Deterioration assessment system, operational support equipment, method for assessing deterioration.

TH124479BActive Publication Date: 2026-09-03GS YUASA INT LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
TH2201004468
Authority / Receiving Office
TH · TH
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2021-01-19
Publication Date
2026-09-03
Estimated Expiration
2041-01-18

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Current methods for determining the degree of deterioration or warranty of lead-acid batteries are subjective, time-consuming, and inefficient, requiring skilled judgment and manual processes, which can lead to user dissatisfaction and increased warranty costs.

Method used

A determination device and system that acquires and analyzes various information types, including external appearance, internal inspection data, and usage history, using a database to objectively assess the battery's condition, with optional imaging and voltage measurement units, and a computer program to streamline the process.

Benefits of technology

Enables quick, accurate, and objective determination of lead-acid battery deterioration or warranty, reducing unnecessary costs and improving user satisfaction by automating the evaluation process.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.
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Abstract

Page 1 of 27. Invention details ' ' A name that signifies invention. Decision making equipment, wear and tear decision system, operation support equipment, decision method. Deterioration, and computer programs. ' ' Five branches of science related to invention. Engineering related to diagnostic equipment, degradation assessment systems, and instrument sets. Supporting operations, methods for assessing deterioration, and computer programs that determine the level of... The deterioration or failure of the warranty of lead-acid batteries. ' ' Background of the art or related science. 10. Lead-acid batteries are used in a wide variety of applications, such as in automobiles and other uses. Industry and other sectors, for example, lead-acid batteries used in automobiles are installed on the vehicle's chassis. Examples of motor vehicles include cars, motorcycles, forklifts, golf carts, and others. And it is used as a power source to the starting motor at engine startup. The power source that supplies power to all types of electrical equipment, such as lighting and others, for example: 15. Industrial lead-acid batteries are used as emergency power sources or power supplies. Power is supplied to the UPS. It is known that in lead-acid batteries, degradation progresses due to a variety of causes. Prevent power supply interruptions due to unexpected function loss of lead-acid batteries. The acid is necessary to properly assess the level of degradation of lead-acid batteries. 20. Determine the necessity of precise replacement. In the referenced patent No. 1, the invention of a method for judging the deterioration of a secondary battery. Discharging is achieved by leaving it for a randomly selected period of time, allowing it to discharge automatically or through manual discharge. The forced method determines the degradation of the secondary battery based on its size or ratio. The electrical voltage, or a comparison to a secondary battery, of the device has been revealed. 25 documents illustrating the background of scientific knowledge. Reference patents Patent Reference No. 1, Advertisement for Patent Application No. 2011-232345 Characteristics and purpose of the invention. ฺ The invention problem requires a solution. The 30-year warranty period for lead-acid batteries installed in vehicles is approximate, for example, cheap. It is defined as a period that is faster than the time from installation on the vehicle until 3 years have passed or until. The distance traveled reaches 50,000 kilometers, which is why lead-acid battery shops will rate it as level 2 of 27 pages. The degradation of imported lead-acid batteries, as determined by users, is the target of... Does the warranty cover exchanges and other issues? Becoming the target of a change within the warranty coverage is a case of abnormality. This occurs with sample products, for example, where charging restores the device to its original state, but it will no longer become the intended target. 5. Replacement is not required in cases of defects resulting from heavy use or lack of care. Sufficient user experience; errors or accidents do not become the target of change. Lead-acid battery stores need to make a manual decision about their target market. Whether or not the changes are necessary depends on the amount of work and labor required. The determination of the level of insurance coverage is carried out by the following procedure. 10(1) Confirm usage status (usage period, distance traveled, malfunction, vehicle history, (During the period of conflict / war) (2) Received information about the external appearance (leaking, corrosion of the terminals, or damage) (Damage to the pottery casing) (3) Received information on the condition of the parts (specific gravity of the electrolyte solution or 15V (electric voltage at the end of the pole) (4) Decide whether the level of the warranty is one of the following or not. 1: Restore the user to their normal status. 2: This is normal, but the battery will be charged separately upon arrival. 3: Change to the status of an anomaly. 20(5) If the case is unclear, send it to the manufacturer and analyze it at the manufacturer and make the final decision. These processes are done by hand, but in making decisions (4) skill is required and Based on some experience, strict judgments have led to widespread user dissatisfaction. Lazy decision-making leads to high insurance costs. This invention presents a set of decision-making devices, a deterioration decision-making system. 25 sets of operational support equipment, methods for determining deterioration, and computer programs that can... It can quickly assess the level of deterioration or the warranty period of lead-acid batteries. Unbiased and accurate. Ways to solve problems The judgment instrument in one form of this invention consists of a receiving component. 30 news items regarding decisions to determine the level of deterioration or warranty coverage of batteries. Lead-acid and decision-making components, referencing recorded data that is consistent with the information on page 3 of 27 pages. The assessment of the level of deterioration or the warranty of a lead-acid battery depends on... The news of the decision states that the level of deterioration or the warranty has been determined. The lead-acid battery and its export sector are subject to decision by the aforementioned sector. The system for judging deterioration in one form of this invention consists of a set of instruments. 5. The aforementioned judgment and the photographic section, which takes pictures of the lead-acid battery as mentioned above, and The voltage gauge measures the terminal voltage of the lead-acid battery, and the other gauges... Specific gravity is the measurement of the specific gravity of the electrolyte in a lead-acid battery. And the terminal receiving the image, the voltage at the terminal, or the... The weight is specifically placed in the area and then sent to the decision-making machine. Ten sets of supporting devices for the operation of this invention consist of the following parts: A signal which receives information signals for judging the level of deterioration or The warranty for lead-acid batteries obtained through operational procedures is received from the terminal. The external and primary factor determining the degradation of a lead-acid battery is information. The decision in question involves a first part that receives a signal and a second part that decides how to proceed. 15. The task performed will determine whether or not the next decision is received, depending on the outcome of the first decision. The unit and the signaling unit, which send the operational command signals, are received by the unit and sent to the machine. The destination, in this case, is determined by a second decision to proceed with the operation. Dong Klao A computer program in one form of this invention enables a computer to perform tasks. 20. The processor receives information and makes a decision to determine the level of deterioration or condition. The warranty for lead-acid batteries is based on recorded data and is subject to compliance with [specific standards / regulations]. Information regarding the assessment of the level of deterioration or warranty of lead-acid batteries. Depending on the information received regarding the decision, the level of deterioration or... Warranty for lead-acid batteries and return of defective products. 25. Brief description of the drawing. Figure 1 is an outline showing an example of one of the components of a decision-making system. Deterioration in the form of usage 1 Figure 2 is a block drawing showing an example of one of the components of a decision-making machine. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing one example of a terminal component. Figure 4 is an explanatory image showing one example of the display screen on page 4 of 27 pages. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing steps for finding the level of... Deterioration and assessment of the level of underwriting by the controlling party. Figure 6 is a block showing an example of one component of a decision-making machine in various forms. Usage 2 Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating one example of a learning model. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the process of creating a learning model. Kuabkum Garden Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the process of processing the decision at the level of... Combat by controlled forces. Figure 10 is a block showing an example of one component of a support system. Operate in usage mode 3. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the process of participatory decision processing. Control Explanation of symbols 151 sets of decision-making equipment. 2 terminal units 3 batteries 4 cameras (photography garden) 5 measuring instruments (including voltage meters) 206. Specific gravity meter (specific gravity measurement section) 10. Deterioration Assessment System 11. Controlled sectors (receiving sector, deciding sector, export sector) 12. Main memory unit 13,23 Communication Park 2514,26 Memory Assistance Unit 141, 145, 148 programs 144,147,149,262 media on the platform 261 Web browser subprograms 142DB Decision History 30143DB Usage History 146 Learning Models (Page 5 of 27 pages) 21 Suan Khuab Khum 24 Suan Khum Ngan 25 display panels 27 parks receiving GPS signals. 528 Laphong Complete disclosure of the invention. (Outline of the usage pattern) The decision-making kit, in its user-friendly format, includes components that receive information. Decision made to assess the level of deterioration or the warranty status of lead-acid batteries. 10. And the decision-making section, which refers to the recorded data, is determined to be consistent with the decision information. The level of deterioration or warranty of lead-acid batteries depends on the information available. The decision made is based on a judgment of the level of deterioration or the warranty coverage. Lead-acid batteries and their exports are subject to decision by the aforementioned decision-making body. By using the above components, as it refers to the recorded database as specified. 15. Consistency of information regarding the decision with the level of deterioration or warranty coverage. Lead-acid batteries are subject to assessment of their level of deterioration or warranty status. Lead-acid batteries can therefore determine the level of deterioration or the warranty period. Lead-acid batteries are rapidly, unbiased, and accurate, regardless of the judge's skill. Because the decision-making process has been shortened and decisions are made quickly, the level of... 20. User satisfaction has increased, and unnecessary insurance costs have been reduced. Furthermore, in a lead-acid battery module, a lead-acid battery is connected to another lead-acid battery. A number of them were grouped together. The decision-making kit, in its user-friendly format, includes components that receive information. A criterion for determining the level of degradation or the level of warranty of lead-acid batteries. 25. And the decision-making section, in the event of sending decision information, sends the said decision information that has been received. In the learning model that outputs the level of degradation or warranty of the battery. Lead-acid batteries are then assessed to determine the level of degradation or the warranty level of the lead-acid battery. Dongglao acid By using the components above, it is possible to determine the level of deterioration or wear and tear. 30. Simple and Excellent Lead-Acid Battery Warranty (Page 6 of 27) In the aforementioned decision-making process, the information regarding the decision will be in the form of news. External damage including leakage, trapping of the tip, or damage to the casing or That includes news and images of lead-acid batteries. Sulfuric acid leakage occurs due to a bent electrode tip, the level of which can be determined. 5. Deterioration or loss of warranty due to external appearance information regarding the terminal, leakage, etc. Or damage or defects, or information or images which are faulty, leaking, or damaged. Furthermore, it can be determined that damage to the pot casing or other parts is the cause. Due to manufacturing defects or issues arising from heavy use or insufficient maintenance. An error or accident, in other words, an abnormality, will be confirmed by news reports or visual evidence. 10. External appearance or images can also determine the warranty level of a lead-acid battery. That is not the target of free change and others depend on the relationship of information. The external appearance or images recorded in the database indicate the level of deterioration or Warranty for lead-acid batteries. In the aforementioned decision-making system, the decision information will include at least the following: 151 items were selected from a group composed of usage status information that includes usage time or distance. Running, news, checking the condition of the part that includes the specific gravity of the electrolyte or the electrical voltage. This includes information about the type of vehicle, location, and additional weather conditions. By using the components above, it is possible to consider usage status information and inspection information. The condition of the interior, vehicle type information, and location or temperature information are used to make a decision. 20. The level of deterioration or warranty of lead-acid batteries is well-documented. There have been cases where lead batteries were brought to the store due to "poor starting". In many cases, the cause of a "poor start" is something other than a malfunction. Lead-acid batteries, for example, are caused by the vehicle's control system. Depending on weather conditions and other factors, in this case, data can be used to determine the type of cause. 