Abstract: A first wireless charging device includes: an antenna and a power transmitter configured to charge an external device by transferring power to the external device through the antenna. The first wireless device also includes a near field communication (NFC) unit configured to detect whether the external device is a passive NFC device. The first wireless device includes a controller configured to control the power transmitter in response to an antenna load value determined by the NFC unit that indicates whether the external device is a passive NFC device and the charging device prevents charging of the external device if the external device is a passive device.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit configured to carry out UWB communication with an external communication device; a plurality of antennas operatively coupled to said UWB communication unit, at least one inertial sensor; an antenna selection unit configured to select, based on an output of the inertial sensor, a specific antenna of said plurality of antennas for carrying out the UWB communication. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided for carrying out said method.

Abstract: A first radiofrequency (RF) communication device is configured to detect whether an external device is an active RF communication device or a passive RF communication. The first device triggers transmission of a first RF signal and a second RF signal. The first device detects that the external device is an active device based on the first RF signal and/or that the external device is a passive device based on the second RF signal.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a key fob is provided, comprising: a wireless interface for establishing a wireless connection to a controller integrated in a vehicle, wherein the wireless connection enables the key fob to provide access credentials to said controller; a wired interface for connecting the key fob to a console integrated in the vehicle, such that the key fob is usable for carrying out wireless charging of an external mobile device and/or for acting as an anchor device for performing ranging operations with said external mobile device. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of configuring a key fob is conceived.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, an access system is provided for gaining access to a vehicle, comprising: a communication unit configured to establish a communication channel with an external device and to receive at least one credential from the external device through said communication channel; a secure element configured to perform a verification of said credential and to grant or deny access to the vehicle in dependence on a result of the verification of the credential. In accordance with further aspects of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating an access system for gaining access to a vehicle is conceived, as well as a computer program for carrying out said method.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a wireless charging device is provided, comprising: a charging unit configured to charge an external device by wirelessly transferring power to said external device; a detection unit configured to detect whether the external device is a passive near field communication (NFC) device or an active NFC device by analyzing a modulation characteristic of an NFC signal received by the external device; a controller configured to control the charging unit in dependence on an output of the detection unit, wherein said output indicates whether the external device is a passive NFC device or an active NFC device. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a wireless charging device is conceived.

Abstract: A battery management system includes battery management circuitry configured to be coupled to one or more battery modules. The battery management circuitry includes a secure element storing cryptographic information that enables the battery management circuitry to communicate securely with an external server as part of installation of a new battery module coupled to the battery management or removal of a battery module already coupled to the battery management circuitry.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a battery system is provided for use in a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of battery modules; a controller operatively coupled to the battery modules; a plurality of secure elements, wherein each of said battery modules contains at least one of said secure elements and wherein the controller contains at least one of said secure elements, and wherein said secure elements are configured to perform one or more authentication operations by executing a cryptographic algorithm. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of configuring a battery system is conceived.

Abstract: An infrastructure-controller (206) for an infrastructure (202), wherein the infrastructure has a plurality of Bluetooth Low Energy, “BLE”, nodes (208, 210, 212) associated with it. The infrastructure-controller (206) is configured to: identify one of the plurality of BLE nodes as a current-BLE-node (212), and activate the current-BLE-node (212) for communication with a key (204) using BLE signals; determine a communication-quality-indicator for each of the plurality of BLE nodes (208, 210, 212), that represents the quality of communication with the key (204); based on the communication-quality-indicators, identify one of the plurality of BLE nodes as a next-BLE-node (210); and provide connection-information to the next-BLE-node (210) using out-of-band signalling (214). The infrastructure-controller (206) can then deactivate the current-BLE-node (212); and activate the next-BLE-node (212) for continued communication with the key (204) using BLE signals.

