Improved Communication Device for Battery Pack

Abstract

The assembly is provided for use with a battery pack that includes a plurality of battery cells. This assembly enables communication between an electronic device and a wireless transceiver located remotely from the electronic device. This assembly includes 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 that form an unbalanced electrical path, the first section and the second section having equal electrical lengths, and the total path length of the first section and the second section being an integer multiple of half the operating wavelength of the carrier wave; and a bus antenna configured for operative communication with the wireless transceiver, the bus antenna including at least two transmission lines, each transmission line being longer than either the first section or the second section of the module antenna, each one of the transmission lines being spaced apart from and adjacent to a different one of the first section and the second section of the transmission line of the module antenna, and enabling near-field coupling between the module antenna and the bus antenna when a transmission signal is input to either 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 wireless transceiver disposed remotely from the electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] Battery systems including a plurality of battery cells are used in a wide range of modern power applications. For example, they are used to power electric vehicles and in commercial applications such as industrial power applications, transportation, and powering modern electronic devices. Given the relatively high power demands of such applications, battery systems often include multiple battery cells coupled together to achieve the required power output and / or voltage output. The battery cells can be coupled together to form a battery pack, and the battery system can include one or more battery packs.

[0003] It is common to connect a battery system to a battery management system (BMS) 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 can include at least one battery cell monitoring device (CMD) configured to monitor at least one battery cell and report back to the BMS. The CMD can typically consist of an electronic device configured to measure physical characteristics at the battery cell level, such as current, voltage, temperature, and other characteristics useful for determining the state of the battery cell.

[0004] As a result, the BMS typically includes communication means between each CMD and the management circuit of the BMS. However, considering the high-voltage environment in which the BMS and CMD are deployed, in order to ensure trouble-free operation, such a system needs to reliably provide high-voltage insulation and EMI (electromagnetic interference) resistance performance. Regarding the communication signals transmitted between individual battery cells or packs and the BMS, high-voltage insulation is required because each battery cell or pack is located at a different voltage with respect to the system ground. Voltage fluctuations from the system ground can reach several hundred volts in a typical battery system. Therefore, insulation of kilovolts may be required. Furthermore, electromagnetic interference can combine with the communication signals transmitted between the CMD and the BMS, interfering with the communication signals or directly interfering with them. Since the high-voltage battery system is a strong source of EMI, the resistance performance of the communication system deployed within the battery pack is important.

[0005] Known applications for signal communication within a battery system include insulated wired communication protocols such as CAN bus, or wireless communication protocols such as WiFi or ZigBee. Although both approaches address the insulation problem, the wired communication protocol does not directly address the EMI problem and requires a more cumbersome assembly. The use of WiFi or ZigBee involving the use of far-field communication protocols requires separating each antenna within the battery system by multiple wavelengths at which the radio frequency operates in order to function optimally. These solutions may not be compatible with the typical dimensions of many battery systems.

[0006] The object of at least some embodiments of the present disclosure is to address one or more of the drawbacks of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a more convenient means for enabling communication with the BMS within a battery system that has the advantages of high-voltage insulation and electromagnetic interference resistance. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an assembly for use with a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells is provided, the assembly being suitable for enabling communication between an electronic device and a wireless transceiver remotely located from the electronic device. The assembly includes 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 that form an unbalanced electrical path, the first section and the second section having equal electrical lengths, and the total path length of the first section and the second section being an integer multiple of half of the operating wavelength of the carrier wave; and a bus antenna configured to provide a communication channel to the wireless transceiver in use, the bus antenna including at least two transmission lines, each transmission line being longer than either the first section or the second section of the module antenna transmission line, each one of the transmission lines being spaced apart from and adjacent to a different one of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line, and enabling close coupling between the module antenna and the bus antenna when a transmission signal is input to either 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 wave. During operation, the module antenna and the bus antenna may form a balance, and when the transmission signal includes an unbalanced electrical signal input within the module antenna, the transmission signal may be output as a balanced electrical signal within the bus antenna. Or, when the transmission signal includes a balanced electrical signal input within the bus antenna, the transmission signal may be output as an unbalanced electrical signal within the module antenna.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery cell including the aforementioned assembly and a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells including the aforementioned assembly are provided.

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

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Here, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals used in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise specified. The exemplary embodiments described below do not represent all possible embodiments of the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely non-limiting examples consistent with the aspects of the present disclosure recited in the appended claims.

[0012] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an assembly that includes an electronic device, a module antenna, and a battery module, locally configured to enable wireless short-range communication with a bus antenna. The bus antenna provides a signal path from the battery module to a remotely located battery management system (BMS). The short-range 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, enabling electromagnetic coupling with the bus antenna. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a convenient solution for achieving short-range communication within a battery system, which can accommodate a wide range of different embodiments of battery modules within the battery system. Further details follow below, along with an explanation of the basic operating principle.

[0013] Overview of a battery management system (BMS). 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 an integer 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 an alternative embodiment, 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 the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, each CMD 105 may be configured to communicate (transmit / receive data) with the BMS 101, and more specifically with the BMS management circuit 113, by means of near field coupling (NFC) with the bus antenna 115. The bus antenna 115 may be connected to a wireless transceiver 111, and the wireless transceiver 111 itself is connected to the management circuit 113 of the BMS 101.

[0014] 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 the 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 the wireless transceiver 111, which is remotely located from the plurality of electronic devices 107.

