Battery unit

Abstract

To provide a battery unit that allows proper reuse of a battery module.SOLUTION: A battery unit 10 comprises: a battery module 11; a first monitoring section 31 that acquires, as primary monitoring information, a result of detection performed by a detection section that detects a state of the battery module 11; and a control section 33 that receives input of the primary monitoring information from the first monitoring section 31, and calculates secondary monitoring information from arithmetic processing based on the primary monitoring information. A second monitoring section 32 has a storage section 32a that stores history information that is the history of at least one of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information. The first monitoring section 31 and the control section 33 can be separated from an assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring section 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The disclosure in this specification relates to a battery unit. [Background technology]

[0002] From the viewpoint of a circular economy for batteries, it is desirable that batteries that have completed their primary use in vehicles, etc., are reused rather than immediately discarded. Various prior art techniques for battery reuse have been proposed in the past (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Generally, batteries mounted on vehicles, etc. are configured as battery units in which a battery module and a battery monitoring device are integrated, and the battery monitoring device successively monitors the voltage, current, temperature, etc., of the battery module as the state of the battery module. Based on the information on the voltage, current, temperature, etc., the SOC and SOH of the battery module are calculated, and the charging and discharging of the battery module are controlled. The battery unit is also called a battery pack, and the battery monitoring device is also called a BMS (Battery Management System). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5500252 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to reduce the cost of batteries for reuse, it is desirable to reuse not only the battery module but also the battery monitoring device. In this case, by using the battery information acquired during the first use when reusing the battery, it becomes possible to reuse the battery while taking into account the usage status of the battery module during the first use. However, when reusing the battery unit as it is, including the battery monitoring device, there is a concern that information that should be prevented from leaking to the outside will be used together with the battery module during reuse, which will essentially result in the leakage of information such as manufacturer know-how.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a battery unit that enables battery modules to be appropriately reused. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure relates to A battery module; a monitoring unit that acquires a detection result by a detection unit that detects a state of the battery module as primary monitoring information; a control unit that receives the primary monitoring information from the monitoring unit and calculates secondary monitoring information by performing an arithmetic process based on the primary monitoring information, the monitoring unit has a storage unit in which history information that is a history of at least one of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information is stored; The control unit is detachable from an assembly including the battery module and the monitoring unit.

[0007] In the battery unit having the above configuration, the monitoring unit acquires the state of the battery module detected by the detection unit as primary monitoring information. In addition, the control unit calculates secondary monitoring information by arithmetic processing based on the primary monitoring information input from the monitoring unit. If the battery module is composed of multiple battery cells, the state of each battery cell may be detected by the detection unit and acquired as primary monitoring information. Furthermore, secondary monitoring information may be calculated for each battery cell.

[0008] Here, in the arithmetic processing of the control unit, the secondary monitoring information is calculated using correlation data, conversion map data, etc., which indicate the correlation between the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information. In this case, the correlation data, map data, etc. are considered to be know-how information specific to the battery manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer. In other words, the correlation data, map data, etc., for acquiring the secondary monitoring information can be considered to be confidential information that the manufacturer wishes to avoid leaking to a third party. On the other hand, the history information, which is the history of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information acquired during the primary use, can be used as information on the usage history of the battery module when the battery module is reused. For example, during the primary use of the battery module, it is considered that the battery module has deteriorated or been damaged to a certain extent, and by using the history information during the primary use when reusing the battery module, it is possible to reuse the battery module while taking into account the damage suffered during the primary use.

[0009] In consideration of these, the monitoring unit has a storage unit in which at least one of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information is stored, and the control unit is detachable from an assembly including the battery module and the monitoring unit in the battery unit. In this case, when the battery module is reused after the primary use of the battery module, the confidential information contained in the control unit is separated from the battery module, and the battery module is provided with history information that can be referenced when the battery is reused. In other words, when the battery module is reused, the removal of the control unit prevents the manufacturer's know-how from leaking out, and the battery module can be reused while corresponding to the history information acquired during the primary use. As a result, the battery module can be reused appropriately.

[0010] The monitoring unit may acquire at least one of voltage information, current information, and temperature information of the battery module as the primary monitoring information, and the control unit may calculate at least one of electric capacity information (SOC), deterioration information (SOH), and overheating information of the battery module based on the voltage information, current information, and temperature information of the battery module as the secondary monitoring information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] Overall configuration diagram of the power supply system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a battery unit. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the electrical configuration of the battery unit. [Figure 4] 6 is a flowchart showing processes executed by a first monitoring unit, a control unit, and a second monitoring unit. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the first monitoring unit and the control unit are detached from an assembly including a battery module and a second monitoring unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the battery control device is connected to the second monitoring unit when the battery is reused. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an electrical configuration diagram showing the electrical configuration of a battery unit in a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing processes executed by a monitoring unit and a control unit in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a process executed by a control unit in another example. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the configuration of a power supply section in a battery unit according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a battery unit according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The battery unit is mounted on an electric vehicle such as an electric car or a hybrid car, and an on-board power supply system is constructed including the battery unit. This power supply system has a high-voltage battery with a terminal voltage of several hundreds of volts on both the positive and negative sides. The battery unit is widely applicable to devices that use the battery unit as a power source, such as flying objects such as drones, ships, construction machinery, and agricultural machinery, in addition to electric vehicles.

[0013] (First embodiment) First, an overview of a power supply system in a vehicle will be described with reference to Fig. 1. In Fig. 1, the power supply system has a plurality of battery units 10 and a battery ECU 20 that manages each of the battery units 10. The battery unit 10 has a battery module 11 and a battery monitoring device 12 that monitors the battery module 11. The battery module 11 is configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells 13 in series. Each battery cell 13 is configured by, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery or a nickel-hydrogen secondary battery. Note that the lithium ion secondary battery is a secondary battery that uses lithium as a charge carrier, and may include not only a general lithium ion secondary battery with a liquid electrolyte, but also an all-solid-state battery that uses a solid electrolyte.

[0014] The battery modules 11 of each battery unit 10 are connected in series to form a battery pack B. The battery pack B is a high-voltage battery that generates a terminal voltage of several hundreds of volts. In a vehicle, power is supplied from the battery pack B to a rotating electric machine that serves as a driving source for the vehicle. Note that the battery pack B may be one in which the battery modules 11 are connected in parallel, or one in which the battery modules 11 are connected in series and parallel.

[0015] The battery monitoring device 12 of each battery unit 10 is a child device of the battery ECU 20, and the battery ECU 20 and the battery monitoring devices 12 can communicate with each other by wired or wireless communication means. The battery ECU 20 is configured with a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The battery ECU 20 executes various processes related to battery control based on a program stored in the ROM. The battery ECU 20 executes control related to charging or discharging the battery pack B, for example. The battery monitoring device 12 acquires information related to the battery module 11 in response to a command from the battery ECU 20, and transmits the information to the battery ECU 20. The battery monitoring device 12 may acquire information related to the battery module 11 at a predetermined period. The battery monitoring device 12 is also called a satellite monitoring device.

