UWB Pairing for Wireless EV Charging Station Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In facilities with multiple wireless power transfer stations, establishing reliable communication between electric vehicles and the correct charging station is challenging, leading to potential cross-connect issues where vehicles may incorrectly communicate with nearby stations, affecting power transfer and ancillary functions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of ultra-wideband (UWB) tags and anchors for precise positioning and communication, using a Master Tag and Master Anchor to transmit and receive messages for distance determination and setup parameter exchange, ensuring correct pairing and ongoing communication between the vehicle and the intended WPT station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple WPT stations are deployed in a facility, then power transfer capacity is improved, but communication reliability between vehicles and correct stations deteriorates due to cross-connect issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the communication space by assigning unique identifiers to each WPT station and using UWB technology to create distinct communication zones. Each station is identified by a unique station ID, and the UWB anchors create spatially-separated communication cells that prevent interference between adjacent stations.
Solution Approach 2:
UWB anchors serve as intermediary devices between vehicles and WPT stations. The anchors receive messages from vehicles, determine the intended target station based on message content and spatial position, and relay communications to the correct station, preventing direct cross-connect issues.
2Measurement precision
If UWB tags and anchors are used for precise positioning and communication, then communication accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UWB anchor system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a positioning reference, a communication relay, and a distance measurement device. The same UWB infrastructure that provides precise positioning also enables accurate station identification and communication routing, eliminating the need for separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the inherent properties of UWB signals and the physical layout of anchors to automatically determine vehicle position and station assignment. The Master Tag and Master Anchor selection process is autonomous, requiring no manual configuration or external intervention to establish correct communication paths.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for pairing a vehicle to a wireless power transfer (WPT) station and determining their relative location using ultra-wideband (UWB) signaling is described. A Master UWB Tag transmits a Ping message and a Master UWB Anchor transmits a Pong message. The Master Tag and Master Anchor use single-sided two-way ranging (SS-TWR) or double-sided two-way ranging (DS-TWR) to determine the distance between them. The Master Tag and the Master Anchor exchange setup parameters to establish communication between the vehicle and the WPT station and determine their relative position. Each UWB tag and each UWB anchor in the WPT station determine a distance between each tag and each anchor. Based on the distances between tags and anchors and data describing the position of each anchor within the WPT station, a relative position of the vehicle and the WPT station is determined.