Charging System and Communication Method

Abstract

This invention discloses a charging system and its communication method. A first device sends a connection signal to a second device via a charging cable. This connection signal includes a varying current signal and / or a varying voltage signal. This transmits first target information, representing the information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device, to the second device via the charging cable. After determining the first target information based on the connection signal, the second device can send a first wireless connection request to the first device. The first device can then establish a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request. This approach eliminates the need for a dedicated communication line to establish a wireless connection between the first and second devices, reducing material costs. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for manual pairing, enabling automatic pairing between the first and second devices and improving the speed of establishing a wireless connection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of charging technology, and in particular to a charging system and its communication method. Background Technology

[0002] In wired charging devices, communication is required between the charger and the device being charged to ensure charging safety and apply the best charging strategy.

[0003] In situations where dedicated wired communication is difficult to implement but the demand for communication information is high, wireless communication can be used. However, before wireless communication can occur between the charger and the receiving device, pairing and network configuration are often required to exchange the necessary information for establishing a wireless connection and enabling secure communication. Current pairing and network configuration processes are cumbersome (e.g., manual pairing), making it time-consuming to establish a wireless connection. If dedicated wired communication is used to assist with automatic network configuration, this wireless communication method becomes redundant due to the already high speed of dedicated wired communication. Furthermore, it requires dedicated wired communication lines and dedicated transceiver components, resulting in high material costs.

[0004] Therefore, how to quickly establish a wireless connection between the charger and the powered device without setting up a dedicated wired communication line has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a charging system and its communication method to enable rapid establishment of a wireless connection between the charger and the powered device without the need for a dedicated wired communication line, thereby realizing wireless communication in a wired charging system.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a communication method for a charging system is provided, applied to a first device; the communication method includes: A connection signal is sent to the second device via the charging cable. The connection signal includes a varying current signal and / or voltage signal. The connection signal is used to characterize first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device. A wireless connection is established with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device.

[0007] Optionally, the first target information includes information for establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device; establishing a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request issued by the second device includes: A temporary wireless connection is established with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device.

[0008] Optionally, after establishing a temporary wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request issued by the second device, the method further includes: Send a second target message to the second device via a temporary wireless connection to establish a secure wireless connection with the first device; Establish a secure wireless connection with the second device based on the second target information in the second wireless connection request sent by the second device. The second target information has a longer byte length than the first target information.

[0009] Optionally, the first target information is a portion of the second target information.

[0010] Optionally, before sending a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable, the following steps are also included: A third wireless connection request is sent to the second device currently electrically connected based on the first target information used in the previous wireless connection. If the wireless connection fails, perform the step of sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable.

[0011] Optionally, after establishing a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device, the method further includes: The system wirelessly exchanges electrical signal information on the charging cable with the second device to determine whether it is connected to the second device via the charging cable. If not, return to the step of sending a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable.

[0012] Optionally, after sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, the method further includes: If no wireless connection is established with the second device within a set period after the device is connected via the charging cable, the step of sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable is executed again.

[0013] Optionally, the communication methods of the charging system also include: After sending a partial connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, a wireless connection is established with the second device based on the received first wireless connection request including the first target information, and the transmission of the remaining connection signal is stopped.

[0014] Optionally, the varying current signal and / or voltage signal includes signals in which at least one of the current magnitude, current duration, voltage magnitude, and voltage duration varies.

[0015] Optionally, the first target information is characterized by the connection electrical signal, and the duration between the time point of the current signal change and the set wireless data transmission or reception time point in the connection electrical signal, and / or the duration between the time point of the current signal change and the set wireless data transmission or reception time point.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a communication method for a charging system is provided, applied to a second device, the communication method comprising: Based on the received connection signal, a first wireless connection request is sent to the first device; the first wireless connection request includes first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device. Based on the response from the first device, establish a wireless connection with the first device.

[0017] Optionally, the first target information includes information on establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device; establishing a wireless connection with the first device based on the response from the first device includes: Based on the first response from the first device, establish a temporary wireless connection with the first device; Based on the second target information received in the temporary wireless connection, a second wireless connection request is sent to the first device. The second wireless connection request includes the second target information, which includes information on establishing a secure wireless connection with the first device. Based on the second response from the first device, a secure wireless connection is established with the first device.

[0018] Optionally, the second device stores historical connection data, which consists of first target information or second target information corresponding to multiple first devices that have previously successfully established wireless connections. Communication methods also include: After receiving a partial connection signal, if it is determined from the partial connection signal that there is matching first target information or second target information, a wireless connection request is sent to the first device based on the matching first target information or second target information.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a charging system is provided, including a first device and a second device, wherein one of the first device and the second device is a charging device and the other is a receiving device.

