Battery system

Abstract

To enhance safety in flight.SOLUTION: A battery system 15 is mounted on an eVTOL. The battery system 15 comprises a battery 151, an auxiliary battery 152, and a charging-related instrument 153. The battery 151 supplies electric power to an object to be driven including a rotary vane 13 of the eVTOL. The auxiliary battery 152 charges the battery 151. The charging-related instrument 153 controls charging of the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152. The charging-related instrument 153 has a function of electrically connecting or disconnecting the auxiliary battery 152 to / from the battery 151. The auxiliary battery 152 is made to temporarily charge the battery 151 for driving and changes a direction of currents, and thereby can reduce deviations in ion concentration caused by electric discharge during flight to reduce temporary deterioration. This can enhance safety in flight.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 18

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The disclosure herein relates to battery systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electric flying object. The contents of the prior art documents are incorporated by reference as explanations of technical elements in this specification. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-196440 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Batteries mounted on electric aircraft are prone to temporary (reversible) increase in the internal resistance of the battery due to bias in the concentration distribution of ions, that is, temporary deterioration, caused by the high output load specific to electric aircraft. For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, even if multiple batteries are provided for redundancy, temporary deterioration may occur simultaneously in multiple batteries. In other words, there is a risk that battery redundancy cannot be ensured. In the above-mentioned viewpoints, or in other viewpoints not mentioned, further improvements are required in the monitoring device, the control device, the traffic management system, and the program.

[0005] One disclosed objective is to provide a battery system that can improve flight safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One of the battery systems disclosed is A battery system installed in an electric flying object (10), A driving battery (151) that supplies power to a driving object including a rotor (13) of the electric flying object; an auxiliary battery (152) for charging the drive battery; A charging-related device (153) for controlling charging from the auxiliary battery to the drive battery; Equipped with The charging-related device electrically connects or disconnects the auxiliary battery and the drive battery.

[0007] During flight, discharging causes bias in ion concentration. According to the disclosed battery system, temporary charging and changing the direction of current can reduce the concentration bias and temporary degradation. Charging the drive battery from the auxiliary battery can promote recovery from temporary degradation during flight. This can improve flight safety.

[0008] The various aspects disclosed in this specification employ different technical means to achieve their respective objectives. The claims and the parenthetical symbols described in this section are merely illustrative of the corresponding relationships with the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the technical scope. The objectives, features, and advantages disclosed in this specification will become more apparent by referring to the detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates the power profile of an eVTOL. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an eVTOL and a ground station. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional arrangement of a traffic management system in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a monitoring device and an operation control system. [Diagram 5] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a traffic management method. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a monitoring method. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating execution timing of a monitoring process. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a traffic management system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a constrained state of the battery cell. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method. [Figure 12] 13 is a flowchart showing a modified example of recovery control. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a battery system in a third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of a battery system. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of a battery system. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 illustrates the effect of combined recovery controls. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing functions of a charging-related device. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charging method. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charging method. [Figure 20] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, several embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, by assigning the same reference numerals to corresponding components in each embodiment, duplicated explanations may be omitted. When only a part of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the configuration of the other embodiment described above can be applied to the other parts of the configuration. In addition to the combination of configurations explicitly stated in the description of each embodiment, configurations of several embodiments can be partially combined together even if not explicitly stated, as long as there is no particular problem with the combination.

[0011] The monitoring device, control device, traffic management system, program, and battery system described below are applied to an electric flying vehicle.

[0012] (First embodiment) An electric flying body has a motor (rotating electric machine) as a drive source for movement. An electric flying body is sometimes called an electric airplane, an electric aircraft, etc. An electric flying body is capable of moving in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. An electric flying body is capable of moving in a direction having a vertical component and a horizontal component, that is, in a diagonal direction. Examples of electric flying bodies include electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), electric short take-off and landing aircraft (eSTOL), and drones. eVTOL is an abbreviation for electronic Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft. eSTOL is an abbreviation for electronic Short distance Take-Off and Landing aircraft.

[0013] The electric air vehicle may be either a manned or unmanned aircraft. In the case of a manned aircraft, the electric air vehicle is operated by a pilot as a pilot. In the case of an unmanned aircraft, the electric air vehicle may be operated by a remote control by a pilot, or may be automatically controlled by a control system. As an example, the electric air vehicle of this embodiment is an eVTOL.

[0014] <Power Profile> FIG. 1 shows the power profile of an eVTOL from takeoff to landing. The power profile of electric flying objects other than eVTOL is the same as that of an eVTOL. Period P1 is referred to as the takeoff period, takeoff time, departure period, departure time, etc. Period P2 is referred to as the cruising period, cruising time, etc. Period P3 is referred to as the landing period, landing time, arrival period, arrival time, etc. For convenience, in FIG. 1, the required power, i.e., the output, is constant throughout almost the entire range of each of periods P1 and P3.

[0015] The eVTOL ascends from the takeoff point to the cruise start point in period P1. The eVTOL cruises at a predetermined altitude in period P2. The eVTOL descends from the end point of period P2 to the landing point in period P3. The movement of the eVTOL includes mainly horizontal components in period P2 and mainly vertical components in periods P1 and P3. During periods P1 and P3 when moving vertically, high output is required continuously for a predetermined period of time to drive the rotors of the eVTOL.

[0016] <Temporary battery deterioration> When a secondary battery is output, that is, discharged, a temporary bias occurs in the concentration distribution of ions that contribute to the battery reaction. The concentration bias occurs in the electrolyte and electrodes. When the concentration bias occurs, the internal resistance of the battery increases temporarily (reversibly). As a result, even if the battery's SOC is sufficient, the battery's output performance decreases. In this way, temporary (reversible) deterioration occurs in the battery. Temporary deterioration is sometimes called high-rate deterioration. SOC is an abbreviation for State Of Charge.

[0017] The greater the concentration bias, the greater the degree of transient degradation. In particular, the degree of transient degradation increases with high or continuous power output. As shown in Figure 1, eVTOL requires high power output during takeoff and landing. In addition, continuous power output is required during flight. Therefore, the degree of transient degradation is likely to increase.

[0018] If the degree of temporary degradation increases, there is a risk that the high output characteristics required for takeoff and landing will not be achieved. In other words, there is a possibility that flight safety will be reduced. It is very important to improve safety by providing redundancy in anticipation of the occurrence of a battery abnormality. However, temporary degradation can occur simultaneously in multiple batteries. Therefore, there is a risk that battery redundancy cannot be ensured.

[0019] Temporary battery degradation is not a permanent abnormality or degradation that cannot be recovered from, such as a disconnection or deterioration in battery capacity, but a temporary degradation that can be resolved. For this reason, it is desirable to eliminate or reduce temporary degradation before it occurs.

[0020] <evtol> 2 shows an eVTOL and a ground station. As shown in FIG. 2, the eVTOL 10 includes an airframe 11, a fixed wing 12, a rotor 13, a lift control mechanism 14, a battery system 15, an EPU 16, and a BMS 17.

[0021] The aircraft body 11 is the fuselage of the aircraft. The aircraft body 11 has a shape that extends in the front-rear direction. The aircraft body 11 has a passenger compartment for passengers to ride in and / or a luggage compartment for carrying luggage.

[0022] The fixed wing 12 is a wing portion of the aircraft, and is connected to the aircraft body 11. The fixed wing 12 provides gliding lift. The gliding lift is the lift generated by the fixed wing 12. As an example, the fixed wing 12 has a main wing 121 and a tail 122. The main wing 121 extends left and right from near the center in the fore-and-aft direction of the aircraft body 11. The tail 122 extends left and right from the rear of the aircraft body 11. The shape of the fixed wing 12 is not particularly limited. For example, a swept back wing, a delta wing, a straight wing, etc. can be adopted.

[0023] A plurality of rotors 13 are provided on the aircraft body. At least some of the plurality of rotors 13 may be provided on the fixed wing 12. At least some of the plurality of rotors 13 may be provided on the aircraft body 11. The number of rotors 13 provided on the eVTOL 10 is not particularly limited. As an example, a plurality of rotors 13 are provided on each of the aircraft body 11 and the main wing 121. The eVTOL 10 has six rotors 13.

[0024] The rotor 13 may be referred to as a rotor, a propeller, a fan, or the like. The rotor 13 has blades 131 and a shaft 132. The blades 131 are attached to the shaft 132. The blades 131 are vanes that rotate together with the shaft 132. A plurality of the blades 131 extend radially around the axis of the shaft 132. The shaft 132 is a rotation axis of the rotor 13, and is rotated by a motor of the EPU 16.

[0025] The rotor 13 generates a thrust force by rotation. The thrust force acts on the eVTOL 10 mainly as a rotational lift force when the eVTOL 10 takes off and lands. The rotor 13 mainly provides the rotational lift force when the eVTOL 10 takes off and lands. The rotational lift force is a lift force generated by the rotation of the rotor 13. When the eVTOL 10 takes off and lands, the rotor 13 may provide only the rotational lift force, or may provide a forward thrust force in addition to the rotational lift force. The rotor 13 provides the rotational lift force when the eVTOL 10 is hovering.

[0026] The propulsive force acts mainly as thrust on the eVTOL 10 during cruising of the eVTOL 10. The rotor 13 mainly provides thrust during cruising. During cruising, the rotor 13 may provide only thrust, or may provide lift in addition to thrust.

[0027] The lift control mechanism 14 adjusts the gliding lift of the fixed wing 12. The lift control mechanism 14 increases or decreases the gliding lift generated by the fixed wing 12. The lift control mechanism 14 adjusts the gliding lift by adjusting at least one of the surface area, angle of attack (AOA), camber (wing curvature), stall AOA, and wing speed of the fixed wing 12, for example. AOA is an abbreviation for Angle Of Attack. As an example, the lift control mechanism 14 has a tilt mechanism 141 and a flap 142.

[0028] The tilt mechanism 141 is driven to adjust the tilt angle of the rotor 13. The tilt mechanism 141 constitutes a tilt adjustment device together with a motor and an inverter that drive the tilt mechanism 141. The tilt adjustment device including the tilt mechanism 141 is provided, for example, individually for each rotor 13. The tilt mechanism 141 adjusts the tilt angle of the rotor 13 by adjusting the relative inclination of the rotor 13 with respect to the airframe.

[0029] During takeoff and landing, the tilt mechanism 141 controls the tilt angle so that the axis of each rotor 13 approaches a position parallel to the vertical direction. As a result, the propulsive force caused by the rotation of each rotor 13 acts on the eVTOL 10 mainly as rotational lift. Therefore, the eVTOL 10 can take off and land in a short distance or in the vertical direction.

[0030] During cruising, the tilt mechanism 141 controls the tilt angle so that the axis of each rotor 13 approaches a position parallel to the horizontal direction. As a result, the propulsive force generated by the rotation of each rotor 13 acts on the eVTOL 10 mainly as thrust. Therefore, the eVTOL 10 can move forward by the forward thrust generated by the rotation of each rotor 13 while obtaining gliding lift from the fixed wing 12. In addition, the gliding lift can be adjusted by changing the wing speed V using the thrust.

[0031] Although the example in which the tilt mechanism 141 is provided individually for each rotor 13 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the tilt angles of multiple rotors 13 arranged side by side may be controlled by a common tilt mechanism. A configuration in which the rotor 13 is integrated with a part of the wing portion, and the part of the wing portion and the rotor 13 are displaced together by the tilt mechanism, may also be used.

[0032] The flap 142 is a movable wing piece and is provided on the fixed wing 12. The flap 142, together with a motor and an inverter that drive the flap 142, constitutes a flap adjustment device. The flap 142 is sometimes referred to as a high-lift device. As an example, a plurality of flaps 142 are provided on the trailing edge of the main wing 121. Each of the plurality of flaps 142 is provided with a motor and an inverter. The flap 142 may be provided on the tail 122 in addition to the main wing 121. The flap 142 may be provided on the leading edge of the fixed wing 12.

