Power storage device management system

Abstract

To provide a power storage device management system capable of detecting the position of a power storage device.SOLUTION: A management system 1 includes a power storage device 10 having a communication module, a management device 20 capable of receiving a wireless signal from the power storage device 10 through short-distance wireless communication, and a management server 30 that communicates with the management device 20 and transmits necessary information to a terminal device 40. At least one of the management device 20 and the management server 30 calculates a relative position between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 on the basis of a wireless signal received by the management device 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management system for a power storage device. [Background technology]

[0002] Portable power storage devices that can be carried around have been used as power sources for electric vehicles such as power-assisted bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric carts, as well as for electrical devices such as computers, printers, smartphones, and tablet terminals. Portable power storage devices are also used as emergency power sources in the event of a power outage, disaster, or the like.

[0003] In recent years, a management system for a power storage device has been proposed that includes a power storage device equipped with a wireless communication module for transmitting information regarding the status of the power storage device to a terminal device such as a smartphone, and a server for managing the power storage device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-46571 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, it is anticipated that portable power storage devices may be taken away and stolen or lost. In view of quickly searching for the power storage device in such a case, a management system capable of detecting the location of the power storage device is required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the present disclosure, a management system for a power storage device, includes a power storage device having a communication module, a management device capable of receiving wireless signals from the power storage device via short-range wireless communication, and a management server that communicates with the management device, and is characterized in that at least one of the management device and the management server calculates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device and the management device based on the wireless signal received by the management device. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to a power storage device management system which is one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to detect the position of a power storage device and quickly search for the power storage device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a management system for an electricity storage device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a power storage device management system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a diagram showing an example of position information in the power storage device management system of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the power storage device management system of the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5 is a flowchart showing a process performed when a power storage device is taken out in the power storage device management system of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when an abnormality occurs in a management device in the power storage device management system of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a management system for an electricity storage device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram illustrating a method for estimating the position of an electricity storage device in a management system for an electricity storage device according to a second embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a management system for a power storage device according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example, and the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment. In addition, selective combinations of the components of the multiple embodiments and modified examples described below are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0010] The subject of the system according to the present disclosure includes a computer. The computer executes a program to realize the functions of the system according to the present disclosure. The computer includes a processor that operates according to the program as a main hardware configuration. The type of the processor is not important as long as it can realize the above functions by executing the program. The processor is composed of one or more electronic circuits including an integrated circuit (IC) or a large scale integrated circuit (LSI). The electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip or may be provided in multiple chips. The chips may be integrated into one device or may be provided in multiple devices. The program is stored in a non-transitory storage medium such as a computer-readable ROM, an optical disk, or a hard disk drive. The program may be stored in the storage medium in advance, or may be supplied to the storage medium via a wide area communication network including the Internet.

[0011] Hereinafter, a management system 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the management system 1. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the management system 1.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the management system 1 includes a portable energy storage device 10 including a communication module 12, a management device 20 capable of receiving wireless signals from the energy storage device 10 via short-range wireless communication, and a management server 30 that communicates with the management device 20 and transmits necessary information to a terminal device 40.

[0013] Although the details will be described later, the management device 20 periodically establishes a communication connection with the power storage device 10 and receives a wireless signal from the power storage device 10. The management device 20 then measures the signal strength of the wireless signal and transmits the result to the management server 30 in real time. Here, as the distance between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 becomes shorter, the signal strength of the wireless signal received by the management device 20 becomes stronger. Therefore, the management server 30 can calculate the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 based on the signal strength of the wireless signal. In this embodiment, the management server 30 stores in advance spatial information of the area in which the management device 20 is installed and information on the installation position of the management device 20. Therefore, by calculating the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20, the estimated position of the power storage device 10 within the area can be calculated.

[0014] The management system 1 generally includes a plurality of power storage devices 10. The management server 30 stores the identification number of the power storage device 10 and manages information for each power storage device 10. Therefore, the management server 30 can calculate an estimated position for each power storage device 10. The power storage devices 10 are registered in the management server 30 using, for example, a terminal device 40. Note that, when a user owns many power storage devices 10, a separate terminal device 40 may be used for management for each group of a predetermined number of power storage devices 10.

[0015] The power storage device 10 is used in many places, such as offices, factories, public facilities (government offices, community centers, schools, hospitals, stations, evacuation shelters, etc.), commercial facilities (stores, shopping malls, etc.), and homes. The power storage device 10 is managed by a user such as an owner or manager. It is assumed that the power storage device 10 managed by the management system 1 is usually used within a range where it can be connected to the management device 20 via short-range wireless communication.

