, setting information to move the power supply coupler 22 40 cm away from the receiving antenna array 19. By aligning the position of the power supply coupler 22 with the position of the power receiving coupler 26, high power supply efficiency from the power supply coupler 22 to the power receiving coupler 26 can be obtained.

The management command unit 104 of the information processing device 1 shown in Figure 3 issues a command to move the power supply coupler 22. Based on the power supply and receiving position setting information, the management command unit 104 rotates a ball screw rod with a motor, moving the power supply coupler 22, which is installed on the single-axis ball screw shaft 48, to a position directly below the power receiving coupler 26 on the equipment side.

In this embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 5, the power supply coupler 22 moves along a straight line. Couplers are generally rectangular, and considering the accuracy of alignment, it is best to set the coupler to move along a straight line parallel to one side of the rectangular prism. Furthermore, using angle information, as shown in Figure 7, is effective for verifying the position of an object moving along a straight line, and the use of Bluetooth is effective. Bluetooth is used not only for acquiring position information but also for transmitting and receiving information. Therefore, since position verification can be performed without adding any additional components, the adoption of Bluetooth is effective.

The control unit 104 then instructs wireless power transmission between the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26. The power supply information acquisition unit 102, shown in Figure 2, acquires power supply information, which indicates the power supply value during wireless power transmission. Based on the power supply information and relative position information, the control unit 104 further adjusts the position of the power supply coupler 22.

Figure 8 shows the relationship between the position of the power supply coupler 22 and the supplied power. The control command unit 104 optimizes the position of the power supply coupler 22 using the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) method. In the MPPT method, the optimal value is searched by changing the position of the power supply coupler 22 between overshooting and undershooting. This distance correction has the effect of improving the accuracy of the power supply coupler 22's positioning.

For example, in the hill-climbing control method, the position of the power supply coupler 22 is changed in one direction (increase or decrease), and when the power changes from increasing to decreasing, it is changed in the opposite direction. By repeating this, the control command unit 104 determines the optimal operating point where the power is maximized. If the position is overextended, the operation to return to the previous position is repeated. PID control (Proportional-Integral-Different Controller) may be applied as appropriate. The control command unit 104 sets the position of the power supply coupler 22 where the power supply is maximized.

The vertical axis in Figure 8 represents the output power on the power supply side, but the intensity of the reflected wave from the power receiving coupler 26 may also be used. In this case, the position of the power supply coupler 22 where the reflected wave is minimal can be identified.

Figure 9 illustrates the relationship between inter-coil transmission efficiency and the relative position of the couplers when a coil-type wireless power transmission system is adopted. The horizontal axis shows the relative position of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26. The vertical axis shows the inter-coil transmission efficiency. The target efficiency is set to, for example, 80%. In electric vehicle applications, energy loss in wireless power transmission directly impacts the driving range. Therefore, if the current maximum power supply efficiency is used, the efficiency falls below 80% when the relative position exceeds 5 cm. For this reason, the positional misalignment must be kept within 5 cm.

Figure 10 shows the relationship between the transmission efficiency between capacitive electrodes and the relative position of the couplers when employing an electric field-coupled wireless power transmission system. The horizontal axis represents the relative position of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26. The vertical axis represents the transmission efficiency between capacitive electrodes. For example, the target efficiency is set to 80%. To achieve a power supply efficiency target of 80% or higher at the wireless coupling section, the positional misalignment must be kept within 4 cm.

In the case of wireless position determination shown in Figure 7, although the position can be determined instantaneously, the accuracy of position determination is, for example, about 10 cm. With this accuracy, it is difficult to achieve a positional misalignment of 5 cm or 4 cm between the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26.

In this embodiment, in addition to wireless position determination, the MPPT method shown in Figure 8 is employed. While the MPPT method offers positional accuracy of approximately centimeters, determining the position from the outset using only this method is time-consuming. Therefore, in this embodiment, the relative position information acquisition unit 101 first determines the position wirelessly, the position setting information calculation unit 103 calculates the position setting information, and the management command unit 104 moves the power supply coupler 22 to the determined position. Next, the position setting information calculation unit 103 calculates the position setting information using the MPPT method, and the management command unit 104 moves the power supply coupler 22 to the optimal position.

This allows the power supply coupler 22 to be moved to the optimal position in a short amount of time.

Next, the initial power supply method for the power receiver 25 will be explained. Figure 11 shows a specific example of the dimensions of the power supply unit 21 shown in Figure 6.

