# US 10,245,962 B2 · Active rectifier for wireless power transfer system, vehicle assembly using same and operation method thereof

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- Number: US 10,245,962 B2
- Document ID: US10245962B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/297,808
- Filed: 2016-10-19
- Published: 2017-05-04
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2015-11-02
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company
- Inventors: Woo Young Lee; Hyun Wook Seong; Gyu Yeong Choe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245962B2

## CPC

- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60L 53/122: Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
- B60L 53/126: Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
- B60L 53/22: Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling
- H02J 50/90: involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
- H02M 7/217: using semiconductor devices only
- H02M 7/219: in a bridge configuration
- B60L 2210/30: AC to DC converters
- H02J 7/42: with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones
- H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV]
- H02M 1/0085: {Partially controlled bridges}
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 10/92: Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An active rectifier for a wireless power transfer system includes: a first rectifying circuit; a second rectifying circuit; a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit. The first rectifying circuit, the second rectifying circuit, the first switching circuit, and the second switching circuit are arranged in a form of a bridge circuit between a secondary coil of a vehicle and a battery of the vehicle, and the active rectifier controls the first and second switching circuits according to a charging status of the battery or an output status of the wireless power transfer system in order to change or maintain a charging power to the battery.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An active rectifier for a wireless power transfer system, the active rectifier comprising:
a first rectifying circuit;
a second rectifying circuit;
a first switching circuit;
a second switching circuit; and
a controller, wherein
the first rectifying circuit, the second rectifying circuit, the first switching circuit, and the second switching circuit are arranged in a form of a bridge circuit between a secondary coil of a vehicle and a battery of the vehicle,
the active rectifier controls the first and second switching circuits according to a charging status of the battery or an output status of the wireless power transfer system in order to change or maintain a charging power to the battery,
a first connection node between a first terminal of the first rectifying circuit and a first terminal of the first switching circuit and a second connection node between a first terminal of the second rectifying circuit and a first terminal of the second switching circuit are connected to both ends of the secondary coil,
a first common terminal between a second terminal of the first rectifying circuit and a second terminal of the second rectifying circuit and a second common terminal between a second terminal of the first switching circuit and a second terminal of the second switching circuit are connected to both ends of the battery,
when an increased output of the wireless power transfer system is desired, the controller selectively turns on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while the other of the first and second switching circuits is turned off according to a phase of a voltage or current induced in the secondary coil, and
when a decreased output of the wireless power transfer system is desired, the controller selectively turns on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while the other of the first and second switching circuits is turned on according to the phase of the voltage or current induced in the secondary coil.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The active rectifier according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the first and second switching circuits and outputs control signals for one or more of the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit based on battery charging status information received from the battery.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The active rectifier according to claim 2, wherein the controller controls on-off operations of one or more of the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit according to a phase of a voltage or current induced in the secondary coil.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The active rectifier according to claim 1, wherein the first switching circuit or the second switching circuit includes a semiconductor switching element including a switch channel through which a current flows when turned on, and a current flows through a body diode when turned off.

### Claim 5

A vehicle assembly used for a wireless power transfer system, the vehicle assembly comprising:
a secondary coil which is equipped in a vehicle and couples inductively with an external primary coil;
a battery equipped in the vehicle for driving the vehicle;
a rectifier including a first rectifying circuit, a second rectifying circuit, a first switching circuit, and a second switching circuit which are arranged in a form of a bridge circuit between the secondary coil and the battery; and
a vehicle assembly controller, wherein
in the rectifier, a first connection node between a first terminal of the first rectifying circuit and a first terminal of the first switching circuit and a second connection node between a first terminal of the second rectifying circuit and a first terminal of the second switching circuit are connected to both ends of the secondary coil, and a first common terminal between a second terminal of the first rectifying circuit and a second terminal of the second rectifying circuit and a second common terminal between a second terminal of the first switching circuit and a second terminal of the second switching circuit are connected to both ends of the battery,
when an increased output of the wireless power transfer system is desired, the controller selectively turns on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while the other of the first and second switching circuits is turned off according to a phase of a voltage or current induced in the secondary coil, and
when a decreased output of the wireless power transfer system is desired, the controller selectively turns on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while the other of the first and second switching circuits is turned on according to the phase of the voltage or current induced in the secondary coil.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle assembly according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle assembly controller receives battery charging status information and controls the rectifier based on the battery charging status information.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle assembly according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle assembly controller controls on-off operations of one or more of the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit according to a phase of a voltage or current induced in the secondary coil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The vehicle assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first switching circuit or the second switching circuit includes a semiconductor switching element including a switch channel through which a current flows when turned on, and a current flows through a body diode when turned off.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The vehicle assembly according to claim 5, further comprising at least one of a resonance circuit located between the secondary coil and the rectifier, an impedance matching circuit between the secondary coil and the rectifier, a filter located between the secondary coil and the rectifier, and an impedance converter located between the rectifier and the battery.

### Claim 10

An operation method of a vehicle assembly including a secondary coil and a rectifier which controls output of the rectifier to manage charging of a battery equipped in a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving battery charging status information from the battery;
determining whether a battery charging level according to the battery charging status information is greater than a reference level; and
when the battery charging level is greater than the reference level, controlling a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit of the rectifier according to a charging status of the battery, wherein
a first rectifying circuit, a second rectifying circuit, the first switching circuit, and the second switching circuit are arranged in a form of a bridge circuit in the rectifier, and
the controlling of the first switching circuit and a second switching circuit comprises:
when the battery is charged, selectively turning on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while turning off the other of the first and second switching circuits according to a phase of a voltage or current induced in the secondary coil; and
when the battery is not charged, selectively turning on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while turning on the other of the first and second switching circuits according to the phase of the voltage or current induced in the secondary coil.

### Claim 11

An operation method of a vehicle assembly including a secondary coil and a rectifier which controls output of the rectifier to manage charging of a battery equipped in a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving battery charging status information from the battery;
determining whether a battery charging level according to the battery charging status information is greater than a reference level;
when the battery charging level is greater than the reference level, moving the secondary coil to misalign the secondary coil with a primary coil which inductively couples with the secondary coil within a predetermined range; and
after the moving of the secondary coil, controlling a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit of the rectifier according to a charging status of the battery or an output status of a wireless power transfer system, in order to increase or decrease charging power to the battery, wherein
a first rectifying circuit, a second rectifying circuit, the first switching circuit, and the second switching circuit are arranged in a form of a bridge circuit in the rectifier, and
the controlling of the first switching circuit and a second switching circuit comprises:
when the battery is charged, selectively turning on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while turning off the other of the first and second switching circuits according to a phase of a voltage or current induced in the secondary coil; and
when the battery is not charged, selectively turning on or off one of the first and second switching circuits while turning on the other of the first and second switching circuits according to the phase of the voltage or current induced in the secondary coil.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The operation method according to claim 11, further comprising, after the moving of the secondary coil:
detecting a current flowing through the secondary coil;
comparing the current with a reference current; and
adjusting the misalignment between the primary and secondary coils by further moving the secondary coil so that the current falls within an error range of the reference current.