[0016] 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a plurality of battery units 10 mounted on a vehicle. The battery unit 10 has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped battery module 11 and a battery monitoring device 12 provided integrally with the battery module 11. The battery module 11 is configured by housing a plurality of battery cells 13 in a rectangular parallelepiped housing 14. The battery monitoring device 12 is provided, for example, at one end side in the longitudinal direction of the battery module 11. The battery monitoring device 12 may be housed within the housing 14 or may be disposed outside the housing 14.

[0017] A vehicle is equipped with a plurality of battery units 10, for example, arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the battery units 10. In the battery unit 10, the battery monitoring device 12 can be detached from the battery module 11, assuming that the battery module 11 will be reused after the primary use is completed. The battery monitoring device 12 includes a portion that remains on the battery module 11 side when detached from the battery module 11, and a portion that is detached from the battery module 11 side, and the details of this will be described later.

[0018] 3 is a diagram showing the electrical configuration of the battery unit 10. In the battery unit 10, the battery monitoring device 12 has a first monitoring unit 31, a second monitoring unit 32, and a control unit 33. The first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are connected by a signal line 34, and the second monitoring unit 32 and the control unit 33 are connected by a signal line 35.

[0019] The first monitoring unit 31 and the second monitoring unit 32 are both monitoring ICs equipped with a monitoring function for monitoring the state of the battery module 11. That is, in the battery unit 10 of this embodiment, the monitoring units 31, 32 are provided redundantly. These monitoring units 31, 32 are connected in parallel to the control unit 33. The monitoring units 31, 32 each have a storage unit 31a, 32a that stores information that is a result of monitoring the battery module 11. The storage units 31a, 32a are memories that enable data to be written and saved.

[0020] The first monitoring unit 31 acquires the detection results of various sensors provided in the battery module 11 as primary monitoring information. The primary monitoring information includes, for example, voltage information, current information, temperature information, etc. of each battery cell 13 constituting the battery module 11. The battery unit 10 is provided with a voltage sensor 41 that detects the terminal voltage of each battery cell 13, a current sensor 42 that detects the current flowing through each battery cell 13, and a temperature sensor 43 that detects the temperature of each battery cell 13, as detection units for detecting the primary monitoring information. Detection signals from each sensor 41 to 43 are input to the first monitoring unit 31 and the second monitoring unit 32, respectively.

[0021] In FIG. 3, the voltage sensor 41 is provided in each of the first monitoring unit 31 and the second monitoring unit 32, and the voltage sensor 41 provided in the first monitoring unit 31 is referred to as the voltage sensor 41A, and the voltage sensor 41 provided in the second monitoring unit 32 is referred to as the voltage sensor 41B. In detail, an electric path 45 is connected to both ends of each battery cell 13 in the battery module 11. Each electric path 45 is branched into two paths, one of which is connected to the voltage sensor 41A of the first monitoring unit 31, and the other is connected to the voltage sensor 41B of the second monitoring unit 32. However, the above configuration is an example, and can be changed. For example, it is also possible to provide the voltage sensor 41 on the battery module 11 side. It is preferable that the electric path 45 is provided with a wiring connector 46 that can disconnect the branched parts of the paths (wiring) connected to the voltage sensors 41A and 41B.

[0022] The current sensor 42 may be provided in a cell series path of the battery module 11. One temperature sensor 43 may be provided for each battery module 11, or a plurality of temperature sensors 43 may be provided for each battery module 11. The current sensor 42 and the temperature sensor 43 are provided as part of the battery module 11. In addition to the above-mentioned sensors 41 to 43, the battery unit 10 may be provided with sensors for detecting distortion of each battery cell 13, gas generation, and pressure changes.

[0023] The first monitoring unit 31 takes in the detection results of the voltage sensor 41, the current sensor 42, and the temperature sensor 43, and stores them in the storage unit 31a as chronological history information. At this time, the first monitoring unit 31 stores the detection results of each sensor 41-43, which is primary monitoring information, in the storage unit 31a in chronological order. The first monitoring unit 31 also performs self-diagnosis based on whether or not the detection values ​​of each sensor 41-43 are within a predetermined range, and if it is determined that the detection values ​​are not within the predetermined range, stores information indicating that in the storage unit 31a. The sensor detection results may be stored separately as those that are within the predetermined range and those that are outside the predetermined range. The first monitoring unit 31 also outputs the primary monitoring information to the control unit 33.

[0024] The control unit 33 is configured with a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The control unit 33 has a communication function that enables communication with the battery ECU 20. The control unit 33 executes various processes related to battery monitoring based on programs, correlation data, conversion maps, etc. stored in the ROM. In the backup area of ​​the RAM in the control unit 33, the chassis number, registration number, etc. are stored as identification information of the vehicle on which the battery unit 10 is mounted. The chassis number, registration number, etc. are information associated with the name of the owner of the vehicle, and correspond to "owner information." The owner information can also be referred to as vehicle user information or personal information.

[0025] The control unit 33 calculates the SOC (State Of Charge), SOH (State Of Health), and impedance of each battery cell 13 as secondary monitoring information based on the primary monitoring information input from the first monitoring unit 31. Specifically, the control unit 33 calculates the SOC of each battery cell 13 based on the open circuit voltage (OCV) and current flow of each battery cell 13 using predetermined correlation data, conversion maps, etc. The control unit 33 also calculates the SOH of each battery cell 13 based on the change in the full charge capacity of the battery cell 13 from the initial state or the change in impedance of the battery cell 13 from the initial state using predetermined correlation data, conversion maps, etc. The control unit 33 also calculates the impedance of each battery cell 13 based on the current change and voltage change of each battery cell 13 according to a predetermined processing procedure.

[0026] Furthermore, the control unit 33 determines whether the battery cell 13 is in an overcharged state or an overdischarged state based on the terminal voltage or SOC of each battery cell 13. At this time, the control unit 33 compares the terminal voltage or SOC of each battery cell 13 with a predetermined overcharge determination value or overdischarge determination value, and determines whether the battery cell 13 is overcharged or overdischarged based on the comparison result.

[0027] In addition, the control unit 33 executes a process of determining the current value that can be charged to the battery module 11 and a process of determining the current value that can be discharged from the battery module 11 based on the temperature of the battery module 11 and at least one of the SOC and SOH of each battery cell 13.

[0028] In the control unit 33, the calculation process for calculating the SOC, SOH, and impedance of each battery cell 13, and data such as conversion maps are know-how information of the manufacturer that manufactures the power supply system and the vehicle, and are confidential information unique to the manufacturer. This confidential information is stored in the ROM area of ​​the control unit 33. In the battery unit 10, during primary use, the first monitoring unit 31 acquires the detection results (voltage, current, temperature) detected by the sensors 41-43 as primary monitoring information. In addition, the control unit 33 calculates secondary monitoring information such as the SOC, SOH, and cell impedance by calculation process based on the primary monitoring information input from the first monitoring unit 31.

[0029] The second monitoring unit 32 has the same functions as the first monitoring unit 31, and receives detection results from the voltage sensor 41, the current sensor 42, and the temperature sensor 43, and stores them in a memory unit 32a. The second monitoring unit 32 is a monitoring unit provided redundantly with respect to the first monitoring unit 31.