[0033] The flap 142 adjusts the surface area and camber of the fixed wing 12. For example, by controlling the flap 142 provided on the main wing 121 to a lower position, the gliding lift acting on the main wing 121 increases. In addition, by moving the flap 142 in a direction protruding from the main wing 121, it is possible to further increase the gliding lift.

[0034] The lift adjustment mechanism 14 is not limited to the tilt mechanism 141 and the flap 142 described above. A tilt mechanism that adjusts the relative inclination of the fixed wing 12 with respect to the aircraft body 11 may be adopted as the lift adjustment mechanism 14. In this case, the angle of attack of the fixed wing 12 can be adjusted. A rotor for thrust provided separately from the rotor 13 may be adopted as the lift adjustment mechanism 14. In this case, the wing speed can be adjusted. Also, by providing a rotor for thrust, it is possible to use the rotor 13 exclusively for lift (rotational lift).

[0035] A variable wing may be used as the lift adjustment mechanism 14. Lift can be adjusted by changing the surface area, camber, angle of attachment, etc. of the fixed wing 12. A high-lift device other than the flap 142, for example a slat, may be used as the lift adjustment mechanism 14. The slat is provided on the leading edge of the main wing 121. By moving the slat forward relative to the main wing 121, a gap is created between the slat and the main wing 121, and separation can be delayed. Thus, lift can be increased without stalling up to a higher angle of attack. In other words, the stall AOA can be delayed.

[0036] The battery system (BS) 15 includes at least a battery (BAT) 151, which is a device for driving the rotor 13 to rotate. The battery 151 can store DC power and has a rechargeable battery cell. The battery cell is a secondary battery that generates an electromotive force by a chemical reaction. The battery cell is, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery, a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery, or the like. The battery cell may be a secondary battery with a liquid electrolyte, or a so-called all-solid-state battery with a solid electrolyte. The eVTOL 10 may include a fuel cell, a generator, or the like in addition to the battery 151 as a power source for supplying power to the devices. The battery 151 supplies power to the EPU 16, a tilt adjustment device, a flap adjustment device, and the like. The battery 151 also supplies power to auxiliary devices (not shown), such as an air conditioner, and the ECU 20, which will be described later.

[0037] The eVTOL 10 of this embodiment includes a plurality of batteries 151 (see FIG. 4). The plurality of batteries 151 may be connected in series and / or parallel to one another, or may be independent and not connected to one another. Each of the batteries 151 includes a plurality of battery cells connected in series, or a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel and in series. The battery 151 is provided as a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are modularized, a single battery module, or a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules. The number and arrangement of the batteries 151 are not particularly limited. As an example, the battery 151 of this embodiment is provided redundantly with respect to the EPU 16. In other words, the battery 151 is configured to be able to supply power from the plurality of batteries 151 to one EPU 16.

[0038] The battery 151 of the eVTOL 10 is required to have high capacity as well as high output performance. For this reason, a battery cell that can obtain both high capacity and high output is desirable. From the viewpoint of output, a battery cell with low resistance over a wide SOC range is desirable. In particular, a battery cell with low resistance even in the low SOC range and capable of obtaining high output is desirable.

[0039] The positive electrode material of the battery cell can be, for example, LCO, NMC, NCA, LFP, or LMFP. LCO is lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2). NMC is lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (Li(NiMnCo)O2). NCA is lithium nickel cobalt aluminate (Li(NiCoAl)O2). LFP is lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). LMFP is lithium manganese iron phosphate (LiFe x Mn y In particular, a positive electrode made of LMFP or a positive electrode made of a blend of LMFP and NMC, which has low resistance in the low SOC region, is preferred.

[0040] The negative electrode material of the battery cell can be, for example, carbon-based such as hard carbon or soft carbon, silicon, lithium-based, or titanium-based such as LTO or NTO. LTO is a lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O 12 ) NTO is niobium titanium oxide (TiNb2O7). In particular, carbon-based and titanium-based anodes, which have low resistance in the low SOC region, are preferred.

[0041] Battery system 15 may include only multiple batteries 151, or may include devices related to charging and / or discharging in addition to batteries 151. For example, it may include a power distributor. As an example, battery system 15 of this embodiment includes multiple batteries 151, an auxiliary battery 152 for charging batteries 151, and charging-related devices 153 (see FIG. 4). Charging-related devices 153 control charging of batteries 151 from auxiliary battery 152, for example. Details of battery system 15 will be described later.

[0042] The EPU 16 has a motor and an inverter, and rotates the rotors 13 that impart a propulsive force to the eVTOL 10. The EPU 16 is a device for rotating the rotors 13. As an example, the same number of EPUs 16 as the rotors 13 are provided. In other words, the eVTOL 10 includes six EPUs 16. The EPUs 16 and the rotors 13 are connected one-to-one. Alternatively, two or more rotors 13 may be connected to one EPU 16 via a gear box.

[0043] The BMS 17 monitors the status of the battery 151. BMS is an abbreviation for Battery Management System. The BMS 17 can monitor the voltage, current, temperature, internal resistance, SOC, SOH, and other safety-related statuses of the battery 151, such as internal pressure and gas leakage. SOH is an abbreviation for State Of Health. One BMS 17 is provided for each battery 151, for example. The BMS 17 monitors the status of each of the multiple batteries 151.

[0044] The eVTOL 10 further includes an ECU 20 and auxiliary equipment (not shown). ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit.

[0045] <Traffic Traffic Management System> The traffic management system is a system for formulating flight plans, monitoring flight status, collecting and managing information related to flight operations, supporting flight operations, etc. At least some of the functions of the traffic management system may be placed in an onboard computer of the eVTOL 10. At least some of the functions of the traffic management system may be placed in an external computer capable of wireless communication with the eVTOL 10. An example of an external computer is the server 31 of the ground station 30 shown in FIG. 2. The ground station 30 is capable of wireless communication with the eVTOL 10. The ground stations 30 are capable of wireless communication with each other.

[0046] As an example, in this embodiment, some of the functions of the traffic management system are arranged in the ECU 20 of the eVTOL 10, and some of the functions of the traffic management system are arranged in the server 31 of the ground station 30. The functions of the traffic management system are shared between the ECU 20 and the server 31.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, the ECU 20 includes a processor (PC) 201, a memory (MM) 202, a storage (ST) 203, and a communication circuit (CC) 204 for wireless communication. The processor 201 executes various processes by accessing the memory 202. The memory 202 is a rewritable volatile storage medium. The memory 202 is, for example, a RAM. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. The storage 203 is a rewritable non-volatile storage medium. The storage 203 stores a program (PG) 203P to be executed by the processor 201. The program 203P configures a plurality of functional units by causing the processor 201 to execute a plurality of instructions. The ECU 20 may include a plurality of processors 201.

[0048] Like the ECU 20, the server 31 is configured to include a processor (PC) 311, a memory (MM) 312, a storage (ST) 313, a communication circuit (CC) 314, and the like. The processor 311 executes various processes by accessing the memory 312. The memory 312 is a rewritable volatile storage medium, such as a RAM. The storage 313 is a rewritable non-volatile storage medium. The storage 313 stores a program (PG) 313P to be executed by the processor 311. The program 313P configures a plurality of functional units by causing the processor 311 to execute a plurality of instructions. The server 31 may include a plurality of processors 311.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows an example of the functional arrangement of the traffic management system. As shown in FIG. 3, as an example, the traffic management system 40 of this embodiment has an external management unit 41 and an internal management unit 42. The external management unit 41 is functionally arranged in the server 31 of the ground station 30. The internal management unit 42 is functionally arranged in the ECU 20 of the eVTOL 10. In this way, some of the functions of the traffic management system 40 are arranged in the server 31, and the other part of the functions are arranged in the ECU 20. The external management unit 41 and the internal management unit 42 can wirelessly communicate with each other. The internal management unit 42 can communicate with various devices arranged in the eVTOL 10 by wire or wirelessly.

[0050] Fig. 4 shows the schematic configuration of the traffic management system. As described above, the traffic management system 40 formulates flight plans, monitors flight status, collects and manages flight-related information, supports flight operations, etc. The traffic management system 40 includes a monitoring device 50 and a control device 60 as functional units.

[0051] The monitoring device 50 acquires information about the battery 151 and monitors the state of the battery 151. The monitoring device 50 calculates and monitors the degree of temporary deterioration based on the acquired information. The monitoring device 50 may determine whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied based on the degree of temporary deterioration.

[0052] The monitoring device 50 may be functionally arranged in the ECU 20 of the eVTOL 10, or may be functionally arranged in the server 31 of the ground station 30. The monitoring device 50 may be arranged as a part of the off-board management unit 41, or may be arranged as a part of the on-board management unit 42. The monitoring device 50 may be arranged separately from the BMS 17, or at least a part of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged in the BMS 17. As an example, the monitoring device 50 of this embodiment is functionally arranged in the ECU 20 of the eVTOL 10. The monitoring device 50 is arranged as a part of the on-board management unit 42.

[0053] The control device 60 controls the discharge and / or charge of the battery 151 based on the degree of temporary deterioration. As an example, the control device 60 of this embodiment acquires the degree of temporary deterioration from the monitoring device 50, and controls the discharge and / or charge of the battery 151 based on the degree of temporary deterioration. The control device 60 may execute only discharge control, or may execute only charge control. It may execute both discharge control and charge control. Hereinafter, controlling the discharge and / or charge of the battery 151 may be referred to as charge / discharge control. Details of the control device 60 will be described later.

[0054] The control device 60 may be functionally arranged in the ECU 20 of the eVTOL 10, or may be functionally arranged in the server 31 of the ground station 30. The control device 60 may be arranged as part of the external management unit 41, or may be arranged as part of the internal management unit 42. As an example, the control device 60 of this embodiment is functionally arranged in the ECU 20 of the eVTOL 10. The control device 60 is arranged as part of the internal management unit 42. The control device 60 is configured with a calculation processing device shared with the monitoring device 50.

[0055] The traffic management system 40 may further include a display device 70. The display device 70 is arranged on board the eVTOL 10 and / or in the ground station 30. The display device 70 displays, for example, the monitoring results and judgment results obtained by the monitoring device 50. This makes it possible to notify relevant people on board the aircraft or in the ground station 30 of the monitoring results and the like. The display device 70 may also display the calculation results of the control device 60 and other functional units.

[0056] The traffic management system 40 also includes a traffic planning device (not shown). The traffic planning device creates a traffic plan for the eVTOL 10 based on information input from a terminal (not shown), for example. The input information includes, for example, information on the departure point and the arrival point. The traffic planning device may create a traffic plan taking into account battery information and weather information.

[0057] <Monitoring device> As described above, the program 203P causes the processor 201 to execute a plurality of instructions, thereby constructing the monitoring device 50, which is a functional unit.

[0058] The monitoring device 50 monitors the state of the battery 151, specifically, the degree of temporary deterioration. The monitoring device 50 may monitor the state of the battery 151 on a battery pack basis, or on a battery module basis, or on a battery cell basis. Monitoring on a battery cell basis can improve accuracy.

[0059] As described above, the high output characteristics of the battery 151 are required for the takeoff and landing of the eVTOL 10. For this reason, it is preferable that the monitoring device 50 monitors the degree of temporary deterioration that significantly affects the high output characteristics at least a predetermined period before the start of takeoff or landing. The predetermined period is set based on a period required for processing to reduce the degree of temporary deterioration. For example, the predetermined time may be set based on the results obtained by a prior experiment, or based on the performance of past flights. A predetermined margin may be added to increase the safety factor.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 4, the monitoring device 50 includes an acquisition unit 51, a calculation unit 52, a determination unit 53, and an output unit .