[0015] In this context, near-field coupling can be interpreted as including a separation distance of less than one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, more specifically, less than one wavelength of the wireless transmission signal between the bus antenna 115 and the module antenna 109, between the bus antenna 115 and each module antenna 109. For example, if the wavelength is 120 mm, the separation distance can be less than 120 mm. When the separation is substantially shorter than one wavelength, for example, less than one-tenth of one wavelength, stronger electromagnetic near-field coupling can occur. The battery system 100 can be configured such that each module antenna 109 is separated from the transmission line by one-half, one-third, one-fourth, one-fifth, one-sixth, one-seventh, one-eighth, one-ninth, or one-tenth or less of the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation. According to some embodiments, the wavelength of the transmission signal can be associated with any Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) short-range wireless band. Exemplary non-limiting wavelengths can include 440 MHz, 828 MHz, 915 MHz, 2.4 - 2.5 GHz, and 5 GHz.

[0016] By using near-field coupling, it may be possible to place a plurality of module antennas 109 close to the bus antenna 115. The module antennas 109 are less sensitive to external EMI interference than prior art long-range module antennas, thereby overcoming some of the above problems. According to some embodiments, the plurality of module antennas 109 can be arranged at substantially the same distance from the bus antenna 115. The transmission of communication between the electronic device 107 and the wireless transceiver 111 may be exposed to additional constraints resulting from the high-voltage environment of the battery system 100. As described above, these additional constraints are related to high-voltage insulation and resistance to electromagnetic interference. These two constraints are described below.

[0017] High-voltage insulation The operating voltage (V B ) of the battery system is obtained by stacking different cells or battery packs in series (as shown in FIG. 1). In most applications, these operating voltages may have different definitions, but the high voltage (V Bis considered to be greater than 60V. For example, automotive batteries typically have an operating voltage of about 400V, buses may operate at 800V, and industrial energy storage systems may operate at 1500V. As shown in FIG. 1, each battery module 103 has a different voltage / potential difference V with respect to the ground of the battery system 100 i+1 -V i (where i is an integer between 1 and N) and receives each V iincreases gradually. The last battery module 103-N within the battery system 100 will have a higher voltage than the first battery module 103-1. It may be necessary to insulate these high voltages to prevent devices within the battery system from being exposed to them, or else the devices may not be able to withstand such high voltages. In particular, high voltage insulation is required between the antenna module 109 and the bus antenna 115. In FIG. 1, the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 are separated by gaps 2, 4, 6, 8. From the foregoing description regarding the voltage received by each different battery module 103, the high voltage insulation required across gaps 2, 4, 6, 8 may, in principle, vary for different battery modules 103 according to the voltage to which each battery module 103 is exposed. Thus, for example, the high voltage insulation required across gap 2 between the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 of battery module 103-1 may be lower than the high voltage insulation required across gap 8 between the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 of battery module 103-N. This is because battery module 103-N may be at a higher voltage compared to battery module 103-1. Thus, a battery system 100 is envisioned in which different battery modules have different high voltage insulation. However, for practical purposes, it is often easier to configure each battery module 103, the associated module antenna 109, and gaps 2, 4, 6, 8 to meet the maximum high voltage insulation that can be received within the battery system 100. In other words, each battery module, more specifically, the associated module antenna 109 and gaps 2, 4, 6, 8, can be configured to ensure high voltage insulation of the maximum voltage that battery module 103-N can receive.

[0018] Consider an automotive battery consisting of 96 lithium polymer cells with a maximum voltage of 4.2V. The maximum operating voltage V of such an automotive battery BTherefore, it is 403.2V. The automotive battery may be divided into eight battery modules, each of which is composed of 12 cells connected in series with a voltage of 50.4V each. Therefore, a CMD configured to handle 60V can monitor 12 cells. However, since the battery packs are connected in series, each subsequent CMD needs to be electrically insulated from all other CMDs and related battery modules. In particular, to ensure that the maximum potential difference observed by a single CMD is less than 60V, the automotive battery operating voltage V B must be insulated so as not to receive it. If the two battery packs are not completely insulated, their respective CMDs may not be able to withstand the potential difference (of 100.8V).

[0019] For high-voltage insulation, it is necessary not only to use the correct insulation components with appropriate materials, but also to maintain the correct distances in the design of the battery system to ensure that high-voltage insulation is maintained in all use cases, in all environments, and even when the battery system deteriorates over time. Two characteristic distances related to the shape of the battery system are decisive for ensuring high-voltage insulation, namely, the air distance and the creepage distance. The air 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. To ensure a specific level of voltage insulation between two conductive parts, it is necessary to comply with specific minimum air / creepage distances. These distances are generally specified in industry standard documents, and an example is the IEC standard 60664-1. In practice, a voltage insulation level greater than the battery operating voltage V B may be selected. For example, for a 400V battery system, a voltage insulation level of 500V, 1kV or higher may be appropriate.

[0020] It should be noted that high voltage not only represents a risk of damaging battery system components, but also poses a risk of electric shock to battery system assembly workers or end users. Components used for signal communication between the CMD, battery modules, and BMS within the battery system present potential causes of leakage current, and the associated risks increase as the number N of cells increases, so they are closely monitored.

[0021] Electromagnetic interference resistance and common mode rejection Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is interference with an electronic device or system by electromagnetic radiation, electrostatic coupling, magnetic coupling, or electrical conduction. It can cause malfunctions, data corruption, data loss, or complete failure of the affected device. EMI can be caused by a variety of different sources, including power lines, radio waves, and even household electrical appliances. In the context of a battery system, the high voltages and currents present are strong sources of EMI, and electronic components such as the CMD or other circuits are vulnerable to the effects of EMI. Shielding, filtering, and grounding are common methods used to reduce the effects of EMI on an electronic system.