[0030] The second monitoring unit 32 has a communication unit 32b that enables communication with the control unit 33. In the second monitoring unit 32, the communication unit 32b receives information from the control unit 33, i.e., the history information of the primary monitoring information and the history information of the secondary monitoring information during the primary use. The second monitoring unit 32 may also have a communication unit 32c other than the communication unit 32b. The communication unit 32c is a communication device that enables communication with a communication partner other than the control unit 33, and may be either one that enables wired communication or one that enables wireless communication. The communication unit 32c may have a communication method different from the communication unit 32b. For example, the communication unit 32b is configured to be able to communicate using a communication method (a communication method that enables communication with the control unit 33) used in the battery unit 10 during the primary use, while the communication unit 32c is configured to be able to communicate using a communication method used for communication with an external device such as a control device different from the control unit 33 after the primary use. The second monitoring unit 32 may have three or more communication units, or in short, may have multiple communication units with different communication methods.

[0031] The battery unit 10 of this embodiment allows the battery module 11 to be reused (secondary reuse) after the primary use is completed, and a configuration for suitably realizing battery reuse will be described in detail below.

[0032] 3, the battery unit 10 includes a power supply unit 51 for supplying power to the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33, and a power supply unit 52 for supplying power to the second monitoring unit 32. That is, the first monitoring unit 31, the control unit 33, and the second monitoring unit 32 are configured to receive power from different power supply units 51, 52. The power supply unit 51 is connected to a low-voltage battery (e.g., a 12V battery) (not shown) mounted on the vehicle, and generates a power supply voltage for operating the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 by receiving power from the low-voltage battery. The power supply unit 52 is connected to the battery module 11, and generates a power supply voltage for operating the second monitoring unit 32 by receiving power from the battery module 11.

[0033] In the battery unit 10, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are mounted on a board 61, and the second monitoring unit 32 is mounted on a separate board 62 different from the board 61. The signal line 35 is connected to the second monitoring unit 32 and the control unit 33 via connectors 63, 64. The first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 may be mounted on different boards, and the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 may be connected to each other by a signal line 34 via a connector. In the battery unit 10, the first monitoring unit 31 and the second monitoring unit 32 may be connected to each other by a signal line.

[0034] According to the configuration of FIG. 3, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 and the second monitoring unit 32 are mounted on different boards 61 and 62, and the monitoring units 31 and 32 can be separated from each other by the connectors 63 and 64. Therefore, by disconnecting the signal line 35 by the connectors 63 and 64, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 can be removed from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32. As described above, each battery cell 13 of the battery module 11 is connected to each monitoring unit 31 and 32 by an electric path 45 that branches in two directions, and a wiring connector 46 is provided at the branched portion, so that the first monitoring unit 31 can be separated from the battery module 11 on the assembly SA side by disconnecting the wiring connector 46. Although a description using illustrations is omitted, it is preferable that the first monitoring unit 31 can be separated from each sensor 42 and 43 on the assembly SA side by disconnecting the connector provided on the sensor signal line for the current sensor 42 and the temperature sensor 43 as well.

[0035] Further, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33, and the second monitoring unit 32 are provided with power supply units 51, 52, respectively. Therefore, even if the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32, the power supply to the second monitoring unit 32 is prevented from being interrupted due to the detachment. In particular, in this embodiment, the power supply unit 52 is configured to generate power using the battery module 11 as a power supply source, so that power can be supplied to the second monitoring unit 32 without using an external power source outside the battery unit. A secondary battery may be provided as the power supply unit 52 in the assembly SA.

[0036] In order to realize a configuration in which power is continuously supplied to the second monitoring unit 32 even after the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA, it is possible to provide one power supply unit (e.g., power supply unit 52 in Figure 3) in the assembly SA and supply power from that power supply unit to each of the monitoring units 31, 32 and the control unit 33, i.e., to the battery monitoring device 12.

[0037] 2, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 may be configured to be detachable from, for example, the outer peripheral surface of the housing 14 of the battery module 11. Specifically, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 may be configured to be attached to the housing 14 of the battery module 11 by fastening with fasteners such as screws or mechanical connection such as snap fit, and the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 may be configured to be detachable from the housing 14 of the battery module 11 by releasing the screw fastening or mechanical connection.

[0038] 2, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 of the battery monitoring device 12 are integrally configured as a detachment unit 37, and the detachment unit 37 is provided with a coupling unit 38 that is detachable from the housing 14 on the battery module 11 side (assembly SA side). A coupling unit 39 to which the coupling unit 38 is coupled is provided in an accommodation unit on the battery module 11 side that accommodates the second monitoring unit 32. When the detachment unit 37 is detached from the battery module 11 side, the connectors and the like come off with the detachment, and the second monitoring unit 32 and the control unit 33 are electrically separated, and the battery module 11 and the first monitoring unit 31 are electrically separated.

[0039] Next, a process related to information management during the primary use of the battery module 11 and the subsequent reuse of the battery will be described.

[0040] In this embodiment, attention is paid to the fact that confidential information relating to manufacturer know-how is stored in the memory (ROM) of the control unit 33, and an attempt is made to prevent the leakage of manufacturer know-how information when reusing batteries after their primary use.

[0041] Furthermore, the primary monitoring information (detection information of voltage, current, and temperature) and the secondary monitoring information (information such as SOC, SOH, and cell impedance) acquired during the primary use can be used as information for determining the usage form of the battery module 11 when the battery module 11 is reused. For this reason, the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information acquired during the primary use are stored in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 as chronological history information so that they can be used when the battery module 11 is reused. For example, the battery module 11 is considered to have been damaged to some extent during the primary use of the battery unit 10, and when the battery module 11 is reused, the history information during the primary use is used, making it possible to reuse the battery module while taking into consideration the damage sustained during the primary use.

[0042] The following describes the procedure of the battery monitoring process performed by the monitoring units 31, 32 and the control unit 33 in the battery unit 10. Fig. 4(a) is a flowchart showing the battery monitoring process performed by the first monitoring unit 31, Fig. 4(b) is a flowchart showing the battery monitoring process performed by the control unit 33, and Fig. 4(c) is a flowchart showing the battery monitoring process performed by the second monitoring unit 32. Each of these processes is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle.

[0043] 4(a), in step S11, the first monitoring unit 31 acquires detection signals of voltage, current, temperature, etc. from the sensors 41-43 as primary monitoring information. Note that the first monitoring unit 31 may be configured to acquire the detection signals from the sensors 41-43 at predetermined time intervals, or may be configured to acquire the detection signals from the sensors 41-43 in response to a signal output request from the control unit 33. Thereafter, in step S12, the primary monitoring information is transmitted to the control unit 33.

