Battery replacement system, vehicle-side control device, and battery selection method

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery replacement system, a vehicle-side control device, and a battery selection method. A battery replacement system includes a vehicle-side control device and a battery replacement device. The battery replacement device is provided with at least one replacement battery, and is configured to replace a first battery mounted on the vehicle and the second battery among the at least one replacement battery. The vehicle-side control device is configured so as to select the second battery from among the at least one replaceable battery using battery mounting information, electrical request information, and battery information. The battery mounting information is information relating to at least one of a battery mounting position and a battery arrangement direction in the vehicle. The electrical requirement information is information relating to electrical characteristics required for the second battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery replacement system, a vehicle-side control device, and a battery selection method. Background Art

[0002] In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-003803, a battery replacement method for an electric vehicle and a battery charging station is disclosed. When the remaining battery power of an electric vehicle becomes low, the electric vehicle requests battery information from a battery charging station arranged on a driving route. At this time, the electric vehicle transmits information such as the type of the battery to the battery charging station. The battery charging station that has received the request for the battery information transmits information on whether battery replacement can be reserved to the electric vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In the battery replacement method described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-003803, information such as the type of the battery is transmitted from the electric vehicle to the battery charging station. Therefore, it is considered that the battery charging station selects a battery for replacement based on the type of the battery or the like. However, there is room for further improvement in suppressing the situation where a battery unsuitable for the electric vehicle is selected for battery replacement.

[0004] The present disclosure provides a battery replacement system, a vehicle-side control device, and a battery selection method that suppress the situation where a battery unsuitable for a vehicle is used for battery replacement.

[0005] The battery replacement system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes a vehicle-side control device and a battery replacement device. The vehicle-side control device is configured to select a second battery to be replaced with a first battery mounted on the vehicle. The battery replacement device is configured to have at least one replacement battery and replace the first battery with the second battery among the at least one replacement batteries. The vehicle-side control device is configured to receive battery information related to the at least one replacement battery from the outside. The vehicle-side control device is configured to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery using battery mounting information, electrical requirement information, and the battery information. The battery mounting information is information related to at least one of a battery mounting position and a battery configuration direction in the vehicle. The electrical requirement information is information related to electrical characteristics required for the second battery.

[0006] Regarding the battery replacement system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, as described above, the vehicle-side control device selects the second battery from the at least one replacement battery using the battery mounting information, the electrical requirement information, and the battery information. Thereby, it is possible to select a second battery suitable for the vehicle based on the battery mounting information and the electrical requirement information. As a result, it is possible to suppress the situation where a battery unsuitable for the vehicle is used for battery replacement.

[0007] In the battery replacement system of the above first aspect, the electrical requirement information may also include information on the voltage, output power, and capacity of the second battery requirement. The vehicle-side control device may also be configured to increase the priority in the order of (i) the battery mounting information, (ii) the information on the voltage, (iii) one of the information on the output power and the information on the capacity, and (iV) the other of the information on the output power and the information on the capacity, and select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery. Here, the battery mounting information is related to whether the second battery can be mounted on the vehicle. In addition, the information on the voltage is related to whether the vehicle can be driven. In addition, the information on the output power is related to the driving force of the vehicle. In addition, the information on the capacity (remaining capacity) is related to the cruising range of the vehicle. Therefore, by setting the priority as described above, the priority can be increased in the order from the highest to the lowest degree of requirement for the second battery.

[0008] In the battery replacement system of the above first aspect, the vehicle-side control device may also be configured to send the battery mounting information and the electrical requirement information to the battery replacement device. The battery replacement device may also be configured to send the battery information related to the at least one replacement battery that conforms to at least one of the battery mounting information and the electrical requirement information received from the vehicle to the vehicle-side control device. The vehicle-side control device may also be configured to use the battery information, the battery mounting information, and the electrical requirement information received from the battery replacement device to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery. According to the above structure, the vehicle-side control device can select the second battery from at least one replacement battery that conforms to at least one of the battery mounting information and the electrical requirement information. Therefore, compared with the case of selecting the second battery from all the replacement batteries owned by the battery replacement device, the burden of the selection process performed by the vehicle-side control device can be reduced, and the time required for the selection process can be shortened.

