Monitoring device, and program

Abstract

To provide a monitoring device capable of increasing flight safety.SOLUTION: A monitoring device 50 monitors a battery 14 mounted on an eVTOL. The monitoring device 50 includes an acquisition unit 51, and an output unit 53. The acquisition unit 51 acquires information regarding temperature unevenness in the battery 14 that occurs due to vertical movement of the eVTOL. When a predetermined condition related to an abnormality in the battery 14 is satisfied based on the information related to temperature unevenness, the output unit 53 outputs the monitoring result. By monitoring the temperature unevenness, it is possible to quickly detect abnormalities in the battery 14 due to the progression of partial deterioration of the battery 14 and flight safety can be improved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The disclosure in this specification relates to a monitoring device and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for controlling 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 2021-172101 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the battery state is monitored, and measures to avoid an abnormality such as a short circuit are taken after the abnormality is detected. In the above-mentioned respects and in other respects not mentioned, further improvements are required in the monitoring device and the program.

[0005] One disclosed object is to provide a monitoring device and program that can improve flight safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the disclosure is A monitoring device for monitoring a battery (14) mounted on an electric flying object (10), comprising: an acquisition unit (51) that acquires information regarding temperature unevenness of the battery that occurs due to vertical movement of the electric flying object; an output unit (53) that outputs a monitoring result when a predetermined condition related to a battery abnormality is satisfied based on information about the temperature unevenness; Equipped with.

[0007] When an electric flying object moves vertically, the battery is required to discharge a large current for a certain period of time. This causes temperature unevenness in the battery to become apparent, which in turn causes partial deterioration of the battery. Partial deterioration increases resistance, which in turn further increases heat generation during large current discharge, and the partial deterioration progresses. With the disclosed monitoring device, by monitoring temperature unevenness, it is possible to quickly detect battery abnormalities that accompany the progression of partial deterioration. This can improve flight safety.

[0008] Another aspect of the disclosure is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: A program stored in a storage medium (203) for monitoring a battery (14) installed in an electric flying object (10), the program including instructions to be executed by a processor (201), Obtaining information regarding temperature unevenness of the battery caused by vertical movement of the electric flying object; outputting a monitoring result when a predetermined condition related to a battery abnormality is satisfied based on the information on the temperature unevenness; The instruction to execute the command is included.

[0009] When an electric flying object moves vertically, the battery is required to discharge a large current for a certain period of time. This causes temperature unevenness in the battery to become apparent, which in turn causes partial deterioration of the battery. Partial deterioration increases resistance, which in turn further increases heat generation during large current discharge, and the partial deterioration progresses. According to the disclosed program, temperature unevenness is monitored, so battery abnormalities caused by the progression of partial deterioration can be detected early. This can improve flight safety.

[0010] Another aspect of the disclosure is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: A monitoring device for monitoring a battery (14) mounted on an electric flying object (10), comprising: an acquisition unit (51) that acquires characteristics including a temperature rise characteristic before a maximum temperature of the battery is reached and / or a temperature relaxation characteristic after the maximum temperature is reached, which are generated in association with vertical movement of the electric flying object; an output unit (53) that outputs a monitoring result when a predetermined condition related to an abnormality in the battery is satisfied based on the characteristics; Equipped with.

[0011] When an electric flying object moves vertically, the battery is required to discharge a large current for a certain period of time. This causes the battery to deteriorate. Battery deterioration increases resistance, which further increases heat generation during large current discharge and accelerates deterioration. The disclosed monitoring device monitors the battery state using the temperature rise characteristics before reaching the maximum temperature and / or the temperature relaxation characteristics after reaching the maximum temperature, making it possible to quickly detect battery abnormalities that accompany the progression of deterioration. This can improve flight safety.

[0012] The various aspects disclosed in this specification adopt different technical means to achieve their respective objectives. The claims and the parenthetical symbols described in this section are merely illustrative of the corresponding relationship with the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the technical scope. The objectives, features, and effects disclosed in this specification will become clearer with reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an eVTOL and a ground station. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional layout of the traffic management system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 illustrates a power profile. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a battery cell. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing temperature unevenness inside a battery cell. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the expansion of temperature unevenness as partial deterioration progresses. [Figure 9]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing temperature unevenness between battery cells inside a battery pack. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing temperature unevenness information. [Figure 12] 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between battery discharge characteristics, battery temperature unevenness, and the degree of partial deterioration. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of a control method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] 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.

[0015] The monitoring device, monitoring method, and program described below are applied to an electric flying object. Note that the description of A and / or B means at least one of A and B. In other words, it may include only A, only B, or both A and B.

[0016] (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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] <evtol> 1 shows an eVTOL and a ground station. As shown in FIG. 1, the eVTOL 10 includes an airframe 11, a fixed wing 12, a rotor 13, a battery 14, an EPU 15, and a BMS 16.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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. The fixed wing 12 may have 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. may be adopted.

[0021] 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. A plurality of rotors 13 may be provided on each of the aircraft body 11 and the main wing 121.

[0022] The rotor 13 may be referred to as a rotor, a propeller, a fan, or the like. The rotor 13 may have 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 15.

[0023] The rotor 13 generates a thrust force by rotation. The thrust force acts on the eVTOL 10 mainly as a rotational lift during takeoff and landing operations of the eVTOL 10. The rotor 13 mainly provides rotational lift during takeoff and landing operations. The rotational lift is a lift force generated by the rotation of the rotor 13. During takeoff and landing operations, the rotor 13 may provide only the rotational lift, or may provide a forward thrust force in addition to the rotational lift. The rotor 13 provides rotational lift during hovering of the eVTOL 10.

