Object detection apparatus for an inductive charging system

An inductive charging system comprising:

• a ground pad module containing a coil and driving circuitry couplable with an electrical power supply configured to generate a magnetic field;
• a car pad module containing a coil configured to receive energy from the magnetic field and driving circuitry couplable to deliver power to a battery in a vehicle;
• and
• an object detection apparatus comprising:
• a transmitter configured to transmit a signal;
• a receiver having a field of view including a substantial portion of the magnetic field, the receiver configured to receive within the field of view a reflected signal of the transmitted signal;
• and
• a signal processor configured to examine characteristics of the reflected signal as received by the receiver to identify a hazard condition in relation to the magnetic field;
• and
• a wireless data link between the ground pad module and the car pad module to transfer therebetween data relating to operation thereof, wherein the wireless data link comprises a first antenna associated with the ground pad module and a second antenna associated with the car pad module;
• wherein the object detection apparatus is coupled to the first antenna associated with the ground pad module or the second antenna associated with the car pad module;
• wherein the object detection apparatus is operable at a first frequency contemporaneously with the wireless data link operable at a second frequency different from the first frequency;
• and
• wherein the object detection apparatus and the wireless link are coupled to the first antenna of the ground pad module or the second antenna of the car pad module via respective filters respectively associated with the first frequency and the second frequency, wherein a first of the respective filters is configured to allow the reflected signal as received via the first frequency to pass to the object detection apparatus and to block a wireless signal associated with transfer of the data as received via the second frequency from passing to the object detection apparatus, while a second of the respective filters is configured to allow the wireless signal as received via the second frequency to pass to a communication element of the wireless data link and to block the reflected signal as received via the first frequency from passing to the communication element.