[0061] The acquisition unit 51 acquires information about the battery 151. The acquisition unit 51 acquires information about each of the multiple batteries 151. The acquisition unit 51 acquires information about the battery from the BMS 17. As described above, the BMS 17 monitors the voltage, current, temperature, internal resistance, SOC, SOH, and other safety-related conditions such as internal pressure and gas leakage. The acquisition unit 51 acquires at least a part of this information.

[0062] The acquisition unit 51 may acquire at least one of flight information, weather information, and regulation information in addition to the battery information. The flight information may include, for example, the flight altitude, flight speed, attitude (angle), flight position, etc. of the current flight. The flight information may acquire information such as flight altitude and flight speed based on the operation plan in addition to information on the current flight. The weather information may include, for example, wind direction, wind speed, and air pressure. The information on regulations and rules may include, for example, the presence or absence of silent operation regulations, flight altitude rules, etc.

[0063] The calculation unit 52 calculates the degree of temporary degradation of the battery 151 based on the acquired battery information. The degree of temporary degradation is the difference (ΔR) from a reference value of the internal resistance. The reference value is, for example, the initial internal resistance value before takeoff in the current flight. The reference value may be the internal resistance value after a process of eliminating temporary degradation. For example, it may be the internal resistance value after charging on the ground. The reference value is preferably the internal resistance value after temporary degradation has been sufficiently eliminated. The calculation of the degree of temporary degradation may be an actual measurement calculation based on an actual measurement value, or a predictive calculation based on a predictive value. The calculated value may be the degree of temporary degradation at the time of monitoring, or the degree of temporary degradation at the time of takeoff or landing.

[0064] The calculation unit 52 may calculate the degree of temporary deterioration using raw data of the battery 151 acquired from the BMS 17, such as voltage, current, temperature, etc. The calculation unit 52 may obtain the degree of temporary deterioration by acquiring data calculated by the BMS 17 and performing additional calculations. The degree of temporary deterioration can be calculated based on, for example, one of the current history, the internal resistance, and the history information of past flights.

[0065] One method based on the current history is current integration. The integrated value of the current can be used as the degree of temporary deterioration. In the case of the eVTOL10, the output (discharge) is basically the only output during flight (navigation). Therefore, the integrated value of the discharge current during flight can be used as the degree of temporary deterioration.

[0066] However, charging on the ground or during flight acts to eliminate the concentration imbalance caused by discharging to some extent. Therefore, when charging is performed, the integrated value of the charge and discharge current may be used as the degree of temporary deterioration. By comparing the integrated value of the charge current with the integrated value of the discharge current, it is also possible to determine whether the concentration imbalance is caused by discharging or charging.

[0067] The output stop during standby on the ground or temporary output stop during flight also acts to eliminate the concentration bias caused by discharge to some extent. Therefore, the current integrated value may be corrected in the direction to eliminate the concentration bias. The correction value may be calculated using a map or regression model created in advance from data such as experiments.

[0068] In addition, the larger the current (higher output) or the longer the duration of the output, the more likely the concentration bias is to occur. Therefore, when using the integrated current value, the current value and / or duration may be weighted during integration. The weighting coefficient may be calculated using a map or regression model created in advance from experimental data, etc.

[0069] Another method based on the current history is calculation using a battery physics model. A battery physics model models electrochemical reactions and material transport, and is capable of analyzing concentration distribution. By inputting the current history into this battery physics model and performing calculations, it is possible to estimate the concentration bias of ions in the electrolyte and electrodes that contribute to the battery reaction. This makes it possible to determine the degree of temporary degradation with high accuracy.

[0070] One of the methods based on the internal resistance is to calculate the increase (change) in the internal resistance. In other words, the degree of temporary degradation itself is calculated. The change becomes a decrease when the temporary degradation is eliminated. The increase in the resistance of the battery 151 can be calculated using the time series values ​​of the internal resistance calculated from the voltage, current, etc. of the battery 151. The monitoring device 50 may acquire the internal resistance from the BMS 17, or the calculation unit 52 may calculate the internal resistance.

[0071] Another method using internal resistance is a calculation using an estimated resistance from a battery model. The battery model is, for example, a battery equivalent circuit model. The estimated resistance is calculated from an estimated current estimated from a battery model that assumes a uniform concentration distribution, and an actual measured voltage. The degree of temporary deterioration can be calculated from the difference between the estimated resistance and the measured resistance calculated from the actual measured current and voltage.

[0072] Another method using internal resistance is a calculation based on the resistance component of AC impedance. The increase (change) in the resistance component of AC impedance of battery 151 can be used as the degree of temporary deterioration. The change becomes a decrease when the temporary deterioration is eliminated. In particular, it is preferable to use the increase in the resistance component in the high frequency range of AC impedance as the degree of temporary deterioration. This makes it possible to more accurately calculate the degree of concentration bias in the electrolyte, which is the main cause of bias.

[0073] Using AC impedance makes it possible to separate the causes of resistance. When voltage is applied to a battery, first an electric double layer is formed, followed by a charge transfer reaction (electron transfer reaction). In the high frequency range of around 1 kHz, it represents the ohmic resistance of the leads and the transfer resistance of the electrolyte. Since the main cause of temporary degradation is the bias in the ion concentration in the electrolyte, calculations can be made more accurate by using resistance that has been separated as a cause in the high frequency range. To measure the resistance component of AC impedance, for example, a BMS17 can be used, which has the function of measuring AC impedance by superimposing an AC current and the function of analysis.

[0074] The method based on the historical information of past flights is a prediction calculation of the degree of temporary deterioration using the historical information. During takeoff and landing, high output is required continuously for a certain period of time. Therefore, the ratio of the capacity required during takeoff and / or landing to the total capacity of the battery is high. During takeoff and landing, in addition to the large impact on the battery due to the high output or high capacity, the battery is easily influenced by the environment of the takeoff and landing points, such as wind direction, wind speed, air pressure, and weather. Therefore, errors are likely to occur in the prediction of the battery condition during operation. Therefore, in this method, the degree of temporary deterioration is predicted based on the historical information.

[0075] As historical information, information on the degree of past temporary degradation where the takeoff and / or landing points and aircraft type match the target flight is used. The eVTOL10 flight plan is finite and repeats frequently, so historical information can be utilized. Furthermore, since historical information on takeoff and landing points, which are prone to prediction errors, is utilized, the prediction accuracy of the degree of temporary degradation can be improved. Ease of operation, output characteristics, etc. differ depending on the eVTOL10 model (type). This can further improve the prediction accuracy of the degree of temporary degradation.

[0076] The degree of temporary deterioration may be predicted based on a prediction map. Alternatively, the degree may be predicted based on a prediction model such as multiple regression. As an example, the degree of temporary deterioration is predicted based on a prediction model generated using machine learning. By using a prediction model, it is possible to improve the accuracy and speed of prediction even when there are many explanatory variables. Furthermore, by generating the prediction model using machine learning, it is possible to easily build a prediction model. Furthermore, by increasing the amount of historical information, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of prediction.

[0077] The explanatory variables are sometimes referred to as input variables, input items, etc. The objective variables are obtained by inputting the explanatory variables into the prediction model. The degree of temporary deterioration of the battery is obtained as the objective variable. The objective variables are sometimes referred to as output variables, output items, etc. By constructing a prediction model or a prediction map using important factor parameters as explanatory variables, the prediction accuracy of the degree of temporary deterioration can be improved.

[0078] One important factor parameter is the history information of the same takeoff and landing points as the target flight, and another important factor parameter is the history information of the same aircraft type. These pieces of information are sometimes called basic information. However, other factor parameters (basic information) may include history information of flight altitude, history information of flight route, history information of takeoff and landing time periods, etc. Flight altitude affects, for example, air density, air pressure, outside temperature, and power required for altitude. Flight route affects, for example, flight distance and outside temperature. Time period affects, for example, outside temperature and waiting time. Adding other factor parameters that are prone to errors can further improve the prediction accuracy.

[0079] As described above, high output is required continuously for a certain period of time during takeoff and landing, which are movements with a vertical component. For this reason, information other than the basic information described above, that is, other information, such as factor parameters that significantly affect the maximum output and power amount during takeoff and landing, may be added to the explanatory variables of the prediction model. This can improve the prediction accuracy.

[0080] One of the factor parameters, which is other information, is weather information for the takeoff and / or landing points of the target flight. As an example, the information used for prediction in addition to the basic information includes weather information for the target takeoff and / or landing points. Weather conditions at the takeoff and landing points, such as wind direction, wind speed, and air pressure, affect the behavior of the eVTOL10 during takeoff and landing. By adding weather information for the takeoff and landing points to the factor parameters, the prediction accuracy can be further improved.

[0081] Another of the factor parameters, which are other information, is the control characteristic information for the target flight. As an example, the control characteristic information for the target flight is included as information used for prediction together with the basic information. Individual variations in control characteristics within the same model (type) affect the behavior of the eVTOL10 at takeoff and landing, regardless of whether it is a manned aircraft or an unmanned aircraft. In addition, variations in control characteristics such as the pilot's skill (proficiency) and habits also affect the behavior of the eVTOL10 at takeoff and landing. Variations in aircraft factors and pilot factors appear in the movement speed in the vertical direction, horizontal direction, and tilt direction, the adjustment time of the aircraft position relative to the landing point, the transition time from the cruise mode to the landing mode, etc. As the control characteristic information, for example, the above-mentioned movement speed, adjustment time, transition time, etc. can be added to the factor parameters to further improve the prediction accuracy.

[0082] Another factor parameter, which is other information, is the payload. The payload is the weight of passengers (people) and cargo. The larger the payload, the higher the output required. Adding the payload to the factor parameters can further improve the prediction accuracy.

[0083] In addition, the factor parameters that significantly affect the maximum output and power amount during takeoff and landing are not limited to the above examples. In the case of a prediction model generated by machine learning, as the machine learning progresses along with the accumulation of historical information, new factor parameters may be extracted as other information.

[0084] The determination unit 53 determines whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied based on the degree of temporary deterioration calculated by the calculation unit 52. The determination unit 53 may determine, for example, whether or not takeoff or landing restrictions are required for the VTOL 10. As described above, high output characteristics are required at the time of landing or takeoff. When the internal resistance of the battery 151 increases, the output performance of the battery 151 decreases even if the SOC of the battery 151 is sufficient. By determining based on the degree of temporary deterioration, it is possible to grasp whether or not the performance required at the time of takeoff or landing can be exhibited. Therefore, appropriate flight restrictions can be realized.

[0085] The determination unit 53 may determine whether or not maintenance of the battery 151 is required based on the degree of temporary deterioration. By making a determination based on the degree of temporary deterioration, it is possible to know whether or not maintenance of the battery 151 is required. For example, it is possible to know whether or not replacement of the battery 151 is required. Therefore, it is possible to realize appropriate maintenance for ensuring the safety of navigation.

[0086] The threshold (criterion) used for the necessity judgment may be set based on the historical information of past flights. For example, it may be set based on the historical information of past flights in which the target flight, departure point and / or arrival point, and aircraft type match. The historical information is information on the degree of temporary deterioration and takeoff and landing restrictions, or information on the degree of temporary deterioration and maintenance. As described above, the operation plan of the eVTOL10 is finite and is repeated frequently, so the historical information can be utilized. In particular, since historical information that matches takeoff and landing points and aircraft types that are prone to errors is used, an appropriate threshold can be set.

