ACLink

ACLink is a high‑speed data transmission protocol engineered to interface alternating current power delivery systems with embedded control units. The protocol was initially developed in 2012 by a European consortium of automotive and electrical engineering companies, with the goal of providing a unified communication standard for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and industrial machinery that requires real‑time control over AC power parameters. ACLink operates in the 0.8–2.5 GHz frequency band, leveraging spread‑spectrum modulation to reduce electromagnetic interference while maintaining low latency. It supports a configuration data exchange rate of up to 80 Mbps and can carry diagnostic and status information alongside power control commands, allowing for coordinated operation of power converters, inverters, and motor drives.

The architecture of ACLink incorporates a multi‑layer stack, with a physical layer based on orthogonal frequency‑division multiplexing (OFDM), a media access control layer that uses time‑division multiple access (TDMA), and a network layer that transfers both control signals and payload data across a four‑wire serial bus. Because the bus is mirrored into a redundant pair, ACLink can tolerate up to 10 % of line degradation without service interruption. Standardized acceptance tests are performed according to IEC 61869‑9, certifying tolerance to high voltage transients and ensuring electromagnetic compatibility.

Since its introduction, ACLink has seen deployment in commercial electric vehicle fast‑charging stations in Germany and Japan, where it facilitates dynamic load balancing and fault injection detection. In addition to vehicular applications, the protocol is being adopted by manufacturers of industrial robotics and renewable‑energy power converters to enable precise control of power flow while maintaining safety compliance. Despite its niche focus, ACLink’s modular design and open‑source reference implementation foster community contributions and accelerate its integration into next‑generation intelligent power systems.