The power supply unit 21 has a power supply coupler 22. In Figure 11, there are two power receiving couplers 26, labeled 26a and 26b, respectively. The power receiving unit 25, for example as shown in Figure 1, has a power receiving antenna 27 and contains electronic equipment used for transmitting radio waves, etc. The challenge lies in supplying initial power to the electronic equipment contained in this power receiving unit 25.

According to one embodiment, power required to start up the electronic device is supplied from the power supply coupler 22. Regardless of the position of the power receiving coupler 26, the sizes of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 are set so that they always partially overlap. In Figure 11, the power supply coupler 22a is initially located in the center of the left side of the movable range on the power supply unit 21. The width of the movable range is d3. The width of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 is d4. In order for them to overlap, the condition d4/2 + d4 > d3/4 must be satisfied. Rearranging this and rearranging the size, we derive d4 > d3/6. That is, if there are two power supply couplers 22 and two power receiving couplers 26, their widths should be 1/6 or more of the movable range. In the initial state, the power supply coupler 22 is positioned in the center of the right or left side of the movable range. This ensures that, regardless of the position of the power receiving coupler 26, a portion of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 always overlap in the initial state. This overlapping portion can be used to supply power to the power receiver 25, which is equipped with the power receiving coupler 26.

For example, suppose the width d3 of the movable range is 1 m, and the widths of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 are set to 200 mm. In this case, even if the power receiving coupler 26a is installed at the left end of Figure 11, the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 will overlap over a length of 50 mm. This overlapping section is used to supply several hundred mW of electricity necessary for startup, and communication equipment not shown in Figure 11 is started up.

The power receiver 25 may be equipped with a battery, allowing it to power its electronic devices. Alternatively, the power receiver 25 may have a secondary battery, which can be charged by the electricity received by the power coupler 26.

A configuration in which the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 are always superimposed may be combined with a configuration that includes a battery.

Next, the processing flow of wireless power transmission in this embodiment will be described. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of wireless power transmission. When processing starts, such as when the information processing device 1 is powered on (step START), power is supplied to the power supply unit 21 as part of the power startup process related to wireless power transmission (step S11). The management command unit 104 supplies power to the power receiver 25 through the power receiving coupler 26, which is partially superimposed on the power supply coupler 22, as part of the initial power supply process (step S12). As a result, the electronic equipment of the power receiver 25, especially the communication equipment, is activated, and the power receiver antenna 27 functions.

The relative position information acquisition unit 101 of the information processing device 1 performs relative position information acquisition processing (step S13). Specifically, the position setting information calculation unit 103 calculates information to set the position of the power supply coupler 22 based on the strength and direction of radio waves from the power receiving device. The management command unit 104 rotates the single-axis ball screw shaft 48 through the ball screw drive circuit 44 according to the position setting information and moves the power supply coupler 22 (step S13). Next, the management command unit 104 acquires the power supplied by the power supply coupler 22 and performs MPPT processing so that the power supplied is maximized. Specifically, first, the management command unit 104 moves the power supply coupler 22 and the power supply information acquisition unit 102 acquires the change in power supplied. Next, the position setting information calculation unit 103 calculates position information using, for example, the PID control method. Then, the management command unit 104 moves the power supply coupler 22 so that the maximum power supplied is obtained (step S14). If the transmission efficiency is not maximized (Step S15: No), the process returns to Step S13. If the transmission efficiency is maximized (Step S15: Yes), the control command unit 104 performs the power supply process (Step S16). If the power supply process is not terminated (Step S17: No), the process returns to Step S16, and power supply from the power supply coupler 22 to the power receiving coupler 26 continues.

When the power supply process is terminated (Step S17: Yes), as an initial state setting process, the management command unit 104 moves the power supply coupler 22 to its initial setting position. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, for example, the management command unit 104 positions the power supply coupler 22a in the center left of the movable range and the power supply coupler 22b in the center right of the movable range (Step S18), and then terminates the process (Step END).

(Variant)
In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the power supply unit 22 moves along a straight line. It is also desirable that the power supply unit 22 be movable on a two-dimensional plane with linear movement mechanisms on the X and Y axes, respectively, or in a three-dimensional space with the addition of a Z axis orthogonal to the XY plane. This allows the power supply unit 22 to be installed in a position with high transmission efficiency between it and the power receiving unit 26.

