Battery system

Abstract

To provide a battery system to appropriately protect privacy in managing battery information.SOLUTION: In a battery system having a battery, a memory unit, and a control unit, the memory unit stores a first battery identifier linked to personal information in the other system and a second battery identifier not linked to personal information in the other system and the control unit selectively transmits either of the first battery identifier or the second identifier with battery information regarding the status of the battery to a predetermined information processing device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery system. [Background technology]

[0002] A system for managing batteries in electric vehicles has been devised. As an invention related to this, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery information management system that collects and manages the characteristics, usage history, etc. of in-vehicle batteries. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-141464 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure aims to appropriately protect privacy in managing battery information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The first aspect of the present disclosure is The battery system has a battery, a memory unit that stores a first battery identifier linked to personal information in another system and a second battery identifier not linked to personal information in the other system, and a control unit that selectively transmits either the first battery identifier or the second battery identifier along with battery information regarding the status of the battery to a specified information processing device.

[0006] Further, other aspects of the present disclosure are an apparatus included in the above-described system, an information processing method executed by the apparatus, a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method, or a computer-readable storage medium non-temporarily storing the program. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, privacy can be appropriately protected in the management of battery information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a battery management system according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a plurality of devices included in the system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating data stored in a plurality of devices included in the system. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of a process in which the first server acquires information. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of a process in which the second server acquires information. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart of a process executed by an ECU of a battery pack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] In recent years, the number of automobiles that are equipped with drive batteries and can run on electricity as an energy source, such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), is increasing. In addition, systems are known in which automobile manufacturers and others collect and centrally manage information about the status of on-board batteries (battery information).

[0010] In such a system, battery information is managed in association with a specific vehicle. In addition, if the vehicle's driving history and the like are managed in the same system, private information such as the travel history can be traced from the battery information. For this reason, it is common to obtain consent from the vehicle owner and the like regarding the handling of personal information before collecting battery information.

[0011] However, if battery information is collected in a manner linked to personal information, the personal information may become a constraint, and there may be cases in which the battery information cannot be utilized. For example, consider a case where a battery installed in an automobile is removed from the automobile for recycling purposes. In order to evaluate the value of the battery, it is necessary to use battery information obtained from the battery. However, the identifier (serial number, etc.) of the battery is linked to the personal information of the previous owner in the automobile manufacturer's system. In other words, even after the battery is removed from the vehicle, it can be traced back to the previous owner. This is undesirable from the viewpoint of protecting personal information. The battery system according to the present disclosure solves such problems.

[0012] The battery system according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery, a storage unit, and a control unit. Specifically, the memory unit stores a first battery identifier linked to personal information in another system and a second battery identifier not linked to personal information in the other system, and the control unit selectively transmits either the first battery identifier or the second battery identifier along with battery information regarding the status of the battery to a specified information processing device.

[0013] The battery system according to the present disclosure stores a plurality of identifiers as identifiers for identifying batteries. The first battery identifier is one of these identifiers that is linked to personal information in another system. For example, the first battery identifier is linked to a specific vehicle or the owner of the vehicle in a battery management device managed by an automobile manufacturer. In other words, it can be said that the battery information associated with the first battery identifier is linked to personal information. For example, when transmitting battery information to such a device, the control unit transmits the first battery identifier in combination with the battery information.

[0014] The second battery identifier is an identifier that identifies a battery and is not linked to personal information in another system. For example, in a device that manages a battery removed from a vehicle, it is not necessary to link the vehicle and the battery. For example, when transmitting battery information to such a device, the control unit transmits a combination of the second battery identifier that is not linked to personal information and the battery information. Personal information cannot be traced from the battery information collected using the second battery identifier.

[0015] A control unit included in the battery system according to the present disclosure stores both the first battery identifier and the second battery identifier, and selectively determines the identifier to be transmitted depending on the party to which the battery information is to be provided. For example, when the battery is mounted on the vehicle, the battery information can be transmitted together with the first battery identifier, and when the battery is removed from the vehicle, the battery information can be transmitted together with the second battery identifier.

[0016] According to this configuration, the information can be appropriately separated into cases where battery information is handled together with personal information and other cases. As described above, if a battery identifier linked to personal information is combined with battery information, it becomes possible to trace the personal information from the battery identifier even in cases where the personal information is not handled. This can prevent such cases.