[0016] As described above, the management device 20 communicates with the power storage device 10 by short-range wireless communication. In this embodiment, the management device 20 is a gateway device. The management device 20 may be a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a notebook computer, or the like.

[0017] The management device 20 may be movable by a user within a predetermined management area of ​​the power storage device 10, but in this embodiment, it is fixed at a predetermined position within the management area. Device information including identification information of the management device 20 and information on the installation location are registered in the management server 30 using, for example, a terminal device 40. Furthermore, the management system 1 of this embodiment is configured by one management device 20 as shown in FIG. 1, but may be configured by multiple management devices 20 as shown in a second embodiment described later.

[0018] The management server 30 is a device that comprehensively manages the power storage device 10. An example of the management server 30 is a server of a manufacturer, a management business operator, or the like of the power storage device 10. The management server 30 may be a server managed by a user who owns the power storage device 10. As described above, the management server 30 stores information about the power storage device 10, the management device 20, and the terminal device 40. The management server 30, the management device 20, and the terminal device 40 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a wide area communication network such as an Internet line or a mobile communication system.

[0019] The terminal device 40 is a device that acquires information from the management server 30 and displays the information on a display unit 43. That is, in the management system 1, a user can confirm the estimated position of the power storage device 10 using the terminal device 40. The terminal device 40 is, for example, a mobile terminal device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, or a notebook computer. The terminal device 40 is managed, for example, by a user of the power storage device 10. Application software (hereinafter, referred to as "app") for managing the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 may be installed in the terminal device 40.

[0020] The power storage device 10, the management device 20, the management server 30, and the terminal device 40 that configure the management system 1 will be described in detail below.

[0021] [Electricity storage device 10] The power storage device 10 includes a battery module 11 and a case 14 that houses the battery module 11. The power storage device 10 is a portable power storage device that can be carried around, and is generally called a battery pack. The power storage device 10 also includes a communication module 12 and a control unit 13. The communication module 12 and the control unit 13 are housed in the case 14 together with the battery module 11. The power storage device 10 also includes measuring instruments such as a voltmeter that measures the voltage of the battery module 11, an ammeter that measures the current, and a temperature sensor that measures the temperature.

[0022] The battery module 11 may be composed of a single battery, but is preferably composed of a battery pack including a plurality of batteries. The shape of the batteries constituting the battery pack is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a cylindrical battery, a pouch-type battery, or a prismatic battery. The type of battery is also not particularly limited, and a suitable example is a high-capacity lithium-ion battery. The power storage device 10 may be provided with a connector for extracting power from the battery module 11.

[0023] The communication module 12 is a communication device for short-distance wireless communication with the management device 20. Information on the power storage device 10 is transmitted to the management device 20 by a function of the communication module 12. In this embodiment, the communication module 12 is a module for performing BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication. BLE corresponds to Bluetooth version 4 or later, which is a short-distance wireless communication standard. Since the power consumption for BLE communication is relatively small, the use of a BLE module can reduce the internal power consumption of the power storage device 10. Bluetooth corresponds to the IEEE802.15.1 standard, which is an international standard for short-distance wireless communication. Note that the wireless communication between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 is not limited to BLE communication, and may be, for example, wireless LAN, infrared communication, or the like.

[0024] The communication module 12 transmits an advertising signal at a predetermined transmission interval to inform the management device 20 of the presence of the power storage device 10. The interval at which the communication module 12 transmits the advertising signal is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 500 ms. Furthermore, when the communication module 12 receives a connection request from the management device 20 that has received the advertising signal, the communication module 12 establishes a communication connection (GATT (Generic attribute profile) communication) with the management device 20 and transmits information regarding the device states of the power storage device 10 and a charger / discharger 50 described below to the management device 20.

[0025] The control unit 13 has a function of controlling the operation of the power storage device 10, such as calculating information related to the state of the power storage device 10 and transmitting information via the communication module 12. The control unit 13 is configured by a microcomputer including a processor and a memory. The memory includes non-volatile memory such as a RAM, a ROM, and a hard disk. The processor realizes the function of the power storage device 10 by reading and executing a program installed in the memory. The control unit 13 may also have a protection board called a BMS board, and monitors the state of the battery module 11 to perform optimal charging and discharging.

[0026] The control unit 13 calculates information on the state of the power storage device 10, such as the charging rate and full charge capacity of the battery module 11, based on the measured values ​​of measuring instruments such as a voltmeter, an ammeter, and a temperature sensor provided in the power storage device 10. The control unit 13 may also calculate the SOH (State of Health) of the battery module 11 based on these measured values. The SOH is an index indicating the deterioration state of the battery module 11, and is, for example, the ratio of the current full charge capacity to the full charge capacity of the battery module 11 when it is not in use. The control unit 13 also stores information on the state of the charger / discharger 50 transmitted from the charger / discharger 50 described below.