[0024] The propulsive force acts primarily as thrust on the eVTOL 10 during cruising operation of the eVTOL 10. The rotor 13 primarily provides thrust during cruising operation. During cruising operation, the rotor 13 may provide only thrust or may provide lift in addition to thrust.

[0025] The battery (BAT) 14 is a device for driving the rotor 13 to rotate. The battery 14 may be referred to as a battery pack. The battery 14 can store DC power and has a rechargeable battery cell. The battery 14 has at least one assembled battery including a plurality of battery cells. The battery cell is a secondary battery that generates an electromotive force by a chemical reaction. The battery cell may be, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. 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 battery cell may be configured such that a battery reaction occurs when ions (electrolyte) that contribute to the battery reaction move between the positive and negative electrodes via an electrolytic solution and / or a solid electrolyte. The eVTOL 10 may include, in addition to the battery 14, a fuel cell, a generator, or the like as a power source that supplies power to the devices. The battery 14 supplies power to the EPU 15. The battery 14 may supply power to auxiliary equipment (not shown) such as an air conditioner, an ECU 20 (described later), a lift adjustment mechanism (not shown), and the like.

[0026] The battery 14 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. SOC is an abbreviation for State Of Charge.

[0027] 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 PO4). LCO, NMC, and NCA are layered compounds.

[0028] 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.

[0029] The EPU 15 drives and rotates the rotor 13 that imparts a propulsive force to the eVTOL 10. The EPU 15 is a device for driving and rotating the rotor 13. EPU is an abbreviation for Electric Propulsion Unit. The EPU 15 corresponds to an electric propulsion device. The EPU 15 includes a motor. The EPU 15 may include an inverter and an ESC in addition to the motor. ESC is an abbreviation for Electronic Speed ​​Controller. The number of EPUs 15 may be the same as the number of rotors 13. For example, the eVTOL 10 may include six EPUs 15. The EPUs 15 and the rotors 13 are connected one-to-one. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which two or more rotors 13 are connected to one EPU 15 via a gear box.

[0030] The BMS 16 monitors the status of the unit batteries that make up the battery 14. BMS is an abbreviation for Battery Management System. The BMS 16 can monitor the voltage, current, temperature, internal resistance, SOC, SOH, and other safety-related statuses of the battery 14, such as internal pressure and gas leakage. SOH is an abbreviation for State Of Health. The BMS 16 may be provided integrally with the battery 14. The BMS 16 may be provided separately from the battery 14. A part of the BMS 16 may be provided inside the battery 14, and another part may be provided outside the battery 14.

[0031] The BMS 16 may be provided individually for each assembled battery. One BMS 16 may be provided for multiple assembled batteries. One BMS 16 may be provided for all assembled batteries. When multiple BMSs 16 are provided, a function for controlling all the BMSs 16 may be provided separately from the BMS 16, or may be provided integrally with the BMS 16.

[0032] The eVTOL 10 further includes an ECU 20 and auxiliary equipment (not shown). ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit. The eVTOL 10 may include a lift adjustment mechanism (not shown). The lift adjustment mechanism adjusts the gliding lift of the fixed wing 12. The lift adjustment mechanism increases or decreases the gliding lift generated by the fixed wing 12. The eVTOL 10 may include, for example, a tilt mechanism or a flap as the lift adjustment mechanism. The tilt mechanism is driven to adjust the tilt angle of the rotor 13. The flap is a movable wing piece and is provided on the fixed wing 12.

[0033] <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, and supporting flight operations. At least some of the functions of the traffic management system may be arranged in an on-board computer of the eVTOL 10. At least some of the functions of the traffic management system may be arranged in an external computer capable of wireless communication with the eVTOL 10. The external computer may be a server 31 of a ground station 30 as shown in FIG. 1. 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows an example of the functional arrangement of the traffic management system. The traffic management system 40 shown in FIG. 2 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 may be arranged in the server 31, and other parts of the functions may be 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 via wired or wireless communication.

[0038] <Power Profile> FIG. 3 shows the power profile of the eVTOL10 from takeoff to landing. The power profile of electric flying objects other than the eVTOL10 is the same as that of the eVTOL10. The period P1 is referred to as takeoff, takeoff flight, takeoff operation, etc. The period P2 is referred to as cruising, cruising flight, cruising operation, etc. The period P3 is referred to as landing, landing flight, landing operation, etc. The periods P1 and P3 are referred to as takeoff and landing, takeoff and landing flight, takeoff and landing operation, etc. For convenience, the required power, that is, the output, is constant throughout almost the entire range of each of the periods P1 and P3 in FIG. 3.

[0039] The eVTOL 10 ascends from the takeoff point to the cruise start point in period P1. The eVTOL 10 cruises at a predetermined altitude in period P2. The eVTOL 10 descends from the end point of period P2 to the landing point in period P3. The movement of the eVTOL 10 includes mainly horizontal components in period P2 and mainly vertical components in periods P1 and P3. In periods P1 and P3 during vertical movement, high output is required continuously for a predetermined period of time to drive the rotor 13.

[0040] Thus, a high output load is applied to battery 14 during vertical movement. The largest output is required during takeoff and landing. The output of battery 14 varies greatly between vertical movement and horizontal movement. The output of battery 14 varies greatly between takeoff and landing and cruising. Vertical movement, especially the high output during takeoff and landing, can cause temperature unevenness inside battery 14 to become apparent, which can cause partial deterioration of battery 14 and lead to an abnormality in battery 14.