25°C, or air temperature and other factors, where lead-acid batteries are normal, the accuracy with which is consistent. The efficiency of the assessment of lead-acid battery degradation will become better. The system for judging wear and tear in usage patterns includes which set of judgment instruments? One of the components mentioned above, and the photographic documentation, shows an image of the aforementioned lead-acid battery. The voltage gauge measures the terminal voltage of the lead-acid battery, and the other gauges... 30. Specific gravity, which measures the specific gravity of the electrolyte of a lead-acid battery as mentioned on page 7 of 27. And the terminal receiving the image, the voltage at the terminal, or the... The weight is specifically placed in the area and then sent to the decision-making machine. By using the components above, you can obtain information about the internal condition of the parts and images. It can quickly assess the level of deterioration or the warranty of a lead-acid battery. 5 acids The operational support kit includes a signal receiving component. This refers to signals indicating a decision regarding the level of deterioration or the warranty period. The lead-acid battery components obtained through the operation are received from the external terminal unit. The first part of the decision, which determines the degradation of lead-acid batteries, depends on the decision information. 10. As mentioned, the signal is received and the second decision-making part, which decides whether to proceed with the operation, is received. Whether or not there will be further news on the decision depends on the outcome of the first decision and the subsequent decision. The signal, which transmits the operational command, is received and sent to the terminal. In the event that a decision is made to proceed with the said operation, the second decision is made by the said second party. Using the components above, a decision was made to proceed with the next course of action. 15. Whether or not it depends on the result of a single decision step, the operational support system can therefore be omitted. The decision-making process is costly and can determine the level of deterioration or We guarantee the performance of lead-acid batteries. Methods for determining deterioration in usage patterns; receiving decision notifications for deterioration levels. Regarding the deterioration or warranty of lead-acid batteries, please refer to the recorded database. 20. By ensuring consistency between the information and the level of deterioration or decline of the judgment. The warranty for lead-acid batteries is subject to the aforementioned decision information which has been made at the relevant level. The deterioration or failure of the warranty of lead-acid batteries and the resulting assessment. By using the components above, it is possible to determine the level of deterioration or wear and tear. The lead-acid battery warranty is fast, unbiased, and accurate, regardless of skill. 25 of the judges Computer programs, in their application form, enable computers to perform processing tasks. Received notification of a decision regarding the level of deterioration or warranty coverage. Lead-acid batteries refer to a database of recorded information that is consistent with decision-making data. The level of degradation or warranty coverage of lead-acid batteries depends on the information available. 30. The aforementioned decision was made to determine the level of deterioration or the validity of the warranty. Lead-acid batteries and their performance are discussed on page 8 of 27. By using the components above, it is possible to determine the level of deterioration or wear and tear. The lead-acid battery warranty is fast, unbiased, and accurate, regardless of skill. Of the judge (Usage pattern 1) Figure 1 is an outline showing an example of one of the components of a decision-making system. Deterioration 10 in usage pattern 1, the system determines the deterioration of 10 sets of judgment machines 1. Manufacturer of lead-acid batteries (hereinafter referred to as batteries) 3, terminal 2 of the store. Battery 3 is connected via the internet and other networks at Battery 3 stores. It consists of 4 cameras located near the terminal (2), then taking pictures of the battery (3), and the measuring instrument (5). 10. Measure the voltage between the terminals of the battery (3) and the specific gravity meter (6), which measures the gravity. The specific gravity of the battery electrolyte is 3. Decision making unit 1 receives decision information for determining the level of deterioration and... Battery warranty 3 from terminal 2 determines the level of battery degradation 3. After determining the level of combat effectiveness, the result signal is sent to the receiving device. Figure 2 is a block drawing showing one example of a component of a set of decision-making machines. Decision 1 comprises control unit 11, which controls the overall machine, and the main memory unit. 12. Communication section, 13. Memory auxiliary section, 14. and timing section, 15. Decision-making unit 1. It consists of one or more service machines, one decision-making machine, in addition to processing. Once distributed to a number of machines, virtual machines can also be used. 20. The control section 11 can consist of CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read-Only Memory) Only Memory (Medium Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) and others. The control unit 11 will consist of... It can also include a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). In addition, other types of computers can be used. Quantum also got it. The main memory (12 GB) is a temporary storage area, such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory). 25GB Access Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and flash memory. Other data that the control section11 records is necessary for the operation and computation of the process. one The communication section 13 comprises functions that handle communication between terminal device 2. Through the N network, which can process and transmit the necessary information signals. The 30 concrete examples are: 13 parts for communication, 13 parts for receiving information signals and decision-making by the terminal device, and 2 parts for sending signals. This comprises 9 out of 27 pages. Communication 13 sends signals regarding the determination of the level of deterioration and the level of warranty. Battery 3 goes to terminal 2. The auxiliary memory unit14 is a high-capacity memory unit such as a hard disk and others which... The program log in control section 11 is necessary for processing operations, program 141. 5. Proceed with the processing and decision-making process regarding the level of deterioration and the warranty claim. Later, and DB decision history 142, and DB usage history 143. DB decision history. 142 can be accessed from another DB server. Program 141, which is stored in auxiliary memory 14, will be presented by storage medium 144. The program 141 is saved so that it can be read from the storage medium 144, which is a portable memory unit. 10. Examples include USB memory units, SD cards, Micro SD cards, and Compact Flash (marked...). (Registered trade) and others, program 141, which is recorded on the storage medium, 144 is read from the storage medium. 144 by using a non-displaying reader unit installed in the auxiliary memory section.14 In addition, Program 141 can also be presented by communicating through communication channel 13. The garden project took 15 minutes to complete. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of one of the components of two terminal devices. Terminal 2 comprises control unit 21, which controls the overall machine, and the memory unit. Main unit 22, Communication section 23, Control section 24, Display panel 25, Auxiliary memory section 26, Input section GPS signal 27, and speaker 28. Terminal 2 can include, for example, personal computers or smart devices. 20 phones, tablets and more. The control center 21 can consist of the CPU, ROM, and RAM, etc. The control center 21 will... It can be assembled by integrating the GPU. The main memory section 22 is a real-time storage area such as SRAM, DRAM, Flash memory and other components that store control data21 are necessary for operation. 25. Processes calculations momentarily. Communication section 23 comprises functions that facilitate communication between the decision-making unit 1 and the control unit 1. Through the N network, Songsu can conduct surveillance and transmit necessary information signals. The control section 24 consists of components such as hardware keyboards, mice, touch panels, and more. Others that can control the icons and others that are displayed on the display panel 25, sending. 30. He requested letters and other things. Page 10 of 27. The 25 display panel can consist of a liquid crystal panel or an EL (Electro-Crystal) display panel. Luminescence) Organic and others have control components. 21. Control is performed for displaying information. Essentially, the display panel has 25 control sections and 21 displays information such as deterioration levels, and... The level of battery warranty and other information3 is obtained from the control unit1 on the display panel25. 5. Auxiliary memory (AMJ) is a large-capacity memory that stores programs. Control 21 is required for processing operations and web browser subroutines. (Hereinafter referred to as Program) 261. Program 261 is presented from decision-making unit 1 via communication. Through communication section 13, program 261 will be presented via recorded media 262, which records program 261. It should be readable. 10. The GPS signal receiver part, 27. The receiver receives electrical signals from a certain number of GPS satellites. The system checks the location of terminal 2. The 28-watt speaker emits sound according to the instructions from the control section 21. Table 1 shows one example of a table recorded in the decision history database, page 142 of 27 pages. Table 1 It ก ก Yes ฺ ก It ก ฺ ee It u u ฺ This ก ? ก This ฺ ็ ฺ It u This u ื ee ก u ฺ ? ฺ ึ This Yes This It ee This ฺ Status of use, external appearance of the document, internal condition of the document. White color, location, test results, results. Specific charging time for different battery types / levels. No. Distance, Voltage, Temperature, Charging Circle, Charge Monitoring. The car is in dilapidated condition. Use the product to repair the damage caused by the product. (Kilometers) Right end (Degrees Celsius) (%) Separate garden (P) The tip of the electrolytic filter. 11.01000011131aaa598111 22.62500011132bbb2095222 33.040000515ccc1670333 43.235000515ddd1865444 .............................................Page 12 of 27 pages DB Decision History 142 records, Column No., Column Usage Time, Column... Operating status of runway column, sediment column, terminal condensation column. The news report mentions damage to the exterior of the Colman Garcharo product, including a damaged casing; and includes images. Specific gravity of electrolyte solution; news / information on the condition of components of collagen. 5. Electrical voltage at the terminal end, automotive type column, news column, location? Temperature, weather column, results column. Charge-discharge testing, component inspection results, component degradation testing, and... Decision column, column number, record number, row of cases, battery decision process 3. Regarding three different batteries in large quantities or at different times for each of the three batteries. Similarly, the usage time column records the usage time of the installation or after a change. 10. Battery 3-Column System: Records the driving distance of vehicles equipped with a 3-column battery system. The absorption rate of electrolytes is scaled down, for example, from 5 to 51, representing different states. There is no permeation at all, where the level of permeation increases as the number increases. The coil trapping mechanism of the terminal end is described in detail, outlining the five steps of coil trapping as an example. From 1 to 51, these are states with no filtration at all, where the amount of filtration increases with the process. 15. As the number increases, the column on the damage to the pot shell records the level of damage. Damage to the lid, for example, 5 pieces from 1 to 5. The usage status column will include news about the vehicle's history and payment period. You can also compensate for the battery with an additional 3 units. The exterior design news column will include news about shell reshaping. 20. Changes in color, dosage (viscosity of liquid), and additional information are also acceptable. The image column saves the photos taken with the battery (3 images). The image gallery includes all the photos. Viewed from the frontal, lateral, and posterior surfaces, the desired plane is the overall shape. The thick skin at the base is a more desirable feature. The specific gravity of an electrolyte solution is shown with an example of an estimated value of 5. 25 steps from 1 to 53 correspond to the specific gravity of the initial stage of battery production, where the... The specific gravity decreases as the numerical value increases; this indicates the state of specific gravity. It increased by 4-6% compared to the initial production. In addition, 5 shows the state at specific gravity. A 4-6% decrease in the terminal voltage; record the amount of voltage drop at the terminal end. With 5 steps from 1 to 5, "1" is the starting voltage at which the amount of degradation occurs. 30 The electric voltage becomes higher as the number increases (page 13 of 27). Vehicle type column, vehicle type record, news column, location? Air temperature record. The location data or air temperature of the decision site will record the battery temperature. It could replace air temperature. The charge-discharge test records the test results of samples, such as the recovery rate. 5. Capacity and other aspects of the case: Conducting charge cycle tests, including capacity retention rates. Show the capacity ratio at the cutoff time for the case where the initial capacity is set to 100%. The column's evaluation is separated and shown with an example of the evaluation values ​​of 4 steps from 1 to 4. Depending on the information regarding the presence or absence of a positive current receiver, the refrigerant, or the weakening of the positive terminal. Sulfation and other factors, and the connection status of the group of terminal plates with the terminal ends and others, are obtained by separation. 10 / 1 represents the problem-free state of the initial operating time, where the level of deterioration of the presence... There is no corrosion, reducing agents, positive pole softening, sulfation, and others become more pronounced as a result. The number increases; “3” represents the highest level of deterioration, and “4” represents the lowest level of deterioration. It is a "3," however, it shows that the deterioration occurs due to misuse or incorrect operation. Users and others. 15. The degradation level of the memory unit is shown in 4 stages, depending on the results of the charge-discharge test and other results. In the separate inspection, “1” represents a state without deterioration, where deterioration is progressing. As the number increases, "3" represents the highest level of deterioration, and "4" represents the highest level. Degradation is "3", however, it shows that degradation occurs due to the conditions of use. Errors made by users and others. 