[0022] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the approach taken to reduce EMI lies in the use of balanced electrical paths and common mode rejection. For an electrical signal to propagate, there must be a return path. In an unbalanced system, a first conductor is provided to carry the signal, and the return path is referred to as a ground connection. In a balanced system, a second conductor is provided to carry the same signal as the first conductor, but with opposite polarity (e.g., the same amplitude but opposite phase). The second conductor is the return path for the first conductor, and vice versa.

[0023] A balanced system has two signal propagation modes. The first mode is differential, where the signal of interest is determined by the difference between the signals propagating on two conductors. The second mode is common mode, where the signal of interest is the signal that appears on both 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 the differential mode, the signals are of opposite polarities and the output is determined by calculating the difference between the two signals of opposite polarities propagating on each conductor. When the signal difference is determined, any EMI coupled to the two conductors can be effectively removed or filtered. Since the two conductors are placed in proximity to each other with respect to the distance that causes EMI, the amplitude and polarity of the EMI induced in each conductor are essentially the same. Therefore, when the difference between the signals affected by the two EMI noises propagating in the two conductors is determined, the induced EMI noises cancel each other out. In this way, the desired signal can be transmitted without leaving a trace of EMI on the differential mode conductors. In practice, a signal subtractor may be required to determine the difference between the two signals of opposite polarities propagating on the two conductors. In other words, the device receives two differential signals as its inputs and outputs their difference, i.e., 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 a differential amplifier outputs the amplified difference signal. Conversely, to generate differential signals for input to two conductors, differential output blocks such as an input signal splitter and inverter, a differential output amplifier, or a phase splitter may be required. A signal splitter separates the input signal V dm into two signals V dm / 2 of equal amplitude. An inverter inverts the polarity of one of the split signals (i.e., -V dm / 2). The final result is that two signals of opposite polarities (i.e., equal amplitude but opposite phase) are provided and can be input on separate conductors, thus forming a differential pair of signals. Functionally, the splitter-inverter performs the inverse of an adder - when provided with a single input signal, the splitter-inverter splits it into two signals and inverts the polarity of one of them. In contrast, an adder is provided with a differential signal pair and determines the difference by subtracting the two differential signals to output a difference signal.

[0024] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary balanced circuit using common-mode rejection. A signal source 201 provides an input signal V S to a receiver 209. The circuit includes a first balanced conductor 203-1 and a second balanced conductor 203-2. Differential signals V S / 2 and -V S / 2 are generated for the input signal V S using a splitter-inverter 207-1. 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 receive interference / noise signals V ノイズ from a nearby noise source 205. However, since both conductors are balanced, the resulting signal propagating along the first conductor 203-1 is equal to V ノイズ +V S / 2, and the signal on the second conductor 203-2 is equal to V ノイズ -V S / 2. The two resulting signals are input to an adder 207-2, and the difference signal is output from the adder 207-2 and input to the receiver 209. Thus, at the receiver 209, a signal proportional to the difference between the two signals obtained from the first conductor 203-1 and the second conductor 203-2 is measured, i.e., V ノイズ +V S / 2 - V ノイズ - (-V S / 2) = V S。Common mode interference / noise signal V ノイズ is removed. As described above, the function of the subtractor 207-2 may be provided by a differential amplifier, in which case the output signal received by the receiver 209 is amplified, i.e., GV S , where G represents the gain of the differential amplifier. A measure of the ability of a differential amplifier to remove the common mode voltage is known as the common mode rejection ratio, or CMRR.

[0025] The differential operation of the first conductor 203-1 signal and the second conductor 203-2 signal can be performed using the balun 208 as shown in FIG. 2B. In other words, according to some embodiments, the functions of the splitter inverter 207-1 and the subtractor 207-2 of FIG. 2A can be provided by the balun 208. The balun 208 is a three-port power splitter that includes one unbalanced port and two balanced ports, shown as port 1 and ports 2 and 3 in FIG. 2B respectively. The signals at the balanced ports are equal and opposite (frequency domain: π phase shift - time domain: one balanced port signal is the opposite of the other balanced port signal). The balun 208 is designed to equally divide the energy of the signal supplied to the unbalanced port between the two balanced ports, and the mutual balun can combine the differential signal applied to the balanced ports at the unbalanced port. In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the balun 208-1 is the source signal V applied to the unbalanced port 1 Sis split, while balun 208-2 integrates the differential signals applied to balance ports 2 and 3. Receiver 209, which may be associated with a wireless transceiver, generally has only one unbalanced input / output port. To use balanced communication with common mode rejection, a balun with sufficient CMRR may be required. According to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, the balun may be associated with a hardware device, but it should be understood that the functions provided by the balun may also be provided by alternative means. Specifically, as will be described in the following description of exemplary embodiments, the functions of balun 208 may be provided by the configurations of module antenna 109 and bus antenna 115 in FIG. 1. More specifically, applying the principle of FIG. 2B to the battery system of FIG. 1, according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, when a signal is transmitted from cell monitoring device 105 to BMS 101, the electromagnetic coupling between module antenna 109 and bus antenna 115 provides the functions of balun 208-1 in FIG. 2B, and wireless transceiver 111 provides the functions of balun 208-2. To achieve this, wireless transceiver 111 at BMS 101 may be provided with a balun or other subtractor device such as a differential amplifier. Details of further embodiments according to embodiments of the present disclosure follow. Alternatively, bus antenna 115 may be bidirectional, i.e., the transmission signal may be transmitted from either CMD 105 to BMS 101 or from BMS 101 to either CMD 105. In this latter situation, CMD 105 corresponds to the receiver, wireless transceiver 111 corresponds to the source, the electromagnetic coupling between module antenna 109 and bus antenna 115 provides the functions of balun 208-2 in FIG. 2B, and wireless transceiver 111 provides the functions of balun 208-1. To achieve this, wireless transceiver 111 at BMS 101 may be provided with a block that provides a differential output such as a splitter inverter, differential output amplifier, or balun.

