Improved communication device for battery pack

Abstract

An assembly for use with a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells is provided. The assembly enables communication between an electronic device and a radio transceiver located remotely from the electronic device. The assembly comprises: a module antenna operatively connected to the electronic device, the module antenna comprising a transmission line having a first section and a second section arranged in series thereby forming an unbalanced electrical path, the first section and the second section having equal electrical lengths, the total path length of the first section and the second section is an integral multiple of half of the operating wavelength of a carrier; a bus antenna configured for operative communication with the radio transceiver, the bus antenna comprising at least two transmission lines, each transmission line being longer than the first section or the second section of the module antenna, and each of the transmission lines is spaced apart from and positioned adjacent to a different one of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line, the module antenna is coupled to the bus antenna so as to achieve near-field coupling between the module antenna and the bus antenna when a transmission signal is input into the module antenna or the bus antenna.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of batteries and battery cells. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an assembly for use with a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, the assembly enabling wireless communication between an electronic device within the battery pack and a battery management system (BMS) including a radio transceiver located remotely from the electronic device. Background Art

[0002] Battery systems comprising a plurality of battery cells are used in a wide variety of modern power applications. For example, they are used to power electric vehicles, they are used in industrial power applications, transportation, and commercial applications such as powering modern electronic devices. In view of the relatively high power requirements of such applications, battery systems typically include a plurality of battery cells coupled together to achieve the desired power and / or voltage output. Battery cells may be coupled together to form a battery pack, and a battery system may include one or more battery packs.

[0003] It is common practice to connect a battery system to a battery management system (BMS) that is configured to ensure that the battery system operates within its safe operating range. The safe operating range is defined as the temperature, voltage, and current conditions under which the battery system is expected to operate without self-damage. The BMS may include one or more cell monitoring devices (CMDs) that are configured to monitor at least one battery cell and report back to the BMS. The CMDs typically consist of electronic devices that can be configured to measure physical characteristics at the battery cell level, such as current, voltage, temperature, and other characteristics that can be used to determine the condition of the battery cell.

[0004] Therefore, the BMS typically includes a communication device between each CMD and the management circuit of the BMS. However, in view of the high voltage environment in which the BMS and CMD are deployed, in order to ensure trouble-free operation, it is necessary to ensure that such systems provide high voltage isolation and EMI (electromagnetic interference) immunity performance. Since each battery cell or battery pack is at a different voltage relative to the system ground, high voltage isolation is required for the communication signals transmitted between each battery cell or battery pack and the BMS. In a typical battery system, the voltage variation relative to the system ground can reach hundreds of volts. Therefore, kilovolt isolation may be required. In addition, electromagnetic interference can couple with the communication signals transmitted between the CMD and the BMS, thereby disrupting the communication signals or directly interfering with the communication signals. Since the high voltage battery system is a powerful source of EMI, the immunity performance of the communication system deployed in the battery pack is very important.

[0005] Known signal communication applications within battery systems include isolated wired communication protocols (such as CAN bus) or wireless communication protocols (such as WiFi or ZigBee). Although both methods solve the isolation problem, wired communication protocols do not directly solve the EMI problem and require more cumbersome assembly. The use of WiFi or ZigBee (which involves the use of far-field communication protocols) requires that each antenna in the battery system be separated by multiple wavelengths used for radio frequency operation in order to function optimally. These solutions may not fit the typical size of many battery systems.

[0006] An object of at least some embodiments of the present disclosure is to address one or more disadvantages of the prior art, and in particular to provide a more convenient device for enabling communication with a BMS within a battery system, the device benefiting from high voltage isolation and electromagnetic interference immunity. Summary of the invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a component for use with a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells is provided, the component being suitable for enabling communication between an electronic device and a radio transceiver located away from the electronic device. The component may include: a module antenna operatively connected to the electronic device, the module antenna including a transmission line having a first section and a second section arranged in series to form an unbalanced electrical path, the first section and the second section having equal electrical lengths, and a total path length of the first section and the second section being an integer multiple of half the operating wavelength of the carrier; a bus antenna configured to provide a communication channel for the radio transceiver when in use, the bus antenna including at least two transmission lines, each of which is greater in length than the first section or the second section of the module antenna, and each of the transmission lines is spaced apart from and positioned adjacent to different sections of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line to enable near-field coupling between the module antenna and the bus antenna when a transmission signal is input into the module antenna or the bus antenna. The total path length of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line may be half of the operating wavelength of the carrier. In operation, the module antenna and the bus antenna may form a balanced-unbalanced converter (balun), and when the transmission signal includes an unbalanced electrical signal input into the module antenna, the unbalanced electrical signal may be output as a balanced electrical signal in the bus antenna. Alternatively, when the transmission signal includes a balanced electrical signal input into the bus antenna, the balanced electrical signal may be output as an unbalanced electrical signal in the module antenna.

[0008] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, a battery cell constituting the aforementioned assembly and a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells constituting the aforementioned assembly are provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals appearing in different drawings refer to the same components and / or steps. The drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary balanced circuit using common-mode rejection.

[0012] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A Schematic diagram of a balanced circuit including a balun.

[0013] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary bus / module antenna assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the first section and the second section of the module antenna are aligned.

[0014] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary bus / module antenna assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the module antenna is U-shaped and connected to a terminating resistor.

[0015] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary bus / module antenna assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the first section and the second section of the module antenna are aligned.

[0016] Fig. 6A is a perspective view of a printed circuit board including a module antenna and an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 6B yes Fig. 6A A top view of a printed circuit board is shown.

[0018] Figure 6C yes Fig. 6A and Figure 6B A side view of a printed circuit board is shown.

[0019] Fig. 7A is a perspective view of a printed circuit board including a module antenna, an electronic device, and a bus antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the module antenna and the bus antenna are fixed to an outer surface of the printed circuit board.

[0020] Figure 7B yes Fig. 7A view of a printed circuit board.

[0021] Figure 7C yes Fig. 7A and Figure 7BSide view of a printed circuit board.

[0022] Fig. 8A is a top view of a printed circuit board including a module antenna, an electronic device, and a bus antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the module antenna is embedded within a layer of the printed circuit board and the bus antenna is fixed to an outer surface of the printed circuit board.

[0023] Figure 8B yes Fig. 8A Side view of a printed circuit board.

[0024] Fig. 9A is a top view of a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board separated by an air gap, the first printed circuit board including a module antenna and an electronic device, and the second printed circuit board including a bus antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Fig. 9B yes Fig. 9A Side view of a printed circuit board.

[0026] Fig. 10A is a top view of a printed circuit board and a bus antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the printed circuit board including a module antenna and an electronic device, and the bus antenna including a cable outside the printed circuit board.