[0009] The vehicle-side control device according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is configured to select a second battery to replace the first battery mounted on the vehicle. The vehicle-side control device includes a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit is configured to receive from the outside battery information related to at least one replacement battery owned by the battery replacement device. The control unit is configured to use the battery mounting information, the electrical requirement information, and the battery information to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery. The battery mounting information is information related to at least one of the battery mounting position and the battery configuration direction in the vehicle. The electrical requirement information is information related to the electrical characteristics required for the second battery.

[0010] The vehicle - side control device according to the second aspect of the present disclosure selects the second battery from the at least one replacement battery as described above using the battery - mounting information, the electrical requirement information, and the battery information. Thus, a vehicle - side control device can be provided that can suppress a situation where a battery unsuitable for the vehicle is used for battery replacement.

[0011] In the vehicle - side control device according to the second aspect, the electrical requirement information may also include information on the voltage, output power, and capacity required for the second battery. The control unit may be configured to increase the priority in the order of (i) the battery - mounting information, (ii) the information on the voltage, (iii) one of the information on the output power and the information on the capacity, and (iv) the other of the information on the output power and the information on the capacity, and select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery. According to the above structure, a vehicle - side control device can be provided that can select the second battery by increasing the priority in the order from the highest to the lowest degree of requirements for the second battery.

[0012] In the vehicle - side control device according to the second aspect, the communication unit may be configured to transmit the battery - mounting information and the electrical requirement information to the outside of the vehicle. According to the above structure, the battery replacement device can easily obtain the battery - mounting information and the electrical requirement information from the outside.

[0013] The battery selection method according to the third aspect of the present disclosure is executed by a vehicle - side control device configured to select a second battery to replace the first battery mounted on a vehicle. The battery selection method includes receiving battery information related to at least one replacement battery owned by the battery replacement device. The battery selection method includes using the battery - mounting information, the electrical requirement information, and the battery information to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery. The battery - mounting information is information related to at least one of the battery - mounting position and the battery configuration direction in the vehicle. The electrical requirement information is information related to the electrical characteristics required for the second battery.

[0014] The battery selection method according to the third aspect of the present disclosure selects the second battery from the at least one replacement battery as described above using the battery - mounting information, the electrical requirement information, and the battery information. Thus, a battery selection method can be provided that can suppress a situation where a battery unsuitable for the vehicle is used for battery replacement.

[0015] According to the present disclosure, a situation where a battery unsuitable for the vehicle is used for battery replacement can be suppressed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like elements, and wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the structure of a battery replacement system according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a timing diagram showing the control of a battery replacement system according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing Figure 2 the detailed processing of step S90.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a timing diagram showing the control of a battery replacement system according to a modification example of an embodiment. Detailed Embodiment

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will not be repeated.

[0022] <Battery Replacement System Structure>

[0023] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing a battery replacement system 1 including a battery replacement device 100 and an electric vehicle 200 according to the present embodiment. In addition, the electric vehicle 200 is an example of the "vehicle" of the present disclosure.

[0024] The electric vehicle 200 includes a battery 201, a communication device 202, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 203. The electric vehicle 200 is, for example, a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), or an FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).

[0025] The battery 201 stores electric power for driving the electric vehicle 200. The communication device 202 is configured to be able to communicate with a communication device outside the vehicle. The communication device 202 includes, for example, a DCM (Data Communication Module). The ECU 203 controls various systems in the electric vehicle 200. In addition, the communication device 202 and the ECU 203 are examples of the "communication unit" and the "vehicle-side control device" of the present disclosure, respectively.

[0026] The ECU 203 includes a processor 203a, a memory 203b, and a communication unit 203c. In the memory 203b, in addition to storing programs executed by the processor 203a, information used in the programs (such as maps, formulas, and various parameters) is also stored. The communication unit 203c can communicate with a communication device 202, etc. via a vehicle network (such as CAN (Control Area Network) communication). Thus, the processor 203a can send and receive information to and from outside the vehicle via the communication device 202 and the communication unit 203c. In addition, the processor 203a and the communication unit 203c are examples of the "control unit" and "communication unit" of the present disclosure respectively.