[0017] Note that the battery information may include mileage information of a vehicle linked to the battery (specifically, a vehicle in which the battery is mounted or was mounted). In such a case, by referring to the value of the mileage, it may be possible to narrow down the vehicles in which the battery is mounted. For this reason, when transmitting a second battery identifier to a predetermined information processing device, the control unit may convert the value indicated by the mileage information included in the battery information into an approximate number. For example, such a problem can be prevented by rounding down the mileage to a specific digit or rounding it off to an approximate number.

[0018] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configuration, module configuration, functional configuration, and the like described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure to only those.

[0019] First Embodiment An overview of a battery management system according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The battery management system according to this embodiment is a system that uses a server device to manage information (battery information) about a battery pack 500 designed for a vehicle 300. The battery pack 500 is a unit in which a control computer (ECU) and the like are added to a driving battery of the vehicle. In the description of the embodiment, the battery pack is also simply referred to as a battery. The battery pack can be removed from the original vehicle and reused for purposes such as a home storage battery.

[0020] The battery management system according to this embodiment includes a first server 100 and a second server 200 as server devices. The first server 100 is a server device that communicates with a vehicle 300 to collect information about the vehicle 300 and information about a battery pack 500 mounted on the vehicle 300. The first server 100 may be a management device operated by an automobile manufacturer that manufactured the vehicle 300.

[0021] The first server 100 manages the battery information of the battery pack 500 in association with the vehicle 300. For example, the first server 100 collects the identifier, location information, speed, mileage, etc. of the vehicle 300 as information related to the vehicle, and stores the information related to the battery pack 500 in association with the collected information. This allows the first server 100 to grasp the latest status of the vehicle 300 and the battery pack 500. The first server 100 may obtain consent to the collection of such information from the owner of the vehicle 300 in advance.

[0022] 1(A), when the battery pack 500 is mounted on the vehicle 300, the first server 100 can collect information about the battery pack 500 via the vehicle 300. The first server 100 stores, for example, an identifier of the battery pack 500 (hereinafter, battery identifier), an identifier of the vehicle 300, and the collected information in association with each other. On the other hand, the battery pack 500 can be recycled by removing it from the vehicle 300. For example, it is conceivable that the removed battery pack 500 can be attached to another vehicle and redistributed, or that the removed battery pack 500 can be incorporated into a device other than a vehicle (such as a home storage battery) and redistributed.

[0023] However, when the battery pack 500 is removed from the vehicle 300, it is difficult to use the battery information collected by the first server 100 after the battery pack 500 is removed. The battery information collected by the first server 100 is not available to the vehicle 300 (or even to the original owner of the vehicle 300). Because the information is tied to the battery, it is not appropriate to use such information after the battery is separated from the vehicle. For example, the first server 100 obtains consent to information acquisition from the owner of the vehicle 300 in advance, but in most cases does not obtain consent to use the information after the battery is separated from the vehicle.

[0024] It may seem that it would be sufficient to connect the battery pack 500 to a computer after removing the battery pack 500 from the vehicle 300 and directly read the battery information, but as long as the battery identifier stored in the battery pack 500 is linked to the vehicle in some device, there remains a risk that an individual may be identified. This is because in the first server 100, the identifier of the vehicle 300 and the identifier of the battery pack 500 are linked. To solve this problem, it is necessary to collect battery information using a battery identifier that is not linked to any vehicle or individual.

[0025] Therefore, in this embodiment, two types of battery identifiers are given to the battery pack 500, and the battery information is collected using the different battery identifiers before and after removal from the vehicle 300.

[0026] 1(B) is a diagram for explaining information collection after the battery pack 500 is removed from the vehicle 300. The battery pack 500 removed from the vehicle 300 can communicate with the second server 200 via the communication device 400. The second server 200 is a server device that does not hold information about the owner of the vehicle 300 and that manages only battery information. After the battery pack 500 is removed from the vehicle 300, the battery pack 500 transmits the battery information to the second server 200 via the communication device 400. At this time, the battery pack 500 transmits the battery information together with a battery identifier that is not linked to a vehicle. The second server 200 cannot link the battery to an individual even if it uses the acquired information.