[0020] Optionally, the first device includes a first control module and an adjustment module, and the second device includes a second control module and a detection module; The first control module is used for wireless communication connection with the second control module; The adjustment module is electrically connected to the first control module and the charging cable respectively, and is used to adjust the current or voltage on the charging cable under the control of the first control module. The detection module is electrically connected to the second control module and is used to detect the current or voltage on the charging cable; the second control module is also used to send a first wireless connection request to the first device based on the current or voltage on the charging cable.

[0021] The charging system and communication method of this invention transmit a connection signal from a first device to a second device via a charging cable. This connection signal includes a changing current signal and / or a changing voltage signal. This transmits first target information, representing the information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device, to the second device via the charging cable. After determining the first target information based on the connection signal, the second device can send a first wireless connection request to the first device. The first device can then establish a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request. This eliminates the need for a dedicated communication line to establish a wireless connection between the first and second devices, reducing material costs. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for manual pairing, enabling automatic pairing between the first and second devices and improving the speed of establishing a wireless connection. Additionally, the transmission of the first target information via the charging cable is confidential, ensuring the security of the wireless connection establishment process. Since the connection between the charging device and the receiving device on the charging cable is typically one-to-one, automatic one-to-one wireless pairing between the charging device and the receiving device is possible, preventing mispairing with other devices. In summary, the technical solution of this embodiment enables automatic, safe, and low-cost wireless pairing or network configuration.

[0022] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of connecting an electrical signal; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is another schematic diagram of connecting electrical signals; Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the time required to establish a wireless connection using different methods; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of another charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, for reference. Figure 2The wired charging system includes a first device 10 and a second device 20, where one of the first device 10 and the second device 20 is a charging device and the other is a receiving device. The charging device includes, for example, a charger, and the receiving device includes, for example, a battery. The charging device and the receiving device can be electrically connected via a charging cable 30, and the charging device can charge the receiving device via the charging cable. The communication method of this embodiment is applied to the first device, see reference... Figure 1 The communication method of the charging system includes: S110, Send a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable.

[0028] The connection signal includes a varying current signal and / or voltage signal, which is used to characterize the first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device.

[0029] Specifically, after the first device and the second device need to be connected via a charging cable, when the first device and the second device need to communicate wirelessly, the first device can send a connection signal, which is transmitted to the second device via the charging cable. After receiving the connection signal, the second device determines the first target signal required to establish a wireless connection with the first device based on the connection signal. For example, the first target information includes key information or account password, and may also include other information representing the need to establish a wireless connection with the first device. This embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit the scope of the invention.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of connecting an electrical signal. (Refer to...) Figure 3 Optionally, the variable current signal and / or voltage signal includes signals in which at least one of the following varies: current magnitude, current duration, voltage magnitude, and voltage duration. Different first devices can correspond to different first target information, and different first target information corresponds to different connection electrical signals; for example, different first target information corresponds to different current signals and / or different voltage signals. Figure 3 The output connection electrical signal (i.e.) Figure 3 Taking the current / voltage signal in the image as an example, q1, q2, q3, q4, and q5 are the magnitudes of the current or voltage; t1, t2, t3, t4, and t5 are the durations of q1, q2, q3, q4, and q5, respectively.

[0031] S120. Establish a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device.

[0032] Specifically, both the first and second devices can be equipped with wireless communication modules, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other wireless communication modules. After the second device determines the first target information based on the connection signal, it can send a first wireless connection request to the first device via its wireless communication module. This first wireless connection request contains the first target information. The first device can receive the first wireless connection request via its own wireless communication module and, based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request, determine that the second device has received the connection signal via the charging cable. Then, based on the first target information received in the first wireless connection request, the first device establishes a wireless connection with the second device.

[0033] The communication method of the charging system in this embodiment involves a first device sending a connection signal to a second device via a charging cable. This connection signal includes a changing current signal and / or a changing voltage signal. This transmits first target information, representing the information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device, to the second device via the charging cable. After determining the first target information based on the connection signal, the second device can send a first wireless connection request to the first device. The first device can then establish a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request. This approach eliminates the need for a dedicated communication line to establish a wireless connection between the first and second devices, reducing material costs. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for manual pairing, enabling automatic pairing between the first and second devices and improving the speed of establishing a wireless connection. Additionally, the transmission of the first target information via the charging cable is confidential, ensuring the security of the wireless connection establishment process. Since the connection between the charging device and the receiving device on the charging cable is typically one-to-one, automatic one-to-one wireless pairing between the charging device and the receiving device is possible, preventing mispairing with other devices. In summary, the technical solution of this embodiment achieves automatic, secure, and low-cost wireless pairing or network configuration.