[0027] The control unit 13 transmits device status information, including the measurement values ​​of the measuring devices provided in the power storage device 10, the above-mentioned information on the state of the power storage device 10, and the information on the state of the charger / discharger 50 transmitted from the charger / discharger 50, to the management device 20 via the communication module 12. Here, the device status information transmitted to the management device 20 includes, for example, product information (product number, manufacturing date, etc.) of the power storage device 10, information on the user who owns the power storage device 10, and information on the operating status of the power storage device 10 (whether it is in use or not).

[0028] Case 14 may be made of metal, but is preferably made of resin from the viewpoints of communication performance, weight reduction, etc. Case 14 is generally opaque and conceals battery module 11 and the like housed therein. Case 14 shown in FIG. 1 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a handle 15 is provided at the upper end of case 14 for use when carrying power storage device 10. Also, a connection part 16 to be inserted into charger / discharger 50 is provided at the lower part of case 14. Connection part 16 has terminal 16A electrically connected to battery module 11.

[0029] Case 14 is provided with a remaining charge display button 17 and an indicator 18. Remaining charge display button 17 is an operation unit for causing indicator 18 to display the charging rate of battery module 11. Indicator 18 includes, for example, a plurality of lamps, and displays the charging rate by changing the number of lamps that are turned on according to the charging rate. Indicator 18 may be capable of displaying the charging rate as a numerical value, and may also be capable of displaying a state of power storage device 10 other than the charging rate.

[0030] The remaining charge display button 17 may also be used as an operation unit for shutting down the power storage device 10 and starting the long-term storage mode. For example, by performing a normal first operation of briefly pressing the remaining charge display button 17, the charging rate is displayed on the indicator 18, and by performing a second operation of long pressing the remaining charge display button 17, the power storage device 10 is shut down. In the long-term storage mode, all of the device components to which power is supplied from the battery module 11 are shut down.

[0031] The power storage device 10 is charged using a predetermined charger / discharger 50. The charger / discharger 50 includes a control unit 51, a charge / discharge circuit 52, a cord 53, and a socket 54, and functions as a charger by connecting the cord 53 to a system power supply. The charger / discharger 50 is also provided with measuring instruments such as a voltmeter for measuring the voltage of the charger / discharger 50, an ammeter for measuring the current, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature. The charger / discharger 50 may also have a function of directly outputting (passing through) the power supplied from the system power supply to a load device connected to the socket 54.

[0032] The charger / discharger 50 has a recess into which the connection portion 16 of the power storage device 10 can be inserted. A positive terminal, a negative terminal, a detection terminal, and a communication terminal are provided in the recess. The detection terminal is a terminal that has a function of detecting that the power storage device 10 is connected. When the power storage device 10 is inserted into the recess, communication between the power storage device 10 and the charger / discharger 50 is performed by the function of the communication terminal.

[0033] The control unit 51 is configured by a microcomputer including a processor and a memory, similar to the control unit 13 of the power storage device 10. The memory includes non-volatile memories such as RAM, ROM, and a hard disk. The processor realizes the function of the charger / discharger 50 by reading and executing a program installed in the memory.

[0034] The control unit 51 has a function of controlling the operation of the charger / discharger 50. Furthermore, the control unit 51 calculates information on the state of the charger / discharger 50 based on information from the above-mentioned measuring instruments, and transmits the calculation result to the power storage device 10. The information transmitted to the power storage device 10 includes, for example, product information (product number, manufacturing date, etc.) of the charger / discharger 50, an operating status, a power value, and information on the presence or absence of an abnormality.

[0035] [Management device 20] As described above, the management device 20 is communicatively connected to the power storage device 10 via short-range wireless communication, and is communicatively connected to the management server 30 via a wide area communication network. In this embodiment, the management device 20 is fixed at a predetermined position. The management device 20 includes a processor 21 and a memory 32, similar to the respective control units of the power storage device 10 and the charger / discharger 50. The memory 32 stores device status information transmitted from the power storage device 10, in addition to identification information and installation location information of the management device 20. The memory 32 also stores information regarding the interval at which the management device 20 is communicatively connected to the power storage device 10 and the management server 30.

