Device and unit for providing an associative link between a vehicle and a charging station, vehicle having the device and charging station having the unit

• US 9,184,830 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Heuer, Joerg, Schmitt, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US13/930,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/572, 455/573, 455/574, 455/575.9, 455/96, 455/99, 455/345
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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

Abstract

A device and a unit provide an associative link between a vehicle and a charging station, in which the charging station supplies a battery of the vehicle with energy. A vehicle having the device and a charging station having the unit are also provided.

Claims

1. A device for providing an associative link between a vehicle having a battery and a charging station supplying the battery with energy, the device comprising:

a data antenna of a communications unit;

a first antenna fixed to the vehicle and configured for data exchange with said data antenna;

a third antenna disposed at the charging station;

a second antenna fixed to the vehicle and configured for data exchange with said third antenna to provide the associative link between the vehicle and the charging station;

said second antenna configured to permit a signal radiated from said second antenna to said third antenna to be received substantially only by said third antenna; and

a radio controller integrated in the vehicle, connected to said first and second antennas and configured to operate in accordance with a specified standard.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the specified standard is WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network).

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said radiated signal of said second antenna has a radiation characteristic with a lobe in direction of said third antenna.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said radiated signal of said second antenna has a transmitter power being reduced to permit said radiated signal to be received substantially only within a gap between said second antenna and said third antenna.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said transmitter power is reduced for an initial period during provision of the associative link, and is increased for a further period compared to said transmitter power of said initial period after the provision of the associative link.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein said transmitter power is reduced for an initial period and is increased for a further period compared to said transmitter power of said initial period.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second antenna is oriented to permit a signal radiated from said third antenna to be received at a maximum strength in a specified area around a direct line of sight between said second antenna and said third antenna.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second antenna is activated when a specified area is reached.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said specified area is a charging position of the charging station.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second antenna is activated when a speed of the vehicle is below a specified speed.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second antenna is mounted on a side of the vehicle facing a road.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second antenna is one of at least two second charging position antennas each mounted at a respective one of two different sides of the vehicle, one of said at least two second charging position antennas being used to provide the associative link and being one of said at least two second charging position antennas receiving a strongest radiated signal from said third antenna.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein an established charging position of the vehicle is detected if said signal radiated from said second antenna can be received by said third antenna, at least at another specified signal strength.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the associative link between the vehicle and the charging station exists if a signal radiated from said second antenna can be received by said third antenna at least at a specified signal strength.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

at least one device according to claim 1.

16. A unit for providing an associative link between a vehicle having a battery and a charging station supplying the battery with energy, the unit comprising:

a first antenna and a second antenna fixed to the vehicle;

a data antenna fixed to the charging station and configured for data exchange with said first antenna;

a third antenna fixed to the charging station and configured for data exchange with said second antenna to provide the associative link between the vehicle and the charging station;

said third antenna configured to permit a signal radiated from said third antenna to said second antenna to be received substantially only by said second antenna; and

a radio controller integrated in the charging station, connected to said third antenna and to said data antenna and configured to operate according to a specified standard.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the specified standard is WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network).

18. The unit according to claim 16, wherein said signal radiated from said third antenna has a radiation characteristic with a lobe in direction of said second antenna.

19. The unit according to claim 16, wherein said signal radiated from said third antenna has a transmitter power being reduced to permit said radiated signal to be received substantially only within a gap between said second antenna and said third antenna.

20. The unit according to claim 19, wherein said transmitter power is reduced for an initial period during provision of the associative link and is increased in relation to said transmitter power of said initial period for another period after provision of the associative link.

21. The unit according to claim 19, wherein said transmitter power is reduced for an initial period and is increased in relation to said transmitter power of said initial period for another period.

22. The unit according to claim 16, wherein said third antenna is oriented to cause a signal radiated from said second antenna to be received at a maximum strength in a specified area around a direct line of sight between said second antenna and said third.

23. The unit according to claim 16, wherein said third antenna is activated when the vehicle reaches a specified area.

24. The unit according to claim 23, wherein said specified area is a charging position of the charging station.

25. The unit according to claim 16, wherein said third antenna is activated when a speed of the vehicle is below a specified speed.

26. The unit according to claim 16, wherein said third antenna is mounted on or in a base of the charging station.

27. The unit according to claim 16, wherein:

said third antenna is one of at least two third antennas each mounted at a different respective position of the charging station; and

one of said at least two third antennas is configured to provide the associative link and is one of said at least two third antennas receiving a strongest signal radiated from said second antenna.

28. The unit according to claim 16, wherein the associative link between the vehicle and the charging station exists if a signal radiated from said third antenna can be received by said second antenna at least at a specified first signal strength.

29. The unit according to claim 28, wherein an established charging position of the vehicle is detected if said signal radiated from said third antenna can be received by said second antenna at least at a specified second signal strength.

30. A charging station, comprising:

at least one unit according to claim 16.