[0034] Because the current or voltage changes between the charger and the device via the charging cable are typically affected by multiple components and factors such as inductors, capacitors, and switching devices, the data transmission speed is much slower compared to traditional wired or wireless transmission methods. For example, transmitting 1 bit of data may take 0.1 seconds or even longer. Especially when the necessary information for establishing a formal wireless connection is lengthy, transmitting all of this information would consume a significant amount of time, making it difficult to quickly complete information exchange and enter the optimal charging state during the initial connection establishment, which can severely impact the user experience. This invention overcomes the above problems using S210-S220 or S210-S240: Optionally, the first target information includes information on establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device. Figure 4This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, see reference. Figure 4 The communication method of the charging system is applied to the first device. Optionally, the communication method of the charging system includes: S210, Send a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable.

[0035] The connection signal includes a varying current signal and / or voltage signal, which is used to characterize the first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device.

[0036] S220. Establish a temporary wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device.

[0037] Temporary wireless connections are short-lived connections. In some cases, they can lead to a secure wireless connection between the first and second devices, while in others they can result in unpairing and a disconnected state between the two devices. Temporary wireless connections are easier to establish than secure wireless connections, and their security is lower.

[0038] Specifically, the information for establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device is less than the information for establishing a secure wireless connection (also known as a formal wireless connection) with the first device. In this embodiment, the first target information includes information for establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device. The first device establishes a temporary wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request issued by the second device, which can further improve the speed at which the first device and the second device establish a wireless connection.

[0039] Continue to refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, the communication method of the charging system further includes: S230: Send second target information to the second device via a temporary wireless connection to establish a secure wireless connection with the first device.

[0040] The second target information has a longer byte length than the first target information.

[0041] Specifically, since the wireless transmission speed is greater than the transmission speed of the changing current signal or voltage signal on the charging cable, in this embodiment, first, the first device sends the first target information with a shorter byte length to the second device through the charging cable to establish a wireless connection, and then in the temporary wireless connection, the second target information with a longer byte length is sent to the second device in a wireless transmission manner, so that the second target information can be quickly received by the second device. Furthermore, the second device sends a second wireless connection request to the first device according to the second target information received by the second device, and this second wireless connection request is used to request to establish a secure wireless connection with the first device. In this way, the speed of establishing a secure wireless connection between the first device and the second device can be further improved.

[0042] In some embodiments, the first target information is part of the second target information. Exemplarily, the byte length of the first target information is a bytes, and the byte length of the second target information is b bytes, where a < b. The first target information can be the information of the first a bytes in the second target information.

[0043] For example: Assume that the necessary information for the wireless connection is the AES128 key (such as in the Bluetooth Low Energy mode), which is 16 bytes in total. Assume that it takes about 0.1 seconds to transmit 1 bit of data on average by using the changing current or voltage method. If the complete 16 - byte data is directly transmitted by using the current - changing method, it will take about 16×8×0.1 = 12.8 seconds, which is a relatively long time. However, if only 2 - byte temporary information needs to be transmitted first by using the current method, it only takes about 2×8×0.1 = 1.6 seconds to complete the transmission. The charger and the power - receiving device can construct a temporary AES128 key in the way of adding the 2 - byte temporary information and the other 14 - byte default content (such as all 0x00 or 0xFF, or any other agreed - upon values by both parties), establish a temporary wireless connection first, and then exchange the key used for the 16 - byte secure wireless connection in the temporary wireless connection, and then switch to the secure wireless connection. Since the current wireless communication can easily reach more than 1 Mbps, the exchange of these keys can be completed quickly (such as within a few milliseconds). Therefore, the whole process can be controlled within 2 seconds, which reduces more than 10 seconds compared with directly transmitting 16 - byte data completely by using the current - changing method. In the case where the necessary information for the secure wireless connection is relatively long, the time can be greatly shortened. At the same time, since the time of the temporary connection can be very short (such as a few milliseconds), there is no need to worry about the communication being externally deciphered and attacked due to the simplicity of the temporary key, and the communication can be ensured to be secure enough.

[0044] It should be noted that when the first target information is part of the second target information, the first device can send all the information of the second target information in the temporary wireless connection, or only send the information of the second target information except the first target information.

[0045] In other embodiments, the first target information may not be included in the second target information, and the second target information and the first target information may be independent of each other. This embodiment of the present invention does not make specific limitations here.