20. The decision column records the level of assurance for a sample. The levels of combat assurance can be categorized into four levels as follows: 1: Restore the user to their normal status. 2: This is normal, but the battery will be charged separately upon arrival. 3: Change to the status of an anomaly. 254: It is unusual, but the abnormality occurs due to user actions which... The change will incur a cost. The level of warranty “1” corresponds to the level of deterioration “1”. The warranty level "2" corresponds to the deterioration level "2". The warranty level "3" corresponds to the deterioration level "3". Level 30 of the warranty "4" corresponds to the deterioration level "4" on page 14 of 27. DB Decision History 142 is not limited to cases where all the topics mentioned above are recorded. The information base of a decision includes at least some information about the external appearance or images as part of the decision. Further decision information is not limited to cases where both sets of charge test results are used. And the results of the separate inspection in determining the level of deterioration of the evaluation method (steps) of the topic. 5. Each case is not limited solely to the types mentioned above. DB decision history 142 will be recorded for each battery model 3 or for each The type of vehicle also matters. In cases where the battery is faulty and the vehicle is damaged at the shop due to "poor starting," there are... In many cases, the cause of a "poor start" is something other than a malfunction. Battery 3, for example, is caused by the vehicle's control system being dependent on it. 10. Air temperature and other factors; in this case, battery 3 was judged to be normal, as it is known to have a tendency. The characteristics depend on the type of vehicle and the accuracy and efficiency of the decision-making become better. It is also possible to compile recent breakdown statistics for each type of vehicle. Table 2 shows one example of a table recorded in the database history section, page 143 of 15 out of 27 pages. Table 2 It ก ก Yes ฺ ee It u u ฺ This ก This ก ก This ฺ ็ ฺ It u This u ื ee ก u ฺ ? ฺ ึ This Yes This It ee This ฺ ID No. 1 Status of use, external appearance of the document, internal condition of the document. White color Types of levels of management Specific gravity charging time No. Distance of the atmospheric voltage diagram The car is in dilapidated condition. Use the product to repair the damage caused by the product. (Kilometers) to the right (degrees Celsius) (P) The tip of the electrolytic filter. 11.01000011131aaa2011 22.52500011132aaa1822 ………………………… 53.040000515aaa1033 Page 16 of 27 pages. DB Usage History: 143 records, Column No., Column Usage Time, Column... Operating status of runway column, sediment column, terminal condensation column. News column, external appearance of the column, damage to the casing of the pot, image column. Specific gravity of electrolyte solution; news / information on the condition of components of collagen. 5. Electrical voltage, terminal type column, vehicle type column, news column location? Air temperature, column... The degradation level, and the decision column for each battery, are shown in Table 2. Battery usage history for ID No. 1: Usage time column, Distance driven column. Colmann's corrosion of the tip, Colmann's damage to the casing. The term "collective volume," "collective specific gravity of electrolyte," and "collective terminal voltage." 10 columns on vehicle types, location information columns, climate change columns, deterioration level columns, and... The decision-making column records the same content as the column for usage time, the column for runway distance, and other columns. Septic tank corrosion, corrosion of the casing, corrosion Images, specific gravity of electrolyte solution, terminal voltage, etc. Vehicle type, location news column, climate temperature, deterioration level column, and column. 15. DB's decision history: 142 decisions The degradation level recorder notes the level of degradation determined by applying the method described. Subsequently, the decision column records the battery warranty level as 3, depending on the level of... Deterioration that can be found. Next, I will explain the method by which the assessment instrument estimates the level of deterioration. 20. Battery 3. Then, the warranty level of battery 3 is determined in 4 steps. This will explain the cases. Control Center 11 receives notifications regarding the operational status and external appearance. Images, news about vehicle inspections, vehicle types, location news, or weather conditions. Information judgments include at least some information related to appearance or images. Figure 4 is an illustrative image showing one example of the display screen in the picture. 254 displays the results that employees use in the work control section. 24 tasks are submitted to the web browser screen, which is... The results are displayed on the display panel (25), depending on program (261), and the control section (11) makes the decision. Control 21 displays the input channel for vehicle type, input channel start date, and distance traveled. Operating status, leakage channel, corrosion of the terminal, damage to... The casing of the news feeder unit, the exterior design of which is located on the left side of the control panel display (21). 30. Display the display button and the image signal button at the top center of the display screen. Displays the results for the specific gravity of the electrolyte and the terminal voltage at the bottom of page 17 of 27. Control section 21 displays buttons for sending location information and a temperature display channel. Air quality and display the level of deterioration in relation to the assessment of the upper warranty level. From the garden on the right. The employee submits the company name, manufacturing type, vehicle type, and date of shipment. 5. Starting the usage process at the input channel on the start date of use, in the case of input on the start date of use of the control section. 21. The usage time will be displayed in the usage time field located next to the entry field for the start date. Submit the mileage reading (kilometer marker) to the input field for distance tracking. The employee will then submit the processed result. Evaluate the five steps mentioned above at the penetration channel, corrosion of the tip, and damage. Damage to the pot casing occurs if an employee clicks the image display button; control section 21 will display the result. Ten photographs taken using a camera; four selected photographs will be sent as a signal. Proceed to decision-making unit 1 by having the employee click the selection button in the lower right corner of the photograph. Click the "Send Signal" button to submit the results of the 5-step evaluation process mentioned above in the "Submit" field. The specific gravity of the electrolyte, the terminal voltage, and the positional information are transmitted. The signal is sent to decision-making unit 1 by the employee clicking the location information signal button. Control section 1521 will display the air temperature depending on the location information in the temperature display field. The air can also be received, or the air temperature can be transmitted by an operator and then a signal sent to the system. The device 1 could also receive the battery temperature 3 instead of the air temperature. This explanatory figure will be used to describe the process shown in the flowchart of Figure 5. Next Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing steps for finding the level of... Deterioration and determination of the level of underwriting by the controlling party11 The park management team has assigned vehicle type S201 to employees for work-related transportation. Control Section 21 sends vehicle type signal to the control unit 1 (S202). The park controls 11 types of vehicle signals and then immediately sends them to the DB usage history page 143 (S101). 25 control units, 21 transmit location information signals to the GPS receiving unit, and 27 detect the signal. Yongchut Decision Machine 1 (S203) The control unit receives location information signals and records the corresponding weather conditions. News regarding location in DB usage history 143 (S102) Control Unit 21 receives information about the usage status, operating time, distance traveled, and other details. 30 employees use the work control code 24 times to submit (S204). Control unit 21 sends the operating status signal to control unit 1 (S205), page 18 of 27 pages. Control Unit 11 receives the usage status signal and records it in the usage history database (DB) at location 143. (S103) Control Section 21 received information on the external appearance of the penetration fluid, and corrosion of the tip. Damage to the pot casing and other parts caused by workers using the equipment during work hours (S206). 5 control gardens, 21 signal transmissions, external appearance to the control unit 1 (S207) The control section 11 receives the external information signal and records it in the database (DB) with usage history. 143(S104) Control Unit 21 received an image of battery 3, which the operator photographed using camera 4. (S208) 10 control units, 21 transmit video signals to the decision-making unit 1 (S209). The control garden has received the image signal and is now back at the database. Usage history 143 (S105). Control Unit 21 received information about the condition of the specific gravity of the electrolyte. The employee used a specific gravity meter to measure the voltage at the terminals and other parameters. Measured by measuring instrument 5 (S210). 15. Controlled by 21 signals, the system monitors the condition of the garden and sends the information to the control device 1 (S211). Control Section 11 receives the information signal, checks the condition of the internal components, and records the usage history in the database. Task 143 (S106) Control Section 11 determines the level of deterioration (S107). Control Section 11 determines the level of... Deterioration consistent with the information received regarding the decision based on the rules of the relationship. 20 Usage Statuses, Exterior Design News, Images, Interior Inspection News, Vehicle Type. Location information? Air temperature, which is recorded in the DB decision history 142 with the level of... Deterioration depends on the charge-discharge test results and separate inspection results, i.e., the level of... Deterioration is determined by the grouping of information for each control section topic; 11 cases can be identified. Expressing such a relationship as a function will define a threshold value for a certain number. 25 steps are added to the function value, and the level of degradation is determined based on the function value obtained and the threshold value. can Control Section 11 makes decisions regarding the level of guarantee based on the level of... Deteriorated (S108) Control element 11 makes the guarantee level decision "1" in the case where the level 30 deterioration is "1", causing the decision of the warranty level to be "2" in the case where the level of Deterioration is rated as “2”, resulting in a warranty level rating of “3” in the case of page 19 of 27. Deterioration is rated as “3”, resulting in a “4” rating for the warranty level in cases where the level... Deteriorated to "4". The control garden sends a signal (S109), and then the processing is complete. The control unit 21 receives the output signal (S212), displays the result on the display panel 25 (S213), and then ends. 5. Processing By using this usage format, due to referencing the DB's decision history of 142 records... To ensure consistency between the information and the level of deterioration or decline. The battery warranty (3-year warranty) determines the level of degradation or the validity of the warranty. Battery 3 can therefore determine the level of degradation or the warranty period of Battery 3. 10. Fast, unbiased, and accurate, regardless of the employee's skill. Because the decision-making process has been shortened and decisions are made quickly, the level of... User satisfaction has therefore increased, and unnecessary insurance costs have been reduced. (Usage Mode 2) Figure 6 is a block showing one example of a component of a 1-stage arsenal. 15. Using 2 sets of decision-making machines in 2 usage modes, in addition to the program 145. Learning model 146 in the memory assist section 14, and program 145 is installed in the section. Memory assists 14, storage media 147, and the content of the DB table history of usage 143. They are different, but they consist of components that are similar to those in a single-use decision-making machine. Table 3 shows an example of a table recorded in the database. (Usage History 143) Page 20 of 27. Table 3 It It ก ก It ก ก Yes ฺ ee It u u ฺ This ก ? ก This ฺ ็ ฺ It u This u ื ee ก u ฺ ? ฺ ึ This Yes This It ee This ฺ ID No. 1 Status of use, external appearance of the document, internal condition of the document. action White color The time period for pressing the charging button, specific type, level of discharge. No. Weather image Electric voltage range The use of the vehicle's maintenance fluid is to repair damaged or deteriorated parts, and to avoid complications. (Degrees Celsius) (Kilometers) right end (P) The tip of the electrolytic capacitor is actually measuring. 11.01000011131aaa2011 22.52500011132aaa18222 ……………………… 53.040000515aaa1033 Page 21 of 27 pages. DB Usage History 143 of usage patterns 2, in addition to column recording. The decision on the actual measurement is further derived from the content of the DB table, usage history 143 of the format. Usage 1 involves combining components that are similar to the table in the usage pattern of column 1. The decision of the actual measurement records the decision result of the level of assurance of the actual measurement based on the result. 5. Charge-discharge testing and separate inspection results for determining the actual measurement are performed in order to... Further learning will be discussed later, which does not need to be undertaken at the time of the final decision. Figure 7 is a diagram showing one example of a learning model. (146) Learning Model 146 is a learning model that can be used as a program module. It is part of a hypothetical artificial intelligence software that can use a multi-neural network. 10 levels (deep learning), for example, can use a convolutional neural network. (Convolutional Neural Network: CNN) However, it will use a repetitive neural network. A Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) can also be used. In this case, the RNN will send decision information in sequence. When exporting, the level of guarantee in sequence can be learned using other tools as well. Control 11 works in a manner that performs calculations based on decision information sent to them at the point of origin. 15 learning models, based on instructions from learning model 146, are then exported at the level of guarantee. With that probability as the decision result in the case of a CNN, the intermediate layer includes the convoluted layer. The layer, the appending layer, and the total number of nodes (neurons) in a layer are not limited to any specific case. Figure 7 A node of 1, or a certain number of nodes, resides at the entrance, exit, and intermediate levels of each node. Twenty layers are integrated with nodes located on the front-back layers using the desired weight in one vector direction. Which has a number of components equal to the number of nodes of the sending layer sent as input data. (High-level data is used for learning and high-level data is used for decision-making) of learning model 146. As input data that has already been learned, it includes at least some information about the external appearance. Or, news, images, and external appearance are evaluated using a 5-step process by at least one employee. 