[0041] <Battery> FIG. 4 shows an example of a battery 14. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows a simplified configuration of a battery cell. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the arrangement of electrode terminals. In the following, the height direction of each battery cell is referred to as the Z direction, a direction perpendicular to the Z direction is referred to as the Y direction, and a direction perpendicular to both the Z direction and the Y direction is referred to as the X direction. In FIG. 5, for convenience, the entire battery cell is hatched with metal.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the battery 14 includes at least one assembled battery 141. The assembled battery 141 includes a plurality of battery cells 142. The plurality of battery cells 142 may have a common structure, or some of the battery cells 142 may have a different structure from the others. The number and arrangement of the plurality of battery cells 142 are not particularly limited. The plurality of battery cells 142 may be connected in series, or in parallel and series.

[0043] The battery cell 142 has a power generating element and a battery case that houses the power generating element. The battery case provides the outer shell of the battery cell 142. The battery case may be formed, for example, using a metal material or a laminate film. The shape of the battery cell 142, i.e., the battery case, is not particularly limited. It may be a rectangular shape, a laminate type, or a cylindrical shape.

[0044] Each battery cell 142 has electrode terminals 142P, 142N. As shown in FIG. 6, the electrode terminals 142P, 142N may be provided on a common surface or on different surfaces. For example, they may be provided on one surface and the surface opposite to the one surface. The electrode terminals 142P, 142N may protrude from the corresponding surface. The electrode terminal 142P is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the battery cell 142. The electrode terminal 142P may be referred to as a positive electrode terminal, a P terminal, or the like. The electrode terminal 142N is electrically connected to the negative electrode of the battery cell 142. The electrode terminal 142N may be referred to as a negative electrode terminal, an N terminal, or the like. The electrode terminals may be referred to as a battery cell terminal, a current collecting tab, or the like.

[0045] The battery cell 142 shown in Figures 4 and 5 has a rectangular shape, specifically a flat shape that is thin in the Y direction. The multiple battery cells 142 are arranged side by side in the Y direction. The electrode terminals 142P, 142N are provided on one of the end faces in the Z direction, i.e., on a common surface. The multiple battery cells 142 are arranged such that the electrode terminals 142P and the electrode terminals 142N are positioned alternately in the Y direction. In adjacent battery cells 142, the electrode terminals 142P and the electrode terminals 142N are electrically connected by a bus bar (not shown).

[0046] The battery pack 141 may include a plurality of battery cells 142 arranged in the Y direction. The arrangement of the battery cells 142 is not limited to the above arrangement. For example, in the case of cylindrical battery cells 142, they may be arranged in a staggered pattern when viewed from the Z direction.

[0047] <Temperature unevenness> As described above, during vertical movement, particularly during takeoff and landing, the battery 14 that drives the EPU 15 is required to discharge at a large current for a certain period of time. For example, during takeoff and landing, the battery 14 continuously discharges at a maximum discharge rate of about 3C to about 15C for about 30 seconds to about 90 seconds.

[0048] The discharge rate indicates the relative ratio of the current during discharge to the battery capacity, and is expressed in units of C. A discharge rate of 1C indicates the current value at which a cell with a nominal capacity is discharged at a constant current and the discharge is completed in one hour. The maximum discharge rate during cruising of an electric aircraft or an electric vehicle (BEV) is about 1C to 2C. In the case of a BEV, this is a level at which the maximum discharge rate continues for about 5 to 10 seconds. BEV is an abbreviation for Battery Electric Vehicle. As such, there is a large variation in the discharge characteristics between takeoff and landing and cruising.

[0049] As described above, during vertical movement, particularly during takeoff and landing, the battery 14 is required to discharge at a larger current for a longer period of time than during cruising or in a BEV. The battery 14 generates heat due to the discharge, and the temperature rises. When discharging at a large current, the temperature rises significantly, and temperature unevenness becomes apparent, particularly due to current concentration at specific locations inside the battery cell 142. The temperature unevenness inside the battery cell 142 is the temperature distribution and temperature variation within the battery cell 142.

[0050] During large current discharge, current concentration is likely to occur near the electrode terminals 142P, 142N. The temperature of the battery cell 142 is highest near the electrode terminals 142P, 142N or near the electrode terminals 142P, 142N, and is low at positions away from the electrode terminals 142P, 142N. In a configuration in which the electrode terminals 142P, 142N are arranged on a common surface, current concentration is likely to occur on the surface on which the electrode terminals 142P, 142N are arranged, but is unlikely to occur on the opposite surface. In a configuration in which the electrode terminal 142P is arranged on one surface and the electrode terminal 142N is arranged on the opposite surface, current concentration is likely to occur near the electrode terminals 142P, 142N, but is unlikely to occur near the center of the battery cell 142.

[0051] FIG. 7 shows the relationship between flight time and battery temperature. The solid line shows the temperature of the area where current is likely to concentrate during high-current discharge. The dashed line shows the temperature of the area where current is unlikely to concentrate during high-current discharge. FIG. 7 shows the change in temperature when the eVTOL 10 starts taking off at time t0, moves vertically until time t1, and moves horizontally after time t1. As described above, current concentration occurs, so the temperature rise becomes noticeable in the area where current is likely to concentrate. After that, the temperature is alleviated by conduction to areas where current is unlikely to concentrate during high-current discharge, external release of accumulated heat, and conduction to other low-temperature cells. In this way, the temperature fluctuation is greater in areas where current is likely to concentrate than in areas where current is unlikely to concentrate. During high-current discharge, temperature unevenness occurs inside the battery cell 142.