[0027] The battery replacement device 100 includes a battery replacement device main body 100a for performing battery replacement and a storage 100b for storing batteries 101. The battery replacement device main body 100a is a device for replacing the battery 201 mounted on the electric vehicle 200 with the battery 101. The storage 100b is attached to the battery replacement device main body 100a. At the battery replacement device 100 (battery replacement device main body 100a), an entrance / exit 102 for the electric vehicle 200 to enter and exit is provided. In addition, the battery 101 is an example of the "replacement battery" and "second battery" of the present disclosure. Also, the battery 201 is an example of the "first battery" of the present disclosure.

[0028] The battery 101 stored in the storage 100b is transported to the electric vehicle 200 after moving to a temporary storage place 40 provided in the underfloor area S. In addition, in the underfloor area S, a battery placement table 31, a lifting unit 32, and a conveying unit 33, which will be described later, are provided.

[0029] The battery replacement device 100 (battery replacement device main body 100a) includes a control device 10 and a drive device 30. The drive device 30 includes a battery placement table 31, a lifting unit 32, and a conveying unit 33.

[0030] The control device 10 includes a processor 11, a memory 12, and a communication unit 13. In the memory 12, in addition to storing programs executed by the processor 11, information used in the programs (such as maps, formulas, and various parameters) is also stored. The processor 11 controls the drive device 30.

[0031] The communication unit 13 includes various communication I / Fs. The processor 11 controls the communication unit 13. The communication unit 13 communicates with a communication device 202 of the electric vehicle 200 and the like. Bidirectional communication is possible between the communication unit 13 and the electric vehicle 200 (communication device 202). In addition, the communication unit 13 can also communicate with a portable terminal 300 owned by the user of the electric vehicle 200. In addition, this embodiment shows an example of exchanging various information between the communication device 202 of the electric vehicle 200 and the communication unit 13 of the battery replacement device 100.

[0032] At the battery replacement device 100, a vehicle stop area 103 is provided. When the electric vehicle 200 is parked in the vehicle stop area 103 and the user operates the navigation system (not shown) of the electric vehicle 200 to indicate the start of the battery replacement operation, the communication unit 13 receives an instruction signal to start the battery replacement operation from the electric vehicle 200. Based on the above instruction signal received by the communication unit 13, the processor 11 starts the control of the battery replacement operation performed by the drive device 30.

[0033] The lifting unit 32 lifts the electric vehicle 200 by lifting while holding the electric vehicle 200 from below. The lifting unit 32 includes a pair of lifting rods 32a. The electric vehicle 200 is supported from below by a pair of lifting rods 32a. Battery replacement (loading and unloading of the battery) is performed while the electric vehicle 200 is horizontally held by a pair of lifting rods 32a.

[0034] The battery placement table 31 is configured to be able to lift in the Z direction. By raising the battery placement table 31 to the height position at the bottom of the electric vehicle 200, the battery 201 removed from the electric vehicle 200 is placed on the battery placement table 31. In addition, by raising the battery placement table 31 on which the battery 101 is placed to the height position at the bottom of the electric vehicle 200, the battery 101 is installed in the electric vehicle 200.

[0035] The conveying unit 33 is configured to be able to convey the battery (201, 101). Specifically, the conveying unit 33 conveys the battery 201 removed from the electric vehicle 200 and placed on the battery placement table 31 to the temporary storage 40. In addition, the conveying unit 33 conveys the battery 101 conveyed from the storage 100b to the temporary storage 40 to the battery placement table 31.

[0036] In the conventional system, information such as the type of battery mounted on the electric vehicle is sent from the electric vehicle to the battery replacement device. Therefore, it is considered that the battery replacement device selects a battery for replacement based on the type of battery and the like. However, there is room for further improvement in suppressing the situation where a battery unsuitable for the electric vehicle is selected for battery replacement.

[0037] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the ECU 203 of the electric vehicle 200 selects the battery 101 for battery replacement by using the battery mounting information, electrical requirement information, and battery information related to the battery 101 owned by the battery replacement device 100, which will be described later. The detailed situation is as follows.

[0038] <Battery replacement method (battery selection method)>

[0039] Next, with reference to Figure 2 the timing chart, the battery replacement method implemented by the battery replacement system 1 (the battery selection method implemented by the ECU 203) will be described. In addition, in the Figure 2 shown timing, the processing of the ECU 203 is controlled by the processor 203a, and the processing of the battery replacement device 100 is controlled by the processor 11.