[0026] NFC communication assembly Returning to FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an assembly is provided that employs short-range communication and includes a bus antenna 115 and a module antenna 109. This assembly enables communication with the BMS 101, specifically enabling communication between at least one electronic device 107 of each CMD 105 and the wireless transceiver 111 of the BMS 101. Such an assembly simultaneously addresses both high voltage (HV) insulation and EMI issues. Another advantage of short-range coupling is that the value of the coupling strength can be easily adjusted to achieve weak coupling. The weak coupling may be set so as not to overload the bus antenna 115. The use of weak coupling is advantageous in that it allows a large number of CMDs 105 (e.g., N>200) to be spaced apart along the bus antenna 115 without overloading it or changing its characteristics. The module antenna 109 may be operatively coupled to the electronic device 107, and the bus antenna 115 may be configured to communicate operatively with the wireless transceiver 111. The module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 are arranged with respect to each other to enable short-range coupling therebetween when a transmission signal is input to either the module antenna 109 or the bus antenna 115. In other words, the assembly disclosed herein enables 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, and the frequency of the wavelength. For example, the transmission signal may correspond to a radio wave having a frequency between 2.4 and 2.5 GHz in some non-limiting embodiments, although as is apparent from the foregoing description, this frequency range is in no way limiting. Any desired frequency may be selected, and more specifically, any desired ISM band may be used.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the bus antenna 115 may include at least two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2. The transmission line may more generally refer to any elongated conductor that enables signal transmission. Thus, examples of transmission lines may include cables, wires, cables from twisted pairs, or microstrips. According to some embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may include three or more transmission lines. Thus, for the purposes of this description, the remaining embodiments will be described with respect to a bus antenna having two transmission lines, but it should be understood that the bus antenna may include three or more transmission lines. In such embodiments, one or more additional transmission lines are assumed to have a negligible or no near-field coupling strength different from that of the module antenna 109 (e.g., a ground line). According to some embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may also include a termination 117 (FIG. 1), which may be disposed at one end of the bus antenna 115 on the opposite side of the end to which the wireless transceiver 111 (shown in FIG. 1) is connected. The bus antenna 115 may be configured such that substantially all of the energy in the transmission line not coupled to the module antenna 109 is absorbed by the termination 117. The termination 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, 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, whereby an electrical signal propagating within the first transmission line of the two transmission lines is π radians out of phase with respect to an electrical signal propagating within the second transmission line of the transmission lines.

[0028] In some embodiments, as described above, module antenna 109 and bus antenna 115 may form an operating balun. In this scenario, the transmission signal may include an unbalanced electrical signal input to module antenna 109, which is output as a balanced electrical signal at bus antenna 115. This is the scenario where the transmission signal is being transmitted from module antenna 109 to bus antenna 115. Alternatively, when the transmission signal is being transmitted from bus antenna 115 to module antenna 109, the transmission signal may include a balanced electrical signal input to bus antenna 115, which is output as an unbalanced electrical signal at module antenna 109. In this situation, advantageously, EMI tolerance is enhanced by common mode rejection.

[0029] Assembly architecture

[0030] Since the operating principle of the present disclosure has been provided, more specific details of the assembly architecture are provided. FIG. 3 represents a schematic diagram of an exemplary bus / module antenna assembly consistent with the disclosed embodiments. The module antenna 109 includes a transmission line, and the transmission line has a first section 109-1 and a second section 109-2 arranged in series that form 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 of the operating wavelength λ of the carrier wave. 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. Within the context of the present disclosure, a carrier wave refers to an electromagnetic waveform that can be modulated or manipulated to carry information. Examples of carrier waves can include transmission signals input to either the module antenna 109 or the bus antenna 115. Electrical length is a measure of the phase shift experienced by a carrier wave as it passes through a transmission line, and the electrical length corresponds to a physical length expressed as modulo 2π of the operating wavelength λ of the carrier wave. Thus, two different transmission lines or sections of a transmission line can have equal electrical lengths but can have 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 section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 can 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 can form an open circuit as shown in FIG. 3 such that one end of the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109 transmission line (the end not connected to the first section 109-1) is an open circuit. According to some other embodiments, the transmission line of the module antenna 109 can be short-circuited to ground. For example, one end of the second section 109-2 not connected to the first section 109-1 can be short-circuited to ground.The purpose of forming an open circuit or a short circuit to ground one end of the transmission line of the module antenna 109 is to reflect all the energy to the other end, and one end is optionally connected to the electronic device 107 as shown in FIG. 3. It should be noted that the present disclosure includes drawings with portions in the form of straight lines, but the portions may adopt a curved form or a form of a meandering line.