[0036] The management device 20 receives the advertising signal transmitted from the power storage device 10. Then, the management device 20 periodically transmits a connection request to the power storage device 10 and establishes a communication connection with the power storage device 10. Hereinafter, the interval at which the management device 20 transmits the connection request to the power storage device 10 is referred to as a first period. The length of the first period can be appropriately set depending on the use of the power storage device 10, and is, for example, several tens of seconds to several tens of minutes. By shortening the first period, the internal power consumption of the power storage device 10 increases, but the device state of the power storage device 10 can be known frequently, and an abnormality or the like of the power storage device 10 can be quickly dealt with. In addition, although details will be described later, in this embodiment, the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 is calculated based on the signal strength when the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 are connected to each other for communication. Therefore, by shortening the first period, the position of the power storage device 10 can be known frequently, and the power storage device 10 can be quickly searched for when the power storage device 10 is lost or stolen. The length of the first period is registered in the management server 30, for example, using the terminal device 40. Then, the registered information is transmitted from the management server 30 to the management device 20 and registered in the management device 20.

[0037] The management device 20 measures the signal strength of the wireless signal from the power storage device 10. More specifically, the management device 20 measures the received radio wave intensity (RSSI) of the advertising signal transmitted from the power storage device 10.

[0038] The management device 20 transmits to the management server 30 the device status information transmitted from the power storage device 10, first information including the above-mentioned signal strength measurement results, and second information not including the device status information. The first information includes reception date and time information regarding the date and time when the management device 20 received the wireless signal from the power storage device 10. The second information includes, for example, device information (MAC address, IP address, etc.) of the management device 20, and information on the installation location of the management device 20. Note that the second information may include the above-mentioned signal strength measurement results, but does not include them in this embodiment.

[0039] After receiving the device status information from the power storage device 10, the management device 20 transmits the first information to the management server 30. The timing at which the management device 20 transmits the first information to the management server 30 may be the timing at which the management device 20 receives the device status information from the power storage device 10, or may be a predetermined timing (for example, 0 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 45 minutes past the hour). The management device 20 may transmit the first information related to a plurality of power storage devices 10 to the management server 30 together.

[0040] Furthermore, the management device 20 periodically transmits the second information to the management server 30 regardless of whether or not device status information has been received from the power storage device 10. In other words, even if the power storage device 10 is located away from the management device 20 and the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 cannot communicate with each other, the management device 20 periodically transmits the second information to the management server 30.

[0041] Here, it is assumed that the management device 20 transmits only the first information to the management server 30. In that case, if a failure, an abnormality, or the like occurs in the management device 20, the first information is not transmitted to the management server 30. However, even if the power storage device 10 does not exist near the management device 20 and the management device 20 and the power storage device 10 cannot be connected for communication, the first information is not transmitted to the management server 30. Therefore, it is not easy to determine whether the first information is not transmitted to the management server 30 because a failure, an abnormality, or the like occurs in the management device 20, or the first information is not transmitted to the management server 30 because the management device 20 and the power storage device 10 cannot be connected for communication. Therefore, the management device 20 periodically transmits the second information to the management server 30 regardless of the presence or absence of a communication connection between the management device 20 and the power storage device 10, thereby making it possible to detect a failure, an abnormality, or the like of the management device 20 at an early stage. Hereinafter, the interval at which the management device 20 transmits the second information to the management server 30 is referred to as a second period. The length of the second period, like the above-mentioned first period, can be set appropriately depending on the application of the power storage device 10, and is, for example, several tens of seconds to several tens of minutes. Moreover, the length of the second period may be the same as or different from the length of the first period.

[0042] [Administration Server 30] As described above, the management server 30 is capable of communicating with the management device 20 and the terminal device 40 via a wide area communication network. The management server 30 is, for example, a server of a manufacturer of the power storage device 10, a management business operator, etc. The management server 30 may be configured with one computer or multiple computers.

[0043] The management server 30 includes a processor 31 and a memory 32, similar to the respective control units of the power storage device 10, the charger / discharger 50, and the management device 20. The memory 32 stores device information of the power storage device 10, the charger / discharger 50, and the management device 20, and information on signal strength measured by the management device 20. The memory 32 stores information on the multiple power storage devices 10 in a state in which each power storage device 10 is associated with the management device 20 with which it most recently connected for communication. The memory 32 may also store calendar information. The power storage device 10, the charger / discharger 50, and the management device 20 can be registered in the management server 30, and the registered contents can be changed, for example, by operating the terminal device 40.

[0044] The memory 32 also stores spatial information of the area in which the management device 20 is installed. The spatial information is, for example, a floor plan or layout diagram of an office or the like in which the management device 20 is installed. It is also preferable that the position of the management device 20 is registered in the spatial information. The spatial information and the position of the management device 20 can be registered, and the registered contents can be changed, by operating the terminal device 40.

[0045] When the management server 30 receives the first information from the management device 20, it calculates the relative positional relationship between the energy storage device 10 and the management device 20, more specifically, the estimated distance between the energy storage device 10 and the management device 20, based on the signal strength measured by the management device 20.