[0044] 4(b), the control unit 33 determines in step S21 whether or not primary monitoring information has been received from the first monitoring unit 31. If step S21 is positive, the process proceeds to the following step S22. In step S22, the control unit 33 calculates the SOC, SOH, impedance, and the like as secondary monitoring information of each battery cell 13 based on the primary monitoring information (sensor detection signal) transmitted from the first monitoring unit 31. At this time, the control unit 33 may calculate charge / discharge information related to overcharging or overdischarging of each battery cell 13 as secondary monitoring information based on the voltage information of each battery cell 13, and may calculate deterioration information indicating the degree of deterioration of each battery cell 13 as secondary monitoring information based on the voltage information and current information of each battery cell 13. The control unit 33 may be configured to determine whether quick charging of the battery module 11 has been performed and to calculate the number of quick charges based on the voltage information of each battery cell 13, and the information related to the quick charging may be the secondary monitoring information. In addition, in a configuration having a distortion sensor as a detection unit, the control unit 33 may be configured to determine whether or not an impact has occurred to the battery unit 10 based on the distortion detection results, and information regarding the presence or absence of the impact may be secondary monitoring information.

[0045] After that, in step S23, the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information are linked to the owner information, and the linked information is stored in the storage unit 33a. The linked information can also be said to be information that associates the owner information with the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information. The linked information is information that links the voltage information, current information, and temperature information, which are the primary monitoring information, to owner information such as the vehicle's chassis number and registration number. The linked information is information that links the SOC, SOH, and cell impedance, which are the secondary monitoring information, to owner information such as the vehicle's chassis number and registration number. In addition, when charge / discharge information and deterioration information of each battery cell 13 are calculated as the secondary monitoring information, the linked information is information that links the charge / discharge information and deterioration information to owner information such as the vehicle's chassis number and registration number.

[0046] In step S23, the control unit 33 may store the linking information, which links the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information to the owner information, in the storage unit 31a of the first monitoring unit 31 instead of storing it in the storage unit 33a of the control unit 33. The control unit 33 may also transmit the linking information to the battery ECU 20, which serves as an external device. The battery ECU 20 may store the linking information in chronological order.

[0047] In step S24, the controller 33 transmits non-linked information, which is history information that does not link the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information to the owner information, to the second monitoring unit 32. The non-linked information is non-associated information that does not link the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information to the owner information. When the non-linked information is transmitted to the second monitoring unit 32, the controller 33 stores the non-linked information in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32. At this time, the controller 33 stores the voltage information, current information, and temperature information, which are the primary monitoring information, and the SOC, SOH, and cell impedance, which are the secondary monitoring information, in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 without linking them to the owner information. In addition, when the charge / discharge information and deterioration information of each battery cell 13 are calculated as the secondary monitoring information, the controller 33 stores the charge / discharge information and deterioration information in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 without linking them to the owner information. The controller 33 may transmit non-linked information to the second monitoring unit 32 for either the primary monitoring information or the secondary monitoring information.

[0048] The linking information, which links the history information, which is the history of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information, to the vehicle owner information, may be used, for example, when inspecting or repairing a vehicle. In this case, it is possible to perform appropriate work while matching the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information with the owner (vehicle user).

[0049] As shown in FIG. 4(c), the second monitoring unit 32 determines whether the battery unit 10 is currently in primary use in step S31. This determination may be performed, for example, by determining whether the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32. In this case, if the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are not detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32, it is determined that the battery unit 10 is currently in primary use, and if the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached, it is determined that the battery unit 10 is not currently in primary use. For example, it may be determined that the battery unit 10 is not currently in primary use based on the fact that the control unit 33 is not connected to the second monitoring unit 32 or the fact that a transmission signal from the control unit 33 has not been input to the second monitoring unit 32 for a predetermined period of time. Also, a configuration may be used in which a command signal indicating that the battery unit 10 is currently in primary use is input to the second monitoring unit 32. If the battery unit 10 is currently in primary use, the process proceeds to step S32, and if the battery unit 10 is not currently in primary use, the process proceeds to step S34.

[0050] In step S32, it is determined whether or not information transmitted from the control unit 33 has been received. If information has been received from the control unit 33, the process proceeds to step S33, and the information received from the control unit 33, i.e., non-linked information that does not link the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information to owner information, is stored in the storage unit 32a.

[0051] Also, in step S34, it is determined whether or not a monitoring condition for monitoring the state of the battery module 11 is currently satisfied. The monitoring condition includes, after the primary use of the battery module 11, that a predetermined time has elapsed since the second monitoring unit 32 last monitored the battery module 11, that a monitoring request for the battery module 11 has been received from an external device, etc. Then, on condition that step S34 is affirmative, the process proceeds to the subsequent step S35.

[0052] In step S35, detection signals of voltage, current, temperature, etc. from the sensors 41-43 are acquired as primary monitoring information. In step S36, the primary monitoring information is stored in the storage unit 32a. Note that, after the primary use of the battery module 11, in a state in which the battery module 11 is stored before the secondary use, only the voltage information may be acquired as the primary monitoring information.

[0053] Also, in step S37, it is determined whether or not a request to transmit primary monitoring information has been received from an external device capable of communicating with the second monitoring unit 32. The external device is an information collecting device such as a server that is capable of communicating with the second monitoring unit 32 via wired or wireless communication. Also, in a state in which the battery module 11 is being reused (secondary reuse), the external device is a higher-level control device that is capable of communicating with the second monitoring unit 32. It is preferable that the external device is provided with a storage unit in which the primary monitoring information at the time of battery reuse is stored. If step S37 is positive, proceed to step S38.

[0054] In step S38, in response to the transmission request, the primary monitoring information acquired by the second monitoring unit 32 is transmitted to the external device.

[0055] After the primary use of the battery unit 10 is completed, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32. This state is shown in Fig. 5. At this time, since the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 have been withdrawn, information such as manufacturer know-how stored in the ROM area of ​​the control unit 33 is prevented from being leaked.

[0056] In the state of Fig. 5, the second monitoring unit 32 determines that the battery unit 10 is not in the primary use, and executes a monitoring process for the battery module 11. At this time, the second monitoring unit 32 acquires the detection results of the sensors 41 to 43 as primary monitoring information, instead of the first monitoring unit 31. The second monitoring unit 32 is configured to be operable without a command from the control unit 33 (configuration capable of realizing functions in a stand-alone manner). Therefore, even after the primary use and before reuse of the battery module 11 begins, the second monitoring unit 32 can monitor the battery module 11.

[0057] Since the second monitoring unit 32 monitors the state of the battery module 11 during the period from the primary use of the battery unit 10 until the start of secondary use, it becomes unnecessary to check the charge state of the battery module 11 by a charge / discharge test or the like before the start of secondary use. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce the cost required for preparing the battery module 11 for secondary use.

[0058] Moreover, the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32 has a power supply unit 52 that supplies power to the second monitoring unit 32. Therefore, even after the battery unit 10 is removed from the vehicle and the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA, the power supply to the second monitoring unit 32 is prevented from being interrupted, and the second monitoring unit 32 can operate properly. In this case, in particular, the power supply unit 52 generates a power supply voltage using the battery module 11 as a power supply source, so that it is possible to supply power to the second monitoring unit 32 without using an external power source outside the unit (for example, an on-board low-voltage battery). In addition, battery monitoring can be performed on the battery module 11 in a stored or transported state after the primary use.