[0087] The output unit 54 outputs the calculation result of the calculation unit 52 to the outside of the monitoring device 50. The output unit 54 outputs the degree of temporary deterioration to the control device 60. The output unit 54 outputs the judgment result of the judgment unit 53 to the outside of the monitoring device 50. The output unit 54 outputs the judgment result of the judgment unit 53 to, for example, the control device 60. The output unit 54 outputs the judgment result of the judgment unit 53 to, for example, the display device 70. The output unit 54 may output the calculation result of the calculation unit 52 to the display device 70. The output unit 54 may output the information acquired by the acquisition unit 51 to the control device 60 or the display device 70.

[0088] Note that the permanent deterioration of the battery may be ignored since it is very small in one flight. The permanent deterioration may be called aging deterioration or permanent deterioration. However, the permanent deterioration may increase suddenly at the end of the life of the battery to be replaced, or may increase suddenly due to a battery abnormality (such as a disconnection). Therefore, the relationship between the SOH or the charging and discharging conditions and the increase in permanent deterioration may be obtained by an experiment or the like, and may be mapped or modeled to estimate the increase in permanent deterioration in this flight. The increase due to permanent deterioration may also be estimated based on the history of past flights. By subtracting the increase due to permanent deterioration, the degree of temporary deterioration can be calculated with high accuracy. When an abnormality is detected based on the battery fluctuation information, monitoring by the monitoring device 50 may be limited, for example, stopped, in order to prevent erroneous diagnosis.

[0089] <Operation management method> 5 is a flowchart showing one traffic management method in which the traffic management system 40 manages the traffic of the eVTOL 10. The execution of the processing of each functional block of the traffic management system 40 by the processor 201 corresponds to the execution of the traffic management method.

[0090] The traffic management system 40 executes the process shown in Fig. 5. The traffic management system 40 executes the process shown in Fig. 5 at least once for each flight. The traffic management system 40 executes the process shown in Fig. 5 based on a predetermined trigger.

[0091] First, the monitoring device 50 executes a process for monitoring the battery state (step S10). As an example, in this embodiment, the degree of temporary deterioration is monitored by acquiring information about the battery and calculating the degree of temporary deterioration. Details of the monitoring process will be described later.

[0092] Next, the control device 60 executes control based on the information acquired in step S10 (step S20). The control device 60 controls the charging and / or discharging of the battery 151 based on, for example, the degree of temporary deterioration. After executing step S20, the series of processes ends.

[0093] <Monitoring method> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the execution timing of the monitoring process. Fig. 7 shows the process of step S10 described above, that is, the monitoring method. The execution of the process of each functional block of the monitoring device 50 by the processor 201 corresponds to the execution of the monitoring method.

[0094] The monitoring device 50 executes the monitoring process based on the above-mentioned predetermined trigger. T1 shown in FIG. 6 is the start timing of the takeoff period P1. T2 is the start timing of the landing period P3. T1 and T2 are start timings in the flight plan. As described above, the monitoring device 50 monitors the degree of temporary deterioration that has a large effect on the high-power characteristics at least until a predetermined period before the start of takeoff or landing. The predetermined period PP is set based on the period required for the control device 60 to perform processing to reduce the degree of temporary deterioration. As described above, the predetermined period can be set based on previous experiments or past flight results. As an example, in this embodiment, the timing T3 that is a period obtained by adding a margin to the predetermined period PP with respect to the start timing T2 is set as the generation timing of the trigger. When a trigger occurs, the monitoring device 50 (the traffic control system 40) starts processing.

[0095] Note that the timing prior to the start timing T1 by a period that is the predetermined period PP with a margin added thereto may be set as the trigger generation timing. Although an example in which a margin is added has been shown, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0096] 7, first, the monitoring device 50 acquires various information including information on the battery 151 (step S201). The acquisition unit 51 acquires information on the voltage, current, temperature, resistance, etc. of the battery 151, for example, from the BMS 17. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire at least one of flight information, weather information, and regulation information together with the battery information.

[0097] Next, the monitoring device 50 calculates the degree of temporary deterioration based on the acquired battery information (step S202). As described above, the monitoring device 50 calculates the degree of temporary deterioration based on any one of the current history, the internal resistance, and the history information (past information) of past flights. As an example, the monitoring device 50 of this embodiment calculates the degree of temporary deterioration by integrating the current.

[0098] Next, the monitoring device 50 sets the threshold value Th1 used for the determination (step S203). As described above, the monitoring device 50 sets the threshold value Th1 used for the necessity determination based on the history information of past flights. The history information is, for example, information on the degree of temporary deterioration and takeoff and landing restrictions in past flights whose departure point and / or arrival point and aircraft type match those of the target flight.

[0099] The threshold value Th1 may be set before step S204. For example, it may be set before steps S201 and S202. The threshold value Th1 may be set at a timing other than this process. When a predetermined value is used instead of the history information, the process of step S203 can be omitted.

[0100] Next, the monitoring device 50 determines whether the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than the threshold value Th1 (step S204). That is, the determination unit 53 determines whether takeoff restriction or landing restriction is necessary. If the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than the threshold value Th1, the determination unit 53 determines that takeoff restriction or landing restriction is necessary. As an example, in this embodiment, it determines that landing restriction is necessary (step S205). If the degree of temporary deterioration is equal to or less than the threshold value Th1, the determination unit 53 determines that takeoff restriction or landing restriction is unnecessary. As an example, in this embodiment, it determines that landing restriction is unnecessary (step S206).

[0101] Next, the monitoring device 50 outputs the monitoring result and the like to the outside of the monitoring device 50 (step S207). The output unit 54 outputs the degree of temporary deterioration. The output unit 54 outputs the determination result (whether or not landing restriction is necessary). The output unit 54 outputs a part of the information acquired by the acquisition unit 51. Then, the series of processes ends.

[0102] <Summary of the First Embodiment> As described above, the monitoring device 50 of this embodiment acquires information about the battery 151, and calculates the degree of temporary deterioration caused by the bias in ion concentration based on this information. The degree of temporary deterioration can be grasped based on the battery information. Then, the calculation result is output. In this way, since the degree of temporary deterioration can be grasped, appropriate processing that leads to flight safety, such as flight control and maintenance, becomes possible. Therefore, flight safety can be improved.

[0103] As an example, the calculation unit 52 of this embodiment calculates the degree of temporary deterioration during cruising of the eVTOL 10, a predetermined period before the start of landing and / or a predetermined period before the start of takeoff. This enables appropriate processing based on the degree of temporary deterioration before takeoff or landing, which requires high power output. This can further improve flight safety. In particular, by setting the predetermined period based on the period required for processing to reduce the degree of temporary deterioration, Abnormalities can be prevented / resolved before takeoff or landing.

[0104] The calculation unit 52 may calculate the degree of temporary deterioration based on the discharge history or charge / discharge history of the battery 151 during flight. The discharge history is sometimes called an output history, and the charge / discharge history is sometimes called an input / output history. The discharge history and charge / discharge history are current histories of the battery 151. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the degree of temporary deterioration using only the basic data that is normally output from the battery 151.

[0105] The calculation unit 52 may calculate the degree of temporary deterioration based on the resistance of the battery 151. For example, the degree of temporary deterioration can be directly and simply estimated by using an actual measured value of the internal resistance. The calculation unit 52 may calculate the degree of temporary deterioration based on the resistance component of the AC impedance of the battery. This makes it possible to accurately calculate the degree of concentration imbalance in the electrolyte, which is the main cause of imbalance.

[0106] The calculation unit 52 may calculate the degree of temporary deterioration based on the battery status information of the target flight and past flights in which the aircraft model and the takeoff and / or landing points match. Historical information of the same aircraft model and the same takeoff and landing points is highly reproducible. Therefore, the degree of temporary deterioration can be calculated with high accuracy while suppressing the load of measurements and calculations during the flight.

[0107] As an example, the monitoring device 50 of this embodiment determines whether or not takeoff or landing restrictions are necessary for the eVTOL 10 based on the degree of temporary deterioration, and outputs information regarding the necessity. This makes it possible to grasp whether the battery 151 can demonstrate the performance required for takeoff and landing based on the degree of temporary deterioration. For example, by outputting to the display device 70, relevant parties inside and outside the aircraft can be informed of the necessity of takeoff and landing restrictions. In addition, by outputting to the control device 60, it becomes possible to execute control taking into account the necessity of takeoff and landing restrictions. In other words, appropriate flight restrictions can be realized.

[0108] As an example, in this embodiment, the threshold value used for the necessity judgment is set based on the historical information of past flights in which the target flight and the takeoff and / or landing points and aircraft types match. Historical information of the same aircraft type and the same takeoff and landing points is highly reproducible. Therefore, it is possible to make a judgment based on an appropriate threshold value.

[0109] The program (program 203P) of this embodiment includes having at least one processor 201 (processing unit) acquire information about the battery, and calculate the degree of temporary deterioration caused by bias in the ion concentration of the battery based on the information. This program makes it possible to calculate the degree of temporary deterioration based on the battery information. This makes it possible to grasp the degree of temporary deterioration and perform appropriate processing that leads to flight safety, such as flight control and maintenance. This makes it possible to improve flight safety.

[0110] <Modification> Although an example has been shown in which the monitoring device 50 includes the determination unit 53, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 8, the determination unit 53 of the monitoring device 50 may determine whether or not maintenance of the battery 151 is necessary based on the degree of temporary deterioration. In FIG. 8, steps S203, S204, S205, and S206 shown in FIG. 7 are replaced with steps S203A, S204A, S205A, and S206A. In step S203A, the monitoring device 50 sets a threshold value Th2 for determining whether or not maintenance is necessary. The threshold value Th2 can be set by the same method as the threshold value Th1. In step S204A, the monitoring device 50 determines whether or not the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than the threshold value Th2. If the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than the threshold value Th2, the monitoring device 50 determines in step S205A that maintenance is necessary. If the degree of temporary deterioration is equal to or less than the threshold value Th2, the monitoring device 50 determines in step S206A that maintenance is not necessary. By outputting the result of the determination as to whether or not maintenance is required to, for example, a display device 70, relevant persons inside or outside the aircraft can be informed of whether or not maintenance is required. Therefore, appropriate maintenance can be performed to ensure safety.

[0112] Although the combination of the monitoring device 50 and the control device 60 is shown, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration including only the monitoring device 50 may be used. For example, the output destination of the monitoring device 50 is not limited to the control device 60.

[0113] Second embodiment This embodiment is a modification of the preceding embodiment as a basic form, and the description of the preceding embodiment can be used. In the preceding embodiment, a configuration capable of monitoring the degree of temporary deterioration was described in detail. In this embodiment, a configuration capable of reducing the degree of temporary deterioration will be described.

[0114] <Control device> Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the traffic management system 40 according to this embodiment. Fig. 9 corresponds to Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 9, the control device 60 includes an acquisition unit 61, a determination unit 62, a control unit 63, and an output unit 64.

[0115] The acquisition unit 61 acquires information regarding the degree of temporary deterioration of the battery 151. As an example, the acquisition unit 61 in this embodiment acquires the degree of temporary deterioration from the monitoring device 50. However, the degree of temporary deterioration is not limited to that obtained by monitoring by the monitoring device 50. The degree of temporary deterioration may be an estimated value based on, for example, an operation plan and historical information of past flights. The estimation may be performed by a functional unit (not shown) of the control device 60. It may also be performed by a functional unit other than the monitoring device 50 and the control device 60 in the traffic management system 40.

[0116] For example, when it is assumed that the degree of temporary deterioration will be greater than a threshold value, which is a predetermined standard, at a specific timing during flight based on the history information, the degree of temporary deterioration may be used as the estimated value. The history information is preferably history information of a past flight whose aircraft type and takeoff point and / or landing point match with the present flight.