[0027] In this way, the battery pack 500 outputs a battery identifier (first battery identifier) ​​linked to the vehicle when mounted on the vehicle 300, and outputs a battery identifier (second battery identifier) ​​not linked to the vehicle when removed from the vehicle 300. This makes it possible to obtain and use battery information without being subject to restrictions on personal information after the battery is removed from the vehicle.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing in more detail the components of the first server 100, the second server 200, the vehicle 300, the communication device 400, and the battery pack 500 included in the battery management system according to this embodiment.

[0029] The first server 100 is a device operated by the automobile manufacturer that manufactured the vehicle 300, and stores information about the vehicle 300 (e.g., location information, etc.) and information about the battery pack 500 (e.g., vehicle mileage, battery temperature, current, SOC (State of Charge) The first server 100 is a device that collects and manages information about the vehicle 300, such as the vehicle's usage status, the amount of charge, and the deterioration status of the battery. The information collected by the first server 100 is linked to information about the vehicle 300. The information collected from these markets may also be linked by the first server 100 to information about the owner of the vehicle 300. The first server 100 collects and manages this information based on consent obtained in advance from the owner of the vehicle 300.

[0030] The second server 200 is a device that acquires information about the battery pack 500 removed from the vehicle 300, and is a device operated by a business operator that is not directly related to the automobile manufacturer. The second server 200 does not manage information about the vehicle 300, and the battery information it acquires is also information about the vehicle that was previously equipped with the battery pack 500 and the owner of the vehicle. The second server 200 may be operated by the automobile manufacturer that manufactured the vehicle 300, but in this case, it is completely independent from the first server 100 and is not linked to information about the vehicle 300 or the owner of the vehicle 300.

[0031] The vehicle 300 is an automobile (connected car) equipped with a battery pack 500. The vehicle 300 includes a module for wireless communication (wireless communication unit 303), a module for CAN communication (CAN communication unit 304), and an ECU (Electric Control Unit) 305. 01, and the first server 100 can acquire information from the battery pack 500 via these means. Also, the ECU 301 of the vehicle 300 has a function of acquiring information about the vehicle itself (e.g., position information, etc.) and transmitting it to the first server 100 as vehicle information.

[0032] The communication device 400 is a device that relays communication between the second server 200 and the battery pack 500. When the battery pack 500 is removed from the vehicle 300, it loses the interface for wireless communication and is therefore unable to communicate with the second server 200 as is. Therefore, in this embodiment, the communication device 400 relays communication between the second server 200 and the battery pack 500. The communication device 400 has an interface (e.g., a CAN interface) similar to that of the vehicle 300, and can communicate with the battery pack 500 via this interface.

[0033] The battery pack 500 is a unit including a drive battery for driving the vehicle 300. The battery pack 500 can be used by being incorporated in the vehicle 300, or can be removed from the vehicle 300 and incorporated in another vehicle or device other than a vehicle (for example, a home storage battery, etc.). The battery pack 500 includes a battery body such as a lithium ion battery, and a computer (ECU 501) for controlling charging and discharging. The ECU 501 of the battery pack 500 has a function of acquiring information on the status of the battery (battery information, such as a value on the deterioration state of the battery) and outputting the information together with its own identifier to the outside.

[0034] Next, each device will be described in detail. First, the first server 100 will be described. The first server 100 is, for example, a computer such as a personal computer, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, etc. The first server 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a wireless communication unit 103, and an input / output unit 104.

[0035] The control unit 101 is a calculation device that controls the first server 100. The control unit 101 can be realized by a calculation processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). do. The control unit 101 communicates with the vehicle 300 to obtain two types of information: information about the vehicle 300 (vehicle information) and information about the battery pack 500 (battery information).

[0036] The control unit 101 is configured to have a data acquisition unit 1011 as a functional module. The functional module may be realized by executing a stored program by a CPU. The data acquisition unit 1011 acquires battery information of a vehicle by communicating with the battery pack 500 (ECU 501) via the vehicle 300. The data acquisition unit 1011 also acquires vehicle information of the vehicle by communicating with the ECU 301 of the vehicle 300. The acquired battery information is stored in the storage unit 102 (described later) as battery data 102A. The acquired vehicle information is stored in the storage unit 102 as vehicle data 102B.

[0037] The storage unit 102 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which the programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device in which the programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are stored. The auxiliary storage device may store the programs executed by the control unit 101 packaged as applications. It may also store an operating system for executing these applications. The programs stored in the auxiliary storage device are loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 101, thereby performing the processing described below.