[0046] The management server 30 creates position information that associates the calculated relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 with the spatial information stored in the memory 32. FIG. 3 shows an example of position information created by the management server 30 of this embodiment. FIG. 3 illustrates a case in which data on desks and chairs installed in a conference room in an office is used as spatial information. As described above, the management system 1 of this embodiment is configured with one management device 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the range of the estimated position of the power storage device 10 is a donut-shaped range surrounded by a circle whose radius is the maximum value of the estimated distance between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 taking into account the measurement error, and a circle whose radius is the minimum value of the estimated distance between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 taking into account the measurement error. Here, the measurement error is set based on a value that is empirically known as to the degree of error that occurs in distance measurement by wireless communication used in this embodiment, or a value determined by a verification result performed in advance.

[0047] Furthermore, the management server 30 may create location information that associates the calculated relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20, the spatial information stored in the memory 32, and reception date and time information regarding the date and time when the management device 20 received a wireless signal from the power storage device 10. In this case, it becomes clearer when and where the power storage device 10 was present. Furthermore, the location information may include calendar information. By including the calendar information in the location information, it is possible to easily know the movement route of the power storage device 10 on a specific date, time, and day of the week.

[0048] The management server 30 may not need to create the above-mentioned location information for some of the power storage devices 10 that are registered in advance in the management server 30. In other words, even if the management server 30 receives the first information related to the power storage device 10, it is not necessary to calculate the location relationship or create the location information.

[0049] Furthermore, the management server 30 may create the above-mentioned location information for some of the power storage devices 10 registered in advance in the management server 30, using the locations of the power storage devices 10 registered in advance. In other words, the management server 30 may create location information by associating the location of the power storage device 10 registered in advance with spatial information, regardless of the actual location of the power storage device 10. This is effective in the case where the user does not move the location of the power storage device 10, but uses it only at a specific location. The above-mentioned registration of product information of the power storage device 10 and registration of the location of the power storage device 10 are performed using, for example, the terminal device 40.

[0050] The management server 30 may generate the location information successively when the first information is received from the management device 20, or may generate the location information at a predetermined timing (for example, 0 minutes and 30 minutes past the hour). The management server 30 may generate the location information only when requested by the terminal device 40. The generated location information is transmitted to the terminal device 40 and displayed on the display unit 43 of the terminal device 40.

[0051] The management server 30 may have a function of detecting that the power storage device 10 has been taken out of a predetermined management area. For example, when the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 cannot communicate with each other for a certain period of time, i.e., when the first information is not transmitted from the management device 20 to the management server 30 for a certain period of time, the management server 30 detects that the power storage device 10 has been taken out of the predetermined management area. Furthermore, the management server 30 may detect that the power storage device 10 has been taken out of the predetermined management area when the measurement result of the signal strength included in the first information is equal to or less than a predetermined value for a certain period of time.

[0052] When the management server 30 detects that the power storage device 10 has been taken out of a predetermined management area, the management server 30 creates take-out detection information for notifying a user that the power storage device 10 has been taken out, and transmits the take-out detection information to the terminal device 40. The take-out detection function may target all the power storage devices 10 registered in the management server 30, or may target only some of the power storage devices 10 registered in advance in the management server 30. The take-out detection time for the management server 30 to detect the taking-out of the power storage device 10 can be set appropriately depending on the use of the power storage device 10, and is, for example, several minutes to one hour. The take-out detection time is registered and changed using, for example, the terminal device 40.

[0053] The management server 30 may have a function of detecting an abnormality in the management device 20. For example, when the management device 20 and the management server 30 cannot communicate with each other for a certain period of time, that is, when the second information is not transmitted from the management device 20 to the management server 30, the management server 30 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the management device 20. When the management server 30 detects an abnormality in the management device 20, it creates abnormality detection information for notifying a user that an abnormality has occurred in the management device 20, and transmits the abnormality detection information to the terminal device 40. The abnormality detection time for the management server 30 to detect an abnormality in the management device 20 may be the same as or different from the above-mentioned take-out detection time. The abnormality detection time is registered and changed using, for example, the terminal device 40, in the same manner as the take-out detection time.

[0054] [Terminal device 40] The terminal device 40 is used when checking the device states of the power storage device 10 and the management device 20, and the location information of the power storage device 10. As described above, the terminal device 40 is configured to be able to communicate with the management server 30 via a wide area communication network. The terminal device 40 includes a processor 41 and a memory 42, similar to the respective control units of the power storage device 10, the charger / discharger 50, and the management device 20. The terminal device 40 also includes a display unit 43 that displays information acquired from the management server 30.