[0117] The acquisition unit 61 may acquire other information related to the battery 151, such as the battery temperature. The acquisition unit 61 may acquire information other than the information related to the battery 151, such as at least one of flight information, weather information, and regulation information. As an example, the acquisition unit 61 of this embodiment acquires these pieces of information from the monitoring device 50. The acquisition unit 61 may acquire the above-mentioned information without going through the monitoring device 50.

[0118] The determination unit 62 executes a predetermined determination based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 61. For example, the determination unit 62 compares the degree of temporary deterioration with a threshold value, which is a predetermined standard, and outputs the determination result to the control unit 63. The determination unit 62 determines whether or not it is necessary to execute recovery control, which will be described later. The threshold value for determining whether or not to execute recovery control is set so as not to cause a shortage of battery output characteristics required at the time of landing or takeoff. When the degree of temporary deterioration exceeds the threshold value, indicating a possibility of shortage, the control unit 63 executes recovery control. The threshold value may be set taking into account a predetermined margin, or may be changed based on the flight plan of this flight.

[0119] The determination unit 62 compares, for example, the battery temperature with a predetermined temperature, and outputs the determination result to the control unit 63. When the temperature of the battery 151 is high, ions that contribute to the battery reaction are more likely to diffuse, and concentration bias is more likely to be eliminated. Since recovery control is more efficient when it is performed when the battery temperature is high, the determination unit 62 determines whether or not recovery control can be performed efficiently. The threshold value (predetermined temperature) used for the determination may be set, for example, based on data obtained from a previous experiment.

[0120] As described above, the control unit 63 controls the discharging and / or charging of the battery 151 based on the degree of temporary deterioration. As an example, the control unit 63 in this embodiment controls the discharging and / or charging of the battery 151 based on the degree of temporary deterioration acquired from the monitoring device 50.

[0121] The control unit 63 may indirectly control the charging and discharging of the battery 151 by controlling a drive object that is driven by the power of the battery 151. The drive object includes the rotor 13, that is, the EPU 16. The control unit 63 may control the charging and discharging of the battery 151 by executing flight control including a process of controlling the driving of the rotor 13. The flight control may include a process of adjusting the tilt mechanism 141 and the flap 142.

[0122] The driven objects may include auxiliary machines such as an air conditioner. The control unit 63 may control the driving of the auxiliary machines to control the charging and discharging of the battery 151. The control unit 63 may directly control the charging and discharging of the battery 151 by controlling the charging-related equipment 153. For example, the control unit 63 may control the operation of the charging-related equipment 153 so as to charge the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152. In this way, the control unit 63 directly or indirectly controls the charging and discharging of the battery 151.

[0123] When the degree of temporary deterioration of at least one battery 151 is greater than a threshold, the control unit 63 executes recovery control to control so as to reduce the degree of temporary deterioration of the target battery 151T. Reducing the degree of temporary deterioration also includes delaying an increase in the degree of temporary deterioration. When the degree of temporary deterioration of all batteries 151 is equal to or less than the threshold, the control unit 63 does not execute recovery control. That is, the control unit 63 executes normal control. The control unit 63 executes recovery control or normal control based on the determination result of the determination unit 62. The target battery 151T is a battery among the multiple batteries 151 whose degree of temporary deterioration is greater than a threshold. In FIG. 9, the battery (BAT2) 151 is taken as the target battery 151T as an example.

[0124] The recovery control may be performed continuously or intermittently. The control time may be set based on the recovery process time and its effect obtained in advance through an experiment or the like. The control time may be set based on past history information. In addition, the effect of the control on elimination, that is, the degree of temporary deterioration, may be confirmed in real time to determine whether or not the process needs to be continued.

[0125] The control unit 63 may temporarily reduce or stop the output of the target battery 151T as the recovery control. The progress of the concentration bias depends on the output of the battery 151, that is, the discharge current. For this reason, by temporarily reducing the output of the target battery 151T, the progress of the concentration bias can be suppressed. Also, by temporarily stopping the output of the target battery 151T, for example, the diffusion of ions in the electrolyte proceeds, and the concentration bias decreases. Therefore, the degree of temporary deterioration can be reduced.

[0126] The control unit 63 may temporarily charge or discharge the target battery 151T as the recovery control. Temporary charging or discharging is charging that is performed for a short period of time with a limited capacity, etc., unlike normal power supply.

[0127] When a concentration bias occurs due to discharging (output), charging (input) changes the direction of the current, and the concentration bias can be forcibly reduced. In other words, the degree of temporary deterioration can be reduced. For example, charging is possible by a generator, a fuel cell, power regeneration, wireless power supply, charging from a battery, a ground charger, etc. As an example, in this embodiment, charging is possible from the auxiliary battery 152 of the battery system 15. Also, charging is possible from other batteries 151 except for the target battery 151T.

[0128] Also, the concentration imbalance can be forcibly eliminated by applying an AC current or by temporarily charging and discharging a small ΔSOC. A pulsating current such as a ripple may be applied, or repeated charging and discharging may be performed using a square wave or the like. Discharging may be performed by battery output to the EPU 16 or auxiliary machinery. Temporary charging and discharging is particularly effective in cases where it is difficult to determine whether the concentration imbalance is due to discharging or charging, such as after rapid charging on the ground.

[0129] Fig. 10 shows an example of a battery 151 (battery module). A plurality of battery cells 154 included in the battery 151 are restrained by a fixing member 155. In Fig. 10, the plurality of battery cells 154 are stacked via an insulating member (not shown). The fixing member 155 has a pair of plates 155a. The fixing member 155 restrains the battery cells 154 by a structure in which the plurality of battery cells 154 are sandwiched between the pair of plates 155a in the stacking direction.

[0130] If the battery cells 154 are constrained to a fixed size, the constraining load increases as the battery cells 154 deteriorate, causing the electrolyte to be discharged outside the electrode. In this way, the reduction in the amount of electrolyte in the electrode due to the constraint of the battery cells 154 can cause the concentration to become biased.

[0131] Therefore, in addition to or instead of the charge / discharge control, the control unit 63 may control the state of the battery cell 154 restrained by the fixing member 155. That is, the control unit 63 may control the state of the battery 151. As recovery control, the control unit 63 may temporarily relax the restrained state of the battery cell 154. For example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 63 changes the relative position of the pair of plates 155a in a direction in which the opposing surfaces move apart. By relaxing the restraining pressure of the battery cell 154, the amount of impregnation in the electrodes is restored by capillary action, and the concentration bias can be restored.

[0132] The control unit 63 may execute a combination of the above-mentioned recovery controls. By combining a plurality of the recovery controls, a higher reduction effect (recovery effect) can be obtained.

[0133] The control unit 63 may execute recovery control during periods other than takeoff and landing. By executing recovery control during the period before takeoff or cruising (period P2), it is possible to prevent battery output abnormalities during landing or takeoff. In addition, the control unit 63 may have a function to restrict takeoff or landing when recovery control is executed. Since the performance required for takeoff and landing cannot be ensured while recovery control is being executed, flight restriction can ensure safety.

[0134] The control unit 63 executes recovery control when the temperature of the target battery 151T determined by the determination unit 62 is higher than a predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the target battery 151T is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the control unit 63 increases the output of the target battery 151T and executes recovery control after the temperature becomes higher than the predetermined temperature. As described above, when the battery temperature is high, ions are more likely to diffuse. By executing recovery control when the temperature of the target battery 151T is higher than the predetermined temperature, the degree of temporary deterioration can be efficiently reduced. In addition, when the temperature of the target battery 151T is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the output of the target battery 151T can be increased to raise the temperature by self-heating. This allows the control time to be shortened.

[0135] The output of the target battery 151T can be increased by controlling the drive of the drive target. Preferably, the drive of the rotor 13, which requires a large amount of power for flight, is controlled to increase the output of the target battery 151T. In other words, the inverter of the EPU 16 to which the target battery 151T supplies power is controlled to increase the rotation speed of the rotor 13. The temperature of the target battery 151T can be efficiently increased, eliminating the need for a dedicated device for heating the battery.

[0136] The control unit 63 controls the drive of the rotor 13, that is, the EPU 16, as described above. The control unit 63 may control the flight to achieve a safe flight while recovering the target battery 151T by executing recovery control. When executing recovery control to stop the output of the target battery 151T, the control unit 63 may ensure the thrust and lift required for flight by driving the rotor 13 with the output of the other batteries 151 except for the target battery 151T whose output is stopped, and by adjusting the lift of the lift adjustment mechanism 14.

[0137] Here, the lift force L acting on the eVTOL is shown in Equation 1. Also, the drag force D is shown in Equation 2. In Equations 1 and 2, ρ is the air density, V is the wing speed, and S is the surface area of ​​the fixed wing. The wing speed V is sometimes called the airspeed or flight speed. CL is the lift coefficient, and CD is the drag coefficient.

[0138] L = (CL ρ V 2 ·S) / 2···(Formula 1) D = (CD ρ V 2 ·S) / 2···(Formula 2) Lift L and drag D increase as wing speed V (flight speed) increases and decrease as it decelerates. Lift L and drag D decrease as flight altitude increases because air density ρ decreases, and increase as flight altitude decreases because air density ρ increases. Lift L and drag D can be varied by the lift coefficient CL and drag coefficient CD, which are determined by the surface area and airfoil shape of the fixed wing.

[0139] Therefore, for stable and safe flight, it is preferable to adjust the lift, specifically the rotational lift and gliding lift, so that the flight speed and flight altitude fall within the range permitted based on the rules and regulations in the flight area.

[0140] To ensure the necessary thrust, the control unit 63 may reduce the drag D of the airframe. For example, by storing the stopped rotor 13 inside the airframe or the fixed wing 12, it is possible to reduce the drag D and the necessary thrust.

[0141] The control unit 63 may simultaneously stop the multiple target batteries 151T if the necessary thrust can be secured. The control unit 63 may sequentially stop the multiple target batteries 151T in order to secure the necessary thrust. The control unit 63 may temporarily stop output of all the batteries 151 under conditions where the thrust required for flight is zero, i.e., a so-called glider flight is permitted.

[0142] The control unit 63 adjusts the gliding lift provided by the fixed wing 12 by controlling the driving of the lift adjustment mechanism 14. As an example, the control unit 63 in this embodiment executes a process of generating a control signal indicating a target tilt angle for each rotor 13 to achieve a commanded flight state. The control unit 63 outputs the control signal indicating the target tilt angle to a drive circuit (not shown) that drives an inverter of the tilt adjustment device. The drive circuit drives the motor of the tilt adjustment device via the inverter so that the tilt angle of the rotor 13 matches the target tilt angle.

[0143] The control unit 63 executes a process of generating a control signal indicating a target position for each of the flaps 142 to realize the commanded flight state. The control unit 63 outputs the control signal indicating the target position to a drive circuit (not shown) that drives an inverter of the flap adjustment device. The drive circuit drives the motor of the flap adjustment device via the inverter so that the position of the flap 142 coincides with the target position.

[0144] The control unit 63 adjusts the rotational lift by controlling the driving of the rotor 13. The control unit 63 executes a process of generating a control signal indicating a target rotation speed of each rotor 13 to realize a commanded flight state. The control unit 63 outputs the control signal indicating the target rotation speed to a drive circuit (driver) (not shown) that drives an inverter of the EPU 16. The drive circuit drives the motor of the EPU 16 via the inverter so that the rotation speed of the rotor 13 matches the target rotation speed. The control unit 63 reduces the rotation speed of the rotor 13 or stops the rotation, thereby reducing the rotational lift. The control unit 63 increases the rotation speed of the rotor 13, thereby increasing the rotational lift. Since the thrust decreases when the rotation speed of the rotor 13 is reduced or stopped, the control unit 63 also adjusts the thrust to fall within the range of the allowable flight speed and flight altitude.