[0027] Fig. 10B yes Fig. 10A Side view of a printed circuit board.

[0028] Fig.11 is a top view of a printed circuit board and a bus antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the printed circuit board including a module antenna having an hourglass form, and wherein the bus antenna includes a cable having at least two conductors outside the printed circuit board. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals used in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The exemplary embodiments described below do not represent all implementations of the present disclosure. Instead, they are merely non-limiting examples consistent with the various aspects of the present disclosure as described in the attached claims.

[0030] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a component comprising an electronic device and a module antenna configured locally in a battery module, wherein the module antenna implements wireless near-field communication with a bus antenna. The bus antenna provides a signal path for a battery management system (BMS) located away from the battery module. Near-field communication with the bus antenna is achieved through electromagnetic coupling between the module antenna and the bus antenna. The module antenna itself may include a transmission line having a first section and a second section arranged in series, wherein the transmission line implements electromagnetic coupling with the bus antenna. Therefore, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a convenient solution for implementing near-field communication within a battery system, which can adapt to a variety of different implementations of battery modules within the battery system. Additional details follow below, as well as an explanation of the basic operating principles.

[0031] Battery Management System (BMS) Overview .

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The battery system 100 includes, but is not limited to, a plurality of battery modules 103 (labeled with integers between 1 and N, where N is the total number of battery modules in the battery system 100), a BMS 101, one or more cell monitoring devices (CMDs) 105, and a bus antenna 115. According to the illustrated embodiment, each battery module 103 is monitored by an associated CMD 105 (labeled with an integer related to the associated battery module). In alternative embodiments, each single CMD may monitor one or more different battery modules. The battery modules 103 of the battery system 100 may be electrically coupled, and the battery system 100 may include electrical terminals 119 for drawing power from the battery system 100. The battery module 103 may include a single battery cell or a plurality of battery cells arranged in series, in parallel, or a combination thereof. In Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, each CMD 105 may be configured to communicate (send / receive data) with the BMS 101, and more specifically with the BMS management circuit 113, via near field coupling (NFC) with a bus antenna 115. The bus antenna 115 may be connected to a radio transceiver 111, which itself is connected to the management circuit 113 of the BMS 101.

[0033] Each CMD 105 may include an electronic device 107 and a module antenna 109. The electronic device 107 may include or be operatively connected to a plurality of sensors configured to measure and monitor one or more physical characteristics (e.g., voltage, current, charge, temperature, pressure, humidity) at the battery module level or battery cell level. The module antenna 109 may be associated with any physical system capable of establishing NFC communication with the bus antenna 115. Thus, the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 enable communication between each electronic device 107 of each CMD 105 and a radio transceiver 111 located remotely from the plurality of electronic devices 107.

[0034] In this context, near-field coupling can be interpreted as involving a spacing distance between the bus antenna 115 and each module antenna 109 that is less than one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, and more specifically less than one wavelength of a radio wave transmission signal between the bus antenna 115 and the module antenna 109. For example, when the wavelength is 120 mm, the spacing distance may be less than 120 mm. When the spacing is significantly less than one wavelength (e.g., less than one-tenth of a wavelength), stronger electromagnetic near-field coupling may occur. The battery system 100 can be configured so that the spacing between each module antenna 109 and the transmission line does not exceed one-half, one-third, one-quarter, one-fifth, one-sixth, one-seventh, one-eighth, one-ninth, or one-tenth of the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. According to some embodiments, the wavelength of the transmission signal may be associated with any industrial scientific medical (ISM) short-range radio band. Exemplary non-limiting wavelengths may include 440 MHz, 828 MHz, 915 MHz, 2.4-2.5 GHz, and 5 GHz.

[0035] The use of near-field coupling allows multiple module antennas 109 to be positioned close to the bus antenna 115, and the module antenna 109 is not as sensitive to external EMI interference as the far-field module antenna of the prior art, thereby overcoming some of the problems described above. According to some embodiments, multiple module antennas 109 may be arranged at substantially the same distance from the bus antenna 115. The transmission of communications between the electronic device 107 and the radio transceiver 111 may be subject to additional constraints due to the high voltage environment of the battery system 100. As previously mentioned, these additional constraints involve: high voltage isolation and immunity to electromagnetic interference. These two constraints are described below.

[0036] High voltage isolation

[0037] Battery system operating voltage (V B ) is achieved by stacking different cells or battery packs in series (e.g. Figure 1 For most applications, these operating voltages are considered high voltages (V B>60V), although the definition may vary. For example, car batteries typically operate at about 400V, buses may operate at 800V, and industrial energy storage systems may operate at 1500V. Figure 1 As shown, each battery module 103 experiences a different voltage / potential difference V relative to the ground of the battery system 100. i+1 -V i (where i is an integer between 1 and N), where each V i Gradually increases. It can be seen that the voltage of the last battery module 103-N in the battery system 100 is higher than the voltage of the first battery module 103-1. It may be necessary to isolate these high voltages to prevent devices in the battery system from experiencing the high voltages, otherwise these devices may not be able to withstand such high voltages. Specifically, high voltage isolation is required between the antenna module 109 and the bus antenna 115. Figure 1 , the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 are separated by gaps 2, 4, 6, 8. As can be seen from the previous discussion about the voltages experienced by each different battery module 103, the high voltage isolation required across gaps 2, 4, 6, 8 may in principle be different for different battery modules 103, which is subject to the voltage experienced by each battery module 103. Thus, for example, the high voltage isolation required across gap 2 between the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 of battery module 103-1 may be less than the high voltage isolation required across gap 8 between the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 of battery module 103-N, because battery module 103-N may be at a higher voltage relative to battery module 103-1. Therefore, a battery system 100 is envisioned in which different battery modules have different high voltage isolations. However, for practical purposes, it is generally easier to configure each battery module 103, the associated module antenna 109, and the gaps 2, 4, 6, 8 to meet the maximum high voltage isolation that may be experienced within the battery system 100. In other words, each battery module, and more specifically the associated module antenna 109 and gaps 2, 4, 6, 8 may be configured to ensure high voltage isolation for the maximum voltage that the battery module 103-N may experience.

[0038] Consider a car battery consisting of 96 lithium polymer cells with a maximum voltage of 4.2 V. Therefore, the maximum operating voltage of such a car battery is V B is 403.2V. The car battery can be divided into 8 battery modules each containing 12 cells connected in series, and the voltage of each battery module is 50.4V. Therefore, a CMD configured to handle 60V can monitor 12 cells, but since the battery pack is connected in series, each subsequent CMD should be electrically isolated from all other CMDs and associated battery modules, and in particular should be isolated from experiencing the car battery operating voltage V B, to ensure that the maximum potential difference observed by a single CMD is less than 60 V. If the two battery packs are not fully isolated, their corresponding CMDs may not be able to withstand the potential difference (100.8 V).