Regarding the method for determining the positions of the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26, any positioning technology can be applied. For example, satellite positioning systems and beacon systems may be used.

The coupling between the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 can be of the electric field coupling type or the magnetic field coupling type. In the case of the magnetic field coupling type, the effects of interactions with the human body and metal parts are a concern; therefore, if such effects are undesirable, the capacitive coupling type is considered more preferable.

The devices that receive power from the power receiver 25 are, for example, mounted in the interior equipment of a vehicle, such as in an automobile. Examples include, in addition to the occupant detection sensor 54, heart rate sensors, vibration elements, seat belt buckle switches, seat belt airbags, seat heaters, etc.

The above explanation primarily described the functions of the functional components of the information processing device 1 and the wireless power transmission system 3. The program that causes the computer to execute the functions of the information processing device 1 can be used independently. Furthermore, it is possible to use a wireless power transmission method that follows the same steps as the program that causes the computer to execute the functions of the information processing device 1.

The information processing device 1, wireless power transmission system 3, program, and wireless power transmission method described above provide the following benefits.

The information processing device 1 includes a relative position information acquisition unit 101 that acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26 in wireless power transmission,
A power supply information acquisition unit 102 acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power supply value in wireless power transmission,
A position setting information calculation unit 103 calculates power supply and power receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit 22 with the position of the power receiving unit 26 based on relative position information and power supply information,
It is equipped with.

This provides wireless power transmission that allows for flexible equipment placement and simultaneous operation with multiple loads.

In the information processing device 1, the relative position information acquisition unit 101 includes an angle acquisition unit 101a that acquires relative angle information between the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26, and a distance acquisition unit 101b that acquires relative distance information between the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26.

This allows us to obtain the positions and relative positions of the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26. In particular, the relative position can be obtained in a short time. Furthermore, when the short-range communication function is used to obtain the relative position, the short-range communication function can be used not only for obtaining position information but also for exchanging other information. If the short-range communication function is provided independently of obtaining position information, it becomes possible to obtain the position information of the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26 while minimizing the installation of new hardware.

The position setting information calculation unit 103 of the information processing device 1 calculates the positions of the power receiving unit 26 and the power supply unit 22 where the value of the power supply information is maximized.

This allows the positional misalignment between the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26 to be minimized, further improving the efficiency of power supply.

The wireless power transmission system 3 comprises an information processing device 1 comprising: a relative position information acquisition unit 101 that acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26 in wireless power transmission; a power supply information acquisition unit 102 that acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power supply value in wireless power transmission; and a position setting information calculation unit 103 that calculates power supply/receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit 22 with the position of the power receiving unit 26 based on the relative position information and the power supply information; a power receiving unit 26 and a power supply unit 22 having electric field resonance type wireless power transmission couplers; and a drive unit that changes the position of the power supply unit 22 according to the power supply/receiving position setting information.

This provides wireless power transmission that allows for flexible equipment placement and simultaneous operation with multiple loads.

The wireless power transmission system 3 has a drive mechanism 24 that changes the position of the power supply unit 22 along a straight line.

This allows for easy and accurate superposition of the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26, each having a roughly rectangular planar shape. Furthermore, the position on a straight line can be determined solely by the angle θ from the reference line L1 (Figure 7). As a result, the position of the power supply unit 22 can be determined simply by providing a system capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves, such as Bluetooth. This simplifies and reduces the size of the system configuration.

The program causes the computer to execute the following functions: a relative position information acquisition function 101, which acquires relative position information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26 in wireless power transmission; a power supply information acquisition function 102, which acquires power supply information indicating the power supply value in wireless power transmission; and a position setting information calculation function 103, which calculates power supply/receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit 22 with the position of the power receiving unit 26 based on the relative position information and power supply information.

This provides wireless power transmission that allows for flexible equipment placement and simultaneous operation with multiple loads.

The wireless power transmission method comprises: a relative position information acquisition step 101, which acquires relative position information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit 22 and the power receiving unit 26 in wireless power transmission; a power supply information acquisition step 102, which acquires power supply information indicating the power supply value in wireless power transmission; and a position setting information calculation step 103, which calculates power supply/receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit 22 with the position of the power receiving unit 26 based on the relative position information and the power supply information.

This provides wireless power transmission that allows for flexible equipment placement and simultaneous operation with multiple loads.