[0052] Due to the temperature unevenness, some of the battery cells 142 constituting the assembled battery 141, particularly some parts inside the battery cells 142, deteriorate, that is, partial deterioration occurs. In the partially deteriorated part, the resistance increases. For this reason, the next large current discharge further increases the heat generation, and the temperature unevenness expands, resulting in a vicious cycle. The partial deterioration progresses by repetition, and the temperature unevenness increases as shown in FIG. 8. The white arrow in FIG. 8 indicates the increase in the temperature unevenness due to the progress of the partial deterioration. If the partial deterioration progresses by repetition, there is a risk of abnormal deterioration in which the capacity is suddenly reduced or thermal runaway. Thermal runaway can occur, for example, when the separator is damaged and short-circuited due to the deposition of metallic lithium or abnormal heat generation in a local area during charging. In electric flying objects represented by eVTOL10, active cooling during flight is difficult due to weight reduction, and the problem of temperature unevenness is more likely to become apparent.

[0053] The temperature unevenness of the battery 14 is also manifested by the variation in heat dissipation inside the assembled battery 141. In the assembled battery 141, heat is likely to accumulate in the battery cells 142 located near the center due to the difference in heat dissipation, and heat is likely to escape from the battery cells 142 located at the end. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5, heat is likely to accumulate in the battery cells 142 located near the center among the multiple battery cells 142 stacked in the Y direction. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 9, a difference occurs in the maximum temperature between the battery cell 142 located at the center and the battery cell 142 located at the end. In other words, temperature unevenness occurs between the battery cells 142. The temperature unevenness inside the assembled battery 141 is the temperature distribution inside the assembled battery 141, that is, the temperature unevenness of the multiple battery cells 142.

[0054] In the battery pack 141, deterioration or abnormality of some of the battery cells 142 may lead to deterioration or abnormality of the battery pack 141 itself, which may lead to rapid deterioration or thermal runaway of the battery pack 141. If the charging and discharging of some of the battery cells 142 is restricted, the battery pack 141 itself is also restricted. If some of the battery cells 142 experience thermal runaway, the heat may propagate, causing other battery cells 142 to experience thermal runaway in a chain reaction.

[0055] In order to extend the flight distance of an electric aircraft, a battery cell 142 with high energy density that can be made lighter is required. Currently, the cathode materials used in many of the high energy density cells in the world, such as the above-mentioned LCO, NMC, and NCA, are compounds with a layered structure, and charging and discharging are performed by lithium ions moving between the layers. Compared to charging, in which lithium ions are removed from the layers, the reaction resistance is higher during discharging, in which lithium ions are inserted between the layers. In other words, it becomes difficult for ions to move between the layers. For this reason, a battery cell 142 using a layered compound-based cathode has high resistance during discharging, and is prone to accelerating temperature rise and the expansion of temperature unevenness associated with temperature rise.

[0056] <Monitoring device> FIG. 10 shows a monitoring device. The monitoring device 50 monitors the battery 14. The functional arrangement of the monitoring device 50 is not particularly limited. At least a part of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged on board the aircraft or outside the aircraft. The functions of the monitoring device 50 may be distributed among a plurality of devices on board the aircraft. The functions of the monitoring device 50 may be distributed among a plurality of devices outside the aircraft. Some of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged on board the aircraft, and another part of the functions may be arranged outside the aircraft.

[0057] For example, at least a part of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged in the BMS 16. At least a part of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged in the ECU 20. At least a part of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged in the server 31 of the ground station 30. At least a part of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged in the traffic management system 40. At least a part of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged in the on-board management unit 42. At least a part of the functions of the monitoring device 50 may be arranged in the off-board management unit 41.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 10, the monitoring device 50 may include an acquisition unit 51, a determination unit 52, and an output unit 53. The acquisition unit 51 acquires information (temperature unevenness information) on temperature unevenness of the battery 14 that occurs with the vertical movement of the eVTOL 10. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire information on temperature unevenness that occurs with takeoff flight and / or landing flight as the temperature unevenness information. When moving temporarily in the vertical direction during cruising, the acquisition unit 51 may acquire information on temperature unevenness that occurs with vertical movement during cruising as the temperature unevenness information. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire information on temperature unevenness that occurs with vertical movement during cruising in addition to information on temperature unevenness that occurs with takeoff and landing.

[0059] Temperature unevenness occurs between the battery cells 142 in the assembled battery 141. The monitoring device 50 may monitor the temperature difference between the multiple battery cells 142 in the assembled battery 141. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire the temperatures of the multiple battery cells 142. As described above, the temperature of the assembled battery 141 is higher near the center. Therefore, the acquisition unit 51 may acquire the temperatures of at least the battery cells 142 arranged near the center of the assembled battery 141. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 51 may acquire the temperatures of the battery cells 142 arranged near the ends, which have good heat dissipation properties.

[0060] The temperature unevenness occurs inside the battery cell 142. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire information related to the temperature unevenness inside the battery cell 142. Temperatures at multiple locations in one battery cell 142 may be acquired as the temperature unevenness information. As shown in FIG. 11, as partial degradation progresses, the rate of rise to the maximum reached temperature (highest temperature) increases with vertical movement. FIG. 11 corresponds to FIG. 8, and shows a state in which partial degradation progresses and the maximum reached temperature rises from Tmax1 to Tmax2.

[0061] The rise rate Sr2 to the maximum reached temperature Tmax2 is higher than the rise rate Sr1 to the maximum reached temperature Tmax1. In addition, as the partial deterioration progresses, the relaxation rate after the maximum reached temperature increases. The relaxation rate Sb2 after the maximum reached temperature Tmax2 is higher than the relaxation rate Sb1 after the maximum reached temperature Tmax1. In other words, the greater the temperature unevenness, the greater the gradient of the temperature change. The acquisition unit 51 may use the temperature rise characteristic before the maximum reached temperature and / or the temperature relaxation characteristic after the maximum reached temperature as the temperature unevenness information. By using these parameters, it is possible to monitor the temperature unevenness (degree of temperature unevenness) in the battery cell 142 even with temperature information at one location. For example, the temperature near the electrode terminal 142P of the battery cell 142 located near the center of the assembled battery 141 may be acquired.