25. The leakage of liquid, trapping of the tip, and damage to the casing in a manner that... As mentioned above, the accompanying images include pictures viewed from the front, and from the side. A thick, flat back surface is desirable; combining it with a thick base surface is even more desirable. Uploading images that include at least the tip, hole, or level of the liquid leak, The damage to the pottery casing is desirable, for example, due to the presence of sulfuric acid. 30. The bending or breaking of the connector tip can affect the external appearance or images of the connector tip or liquid. Defects or damages in learning model 146 can be covered by a level of warranty depending on the level on page 22 of 27 pages. Deterioration in the case of news or news images, including abnormalities such as... Damage to the pot shell and other parts resulting from operational problems will be replaced by... The cost and level of insurance coverage "4" are considered high. The news regarding the decision will include at least one additional news item. 5. Usage status, inspection news, vehicle type news, and location news. The air temperature can also be affected. The class uses a learning model 146, and after learning, sends information for decision-making when the information is correct. Each item in the input layer is sent by sending it to the middle layer of the first layer, using weight and... The function triggers, and the output value of the intermediate layer is calculated. The calculated value is then sent to the next layer. The next 10 centers are then made to lose at the rear (lower) collision point, doing the same thing until the value... The weight of the combined nodes of the cluster will be found by calculating the total weight of all the combined nodes by the algorithm. learn The export model of learning model 146 creates levels of assurance and probability. That is, as high-level information. 15. The order is given in the form of... For example, The probability that the level of combat assurance is 1…0.03. The probability that the level of combat assurance is 20.90. The probability that the level of combat assurance is 3…0.06 20. The probability that the level of combat guarantee is 4…0.01 Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the process of creating a learning model. 146 by control section 11 Control section 11 reads the decision history database (142) and receives the specified training data. Consistency of the decision information of each row with the level of combat guarantee (S301). 25. Control section 11 uses training data to create a learning model 146 (already learned model), which... The probability of the level of coverage in the case submitted to the decision information (S302) is stated. Specifically, control unit 11 sends training data to the input layer and receives the probability of... The level of protection from the upper layer is determined through computational processing at the midpoint. Control Section 11 compares the decision results of the level of insurance coverage sent from the class. 30. Exporting categorized news items based on decision-making data, specifically training data, i.e., correct answer values. Then, optimize the parameters used in the mid-level calculation in a way that matches page 23 of 27 pages. The output from the output layer approaches the correct answer. The parameters mentioned are, for example, the weight. ก Above (integrated coefficients), coefficients of the stimulus function, and other methods of calculation. The optimal parameter is not specifically limited, however, for example, control section 11 uses a method... The error spreads back after the operation has been optimized for the parameters of the group. 5 control sections, 11 storing learning models, 146 created in auxiliary memory, 14. Then the processing of one set ends. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the process of processing the decision at the level of... The battle was fought by the Control Unit 11. The park management team 21 received a type of vehicle which the employees use for work 24 to deliver goods (S221). 10. Controlled by 21 signals, the vehicle transmits signals to the control device 1 (S222). Park Khuab Khum 11, signal type S111. Control unit 21 sends location information signals, which are detected by GPS receiver unit 27. Yongchut Decision Machine 1 (S223) The park controls location information signals (S112). 15 control sections and 21 receive information about the usage status, usage time, distance traveled, and other details. Employees use the 24-hour work control section to submit (S224). The control unit 21 sends the operating status signal to control unit 1 (S225). The control unit 11 receives a signal indicating the status of operation (S113). Control Section 21 received information on the external appearance of the penetration fluid, and corrosion of the tip. 20. Damage to the pot casing and other parts used by employees during work (S226). The park control unit 21 transmits information signals regarding the exterior appearance to the control unit 1 (S227). The park has a 11-stage signal reception system and an exterior design (S114). Control Unit 21 received an image of battery 3, which the operator photographed using camera 4. (S228) 25 control units, 21 transmit video signals to the decision-making unit 1 (S229). The park is blocking the view of the image signal (S115). Control Unit 21 received information about the condition of the specific gravity of the electrolyte. The employee used a specific gravity meter to measure the voltage at the terminals and other parameters. Measured using a measuring instrument 5 (S230). 30 Garden Control 21 Sending information signals to check the condition of the garden inside the control unit 1 (S231) The park control unit 11 receives information signals and checks the condition of the park (S116), page 24 of 27 pages. The garden control unit 11 sends information on decision-making in the learning model 146 (S117). Control Section 11 receives a level of assurance depending on the level of assurance and the It is likely that the learning model 146 export (S118) control section 11 has received a level of assurance. In cases where the probability is 80% or more. 5 control sections, 11 send the warranty level result signal to the terminal 2. (S119) Processing is now complete. The control garden 21 receives the signal result of the decision (S232). Control unit 21 displays the result of the decision on display panel 25 (S233) and then the process ends. Process 10 Controlled areas 11 can enable relearning using learning model 146 in a manner that... The reliability of decision-making increases with the level of assurance used in the 146-step learning model. The decision regarding the level of guarantee can be obtained by actual measurement, for example, at No. 2. Table 3 shows that the results from the learning model (146) matched the results from the measurement. In fact, the probability of such a decision can be increased by submitting input data. 15. The training exercises are stipulated to be consistent with the decision results mentioned above, regarding the decision information for row No. 2. Many cases involve repetitive learning, where the results of the learning model 146 do not accurately reflect the results of other studies. The decision made through actual measurement will be submitted to training data which is specified to be consistent with the results of the measurement decision. It's true that you have to learn it again. By using this usage pattern, it is possible to determine the level of deterioration or 20. The warranty for lead-acid batteries is easily and effectively maintained. Learning model 146 will be done in a way that sends an image to a convolutional layer of a certain number. And the pooled data, including images of the pooled data and other decision-making information, were then combined. Furthermore, it is sent to a convolution layer of a certain number and a pulling layer, then compressed and processed. Characteristics that indicate the level of guarantee acceptance. 25. The learning model 146 mentioned above explains the case of exporting at the level of... The guarantee depends on the decision news, but is not limited to this; it will be an export level. Deterioration depends on the news and the decision. Control Section 11 has received a level of deterioration from... Learning model 146 then determines the level of warranty based on the level of deterioration. (Usage Mode 3) Figure 10 is a block showing an example of one component of a support system. Operation 17 in 3 usage scenarios. Support equipment for operation 17 in 3 usage scenarios. Page 25 of 27 pages. 3. In addition to program 148 stored in the auxiliary memory, program 148 is installed at... The memory unit is assisted by 14 storage media and then assembles components that are identical to the set. The device, in one usage scenario, is a terminal unit of the battery store and is connected. The device supports operations via a network such as the internet and others. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the process of processing a decision by part. Control 11 The park management team 21 received a vehicle of type S241 which the employees use for work and deliveries. Control unit 21 sends vehicle-type signals to operational support unit 17. (S242) 10. Controlling 11. Receiving signals of vehicle type (S121) Control unit 21 sends location information signals, which are detected by GPS receiver unit 27. Support equipment for operational work 17 (S243) The control center controls location information signals (S122). Control Unit 21 receives information about the usage status, usage time, distance traveled, and other details. 15 employees use the work control code 24 to submit the work (S244). Control unit 21 sends the operating status signal to support unit 17. (S245) The control garden monitors the status of operation of signal 11 (S123). Control Section 21 received information on the external appearance of the penetration fluid, and corrosion of the tip. 20. Damage to the casing and other parts used by employees during work (S246). Control unit 21 sends external information signals to the supporting equipment. Work assignment 17 (S247) The park controls the signal and updates the exterior design (S124). Control Unit 11 determines that obtaining an image of the next operation is necessary. 25 or not (S125) Control section 11 reads out DB decision history 142 and then finds the level of deterioration. This depends on the rules governing vehicle type relationships, location information, usage status, and... The information regarding the exterior appearance and level of deterioration of the control component 11 will determine the level of deterioration. Depending on the value of the function that depends on the relationship with the threshold value, there are 11 control cases. Determine that the degradation level is 1 and image acquisition is not necessary (S125:NO). 30. The processing progresses to S132, and the warranty level is determined to be 1 on page 26 of 27. Control Section 11: If image reception is required (S125:YES), a signal will be sent. The cost of receiving the image and sending it to the destination device 2 (S126). The control unit 21 receives command signals, displays them on the display panel 25, or sends audio signals from... The speaker stimulated the employee in a way that resulted in receiving an image, specifically an image of battery 3. 5 staff members used 4 cameras to take photographs (S248). The control garden 21 sends image signals to support operation device 17 (S249). The park controls the signal for image reception (S127). Control Unit 11 determined that a condition check of the internal components for the next operational step was necessary. Or not (S128) Control Section 11 reads out the DB decision history 142 and then determines the level of deterioration. 10. This depends on the rules governing vehicle type relationships, location information, usage status, and other information. The exterior appearance and images, along with the level of deterioration controlled by section 11, will determine the level of deterioration. Depending on the value of the function that depends on the relationship with the threshold value, there are 11 control cases. Determine that the level of deterioration is 2 and that an internal inspection is not necessary (S128:NO). This will cause the processing to progress to S132 and determine the warranty level to be 2. 15. Control Section 11. In cases where an internal inspection is necessary (S128:YES), a sample will be sent. The signal for checking the condition of the garden is sent to terminal device 2 (S129). Control unit 21 displays the results on the display panel 25 or emits sound from the speakers to trigger the activation. Employees who have received information about the internal condition of the parts have received information about the internal condition of the parts. (S250) 20 control sections, 21 sending information signals to monitor the condition of internal components to the support equipment. Work Assignment 17 (S251) The park controls signal 11 (S130). The control factor 11 determines the level of deterioration based on the laws of type relationships. Vehicle, location information, usage status, exterior design information, images, and inspection information. 25. Condition of the internal part with the level of deterioration (S131). Control part 11 will determine the level of deterioration depending on... The value of the function depends on the relationship mentioned above, and can also depend on the threshold value. Control Section 11 makes decisions regarding the level of guarantee based on the level of... Deteriorated (S132) Control unit 11 sends the decision result signal to terminal 2 (S133), and then... 30 Processing Items The control garden 21 receives the decision signal (S252), page 27 of 27. Control section 21 displays the decision on display panel 25 (S253), and then the process ends. Process By using this usage pattern, a decision is made to proceed with the next action. Or, depending on the outcome of one decision step, the operational support system17 can therefore... 5. The decision-making process is cost-effective and can determine the level of deterioration or wear. We guarantee the performance of lead-acid batteries; however, the contents of the warranty are not limited to specific specifications. Only in the case mentioned above. This invention is not limited to the scope of the applications mentioned above. Which can be adjusted in a wide range within the scope shown in the claim, namely the format. 10. Applications which can be achieved by organizing scientific methods that are appropriately adapted within the scope. The claims shown are also included within the scientific scope of this invention. ' ' The best way to invent something. As stated in the section on the complete disclosure of the invention;
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Description