[0040] In step S10, the ECU 203 sends a trigger signal for starting battery replacement to the battery replacement device 100 via the communication device 202.

[0041] In step S20, the battery replacement device 100 determines whether it has received the trigger signal in step S10. If the trigger signal is received (Yes in S20), the process proceeds to step S30. If the trigger signal is not received (No in S20), the process of step S20 is repeated.

[0042] In step S30, the battery replacement device 100 sends a response to the trigger signal from the electric vehicle 200 (a signal indicating that the trigger signal has been received) to the electric vehicle 200 via the communication unit 13.

[0043] In step S40, the ECU 203 determines whether it has received the response in step S30. If the response in step S30 is received (Yes in S40), the process proceeds to step S50. If the response in step S30 is not received (No in S40), the process of step S40 is repeated.

[0044] In step S50, the ECU 203 sends a vehicle requirement to the battery replacement device 100 via the communication unit 203c and the communication device 202. The vehicle requirement includes battery mounting information related to the battery mounting position and battery configuration direction in the electric vehicle 200.

[0045] The information related to the battery mounting position includes information on the area where the battery is configured in the electric vehicle 200 (including information on size and shape) and information on the relative position of the above area with respect to the vehicle body, etc. The information related to the battery configuration direction includes the position information of the connector connected to the battery in the electric vehicle 200.

[0046] In addition, the vehicle requirements include electrical requirement information related to the electrical characteristics required for the battery 101. The electrical requirement information includes information on the voltage (upper limit value, lower limit value, and rated value) required for the battery 101. The above various voltage values are the values required based on the specifications of the electric vehicle 200.

[0047] The electrical requirement information includes information on the output power required for the battery 101 (lower limit value of the output power). The above output power can be either a value predetermined based on the specifications of the electric vehicle 200 or a value that varies based on the driving history, a scheduled drive (destination and scheduled driving route), etc.

[0048] The electrical requirement information includes information on the remaining capacity (SOC (State Of Charge)) required for the battery 101 (lower limit value of the remaining capacity). The above remaining capacity can be either a predetermined value or a value that varies based on the driving history of the electric vehicle 200, a scheduled drive (destination and scheduled driving route), etc.

[0049] In step S60, the battery replacement device 100 determines whether it has received the vehicle requirements of step S50. If the vehicle requirements are received (Yes in S60), the process proceeds to step S70. If the vehicle requirements are not received (No in S60), the process of step S60 is repeated.

[0050] In step S70, the battery replacement device 100 sends, via the communication unit 13, information on all the batteries 101 corresponding to (meeting) the vehicle requirements of step S60 to the electric vehicle 200 (ECU 203). Specifically, the battery 101 corresponding to the vehicle requirements refers to a battery 101 in which at least one of the battery mounting position, battery configuration direction, voltage, output power, and capacity (remaining capacity) conforms to that of the electric vehicle 200 (meets the vehicle requirements). For example, the battery 101 corresponding to the vehicle requirements in terms of voltage can also refer to a battery 101 in which the voltage range converges within the voltage range corresponding to the vehicle requirements (within the range between the upper limit value and the lower limit value), a battery 101 in which the rated voltage converges within a predetermined range (e.g., ±10%) centered on the rated voltage corresponding to the vehicle requirements (electrical requirement information), etc. In addition, the judgment criteria for the suitability of the voltage are not limited to the above examples.

[0051] In step S80, the ECU 203 determines whether it has received the battery information of step S70. If the battery information is received (Yes in S80), the process proceeds to step S90. If the battery information is not received (No in S80), the process of step S80 is repeated.

[0052] In step S90, the ECU 203 selects the battery 101 for battery replacement from the batteries 101 included in the battery information in step S70. Specifically, the ECU 203 uses the above-mentioned battery mounting information, the above-mentioned electrical requirement information, and the battery information corresponding to step S70 to select the battery 101 for battery replacement. Refer to Figure 3 The details of the process in step S90 will be described later.

[0053] In step S100, the ECU 203 sends the selection result of step S90 to the battery replacement device 100 via the communication unit 203c and the communication machine 202.

[0054] In step S110, the battery replacement device 100 determines whether it has received the selection result of step S100. If the selection result is received (Yes in S110), the process proceeds to step S120. If the selection result is not received (No in S110), the process in step S110 is repeated.