[0055] The terminal device 40 may be a dedicated terminal for the management system 1, but examples include a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a notebook computer, etc. owned by a user. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the management system 1 is configured with one terminal device 40, but may be configured with multiple terminal devices 40.

[0056] An example of a processing procedure in the management system 1 will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

[0057] 4 illustrates an example of a processing procedure in which the management server 30 creates location information of the power storage device 10 based on the first information. First, the processing procedure of the power storage device 10 will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the power storage device 10 periodically transmits an advertising signal as described above (step S11). Then, when the power storage device 10 receives a connection request from the management device 20 (step S12: Yes), the power storage device 10 establishes a communication connection with the management device 20. On the other hand, when the power storage device 10 does not receive a connection request from the management device 20 (step S12: No), the process returns to step S11 and continues transmitting the advertising signal.

[0058] When the power storage device 10 is connected for communication with the management device 20, the power storage device 10 creates device status information including information on the status of the power storage device 10 (charging rate, full charge capacity, SOH, operating status, power value, temperature, etc.) and information on the status of the charger / discharger 50 (step S13). Then, the power storage device 10 transmits the created device status information to the management device 20 (step S14).

[0059] Next, a processing procedure of the management device 20 will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, when the management device 20 receives an advertising signal transmitted from the power storage device 10 (step S21: Yes), it determines whether or not a first period has passed since the most recent communication connection between the management device 20 and the power storage device 10 (step S22). If the first period has passed (step S22: Yes), the management device 20 measures the signal strength of the advertising signal (step S23). Then, the management device 20 transmits a connection request to the power storage device 10 and establishes a communication connection with the power storage device 10 (step S24). On the other hand, if the first period has not passed (step S22: No), the management device 20 does not transmit a connection request to the power storage device 10 and returns to step S21.

[0060] When the management device 20 is connected to and communicates with the power storage device 10, it receives device status information from the power storage device 10 (step S25). Then, the management device 20 transmits first information including the above-mentioned device status information and information related to the signal strength measured in step S23 to the management server 30 (step S26). Here, it is preferable to transmit the first information to the management server 30 immediately after receiving the device status information from the power storage device 10. This allows the management server 30 to calculate the position of the power storage device 10 in real time.

[0061] Next, the processing procedure of the management server 30 will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, when the management server 30 receives the first information transmitted from the management device 20 (step S31: Yes), the management server 30 calculates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 based on the signal strength measured by the management device 20 (step S32). Then, the management server 30 creates position information as shown in Fig. 3, which associates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 with preregistered spatial information (step S33). Thereafter, the management server 30 transmits the created position information to the terminal device 40 in response to a request from the terminal device 40 or immediately after creation (step S34).

[0062] Next, Fig. 5 illustrates an example of a processing procedure when the management server 30 detects that the power storage device 10 has been taken out of a predetermined area. Fig. 5 illustrates a processing procedure of the management server 30.

[0063] The management server 30 reads out the reception record of the first information of the specific power storage device 10 stored in the management server 30, and acquires the date and time when the first information was most recently received (step S41). After that, the management server 30 acquires the take-out detection time that is preset in the management server 30 (step S42).

[0064] Next, in step S43, management server 30 determines whether or not the take-out detection time acquired in step S42 has elapsed since the most recent reception date and time of the first information acquired in step S41. Then, if the take-out detection time has elapsed since the most recent reception date and time of the first information (step S43: Yes), management server 30 determines that power storage device 10 has been taken out. On the other hand, if the take-out detection time has not elapsed since the most recent reception date and time of the first information (step S43: No), the process returns to step S41.

[0065] When the management server 30 determines that the power storage device 10 has been taken out, it creates take-out detection information (step S44). The take-out detection information includes, for example, product information of the taken-out power storage device 10, user information, and lastly calculated position information. Then, the management server 30 transmits the created take-out detection information to the terminal device 40 (step S45).

[0066] 6 illustrates an example of a processing procedure when the management server 30 detects an abnormality in the management device 20. In FIG. 6, similar to FIG. 5, the processing procedure of the management server 30 is illustrated.

[0067] The management server 30 reads out the reception record of the second information of a specific management device 20 stored in the management server 30, and acquires the date and time of the most recent reception of the second information (step S51). After that, the management server 30 acquires the abnormality detection time preset in the management server 30 (step S52).

[0068] Next, in step S53, the management server 30 determines whether or not the anomaly detection time acquired in step S52 has elapsed since the most recent reception date and time of the second information acquired in step S51. Then, if the anomaly detection time has elapsed since the most recent reception date and time of the second information (step S53: Yes), the management server 30 determines that an anomaly has occurred in the management device 20. On the other hand, if the anomaly detection time has not elapsed since the most recent reception date and time of the second information (step S53: No), the process returns to step S51.