[0062] The parameters related to the temperature of the battery 14 are affected by the discharge characteristics and the environmental temperature. Therefore, by taking these parameter fluctuations into consideration, the accuracy of abnormality determination can be improved. As the discharge characteristics information, that is, the parameters indicating the discharge characteristics during vertical movement, the discharge power amount (Wh) or the discharge capacity (Ah) may be used. The integral value of the square of the discharge current or the value obtained by integrating the integral value for a predetermined period may be used. When the discharge power or the discharge current during vertical movement is almost constant, the discharge time may be used. When the discharge time during vertical movement is almost constant, the discharge power or the discharge current may be used. When the discharge time is almost constant, the square value of the discharge current may be used instead of the discharge current. The discharge rate may be used instead of the above-mentioned discharge current. For example, the temperature, the wind speed, the wind direction, etc. may be used as the environmental information.

[0063] The acquisition unit 51 may acquire information such as temperature unevenness information and discharge characteristic information from the BMS 16 or the traffic management system 40. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire actual measured values ​​or intermediate calculated values ​​as the information. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire calculated values ​​such as feature quantities indicating discharge characteristics as the information. The information may be acquired by performing calculations within the monitoring device 50 based on the actual measured values ​​and intermediate calculated values ​​acquired from the BMS 16, the traffic management system 40, etc. The acquisition unit 51 acquires information through wireless communication and / or wired communication.

[0064] The determination unit 52 determines the presence or absence of a battery abnormality based on the temperature unevenness information acquired by the acquisition unit 51. The determination unit 52 detects a battery abnormality. The determination unit 52 corresponds to a detection unit. The determination unit 52 determines that there is an abnormality when the temperature unevenness or the degree of partial deterioration estimated from the temperature unevenness exceeds a predetermined threshold. The calculation to estimate the degree of partial deterioration may be executed by the determination unit 52 or may be executed by the acquisition unit 51. In the monitoring device 50, a calculation unit other than the acquisition unit 51 and the determination unit 52 may execute the calculation.

[0065] The predetermined threshold may be set based on the temperature unevenness (degree of temperature unevenness) or the degree of partial deterioration that is judged to cause abnormal deterioration of the battery 14 or the possibility of metallic lithium precipitation. The threshold may be set with a predetermined margin added. The threshold may be set by conducting an experiment using a sample cell in advance. For example, the predetermined threshold may be set by analyzing the relationship between the temperature unevenness and the abnormal deterioration or metallic lithium precipitation in an advance experiment. The predetermined threshold may be set by analyzing the relationship between the temperature unevenness and the degree of partial deterioration, or the relationship between the degree of partial deterioration and the abnormal deterioration or metallic lithium precipitation in an advance experiment. In the advance experiment, for example, the battery cells in which temperature unevenness has occurred in a large current discharge test (various conditions) may be disassembled to check the partial deterioration state of the electrodes.

[0066] As described above, the determination unit 52 may determine the presence or absence of an abnormality using only the temperature unevenness information. For example, when the flight route is fixed and the discharge characteristics do not change significantly for each flight, the threshold can be easily determined using only the temperature unevenness information. As described above, the parameters related to the temperature of the battery 14 are affected by the discharge characteristics, the environmental temperature, and the like. Therefore, the fluctuations of these parameters may also be taken into consideration. The determination unit 52 may determine the presence or absence of an abnormality based on the temperature unevenness information corrected using information such as the discharge characteristics and the environmental temperature.

[0067] The determination unit 52 may determine the presence or absence of an abnormality using information on the degree of partial deterioration based on the temperature unevenness information. The degree of partial deterioration may be estimated only from the temperature unevenness information. For example, by determining the relationship between the temperature unevenness and the degree of partial deterioration taking into account the fluctuation of discharge characteristic information and environmental information during vertical movement, the accuracy of abnormality determination can be improved. The relationship may be derived by performing the above-mentioned experiment and using a regression model constructed by a map model or machine learning.

[0068] FIG. 12 shows an example of the relationship between the battery discharge characteristics, the battery temperature unevenness, and the degree of partial deterioration. FIG. 12 shows the relationship at an environmental temperature of 20° C. Lv0, Lv10, Lv20, and Lv30 indicate the degree of partial deterioration. The larger the value, the more advanced the partial deterioration is. The determination unit 52 may set the detection level, that is, the determination threshold, in multiple stages. For example, the determination unit 52 may determine that an abnormality exists and that an alarm should be output when the degree of partial deterioration exceeds Lv10 (first determination threshold) shown in FIG. 12. The determination unit 52 may determine that an abnormality exists and that an avoidance operation should be performed when the degree of partial deterioration exceeds Lv20 (second determination threshold). Note that Lv0 indicates an initial value where no partial deterioration occurs. Lv30 indicates an upper limit value, and when the degree exceeds Lv30, it is an abnormality occurrence region.

[0069] The output unit 53 outputs the abnormality determination result to the outside of the monitoring device 50. When a predetermined condition regarding an abnormality is satisfied based on the temperature unevenness information, the output unit 53 outputs the monitoring result. The output unit 53 may output the determination result, for example, to issue an alarm to the crew or the ground station 30. The output unit 53 may output the determination result to trigger a transition to an avoidance operation. The output unit 53 may output the determination result to the traffic management system 40 that displays the operational status of the aircraft and controls the operation. The monitoring device 50 itself may display it. The output unit 53 may output a control request for an avoidance operation to a control device that controls flight. The control device may be provided integrally as one function of the traffic management system 40, or may be provided separately.

