Swappable Battery NFC Binding for Flexible Electric Scooter Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing ECU systems in electric scooters are costly, complex, and require additional starting batteries for verification, making battery swapping inefficient, especially in shared scooter services where batteries must be pre-bound to specific vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A battery-swappable electric vehicle and swappable battery system using an NFC dynamic tag module for data exchange and binding, allowing for dynamic binding without an ECU, enabling efficient battery swapping across different vehicles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an ECU system is used for battery verification and control, then the electric scooter can perform battery verification and control functions, but the cost increases and the structure becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery verification and control capabilityVSAvoidelectronic component structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the battery verification and control functions from the ECU system and implements them through a simplified mechanism using a starting battery and control circuit. This separation eliminates the need for a complex ECU while maintaining the essential battery management capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a starting battery that can be easily replaced and a simple control circuit instead of an expensive ECU system. The starting battery serves as a temporary power source for verification purposes, and the overall system uses simpler, more cost-effective components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If an ECU system is used for battery verification, then battery control can be performed, but maintenance becomes difficult due to complex firmware and electronic components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery control functionVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the firmware-dependent ECU system and replaces it with a hardware-based control mechanism using a starting battery and simple control circuit. This extraction of complex electronic control makes the system more maintainable through straightforward hardware replacement rather than firmware troubleshooting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables easy maintenance through self-service battery replacement. The starting battery can be easily swapped out to perform verification on swappable batteries, eliminating the need for complex diagnostic procedures and firmware updates that would require specialized maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a swappable battery is bound to a specific electric scooter in advance at the base, then the battery can be verified and powered, but battery swapping efficiency decreases and operational flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery-vehicle binding verificationVSAvoidbattery swapping efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic binding where the starting battery can verify and power any swappable battery from the same vehicle group, rather than requiring pre-bound static pairing. This dynamic approach allows maintenance personnel to swap batteries between different vehicles flexibly while maintaining verification integrity through the starting battery's control circuit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The starting battery serves multiple functions: it provides starting power for the electric scooter, performs verification on any swappable battery from the vehicle group, and enables flexible battery swapping operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for pre-binding while maintaining system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Use of energy by moving object

If an additional starting battery is equipped to provide starting power for ECU verification, then the ECU can be powered for verification, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestarting power for verificationVSAvoidbattery system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the starting battery function with the battery verification function into a single integrated system. The starting battery not only provides starting power but also serves as the verification power source and control element, eliminating the need for separate ECU power supply circuits and reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The starting battery performs multiple functions including providing starting power, powering the verification process, and controlling the battery swap operation. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for additional dedicated components for each function, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces costs, simplifies maintenance, and allows for flexible battery swapping, improving operational efficiency by eliminating the need for additional starting batteries and enabling maintenance personnel to select any compatible scooter for battery exchange.

Implementation Method 1

making the swappable battery retrieve a vehicle-side vehicle identification data from an NFC dynamic tag module of the battery-swappable electric vehicle through a reader mode

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNFC (Near Field Communication): Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4470825A1Battery-swappable electric vehicle, swappable battery, and battery-binding method thereof
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 GOGORO
  • EP4470825A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4470825A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4470825A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery-binding method includes: electrically connecting an unbound swappable battery to a battery-swappable electric vehicle; making the swappable battery retrieve a vehicle-side vehicle identification data from an NFC dynamic tag module of the battery-swappable electric vehicle through a reader mode; and executing a battery-binding procedure when the vehicle-side vehicle identification data and a battery-side vehicle identification data in the swappable battery each have a first part corresponding to a vehicle group.