Means and methods for making an associative connection

• US 10,207,593 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Heuer, Joerg, Schmitt, Anton, Zhang, Xi
• Primary Examiner(s): Aisaka, Bryce M
• Application Number:
  US15/316,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20180147949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method is provided in which a pair of transmitters having omnidirectional and directional transmission characteristics is provided when an associative connection is established between an electric vehicle and a charging station. Once the associative connection has been established in such a way that a directional radio link is formed, the associative connection is tested using an omnidirectional transmitter. The results of the testing may be used to prevent an unwanted associative connection to a compromising transmitter.

Claims

1. A method for making an associative connection between an electric vehicle and a charging station, the method comprising:

setting up the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station by forming a directional radio link; and

checking the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station using an omnidirectional transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the directional radio link is formed between a directional transmitter arranged at the charging station and a directional transmitter arranged on the electric vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional transmitter is arranged on the electric vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the directional transmitter is arranged at a short distance from the omnidirectional transmitter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein checking the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station includes comparing a transmission strength of the directional radio link with a signal strength of the omnidirectional transmitter.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising outputting a negative result if the transmission strength of the signal transmitted by the omnidirectional transmitter exceeds the transmission strength of the directional radio link.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising breaking the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station in response to the negative result.

8. A connecting unit for establishing an associative connection between an electric vehicle and a charging station, the connecting unit comprising:

an interface to at least one first transmitter, each first transmitter having an essentially directional transmission characteristic; and

an interface to at least one second transmitter, each second transmitter having an essentially omnidirectional transmission characteristic;

wherein the connecting unit is configured to use the first transmitter to set up the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station; and

wherein the connecting unit is configured to use the second transmitter to check the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station.

9. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a connecting unit comprising;

an interface to at least one first transmitter, each first transmitter having an essentially directional transmission characteristic; and

an interface to at least one second transmitter, each second transmitter having an essentially omnidirectional transmission characteristic;

wherein the connecting unit is configured to use the first transmitter to set up the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station; and

wherein the connecting unit is configured to use the second transmitter to check the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station.

10. A charging station, comprising:

a connecting unit comprising;

an interface to at least one first transmitter, each first transmitter having an essentially directional transmission characteristic; and

an interface to at least one second transmitter, each second transmitter having an essentially omnidirectional transmission characteristic;

wherein the connecting unit is configured to use the first transmitter to set up the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station; and

wherein the connecting unit is configured to use the second transmitter to check the associative connection between the electric vehicle and the charging station.