[0046] S240. Establish a secure wireless connection with the second device based on the second target information in the second wireless connection request sent by the second device.

[0047] Specifically, after the second device receives the second target information via a temporary wireless connection, the second device can send a second wireless connection request to the first device through its wireless communication module. This second wireless connection request contains the second target information. The first device can receive the second wireless connection request through its own wireless communication module and, based on the second target information in the second wireless connection request, determine that the second device has received the second target information via the temporary wireless connection. Then, based on the second target information in the received second wireless connection request, the first device establishes a secure wireless connection with the second device.

[0048] In other alternative embodiments, the first target information may include all information related to establishing a secure wireless connection with the first device, and this embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit this. In this case, the first device directly establishes a secure wireless connection with the second device based on the first wireless connection request.

[0049] After establishing a wireless connection, the charger or the device being charged exchanges information wirelessly and executes the optimal charging strategy. It can also wirelessly query historical charging data and even perform operations involving large amounts of communication data, such as OTA software upgrades.

[0050] In some embodiments, before sending a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable in S110 and S210, the method further includes: sending a third wireless connection request to the second device currently connected to the wireless connection based on the first target information used in the previous wireless connection; if the wireless connection fails, performing the step of sending a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable.

[0051] Specifically, after the first device and the second device are connected via a charging cable, the first device can actively send a third wireless connection request to the second device. The third wireless connection request is sent to the second device based on the first target information used in the previous wireless connection. If the second device that was connected to the first device in the previous connection is the same as the one in the previous connection, and the second device also stores the corresponding first target information, then the first device and the second device can directly establish a wireless connection without sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, thus further shortening the time required to establish a wireless connection.

[0052] In this embodiment, the first device and the second device may only need to send information on the charging cable by changing the current or voltage when initially configuring the network or when the relationship between the first device and the second device changes (such as when the charger or the receiving device is changed). During most of the normal use, the communication of various information can be completed wirelessly at high speed. At the same time, since the information sent on the charging cable is only the necessary information to establish a wireless connection with itself, and this information usually only has a few bytes, even if the information transmission on the charging cable is slow, the overall transmission time will not be too long.

[0053] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, see reference. Figure 5 The communication method of the charging system is applied to the first device. Optionally, the communication method of the charging system includes: S310, Send a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable.

[0054] The connection signal includes a varying current signal and / or voltage signal, which is used to characterize the first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device.

[0055] S320. Establish a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device.

[0056] S330: Exchange information about electrical signals on the charging cable with the second device wirelessly to determine whether to connect to the second device via the charging cable.

[0057] Specifically, since the device connected to the charger may be changed, and the charger connected to the device may also be changed, even after establishing wireless communication, the charging target may be incorrect. That is, the device that has established a wireless communication connection with the charger may not be connected to the charger via a charging cable, while the device that is connected to the charger via a charging cable may not have established a wireless connection with the charger, which can easily cause confusion. For example, if the device connected to the charger is changed after S310 or S320, the device that has established a wireless connection with the charger will be the device before the change, not the device after the change.

[0058] In this step, after S320, the first device wirelessly exchanges electrical signal information on the charging cable with the second device to determine whether they are connected via the charging cable. For example, the first device wirelessly sends information about the electrical signals on the charging cable to the second device, such as the magnitude of the current and the duration of each current magnitude, or the magnitude of the voltage and the duration of each voltage magnitude. The second device can also wirelessly send information about the electrical signals on the charging cable to the first device. If the charger and the powered device have not been replaced, and the exchanged electrical signal information is consistent, the first device can determine that it is connected to the second device via the charging cable. If the exchanged electrical signal information is inconsistent, the first device can determine that it is not connected to the second device via the charging cable.

[0059] If the first device determines that it is not connected to the second device via a charging cable, it returns to execution S310, thereby enabling the first device to establish a wireless connection with the second device that is currently connected via a charging cable.

[0060] If the first device is confirmed to be connected to the second device via a charging cable, then after the first device and the second device establish a wireless connection, neither device is replaced, and the wireless connection and charging cable connection are maintained. Based on this, it is determined that the wireless connection has been successfully established and the pairing operation has been completed, and the device can be charged via the charging cable.

[0061] In some embodiments, S110, S210, or S310, that is, after sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, further includes: if no wireless connection is established with the second device within a set period after connecting with the second device via the charging cable, the step of sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable is performed again.