[0055] In step S120, the battery replacement device 100 sends an answer (a signal indicating acceptance of the selection result) to the electric vehicle 200 for the selection result of step S100 via the communication unit 13.

[0056] In step S130, the ECU 203 determines whether it has received the answer in step S120. If the answer is received (Yes in S130), the process proceeds to step S140. If the answer is not received (No in S130), the process in step S130 is repeated.

[0057] In step S140, the ECU 203 sends the individual vehicle information (hereinafter referred to as vehicle information) of the electric vehicle 200 to the battery replacement device 100 via the communication unit 203c and the communication machine 202. The vehicle information includes information unique to the electric vehicle 200 (personal information such as VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or license plate number).

[0058] In step S150, the battery replacement device 100 determines whether it has received the vehicle information in step S140. If the vehicle information is received (Yes in S150), the process proceeds to step S160. If the vehicle information is not received (No in S150), the process in step S150 is repeated.

[0059] In step S160, the battery replacement device 100 sends, via the communication unit 13, a response (a signal indicating that the vehicle information has been received) to the electric vehicle 200 regarding the vehicle information in step S140. Thereafter, the processing of the battery replacement device 100 ends.

[0060] In step S170, the ECU 203 determines whether the response in step S160 has been received. If the response has been received (Yes in S170), the processing ends. If the response has not been received (No in S170), the processing in step S170 is repeated.

[0061] Then, after the electric vehicle 200 enters the area where battery replacement is performed in the battery replacement device 100, the battery 101 selected in step S90 is used for battery replacement.

[0062] <Processing flow of step S90>

[0063] Figure 3 is a diagram showing Figure 2 the detailed processing flow of step S90 in. Step S90 includes the processing of steps S91 to S99. The ECU 203 selects the battery 101 for battery replacement from the batteries 101 that have been sent information in step S70. At this time, the ECU 203 selects the battery 101 for battery replacement in the order of the above battery mounting information, voltage information, output power information, and capacity (remaining capacity). The following is a specific description.

[0064] In step S91, the ECU 203 determines whether the battery 101 that has been sent information in step S70 matches the above battery mounting information (battery mounting position and battery configuration direction) (whether it matches the electric vehicle 200). If it matches the above battery mounting information (Yes in S91), the processing proceeds to step S92A. If it does not match the above battery mounting information (No in S91), the processing proceeds to step S95.

[0065] In step S92A, the ECU 203 determines whether the voltage range (upper limit value and lower limit value) of the battery 101 that satisfies the condition in step S91 (Yes in S91) matches the above electrical requirement information (whether it matches the electric vehicle 200). If it matches the above electrical requirement information (Yes in S92A), the processing proceeds to step S92B. If it does not match the above electrical requirement information (No in S92A), the processing proceeds to step S95.

[0066] In step S92B, the ECU 203 determines whether the rated voltage of the battery 101 that satisfies the condition of step S92A (wherein it is "Yes" in S92A) conforms to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (whether it conforms to the electric vehicle 200). If it conforms to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (wherein it is "Yes" in S92B), the process proceeds to step S93. If it does not conform to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (wherein it is "No" in S92B), the process proceeds to step S96.

[0067] In step S93, the ECU 203 determines whether the output power of the battery 101 that satisfies the condition of step S92B (wherein it is "Yes" in S92B) conforms to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (whether it conforms to the electric vehicle 200). Specifically, it is determined whether the output power of the battery 101 is equal to or higher than the output power corresponding to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information. If it conforms to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (wherein it is "Yes" in S93), the process proceeds to step S94. If it does not conform to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (wherein it is "No" in S93), the process proceeds to step S97.

[0068] In step S94, the ECU 203 determines whether the remaining capacity of the battery 101 that satisfies the condition of step S93 (wherein it is "Yes" in S93) conforms to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (whether it conforms to the electric vehicle 200). Specifically, it is determined whether the remaining capacity of the battery 101 is equal to or higher than the remaining capacity corresponding to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information. If it does not conform to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (wherein it is "No" in S94), the process proceeds to step S98. If it conforms to the above-mentioned electrical requirement information (wherein it is "Yes" in S94), the process proceeds to step S99.

[0069] In step S95, the ECU 203 determines that the battery 101 that does not satisfy the conditions of step S91 or S92A respectively does not conform to the above-mentioned vehicle requirements.