[0145] As described above, the control unit 63 can directly control charging and discharging of the battery 151 by controlling the charging-related equipment 153. Details of the configuration in which the control unit 63 temporarily charges or discharges the target battery 151T will be described later together with the configuration of the chargeable and dischargeable battery system 15.

[0146] The output unit 64 outputs the control signal generated by the control unit 63 to the controlled object. In the traffic management system 40, the configuration of the monitoring device 50 is the same as that of the preceding embodiment. The control device 60 is functionally arranged in the ECU 20, for example, as in the preceding embodiment.

[0147] <Control method> 11 shows the process of step S20, that is, the control method. The execution of the processes of the functional blocks of the control device 60 by the processor 201 corresponds to the execution of the control method.

[0148] As shown in Fig. 11, first, the control device 60 acquires information regarding the degree of temporary deterioration (step S301). As an example, the acquisition unit 61 of this embodiment acquires the degree of temporary deterioration calculated by the monitoring device 50. The acquisition unit 61 also acquires other battery information, flight information, weather information, and regulation information. That is, the control device 60 executes the process shown in Fig. 11 at a period (timing) other than takeoff and landing. The control device 60 executes the process, for example, during the above-mentioned cruising or before takeoff.

[0149] Next, the control device 60 compares the acquired degree of temporary deterioration with a threshold value Th3, and determines whether or not the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than the threshold value Th3 (step S302). That is, the determination unit 62 determines whether or not recovery control needs to be performed. If the degree of temporary deterioration is equal to or less than the threshold value Th3, the control unit 63 executes normal control (step S303). In normal control, the control unit 63 executes control without considering the degree of temporary deterioration. For example, the control unit 63 executes control to realize the indicated flight state, for example, control of the rotor 13. Then, the output unit 64 outputs a control signal (step S308), and the series of processes ends.

[0150] If the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than the threshold Th3 in step S302, the determination unit 62 determines whether the temperature of the target battery 151T is greater than a threshold Th4 (step S304). The target battery 151T is a battery 151 with a degree of temporary deterioration greater than the threshold Th3. If the battery temperature is equal to or less than the threshold Th4, the control unit 63 executes control to increase the output of the target battery 151T so that the temperature of the target battery 151T increases (step S305). As an example, the control unit 63 of this embodiment increases the number of rotations of the rotor 13 driven by the power of the target battery 151T to increase the output of the target battery 151T. Note that the output of the target battery 151T may be increased by driving an auxiliary device such as an air conditioner.

[0151] If the battery temperature is higher than the threshold value Th4 in step S304, the control unit 63 restricts takeoff and landing (step S306) and executes recovery control (step S307). By executing step S306, the control unit 63 prohibits takeoff and landing when executing recovery control. Steps S306 and S307 may be executed at substantially the same timing. In step S307, the control unit 63 executes at least one of temporarily reducing or stopping the output of the target battery 151T, temporarily charging or discharging the target battery 151T, and relaxing constraints on the battery cells 154 of the target battery 151T. Then, in step S308, a control signal is output, and the series of processes ends.

[0152] 11, steps S304 and S305 may be omitted. Step S306 may be omitted. For example, when the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than threshold value Th3, control unit 63 may then execute recovery control.

[0153] <Summary of the second embodiment> According to the control device 60 of this embodiment, the discharge and / or charging of the battery 151 is controlled based on the degree of temporary deterioration caused by the bias of the ion concentration of the battery 151. In other words, the discharge and / or charging of the battery is controlled after grasping the degree of temporary deterioration. Therefore, it is possible to execute appropriate control that leads to flight safety. Therefore, flight safety can be improved.

[0154] The control unit 63 of the control device 60 executes recovery control to control the target battery 151T to reduce the degree of temporary degradation when the degree of temporary degradation is greater than a predetermined standard. The control unit 63 does not execute recovery control when the degree of temporary degradation is equal to or less than the predetermined standard. Only when the degree of temporary degradation is greater than the predetermined standard, the control unit 63 executes recovery control to reduce the degree of temporary degradation. This makes it possible to prevent battery output abnormalities during landing or takeoff when high output is required.

[0155] As the recovery control, the control unit 63 executes at least one of temporarily reducing or stopping the output of the target battery 151T, temporarily charging or discharging the target battery 151T, and temporarily relaxing the constrained state of the battery cells 154 of the target battery 151T. By executing these recovery controls, the degree of temporary deterioration can be reduced as described above.

[0156] As an example, the control unit 63 of this embodiment executes recovery control during periods other than takeoff and landing, which can prevent battery output abnormalities from occurring during landing or takeoff when high output is required.

[0157] As an example, the control unit 63 of this embodiment restricts takeoff or landing when recovery control is being executed. During execution of recovery control, the performance required for takeoff and landing cannot be ensured. By restricting the flight, safety can be improved.

[0158] As an example, the control unit 63 of this embodiment executes recovery control when the temperature of the target battery 151T is higher than a predetermined temperature, and when the temperature of the target battery 151T is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, increases the output of the target battery 151T and executes recovery control after the temperature becomes higher than the predetermined temperature. A high temperature can ensure ion diffusibility, and thus can enhance the effect of reducing the degree of temporary deterioration.

[0159] As an example, the control unit 63 of this embodiment controls the driving of the rotor 13 to increase the output of the target battery 151T. Since the temperature of the target battery 151T increases due to self-heating, the control time can be shortened. In addition, a dedicated device for heating the battery is not required.

[0160] The traffic management system 40 of this embodiment includes a monitoring device 50 and a control device 60. The monitoring device 50 acquires information about the battery 151 and calculates the degree of temporary deterioration caused by the bias of the ion concentration of the battery 151. The control device 60 controls the discharge and / or charging of the battery 151 based on the degree of temporary deterioration. In this way, the degree of temporary deterioration is monitored, and the charging and discharging of the battery 151 can be controlled based on the monitoring result. Therefore, appropriate control that leads to flight safety can be executed. Therefore, flight safety can be improved.

[0161] The program (program 203P) of this embodiment includes causing at least one processor 201 (processing unit) to acquire information on the degree of temporary deterioration caused by bias in the ion concentration of the battery 151, and controlling the discharge and / or charge of the battery 151 based on the degree of temporary deterioration. According to this program, it is possible to control the discharge and / or charge of the battery 151 after grasping the degree of temporary deterioration. Therefore, it is possible to execute appropriate control that leads to flight safety. Therefore, flight safety can be improved.

[0162] <Modification> The configuration described in this embodiment can be combined with the configuration described in the preceding embodiment.

[0163] Although the combination of the monitoring device 50 and the control device 60 is shown, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration including the control device 60 alone is also possible. For example, the control device 60 may have a function of estimating the degree of temporary deterioration, and the acquisition unit 61 may acquire the estimation result. The degree of temporary deterioration may be acquired from a functional unit other than the monitoring device 50.

[0164] The recovery control in step S307 described above may be replaced with the process shown in FIG. 12. When executing the recovery control, the control unit 63 first stops the output of the target battery 151T (step S307A). Next, the control unit 63 drives the rotor 13 using the output of the other batteries 151 except for the target battery 151T whose output is stopped, and adjusts the lift of the lift adjustment mechanism 14. That is, the control unit 63 controls the drive of the rotor 13 and the lift adjustment mechanism 14 to adjust the thrust and lift required for flight (step S307B). This enables stable flight while reducing the degree of temporary deterioration of the target battery 151T.

[0165] Third embodiment This embodiment is a modification based on the preceding embodiment, and the description of the preceding embodiment can be used as the basis for this embodiment. In this embodiment, a configuration that can reduce the degree of temporary deterioration due to charging or charging and discharging will be described.

[0166] <Battery system> As shown in the previous embodiment (see FIG. 4), the battery system 15 includes a battery 151, an auxiliary battery 152, and a charging-related device 153. The battery 151 supplies power to the drive target including the rotor 13. The battery 151 is sometimes called a driving battery. The auxiliary battery 152 temporarily charges the battery 151 to reduce temporary deterioration of the battery 151. The battery 151 to be charged is basically the target battery 151T described above, but it is also possible to charge a battery 151 whose degree of temporary deterioration does not exceed a threshold. Unlike normal power supply, the auxiliary battery 152 performs charging operation for a short period of time with a limited capacity and ΔSOC. Since the progress of recovery due to charging operation differs depending on the battery cell, it is advisable to determine the conditions of charging operation suitable for the battery cell to be used in advance by experiments, etc. For example, ΔSOC is about 0.001% to 10%.

[0167] As described later, at least one of the batteries 151 other than the target battery 151T may be an auxiliary battery 152. An auxiliary battery 152 that is a driving target including the rotor 13 and does not supply power, that is, an auxiliary battery 152 separate from the battery 151, may be provided. This auxiliary battery 152 is used, for example, only to charge the battery 151. The storage capacity of the auxiliary battery 152 provided separately from the battery 151 may be smaller than that of the battery 151. For example, a capacitor may be used.

[0168] The charging-related device 153 controls charging from the auxiliary battery 152 to the battery 151. As an example, the operation of the charging-related device 153 in this embodiment is controlled by the control device 60. The charging-related device 153 has at least a function of electrically connecting or disconnecting the auxiliary battery 152 and the battery 151, that is, a function of turning the connection on and off, in order to manage the timing of the charging operation and the continuous operation time. The charging-related device 153 is equipped with, for example, a relay to turn the connection on and off.

[0169] 13, 14, and 15 show configuration examples of the battery system 15. In FIG. 13 to FIG. 15, an example is shown in which an auxiliary battery 152 is provided in addition to the batteries 151. As shown in FIG. 13, one charging-related device (CE) 153 may be provided for all the batteries (BAT) 151. As shown in FIG. 14, a configuration may be adopted in which a number of charging-related devices 153, which is less than the number of the batteries 151, are provided, and each charging-related device 153 controls a number of the batteries 151. As shown in FIG. 15, a charging-related device 153 may be provided individually for each battery 151. In each example, the same number of auxiliary batteries (SB) 152 as the charging-related devices 153 are provided. However, the auxiliary battery 152 may also be configured by connecting a plurality of batteries in parallel and / or in series.

[0170] The battery system 15 can have various configurations taking into consideration the arrangement of the batteries 151 in the eVTOL 10, for example, concentrating the batteries under the aircraft body, distributing them on the aircraft body and fixed wings, etc. From the viewpoint of ease of handling and weight reduction, such as reducing the number of parts and harness length, some or all of the battery 151, auxiliary battery 152, and charging-related equipment 153 may be integrated (packaged).

[0171] The charging operation by the charging-related device 153 may be performed at the following timings. The charging-related device 153 may operate to charge the battery 151, for example the target battery 151T, from the auxiliary battery 152 during periods other than takeoff and landing. The charging-related device 153 may operate to prohibit electrical connection between the auxiliary battery 152 and the battery 151 during takeoff and landing. The charging-related device 153 may operate to charge the target battery 151T from the auxiliary battery 152 when the degree of temporary deterioration of the battery 151 is greater than a predetermined standard.

[0172] As in the previous embodiment, the threshold value, which is the predetermined standard, may be set to the degree of temporary deterioration that is predicted to make it impossible to ensure the battery output characteristics required for landing or takeoff. The threshold value may be set in anticipation of the effect of reducing temporary deterioration due to charging operation. A margin may also be added to the threshold value. The threshold value may be changed over time based on the flight plan and flight status of the flight. The degree of temporary deterioration is not limited to timely information monitored by the monitoring device 50. The charging operation may be performed based on the flight plan and historical information of past flights. For example, at a specific timing during flight, when it is expected that temporary deterioration will be greater than a predetermined level based on historical information, the battery may be operated to charge.