[0039] High voltage isolation requires the use of the right isolation components with appropriate materials, but also the adherence to the right distances in the design of the battery system to ensure that the high voltage insulation is maintained in all cases of use, in all environments and as the battery system ages. The following two characteristic distances associated with the geometry of the battery system are decisive for ensuring high voltage isolation: clearance distance and creepage distance. The clearance distance (IEC 60664-1) corresponds to the shortest distance in air between two conductive parts, while the creepage distance (IEC 60664-1) corresponds to the shortest distance along the surface of the solid insulating material between two conductive parts. In order to ensure a certain level of voltage isolation between two conductive parts, specific minimum clearance / creepage distances need to be adhered to. These distances are usually specified in industry standard documents, one example of which is the IEC standard 60664-1. In practice, it can be chosen to be greater than the battery operating voltage V B Voltage isolation levels of 500V, 1kV or higher may be appropriate for a 400V battery system.

[0040] It should be noted that high voltages not only represent a risk of damage to battery system components, but also pose a risk of electric shock to the battery system assembly operator or end user. Components used for signal communication between CMD, battery modules and BMS within the battery system are closely monitored because they are potential sources of current leakage and the associated risk increases with the number of cells N.

[0041] EMI Immunity and Common Mode Rejection

[0042] Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is interference with electronic devices or systems through electromagnetic radiation, electrostatic coupling, magnetic coupling, or electrical conduction. It can cause malfunctions, data corruption, data loss, or even complete failure of the affected device. EMI can be caused by a variety of different sources, including power lines, radio waves, and even household appliances. In the context of battery systems, the high voltages and currents present are powerful sources of EMI, and electronic components such as CMDs or other circuits are susceptible to EMI. Shielding, filtering, and grounding are common methods used to reduce the effects of EMI on electronic systems.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method adopted to reduce EMI is to use balanced electrical paths and common mode suppression. In order for an electrical signal to propagate, there must be a return path. In an unbalanced system, a first conductor is provided to propagate a signal, and the return path is referred to as a ground connection. In a balanced system, a second conductor is provided to propagate the same signal as the first conductor, but with opposite polarity (e.g., the same amplitude, but opposite phase). The second conductor is a return path for the first conductor, and vice versa.

[0044] In a balanced system, there are two signal propagation modes. The first mode is differential mode, in which the signal of interest is determined by the difference of the signals propagating on the two conductors. The second mode is common mode, in which the signal of interest is the signal appearing on the two conductors. In a balanced system, EMI is usually coupled to the common mode, and noise filtering may be required to remove it. In contrast, when operating in differential mode, the signals have opposite polarities, and the output is determined by calculating the difference between the two signals of opposite polarity propagating on each conductor. When the signal difference is determined, any EMI coupled to the two conductors can be effectively removed or filtered out. Since the two conductors are located close to each other relative to the distance of the source causing the EMI, the amplitude and polarity of the induced EMI in each conductor are substantially the same. Therefore, when the difference of the two signals affected by EMI noise propagating in the two conductors is determined, the induced EMI noise will cancel out. In this way, the desired signal can be transmitted without EMI traces in the differential mode conductor. In fact, determining the difference of two signals of opposite polarity propagating on two conductors may require a signal subtractor. In other words, a device that receives two differential signals as its input and outputs their difference (which is the signal of interest). A differential receiver can be used to determine the difference. Similarly, a differential amplifier is another example of a signal subtractor, but the differential amplifier outputs an amplified difference signal. In contrast, generating a differential signal for an input of two conductors may require a differential output block, such as an input signal splitter and inverter, a differential output amplifier, or a phase splitter. The signal splitter converts the input signal V dm Separated into two signals V with equal amplitude dm / 2. The inverter reverses the polarity of one of the split signals (i.e., -V dm / 2). The end result is to provide two signals of opposite polarity (i.e., equal amplitude but opposite phase) that can be input on separate conductors, thereby forming a differential pair of signals. Functionally, a splitter-inverter performs the inverse function of a subtractor - given a single input signal, it splits the single input signal into two signals and inverts the polarity of one of the signals. In contrast, a subtractor having a differential pair of signals determines the difference by subtracting the two differential signals to output a difference signal.

[0045] Figure 2A 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary balanced circuit using common mode rejection. Signal source 201 provides an input signal V to be transmitted to receiver 209. S The circuit includes a first balanced conductor 203-1 and a second balanced conductor 203-2. For an input signal V S , using the separator-inverter 207-1 to generate the differential signal V S / 2 and -V S / 2. The first differential signal V S / 2 is output to the first conductor 203-1, and the second (inverted) differential signal -V S / 2 is output to the second conductor 203-2. If the circuit is not completely resistant to EMI, both the first conductor 203-1 and the second conductor 203-2 may experience interference / noise signals V from the nearby noise source 205. 噪声 However, since the two conductors are balanced, the resulting signal propagating along the first conductor 203-1 is equal to V 噪声 +V S / 2, and the resulting signal on the second conductor 203-2 is equal to V 噪声 -V S / 2. The two resulting signals are input to the subtractor 207-2, where the difference signal is output from the subtractor 207-2 and input to the receiver 209. Therefore, at the receiver 209, a signal proportional to the difference between the two resulting signals from the first conductor 203-1 and the second conductor 203-2, i.e., V 噪声 +V S / 2-V 噪声 -(-V S / 2)=V S . Common mode interference / noise signal V 噪声 As mentioned previously, the function of subtractor 207-2 may be provided by a differential amplifier, in which case the output signal received at receiver 209 is amplified, ie, GV S , where G represents the gain of the differential amplifier. The measure of the differential amplifier's ability to reject common-mode voltage is called the common-mode rejection ratio or CMRR.