[0069] When the management server 30 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the management device 20, it creates abnormality detection information (step S54). The abnormality detection information includes, for example, product information of the management device 20 in which the abnormality has been detected, registered location information, the date and time when the second information was most recently received, etc. Then, the management server 30 transmits the created abnormality detection information to the terminal device 40 (step S55).

[0070] Hereinafter, the power storage device management system 2 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a diagram that illustrates the power storage device management system 2 of the present embodiment. Below, overlapping descriptions of contents common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and differences from the first embodiment will be described in detail.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 7, the management system 2 for the power storage device is common to the management system 1 of the first embodiment in that it includes a power storage device 10, a management device 20, a management server 30, and a terminal device 40. On the other hand, the management system 2 for the power storage device is different from the management system 1 in that it includes a plurality of management devices 23, 24, and 25 as the management device 20. The management devices 23, 24, and 25 are installed on the same floor of an office, for example, and are connected for communication with the power storage device 10 present on that floor. The number of management devices 20 is not limited to three, and may be two, or may be four or more. As will be described in detail later, the greater the number of management devices 20, the more accurate the estimated position of the power storage device 10 can be.

[0072] The management devices 23, 24, and 25 each have a communication connection with the power storage device 10. More specifically, when the management devices 23, 24, and 25 receive an advertising signal from the power storage device 10, they each transmit a connection request and communicate with the power storage device 10. Then, the management devices 23, 24, and 25 receive device status information from the power storage device 10, measure the signal strength of the wireless signal from the power storage device 10, and transmit the device status information and first information including the measurement result of the signal strength to the management server 30. In other words, the management server 30 receives the first information corresponding to the power storage device 10 for the number of management devices 20 that communicate with the power storage device 10.

[0073] The power storage device management system 2 of this embodiment includes three management devices 23, 24, and 25, as described above. Therefore, the management server 30 receives first information corresponding to the power storage device 10 from each of the management devices 23, 24, and 25. The first information received from the management device 23 includes device status information of the power storage device 10 and the signal strength measured by the management device 23. Similarly, the first information received from the management device 24 includes device status information of the power storage device 10 and the signal strength measured by the management device 24, and the first information received from the management device 25 includes device status information of the power storage device 10 and the signal strength measured by the management device 25.

[0074] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a method of estimating the position of the power storage device 10 by the management server 30. The management server 30 calculates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management devices 23, 24, 25, more specifically, the estimated distance between the power storage device 10 and the management devices 23, 24, 25, based on the signal strengths measured by the management devices 23, 24, 25, respectively, and calculates the estimated position of the power storage device 10. Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the range of the estimated position of the power storage device 10 calculated based on the signal strengths of the respective management devices 23, 24, 25 is a donut-shaped range surrounded by a circle having a radius of the maximum value of the estimated distance between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 taking into account the measurement error, and a circle having a radius of the minimum value of the estimated distance between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 taking into account the measurement error, as described above.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 8, the management server 30 estimates an area where the ranges of the calculated estimated positions of the three power storage devices 10 overlap as the location of the power storage device 10. According to this technique, the range of the estimated position of the power storage device 10 can be made smaller, so that the power storage device 10 can be searched for more quickly when the power storage device 10 is lost or stolen. Furthermore, according to this technique, the greater the number of management devices 20, the smaller the range of the estimated position of the power storage device 10 can be. In other words, the greater the number of management devices 20, the more accurate the estimated position of the power storage device 10 can be.

[0076] As described above, according to the management systems 1 and 2 having the above configuration, the management device 20 periodically receives a wireless signal from the power storage device 10 and measures the signal strength of the wireless signal. Then, the management server 30 calculates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 based on the signal strength of the wireless signal. This makes it possible to detect the position of the power storage device 10, and allows for a rapid search for the power storage device 10 when it is lost or stolen.

[0077] The above embodiment may be appropriately modified in design without impairing the purpose of the present disclosure. For example, in the above embodiment, the management server 30 calculates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 based on the signal strength of the wireless signal measured by the management device 20, but the method of calculating the positional relationship is not limited to this. For example, the management server 30 may calculate an estimated distance between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 based on the time difference between the transmission time of the wireless signal transmitted from the power storage device 10 and the reception time of the wireless signal received by the management device 20, and calculate the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20.

