Wireless network pairing for wireless electric vehicle charging

A vehicle comprising:

• a wireless network interface;
• a beacon device;
• and
• a processor, the processor configured to establish communication between the vehicle and a selected one of a plurality of wireless charging stations by performing operations including:
• joining the wireless network interface to a first wireless network provided by a central access point;
• receiving, over the first wireless network, a channel identifier of an assigned channel to use for pairing the vehicle to the selected one of the plurality of wireless charging stations;
• configuring, based on the channel identifier, the beacon device to use the assigned channel;
• receiving, over the first wireless network, information identifying a second wireless network associated with the selected one of the plurality of wireless charging stations, the second wireless network activated in response to a confirmation that the beacon signal is using the assigned channel;
• moving the vehicle into proximity of the selected charging station;
• joining the wireless network interface, based on the received information, to the second wireless network to pair with the selected one of the plurality of wireless charging stations after the second wireless network is activated;
• and
• receiving alignment guidance from the selected wireless charging station over the second wireless network.

A wireless charging station comprising:

• a wireless network interface;
• and
• a processor, the processor configured to establish communication with a vehicle by performing operations including:
• communicating with a network manager over a first wireless network;
• receiving, from the network manager, a channel identifier of an assigned channel to use for pairing with the vehicle;
• detecting a beacon signal operating at the assigned channel;
• confirming that the beacon signal is using the assigned channel;
• after detecting the beacon signal and confirming that the beacon signal is using the assigned channel, activating a second wireless network;
• transmitting, to the network manager, information associated with the detecting of the beacon signal;
• receiving a request from the vehicle to join the second wireless network;
• enabling the vehicle to join the second wireless network;
• and
• providing alignment guidance to the vehicle over the second wireless network.

A network manager comprising:

• a wireless access point configured to provide a first wireless network;
• and
• a processor, the processor configured to coordinate pairing a vehicle to a selected wireless charging station of a plurality of wireless charging stations that are under control of the network manager by performing operations including:
• receiving a request from the vehicle over the first wireless network;
• assigning a channel to use for pairing the vehicle to the selected wireless charging station;
• transmitting a channel identifier of the assigned channel to the vehicle over the first wireless network to enable the vehicle to configure a beacon device coupled to the vehicle to provide a beacon signal using the assigned channel;
• transmitting the channel identifier to the plurality of wireless charging stations;
• providing initial alignment guidance to the vehicle to enable the vehicle to move into proximity of the selected wireless charging station;
• receiving an indication from the selected wireless charging station that the selected wireless charging station has detected the beacon signal using the assigned channel;
• instructing the selected wireless charging station, based on the indication, to activate a second wireless network;
• and
• transmitting, to the vehicle, information identifying the second wireless network provided by the selected wireless charging station to enable the the selected wireless charging station to pair with the vehicle using the second wireless network and provide alignment guidance to the vehicle over the second wireless network.

A method for pairing a secondary device to a selected one of a plurality of primary devices, the method comprising:

• joining the secondary device to a first wireless network provided by a central access point;
• determining an identification of an assigned channel to use for pairing the secondary device to the selected one of a plurality of primary devices;
• transmitting the channel identification to the secondary device over the first wireless network;
• transmitting the channel identification to the plurality of primary devices;
• configuring a beacon device coupled to the secondary device to use the assigned channel;
• moving the secondary device into proximity of the selected one of a plurality of primary devices;
• detecting, at the selected one of the plurality of primary devices, a beacon signal of the beacon device using the identified channel;
• based on the detecting, activating a second wireless network and transmitting information identifying the second wireless network to the secondary device;
• joining the secondary device to the second wireless network based on the transmitted information;
• and
• after the secondary device has joined the second wireless network, providing alignment guidance from the selected one of the plurality of primary devices over the second wireless network.