[0062] The set time period can be a preset time from the moment the first device and the second device are connected via charging cable until the connection is completed. In some embodiments, the set time period can be determined based on the duration of wireless connection establishment between multiple different second devices and the first device. The duration of the set time period can be greater than or equal to the longest duration required for establishing a wireless connection between the multiple different second devices and the first device. In this embodiment, if no wireless connection is established with the second device within the set time period after connecting via charging cable, a connection signal is sent to the second device again via the charging cable to reduce the possibility of unsuccessful wireless communication establishment between the first device and the second device.

[0063] In some cases, chargers or powered devices are frequently replaced. The following steps can be taken to make it easier for the first device and the second device, which have previously established a wireless connection, to re-establish a wireless connection. In some embodiments, the communication method of the charging system further includes: after sending a partial connection signal to the second device on the charging cable, establishing a wireless connection with the second device based on a received first wireless connection request including first target information, and stopping the transmission of the remaining connection signal.

[0064] Specifically, during the process of the first device sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, if the second device receives a portion of the connection signal (i.e., before receiving all the connection signals), it matches the received portion with the connection signal of the first device with which a previous wireless connection was established. If the received portion matches a portion of the connection signal of the first device with which a previous wireless connection was established, the second device attempts to send a first wireless connection request to the first device. The first wireless connection request includes first target information, which corresponds to the connection signal of the first device with which a previous wireless connection was established. If the first device successfully establishes a wireless connection with the second device based on the first wireless connection request, the first device does not need to send the remaining connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, thus further improving the efficiency of establishing a wireless connection.

[0065] For example, assuming the complete data required to establish a wireless connection is 32 bytes, the second device can store this 32 bytes after each new connection is established, and can store information from multiple different first devices. When the second device receives one or more bytes of connection information transmitted in a variable current or voltage manner, it can retrieve the connection data information of the charger that matches the number of bytes received from the stored information (for example, comparing the received first byte with the stored first byte, the received second byte with the stored second byte, and so on, until p bytes are compared and all are the same, 1≤p<32, a match is considered). Then, it immediately uses the complete 32 bytes of data from the matching first device to attempt a wireless connection with the first device. After a successful wireless connection, information can be exchanged using the faster wireless connection, eliminating the need to continue using the charging cable for slower information exchange. This method is particularly useful when frequently switching first devices for charging, as it can quickly re-establish wireless connections with previously wirelessly connected devices and quickly enter the optimal charging state.

[0066] As described above, the changing current signal and / or voltage signal includes a signal in which at least one of the current magnitude, current duration, voltage magnitude, and voltage duration changes. In some embodiments, the first target information is characterized by a connection electrical signal, and the duration between the time point of the current signal change and the set wireless data transmission or reception time point, and / or the duration between the time point of the current signal change and the set wireless data transmission or reception time point.

[0067] The wireless data settings can be included in the wireless data packet settings. These wireless data packets can use agreed-upon frequencies, channels, IDs, keys, etc., and are relatively publicly available wireless data packets that can be received by both the first and second devices without establishing a connection. Since the relative position or time distance between the wireless data packet and the changing current or voltage is only known to the two connected parties on the charging cable, this information is effectively encrypted. This method increases the amount of information that can be transmitted per unit time, i.e., increases information density, reduces communication time, and can shorten network distribution time.

[0068] Optionally, the wireless data packet may also include auxiliary information, such as calibration information for transmitting information over the charging cable, to help improve the accuracy of information transmission over the charging cable.

[0069] Figure 6 This is another schematic diagram for connecting electrical signals. Figure 6 and Figure 3 The difference is that, Figure 6 The diagram illustrates t6 and t7, where t6 is the time elapsed between the current or voltage change point (connection signal magnitude q1 changes to connection signal magnitude q2) and the designated wireless data packet signal reception or transmission point, and t7 is the time elapsed between the current or voltage change point (connection signal magnitude q4 changes to connection signal magnitude q5) and the designated wireless data packet signal reception or transmission point. These, along with t1 to t5 and q1 to q5, can be used to load the first target information to be transmitted. Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the time required to establish a wireless connection using different methods. (For reference) Figure 7 Here, it is assumed that the necessary information for establishing a formal wireless connection is n bytes. It is also assumed that without the involvement of pre-defined wireless data packets, the transmission of each byte of current or voltage change on the charging cable requires 1T time.

[0070] Method 1: The time required to transmit n bytes of necessary information to establish a formal wireless connection on the charging cable; the time to establish a wireless connection is approximately nT.