[0046] like Figure 2B As shown, a balun 208 may be used to perform differential operations on the first conductor 203-1 signal and the second conductor 203-2 signal. In other words, according to some embodiments, Figure 2A The functions of the splitter-inverter 207-1 and the subtractor 207-2 can be provided by the balun 208. The balun 208 is a reciprocal three-port power divider including one unbalanced port and two balanced ports. Figure 2BThe signals at the balanced ports are equal and opposite (frequency domain: π phase shift - time domain: one balanced port signal is opposite to the other balanced port signal). The balun 208 is designed to distribute the signal energy fed to the unbalanced port equally between the two unbalanced ports. Reciprocally, the balun is able to combine the differential signals applied to the balanced ports at the unbalanced ports. Figure 2B In the example shown, the balun 208-1 separates the source signal V applied to the unbalanced port 1. S , and balun 208-2 combines the differential signals applied to balanced ports 2 and 3. Receiver 209 (which may be associated with a radio transceiver) generally has only one unbalanced input / output port. In order to use balanced communications with common-mode rejection, a balun with sufficient CMRR may be required. According to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that although the balun may be associated with a hardware device, the functionality provided by the balun may also be provided by alternative means. Specifically, and as described below in the description of the exemplary embodiments, the functionality of balun 208 may be provided by Figure 1 More specifically, the configuration of the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 is provided. Figure 2B The principle is applied to Figure 1 In a battery system, according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, when a signal is transmitted from the battery cell monitoring device 105 to the BMS 101, the electromagnetic coupling between the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 provides Figure 2B The functionality of the balanced-to-unbalanced converter 208-1 is provided by the radio transceiver 111, while the functionality of the balanced-to-unbalanced converter 208-2 is provided by the radio transceiver 111 at the BMS 101. To achieve this, the radio transceiver 111 at the BMS 101 may be provided with a balanced-to-unbalanced converter or other subtractor device, such as a differential amplifier. Further implementation details according to embodiments of the present disclosure follow. Alternatively, the bus antenna 115 may be bidirectional, that is, the transmission signal may be transmitted from any of the CMDs 105 to the BMS 101, or from the BMS 101 to any of the CMDs 105. In the latter case, the CMD 105 corresponds to a receiver, and the radio transceiver 111 corresponds to a source, and the electromagnetic coupling of the module antenna 109 with the bus antenna 115 provides Figure 2B The functionality of the balun 208-2 is provided by the radio transceiver 111, while the functionality of the balun 208-1 is provided by the radio transceiver 111. To achieve this, the radio transceiver 111 at the BMS 101 may be provided with a block providing a differential output, such as a splitter-inverter, a differential output amplifier or a balun.

[0047] NFC communication components

[0048] return Figure 1 , and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a component using near field communication is provided, which includes a bus antenna 115 and a module antenna 109. The component enables communication with the BMS 101, and in particular, communication between at least one electronic device 107 of the corresponding CMD 105 and the radio transceiver 111 of the BMS 101. This component solves both the high voltage (HV) isolation and EMI problems. Another advantage of near field coupling is that the value of the coupling strength can be easily adjusted to achieve weak coupling. In order not to overload the bus antenna 115, weak coupling can be set. The use of weak coupling is advantageous because it enables a large number of CMDs 105 (e.g., N>200) to be spaced apart along the bus antenna 115 without overloading the bus antenna or changing its characteristics. The module antenna 109 can be operably coupled to the electronic device 107, and the bus antenna 115 can be configured for operative communication with the radio transceiver 111. The module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 are arranged relative to each other to achieve near-field coupling therebetween when a transmission signal is input into the module antenna 109 or the bus antenna 115. In other words, the components disclosed herein enable bidirectional communication between the CMD 105 and the BMS 101. In this context, the transmission signal may correspond to an electrical signal characterized by at least one of voltage, current, power, frequency, or wavelength. For example, in some non-limiting embodiments, the transmission signal may correspond to a radio wave having a frequency between 2.4 and 2.5 GHz, but, as should be clear from the foregoing description, this frequency range is by no means limiting, and any desired frequency may be selected, and more specifically, any desired ISM band may be used.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, the bus antenna 115 may include at least two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2. A transmission line may more generally refer to any elongated conductor that enables transmission of a signal; thus, examples of transmission lines may include cables, wires, twisted pair type cables, or microstrip lines. According to some embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may include more than two transmission lines. Therefore, for present purposes, although the remaining embodiments are described with respect to a bus antenna having two transmission lines, it should be understood that the bus antenna may include more than two transmission lines. In such embodiments, it is contemplated that one or more additional transmission lines have different, negligible, or no near-field coupling strength with the module antenna 109 (e.g., a ground line). According to some embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may also include a terminal 117 ( Figure 1 ), the terminal may be located between the bus antenna 115 and the radio transceiver 111 (eg Figure 1The bus antenna 115 may be configured such that substantially all of the energy in the transmission line that is not coupled to the module antenna 109 is absorbed by the terminal 117. The terminal 117 may include any electrical device configured to match the characteristic impedance of the two transmission lines 115-1 / 2, such as a resistor. According to some embodiments, and as described in the previous section, the two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 of the bus antenna 115 may be configured as a balanced circuit such that an electrical signal propagating in a first of the two transmission lines is out of phase with respect to an electrical signal propagating in a second of the transmission lines by π radians.

[0050] In some embodiments, and as previously described, the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 may form a balanced-unbalanced converter in operation. In this scenario, the transmission signal may include an unbalanced electrical signal input to the module antenna 109, which is output as a balanced electrical signal at the bus antenna 115. This is the scenario when the transmission signal is being transmitted from the module antenna 109 to the bus antenna 115. In the case where the transmission signal is alternatively being sent from the bus antenna 115 to the module antenna 109, the transmission signal may include a balanced electrical signal input to the bus antenna 115, which is output as an unbalanced electrical signal at the module antenna 109. In this case, EMI immunity is advantageously enhanced through common mode suppression.

[0051] Component Architecture

[0052] Now that the operating principles of the present disclosure have been provided, more specific details of the component architecture are provided. Figure 3Schematic diagram of an exemplary bus / module antenna assembly consistent with the disclosed embodiments is shown. The module antenna 109 includes a transmission line having a first section 109-1 and a second section 109-2 arranged in series, thereby forming an unbalanced electrical path. The first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 have equal electrical lengths, and the total path length of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 is an integer multiple of half the operating wavelength λ of the carrier. In other words, the phase difference between the transmission signal at one end of the module antenna 109 transmission line and its reflected wave is 2π. In the context of the present disclosure, a carrier refers to an electromagnetic waveform that can be modulated or manipulated to carry information. Examples of carriers may include transmission signals input to the module antenna 109 or the bus antenna 115. The electrical length is a measure of the phase shift experienced by the carrier when it propagates through the transmission line, which corresponds to a physical length represented by the operating wavelength λ of the carrier modulo 2π. Thus, two different transmission lines or segments of transmission lines may have equal electrical lengths, but two different physical lengths (the physical lengths differ by an integer multiple of the operating wavelength). In the following sections, unless otherwise specified, the term length refers to the physical length. According to some embodiments, the first segment 109-1 and the second segment 109-2 may have an electrical length equal to π / 2, and the same length equal to λ / 4. According to some embodiments, the transmission line of the module antenna 109 may form an open circuit, such as Figure 3 As shown, one end of the second segment 109-2 of the module antenna 109 transmission line (the end not connected to the first segment 109-1) is open circuited. According to some other embodiments, the transmission line of the module antenna 109 can be short-circuited to ground. For example, the end of the second segment 109-2 not connected to the first segment 109-1 can be short-circuited to ground. The purpose of forming an open circuit or a short circuit to ground at one end of the module antenna 109 transmission line is to reflect all energy to the other end, which is as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, it is optionally connected to the electronic device 107. Although the present disclosure includes figures having cross-sections in the form of straight lines, it should be noted that the cross-sections may be in the form of curved lines or may be in the form of zigzag lines.