[0031] As described above, the bus antenna 115 includes at least two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2. Each one of the transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 is spaced apart from and adjacent to a different one of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the transmission line of the module antenna 109, enabling near-field coupling when a transmission signal is present in either the bus antenna 115 or the module antenna 109. In the context of the present disclosure, the section adjacent to the transmission line may refer to the section closest to the transmission line. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first section 109-1 is adjacent to the transmission line 115-1, and the second section 109-2 is adjacent to the transmission line 115-2. According to some embodiments, each one of the transmission lines 155-1, 115-2 of the bus antenna 115 may be arranged parallel to a different one of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the transmission line of the module antenna 109, as shown in FIG. 3 for example.

[0032] When the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 form a balun during operation, the balanced ports (ports 2 and 3) are formed by two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2, and the transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 form a balanced circuit. The unbalanced port (port 1) is formed by the transmission line of the module antenna 109 and is arranged at one of its ends. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the unbalanced port (port 1) is arranged at one end of the first section 109-1, and one of its ends is not connected to the second section 109-2. The level of balance between the two transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 is related to the ability of the assembly to transmit electrical signals with a phase shift of π radians but substantially the same amplitude in each transmission line 115-1, 115-2. In other words, the level of balance depends on the ability of the assembly to provide substantially the same coupling strength between each transmission line of the bus antenna and its adjacent section. In this context, two substantially the same amplitudes can refer to two values whose relative difference is less than a predetermined percentage. For example, two values of induced current can be substantially the same if they differ by less than 1% or 2%. The closer the amplitudes of the electrical signals of each transmission line are, the higher the level of balance and the better the CMRR of the balun formed by the bus antenna 155 and the module antenna 109. For example, according to some embodiments, the level of balance between the two balanced ports can be configured to provide a CMRR of 0, 10 dB, 20 dB or more. The unbalanced port (port 1) can be operatively connected to the electronic device 107 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0033] The near - distance coupling strength between two transmission lines is the strength of the electromagnetic coupling that occurs between the two transmission lines due to their proximity, and more specifically, it depends on the overlap between their respective 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 characteristics of the material of the transmission lines and the surrounding environment (permittivity, conductivity...). Since it is difficult to find an exact analytical formula for the coupling as a function of these parameters, detailed electromagnetic analysis and modeling techniques such as electromagnetic simulation or circuit simulation are often used to accurately determine the near - distance coupling strength between two transmission lines. Without loss of generality, the amplitude of the electromagnetic field generated by a source decreases with the distance from the source. This means that when the separation distance between two transmission lines is small, the electromagnetic fields are likely to interact and couple with each other.

[0034] Therefore, the near - distance coupling strength between the bus antenna 115 and the module antenna 109 depends on the separation distance d between at least one of the transmission lines of the module antenna and the transmission lines of the bus antenna, or more specifically, the separation distance d between each of the bus antenna transmission lines 115 - 1, 115 - 2 and its adjacent section 12 , d 13 . Since the near - distance coupling strength is expected to increase as the separation distance d decreases, the separation distance d may be selected to adjust the value of the near - distance coupling strength. According to some embodiments, each one of the bus antenna transmission lines 115 - 1, 115 - 2 can be arranged equidistantly with respect to a different one of the sections 109 - 1, 109 - 2 of the transmission lines of the module antenna 109. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 - 4, the separation distance d 12 between the first section 109 - 1 and the transmission line 115 - 1 is the separation distance d 13is substantially the same. Nevertheless, alternative embodiments are envisioned where each separation distance between bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 and their adjacent sections is different. According to some embodiments, the separation distance d 12 , d 13 can be selected to achieve a coupling strength of -50 dB or more and -10 dB or less. Alternatively, the separation distance 303 can be selected to achieve a coupling strength of -40 dB or more and -20 dB or less, or -35 dB or more and -25 dB or less.

[0035] The separation distance d 12 , d 13 can also be selected as a function of the space / surface creepage distance. A minimum separation distance d 12 , d 13 may be required because a specific space / surface creepage distance is needed to ensure a certain level of voltage insulation. The distinction between the space distance and the surface creepage distance depends on the nature of the material separating each transmission line of the bus antenna from its adjacent section. According to some embodiments, each transmission line of the bus antenna and its adjacent coil can be insulated by a dielectric insulating material. Examples of dielectric insulating materials can include any one or more of air, plastic materials, glass-filled plastic materials, epoxy composite materials, 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 Mylar. In the example of FIG. 3, each bus antenna transmission line 115-1, 115-2 and its adjacent section are separated by air. According to some embodiments, the dielectric insulating material can be selected to have a breakdown voltage higher than the operating voltage of the battery system. The breakdown voltage is the voltage at which the dielectric material undergoes a significant increase in its conductivity, resulting in the breakdown of its insulating properties. For example, the operating voltage V of the battery system BWhen it is equal to 400V and the separation distance between each one of the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 and its adjacent coil is 4mm, a material having a breakdown voltage of 100V / mm, which is the minimum breakdown voltage, can be used to address the high voltage insulation problem. In practice, it is common to select a material having a breakdown voltage that is orders of magnitude higher than the required breakdown voltage. In the above example, in order to enhance safety, it would generally be common to select a dielectric material having a breakdown voltage of several kV / mm. Examples of such materials have been listed above. For example, Mylar has a breakdown voltage equal to 7 kV / mm.

[0036] As described 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 cross-sectional profile defined by one or more characteristic dimensions. Note that the cross-sectional profile of the section can have any shape (such as square, rectangular, circular, etc.). According to some embodiments, the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 can share the same cross-sectional profile, as shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, each transmission line 115-1, 115-2 has a cross-sectional profile. According to some embodiments, the bus antenna transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 can share the same cross-sectional profile.