[0071] Method 2. Only 2 bytes of data required for a temporary wireless connection are transmitted on the charging cable. The bytes of data required for a formal wireless connection are then transmitted within the temporary wireless connection. The time required to establish a formal wireless connection is negligible since the time taken for a temporary wireless connection is extremely short (it can be completed within a few milliseconds). Therefore, the total time for establishing a wireless connection is approximately 2T.

[0072] The 2 bytes of data required for a temporary wireless connection can be a portion of the n bytes of data in the formal wireless connection, or it can be unrelated. When it is a portion, the remaining (n-2) bytes of data required for the formal wireless connection can be transmitted in the temporary wireless connection; when it is unrelated, then n bytes need to be transmitted; however, due to the fast speed of wireless transmission, the overall time is usually not significantly different between the two.

[0073] Method 3. Only 2 bytes of data required for a temporary wireless connection are transmitted on the charging cable, combined with Figure 6 and Figure 7 When a set wireless data packet is involved, the information transmission method includes the time or location of the current or voltage change point from the set wireless data packet signal transmission or reception point. The transmittable information density per unit time increases. Assuming it doubles, the total time to establish a formal connection is further reduced to about 1T.

[0074] Method 4. This method assumes that only 1 byte of data is transmitted on the charging cable (without any specific wireless data packets involved), and the other party retrieves a matching complete n-byte data from historical data and establishes a formal wireless connection. The charger or receiving device previously stored multiple complete data sets containing the necessary information for establishing a wireless connection. Therefore, upon receiving the 1 byte of data, the retrieval can begin. Assuming the received 1 byte is 'x', and the previously stored complete data was in ascending order, it only needs to check if any of the previous data sets contain 'x' as the first byte. If so, it is considered a match, and this n-byte data can be used immediately to attempt to establish a wireless connection. If the wireless connection is successfully established, the transmission of the remaining (n-1) bytes of data on the charging cable can be abandoned. This further reduces the overall time for re-establishing a formal connection with a device that was previously connected but not during the last charging session to approximately 1T.

[0075] It should be noted that if it is the second device that was last charged, it has already connected with the other party when the strategy of "sending a third wireless connection request to the second device currently connected based on the first target information used in the last wireless connection" is applied, so the total time is close to 0T.

[0076] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, Figure 7 The above methods determine time and logic in units of transmitted bytes, but in practical applications, time and logic can also be determined in units of transmitted bits.

[0077] This invention also provides another communication method for a charging system, applied to a second device. Figure 8 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, see reference. Figure 8 The communication method of the charging system includes: S410. Based on the received connection signal, send a first wireless connection request to the first device.

[0078] Specifically, after the second device and the first device are electrically connected via a charging cable, the first device can send a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable. This connection signal is used to characterize the first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device. The second device can parse the first target information based on the received connection signal and send a first wireless connection request to the first device. The first wireless connection request includes the first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device.

[0079] S420: Based on the response from the first device, establish a wireless connection with the first device.

[0080] Specifically, after receiving the first wireless connection request sent by the second device, the first device can verify whether the first target information is consistent with the first target information represented by the connection electrical signal. For example, if they are consistent, the first device can respond to the second device, and the second device can establish a wireless connection with the first device based on the response of the first device.

[0081] The communication method of the charging system in this embodiment involves a second device sending a first wireless connection request to a first device based on a received connection signal. This first wireless connection request includes first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device. The first device can respond based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request from the second device, and the second device establishes a wireless connection with the first device based on the response. This eliminates the need for a dedicated communication line to establish a wireless connection between the first and second devices, reducing material costs. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for manual pairing, enabling automatic pairing between the first and second devices and improving the speed of establishing a wireless connection. Additionally, the transmission of the first target information on the charging cable is confidential, ensuring the security of the wireless connection establishment process. Since the connection between the charging device and the receiving device on the charging cable is typically one-to-one, automatic one-to-one wireless pairing between the charging device and the receiving device is possible, preventing mispairing with other devices. In summary, the technical solution of this embodiment achieves automatic, safe, and low-cost wireless pairing or network configuration.

[0082] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, see reference. Figure 9 The communication method of the charging system is applied to the second device. Optionally, the communication method of the charging system includes: S510. Based on the received connection signal, send a first wireless connection request to the first device.

[0083] In some embodiments, the first target information includes information about establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device. By setting the first target information representing the connection signal to include information about establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device, the amount of information included in the connection signal can be reduced, thereby shortening the transmission time of the connection signal.

[0084] S520: Based on the first response from the first device, establish a temporary wireless connection with the first device.