[0059] After the primary use, while the battery module 11 is in storage, it is preferable that the second monitoring unit 32 be able to transmit primary monitoring information to an external device such as a server. This allows the state of the battery module 11 to be properly managed even when the battery unit 10 is removed from the vehicle after the primary use. It is preferable that the management information (primary monitoring information) of the battery module 11 stored in the external device be readable. In this case, it is preferable that the access right is determined by a predetermined authentication means.

[0060] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a battery control device 70 is connected to the second monitoring unit 32 when reusing a battery module. In Fig. 6, the battery control device 70 is connected to the connector 63 of the second monitoring unit 32 via a signal line 71. The battery control device 70 is a higher-level control device in the secondary utilization system that can receive signals from the second monitoring unit 32.

[0061] In the assembly SA after the primary use, the memory 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 stores history information on the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information during the primary use. Therefore, after the primary use of the battery module 11, when designing the secondary use system, the mode of battery use is determined based on the history information during the primary use stored in the memory 32a of the second monitoring unit 32. In this case, the battery module 11, which has been deteriorated or damaged in the primary use to a certain extent, can be safely used during the secondary use while taking into consideration how it was used during the primary use. At this time, it is preferable to design the secondary use system after grasping information such as the number of times of overcharging and overdischarging, the number of times of quick charging, and the presence or absence of impact as secondary monitoring information of the battery module 11 during the primary use.

[0062] During secondary use, the history information stored in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 is non-linked information that is not linked to the owner information. Therefore, during secondary use, unintentional leakage of the owner information at the time of primary use is suppressed.

[0063] According to the present embodiment described above in detail, the following excellent effects can be obtained.

[0064] In the battery unit 10, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detachable from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32. In this case, when the battery module 11 is reused after the primary use, the information to be kept secret contained in the control unit 33 is separated from the battery module 11, and the battery module 11 is provided with history information that can be referred to when the battery is reused. In other words, when the battery module 11 is reused, the removal of the control unit 33 prevents the manufacturer's know-how from leaking, and the battery module 11 can be reused while being adapted to the history information acquired during the primary use. As a result, the battery module 11 can be reused appropriately.

[0065] In the battery unit 10, the configuration having the first monitoring section 31 and the second monitoring section 32 allows a battery monitoring function to be provided redundantly. Furthermore, during the primary use of the battery module 11, the first monitoring section 31 acquires the detection results of the detection section (each of the sensors 41 to 43) as primary monitoring information, and the control section 33 calculates secondary monitoring information based on the primary monitoring information from the first monitoring section 31, while the memory section 32a of the second monitoring section 32 stores (preserves) history information of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information. As a result, during reuse of the battery module 11, even if the first monitoring section 31 and the control section 33 are detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring section 32, the assembly SA including the battery module 11 can be provided with a monitoring function for the battery module 11 while retaining the history information during the primary use.

[0066] During primary use of the battery module 11, history information, which is a history of the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information, is linked to vehicle owner information and is stored in the storage unit 33a of the control unit 33 or transmitted to the battery ECU 20. This makes it possible, for example, when inspecting or repairing the vehicle, to perform appropriate work while matching the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information with the owner (vehicle user).

[0067] Similarly, during the primary use of the battery module 11, the history information of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information is stored in the memory 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 without being linked to the owner information. The memory 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 is a memory that remains on the assembly SA side after being detached from the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 from the assembly SA. This makes it possible to appropriately reuse the battery by taking into consideration how it was used during the primary use while preventing unintentional leakage of owner information during the primary use during reuse of the battery module 11 after the primary use.

[0068] When the primary use of the battery module 11 is completed and the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32, the second monitoring unit 32 is configured to acquire the detection result of the detection unit as primary monitoring information instead of the first monitoring unit 31. This allows the second monitoring unit 32 to continuously monitor the battery module 11 even after the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached.

[0069] The assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32 has a power supply unit 52 that supplies power to the second monitoring unit 32. This makes it possible to prevent the power supply to the second monitoring unit 32 from being interrupted when the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA. Therefore, after the primary use of the battery module 11 is completed, the second monitoring unit 32 can be operated properly even in a state where it is detached from the first monitoring unit 31, the control unit 33, etc.

[0070] Since the power supply unit 52 provided in the assembly SA is configured to generate a power supply voltage using the battery module 11 as a power source, the battery monitoring function can be operated independently without using an external power source outside the unit. With this configuration, it is possible to perform battery monitoring even on the battery module 11 in a stored or transported state after the battery module 11 is removed from a vehicle or the like for battery reuse.

[0071] The first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33, and the second monitoring unit 32 are mounted on different boards 61, 62, and are connected to each other by a signal line 35. Furthermore, the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 can be detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32 by disconnecting the connectors 63, 64 provided on the signal line 35. This makes it possible to suitably realize a battery unit 10 in which the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 can be detached from the assembly SA.

[0072] Second embodiment The second embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0073] 7 is a configuration diagram showing a specific configuration of the battery unit 10 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the battery monitoring device 12 has a monitoring unit 81 and a control unit 82. The monitoring unit 81 has a function of monitoring the battery module 11, similar to the monitoring units 31 and 32 described in the first embodiment. The monitoring unit 81 may have multiple communication units with different communication methods, similar to the second monitoring unit 32 in the first embodiment. The control unit 82 has a function of executing various processes related to battery monitoring, similar to the control unit 33 described in the first embodiment.

[0074] The monitoring unit 81 and the control unit 82 are connected by a signal line 83. The monitoring unit 81 and the control unit 82 each have a memory unit 81a, 82a that allows data to be written and stored. The monitoring unit 81 acquires the detection results of the sensors 41-43 as primary monitoring information, and the control unit 82 calculates secondary monitoring information by arithmetic processing based on the primary monitoring information. The memory unit 81a of the monitoring unit 81 is configured to store history information that is a history of at least either the primary monitoring information or the secondary monitoring information.

[0075] Similar to the first embodiment, the battery unit 10 of this embodiment allows the battery module 11 to be reused (secondary reuse) after the primary use is completed. In the battery unit 10 of FIG. 7, the control unit 82 is detachable from the assembly SB including the battery module 11 and the monitoring unit 81.

[0076] The following describes the procedure of the battery monitoring process performed by the monitoring unit 81 and the control unit 82. Fig. 8(a) is a flowchart showing the battery monitoring process performed by the monitoring unit 81, and Fig. 8(b) is a flowchart showing the battery monitoring process performed by the control unit 82. Each of these processes is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle.

[0077] As shown in Fig. 8(a), in step S41, the monitoring unit 81 acquires detection signals of voltage, current, temperature, etc. from the sensors 41-43 as primary monitoring information. Then, in step S42, the monitoring unit 81 transmits the primary monitoring information to the control unit 82. Note that the processes in steps S41 and S42 are similar to those in steps S11 and S12 in Fig. 4(a).

[0078] Also, in step S43, it is determined whether or not information transmitted from the control unit 82 has been received. Then, if information has been received from the control unit 82, the process proceeds to step S44, where the information received from the control unit 82 is stored in the storage unit 81a. Note that the information received in step S44 is the "non-linked information" transmitted by the control unit 82 in step S54 described below.