[0173] As described in the previous embodiment, when the battery temperature is high, ions are more likely to diffuse. Therefore, when the temperature of the target battery 151T is higher than a predetermined temperature, the charging-related device 153 may operate to charge the target battery 151T from the auxiliary battery 152.

[0174] If the output (discharge current) is stopped, the concentration bias decreases as the diffusion of ions progresses, and the degree of temporary deterioration can be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable that the charging-related device 153 operates to charge the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery at the timing when the output of the battery 151 is stopped. As shown in FIG. 16, a higher reduction effect (recovery effect) can be obtained by combining output stop and charging. In FIG. 16, the dashed line and two-dot chain line show the degree of temporary deterioration when recovery control is executed. The dashed line shows the case where only output stop is performed, and the two-dot chain line shows the case where output stop and charging are performed. The solid line shows the degree of temporary deterioration when normal control is performed during the recovery control period as well.

[0175] The operation for charging by the charging-related device 153 may be performed continuously or intermittently. The time or conditions of the charging operation may be set based on the time or conditions of the charging operation and their effects obtained in advance through experiments or the like. The time or conditions of the charging operation may be set based on past history information. In addition, the resolving effect, that is, the degree of temporary deterioration, may be confirmed in real time to determine whether or not the charging operation needs to be continued.

[0176] The charging-related device 153 may have a function in addition to the above-mentioned function of turning on and off the connection, that is, turning on and off the current. The charging-related device 153 may have a function of adjusting the current when charging the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152. The charging-related device 153 may have a function of distributing the current when charging multiple batteries 151 from the auxiliary battery 152. The charging-related device 153 may have a function of bidirectional charging between the auxiliary battery 152 and the batteries 151.

[0177] FIG. 17 shows functions required for charging-related device 153. When it is necessary to control the current, a current adjustment function may be added. For example, a resistor, a DC-DC converter, a bidirectional DC-DC converter, or the like may be used. When charging a plurality of batteries 151, a power distribution function may be added. For example, a relay may be used. When it is desired to add a bidirectional charging function, for example, a bidirectional DC-DC converter may be used. A DC-DC converter is capable of boosting voltage, and a DC-DC converter is capable of boosting and bucking voltage.

[0178] As described above, at least one of the batteries 151 other than the target battery 151T among the multiple batteries 151 may be the auxiliary battery 152. In other words, the charging-related device 153 may operate to charge the target battery 151T, which is another battery 151, from the auxiliary battery 152 that is one of the multiple batteries 151. In this way, it is not necessary to provide an auxiliary battery 152 that does not supply power to a drive target such as the rotor 13, in addition to the battery 151.

[0179] In a configuration in which temporary degradation is reduced by sharing power among a plurality of batteries 151, the charging-related equipment 153 may operate to charge the battery 151 with a higher voltage first to the battery 151 with a lower voltage. The charging-related equipment 153 may manage the order of charging operations so as to charge the battery 151 with a greater degree of temporary degradation first. Also, the charging order may be managed so that a battery 151 that has recovered through charging is used as an auxiliary battery 152 to charge other batteries 151.

[0180] For example, when the voltage of the battery 151 to be charged is lower than that of the battery 151 that is the auxiliary battery 152, the charging-related equipment 153 may operate to charge the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152. For example, when the degree of temporary deterioration of the other battery 151 is greater than that of the battery 151 that is the auxiliary battery 152, the charging-related equipment 153 may operate to charge the other battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152.

[0181] For example, after a battery 151 is restored by charging, the charging-related device 153 may operate so that the battery serves as the auxiliary battery 152. Also, the charging-related device 153 may operate so that the battery 151 that was previously the auxiliary battery 152 is restored by a new auxiliary battery 152. For example, the charging-related device 153 may operate to select a combination of a battery 151 to be the auxiliary battery 152 and at least one battery 151 to be charged, and charge them, so that at least some of the batteries 151 can be restored by charging.

[0182] <Control device> The configuration of the control device 60 is similar to that of the preceding embodiment (see FIG. 8). The control unit 63 executes control to temporarily charge or discharge the target battery 151T as the recovery control executed in step S307.

[0183] 18, for example, when the battery system 15 includes an auxiliary battery 152 in addition to the battery 151, the control unit 63 may perform control so that the target battery 151T is charged from the auxiliary battery 152. This causes the charging-related device 153 to operate so that the target battery 151T is charged from the auxiliary battery 152. The charging-related device 153 electrically connects the auxiliary battery 152 and the target battery 151T. The charging-related device 153 performs current adjustment, power distribution, charging and discharging, etc. as necessary.

[0184] For example, as shown in Fig. 19, in the case where an auxiliary battery 152 separate from the battery 151 is not provided, the control unit 63 may control at least one of the batteries 151 other than the target battery 151T as the auxiliary battery 152 so as to charge the target battery 151T. In Fig. 19, as an example, a battery (BAT5) 151 having a voltage higher than that of the target battery 151T is taken as the auxiliary battery 152. The charging-related device 153 operates to charge the target battery (BAT2) 151T from the battery (BAT5) 151, which is the auxiliary battery 152. The charging-related device 153 electrically connects the auxiliary battery (BAT5) 152 and the target battery (BAT2) 151T. The charging-related device 153 adjusts current, distributes power, and charges and discharges as necessary.

[0185] The control unit 63 may perform control so as to charge from another battery 151 having a voltage higher than that of the target battery 151T. The above control can be executed based on the voltage of the battery 151. The control unit 63 may prohibit the turning on of a relay for electrically connecting a device for charging or charging / discharging and the target battery 151T during takeoff and landing. As the control unit 63 executes the process of step S306, a prohibition signal may be output to the charging-related device 153. This prohibits the turning on of the relay provided in the charging-related device 153.

[0186] Other configurations of the control device 60 are similar to those described in the second embodiment. The configuration of the traffic management system 40 is also similar to that of the second embodiment.

[0187] <Summary of the third embodiment> According to the control device 60 of this embodiment, in a configuration including an auxiliary battery 152 in addition to the battery 151 that drives the driven object, when recovery control is executed to temporarily charge or discharge the target battery 151T, the target battery 151T is charged from the auxiliary battery 152. Since the auxiliary battery 152 separate from the battery 151 is used, the load on the battery 151 can be reduced. In addition, the battery can be made lighter than a generator or a fuel cell. If it is used exclusively for charging, the capacity can be reduced, making it possible to reduce the size and weight. In addition, unlike power regeneration, the timing of charging is not limited. In addition, CO2 emissions can be suppressed compared to a generator.

[0188] Furthermore, when executing recovery control for temporarily charging or discharging the target battery 151T, the control device 60 charges the target battery 151T from the other batteries 151 other than the target battery 151T. This eliminates the need for an auxiliary battery 152 or a generator dedicated to charging. In this configuration in which a portion of the batteries 151 is used as the auxiliary battery 152, the control device 60 may charge from the other batteries 151 having a voltage higher than that of the target battery 151T. This eliminates the need for a boost converter. This allows the configuration of the charging-related device 153 to be simplified.

[0189] When executing recovery control to temporarily charge or discharge the target battery 151T, the control device 60 may prohibit the on of a relay for electrically connecting the device for charging or discharging the target battery 151T to the target battery 151T during takeoff and landing. This can prevent unexpected charging or discharging from occurring during takeoff and landing and affecting the takeoff and landing operations. This can improve flight safety.

[0190] Battery system 15 of the present embodiment includes battery 151 (driving battery) that supplies power to driven objects including rotor 13, auxiliary battery 152 that charges the battery, and charging-related equipment 153 for controlling charging from auxiliary battery 152 to battery 151. Charging-related equipment 153 has a function of electrically connecting or disconnecting auxiliary battery 152 and battery 151.

[0191] During flight, concentration bias occurs due to discharge, so by temporarily charging and changing the direction of the current, it is possible to reduce concentration bias and temporary degradation. By charging the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152, it is possible to promote recovery from temporary degradation during flight, especially during cruising. This makes it possible to prevent battery output abnormalities at the time of landing when high output is required. Similarly, it is possible to prevent battery output abnormalities at the time of takeoff when high output is required. In other words, flight safety can be improved.

[0192] The charging-related device 153 may be operated to charge the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152 during periods (timings) other than takeoff and landing. By operating the charging device during times other than takeoff and landing, temporary deterioration is eliminated or reduced. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent abnormalities in the battery output during takeoff and landing.

[0193] The charging-related device 153 may operate to prohibit electrical connection between the auxiliary battery 152 and the battery 151 during takeoff and landing. By prohibiting electrical connection at times other than when the charging operation is performed, the safety of the system can be improved.

[0194] The charging-related device 153 may be operated to charge the target battery 151T from the auxiliary battery 152 when the degree of temporary deterioration of the drive battery is greater than a predetermined standard (threshold Th3). By operating to charge when the degree of temporary deterioration is greater than the predetermined standard, the degree of temporary deterioration can be reduced at an appropriate time. As a result, battery output abnormalities can be prevented in advance when landing or takeoff is required, when high output is required.

[0195] The charging-related device 153 may be operated to charge the target battery 151T from the auxiliary battery 152 when the temperature of the target battery 151T is higher than a predetermined temperature (threshold Th4). As described above, when the temperature of the target battery 151T is high, ions tend to diffuse. Therefore, by performing charging operation when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, it is possible to ensure ion diffusibility and thereby enhance the effect of reducing the degree of degradation (recovery effect).

[0196] The charging-related device 153 may operate to charge the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152 when the output of the battery 151 is stopped. By combining the output stop and charging, a higher recovery effect can be obtained as shown in FIG.

[0197] The charging-related device 153 may have a function of adjusting the current when charging the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152. This can prevent the occurrence of device abnormalities due to overcurrent. In other words, safety can be improved. Furthermore, by limiting the current, deterioration of the battery 151 can be suppressed. For example, by using a DC-DC converter, the battery 151 can be charged from the auxiliary battery 152 even if the voltage of the auxiliary battery 152 is low.

[0198] The charging-related device 153 may have a function of distributing current when charging multiple batteries 151 from the auxiliary battery 152. By having the power distribution function, it becomes possible to charge multiple batteries 151 simultaneously and efficiently execute recovery control.

[0199] The charging-related device 153 may operate to perform bidirectional charging between the auxiliary battery 152 and the battery 151. This makes it easy to use a small-capacity battery as the auxiliary battery 152. Also, when the SOC of the auxiliary battery 152 drops, it can be charged from the battery 151. For example, if a bidirectional DC-DC converter is used, recovery control by charging and discharging becomes possible.

[0200] The charging-related device 153 may operate to charge the other batteries 151 from the auxiliary battery 152, which is one of the multiple batteries 151. This makes it possible to eliminate the need for the auxiliary battery 152 dedicated to charging. In this configuration, the charging-related device 153 may operate to charge the battery 151 from the auxiliary battery 152 when the voltage of the battery 151 is lower than that of the auxiliary battery 152. This makes it possible to charge without the need for a boost converter. The charging-related device 153 can be simplified.

[0201] The auxiliary battery 152 is preferably set to have a smaller storage capacity than the battery 151 and is provided so as not to supply power to the driven object. The auxiliary battery 152 provided separately from the battery 151 can be made smaller and lighter.

[0202] <Modification> The configuration described in this embodiment can be combined with the configuration described in the preceding embodiment, for example, with the monitoring device 50 described in the first embodiment.

[0203] Although a combination of the monitoring device 50 and the control device 60 has been shown, the present invention is not limited to this. Although a combination of the control device 60 and the battery system 15 has been shown, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration including the control device 60 alone may be used. A configuration including the battery system 15 alone may be used.