[0085] Specifically, after receiving the connection signal, the second device sends a first wireless connection request to the first device to establish a temporary wireless connection based on the first target information corresponding to the connection signal. The first device, after determining that a temporary wireless connection can be established with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request (for example, if the first target information in the first wireless connection request is the same as the first target information represented by the connection signal), issues a first response. Based on the first device's first response, the second device establishes a temporary wireless connection with the first device. The first device then sends second target information to the second device via the temporary wireless connection.

[0086] S530. Based on the second target information received in the temporary wireless connection, send a second wireless connection request to the first device.

[0087] The second wireless connection request includes second target information, which includes information on establishing a secure wireless connection with the first device.

[0088] Specifically, after receiving the second target information, the second device sends a second wireless connection request to the first device to establish a secure wireless connection based on the second target information. After the first device determines that a temporary wireless connection can be established with the second device based on the second target information in the second wireless connection request, for example, if the second target information in the second wireless connection request is the same as the second target information represented by the connection electrical signal, it issues a second response.

[0089] S540: Based on the second response from the first device, establish a secure wireless connection with the first device.

[0090] Specifically, the second device establishes a secure wireless connection with the first device based on the first device's second response. In this embodiment, the second device first sends a first wireless connection request to the first device based on the received connection signal. The first target information includes information for establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device. After receiving the first device's first response, a temporary wireless connection is established with the first device. Then, based on the second target information received during the temporary wireless connection, the second wireless connection request is sent to the first device. The second wireless connection request includes second target information, which includes information for establishing a secure wireless connection with the first device. Based on the first device's second response, a secure wireless connection is established with the first device. Thus, by first establishing a temporary wireless connection and then wirelessly transmitting the second target information, the speed of establishing a secure wireless connection between the first and second devices is further improved.

[0091] In some embodiments, the second device stores historical connection data, which consists of first target information or second target information corresponding to multiple first devices that have previously successfully established wireless connections. The communication method further includes: after receiving a partial connection signal, if it is determined from the partial connection signal that there is matching first target information or second target information, sending a wireless connection request to the first device based on the matching first target information or second target information.

[0092] "Previously" refers to the period before the second device and the currently electrically connected first device were electrically connected via a charging cable. Historical connection data includes first or second target information corresponding to multiple first devices that had previously successfully established wireless connections. After the second device connects to the first device via the charging cable, it can search based on the received partial connection signals on the charging cable. If it determines that the historical connection data contains first or second target information matching the partial connection signals, it can send a corresponding wireless connection request to the first device. For example, if the historical connection data contains first target information matching the partial connection signals, a first wireless connection request is sent to the first device; if the historical connection data contains second target information matching the partial connection signals, a second wireless connection request is sent to the first device. The presence of first target information matching the partial connection signals in the historical connection data means that a portion of the first target information in the historical connection data is identical to a portion of the first target information corresponding to the partial connection signals. Similarly, the presence of second target information matching the partial connection signals in the historical connection data means that a portion of the second target information in the historical connection data is identical to a portion of the second target information corresponding to the partial connection signals.

[0093] Figure 10This is a flowchart of another communication method for a charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, see reference. Figure 10 The communication methods of the charging system include: The first device sends a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable; The second device sends a first wireless connection request to the first device based on the received connection signal; The first device sends a response to the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device; The second device establishes a wireless connection with the first device based on the response from the first device.

[0094] This invention also provides a charging system, see reference. Figure 2 The charging system includes a first device 10 and a second device 20, one of which is a charging device and the other is a receiving device.

[0095] The charging system in this embodiment uses the communication method of the charging system in any embodiment of the present invention for communication, and has the beneficial effects of the communication method of the charging system in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0096] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of another charging system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, for reference. Figure 11 The first device 10 includes a first control module 101 and an adjustment module 102, and the second device 20 includes a second control module 201 and a detection module 202. The first control module 101 is used to wirelessly communicate with the second control module 201. The adjustment module 102 is electrically connected to the first control module 101 and the charging cable 30, respectively, and is used to adjust the current or voltage on the charging cable 30 under the control of the first control module 101. The detection module 202 is electrically connected to the second control module 201 and is used to detect the current or voltage on the charging cable 30. The second control module 201 is also used to send a first wireless connection request to the first device 10 according to the current or voltage on the charging cable 30.

[0097] The first control module 101 and the second control module 201 each integrate a wireless communication module. The adjustment module 102 may include a current adjustment circuit and / or a voltage adjustment circuit. The detection module 202 may include a current detection circuit and / or a voltage detection circuit. Under the control of the first control module 101, the adjustment module 102 can adjust the current or voltage on the charging cable 30, thereby enabling the transmission of a connection signal to the second device 20 via the charging cable 30. The detection module 202 can detect the current and / or voltage of the connection signal, thereby determining the first target information. The second control module 201 can send a first wireless connection request to the first device 10 based on the first target information. In some embodiments, the first device 10 is further provided with a detection module, and the second device 20 is further provided with an adjustment module, thereby enabling the second device 20 to send a connection signal to the first device 10, the first device 10 to detect the connection signal, and the first control module 101 to send a wireless connection request to the second device 20.