Furthermore, as a variation of this disclosure, the relative position information acquisition unit 101 and the position setting information calculation unit 103 of the information processing device 1 may utilize functions installed in, for example, a BLT 5.1 compatible portable device (e.g., a smartphone) owned by the crew. In this configuration, the positions of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 are identified by the portable device, and information regarding the positions of the power supply coupler 22 and the power receiving coupler 26 is transmitted from the portable device to the information processing device 1.

This disclosure allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the invention. That is, the scope of the invention is indicated by the claims, not by the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the equivalent significance of the disclosure are considered to be within the scope of this invention.

1. Information processing device 2. Power transmission/reception device 3. Wireless power transmission system 4. Power supply 5. Automobile 10. Control unit 11. Processor 12. ROM
13 RAM
14 Bus 15 Input/Output Interface 16 Input/Output Unit 17 Communication Means 18 Storage Unit 19 Receiving Antenna Array 21 Power Supply Unit 22 Power Supply Unit (Power Supply Coupler)
23 Power supply antenna 24 Drive mechanism 25 Power receiver 26 Power receiving section (power receiving coupler)
27 Power receiver antenna 51 Metal body 52 Interior material 53 Seat 54 Occupant detection sensor 55 Vehicle-mounted resin clip 41 Relay drive circuit 42 Relay 43 Resonant coil 44 Ball screw drive circuit 45 Ball screw drive mechanism 46 Pulse input circuit 47 Ball screw position detector 48 Single-axis ball screw shaft 101 Relative position information acquisition unit 101a Angle acquisition unit 101b Distance acquisition unit 102 Power supply information acquisition unit 103 Position setting information calculation unit 104 Management command unit

Claims (7)

The system includes an angle acquisition unit that acquires relative angle information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the phase difference of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and a distance acquisition unit that acquires relative distance information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the intensity of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and a relative position information acquisition unit that acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit in wireless power transmission, based on the relative angle information and the relative distance information.
A power supply information acquisition unit acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power value of the output power at the power supply unit in the wireless power transmission;
A position setting information calculation unit calculates power supply and power receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit with the position of the power receiving unit, based on the relative position information and the power supply information.
An information processing device equipped with,
A wireless power transmission system comprising a drive unit that changes the position of the power supply unit according to the power supply and power receiving position setting information. The wireless power transmission system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit has a drive mechanism that changes the position of the power supply unit in a straight line. The power receiving unit and the power supply unit have electric field resonance type wireless power transmission couplers.
The wireless power transmission system according to claim 1 or 2 . An information processing device used in a wireless power transmission system,
The system includes an angle acquisition unit that acquires relative angle information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the phase difference of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and a distance acquisition unit that acquires relative distance information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the intensity of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and a relative position information acquisition unit that acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit in wireless power transmission, based on the relative angle information and the relative distance information.
A power supply information acquisition unit acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power value of the output power at the power supply unit in the wireless power transmission;
A position setting information calculation unit calculates power supply and power receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit with the position of the power receiving unit, based on the relative position information and the power supply information.
An information processing device equipped with the following features. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the position setting information calculation unit calculates the position of the power receiving unit and the power supply unit where the value of the power supply information is maximized. Information processing equipment used in wireless power transmission systems,
The system includes an angle acquisition function that acquires relative angle information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the phase difference of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and a distance acquisition function that acquires relative distance information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the intensity of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and a relative position information acquisition function that acquires relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit in wireless power transmission, based on the relative angle information and the relative distance information.
A power supply information acquisition function that acquires power supply information, which is information indicating the power value of the output power at the power supply unit in the wireless power transmission,
A position setting information calculation function calculates power supply and power receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit with the position of the power receiving unit, based on the relative position information and the power supply information.
A program that executes the command. Information processing equipment used in wireless power transmission systems
A relative position information acquisition step involves acquiring relative angle information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the phase difference of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, acquiring relative distance information between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit based on the intensity of radio waves received from the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, and acquiring relative position information, which is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit in wireless power transmission, based on the relative angle information and the relative distance information.
A power supply information acquisition step, which acquires power supply information that is information indicating the power value of the output power at the power supply unit in the wireless power transmission,
A position setting information calculation step, which calculates power supply and power receiving position setting information, which is information for aligning the position of the power supply unit with the position of the power receiving unit, based on the relative position information and the power supply information,
A wireless power transmission method that performs this operation.