[0037] The aforementioned parameters (cross-sectional profile, separation distance d 12 , d 13) Each of them directly affects the value of the near - field coupling strength between each bus antenna transmission line 115 - 1, 115 - 2 and its adjacent coil. It should be understood that by carefully changing these parameters, it may be possible to obtain a certain near - field coupling strength. Further, two transmission line / section couplings can exhibit the same near - field coupling strength even if they are separated by different distances or have different characteristic parameters. For example, if a pair of transmission line / sections is separated by a first spacing distance and a second pair of transmission line / sections is separated by a second spacing distance greater than the first spacing distance, the same near - field coupling strength can be achieved for the second pair by adjusting one or more characteristic dimensions of the cross - profile of the transmission line or section.

[0038] Embodiments of the assembly Different embodiments are envisioned for the bus / module antenna. FIG. 4 represents a schematic view of an exemplary bus / module antenna assembly consistent with the disclosed embodiments. According to some embodiments, the transmission line of the module antenna 109 may be U - shaped. In that case, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2 are arranged parallel to each other and are connected by a bottom section 109 - 3. The bottom section 109 - 3 may share at least one of the following characteristics with the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2: the same cross - profile. Alternatively, the cross - profile of the bottom section 109 - 3 may be different from that of the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2. For example, the cross - profile of the bottom 109 - 3 may be different from the cross - profiles of the first section 109 - 1 and the second section 109 - 2.

[0039] The electrical length of the bottom section 109-3 may be selected such that the carrier wave enters and exits the bottom section with substantially the same phase, provided that the total path length of the module antenna 109 transmission line (the first 109-1, the second 109-2, and the bottom 109-3) sections is an integer multiple of half the operating wavelength of the carrier wave. In other words, in some embodiments, the electrical length of the bottom section 109-3 is negligible compared to the electrical lengths of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2, or alternatively, if the electrical length of the bottom section 109-3 is not negligible, it needs to be incorporated into the total path length of the module antenna 109 transmission line.

[0040] According to some embodiments, the length d of the bottom section 109-3 11 may be equal to the separation distance d between the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2, whereby the separation distance between the two sections of the module antenna 109 transmission line may be equal to the separation distance between the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2. Referring to FIG. 4, this implies that d 23 = d 11 = d 23 is shown, and in this configuration, the bus antenna 115 and the module antenna 107 are in different parallel planes, and the separation distance between the two parallel planes corresponds to the separation distance d between the module antenna 109 transmission line and the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2. Therefore, the separation distance between the two parallel planes can be selected to adjust the near-field coupling strength and meet the high-voltage insulation requirements. According to some other embodiments, the length d of the bottom section 109-3 11 may be smaller than the separation distance d between the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2, whereby, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the separation distance d 23 between the two sections of the module antenna 109 is smaller than the separation distance d 11 between the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 (d 23 < d 11 < d 23 ). Alternatively, the length d of the bottom section 109-311 is greater than the separation distance d between the transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 of the bus antenna 115, 23 and thereby the separation distance d between the two sections of the module antenna 109 11 is greater than the separation distance d between the transmission lines 115-1 and 115-2 of the bus antenna 115. 23 Referring to FIG. 4, this implies that d 11 > d 23 and in this configuration, the bus antenna 115 is spatially surrounded by the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109.

[0041] In yet a further embodiment, it is envisioned that the transmission line of the module antenna can be formed 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 can be elliptical in shape and include open ends.

[0042] FIG. 5 represents a schematic view 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, connected to a termination resistor R1401 at one end and to a radio transceiver 111 at the other end. According to some embodiments, the transmission line of the module antenna 109 can be connected to a termination resistor. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the first section 109-1 of the module antenna 109 transmission line is connected to a termination resistor R2402. The value of the termination resistor R2402 can be selected to absorb all incident energy or all reflected energy at port 1.

[0043] Symmetry of the assembly According to some embodiments, the positions of the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 with respect to the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109 can be symmetric with respect to a symmetry plane extending along an axis in a direction parallel to the length of the bus antenna transmission line and an axis in a direction parallel to the height of the bus antenna transmission line. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the positions of the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 with respect to the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109 are symmetric with respect to the plane 401.

[0044] Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the positions of the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 with respect to the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna can be symmetric with respect to a symmetry axis included in a cross-sectional plane formed perpendicular to the lengths of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the positions of the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115-1, 115-2 with respect to the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109 are symmetric with respect to the axis 301.

[0045] Mounting on a Printed Circuit Board According to some embodiments, an 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. FIGS. 6A-C respectively represent a perspective view, a top view, and a side view of a PCB 600 including the module antenna 109 and the electronic device 107 consistent with the disclosed embodiments. In these figures, the module antenna 109 is U-shaped and includes a first section 109-1, a second section 109-2, and a bottom section 109-3. Optionally, the module antenna 109 may be embedded within a layer of the PCB. According to some embodiments, the PCB 600 may include a plurality of layers 601 and a ground plane 603, and the ground plane 603 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 FIGS. 6A-C, the PCB 600 consists of two layers 601, 603, and the ground plane 603 is located in the bottom layer. The first section 109-1 is connected to the termination resistor 605, and the ground connection of the termination resistor 605 is made via a via connecting the termination resistor 605 to the ground plane 603.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the PCB may also include a bus antenna 115 together with the module antenna 109 and the electronic device 107. In such embodiments, it is assumed 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 the battery modules 103 within the battery system. Optionally, the bus antenna 115 may be fixed to the outer surface of the PCB. This configuration is shown in FIGS. 7A - C, which represent a perspective view, a top view, and a side view, respectively, of a PCB 700 including the module antenna 109, the electronic device 107, and the bus antenna 115, where the module antenna 109 and the bus antenna 115 are fixed to the outer surface of the PCB 700. With respect to FIGS. 6A - C, 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 a termination resistor 705, and the ground connection of the termination resistor 705 is made via a via connecting the termination resistor 705 to the ground plane 703.