[0079] 8(b), in step S51, the control unit 82 determines whether or not primary monitoring information has been received from the monitoring unit 81. If the result in step S51 is affirmative, the process proceeds to the following step S52. In step S52, the control unit 82 calculates the SOC, SOH, impedance, and the like as secondary monitoring information for each battery cell 13 based on the primary monitoring information (sensor detection signals) transmitted from the monitoring unit 81.

[0080] Thereafter, in step S53, linked information, which is information linking the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information to the owner information, is stored in storage unit 82a. In step S54, non-linked information, which is information not linking the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information to the owner information, is transmitted to monitoring unit 81. As a result, the non-linked information is stored in storage unit 81a in monitoring unit 81. Note that the processing of steps S52 to S54 may be processing equivalent to steps S22 to S24 in FIG. 4(a).

[0081] In the battery unit 10, after the primary use is completed, the control unit 82 is detached from the assembly SB including the battery module 11 and the monitoring unit 81. In this case, by collecting the control unit 82 after the primary use, leakage of manufacturer know-how information stored in the ROM area of ​​the control unit 82 is suppressed. In addition, the monitoring unit 81 can monitor the state of each battery cell 13 even after the primary use.

[0082] Since history information on the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information during primary use is stored in the memory unit 81a of the monitoring unit 81 included in the assembly SB, it is possible to design a secondary use system while reflecting the history information. However, since the history information stored in the memory unit 81a of the monitoring unit 81 is unlinked information that is not linked to owner information, unintentional leakage of owner information during primary use is suppressed during secondary use of the battery module 11.

[0083] During primary use of the battery module 11, history information, which is a history of the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information, is linked to vehicle owner information and is stored in the storage unit 82a of the control unit 82 or transmitted to the battery ECU 20. This makes it possible, for example, when inspecting or repairing the vehicle, to perform appropriate work while matching the primary monitoring information and secondary monitoring information with the owner (vehicle user).

[0084] Similarly, during primary use of the battery module 11, the history information is stored in the memory 81a of the monitoring unit 81 without being linked to owner information. The memory 81a of the monitoring unit 81 is a memory that remains on the assembly SB side after being detached from the control unit 82 from the assembly SB. This makes it possible to appropriately use the battery module 11 by taking into consideration how it was used during primary use, while preventing unintentional leakage of owner information during primary use during reuse of the battery module 11 after the primary use.

[0085] (Other embodiments) The above embodiment may be modified, for example, as follows.

[0086] In the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4(b), during primary use of the battery module 11, the control unit 33 stores the linking information linking the history information (primary monitoring information, secondary monitoring information) to the owner information in one of the storage units 31a, 33a or transmits it to the battery ECU 20 that can communicate with the control unit 33, while storing the history information in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 without linking it to the owner information. However, this configuration may be changed. For example, the first monitoring unit 31 may store the linking information linking the history information to the owner information in the storage unit 31a of the first monitoring unit 31 or transmit it to the battery ECU 20, while storing the history information in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32 without linking it to the owner information.

[0087] Alternatively, during the primary use of the battery module 11, the first monitoring unit 31 may store, for example, the linking information of the primary monitoring information in the memory unit 31a, and store the non-linking information of the primary monitoring information in the memory unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32. Also, during the primary use of the battery module 11, the control unit 33 may store, for example, the linking information of the secondary monitoring information in the memory unit 33a, and store the non-linking information of the secondary monitoring information in the memory unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32.

[0088] The battery monitoring process executed by the control unit 33 may be configured to execute the process of FIG. 9 instead of the process of FIG. 4(b) described above.

[0089] 9, in step S61, it is determined whether or not primary monitoring information has been received from the first monitoring unit 31. If step S61 is positive, the process proceeds to the following step S62. In step S62, the control unit 33 calculates the SOC, SOH, impedance, and the like as secondary monitoring information of each battery cell 13 based on the primary monitoring information (sensor detection signal) transmitted from the first monitoring unit 31. At this time, the control unit 33 may calculate charge / discharge information related to overcharging or overdischarging of each battery cell 13 as the secondary monitoring information based on the voltage information of each battery cell 13, and may calculate deterioration information indicating the degree of deterioration of each battery cell 13 as the secondary monitoring information based on the voltage information and current information of each battery cell 13. Alternatively, the control unit 33 may be configured to determine whether quick charging of the battery module 11 has been performed and to calculate the number of quick charges based on the voltage information of each battery cell 13, and the information related to the quick charging may be the secondary monitoring information. In addition, in a configuration having a distortion sensor as a detection unit, the control unit 33 may be configured to determine whether or not an impact has occurred to the battery unit 10 based on the distortion detection results, and information regarding the presence or absence of the impact may be secondary monitoring information.

[0090] Then, in step S63, it is determined whether the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information correspond to confidential information that is to be kept confidential after the primary use is completed. Here, when the battery module 11 is reused after the primary use, it is desirable to take into account the history information at the time of the primary use, but it is considered that excessively detailed information is unnecessary. In other words, at the time of the primary use, repair and replacement work on the vehicle is performed using the history of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information, but at the time of reuse, the vehicle itself is replaced and detailed information is unnecessary. In addition, it is considered that the history information includes information that the vehicle owner, etc. at the time of the primary use does not want to leak to a third party.

[0091] For example, among the charge / discharge information regarding the overcharging or overdischarging of each battery cell 13, information such as the date and time of overcharging / overdischarging, frequency, and degree of overcharging / overdischarging are classified as confidential information, and the number of times of overcharging / overdischarging are classified as non-confidential information. Also, among the information regarding the rapid charging of the battery module 11, information such as the date and frequency of rapid charging are classified as confidential information, and the number of times of rapid charging are classified as non-confidential information. Regarding the primary monitoring information, for example, information such as changes in cell voltage and cell temperature during primary use may be classified as confidential information. In step S63, it is preferable to determine whether or not each piece of information included in the history information of the primary monitoring information or the secondary monitoring information corresponds to confidential information.

[0092] If step S63 is positive, this process ends. In this case, the history information of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information is considered to be confidential information, and is not transmitted to the second monitoring unit 32. The primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information considered to be confidential information may be stored in the storage unit 33a of the control unit 33. The primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information considered to be confidential information may be stored in the storage unit 31a of the first monitoring unit 31, or may be transmitted to the battery ECU 20. If step S63 is negative, the process proceeds to the following step S64. In step S64, the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information that are not confidential information are transmitted to the second monitoring unit 32. As a result, the history information that is not confidential information is stored in the storage unit 32a in the second monitoring unit 32.

[0093] In steps S63 and S64, the history information may be classified into confidential information and other non-confidential information, and information that belongs to the confidential information may not be transmitted to the second monitoring unit 32, while information that belongs to the non-confidential information may be transmitted to the second monitoring unit 32.

[0094] During the primary use of the battery module 11, it is determined whether or not the history information, which is a history of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information, is information that should be kept secret when reused (secondary use) after the primary use, and depending on the result of the determination, it is determined whether or not to store the history information in the storage unit 32a of the second monitoring unit 32. This allows appropriate information management to be performed when the battery module 11 is reused after the primary use.