[0053] As mentioned above, the bus antenna 115 includes at least two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2. Each of the transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 is spaced apart from and positioned adjacent to a different section of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the transmission line of the module antenna 109 to achieve near-field coupling when a transmission signal is present in the bus antenna 115 or the module antenna 109. In the context of the present disclosure, a section adjacent to a transmission line may refer to a section closest to the transmission line, such as Figure 3 As shown, the first segment 109-1 is adjacent to the transmission line 115-1, and the second segment 109-2 is adjacent to the transmission line 115-2. According to some embodiments, for example, Figure 3 As shown, each of the transmission lines 155 - 1 , 115 - 2 of the bus antenna 115 may be positioned parallel to a different one of the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2 of the module antenna 109 transmission line.

[0054] When the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 form a balanced-unbalanced converter in operation, the balanced ports (ports 2 and 3) are formed by the two transmission lines 115-1, 115-2, and the transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 form a balanced circuit. The unbalanced port (port 1) is formed by the module antenna 109 transmission line and is located at one end thereof. For example, Figure 3 As shown, the unbalanced port (port 1) is located at one of the ends of the first segment 109-1, which is not connected to the second segment 109-2. The degree of balance between the two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 is related to the ability of the component to transmit electrical signals having substantially the same amplitude but with a phase shift of π radians in each transmission line 115-1, 115-2. In other words, the degree of balance depends on the ability of the component to provide substantially the same coupling strength between each transmission line of the bus antenna and its adjacent segment. In this context, two substantially the same amplitudes may refer to a relative difference of two values ​​that is less than a predetermined percentage. For example, if the two values ​​of the induced current differ by less than 1% or 2%, they may be substantially the same. The closer the amplitudes of the electrical signals in each transmission line, the higher the degree of balance, and the better the CMRR of the balanced-unbalanced converter formed by the bus antenna 155 and the module antenna 109. For example, according to some embodiments, the degree of balance between the two balanced ports may be configured to produce a CMRR greater than or equal to 0, 10 dB, 20 dB or more. As Figure 3 As shown, the unbalanced port (Port 1 ) is operatively connected to the electronic device 107 .

[0055] The near-field coupling strength between two transmission lines is the strength of the electromagnetic coupling that occurs between them due to their proximity, and more specifically depends on the overlap between their corresponding electromagnetic modes. The degree of mode overlap depends on multiple factors, such as the distance between the two transmission lines, the geometric characteristics of the transmission lines (cross-section, radius, height, width, ...), and the physical properties of the transmission line materials and the surrounding environment (dielectric constant, conductivity, ...). It is difficult to find an accurate analytical expression for the coupling as a function of these parameters, so in order to accurately determine the near-field coupling strength between two transmission lines, detailed electromagnetic analysis and modeling techniques, such as electromagnetic simulation or circuit simulation, are usually used. Without loss of generality, the amplitude of the electromagnetic field generated by a source decreases with the distance from the source, which means that when the separation distance between the two transmission lines is small, the electromagnetic fields are more likely to interact and couple.

[0056] Therefore, the near-field coupling strength between the bus antenna 115 and the module antenna 109 depends on the spacing distance d between the transmission line of the module antenna and at least one transmission line of the bus antenna, or more specifically, the spacing distance d between each transmission line of the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 and its adjacent section. 12 d 13 It is expected that the near-field coupling strength will increase as the spacing distance d decreases, so the spacing distance d can be selected to adjust the value of the near-field coupling strength. According to some embodiments, each of the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 can be located equidistant from different sections of the sections 109-1, 109-2 of the transmission line of the module antenna 109. For example, Figure 3 to Figure 4 As shown, the spacing distance d between the first section 109-1 and the transmission line 115-1 is 12 The spacing distance d between the second coil 109-2 and the transmission line 115-2 13 However, alternative embodiments are also contemplated in which each of the separation distances between the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 and their adjacent segments is different. According to some embodiments, the separation distance d between each of the bus antenna transmission lines and its adjacent segments may be selected to be 12 d 13 To achieve a coupling strength greater than or equal to -50 dB and less than or equal to -10 dB. Alternatively, the separation distance 303 may be selected to achieve a coupling strength greater than or equal to -40 dB and less than or equal to -20 dB, or a coupling strength greater than or equal to -35 dB and less than or equal to -25 dB.

[0057] Separation distance d 12 d 13 It can also be selected based on the clearance / creepage distance. Since a specific clearance / creepage distance is required to ensure a certain level of voltage isolation, a minimum separation distance d may be required. 12 d 13 . The distinction between clearance distance and creepage distance depends on the nature of the material separating each of the transmission lines of the bus antenna from its adjacent sections. According to some embodiments, each of the transmission lines of the bus antenna and its adjacent coils may be separated by a dielectric insulating material. Examples of dielectric insulating materials may include any one or more of the following: air, plastic material, glass-filled plastic material, epoxy composite material, polyethylene terephthalate "PET", acrylonitrile butadiene styrene "ABS", polytetrafluoroethylene "PTFE", polyvinyl chloride "PVC", polybutylene terephthalate "PBT", polyethylene "PE", polyamide "PA", FR4, ceramic filled polytetrafluoroethylene "PTFE", ceramic laminate or polyester film. Figure 3In the example of , each bus antenna transmission line 115-1, 115-2 and adjacent sections thereof are separated by air. According to some embodiments, the dielectric insulation material may be selected to have a dielectric breakdown voltage greater than the operating voltage of the battery system. The dielectric breakdown voltage is the voltage at which the dielectric material experiences a significant increase in its conductivity, resulting in a breakdown of its insulating properties. For example, if the operating voltage V of the battery system is B =400V, and the spacing distance between each of the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 and its adjacent coil is 4mm, then a material with a minimum dielectric breakdown voltage of 100V / mm can be used to solve the high voltage isolation problem. In practice, a material is usually selected with a dielectric breakdown voltage that is several orders of magnitude larger than the required dielectric breakdown voltage. In the above example, in order to increase safety, a dielectric material with a dielectric breakdown voltage of several kV / mm is usually selected. Examples of such materials are listed above, such as the dielectric breakdown voltage of polyester film equal to 7kV / mm.