[0070] The output unit 53 may output in multiple stages, such as an alarm in the first stage and an avoidance operation in the second stage and thereafter. As the avoidance operation, for example, a redundant operation of the battery 14 may be adopted, or an emergency landing operation may be adopted. The redundant operation of the battery 14 may be, for example, stopping the output of a system that shows signs of an abnormality and continuing the flight with the remaining system. As the avoidance operation, multiple operations may be executed simultaneously. The avoidance operation may be capable of being performed in stages. The output unit 53 may estimate the time until an abnormality occurs based on the time series transition of the target information, and output it as urgency information.

[0071] <Monitoring method> As described above, the monitoring device 50 may be disposed in the ECU 20 of the eVTOL 10. In this case, the execution of processing of each functional block of the monitoring device 50 by the processor 201 corresponds to the execution of the monitoring method. The monitoring device may be disposed in the server 31 of the ground station 30. In this case, the execution of processing of each functional block of the monitoring device 50 by the processor 311 corresponds to the execution of the monitoring method.

[0072] As a monitoring method, for example, the method shown in Fig. 13 may be used. The monitoring device 50 (for example, the processor 201) repeatedly executes the process shown in Fig. 13 at a predetermined cycle. First, the monitoring device 50 determines whether or not the eVTOL 10 has started moving in the vertical direction (step S10). Instead of the start of movement in the vertical direction, the start of takeoff flight or the start of landing flight may be used.

[0073] If vertical movement has not started, the monitoring device 50 ends the series of processes. If vertical movement has started, the monitoring device 50 acquires temperature unevenness information (step S20). The monitoring device 50 compares the acquired temperature unevenness with a predetermined threshold value Th1, and determines whether the temperature unevenness (degree of temperature unevenness) is greater than the threshold value Th1 (step S30).

[0074] If the temperature unevenness is greater than the threshold value Th1, the monitoring device 50 determines that there is an abnormality in the battery 14, executes an output indicating that there is an abnormality (step S40), and ends the series of processes. If the temperature unevenness is equal to or less than the threshold value Th1, the monitoring device 50 does not execute the process of step S40 and ends the series of processes.

[0075] As a monitoring method, the method shown in FIG. 14 may be used. First, the monitoring device 50 executes the process of step S10, similar to the method shown in FIG. 13. When the eVTOL 10 starts moving in the vertical direction, the monitoring device 50 acquires temperature unevenness information and discharge characteristic information instead of the process of step S20 (step S20A). Next, the monitoring device 50 calculates the degree of partial deterioration based on the temperature unevenness information acquired in step S20A (step S25). Next, the monitoring device 50 calculates the degree of partial deterioration based on the partial and discharge characteristic information (step S25). The monitoring device 50 estimates the degree of partial deterioration by calculation.

[0076] Next, instead of the process of step S30, the monitoring device 50 compares the acquired degree of partial deterioration with a predetermined threshold Th2 and determines whether the degree of partial deterioration is greater than the threshold Th2 (step S30A). If the degree of partial deterioration is greater than the threshold Th2, the monitoring device 50 executes the process of step S40 and ends the series of processes, similar to the method shown in Fig. 13. If the degree of partial deterioration is equal to or less than the threshold Th2, the monitoring device 50 does not execute the process of step S40 and ends the series of processes.

[0077] In the method shown in Fig. 13, when the temperature unevenness is equal to or less than the threshold value Th1, the monitoring device 50 may output that there is no abnormality, and then end the series of processes. Similarly, in the method shown in Fig. 14, when the degree of partial deterioration is equal to or less than the threshold value Th2, the monitoring device 50 may output that there is no abnormality, and then end the series of processes.

[0078] In the method shown in Fig. 13, after acquiring temperature unevenness information, the degree of partial deterioration may be calculated based on the temperature unevenness information. Then, the degree of partial deterioration may be compared with a predetermined judgment threshold to judge whether or not an abnormality exists. In the method shown in Fig. 14, after acquiring temperature unevenness information and discharge characteristic information, the temperature unevenness information corrected by the discharge characteristic information may be compared with a predetermined judgment threshold to judge whether or not an abnormality exists.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14, an example of a monitoring method in which, when vertical movement is detected, information acquisition, judgment, and output of the judgment result are performed continuously are shown. For example, when the start of takeoff flight is detected, the processing up to step S40 is performed during the flight. However, it is also possible to acquire temperature unevenness information accompanying vertical movement during the flight, and perform the judgment processing and output processing after the flight. It is also possible to perform the judgment processing and output processing before the next flight.

[0080] <Summary of the First Embodiment> As described above, when the eVTOL 10 (electric flying vehicle) moves in the vertical direction, the battery 14 is required to discharge a large current for a certain period of time. This causes temperature unevenness inside the battery 14, which in turn causes partial deterioration of the battery 14. Since partial deterioration increases resistance, heat generation during large current discharge further increases, and partial deterioration progresses. The progression of partial deterioration may lead to abnormalities such as rapid deterioration of the battery 14 and thermal runaway.

[0081] The monitoring device 50 of this embodiment acquires information about temperature unevenness in the battery that occurs with the vertical movement of the eVTOL 10. Then, when a predetermined condition related to an abnormality in the battery 14 is met based on the information about the temperature unevenness, the monitoring result is output. In this way, by monitoring the temperature unevenness, an abnormality caused by the progression of partial deterioration can be detected early. Therefore, the safety of the flight can be improved.

[0082] The monitoring device 50 may obtain information on the discharge characteristics during vertical movement together with the temperature unevenness information, and output the monitoring results based on the temperature unevenness information and the discharge characteristics information. The discharge characteristics change considerably for each flight. Therefore, by adding the discharge characteristics information to the temperature unevenness information, the situation of each flight is reflected, and abnormalities such as abnormal deterioration and thermal runaway can be detected with high accuracy.