[0047] In some other embodiments, the PCB may include multiple layers, and the bus antenna 115 may be fixed to or embedded in a layer of the PCB that is different from the layer in which the module antenna is embedded. FIGS. 8A - B respectively show 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, where the module antenna 109 is embedded within layers 801 - 3 of the PCB 800 and the bus antenna 115 is fixed to the bottom surface of the PCB 800. With respect to FIGS. 6A - 7C, 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, and the ground plane 803 is sandwiched between the first layer 801 - 1 and the second layer 801 - 2. The first section 109 - 1 is connected to a termination resistor 805, and the ground connection of the termination resistor 805 is made via a blind via that connects the termination resistor 805 to the ground plane 803. By varying 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 from the bus antenna 115 transmission lines 115 - 1, 115 - 2 on the bottom surface around the edge of the PCB 800 along the surface of the PCB 800 and then along the top surface to the connection to the chip.

[0048] In some further embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may be included on a PCB different from the PCB including the module antenna 109 and the electronic device 107, and the two PCBs are parallel and separated by an air gap. This embodiment is shown in FIGS. 9A - B, which represent a top view and a side view, respectively, of a pair of PCBs 900 separated by an air gap. The first PCB 910 includes the module antenna 109 and the electronic device 107, and the second PCB 920 includes the bus antenna 115. With respect to FIGS. 6A - 8B, 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 termination resistor 905, and the ground connection of the termination resistor 905 is made through a via connecting the termination resistor 905 to the ground plane 913. The second PCB 920 includes a first layer 921 and a ground plane 923. By varying the air gap between the first PCB 910 and the second PCB 920, the near-field coupling strength can be adjusted. Optionally, to further enhance high-voltage insulation, the gap between the two PCBs can be filled with an insulating material such as polyester, ABS, FEP, or PFTE.

[0049] In some alternative embodiments, the bus antenna 115 may include a cable disposed external to the PCB. Optionally, the cable can be any one of a twin-core cable, a multi-core cable, or a ribbon cable. This embodiment is shown in FIGS. 10A - B, which respectively represent a top view and a side view of the PCB 1000 and the external bus antenna 115. The PCB 1000 includes a module antenna 109 and an electronic device 107. With respect to FIGS. 6A - 9B, 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 a termination resistor 1005, and the ground connection of the termination resistor 1005 is made via a via that connects the termination resistor 1005 to the ground plane 1003. By varying the distance between the bus antenna 115 and the bottom surface of the PCB 1000, the near-field coupling strength can be adjusted. Further, 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 separation distance with respect to the module antenna. FIG. 11 is a top view of the PCB 1100 and the external bus antenna 115. In this figure, the module antenna 109 transmission line takes the shape of an open sand clock, for example, "O=O" or four horseshoes. The first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 of the module antenna 109 transmission line adopt the form of a curved line, and the electrical length is equal to the 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. The first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 do not have to be linear, and it will be understood that non-linear shapes of the first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 are contemplated. The non-linear first section 109-1 and the second section 109-2 shown in FIG. 11 are non-limiting examples, and other non-linear shaped sections may be provided. For example, an elliptical, oval, hexagonal, polygonal, or any other shape is contemplated.Another advantage of the shape of the module antenna 109 shown in FIG. 11 is that while the length of the module antenna is decreasing, its width is increasing compared to the prior art of its linear cross-section (shown in FIGS. 6A - 9B), providing a higher positional tolerance of the module antenna 109 with respect to the bus antenna 115.

[0050] In any of the above PCB embodiments, the shape of the PCB is selected such that the minimum space / path distance required to ensure a particular level of voltage insulation is met.

[0051] The description of the exemplary embodiments provided herein is presented for purposes of illustration. This description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the exemplary embodiments to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings, or may be obtained from practice of various alternatives or equivalents to the provided embodiments. The examples described herein are selected and described in order to explain the principles and the nature of the various exemplary embodiments and to enable those skilled in the art to utilize the exemplary embodiments and various modifications thereof in various ways as being suitable for the particular use intended. The features of the embodiments described herein may be combined in all possible combinations of methods, apparatus, modules, systems, and computer program products. It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments presented herein may be implemented in any arbitrary combination with each other.

[0052] Note that the word "comprising" does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps other than those listed, and the words "a" or "an" preceding an element do not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. Further, any reference signs do not limit the scope of the claims, the exemplary embodiments may be implemented at least in part by both hardware and software, and note that some "means", "units" or "devices" may be represented by the same or functionally equivalent items of hardware.

[0053] The various exemplary embodiments described herein are described in the general context of method steps or processes, which, in one aspect, may be implemented by a computer program product implemented on a computer-readable medium or a non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-executable instructions such as program code executed by a computer or one or more processors within a network environment. The computer-readable medium or non-transitory computer-readable medium may comprise removable and non-removable storage devices. These storage devices may include, but are not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), flash memory, etc. In general, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program code for executing the method steps disclosed herein. A particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents an example of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps or processes.