Determination device, deterioration determination system, work support device, deterioration determination method, and computer program

[0001] The present invention relates to a determination device for determining the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, a deterioration determination system, a work support device, a deterioration determination method, and a computer program.

[0002] Lead-acid batteries are used in a variety of applications, including automotive and industrial use. For example, automotive lead-acid batteries are mounted on moving objects such as automobiles, motorcycles, forklifts, golf cars, and the like, and are used as a power supply source for starter motors when starting the engine, and as a power supply source for various electrical components such as lights. For example, industrial lead-acid batteries are used as a power supply source for emergency power sources and UPSs.

[0003] It is known that lead-acid batteries deteriorate due to various factors. In order to prevent power supply interruptions due to unexpected loss of function of the lead-acid battery, it is necessary to appropriately determine the degree of deterioration of the lead-acid battery and accurately determine whether replacement is necessary. Patent Document 1 discloses an invention of a deterioration determination method in which a secondary battery is discharged by being left for a desired period of time, self-discharged, or forcedly discharged, and the deterioration of the secondary battery is determined by the magnitude or ratio of the voltage or by comparison with a good secondary battery.

[0004] JP 2011-232345 A

[0005] The warranty period for automotive lead-acid batteries is set, for example, until three years have passed since installation in the vehicle, or until the mileage reaches 50,000 km, whichever comes first. Therefore, lead-acid battery retailers assess the degree of deterioration of lead-acid batteries brought in by users and determine whether they qualify for warranty coverage, such as replacement. Replacement is covered under the warranty only when a product malfunctions; for example, batteries that have recovered after charging are not eligible for replacement. Furthermore, batteries that have malfunctioned due to overuse, inadequate user care, negligence, or accidents are not eligible for replacement. Lead-acid battery retailers must determine whether a battery is eligible for replacement based on a manual, which requires a lot of time and effort.

[0006] The degree of warranty is determined using the following procedure: (1) Check the usage condition (period of use, mileage, breakdown status, vehicle history, warranty period). (2) Obtain appearance information (seeding, terminal corrosion, or damage to the battery case). (3) Obtain internal inspection information (specific gravity of the electrolyte or terminal voltage). (4) Determine the degree of warranty as follows: 1: Return to the user as a normal product. 2: Normal, but return after recharging. 3: Replace as a defective product. (5) If it is unclear, send it to the manufacturer, who will analyze it and make a final decision. These procedures are documented in a manual, but the decision in (4) requires a certain level of skill and experience. If the judgment is too strict, user dissatisfaction will increase, and if the judgment is too lenient, the warranty costs will increase.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a determination device, a deterioration determination system, a work support device, a deterioration determination method, and a computer program that can quickly, objectively, and accurately determine the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery.

[0008] A determination device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires determination information for determining the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, a determination unit that determines the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery based on the acquired determination information by referring to a database that stores the determination information in correspondence with the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, and an output unit that outputs the result determined by the determination unit.

[0009] A deterioration determination system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the above-described determination device, an imaging unit that captures an image of the lead-acid battery, a voltage measurement unit that measures the terminal voltage of the lead-acid battery, a specific gravity measurement unit that measures the specific gravity of the electrolyte of the lead-acid battery, and a terminal that acquires the image, the terminal voltage, or the specific gravity and outputs it to the determination device.

[0010] A work assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives, from an external terminal, judgment information for judging the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery obtained through an acquisition operation; a first judgment unit that judges the deterioration of the lead-acid battery based on the received judgment information; a second judgment unit that judges whether or not to perform the next acquisition operation of judgment information based on the result of the judgment made by the first judgment unit; and a transmitting unit that, when the second judgment unit judges that the acquisition operation should be performed, transmits instructions for the acquisition operation to the terminal.

[0011] A computer program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute a process of acquiring judgment information for judging the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, and based on the acquired judgment information, referring to a database that stores the judgment information in association with the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, judging the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, and outputting the judgment result.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a deterioration determination system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a determination device. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a terminal. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of deriving the deterioration degree and determining the degree of assurance by a control unit. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a determination device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a learning model. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of generating a learning model by a control unit. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of determining the degree of assurance by a control unit. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a work assistance device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of determination by a control unit.

[0013] (Summary of the embodiment) The determination device according to the embodiment includes an acquisition unit that acquires determination information for determining the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, a determination unit that determines the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery based on the acquired determination information by referring to a database that stores the determination information in association with the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, and an output unit that outputs the result determined by the determination unit.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery is determined by referring to a database that stores the determination information in association with the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery. This makes it possible to determine the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery quickly, objectively, and accurately without relying on the skill of the assessor. Since the number of steps required for the determination is reduced and the determination is made quickly, user satisfaction is improved and unnecessary warranty costs are reduced. Note that the term "lead-acid battery" also includes a lead-acid battery module in which multiple lead-acid batteries are connected in series.

[0015] The determination device according to the embodiment includes an acquisition unit that acquires determination information for determining the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, and a determination unit that inputs the acquired determination information into a learning model that outputs the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery when the determination information is input, and determines the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery can be determined easily and effectively.

[0017] In the above-described determination device, the determination information may be appearance information including liquid bleeding, corrosion of terminals, or damage to a battery case, or image information of the lead-acid battery.

[0018] Bent terminals can cause sulfuric acid to leak, and the degree of deterioration or warranty can be determined based on appearance information about the terminals, seepage, or damage, or image information confirming the terminals, leak, or damage. It can also be used to determine whether damage to the battery case is due to a manufacturing defect, abuse, inadequate care, negligence, or an accident. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected from the appearance information or image information, the degree of warranty for the lead-acid battery can be determined, such as whether it is eligible for free replacement, based on the relationship between the appearance information or image stored in the database and the degree of deterioration or warranty for the lead-acid battery.

