System to align a vehicle within a parking location using thermal targets

摘要

A system to align a vehicle in a parking location includes a plurality of heat generating devices, such as infrared LEDs, arranged in a surface of the parking location to produce a distinctive thermal pattern. A multiple zone temperature sensor is mounted to view the heat generating devices and is configured to output thermal data for each of the zones. A controller is configured to receive the thermal data and determine a thermal map of the plurality of heat generating devices. A display provides a graphic indication of the thermal map and a thermal alignment target. The system may be used to align a vehicle having a capture resonator of a wireless power transfer system to a parking location having a source resonator of a wireless power transfer system.

主权项

1. A system to align a vehicle in a parking location, said system comprising:
a plurality of heat generating devices arranged in a surface of said parking location to produce a distinctive thermal pattern; a multiple zone temperature sensor mounted so as to have a sensor field of view including said plurality of heat generating devices and configured to output thermal data indicative of a zone temperature for each of the zones; a controller in communication with the multiple zone temperature sensor; a memory device storing instructions that, when executed, cause said controller to receive the thermal data from said multiple zone temperature sensor and determine a thermal map of said plurality of heat generating devices forming an array of thermal data cells, wherein each thermal data cell has a temperature value based on a temperature characteristic of one or more of the zones; and a display in communication with said controller, said display providing a graphic indication of the thermal map and a thermal alignment target; wherein the system further includes a source resonator coupled to an electrical current source that causes the source resonator to emit a magnetic charging signal; and a capture resonator configured to wirelessly receive the magnetic charging signal and provide electrical current; wherein the multiple zone temperature sensor is mounted so as to have the sensor field of view including said source resonator, wherein the plurality of heat generating devices are disposed proximate to the source resonator, and wherein said display provides the graphic indication of the thermal map and the thermal alignment target such that said source resonator and said capture resonator are aligned when the thermal map of the plurality of heat generating devices and the thermal alignment target are overlaid on the display.