[0070] In step S96, the ECU 203 determines that the battery 101 that does not satisfy the condition of step S92B has a fourth-priority level.

[0071] In step S97, the ECU 203 determines that the battery 101 that does not satisfy the condition of step S93 has a third-priority level.

[0072] In step S98, the ECU 203 determines that the battery 101 that does not satisfy the condition of step S94 has a second-priority level.

[0073] In step S99, the ECU 203 determines that the battery 101 that satisfies the condition of step S94 has a first-priority level.

[0074] In addition, in step S100, the ECU 203 may also send only the information of the battery 101 with the highest priority (the 1st priority) to the battery replacement device 100. Additionally, the ECU 203 may also send only the information of one of the batteries 101 with the highest priority (for example, the battery 101 with the highest remaining capacity or the battery 101 with the highest SOH (State Of Health)) to the battery replacement device 100. Furthermore, in the case where there is no battery 101 with the highest priority, the information of the battery 101 with the second highest priority (for example, the battery 101 with the 2nd priority) is sent to the battery replacement device 100. Additionally, the ECU 203 may also send the information related to the priorities of all the batteries 101 corresponding to step S70 to the battery replacement device 100.

[0075] In addition, when the ECU 203 determines that all the batteries 101 do not meet the above vehicle requirements, the ECU 203 may notify the battery replacement device 100 that battery replacement will not be performed. Additionally, the battery replacement device 100 that receives the information indicating that all the batteries 101 do not meet the above vehicle requirements may also notify the electric vehicle 200 that battery replacement will not be performed.

[0076] In addition, in the HMI (Human Machine Interface) mounted on the electric vehicle 200, an image indicating that the higher the priority of the above battery 101, the higher the recommendation degree of the battery 101 for battery replacement may also be displayed. The battery 101 selected by the user on this image may be sent to the battery replacement device 100 as the selection result corresponding to step S100.

[0077] As described above, in the present embodiment, the ECU 203 selects the battery 101 for battery replacement using the battery mounting information related to the battery mounting position and the battery configuration direction in the electric vehicle 200, the electrical requirement information related to the electrical characteristics required for the battery 101, and the battery information related to the batteries 101 owned by the battery replacement device 100. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the situation of selecting a battery 101 whose battery mounting position and battery configuration direction do not match the electric vehicle 200, and it is possible to suppress the selection of a battery 101 whose electrical characteristics do not match the electric vehicle 200 (and the user's usage). As a result, compared with the case of selecting the battery 101 only based on the type of the battery, it is possible to select a battery 101 more suitable for the electric vehicle 200 (and the user's usage).

[0078] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which information on the battery 101 that meets at least one of the vehicle requirements is transmitted to the electric vehicle 200, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Information on the battery 101 that does not meet the vehicle requirements may also be transmitted to the electric vehicle 200.

[0079] For example, the Figure 4 shown timing control may also be performed. In the Figure 4 shown example, in the process of performing step S71 instead of step S70 and not performing the processes of steps S30 to S60 (refer to Figure 2 ), it is different from the Figure 2 shown example. In step S71, the battery replacement device 100 transmits battery information related to all the batteries 101 stored in the battery replacement device 100 (owned by the battery replacement device 100) to the electric vehicle 200 via the communication unit 13.

[0080] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the battery 101 whose voltage range (upper limit value and lower limit value) is determined not to conform to the vehicle requirements (electrical requirement information) is a battery that does not meet the vehicle requirements, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, it may be determined that the battery 101 whose voltage range does not conform to the vehicle requirements and the battery 101 whose rated voltage does not conform to the vehicle requirements are both batteries with a fourth priority level. Additionally, it may be determined that the battery 101 whose voltage range does not conform to the vehicle requirements is a battery with a fifth priority level.

[0081] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the priority of the output power of the battery 101 is higher than the priority of the remaining capacity of the battery 101, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The priority of the remaining capacity of the battery 101 may also be higher than the priority of the output power of the battery 101. Furthermore, regarding which priority is higher, it may be preset in the electric vehicle 200, or it may be arbitrarily set by the user. Additionally, regarding which priority is higher, it may also be automatically determined by the ECU 203 based on the driving information (driving history and scheduled driving) of the electric vehicle 200.