[0054] In the drawings and the specification, exemplary embodiments are disclosed. However, many changes and modifications can be made to these embodiments. Therefore, although specific terms are used, they are used only in a general and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation. The scope of the embodiments is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An assembly for use with a battery pack comprising multiple battery cells, wherein the assembly enables communication between an electronic device and a wireless transceiver located remotely from the electronic device, and the assembly A modular antenna operatively connected to the electronic device, the modular antenna includes 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 length, and the total path length of the first section and the second section being an integer multiple of half the operating wavelength of the carrier wave, A bus antenna configured for operational communication with the wireless transceiver, wherein the bus antenna includes at least two transmission lines, each transmission line being longer than either the first section or the second section of the module antenna, and each of the transmission lines is spaced apart from and adjacent to one of the different sections of the first and second sections of the module antenna's transmission lines, enabling short-range coupling between the module antenna and the bus antenna when a transmission signal is input to either the module antenna or the bus antenna. The assembly, including the assembly.

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

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein during operation the module antenna and the bus antenna form a balun, and when the transmission signal includes an unbalanced electrical signal input in the module antenna, the transmission signal is output as a balanced electrical signal in the bus antenna, or when the transmission signal includes a balanced electrical signal input in the bus antenna, the transmission signal is output as an unbalanced electrical signal in the module antenna.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the transmission lines of the bus antenna is arranged parallel to one of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the bus antenna transmission lines is arranged equidistant from different sections of the module antenna.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the positions of the bus antenna transmission line with respect to the first section and the second section of the module antenna are symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry extending along an axis parallel to the length of the bus antenna transmission line and an axis parallel to the height of the bus antenna transmission line.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the positions of the bus antenna transmission line with respect to the first section and the second section of the module antenna are symmetric with respect to an axis of symmetry included in a cross-sectional plane formed perpendicular to the length of the first section and the second section of the module antenna transmission line.

8. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein at least two transmission lines of the bus antenna are configured as a balanced circuit, so that the electrical signal propagating in the first transmission line of the two transmission lines is out of phase by π radians with respect to the electrical signal propagating in the second transmission line of the transmission lines.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is U-shaped, and the first section and the second section are arranged parallel to each other and connected by a bottom section.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the length of the bottom section is equal to the isolation distance of the bus antenna transmission line, and thereby the isolation distance between the two sections of the module antenna is equal to the isolation distance between the bus antenna transmission lines.

11. The length of the bottom section is less than the separation distance between the bus antenna transmission lines, and as a result, the separation distance between the two sections of the module antenna is less than the separation distance between the bus antenna transmission lines, or The length of the bottom section is greater than the separation distance between the bus antenna transmission lines, and as a result, the separation distance between the two sections of the module antenna is greater than the separation distance between the bus antenna transmission lines. The assembly according to claim 9, which is any of the following.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is formed as an open loop.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the module antenna has an elliptical shape and includes an open end.

14. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is connected to a termination resistor.

15. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna forms an open circuit.

16. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line of the module antenna is short-circuited to ground.

17. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each transmission line of the bus antenna is connected to a termination resistor at one end.

18. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the electrical resistance of the termination resistor is selected to match the characteristic impedance of the transmission line to which the termination resistor is connected.

19. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the isolation distance between each of the bus antenna transmission lines and an adjacent section of the transmission line of the module antenna is selected to achieve a coupling strength of -50 dB or more and -10 dB or less.

20. The assembly according to claim 19, wherein the isolation distance between each of the bus antenna transmission lines and an adjacent section of the transmission line of the module antenna is selected to achieve a coupling strength of -40 dB or more and -20 dB or less.

21. The assembly according to claim 19, wherein the isolation distance between each of the bus antenna transmission lines and an adjacent section of the transmission line of the module antenna is selected to achieve a coupling strength of -30 dB.

22. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the bus antenna transmission lines and adjacent sections of the transmission lines of the module antenna are insulated by a dielectric insulating material.

23. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric breakdown voltage higher than the operating voltage of the battery pack.

24. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein the dielectric insulating material includes one of air, a plastic material, a glass-filled plastic material, and an epoxy composite material.

25. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein the dielectric insulating material includes one of polyethylene terephthalate "PET", acrylonitrile butadiene styrene "ABS", polytetrafluoroethylene "PTFE", polyvinyl chloride "PVC", polybutylene terephthalate "PBT", polyethylene "PE", and polyamide "PA".

26. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein the dielectric insulating material comprises one of FR4, ceramic-filled polytetrafluoroethylene "PTFE", ceramic laminate, and Mylar.

27. Includes a printed circuit board "PCB" containing the aforementioned electronic device, The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the PCB includes the module antenna.

28. The assembly according to claim 27, wherein the module antenna is embedded in the layer of the PCB.

29. The assembly according to claim 28, wherein the PCB includes a plurality of layers and a ground surface, and the ground surface is embedded in a layer of the PCB different from the layer in which the module antenna is embedded.

30. The assembly according to claim 28, 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. The assembly according to claim 27, wherein the bus antenna is fixed to the outer surface of the PCB.

32. The assembly according to claim 27, wherein the bus antenna includes a cable located outside the PCB.

33. The assembly according to claim 32, wherein the cable is one of a twin-core cable, a multi-core cable, or a ribbon cable.

34. The assembly according to claim 27, wherein the PCB includes at least one fastener for attaching the bus antenna transmission line to the PCB at an isolation distance from the module antenna.

35. A battery cell comprising the assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 34.

36. A battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells and an assembly according to 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 wireless transceiver located remotely from the battery pack via the bus antenna and the module antenna.

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