[0083] The monitoring device 50 may monitor temperature unevenness accompanying takeoff and landing flight and / or landing flight of the eVTOL 10. By monitoring temperature unevenness that occurs during takeoff and landing when the greatest output is required during flight, that is, temperature unevenness in a maximized state, the accuracy of detecting abnormalities can be further improved.

[0084] The monitoring device 50 may monitor the temperature unevenness caused by the vertical movement when the discharge rate of the battery 14 is 3C or more and the duration of the discharge is 30 seconds or more. By monitoring the temperature unevenness in the maximized state, the accuracy of detecting an abnormality can be further improved.

[0085] As described above, electric flying objects such as the eVTOL 10 have large fluctuations in discharge characteristics. The larger the fluctuations in discharge characteristics, the more likely the temperature unevenness is to increase, and the greater the effect of early detection by the monitoring device 50. For example, when the ratio of the maximum discharge rate during vertical movement to the maximum discharge rate during horizontal movement is 1.5 times or more, the effect of early detection is enhanced. When the ratio is even higher, for example, 2 times or more, 3 times or more, or 5 times or more, a greater effect can be achieved. The higher the maximum discharge rate during takeoff and landing, the greater the effect of early detection by the monitoring device 50. When the maximum discharge rate is 3C or more, the effect of early detection is enhanced. When the maximum discharge rate is even higher, for example, 5C or more, 7C or more, or 10C or more, a greater effect can be achieved.

[0086] The monitoring device 50 may obtain temperature unevenness information of the battery 14 having the battery cell 142 containing a layered compound material as a positive electrode material. As described above, the battery cell 142 using the layered compound positive electrode has a high resistance during discharge, and therefore tends to accelerate the expansion of temperature unevenness. Therefore, by monitoring the temperature unevenness, it is possible to improve flight safety in particular.

[0087] The monitoring device 50 may acquire, as the temperature unevenness information, information regarding temperature unevenness inside the battery cell 142. Temperature unevenness becomes apparent due to current concentration at a specific portion inside the battery cell 142. Therefore, by acquiring the temperature unevenness information inside the battery cell 142, it is possible to accurately detect signs of abnormality.

[0088] The monitoring device 50 may include a temperature rise characteristic before reaching the maximum temperature and / or a temperature relaxation characteristic after reaching the maximum temperature associated with the vertical movement of the electric flying object in the electrode terminals 142P, 142N of the battery cell 142 or in the vicinity of the electrode terminals 142P, 142N. During high current discharge, current concentration is likely to occur near the electrode terminals 142P, 142N. By monitoring the vicinity of the electrode terminals 142P, 142N where temperature unevenness is likely to occur and where temperature changes due to temperature unevenness are severe, it is possible to accurately grasp the state change. The temperature rise characteristic before reaching the maximum temperature and the temperature relaxation characteristic after reaching the maximum temperature are both parameters that indicate the state of temperature unevenness with good reproducibility and high accuracy. Therefore, it is possible to accurately monitor the change in temperature unevenness. Although it is temperature unevenness information, it is possible to monitor even one location, and the configuration can be simplified without compromising quality.

[0089] The monitoring device 50 may include, as temperature unevenness information, information on the electrode terminals 142P, 142N of the battery cells 142 arranged near the center of the battery pack 141 or information in the vicinity of the electrode terminals 142P, 142N. By monitoring near the center where heat tends to accumulate, it is possible to directly monitor the worst condition inside the battery pack 141. This can improve the accuracy of detecting abnormalities.

[0090] The program of this embodiment is stored in a storage medium to monitor the battery 14 and includes instructions to be executed by a processor. The program includes instructions to obtain information on temperature unevenness of the battery 14 that occurs with the vertical movement of the eVTOL 10, and output a monitoring result when a predetermined condition related to an abnormality of the battery 14 is satisfied based on the information on the temperature unevenness. In this way, by monitoring the temperature unevenness, an abnormality caused by the progression of partial deterioration can be detected early. Therefore, the safety of the flight can be improved.

[0091] The monitoring device 50 acquires characteristics including the temperature rise characteristic before the battery 14 reaches the maximum temperature and / or the temperature relaxation characteristic after the battery 14 reaches the maximum temperature that occurs with the vertical movement of the eVTOL 10. Then, if a predetermined condition related to an abnormality of the battery 14 is satisfied based on the acquired characteristics, the monitoring device 50 may output a monitoring result. Since the state of the battery 14 is monitored using the temperature rise characteristic before the battery 14 reaches the maximum temperature and / or the temperature relaxation characteristic after the battery 14 reaches the maximum temperature, an abnormality of the battery 14 caused by the progression of deterioration can be detected early. This can improve flight safety.

[0092] The monitoring device 50 may include at least an acquisition unit 51 and an output unit 53. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire information regarding temperature unevenness of the battery 14 that occurs with the vertical movement of the eVTOL 10. The output unit 53 may output the monitoring result when a predetermined condition regarding an abnormality of the battery 14 is satisfied based on the information regarding the temperature unevenness. The acquisition unit 51 may acquire characteristics including a temperature rise characteristic before the maximum temperature of the battery 14 is reached and / or a temperature relaxation characteristic after the maximum temperature is reached that occurs with the vertical movement of the eVTOL 10. The output unit 53 may output the monitoring result when a predetermined condition regarding an abnormality of the battery 14 is satisfied based on the characteristics.

[0093] (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.

[0094] 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.

[0095] 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.