[0038] The primary storage device may include a random access memory (RAM) or a read only memory (ROM). The secondary storage device may include an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) or a hard disk drive (HDD). It may also include a disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive). may include removable media, i.e., portable recording media.

[0039] The storage unit 102 also stores battery data 102A, vehicle data 102B, and traceability data 102C. The battery data 102A is a collection of battery information acquired from the battery pack 500 mounted on the vehicle 300. FIG. 3(A) shows an example of the battery data 102A. As shown in the figure, the battery data 102A has fields for a first battery ID, a battery model, and a status. The first battery ID field stores an identifier for uniquely identifying the battery pack 500. The first server 100 stores the first battery ID in association with the identifier of the vehicle 300. In other words, the first battery ID is a battery identifier that is linked to the vehicle 300 (and its owner) in the first server 100.

[0040] In the battery model ID field, an identifier for identifying the model of the battery pack 500 is stored. The status field stores a set of data related to the battery status. Examples of data related to the battery status include the number of charge / discharge cycles, SoH (State of Health), etc. Examples include vehicle health, maximum power output, and driving range. SoH is a value that represents the ratio of the current fully charged capacity to the initial fully charged capacity. For example, a battery with an SoH of 80% can store 80% of its initial fully charged capacity. The number of charges and discharges is the number of times the battery has been charged and discharged since it was new. The number of charges and discharges is counted as one when the battery's power has been used up to 100%. Maximum output is the maximum power that the battery can output. If the battery deteriorates, the maximum output may be limited. In other words, there are also used batteries whose maximum output is lower than that of new batteries. The mileage is the value of an odometer of the vehicle 300 in which the battery is mounted. This information is updated as needed based on mileage information (such as the value of an odometer or trip meter) acquired from the vehicle 300. Note that, when the battery is transferred between vehicles, the mileage may be a cumulative value of all the vehicles. However, other indices may be used as long as they indicate the degree of deterioration of the battery, such as the operation history of a safety device included in the battery or the state of multiple cells.

[0041] The vehicle data 102B is a collection of vehicle information acquired from the vehicle 300. An example of the vehicle data 102B is shown in FIG. 3B. As shown in the figure, the vehicle data 102B has fields for a vehicle ID, a first battery ID, and driving information. The vehicle ID field contains: An identifier for uniquely identifying the vehicle 300 is stored in the first battery ID field. As described above, an identifier for uniquely identifying the battery pack 500 mounted on the vehicle 300 is stored in the first battery ID field. A collection of data related to the traveling of the vehicle 300 is stored in the traveling information field. Examples of the data related to the traveling include speed, traveling direction, and position information. The vehicle data 102B is updated by vehicle information periodically collected from the vehicle 300.

[0042] The traceability data 102C is information (traceability-related information) for calculating the amount of greenhouse gas emissions during manufacture, the recycling rate of raw materials, or a score related to due diligence for the target battery pack 500. The first server 100 stores the first battery ID and the traceability-related information for the battery pack 500 under its management in association with each other, and can provide the information upon request.

[0043] The wireless communication unit 103 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the first server 100 to a network. The wireless communication unit 103 is configured to be capable of wireless communication with the vehicle 300 via a communication service such as a wireless LAN or 3G, 4G, or 5G. The input / output unit 104 is a unit that accepts input operations performed by an operator of the device and presents information to the operator. In this embodiment, it is made up of a single touch panel display. That is, it is made up of a liquid crystal display and its control means, and a touch panel and its control means.

[0044] Next, the second server 200 will be described. The second server 200 is, for example, a computer such as a personal computer, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, etc. The second server 200 includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, a wireless communication unit 203, and an input / output unit 204.

[0045] The second server 200 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or a GPU, a main memory such as a RAM or a ROM, and an auxiliary memory such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, a removable media, etc. The configuration of the second server 200 can be the same as that of the first server 100, so a description of the specific hardware configuration will be omitted.

[0046] The control unit 201 is a calculation device that controls the second server 200. The control unit 201 can be realized by a calculation processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). do. The control unit 201 acquires information (battery information) related to the battery pack 500 via the communication device 400. The control unit 201 differs from the control unit 101 of the first server 100 in that the control unit 201 communicates with the battery pack 500 via the communication device 400, not with the vehicle 300.