[0095] As described above, the process of determining whether the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information are confidential information and the process of storing history information in accordance with the determination result may be configured to be executed by the first monitoring unit 31. It is also possible for the first monitoring unit 31 to determine whether the primary monitoring information is confidential information and to store the primary monitoring information in the storage unit 32a in accordance with the determination result, while the control unit 33 to determine whether the secondary monitoring information is confidential information and to store the secondary monitoring information in the storage unit 32a in accordance with the determination result.

[0096] The configuration shown in Fig. 10 may be adopted as the power supply section of the battery monitoring device 12 (the monitoring sections 31, 32 and the control section 33) in the battery unit 10. Fig. 10 shows the configuration of the power supply section in the battery unit 10 described in Fig. 3.

[0097] In Fig. 10, a first power supply circuit 91 and a second power supply circuit 92 are provided as power supply units. The first power supply circuit 91 is a power supply circuit that generates a power supply voltage for the battery monitoring device 12 by power supply from outside the unit, and the second power supply circuit 92 is a power supply circuit that generates a power supply voltage for the battery monitoring device 12 by power supply from the battery module 11. The power supply that supplies power to the first power supply circuit 91 from outside the unit may be, for example, an in-vehicle low-voltage battery B1. During primary use of the battery module 11, the first power supply circuit 91 is used as a power source to operate the monitoring units 31, 32 and the control unit 33, while when the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32, the second power supply circuit 92 is used as a power source to operate the monitoring units and the control unit.

[0098] The switching of each of the power supply circuits 91, 92 may be performed by a switching device 93 provided between the battery monitoring device 12 and each of the power supply circuits 91, 92. The switching of the switching device 93 may be performed electrically, for example, by the second monitoring unit 32. In this case, the second monitoring unit 32 determines whether or not the primary usage is in progress based on the state of connection with the control unit 33, and if the primary usage is in progress, the switching device 93 sets the battery monitoring device 12 and the first power supply circuit 91 to a connected state, and if the primary usage is not in progress, the switching device 93 sets the battery monitoring device 12 and the second power supply circuit 92 to a connected state.

[0099] It is also possible to mechanically switch between a state in which power is supplied from the first power supply circuit 91 to the battery monitoring device 12 and a state in which power is supplied from the second power supply circuit 92 to the battery monitoring device 12. For example, the battery unit 10 may be provided with a mechanical switch (switching mechanism) that operates in response to detachment of the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32 and switches the electrical connection state between the power supply circuits 91, 92 and the battery monitoring device 12, and the connection of the power supply circuits 91, 92 may be switched by the mechanical switch.

[0100] According to the above configuration, during the primary use of the battery module 11, the first power supply circuit 91 is used as a power source to operate the monitoring units 31, 32 and the control unit 33, while after the primary use, when the first monitoring unit 31 and the control unit 33 are detached from the assembly SA including the battery module 11 and the second monitoring unit 32, it is possible to operate the second monitoring unit 32 using the second power supply circuit 92 as an alternative power source. In this case, it is possible to appropriately perform battery monitoring even for the battery module 11 in a stored or transported state.

[0101] 7 may be configured to include a first power supply circuit 91 and a second power supply circuit 92. In this case, the power supply circuits 91, 92 used as the power supply for the battery monitoring device 12 may be switched between during primary use of the battery unit 10 and when the control unit 82 is detached from the assembly SB including the battery module 11 and the monitoring unit 81 after the primary use.

[0102] In each of the above embodiments, both the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information of the battery cells 13 are stored (preserved) in the storage unit so as to be usable even after the primary use of the battery module 11, but this may be changed. For example, only one of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information of the battery cells 13 may be stored (preserved) in the storage unit so as to be usable even after the primary use of the battery module 11.

[0103] In the battery unit 10 shown in FIG. 3, the second monitoring unit 32 may have a function of calculating secondary monitoring information such as SOC and SOH based on primary monitoring information such as voltage, current, and temperature in each battery cell 13. In this case, however, the second monitoring unit 32 is a component that is reused together with the battery module 11 after the primary use, and leakage of manufacturer know-how information through the second monitoring unit 32 is undesirable. For this reason, it is preferable that the calculation of the secondary monitoring information by the second monitoring unit 32 is performed more simply than the calculation of the secondary monitoring information by the first monitoring unit 31. For example, the first monitoring unit 31 calculates the secondary monitoring information using a detailed map with a relatively large amount of data, whereas the second monitoring unit 32 calculates the secondary monitoring information using a simple map with a relatively small amount of data. In other words, according to the above configuration, the second monitoring unit 32 uses a smaller amount of data for the calculation process of the secondary monitoring information than the first monitoring unit 31, thereby realizing a battery unit 10 that minimizes leakage of know-how information while enabling acquisition of secondary monitoring information after primary use.

[0104] The battery unit 10 in each of the above embodiments can be applied to devices including stationary power supply systems, in addition to devices that are mobile bodies such as vehicles and aircraft.