[0096] 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 apparatus, 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 apparatus and method described in this disclosure may be realized using a dedicated hardware logic circuit. Furthermore, the apparatus 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.

[0097] For example, some or all of the functions of processor 311 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.

[0098] 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.

[0099] 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 scope of the present disclosure also includes forms such as a program for causing a computer to function as a control device or control system, and a non-transitory tangible storage medium such as a semiconductor memory on which the program is recorded.

[0100] (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, where the subsequent claim alternatively refers to the preceding claim. Furthermore, some of the claims may be described in a multiple dependent form, where the subsequent claim alternatively refers to the preceding claim. The claims described in these multiple dependent forms define multiple technical ideas.

[0101] <Technical philosophy 1> A monitoring device for monitoring a battery (14) mounted on an electric flying object (10), comprising: an acquisition unit (51) that acquires information regarding temperature unevenness of the battery that occurs due to vertical movement of the electric flying object; an output unit (53) that outputs a monitoring result when a predetermined condition related to an abnormality of the battery is satisfied based on the information on the temperature unevenness; A monitoring device comprising:

[0102] <Technical philosophy 2> The acquisition unit acquires information regarding the temperature unevenness of the battery as well as information regarding the discharge characteristics during movement in the vertical direction; The monitoring device according to technical idea 1, wherein the output unit outputs the monitoring result based on information relating to the temperature unevenness and information relating to the discharge characteristics.

[0103] <Technical philosophy 3> The monitoring device according to technical idea 1 or 2, wherein the vertical movement is a takeoff flight and / or a landing flight.

[0104] <Technical philosophy 4> The monitoring device described in technical idea 3, wherein the discharge rate of the battery during the vertical movement is 3C or more and the duration is 30 seconds or more.

[0105] <Technical philosophy 5> The battery includes a plurality of battery cells (142); The monitoring device according to any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 4, wherein the battery cell contains a layered compound material as a positive electrode material.

[0106] <Technical philosophy 6> The battery includes a battery pack (141) including a plurality of battery cells (142), The monitoring device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 5, wherein the information regarding the temperature unevenness includes information regarding the temperature unevenness inside the battery cell.

[0107] <Technical philosophy 7> The battery cell has electrode terminals (142P, 142N), The monitoring device described in Technical Idea 6, wherein the information regarding the temperature unevenness includes temperature rise characteristics before reaching a maximum temperature and / or temperature relaxation characteristics after reaching a maximum temperature associated with the vertical movement of the electric flying body at the electrode terminal of the battery cell or in the vicinity of the electrode terminal.

[0108] <Technical philosophy 8> The monitoring device according to Technical Idea 7, wherein the information regarding the temperature unevenness includes information regarding the electrode terminal or the vicinity of the electrode terminal of the battery cell arranged near the center of the battery pack. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 10... eVTOL, 11... aircraft body, 12... fixed wing, 121... main wing, 122... tail, 13... rotor, 131... blade, 132... shaft, 14... battery, 141... battery pack, 142... battery cell, 142N, 142P... electrode terminal, 15... EPU, 16... BMS, 20... ECU, 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... flight control system, 41... external control unit, 42... internal control unit, 50... monitoring device, 51... acquisition unit, 52... determination unit, 53... output unit< / evtol>

Claims

1. A monitoring device for monitoring a battery (14) mounted on an electric flying object (10), comprising: An acquisition unit (51) that acquires information regarding temperature unevenness of the battery that occurs due to vertical movement of the electric flying object; an output unit (53) that outputs a monitoring result when a predetermined condition related to an abnormality of the battery is satisfied based on the information on the temperature unevenness; A monitoring device comprising:

2. The acquisition unit acquires information regarding the temperature unevenness of the battery as well as information regarding the discharge characteristics during movement in the vertical direction; The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the output unit outputs the monitoring result based on information relating to the temperature unevenness and information relating to the discharge characteristics.

3. 3. The monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertical movement is a take-off flight and / or a landing flight.

4. 4. The monitoring device according to claim 3, wherein the discharge rate of the battery during the vertical movement is 3C or more and the duration of the vertical movement is 30 seconds or more.

5. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells (142); The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the battery cell includes a layered compound material as a positive electrode material.

6. The battery includes a battery pack (141) including a plurality of battery cells (142), The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the temperature unevenness includes information relating to temperature unevenness inside the battery cell.

7. The battery cell has electrode terminals (142P, 142N), The monitoring device of claim 6, wherein the information regarding the temperature unevenness includes temperature rise characteristics before reaching a maximum temperature and / or temperature relaxation characteristics after reaching a maximum temperature associated with the vertical movement of the electric flying body at or near the electrode terminal of the battery cell.

8. The monitoring device according to claim 7 , wherein the information relating to the temperature unevenness includes information at or near the electrode terminal of the battery cell disposed near a center of the battery pack.

9. A program stored in a storage medium (203) for monitoring a battery (14) mounted on an electric flying object (10), the program including instructions to be executed by a processor (201), Obtaining information regarding temperature unevenness of the battery that occurs due to vertical movement of the electric flying object; outputting a monitoring result when a predetermined condition related to an abnormality of the battery is satisfied based on the information on the temperature unevenness; A program comprising the instructions for causing a program to execute the above.

10. A monitoring device for monitoring a battery (14) mounted on an electric flying object (10), comprising: An acquisition unit (51) that acquires characteristics including a temperature rise characteristic before a maximum temperature of the battery is reached and / or a temperature relaxation characteristic after the maximum temperature is reached, which are generated in association with vertical movement of the electric flying object; an output unit (53) that outputs a monitoring result when a predetermined condition regarding an abnormality of the battery is satisfied based on the characteristics; A monitoring device comprising:

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