[0204] Although an example in which the power of the battery 151 is transferred via the charging-related device 153 has been shown, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the power of the battery 151 may be transferred via the motor 161 and the inverter 162 constituting the EPU 16. The EPU 16 includes a smoothing capacitor 163 in addition to the motor 161 and the inverter 162. For simplification, in FIG. 20, the battery system 15 includes two batteries 151A and 151B, which are connected in series to form a DC power supply. The smoothing capacitor 163 is connected in parallel to the DC power supply. The positive electrode of the smoothing capacitor 163 is connected to a positive electrode line Lp connected to the positive electrode of the DC power supply. The negative electrode of the smoothing capacitor 163 is connected to a negative electrode line Ln connected to the negative electrode of the DC power supply.

[0205] Each of the upper and lower arm circuits for three phases constituting the inverter 162 is configured by directly connecting switching elements 162s. In FIG. 20, an IGBT is shown as an example of the switching elements 162s. IGBT is an abbreviation for Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor. Instead of the IGBT, a MOSFET may be used. MOSFET is an abbreviation for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor. The collector of the upper arm switching element 162s is connected to the positive line Lp, and the emitter of the lower arm switching element 162s is connected to the negative line Ln. A freewheeling diode 162d is connected in inverse parallel to each of the switching elements 162s. The anode of the diode 162d is connected to the emitter, and the cathode is connected to the collector.

[0206] The connection points of the upper and lower arm circuits are connected to the winding 161a of the motor 161 via the corresponding output lines Lo. The upper and lower arm circuits of the U phase are connected to the winding 161a of the U phase via the corresponding output lines Lo. The upper and lower arm circuits of the V phase are connected to the winding 161a of the V phase via the corresponding output lines Lo. The upper and lower arm circuits of the W phase are connected to the winding 161a of the W phase via the corresponding output lines Lo. In addition, the connection path 17 electrically connects the neutral point O of the motor 161, which is the connection point of the three-phase windings 161a, to the connection point B of the batteries 151A and 151B. The connection path 17 is provided with a connection switch 18. When the connection switch 18 is turned on, the neutral point O and the connection point B are electrically connected. When the connection switch 18 is turned off, the neutral point O and the connection point B are electrically disconnected.

[0207] In the above configuration, the control device 60 controls the switching element 162s and the connection switch 18 so that a current flows between the battery 151A and the battery 151B via the inverter 162, the winding 161a, and the connection path 17. The control device 60, for example, turns on the connection switch 18, synchronizes the switching elements 162s on the upper arm side with each other, and synchronizes the switching elements 162s on the lower arm side with each other. For example, when the switching element 162s on the upper arm side is on, the switching element 162s on the lower arm side is off. Thus, power can be exchanged between the batteries 151A and 151B. The target battery 151T can be charged from one of the batteries 151, which is the auxiliary battery 152, via the elements of the EPU 16.

[0208] 20 shows an example in which the control device 60 controls the switching element 162s and the connection switch 18, but the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which the battery system 15 includes a part of the connection path 17 and the connection switch 18 may also be used.

[0209] (Other embodiments) The disclosure in this specification and drawings, etc. is not limited to the exemplified embodiments. The disclosure includes the exemplified embodiments and modifications by those skilled in the art based thereon. For example, the disclosure is not limited to the combination of parts and / or elements shown in the embodiments. The disclosure can be implemented by various combinations. The disclosure can have additional parts that can be added to the embodiments. The disclosure includes the omission of parts and / or elements of the embodiments. The disclosure includes the substitution or combination of parts and / or elements between one embodiment and another embodiment. The disclosed technical scope is not limited to the description of the embodiments. Some disclosed technical scopes are indicated by the description of the claims, and should be interpreted as including all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the description of the claims.

[0210] The disclosure in the specification and drawings is not limited by the claims. The disclosure in the specification and drawings includes the technical ideas described in the claims, and extends to more diverse and broader technical ideas than the technical ideas described in the claims. Therefore, various technical ideas can be extracted from the disclosure in the specification and drawings without being bound by the claims.

[0211] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "coupled," "connected," or "bonded," it may be directly coupled, connected, or bonded to another element or layer, and intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly coupled," "directly connected," or "directly bonded" to another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers. Other words used to describe relationships between elements should be construed in a similar manner (e.g., "between" vs. "directly between," "adjacent" vs. "directly adjacent," etc.). As used in this specification, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0212] The various flowcharts shown in this disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowcharts and the order of execution of the processes can be changed as appropriate. In addition, the device, system, and method thereof described in this disclosure may be realized by a dedicated computer comprising a processor programmed to execute one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The device and method described in this disclosure may be realized using a dedicated hardware logic circuit. Furthermore, the device and method described in this disclosure may be realized by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of a processor executing a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits.

[0213] For example, some or all of the functions of processor 201 may be realized as hardware. A form in which a certain function is realized as hardware includes a form in which it is realized using one or a plurality of ICs. As the processor (computation core), a CPU, MPU, GPU, DFP, etc. can be adopted. CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. MPU is an abbreviation for Micro-Processing Unit. GPU is an abbreviation for Graphics Processing Unit. DFP is an abbreviation for Data Flow Processor.

[0214] Some or all of the functions of the processor 201 may be realized by combining a plurality of types of arithmetic processing devices. Some or all of the functions of the processor 201 may be realized by using an SoC, an ASIC, an FPGA, or the like. SoC is an abbreviation for System on Chip. ASIC is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. FPGA is an abbreviation for Field-Programmable Gate Array. The same applies to the processor 311.

[0215] The computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium as instructions executed by a computer. A HDD, SSD, flash memory, etc. may be used as a storage medium for the program. HDD is an abbreviation for Hard-disk Drive. SSD is an abbreviation for Solid State Drive. The form of a program for causing a computer to function as the monitoring device 50 or the control device 60, and a non-transitory tangible storage medium such as a semiconductor memory on which the program is recorded, etc., are also included in the scope of the present disclosure.

[0216] (Disclosure of technical ideas) This specification discloses multiple technical ideas described in the following multiple dependent claims. Some of the claims may be described in a multiple dependent form, referring to preceding claims in a subsequent claim as an alternative. Furthermore, some of the claims may be described in a multiple dependent form, referring to another multiple dependent form. The claims described in these multiple dependent forms define multiple technical ideas.

[0217] <Technical philosophy 1> A battery system installed in an electric flying object (10), A driving battery (151) that supplies power to a driving object including the rotor (13) of the electric flying object; an auxiliary battery (152) for charging the driving battery; a charging-related device (153) for controlling charging from the auxiliary battery to the driving battery; Equipped with The charging-related device electrically connects or disconnects the auxiliary battery and the drive battery.

[0218] <Technical philosophy 2> The battery system described in Technical Idea 1, wherein the charging-related equipment operates to charge the drive battery from the auxiliary battery during periods other than takeoff and landing.

[0219] <Technical philosophy 3> The battery system described in Technical Idea 1 or Technical Idea 2, wherein the charging-related equipment operates to prohibit electrical connection between the auxiliary battery and the drive battery during takeoff and landing.

[0220] <Technical philosophy 4> The battery system described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 3, wherein the charging-related equipment operates to charge the driving battery from the auxiliary battery when the degree of temporary deterioration of the driving battery is greater than a predetermined standard.

[0221] <Technical philosophy 5> The battery system according to Technical Idea 4, wherein the charging-related device operates to charge the driving battery from the auxiliary battery when the temperature of the driving battery is higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0222] <Technical philosophy 6> The battery system described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 5, wherein the charging-related device operates to charge the driving battery from the auxiliary battery when output from the driving battery is stopped.

[0223] <Technical philosophy 7> The battery system according to any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 6, wherein the charging-related device adjusts a current when charging the driving battery from the auxiliary battery.

[0224] <Technical philosophy 8> A plurality of the driving batteries are provided, The battery system according to any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 7, wherein the charging-related device distributes current when charging the plurality of driving batteries from the auxiliary battery.

[0225] <Technical philosophy 9> The battery system according to any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 8, wherein the charging-related device operates to perform bidirectional charging between the auxiliary battery and the driving battery.

[0226] <Technical Thought 10> The battery system according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 9, wherein the charging-related device operates to charge the other driving batteries from the auxiliary battery, which is one of the plurality of driving batteries. <Technical Thought 11> The battery system according to Technical Idea 10, wherein the charging-related device operates to charge the driving battery from the auxiliary battery when the voltage of the driving battery is lower than that of the auxiliary battery.

[0227] <Technical Thought 12> The battery system according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 9, wherein the auxiliary battery is set to have a smaller storage capacity than the drive battery and is provided so as not to be able to supply power to the drive target. [Explanation of symbols]

[0228] 10...eVTOL, 11...aircraft body, 12...fixed wing, 121...main wing, 122...tail, 13...rotor, 131...blade, 132...shaft, 14...lift control mechanism, 141...tilt mechanism, 142...flap, 15...battery system, 151, 151A, 151B...battery, 152...auxiliary battery, 153...charging-related equipment, 16...EPU, 161...motor, 161a...winding, 162...inverter, 162d...diode, 162s...switching element, 163...smoothing capacitor, 17..., 18..., 20...E CU, 201... processor, 202... memory, 203... storage, 203P... program, 204... communication circuit, 30... ground station, 31... server, 311... processor, 312... memory, 313... storage, 313P... program, 314... communication circuit, 40... traffic control system, 41... external management unit, 42... internal management unit, 50... monitoring device, 51... acquisition unit, 52... calculation unit, 53... determination unit, 54... output unit, 60... control device, 61... acquisition unit, 62... determination unit, 63... control unit, 64... output unit, 70... display device< / evtol>

Claims

1. A battery system installed in an electric flying object (10), comprising: A driving battery (151) that supplies power to a driving object including a rotor (13) of the electric flying object; an auxiliary battery (152) for charging the driving battery; A charging-related device (153) for controlling charging from the auxiliary battery to the driving battery; Equipped with The charging-related device is electrically connecting or disconnecting the auxiliary battery and the drive battery; The battery system operates to charge the drive battery from the auxiliary battery during periods other than takeoff and landing.

2. A battery system installed in an electric flying object (10), comprising: A driving battery (151) that supplies power to a driving object including a rotor (13) of the electric flying object; an auxiliary battery (152) for charging the driving battery; A charging-related device (153) for controlling charging from the auxiliary battery to the driving battery; Equipped with The charging-related device is electrically connecting or disconnecting the auxiliary battery and the drive battery; The battery system operates to prohibit electrical connection between the auxiliary battery and the traction battery during takeoff and landing.

3. A battery system installed in an electric flying object (10), comprising: A driving battery (151) that supplies power to a driving object including a rotor (13) of the electric flying object; an auxiliary battery (152) for charging the driving battery; A charging-related device (153) for controlling charging from the auxiliary battery to the driving battery; Equipped with The charging-related device is electrically connecting or disconnecting the auxiliary battery and the drive battery; When the degree of temporary deterioration of the driving battery is greater than a predetermined standard, the system operates to charge the driving battery from the auxiliary battery; The battery system operates to charge the driving battery from the auxiliary battery when the temperature of the driving battery is higher than a predetermined temperature.

4. A battery system installed in an electric flying object (10), comprising: A driving battery (151) that supplies power to a driving object including a rotor (13) of the electric flying object; an auxiliary battery (152) for charging the driving battery; A charging-related device (153) for controlling charging from the auxiliary battery to the driving battery; Equipped with The charging-related device is electrically connecting or disconnecting the auxiliary battery and the drive battery; A battery system that operates to charge other driving batteries from an auxiliary battery that is one of the plurality of driving batteries.

5. 5. The battery system according to claim 4, wherein the charging-related device operates to charge the driving battery from the auxiliary battery when the voltage of the driving battery is lower than that of the auxiliary battery.

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