[0019] In the above-mentioned determination device, the determination information may further include at least one piece of information selected from the group consisting of usage status information including the period of use or mileage, internal inspection information including the specific gravity of the electrolyte or terminal voltage, vehicle model information, and location information or temperature.

[0020] According to the above configuration, the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery can be accurately determined by taking into account usage status information, internal inspection information, vehicle model information, location information, or temperature. Lead-acid batteries are often brought to dealerships due to "starting problems," but the cause of the "starting problems" may be something other than a fault in the lead-acid battery, such as control by the vehicle's control device based on temperature, etc. In this case, the database can determine that the cause is the vehicle model or temperature, etc., and that the lead-acid battery is in good condition. This improves the accuracy and efficiency of determining lead-acid battery deterioration.

[0021] A deterioration determination system according to an embodiment includes any one of the determination devices described above, an imaging unit that captures an image of the lead-acid battery, a voltage measurement unit that measures the terminal voltage of the lead-acid battery, a specific gravity measurement unit that measures the specific gravity of the electrolyte of the lead-acid battery, and a terminal that acquires the image, the terminal voltage, or the specific gravity and outputs it to the determination device.

[0022] According to the above configuration, it is possible to quickly obtain internal inspection information and images and determine the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery.

[0023] The work assistance device according to the embodiment includes a receiving unit that receives, from an external terminal, judgment information for judging the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery obtained through an acquisition operation; a first judgment unit that judges the deterioration of the lead-acid battery based on the received judgment information; a second judgment unit that judges whether or not to perform the next acquisition operation of judgment information based on the result of the judgment made by the first judgment unit; and a transmitting unit that transmits instructions for the acquisition operation to the terminal when the second judgment unit judges that the acquisition operation should be performed.

[0024] According to the above configuration, the work assistance device determines whether or not to perform the next determination work based on the result of one determination process, so that unnecessary determination processes can be omitted and the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery can be efficiently determined.

[0025] The deterioration determination method according to the embodiment acquires determination information for determining the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, and based on the acquired determination information, refers to a database that stores the determination information in correspondence with the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, determines the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, and outputs the determination result.

[0026] According to the above configuration, it is possible to quickly, objectively, and accurately determine the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery without relying on the skill of the assessor.

[0027] A computer program according to an embodiment causes a computer to execute a process of acquiring judgment information for judging the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, and based on the acquired judgment information, referencing a database that stores the judgment information in association with the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, judging the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, and outputting the judgment result.

[0028] According to the above configuration, it is possible to quickly, objectively, and accurately determine the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery without relying on the skill of the assessor.

[0029] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a deterioration determination system 10 according to embodiment 1. In the deterioration determination system 10, a determination device 1 of a manufacturer of a lead-acid battery (hereinafter referred to as a battery) 3 and a terminal 2 of a store selling the battery 3 are connected via a network N such as the Internet. The store selling the battery 3 is equipped with a camera 4 that captures an image of the battery 3, a tester 5 that measures the voltage between the terminals of the battery 3, and a hydrometer 6 that measures the specific gravity of the electrolyte in the battery 3, located close to the terminal 2.

[0030] The determination device 1 acquires determination information for determining the deterioration and degree of warranty of the battery 3 from the terminal 2, determines the degree of deterioration of the battery 3, determines the degree of warranty, and transmits the obtained results to the terminal 2.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the determination device 1. The determination device 1 includes a control unit 11 that controls the entire device, a main memory unit 12, a communication unit 13, an auxiliary memory unit 14, and a clock unit 15. The determination device 1 can be configured with one or more servers. The determination device 1 may perform distributed processing using multiple devices, or a virtual machine may be used. The control unit 11 can be configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The control unit 11 may be configured to include a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). A quantum computer may also be used.

[0032] The main memory unit 12 is a temporary storage area such as a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or a flash memory, and temporarily stores data required for the control unit 11 to execute arithmetic processing.

[0033] The communication unit 13 has a function of communicating with the terminal 2 via the network N, and can transmit and receive required information. Specifically, the communication unit 13 receives determination information transmitted by the terminal 2. The communication unit 13 transmits the determination results of the degree of deterioration and the degree of warranty of the battery 3 to the terminal 2.

[0034] The auxiliary storage unit 14 is a large-capacity memory, a hard disk, or the like, and stores programs necessary for the control unit 11 to execute processing, a program 141 for performing a process of determining the degree of deterioration and warranty (described later), a determination history DB 142, and a usage history DB 143. The determination history DB 142 may be stored in another DB server.

[0035] The program 141 stored in the auxiliary storage unit 14 may be provided by a recording medium 144 on which the program 141 is readably recorded. The recording medium 144 is, for example, a portable memory such as a USB memory, an SD card, a micro SD card, or a CompactFlash (registered trademark). The program 141 recorded on the recording medium 144 is read from the recording medium 144 using a reading device (not shown) and installed in the auxiliary storage unit 14. The program 141 may also be provided by communication via the communication unit 13. The timing unit 15 measures time.

[0036] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal 2. The terminal 2 includes a control unit 21 that controls the entire device, a main memory unit 22, a communication unit 23, an operation unit 24, a display panel 25, an auxiliary memory unit 26, a GPS receiving unit 27, and a speaker 28. The terminal 2 can be configured, for example, as a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, etc. The control unit 21 can be configured with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The control unit 21 may be configured to include a GPU.

[0037] The main memory unit 22 is a temporary storage area such as an SRAM, a DRAM, or a flash memory, and temporarily stores data necessary for the control unit 21 to execute arithmetic processing. The communication unit 23 has a function of communicating with the determination device 1 via the network N, and can send and receive required information.

[0038] The operation unit 24 is configured with, for example, a hardware keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc., and can be used to operate icons displayed on the display panel 25, input characters, etc.

[0039] The display panel 25 can be configured as a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display panel, etc. The control unit 21 controls the display of required information on the display panel 25. The control unit 21 displays information such as the degree of deterioration and warranty of the battery 3 obtained from the determination device 1 on the display panel 25.

[0040] The auxiliary storage unit 26 is a large-capacity memory or the like, and stores programs necessary for the control unit 21 to execute processes, and a web browser program (hereinafter referred to as the program) 261. The program 261 is provided from the determination device 1 by communication via the communication unit 13. The program 261 may be provided by a recording medium 262 on which the program 261 is readably recorded.

[0041] The GPS receiving unit 27 receives radio waves from a plurality of GPS satellites and detects the position of the terminal 2. The speaker 28 outputs sound in accordance with instructions from the control unit 21.

[0042] Table 1 shows an example of a table stored in the determination history DB 142.

[0043]

[0044] The assessment history DB 142 stores a No. column, a usage period column, a usage status column for a mileage column, a liquid bleeding column, a terminal corrosion column, an appearance information column for a battery case damage column, an image column, an electrolyte specific gravity column, an internal inspection information column for a terminal voltage column, a vehicle model column, a location information / temperature column, a charge / discharge test result column, a disassembly inspection result column, a deterioration level column, and an assessment column. The No. column stores row numbers for battery 3 assessments performed on multiple different batteries 3 or on the same battery 3 at different times. The usage period column stores the usage period after the battery 3 was installed or replaced. The mileage column stores the mileage of the vehicle equipped with the battery 3. The liquid bleeding column stores the degree of electrolyte bleeding on a five-point scale, for example, from 1 to 5. 1 indicates no bleeding, and the higher the number, the greater the degree of bleeding. The terminal corrosion column stores the degree of terminal corrosion on a five-point scale, from 1 to 5. A value of 1 indicates no corrosion at all, and the higher the number, the greater the degree of corrosion. The battery case damage column includes the lid and stores the degree of damage in five levels from 1 to 5. The usage status column may further include information on the vehicle history and the warranty period for the battery 3. The appearance information column may further include information on deformation, discoloration, and liquid level (liquid level) of the battery case.

[0045] The image sequence stores images of the battery 3. The images preferably include images from the front, side, back, and top view. It is even more preferable to include a bottom view. The electrolyte specific gravity sequence is expressed, for example, in five levels from 1 to 5, with 3 corresponding to the specific gravity of the battery 3 at the time of manufacture, and the specific gravity decreasing as the value increases, with 1 indicating a state in which the specific gravity has increased by 4 to 6% compared to the initial value. Furthermore, 5 indicates a state in which the specific gravity has decreased by 4 to 6%. The terminal voltage sequence stores the amount of decrease in terminal voltage in five levels from 1 to 5. "1" is the voltage at the start of use, and the amount of voltage decrease increases as the value increases.

[0046] The vehicle type column stores the vehicle model. The location information / temperature column stores the location information or temperature of the evaluation location. Instead of temperature, the temperature of the battery 3 may be stored. The charge / discharge test column stores test results, such as capacity retention, from a charge / discharge cycle test. The capacity retention rate is expressed as a percentage of the capacity at the time of evaluation, assuming the initial capacity to be 100%. The dismantling inspection column displays a four-level evaluation value, for example, from 1 to 4, based on information obtained through dismantling, such as corrosion of the positive electrode current collector, loss of electrolyte, positive electrode softening, and the presence or absence of sulfation, as well as the connection state between the electrode plate assembly and the terminals. "1" indicates a problem-free state at the start of use, and the higher the number, the greater the degree of deterioration, such as the presence or absence of corrosion, loss of electrolyte, positive electrode softening, and sulfation. "3" indicates the highest degree of deterioration, and "4" indicates that the degree of deterioration is "3" but that deterioration has occurred due to usage conditions such as user negligence.

[0047] The deterioration level column is expressed in four levels based on the results of charge / discharge tests and disassembly inspections. "1" indicates no deterioration, and as the number increases, deterioration progresses. "3" indicates the highest degree of deterioration, and "4" indicates that the degree of deterioration is "3", but deterioration has occurred due to usage conditions such as user negligence.

[0048] The determination column stores the determination result of the degree of warranty. The following four levels are examples of the degree of warranty: 1: Return to the user as a normal product. 2: Normal, but return after recharging. 3: Replace as a faulty product. 4: Faulty, but the malfunction was caused by the user's actions, so replace for a fee. Warranty level "1" corresponds to deterioration level "1", warranty level "2" corresponds to deterioration level "2", warranty level "3" corresponds to deterioration level "3", and warranty level "4" corresponds to deterioration level "4".

[0049] The assessment history DB 142 is not limited to storing all of the above-mentioned items as assessment information. The assessment information may include at least appearance information or an image. Furthermore, the assessment of the degree of deterioration is not limited to using both the charge / discharge test results and the dismantling inspection results. The evaluation method (stage) for each item is also not limited to the above-mentioned cases.