[0098] The first control module 101 and the second control module 201 have wireless signal processing functions to implement various logics of this method. There are only two charging cables 30, corresponding to the positive terminal cable 31 and the negative terminal charging cable 32 respectively, eliminating the need for additional traditional communication lines and saving material costs.

[0099] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0100] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A communication method of a charging system, characterized by, Applied to the first device; the communication method includes: A connection signal is sent to a second device via a charging cable. The connection signal includes a varying current signal and / or voltage signal. The connection signal is used to characterize first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device. A wireless connection is established with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device.

2. The communication method of the charging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first target information includes information for establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device; establishing a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request issued by the second device includes: A temporary wireless connection is established with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device.

3. The communication method of the charging system according to claim 2, wherein, After establishing a temporary wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request issued by the second device, the method further includes: The temporary wireless connection is used to send a second target message to the second device to establish a secure wireless connection with the first device. Establish a secure wireless connection with the second device based on the second target information in the second wireless connection request sent by the second device. The second target information has a byte length greater than the first target information.

4. The communication method of the charging system according to claim 3, wherein, The first target information is a portion of the second target information.

5. The communication method of the charging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, the process also includes: A third wireless connection request is sent to the second device currently electrically connected based on the first target information used in the previous wireless connection. If the wireless connection fails, perform the step of sending a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, After establishing a wireless connection with the second device based on the first target information in the first wireless connection request sent by the second device, the method further includes: The system wirelessly exchanges information about electrical signals on the charging cable with the second device to determine whether it is connected to the second device via the charging cable. If not, return to the step of sending a connection signal to the second device on the charging cable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is a wireless communication. After sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, the process also includes: If no wireless connection is established with the second device within a set period after the device is connected via the charging cable, the step of sending a connection signal to the second device via the charging cable is executed again.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication method is a charging system, and Also includes: After sending part of the connection signal to the second device via the charging cable, a wireless connection is established with the second device based on the received first wireless connection request including the first target information, and the transmission of the remaining part of the connection signal is stopped.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, The changing current signal and / or voltage signal includes a signal in which at least one of the current magnitude, current duration, voltage magnitude, and voltage duration changes.

10. The communication method of the charging system according to claim 9, wherein, The first target information is characterized by the connection electrical signal, and the duration between the time point of the current signal change and the set wireless data transmission or reception time point in the connection electrical signal, and / or the duration between the time point of the current signal change and the set wireless data transmission or reception time point.

11. A communication method of a charging system, characterized by, Applied to a second device, the communication method includes: Based on the received connection signal, a first wireless connection request is sent to the first device; the first wireless connection request includes first target information required to establish a wireless connection with the first device. Based on the response from the first device, a wireless connection is established with the first device.

12. The communication method of the charging system according to claim 11, wherein, The first target information includes information on establishing a temporary wireless connection with the first device; establishing a wireless connection with the first device based on the response from the first device includes: Based on the first response from the first device, establish a temporary wireless connection with the first device; Based on the second target information received in the temporary wireless connection, a second wireless connection request is sent to the first device. The second wireless connection request includes the second target information, which includes information on establishing a secure wireless connection with the first device. Based on the second response from the first device, a secure wireless connection is established with the first device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication is initiated by the charging system. The second device stores historical connection data, which consists of the first target information or the second target information corresponding to multiple first devices that have previously successfully established wireless connections. The communication method further includes: After receiving part of the connection signal, if it is determined from the part of the connection signal that there is matching first target information or second target information, a wireless connection request is sent to the first device according to the matching first target information or second target information.

14. A charging system, characterized by It includes a first device and a second device, one of which is a charging device and the other is a receiving device.

15. The charging system of claim 14, wherein, The first device includes a first control module and an adjustment module, and the second device includes a second control module and a detection module; The first control module is used for wireless communication connection with the second control module; The adjustment module is electrically connected to the first control module and the charging cable respectively, and is used to adjust the current or voltage on the charging cable under the control of the first control module. The detection module is electrically connected to the second control module and is used to detect the current or voltage on the charging cable; the second control module is also used to send a first wireless connection request to the first device based on the current or voltage on the charging cable.

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