[0105] The technical ideas extracted from the above-described embodiments will be described below. [Configuration 1] A battery module (11); a monitoring unit (31, 32, 81) that acquires a detection result by a detection unit (41 to 43) that detects a state of the battery module as primary monitoring information; a control unit (33, 82) that receives the primary monitoring information from the monitoring unit and calculates secondary monitoring information by performing arithmetic processing based on the primary monitoring information, the monitoring unit has a storage unit (32a, 81a) for storing history information which is a history of at least one of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information, The control unit is detachable from an assembly (SA, SB) including the battery module and the monitoring unit. [Configuration 2] the monitoring unit includes a first monitoring unit (31) and a second monitoring unit (32), and at least the second monitoring unit has the memory unit (32a); During a primary use of the battery module, the first monitoring unit of the first monitoring unit and the second monitoring unit acquires a detection result of the detection unit as the primary monitoring information, and the control unit calculates the secondary monitoring information based on the primary monitoring information from the first monitoring unit, while the history information is stored in the storage unit of the second monitoring unit, The battery unit according to configuration 1, wherein the first monitoring unit and the control unit are detachable from an assembly (SA) including the battery module and the second monitoring unit. [Configuration 3] This is applied to a device that uses a battery unit (10) as a power source, At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, The battery unit described in configuration 2, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information is linked to owner information corresponding to an owner of the device and stored in a memory provided in either the control unit or the first monitoring unit, or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information is stored in the memory included in the second monitoring unit without being linked to the owner information. [Configuration 4] the first monitoring unit acquires voltage information of the battery module as the primary monitoring information; the control unit calculates, based on the voltage information, charge / discharge information related to overcharging / over-discharging or rapid charging of the battery module as the secondary monitoring information; At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, The battery unit of configuration 3, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information, which is a history of the charging and discharging information, is linked to the owner information and stored in a memory unit provided in either the control unit or the first monitoring unit, or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information, which is a history of the charging and discharging information, is stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit without being linked to the owner information. [Configuration 5] The first monitoring unit acquires, as the primary monitoring information, voltage information of the battery module and current information during energization, the control unit calculates, as the secondary monitoring information, deterioration information indicating a deterioration degree of the battery module based on the voltage information and the current information; At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, The battery unit described in configuration 3, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information, which is a history of the deterioration information, is linked to the owner information and stored in a memory unit provided in either the control unit or the first monitoring unit, or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information, which is a history of the deterioration information, is stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit without being linked to the owner information. [Configuration 6] At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, The battery unit of configuration 2, wherein during primary use of the battery module, it is determined whether the history information corresponds to information that should be kept confidential after the primary use is completed, and if it is determined that the history information is information that should be kept confidential, the history information is not stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit, and if it is determined that the history information is not information that should be kept confidential, the history information is stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit. [Configuration 7] A battery unit described in any of configurations 2 to 6, wherein the second monitoring unit acquires the detection result of the detection unit as the primary monitoring information on behalf of the first monitoring unit when the first monitoring unit and the control unit are detached from an assembly including the battery module and the second monitoring unit. [Configuration 8] The battery unit according to any one of configurations 2 to 7, wherein the assembly includes the battery module and the second monitoring unit, and the assembly allows the first monitoring unit and the control unit to be detached, and the assembly has a power supply unit (52) that supplies power to the second monitoring unit. [Configuration 9] 9. The battery unit according to configuration 8, wherein the power supply unit generates a power supply voltage for operating the second monitoring unit using the battery module as a power source. [Configuration 10] the first monitoring unit and the control unit are mounted on a first board (61), and the second monitoring unit is mounted on a second board (62) different from the first board, while the first monitoring unit and the control unit are connected to the second monitoring unit by a signal line (35); The battery unit according to any one of configurations 2 to 9, wherein the first monitoring unit and the control unit can be removed from an assembly including the battery module and the second monitoring unit by disconnecting a connector (63, 64) provided on the signal line. [Configuration 11] This is applied to a device that uses a battery unit (10) as a power source, The control unit (82) The battery unit according to configuration 1, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information is linked to owner information corresponding to the owner of the device and stored in a memory unit (82a) provided in the control unit or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information is not linked to the owner information and is stored in the memory unit (81a) included in the monitoring unit and detachable from the control unit together with the battery module. [Configuration 12] a first power supply circuit (91) configured to generate a power supply voltage for operating the monitoring unit and the control unit, and a second power supply circuit (92) configured to generate the power supply voltage by power supply from outside the unit, and A battery unit described in any one of configurations 1 to 11, wherein during primary use of the battery module, the monitoring unit and the control unit are operated using the first power supply circuit as a power source, and when the control unit is detached from an assembly including the battery module and the monitoring unit, the monitoring unit is operated in the assembly using the second power supply circuit as a power source. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 10...battery unit, 11...battery module, 31...first monitoring section, 32...second monitoring section, 32a...memory section, 33...control section, 41...voltage sensor, 42...current sensor, 43...temperature sensor, 81...monitoring section, 82...control section, SA, SB...assembly.

Claims

1. A battery module (11); a monitoring unit (31, 32, 81) that acquires a detection result by a detection unit (41 to 43) that detects a state of the battery module as primary monitoring information; a control unit (33, 82) that receives the primary monitoring information from the monitoring unit and calculates secondary monitoring information by arithmetic processing based on the primary monitoring information, the monitoring unit has a storage unit (32a, 81a) for storing history information which is a history of at least one of the primary monitoring information and the secondary monitoring information, The control unit is detachable from an assembly (SA, SB) including the battery module and the monitoring unit.

2. The monitoring unit includes a first monitoring unit (31) and a second monitoring unit (32), and at least the second monitoring unit has the memory unit (32a); During primary usage of the battery module, the first monitoring unit of the first monitoring unit and the second monitoring unit acquires a detection result of the detection unit as the primary monitoring information, and the control unit calculates the secondary monitoring information based on the primary monitoring information from the first monitoring unit, while the history information is stored in the storage unit of the second monitoring unit, The battery unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first monitoring unit and the control unit are detachable from an assembly (SA) including the battery module and the second monitoring unit.

3. This is applied to a device that uses a battery unit (10) as a power source, At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, The battery unit of claim 2, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information is linked to owner information corresponding to an owner of the device and stored in a memory provided in either the control unit or the first monitoring unit or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information is stored in the memory included in the second monitoring unit without being linked to the owner information.

4. the first monitoring unit acquires voltage information of the battery module as the primary monitoring information; the control unit calculates, based on the voltage information, charge / discharge information related to overcharging / over-discharging or rapid charging of the battery module as the secondary monitoring information; At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, 4. The battery unit of claim 3, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information, which is a history of the charging and discharging information, is linked to the owner information and stored in a memory unit provided in either the control unit or the first monitoring unit or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information, which is a history of the charging and discharging information, is stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit without being linked to the owner information.

5. The first monitoring unit acquires, as the primary monitoring information, voltage information of the battery module and current information during energization, the control unit calculates, as the secondary monitoring information, deterioration information indicating a deterioration degree of the battery module based on the voltage information and the current information; At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, The battery unit described in claim 3, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information, which is a history of the deterioration information, is linked to the owner information and stored in a memory unit provided in either the control unit or the first monitoring unit or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information, which is a history of the deterioration information, is stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit without being linked to the owner information.

6. At least one of the control unit and the first monitoring unit, 3. The battery unit according to claim 2, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, it is determined whether the history information corresponds to information that should be kept confidential after the primary use is completed, and if it is determined that the history information is information that should be kept confidential, the history information is not stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit, and if it is determined that the history information is not information that should be kept confidential, the history information is stored in the memory unit included in the second monitoring unit.

7. The battery unit according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the second monitoring unit acquires the detection result of the detection unit as the primary monitoring information on behalf of the first monitoring unit when the first monitoring unit and the control unit are detached from an assembly including the battery module and the second monitoring unit.

8. The battery unit according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the assembly including the battery module and the second monitoring unit and enabling the first monitoring unit and the control unit to be detached has a power supply unit (52) that supplies power to the second monitoring unit.

9. The battery unit according to claim 8 , wherein the power supply unit generates a power supply voltage for operating the second monitoring unit using the battery module as a power source.

10. the first monitoring unit and the control unit are mounted on a first board (61), and the second monitoring unit is mounted on a second board (62) different from the first board, while the first monitoring unit and the control unit are connected to the second monitoring unit by a signal line (35); A battery unit as described in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the first monitoring unit and the control unit can be removed from an assembly including the battery module and the second monitoring unit by disconnecting a connector (63, 64) provided on the signal line.

11. This is applied to a device that uses a battery unit (10) as a power source, The control unit (82) 2. The battery unit of claim 1, wherein, during primary use of the battery module, the history information is linked to owner information corresponding to an owner of the device and stored in a memory unit (82a) provided in the control unit or transmitted to an external device (20) capable of communicating with the control unit, while the history information is not linked to the owner information and is stored in the memory unit (81a) included in the monitoring unit and detachable from the control unit together with the battery module.

12. a first power supply circuit (91) that generates a power supply voltage for operating the monitoring unit and the control unit and a second power supply circuit (92) that generates the power supply voltage by power supply from outside the unit, and 2. The battery unit according to claim 1, wherein during primary use of the battery module, the monitoring unit and the control unit are operated using the first power supply circuit as a power source, and when the control unit is detached from an assembly including the battery module and the monitoring unit, the monitoring unit is operated using the second power supply circuit in the assembly as a power source.

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