Abstract: There is described a method of operating an RF access system, the system comprising an anchor arranged at a predetermined location and configured to communicate with one or more key devices. The method comprises: operating the anchor in a first mode, the first mode comprising first RF ranging operations for determining a first ranging result for the anchor relative to a key device; determining whether the first ranging result fulfils a predetermined condition; if the first ranging result fulfils the predetermined condition, operating the anchor in a second mode, the second mode comprising second RF ranging operations for determining a second ranging result for the anchor relative to the key device, and RF radar operations for determining a radar result for the anchor relative to a holder of the key device; and determining position information associated with the key device based on the second ranging result and the radar result.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: a plurality of antennas; a communication unit configured to execute ranging sessions with an external communication counterpart through said antennas; an antenna selection unit configured to select a specific antenna from said plurality antennas for carrying out one or more of said ranging sessions, wherein the antenna selection unit is configured to select said specific antenna in dependence on one or more parameters indicative of a communication quality between the antennas and the external communication counterpart. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided for carrying out said method.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided, comprising: a plurality of communication nodes which are operatively coupled to each other, wherein each of said communication nodes comprises a first radio frequency (RF) communication unit configured to perform ranging sessions with an external communication device; a controller configured to create a logical subset of said communication nodes based on an indication of a channel quality between the communication nodes and the external communicationdevice,whereinsaidindicationofthechannelqualityhasbeenobtained using a second RF communication unit comprised in each of said communication nodes; the controller further being configured to cause that only the communication nodes included in said logical subset perform said ranging sessions with the external communication device. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a communication system is conceived.

Abstract: A controller for a communication and ranging apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit both a data signal and a ranging signal, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a scheduled transmission event of the data signal; determine a scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal; determine if the scheduled transmission events will occur within a predetermined time window of each other; if it is determined that the scheduled transmission events will occur within a predetermined time window of each other, then determine a priority signal and a secondary signal, wherein: the priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal; and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal; and provide signaling configured to prevent the scheduled transmission event of the secondary signal from being transmitted such that only the scheduled transmission event of the priority signal is transmitted.

Abstract: An infrastructure-controller for an infrastructure. The infrastructure-controller configured to: send a ranging-scheduling-signal to a key, wherein the ranging-scheduling-signal comprises timing-information for a subsequent ranging operation; and activate one or more ranging nodes associated with the infrastructure, for receiving a key-ranging-signal from the key, at an infrastructure-node-start-ranging-time based on the timing-information. The ranging-scheduling-signal has a frequency in a first RF frequency range. The key-ranging-signal has a frequency in a second RF frequency range.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit configured to carry out UWB communication with an external communication device; a plurality of antennas operatively coupled to said UWB communication unit, at least one inertial sensor; an antenna selection unit configured to select, based on an output of the inertial sensor, a specific antenna of said plurality of antennas for carrying out the UWB communication. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided for carrying out said method.

Abstract: A first anchor of a first type communicates with a mobile electronic device. A characteristic of the communications between the first anchor of the first type and the mobile electronic device is determined. One or more second anchors each of a second type is selected based on the characteristic of the communications. A respective distance to the mobile electronic is determined based on each of the selected one or more second anchors each of the second type.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a localization system is provided, comprising: a plurality of ultra-wideband (UWB) communication nodes; a plurality of antennas, each one of said antennas being included in one of said UWB communication nodes; an antenna selection unit configured to select a subset of said antennas for use in ranging operations that output a position estimate of an external device; wherein the antenna selection unit is configured to select said subset in dependence on at least one previous ranging operation. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a localization system is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a localization system, cause said localization system to carry out a method of the kind set forth.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a near field communication (NFC) device is provided, comprising: an antenna configured to enable wireless communication with an external device; a charging unit configured to charge the external device by transferring power to said external device through said antenna; a detection unit configured to detect whether the external device is a passive NFC device; a controller configured to control the charging unit in dependence on an output of the detection unit, wherein said output indicates whether the external device is a passive NFC device. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a near field communication (NFC) device is conceived.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: a plurality of antennas; a communication unit configured to execute ranging sessions with an external communication counterpart through said antennas; an antenna selection unit configured to select a specific antenna from said plurality antennas for carrying out one or more of said ranging sessions, wherein the antenna selection unit is configured to select said specific antenna in dependence on one or more parameters indicative of a communication quality between the antennas and the external communication counterpart. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided for carrying out said method.

Abstract: An infrastructure-controller for an infrastructure. The infrastructure-controller configured to: send a ranging-scheduling-signal to a key, wherein the ranging-scheduling-signal comprises timing-information for a subsequent ranging operation; and activate one or more ranging nodes associated with the infrastructure, for receiving a key-ranging-signal from the key, at an infrastructure-node-start-ranging-time based on the timing-information. The ranging-scheduling-signal has a frequency in a first RF frequency range. The key-ranging-signal has a frequency in a second RF frequency range.