[0078] The management device 20 may have at least a part of the functions of the management server 30 in the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the management server 30 calculates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20, but the management device 20 may calculate the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20. For example, the memory 22 of the management device 20 may store spatial information of the area in which the management device 20 is installed, and the management device 20 may create position information that associates the relative positional relationship between the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 with the spatial information. For example, the management device 20 may have a removal detection function that determines that the power storage device 10 has been removed when the power storage device 10 and the management device 20 cannot be connected for communication for a certain period of time.

[0079] The present disclosure is further illustrated by the following embodiments. Configuration 1: A management system for a power storage device comprising: a power storage device having a communication module; a management device capable of receiving wireless signals from the power storage device via short-range wireless communication; and a management server that communicates with the management device and transmits necessary information to a terminal device, wherein at least one of the management device and the management server calculates a relative positional relationship between the power storage device and the management device based on the wireless signals received by the management device. Configuration 2: A management system for a power storage device according to configuration 1, wherein at least one of the management device and the management server calculates a relative positional relationship between the power storage device and the management device based on the signal strength of the wireless signal received by the management device. Configuration 3: A management system for a storage device described in configuration 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the management device and the management server stores spatial information of an area in which the management device is installed, and creates location information that associates the relative positional relationship between the storage device and the management device with the spatial information. Configuration 4: A management system for a storage device described in configuration 3, wherein at least one of the management device and the management server stores reception date and time information regarding the date and time when the management device received the wireless signal, and creates location information that associates the relative positional relationship between the storage device and the management device, the spatial information, and the reception date and time information. Configuration 5: A management system for a power storage device described in any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the management device is placed in a predetermined management area for the power storage device, and at least one of the management device and the management server determines that the power storage device has been taken outside the management area if the power storage device and the management device cannot communicate with each other for a certain period of time. Configuration 6: The power storage device management system according to configuration 5, wherein, when it is determined that the power storage device has been taken out, the management server transmits take-out detection information notifying the terminal device that the power storage device has been taken out. Configuration 7: The management system for a power storage device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the management server determines that an abnormality has occurred in the management device when the management device and the management server cannot communicate with each other for a certain period of time. Configuration 8: The power storage device management system according to configuration 7, wherein when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the management device, the management server transmits abnormality detection information notifying the terminal device that an abnormality has occurred in the management device. Configuration 9: The power storage device management system according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the management device establishes a communication connection with the management server at predetermined intervals regardless of the presence or absence of a communication connection with the power storage device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1, 2 Management system, 10 Power storage device, 11 Battery module, 12 Communication module, 13 Control unit, 14 Case, 15 Handle, 16 Connection unit, 16A terminal, 17 Remaining power display button, 18 Indicator, 20, 23, 24, 25 Management device, 21 Processor, 22 Memory, 30 Management server, 31 Processor, 32 Memory, 40 Terminal device, 41 Processor, 42 Memory, 43 Display unit, 50 Charger / discharger, 51 Control unit, 52 Charge / discharge circuit, 53 Cord, 54 Outlet

Claims

1. a power storage device having a communication module; a management device capable of receiving a wireless signal from the power storage device through short-range wireless communication; A management server that communicates with the management device and transmits necessary information to the terminal device; Equipped with A management system for a power storage device, wherein at least one of the management device and the management server calculates a relative positional relationship between the power storage device and the management device based on the wireless signal received by the management device.

2. 2 . The energy storage device management system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the management device and the management server calculates a relative positional relationship between the energy storage device and the management device based on a signal strength of the wireless signal received by the management device.

3. At least one of the management device and the management server storing spatial information of an area in which the management device is installed; The power storage device management system according to claim 1 , further comprising: generating position information that associates the spatial information with a relative positional relationship between the power storage device and the management device.

4. At least one of the management device and the management server The management device further stores reception date and time information regarding a date and time when the management device received the wireless signal, The power storage device management system according to claim 3 , further comprising: generating the position information by associating a relative positional relationship between the power storage device and the management device with the spatial information and the reception date and time information.

5. the management device is disposed in a predetermined management area of ​​the power storage device, The storage device management system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the management device and the management server determines that the storage device has been taken outside the management area if the storage device and the management device cannot communicate with each other for a certain period of time.

6. The power storage device management system according to claim 5 , wherein, when it is determined that the power storage device has been taken out, the management server transmits take-out detection information notifying the terminal device that the power storage device has been taken out.

7. The power storage device management system according to claim 1 , wherein the management server determines that an abnormality has occurred in the management device when the management device and the management server cannot communicate with each other for a certain period of time.

8. The power storage device management system according to claim 7 , wherein the management server, when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the management device, transmits abnormality detection information notifying the terminal device that an abnormality has occurred in the management device.

9. The power storage device management system according to claim 1 , wherein the management device establishes a communication connection with the management server at predetermined intervals regardless of whether or not a communication connection with the power storage device exists.

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