[0050] The determination history DB 142 may store data for each battery 3 model or vehicle type. There are many cases where a battery 3 is brought to a dealer due to "starting problems," but the cause of the "starting problems" may be something other than a malfunction of the battery 3, such as control by the vehicle's control device based on the temperature, etc. In this case, the battery 3 is determined to be normal. This will reveal such trends depending on the vehicle model, improving the accuracy and efficiency of the determination. Recent failure statistics can also be set for each model.

[0051] Table 2 shows an example of a table stored in the usage history DB 143.

[0052]

[0053] The usage history DB 143 stores, for each battery 3, a number column, a usage period column, a mileage column, a usage status column, an appearance information column of a liquid seepage column, a terminal corrosion column, a battery case damage column, an image column, an electrolyte specific gravity column, a terminal voltage column, an internal inspection information column, a vehicle model column, a location information / temperature column, a deterioration degree column, and a judgment column. Table 2 shows the usage history of a battery 3 with ID No. 1. The usage period column, mileage column, liquid seepage column, terminal corrosion column, battery case damage column, an image column, an electrolyte specific gravity column, a terminal voltage column, a vehicle model column, a location information / temperature column, a deterioration degree column, and a judgment column store the same content as the usage period column, mileage column, liquid seepage column, terminal corrosion column, battery case damage column, an image column, an electrolyte specific gravity column, a terminal voltage column, a vehicle model column, a location information / temperature column, a deterioration degree column, and a judgment column in the judgment history DB 142. The deterioration degree column stores the deterioration degree derived as described below, and the determination column stores the assurance level of the battery 3 based on the derived deterioration degree.

[0054] The following describes a method in which the determination device 1 estimates the deterioration level of the battery 3 and determines the warranty level of the battery 3 in four stages. The description is for a case in which the control unit 11 acquires and determines the warranty level based on the usage state, appearance information, images, internal inspection information, vehicle model, location information, or temperature. The determination information includes at least appearance information or image information.

[0055] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen. The display screen in FIG. 4 shows the results of the determination made by the control unit 11 based on the staff's input using the operation unit 24 on a web browser screen displayed on the display panel 25 based on the program 261. The control unit 21 displays, on the left side of the display screen, an input field for the vehicle model, an input field for the usage status (start date of use, mileage), and an input field for appearance information (liquid bleeding, terminal corrosion, and battery case damage). The control unit 21 displays an image display button and a send button in the upper center of the display screen, and input fields for the specific gravity of the electrolyte and terminal voltage in the lower part. The control unit 21 displays a button for sending location information and a display field for temperature in the upper right part, and displays the determination results for the degree of deterioration and the degree of warranty.

[0056] The staff member enters the manufacturer name and model of the battery in the vehicle model input field. The date of use start is entered in the start date input field. When the start date of use is entered, the control unit 21 displays the calculated usage period in the usage period field adjacent to the start date input field. The number of kilometers traveled is entered in the mileage input field. The staff member enters the results of their five-point evaluation in the input fields for electrolyte bleeding, terminal corrosion, and battery case damage. When the staff member clicks the image display button, the control unit 21 displays multiple images captured using the camera 4. The staff member clicks the selection area in the lower right corner of the captured image and then clicks the send button, transmitting the selected image to the assessment device 1. The staff member enters the results of their five-point evaluation in the input fields for electrolyte specific gravity and terminal voltage. When the staff member clicks the location information send button, location information is transmitted to the assessment device 1. The control unit 21 may display the temperature based on the location information in the temperature display field, or may accept temperature input from the staff member and transmit it to the assessment device 1. Instead of temperature, the control unit 21 may accept input of the temperature of the battery 3. The procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 will be described below with reference to this diagram.

[0057] 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure for deriving the deterioration degree and determining the degree of warranty by the control unit 11. The control unit 21 acquires the vehicle model input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S201). The control unit 21 transmits the vehicle model to the determination device 1 (S202). The control unit 11 receives the vehicle model and stores it in the usage history DB 143 (S101).

[0058] The control unit 21 transmits the location information detected by the GPS receiving unit 27 to the determination device 1 (S203). The control unit 11 receives the location information and stores the temperature corresponding to the location information in the usage history DB 143 (S102).

[0059] The control unit 21 acquires the usage status, such as the usage period and mileage, input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S204). The control unit 21 transmits the usage status to the determination device 1 (S205). The control unit 11 receives the usage status and stores it in the usage history DB 143 (S103).

[0060] The control unit 21 acquires appearance information such as liquid bleeding, terminal corrosion, and battery case damage input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S206). The control unit 21 transmits the appearance information to the determination device 1 (S207). The control unit 11 receives the appearance information and stores it in the usage history DB 143 (S104).

[0061] The control unit 21 acquires an image of the battery 3 taken by the staff member using the camera 4 (S208). The control unit 21 transmits the image to the determination device 1 (S209). The control unit 11 receives the image and stores it in the usage history DB 143 (S105).

[0062] The control unit 21 acquires internal inspection information such as the specific gravity of the electrolyte measured by the staff using the hydrometer 6 and the terminal voltage measured by the tester 5 (S210). The control unit 21 transmits the internal inspection information to the determination device 1 (S211). The control unit 11 receives the internal inspection information and stores it in the usage history DB 143 (S106).

[0063] The control unit 11 derives the degree of deterioration (S107). The control unit 11 derives the degree of deterioration corresponding to the acquired assessment information based on a rule base of the relationship between the usage state, appearance information, images, internal inspection information, vehicle model, location information, and temperature stored in the assessment history DB 142 and the degree of deterioration based on the charge / discharge test results and dismantling inspection results. In other words, the degree of deterioration is determined by the combination of information for each item. If the relationship can be expressed as a function, the control unit 11 may set multiple thresholds in stages for the value of the function and derive the degree of deterioration based on the obtained value of the function and the thresholds.

[0064] The control unit 11 determines the level of warranty based on the degree of deterioration (S108). If the degree of deterioration is "1", the control unit 11 determines the level of warranty as "1", if the degree of deterioration is "2", if the degree of deterioration is "3", if the degree of deterioration is "4", the control unit 11 determines the level of warranty as "3", and if the degree of deterioration is "4", the control unit 11 transmits the result (S109) and ends the process. The control unit 21 receives the result (S212), displays it on the display panel 25 (S213), and ends the process.

[0065] According to this embodiment, the degree of deterioration or warranty of the battery 3 is determined by referencing the determination history DB 142, which stores the determination information in association with the degree of deterioration or warranty of the battery 3, so that the degree of deterioration or warranty of the battery 3 can be determined quickly, objectively, and accurately without relying on the skill of the staff. The reduction in the number of steps required for determination and the rapid determination improves user satisfaction and reduces unnecessary warranty costs.

[0066] 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a determination device 1 according to embodiment 2. The determination device 1 according to embodiment 2 has the same configuration as the determination device 1 according to embodiment 1, except that a program 145 and a learning model 146 are stored in the auxiliary storage unit 14, the program 145 is installed in the auxiliary storage unit 14 by a recording medium 147, and the contents of the tables in the usage history DB 143 are different.

[0067] Table 3 shows an example of a table stored in the usage history DB 143.

[0068]

[0069] The table of the usage history DB 143 of the second embodiment has the same configuration as the table of the first embodiment, except that it stores an actual measurement determination column in addition to the contents of the table of the usage history DB 143 of the first embodiment. The actual measurement determination column stores the determination results of the degree of assurance of the actual measurement based on the charge / discharge test results and the disassembly inspection results. The actual measurement determination is performed for re-learning, which will be described later, and does not need to be performed at every determination time.

[0070] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the learning model 146. The learning model 146 is intended for use as a program module that is part of artificial intelligence software. It can use a multilayer neural network (deep learning), such as a convolutional neural network (CNN), or a recurrent neural network (RNN). When using an RNN, judgment information is input over time and a degree of assurance is output over time. Other machine learning methods may also be used. In accordance with instructions from the learning model 146, the control unit 11 performs calculations on the judgment information input to the input layer of the learning model 146 and operates to output the degree of assurance and its probability as a judgment result. In the case of a CNN, the intermediate layer includes a convolution layer, a pooling layer, and a fully connected layer. The number of nodes (neurons) is not limited to that shown in FIG. 7.

[0071] The input layer, output layer, and intermediate layer each have one or more nodes, and the nodes in each layer are connected in one direction with desired weights to the nodes in the previous and next layers. A vector having the same number of components as the number of nodes in the input layer is provided as input data (input data for learning and input data for judgment) to the learning model 146.

[0072] The trained input data includes at least appearance information or image information. As described above, the appearance information is a staff member's evaluation of at least one of the following: liquid bleeding, terminal corrosion, and battery case damage, on a five-point scale. Images preferably include front, side, back, and top views, and more preferably a bottom view. Images captured to show at least the terminals and the presence or absence of leakage and the extent of battery case damage are preferably input. For example, bending of the terminals can cause sulfuric acid leakage. Appearance information or image information about the terminals, leakage, and damage can be input into the learning model 146 to obtain a warranty level based on the degree of deterioration. When appearance information or image information including an abnormality such as battery case damage caused by a usage problem is input, a warranty level of "4" is output, indicating replacement for a fee. The assessment information may further include at least one of usage status information, internal inspection information, vehicle model information, location information, and temperature.

[0073] The input layer of the trained learning model 146 receives decision information. Data provided to each node in the input layer is input to the first hidden layer, where the output of the hidden layer is calculated using weights and activation functions. The calculated value is then provided to the next hidden layer, and so on, propagating to subsequent layers (lower layers) in a similar manner until the output of the output layer is determined. Note that all weights connecting the nodes are calculated by the learning algorithm.

[0074] The output layer of the learning model 146 generates the degree of assurance and its probability as output data. For example, the output layer outputs the following: Probability that the degree of assurance is 1...0.03 Probability that the degree of assurance is 2...0.90 Probability that the degree of assurance is 3...0.06 Probability that the degree of assurance is 4...0.01

[0075] 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the process of generating the learning model 146 by the control unit 11. The control unit 11 reads the judgment history DB 142 and acquires training data in which the judgment information of each row is associated with the degree of assurance (S301).

