Tesla patents wireless charging pad with foreign object detection
A newly published patent application describes a system to reliably identify metal objects on wireless charging surfaces across varying temperatures.
Tesla has published a patent application submitted in March for a wireless charging pad equipped with advanced foreign object detection capabilities. The system uses inductive coils in resonant tanks to identify unwanted metal objects on the charging surface under different temperature conditions.
According to the patent description, the detector works by exciting the resonant tanks with signals at or near their nominal resonant frequency, then analyzing how coil resistance and inductance change. A metal object is detected when a coil's resistance increases and inductance decreases. The system then distinguishes between frequency and magnitude shifts caused by temperature fluctuations versus those caused by actual foreign objects, allowing for accurate detection.
The patent indicates Tesla is developing more sophisticated wireless charging infrastructure, though the company has not announced when or how this technology might be deployed in its vehicles or charging network.
"🚨 Tesla has a new patent application published today, which was submitted back in March, for a Wireless Charging Pad: “The present disclosure relates to methods and systems that can reliably detect foreign objects on a wireless charging pad under varying temperatures. In some examples, an object detector can utilize a set of inductive coils included in resonant tanks, and excite the resonant tank"— X · @Teslarati