[0082] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the electric vehicle 200 directly communicates with the battery replacement device 100, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the electric vehicle 200 and the battery replacement device 100 may also communicate indirectly via an external server.

[0083] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which when selecting the battery 101 for battery replacement, the priorities are set to increase in the order of battery mounting information, voltage information, output power information, and capacity information. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The order of the priorities may also be other than the above example. For example, the priority of the voltage information may be higher than the priority of the battery mounting information.

[0084] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the battery 101 is stored in the battery replacement device 100. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The battery 101 for battery replacement may also be stored outside the battery replacement device 100.

[0085] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the battery 101 is selected based on the battery mounting position and the battery configuration direction. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The battery 101 may also be selected based on either the battery mounting position or the battery configuration direction. In other words, in the selection of the battery 101, one of the battery mounting position and the battery configuration direction may not be considered.

[0086] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the selection result of the battery 101 for battery replacement is sent from the electric vehicle 200 to the battery replacement device 100. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The selection result obtained by the electric vehicle 200 may also be sent from the portable terminal 300 to the battery replacement device 100. In addition, at least one of the battery mounting information and the electrical requirement information may also be sent from the portable terminal 300 to the battery replacement device 100. In this case, the portable terminal 300 is an example of the "vehicle-side control device" of the present disclosure.

[0087] It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are exemplary in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is represented not by the description of the above embodiments but by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

Claims

1. A battery replacement system, comprising: a vehicle-side control device configured to select a second battery to be replaced with a first battery mounted on the vehicle; as well as A battery replacement device is configured to have at least one replacement battery and to replace the first battery with the second battery in the at least one replacement battery. in, The vehicle-side control device is constructed as follows: receiving battery information related to the at least one replacement battery from an external source; and The second battery is selected from the at least one replacement battery using battery mounting information, electrical requirement information and the battery information, wherein the battery mounting information is information related to at least one of the battery mounting position and the battery configuration direction in the vehicle, and the electrical requirement information is information related to the electrical characteristics required for the second battery.

2. The battery replacement system according to claim 1, wherein: The electrical requirement information includes information on voltage, output power, and capacity required for the second battery. The vehicle-side control device is configured to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery in order of increasing priority in the order of (i) the battery loading information, (ii) the voltage information, (iii) one of the output power information and the capacity information, and (iv) the other of the output power information and the capacity information.

3. The battery replacement system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The vehicle-side control device is configured to transmit the battery loading information and the electrical requirement information to the battery replacement device. The battery replacement device is configured to transmit the battery information related to the at least one replacement battery that matches at least one of the battery mounting information and the electrical requirement information received from the vehicle to the vehicle-side control device, and The vehicle-side control device is configured to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery using the battery information, the battery mounting information, and the electrical requirement information received from the battery replacement device.

4. A vehicle-side control device for selecting a second battery to be replaced with a first battery mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle-side control device comprising: a communication unit configured to receive battery information related to at least one replacement battery owned by the battery replacement device from the outside; as well as The control unit is configured to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery using battery mounting information, electrical requirement information and the battery information, wherein the battery mounting information is information related to at least one of the battery mounting position and the battery configuration direction in the vehicle, and the electrical requirement information is information related to the electrical characteristics required for the second battery.

5. The vehicle-side control device according to claim 4, wherein: The electrical requirement information includes information on voltage, output power, and capacity required for the second battery, and The control unit is configured to select the second battery from the at least one replacement battery in an order of increasing priority in (i) the battery loading information, (ii) the voltage information, (iii) one of the output power information and the capacity information, and (iv) the other of the output power information and the capacity information.

6. The vehicle-side control device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The communication unit is configured to transmit the battery mounting information and the electrical requirement information to the outside of the vehicle.

7. A battery selection method, the battery selection method being implemented by a vehicle-side control device configured to select a second battery to be replaced with a first battery mounted on a vehicle, the battery selection method comprising: Receiving battery information related to at least one replacement battery owned by the battery replacement device; as well as The second battery is selected from the at least one replacement battery using battery mounting information, electrical requirement information and the battery information, wherein the battery mounting information is information related to at least one of the battery mounting position and the battery configuration direction in the vehicle, and the electrical requirement information is information related to the electrical characteristics required for the second battery.

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