[0058] As mentioned above, the near-field coupling strength between two transmission lines depends on the geometric parameters of the transmission lines. The first cross section 109-1 and the second cross section 109-2 have a transverse profile defined by one or more characteristic dimensions. It should be noted that the transverse profile of the segment can have any shape (square, rectangular, circular, etc.). According to some embodiments, the first segment 109-1 and the second segment 109-2 can be as follows: Figure 3 Similarly, each transmission line 115-1, 115-2 has a lateral profile. According to some embodiments, the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 may share the same lateral profile.

[0059] The above parameters (lateral profile, spacing distance d 12 d 13 ) each has a direct impact on the value of the near-field coupling strength between each of the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 and its adjacent coil. It will be appreciated that by carefully varying these parameters, it is possible to obtain a constant near-field coupling strength. Additionally, two transmission line / segment couplings may exhibit the same near-field coupling strength even if they are separated by different distances or have different characteristic parameters. For example, if a transmission line / segment pair is separated by a first spacing distance and a second transmission line / segment pair is separated by a second spacing distance that is greater than the first spacing distance, then by adjusting one or more characteristic dimensions of the lateral profile of the transmission lines or segments, the same near-field coupling strength may be achieved for the second pair.

[0060] Component implementation

[0061] For the bus / module antenna, different implementations are envisaged. Figure 4Schematic diagram showing an exemplary bus / module antenna assembly consistent with the disclosed embodiments. According to some embodiments, for example, Figure 4 As shown, the transmission line of the module antenna 109 may be U-shaped, in which case the first segment 109-1 and the second segment 109-2 are arranged parallel to each other and connected by the bottom segment 109-3. The bottom segment 109-3 may share at least one of the following features with the first segment 109-1 and the second segment 109-2: the same lateral profile. Alternatively, the lateral profile of the bottom segment 109-3 may be different from one of the first segment 109-1 and the second segment 109-2. For example, the lateral profile of the bottom segment 109-3 may be different from the lateral profile of the first segment 109-1 and the second segment 109-2.

[0062] The electrical length of the bottom section 109-3 can be selected so that the carrier enters and leaves the bottom section with substantially the same phase, and the prerequisite is that the total path length of the module antenna 109 transmission line (first section 109-1, second section 109-2 and bottom section 109-3) section is an integer multiple of half the operating wavelength of the carrier. In other words, in some embodiments, the electrical length of the bottom section 109-3 is negligible relative to the electrical length of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2, or alternatively, in the case where it is not negligible, the electrical length of the bottom section needs to be included in the total path length of the module antenna 109 transmission line.

[0063] According to some embodiments, the length d of the bottom section 109-3 is 11 It can be equal to the spacing distance d between the transmission lines 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 of the bus antenna 115 23 , so that the spacing distance between the two sections of the module antenna 109 transmission line can be equal to the spacing distance between the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2. Figure 4 , which would mean that d 11 =d 23 In this configuration, the bus antenna 115 and the module antenna 107 will be in different parallel planes, and the spacing distance between the two parallel planes will correspond to the spacing distance d between the module antenna 109 transmission line and the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2. Therefore, the spacing distance between the two parallel planes can be selected to adjust the near-field coupling strength and meet the high voltage isolation requirements. According to some other embodiments, for example, Figure 4 As shown, the length d of the bottom section 109-3 11 It can be smaller than the spacing distance d between the transmission lines 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 of the bus antenna 115 23 , so that the spacing distance d between the two sections of the module antenna 109 11Smaller than the spacing distance d between the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 23 , where d 11 <d 23 Alternatively, the length d of the bottom section 109-3 is 11 It can be greater than the spacing distance d between the transmission lines 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 of the bus antenna 115 23 , so that the spacing distance d between the two sections of the module antenna 109 11 Greater than the spacing d between the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 23 . refer to Figure 4 , which would mean that d 11 >d 23 In this configuration, the bus antenna 115 will be spatially surrounded by the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2 of the module antenna 109 .

[0064] In yet another embodiment, it is contemplated that the transmission line of the module antenna may be shaped as an open loop. An open loop refers to any geometric pattern or shape that is not closed or connected. Optionally, the module antenna 109 may be elliptical in shape, including an open end.

[0065] Figure 5 1 shows a schematic diagram of another exemplary bus / module antenna assembly consistent with the disclosed embodiments. In this figure, the transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 of the bus antenna 115 are more fully shown and connected to the terminal resistor R1 401 at one end and to the radio transceiver 111 at the other end. According to some embodiments, the transmission line of the module antenna 109 can be connected to the terminal resistor. For example, Figure 5 As shown, the first section 109-1 of the module antenna 109 transmission line is connected to a terminating resistor R2 402. The value of the terminating resistor R2 402 may be selected to absorb all incident energy at port 1 or all reflected energy.

[0066] Component Symmetry

[0067] According to some embodiments, the positions of the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 relative to the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109 may be symmetrical about a symmetry plane extending along an axis in a direction parallel to the length of the bus antenna transmission line and along an axis in a direction parallel to the height of the bus antenna transmission line. Figure 4 As shown, the positions of the transmission lines 115 - 1 , 115 - 2 of the bus antenna 115 relative to the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2 of the module antenna 109 are symmetrical about the plane 401 .

[0068] Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the positions of the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 relative to the first and second segments 109-1, 109-2 of the module antenna may be symmetrical about an axis of symmetry included in a cross-sectional plane formed perpendicular to the lengths of the first and second segments of the module antenna transmission lines. Figure 3 As shown, the positions of the transmission lines 115 - 1 , 115 - 2 of the bus antenna 115 relative to the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2 of the module antenna 109 are symmetrical about the axis 301 .

[0069] Printed Circuit Board Implementation

[0070] According to some embodiments, the assembly including the bus antenna 115 and the module antenna 109 may include a printed circuit board (PCB). According to some embodiments, the PCB may include the electronic device 107 and the module antenna 109. FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C 1 and 2 show a perspective view, a top view, and a side view of a PCB 600 including a module antenna 109 and an electronic device 107, respectively, consistent with the disclosed embodiments. In these figures, the module antenna 109 is U-shaped and includes a first segment 109-1, a second segment 109-2, and a bottom segment 109-3. Optionally, the module antenna 109 can be embedded within a layer of the PCB. According to some embodiments, the PCB 600 can include multiple layers 601 and a ground plane 603, which is embedded in a layer of the PCB different from the layer 607 in which the module antenna 109 is embedded. For example, as shown in FIG. FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C As shown, the PCB 600 consists of two layers 601 , 603 , with the ground plane 603 being located at the bottom layer. The first section 109 - 1 is connected to a terminal resistor 605 , and the ground connection of the terminal resistor 605 is made through a via connecting the terminal resistor 605 to the ground plane 603 .