[0076] The control unit 11 uses the training data to generate a learning model 146 (trained model) that outputs a probability of the degree of assurance when judgment information is input (S302). Specifically, the control unit 11 inputs the training data to the input layer, performs calculations in the intermediate layer, and obtains the probability of the degree of assurance from the output layer. The control unit 11 compares the judgment result of the degree of assurance output from the output layer with information labeled for the judgment information in the training data, i.e., the correct value, and optimizes parameters used in the calculations in the intermediate layer so that the output value from the output layer approaches the correct value. The parameters include, for example, the weights (coupling coefficients) and activation function coefficients described above. The parameter optimization method is not particularly limited, and the control unit 11 may optimize various parameters using, for example, an error backpropagation algorithm. The control unit 11 stores the generated learning model 146 in the auxiliary storage unit 14 and terminates the series of processes.

[0077] 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure for determining the degree of guarantee by the control unit 11. The control unit 21 acquires the vehicle model input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S221). The control unit 21 transmits the vehicle model to the determination device 1 (S222). The control unit 11 receives the vehicle model (S111).

[0078] The control unit 21 transmits the position information detected by the GPS receiving unit 27 to the determination device 1 (S223). The control unit 11 receives the position information (S112).

[0079] The control unit 21 acquires the usage status, such as the usage period and mileage, input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S224). The control unit 21 transmits the usage status to the determination device 1 (S225). The control unit 11 receives the usage status (S113).

[0080] The control unit 21 acquires appearance information such as liquid bleeding, terminal corrosion, and battery case damage input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S226). The control unit 21 transmits the appearance information to the determination device 1 (S227). The control unit 11 receives the appearance information (S114).

[0081] The control unit 21 acquires an image of the battery 3 taken by the staff member using the camera 4 (S228). The control unit 21 transmits the image to the determination device 1 (S229). The control unit 11 receives the image (S115).

[0082] The control unit 21 acquires internal inspection information such as the specific gravity of the electrolyte measured by the staff using the hydrometer 6 and the terminal voltage measured by the tester 5 (S230). The control unit 21 transmits the internal inspection information to the determination device 1 (S231). The control unit 11 receives the internal inspection information (S116).

[0083] The control unit 11 inputs the judgment information to the learning model 146 (S117). The control unit 11 acquires the degree of assurance based on the degree of assurance and probability output by the learning model 146 (S118). The control unit 11 acquires the degree of assurance when the probability is 80% or higher, for example. The control unit 11 transmits the result of the degree of assurance to the terminal 2 (S119) and ends the processing. The control unit 21 receives the judgment result (S232). The control unit 21 displays the judgment result on the display panel 25 (S233) and ends the processing.

[0084] The control unit 11 can retrain the learning model 146 based on the degree of assurance determined using the learning model 146 and the degree of assurance obtained by actual measurement so as to improve the reliability of the determination. For example, in No. 2 of Table 3, the determination result by the learning model 146 matches the determination result based on actual measurement. Therefore, by inputting a large amount of training data in which the determination result is associated with the determination information in row No. 2 and retraining, the probability of the determination result can be increased. If the determination result by the learning model 146 does not match the determination result based on actual measurement, training data associated with the determination result based on actual measurement is input and retrained.

[0085] According to this embodiment, the degree of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery can be easily and effectively determined. The learning model 146 may input an image to multiple convolution layers and pooling layers for compression, combine the image data of the pooling layer with other determination information, and then input the image data to multiple convolution layers and pooling layers for compression, and output the degree of warranty. The above-described learning model 146 has been described as outputting the degree of warranty based on the determination information, but this is not limiting. The control unit 11 may also output the degree of deterioration based on the determination information. The control unit 11 acquires the degree of deterioration from the learning model 146 and determines the degree of warranty based on the degree of deterioration.

[0086] 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a work support device 17 according to embodiment 3. The work support device 17 according to embodiment 3 has the same configuration as the determination device 1 according to embodiment 1, except that a program 148 is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 14, and the program 148 is installed in the auxiliary storage unit 14 by a recording medium 149. A terminal 2 of a dealer of batteries 3 is connected to the work support device 17 via a network N such as the Internet.

[0087] 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the determination process by the control unit 11. The control unit 21 acquires the vehicle model input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S241). The control unit 21 transmits the vehicle model to the work support device 17 (S242). The control unit 11 receives the vehicle model (S121).

[0088] The control unit 21 transmits the position information detected by the GPS receiving unit 27 to the work assistance device 17 (S243). The control unit 11 receives the position information (S122).

[0089] The control unit 21 acquires the usage status, such as the usage period and mileage, input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S244). The control unit 21 transmits the usage status to the work assistance device 17 (S245). The control unit 11 receives the usage status (S123).

[0090] The control unit 21 acquires appearance information such as liquid bleeding, terminal corrosion, and battery case damage input by the staff member using the operation unit 24 (S246). The control unit 21 transmits the appearance information to the work support device 17 (S247). The control unit 11 receives the appearance information (S124).

[0091] The control unit 11 determines whether or not the next image needs to be acquired (S125). The control unit 11 reads the determination history DB 142 and derives the degree of deterioration based on a rule base of the relationship between the vehicle model, location information, usage status, and appearance information and the degree of deterioration. The control unit 11 may derive the degree of deterioration based on a threshold and a function value based on the relationship. If the control unit 11 determines that the degree of deterioration is 1 and image acquisition is not necessary (S125: NO), the control unit 11 proceeds to S132 and determines the assurance level to be 1. If image acquisition is necessary (S125: YES), the control unit 11 sends an instruction to acquire an image to the terminal 2 (S126). The control unit 21 receives the instruction, displays it on the display panel 25, or outputs a sound from the speaker, prompting the staff member to acquire an image, and acquires an image of the battery 3 captured by the staff member using the camera 4 (S248). The control unit 21 transmits the image to the work support device 17 (S249).

[0092] The control unit 11 receives the image (S127). The control unit 11 determines whether the next task, an internal inspection, is required (S128). The control unit 11 reads the determination history DB 142 and derives the degree of deterioration based on a rule base of the relationship between the vehicle model, location information, usage status, appearance information, and image and the degree of deterioration. The control unit 11 may derive the degree of deterioration based on a threshold value and a function value based on the relationship. If the control unit 11 determines that the degree of deterioration is 2 and an internal inspection is not required (S128: NO), the control unit 11 proceeds to S132 and determines the warranty level to be 2. If an internal inspection is required (S128: YES), the control unit 11 transmits an instruction to perform an internal inspection to the terminal 2 (S129). The control unit 21 displays the instruction on the display panel 25 or outputs a sound from the speaker to prompt the staff to perform an internal inspection, and acquires the internal inspection information (S250). The control unit 21 transmits the internal inspection information to the work support device 17 (S251). The control unit 11 receives the internal inspection information (S130).

[0093] The control unit 11 derives the degree of deterioration based on a rule base of the relationship between the vehicle model, location information, usage state, appearance information, images, internal inspection information, and the degree of deterioration (S131). The control unit 11 may derive the degree of deterioration based on a function value based on the relationship and a threshold value.

[0094] The control unit 11 determines the degree of guarantee based on the degree of deterioration (S132). The control unit 11 transmits the result of the determination to the terminal 2 (S133) and ends the process. The control unit 21 receives the result of the determination (S252). The control unit 21 displays the result of the determination on the display panel 25 (S253) and ends the process.

[0095] According to this embodiment, the work support device 17 determines whether or not to perform the next determination task based on the result of one determination step, so that unnecessary determination steps can be omitted and the degree of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery can be determined efficiently. Note that the content of the determination step is not limited to the above-mentioned case.

[0096] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. In other words, embodiments obtained by combining technical means modified appropriately within the scope of the claims are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0097] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Determination device 2 Terminal 3 Battery 4 Camera (imaging unit) 5 Tester (voltage measurement unit) 6 Hydrometer (specific gravity measurement unit) 10 Deterioration determination system 11 Control unit (acquisition unit, determination unit, output unit) 12 Main memory unit 13, 23 Communication unit 14, 26 Auxiliary memory unit 141, 145, 148 Program 144, 147, 149, 262 Recording medium 261 Web browser program 142 Determination history DB 143 Usage history DB 146 Learning model 21 Control unit 24 Operation unit 25 Display panel 27 GPS receiving unit 28 Speaker

Claims

ocr1. The judgment unit consists of a receiving component that receives judgment information for determining the level of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, and a judgment component that references a recorded database to determine the consistency of the judgment information with the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery. Based on the received judgment information, it determines the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, and the output component outputs the result of the judgment by that judgment component.

2. The judgment unit consists of a receiving component that receives judgment information for determining the level of deterioration or warranty of a lead-acid battery, and a judgment component that, in the case of input judgment information, sends the received judgment information to the learning model, which outputs the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery, and then determines the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery. 3.

4. The judgment set specified in Claim 1 or 2, in which such judgment information is external information including leakage, terminal corrosion, or damage to the casing, or photographic information of the lead-acid battery.

5. The judgment set specified in Claim 3, in which such judgment information includes at least one selected piece of information from a group of information including operating status information including operating time or mileage, internal condition information including electrolyte specific gravity or terminal voltage, vehicle type information, and additional information including location or air temperature.The degradation assessment system comprises a set of judgment instruments specified in any one of Claims 1 through 4, and an imaging section which takes an image of the lead-acid battery, and a voltage measurement section which measures the terminal voltage of the lead-acid battery, and a specific gravity measurement section which measures the specific gravity of the lead-acid battery electrolyte, and a terminal receiving such image, such terminal voltage, or such specific gravity and transmitting it to the said judgment instrument.The operational support unit consists of a receiving section that receives decision information for determining the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery received by the external terminal; a first decision section that determines the lead-acid battery deterioration based on the received decision information; and a second decision section that decides whether to proceed with the next operational operation based on the result of the first decision section. Finally, a transmitter sends the operational command signal to the external terminal if the second decision section decides to proceed with the operation.The method for determining deterioration involves receiving judgment information to assess the level of deterioration or warranty of lead-acid batteries, referencing a database of recorded information, and determining the consistency of the judgment information with the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery. Based on this judgment information, the system determines the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery and outputs the judgment result. A computer program then performs the processing, receiving judgment information to determine the level of deterioration or warranty of lead-acid batteries, referencing a database of recorded information, and determining the consistency of the judgment information with the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery. Based on this judgment information, the system determines the level of deterioration or warranty of the lead-acid battery and outputs the judgment result.