[0071] According to some embodiments, the PCB may also include a bus antenna 115 as well as the module antennas 109 and the electronics 107. In such embodiments, it is contemplated that the PCBs attached to adjacent battery modules 103 are electrically connected to ensure that the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 form a continuous electrical path across all battery modules 103 in the battery system. Optionally, the bus antenna 115 may be secured to an outer surface of the PCB. This configuration is shown in FIG. 7A to 7C , these figures respectively show a perspective view, a top view and a side view of a PCB 700 including a module antenna 109, an electronic device 107 and a bus antenna 115, and wherein the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 are fixed to the outer surface of the PCB 700. FIG. 6A to FIG. 6CSimilarly, the module antenna 109 is U-shaped. The PCB 700 includes a plurality of layers 701-1, 701-2 and a ground plane 703, and the ground plane 703 is sandwiched between the first layer 701-1 and the second layer 701-2 of the PCB 700. The first section 109-1 is connected to the terminal resistor 705, and the ground connection of the terminal resistor 705 is performed through a through hole connecting the terminal resistor 705 to the ground plane 703.

[0072] In some other embodiments, the PCB may include multiple layers, and the bus antenna 115 may be secured to or embedded in a different layer of the PCB than the layer in which the module antenna is embedded. FIG. 8A to FIG. 8B A top view and a side view of a PCB 800 including a module antenna 109, an electronic device 107, and a bus antenna 115 are shown, respectively, and wherein the module antenna 109 is embedded in a layer 801-3 of the PCB 800, and the bus antenna 115 is fixed to the bottom surface of the PCB 800. 6A to 7C Similarly, the module antenna 109 is U-shaped. The PCB 800 includes a plurality of layers 801-1, 801-2, 801-3 and a ground plane 803, which is sandwiched between the first layer 801-1 and the second layer 801-2. The first section 109-1 is connected to the terminal resistor 805, and the ground connection of the terminal resistor 805 is performed by a blind hole connecting the terminal resistor 805 to the ground plane 803. By changing the thickness of the third layer 801-3 of the PCB 800, the near-field coupling strength can be adjusted. In this embodiment, the creepage distance corresponds to the distance along the surface of the PCB 800 from the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 around the edge of the PCB 800 on the bottom surface and the distance to the chip connection along the top surface.

[0073] In some further embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may be included in a different PCB than the PCB that includes the module antenna 109 and the electronic device 107, with the two PCBs being parallel and separated by an air gap. This embodiment is shown in FIG. 9A to FIG. 9B , these figures respectively show a top view and a side view of a pair of PCBs 900 separated by an air gap. The first PCB 910 includes a module antenna 109 and an electronic device 107, and the second PCB 920 includes a bus antenna 115. FIG. 6A to FIG. 8BSimilarly, the module antenna 109 is U-shaped. The first PCB 910 includes a plurality of layers 911-1, 911-2 and a ground plane 913, and the ground plane 913 is sandwiched between the first layer 911-1 and the second layer 911-2 of the PCB 910. The first section 109-1 is connected to the terminal resistor 905, and the ground connection of the terminal resistor 905 is performed by connecting the terminal resistor 905 to a through hole of the ground plane 913. The second PCB 920 includes a first layer 921 and a ground plane 923. By changing the air gap between the first PCB 910 and the second PCB 920, the near-field coupling strength can be adjusted. Optionally, the gap between the two PCBs can be filled with an insulating material, such as polyester, ABS, FEP or PFTE, to further increase the high voltage insulation.

[0074] In some alternative embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may include a cable located external to the PCB, and optionally, the cable may be any of the following: a two-core cable, a multi-core cable, a ribbon cable. This embodiment is shown in FIG. 10A to FIG. 10B 1, these figures respectively show a top view and a side view of a PCB 1000 and an external bus antenna 115. The PCB 1000 includes a module antenna 109 and an electronic device 107. FIG. 6A to FIG. 9B Similarly, the module antenna 109 is U-shaped. The PCB 1000 includes a plurality of layers 1001-1, 1001-2 and a ground plane 1003, and the ground plane 1003 is sandwiched between the first layer 1001-1 and the second layer 1001-2 of the PCB 1000. The first section 109-1 is connected to the terminal resistor 1005, and the ground connection of the terminal resistor 1005 is performed by connecting the terminal resistor 1005 to the through hole of the ground plane 1003. By changing the distance between the bus antenna 115 and the bottom surface of the PCB 1000, the near-field coupling strength can be adjusted. In addition, the PCB 1000 may include at least one fastener for attaching the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 to the PCB 1000 at a certain spacing distance relative to the module antenna. Fig.11 1 is a top view of the PCB 1100 and the external bus antenna 115. In this figure, the module antenna 109 transmission line adopts the shape of an open hourglass, such as "O=O" or four horseshoes, and the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109 transmission line adopt the form of a meander line and have equal electrical length and physical length. This configuration provides an improvement in the overall compactness of the module antenna 109 transmission line at the expense of a slight reduction in the near-field coupling strength. It should be understood that the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 do not have to be linear, and non-linear shapes of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 can be envisioned. Fig.11The illustrated first non-linear segment 109-1 and second non-linear segment 109-2 are non-limiting examples and other non-linear shaped segments may be provided. For example, elliptical, oval, hexagonal, polygonal or any other shape may be envisaged. Fig.11 Another advantage of the shape of the module antenna 109 shown is that although the length of the module antenna is similar to its straight line predecessor (such as FIG. 6A to FIG. 9B ), but its width is increased, thereby providing a higher misalignment tolerance of the module antenna 109 relative to the bus antenna 115.

[0075] In any of the PCB implementations described above, the geometry of the PCB is selected so that the minimum gap / channel distance required to ensure a certain degree of voltage isolation is met.

[0076] The description of the example embodiments provided herein has been proposed for the purpose of illustration. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the example embodiments to the precise form disclosed, and can be modified and varied according to the above teachings, or can be modified and varied by practicing various alternatives or equivalents of the embodiments provided. The examples discussed herein are selected and described to explain the principles and essence of various example embodiments and their practical applications, so that those skilled in the art can utilize the example embodiments in various ways and utilize the example embodiments with various modifications suitable for the specific purposes envisioned. The features of the embodiments described herein can be combined in the form of all possible combinations of methods, devices, modules, systems and computer program products. It should be understood that the example embodiments proposed herein can be practiced in any combination with each other.

[0077] It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed, and the word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. It should be further noted that any reference signs do not limit the scope of the claims, that the exemplary embodiments may be implemented at least in part by means of both hardware and software, and that several "components", "units" or "means" may be represented by identical or functionally equivalent hardware items.

[0078] Various example embodiments described herein are described in the general context of method steps or processes, which in one aspect can be implemented by a computer program product embodied in a computer-readable medium or a non-transitory computer-readable medium, including computer-executable instructions, such as program code, executed by one or more processors in a computer or networked environment. Computer-readable media or non-transitory computer-readable media may include removable and non-removable storage devices, including but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), flash memory, etc. In general, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program codes for performing the steps of the methods disclosed herein. A specific sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents an example of corresponding actions for implementing the functions described in such steps or processes.

[0079] In the drawings and description, exemplary embodiments have been disclosed. However, many variations and modifications may be made to these embodiments. Therefore, although specific terms are employed, these terms are used only in a general and descriptive sense and not for the purpose of limitation, and the scope of the embodiments is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An assembly for use with a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells, the assembly being used to enable communication between an electronic device and a radio transceiver located remote from the electronic device, the assembly comprising: a module antenna operatively connected to the electronic device, the module antenna comprising a transmission line having a first section and a second section arranged in series to form an unbalanced electrical path, the first section and the second section having equal electrical lengths, and a total path length of the first section and the second section being an integer multiple of half an operating wavelength of a carrier; A bus antenna configured for operative communication with the radio transceiver, the bus antenna comprising at least two transmission lines, each of which is greater in length than the first section or the second section of the module antenna, and each of the transmission lines is spaced apart from and positioned adjacent to a different section of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line to achieve near-field coupling between the module antenna and the bus antenna when a transmission signal is input into the module antenna or the bus antenna.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the total path length of the first segment and the second segment of the module antenna transmission line is half an operating wavelength of the carrier.

3. The component of claim 1 or 2, wherein in operation, the module antenna and the bus antenna form a balanced-unbalanced converter, and wherein when the transmission signal includes an unbalanced electrical signal input into the module antenna, the unbalanced electrical signal is output as a balanced electrical signal in the bus antenna; or, when the transmission signal includes a balanced electrical signal input into the bus antenna, the balanced electrical signal is output as an unbalanced electrical signal in the module antenna.

4. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the transmission lines of the bus antenna is positioned parallel to a different one of the first and second sections of the module antenna transmission lines.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the bus antenna transmission lines is located equidistantly relative to a different section of the module antenna.

6. An assembly as described in any preceding claim, wherein the position of the bus antenna transmission line relative to the first section and the second section of the module antenna is symmetrical about a symmetry plane, and the symmetry plane extends along an axis in a direction parallel to the length of the bus antenna transmission line and along an axis in a direction parallel to the height of the bus antenna transmission line.

7. An assembly as described in any preceding claim, wherein the positions of the bus antenna transmission line relative to the first segment and the second segment of the module antenna are symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, and the axis of symmetry is included in a cross-sectional plane formed perpendicular to the lengths of the first segment and the second segment of the module antenna transmission line.

8. A component as described in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the at least two transmission lines of the bus antenna are configured as a balanced circuit so that the phase of the electrical signal propagating in the first transmission line of the two transmission lines is different from the phase of the electrical signal propagating in the second transmission line of the transmission lines by π radians.

9. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is U-shaped, the first section and the second section being arranged parallel to each other and connected by a bottom section.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the length of the bottom section is equal to the spacing distance of the bus antenna transmission lines, so that the spacing distance between two sections of the module antenna is equal to the spacing distance between the bus antenna transmission lines.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein any of the following is true: The length of the bottom section is smaller than the spacing distance between the bus antenna transmission lines, so that the spacing distance between the two sections of the module antenna is smaller than the spacing distance between the bus antenna transmission lines; or The length of the bottom branch is greater than the spacing distance between the bus antenna transmission lines, so that the spacing distance between the two sections of the module antenna is greater than the spacing distance between the bus antenna transmission lines.

12. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is shaped as an open loop.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the module antenna is oval in shape including an open end.

14. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is connected to a terminating resistor.

15. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna forms an open circuit.

16. The assembly of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is shorted to ground.

17. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each transmission line of the bus antenna is connected at one end to a terminating resistor.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 14 or 17, wherein the resistance of the terminating resistor is selected to match the characteristic impedance of the transmission line to which it is connected.

19. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the spacing distance between each of the bus antenna transmission lines and its adjacent section of the module antenna transmission line is selected to achieve a coupling strength greater than or equal to -50 dB and less than or equal to -10 dB.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the separation distance between each of the bus antenna transmission lines and its adjacent segment of the module antenna transmission line is selected to achieve a coupling strength greater than or equal to -40 dB and less than or equal to -20 dB.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 19 or 20, wherein the separation distance between each of the bus antenna transmission lines and its adjacent section of the module antenna transmission line is selected to achieve a coupling strength of -30 dB.

22. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the bus antenna transmission lines is separated from its adjacent section of the module antenna transmission lines by a dielectric insulating material.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric breakdown voltage greater than an operating voltage of the battery.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein the dielectric insulating material comprises any of the following: air, a plastic material, a glass filled plastic material, an epoxy composite material.

25. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the dielectric insulation material comprises any one of the following: polyethylene terephthalate "PET", acrylonitrile butadiene styrene "ABS", polytetrafluoroethylene "PTFE", polyvinyl chloride "PVC", polybutylene terephthalate "PBT", polyethylene "PE", polyamide "PA".

26. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the dielectric insulation material comprises any one of the following: FR4, ceramic filled polytetrafluoroethylene "PTFE", ceramic laminate, polyester film.

27. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) containing the electronic device, and wherein: The PCB includes the module antenna.

28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the module antenna is embedded within a layer of the PCB.

29. The assembly of claim 28, wherein the PCB comprises a plurality of layers and a ground plane, the ground plane being embedded in a layer of the PCB different from the layer in which the module antenna is embedded.

30. An assembly as claimed in claim 28 or 29, wherein the PCB comprises a plurality of layers and the bus antenna is embedded in a layer of the PCB different from the layer in which the module antenna is embedded.

31. An assembly as claimed in claim 27 or 28, wherein the bus antenna is secured to an outer surface of the PCB.

32. The assembly of claim 27 or 28, wherein the bus antenna comprises a cable external to the PCB.

33. The assembly of claim 32, wherein the cable is any of the following: a two-core cable, a multi-core cable, a ribbon cable.

34. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 29 and 31 to 33, wherein the PCB includes at least one fastener for attaching the bus antenna transmission line to the PCB at a spaced distance relative to the module antenna.

35. A battery cell forming an assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.

36. A battery pack having a plurality of battery cells and constituting an assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 34, wherein each battery cell is associated with an electronic device and the assembly enables communication between each electronic device and a radio transceiver located remotely from the battery pack via the bus antenna and the module antenna.

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