[0047] The control unit 201 is configured to have a data acquisition unit 2011 as a functional module. The functional module may be realized by executing a stored program by a CPU. The data acquisition unit 2011 acquires battery information by communicating with the battery pack 500 (ECU 501) via the communication device 400. The acquired battery information is stored as battery data 202A, which will be described later.

[0048] The storage unit 202 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device, similar to the storage unit 102. The storage unit 202 also stores battery data 202A. The battery data 202A is a collection of battery information acquired from the battery pack 500. 3(D) shows an example of the battery data 202A. The battery data 202A is similar to the battery data 102A stored in the first server 100, but is different in that the battery pack 500 is identified by the second battery ID instead of the first battery ID. The second battery ID is an identifier for uniquely identifying the battery pack 500, similar to the first battery ID, but the second battery ID is not associated with the identifier of the vehicle 300 in either the first server 100 or the second server 200. In other words, the second battery ID is a battery identifier that cannot be linked to the vehicle 300 (and its owner). In this embodiment, the second server 200 manages the battery information using the second battery ID. Since the second battery ID is not linked to the vehicle 300 and its owner, the battery information can be used without restrictions on personal information as long as the second battery ID is used.

[0049] The wireless communication unit 203 and the input / output unit 204 are similar to the wireless communication unit 103 and the input / output unit 104, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0050] Next, the vehicle 300 will be described. The vehicle 300 is an electric vehicle equipped with a battery pack 500. The vehicle 300 is typically a BEV (Battery EV), but may be, for example, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, etc., as long as the vehicle is driven by a drive battery. The vehicle 300 is wirelessly connected to the first server 100. The vehicle 300 is also communicatively connected to the battery pack 500 via an in-vehicle network (CAN network).

[0051] The vehicle 300 is configured to include an ECU 301 , a sensor group 302 , a wireless communication unit 303 , and a CAN communication unit 304 . In response to a request from the first server 100, the ECU 301 acquires vehicle information and battery information and transmits them to the first server 100. The vehicle information includes, for example, the vehicle speed, traveling direction, and position information of the vehicle 300, and can be generated based on sensor data acquired from a sensor group 302 described later. The battery information can be acquired from the ECU 501 included in the battery pack 500.

[0052] The sensor group 302 is a collection of a plurality of sensors for acquiring vehicle information. For example, the sensor group 302 may include a speed sensor, a gyro sensor, a compass, a GPS module, and the like. The wireless communication unit 303 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the vehicle 300 to a network. The wireless communication unit 303 is configured to be able to communicate with the first server 100 via, for example, a wireless LAN or a mobile communication service such as 3G, 4G, or 5G. The CAN communication unit 304 is a communication interface with an in-vehicle network provided in the vehicle 300. The CAN communication unit 304 is a CAN (Controller Area Network) network. Communication is carried out via.

[0053] Next, the communication device 400 will be described. The communication device 400 is a device that connects the second server 200 and the battery pack 500. The battery pack 500 only has an interface for communicating with the vehicle 300 via a CAN network, and cannot communicate with the second server 200 by itself. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second server 200 and the battery pack 500 are connected using the communication device 400 that has both a CAN network interface and a wireless communication interface. The communication device 400 has a CAN network interface similar to that of the vehicle 300, and can communicate with the battery pack 500 via this.

[0054] The communication device 400 includes a control unit 401 , a wireless communication unit 402 , and a CAN communication unit 403 . In response to a request from the second server 200 , the control unit 401 acquires battery information from the ECU 501 included in the battery pack 500 , and transmits the battery information to the second server 200 . The wireless communication unit 402 is a network interface, similar to the wireless communication unit 203, for connecting the communication device 400 to a network. The CAN communication unit 403 is a communication interface with an in-vehicle network, similar to the CAN communication unit 304. The CAN communication unit 403 performs communication via the CAN network.

[0055] Next, the battery pack 500 will be described. The battery pack 500 is a unit in which a computer (ECU 501) for controlling charging and discharging of the battery, a storage unit 502, and a CAN communication unit 503 are added to a battery main body such as a lithium ion battery. In addition to controlling the charging and discharging of the battery itself, the ECU 501 periodically generates battery information, which is information on its own status, and stores the information as status data 502A in a storage unit 502, which is a storage device. In addition, the ECU 501 performs a process of transmitting the stored battery information to an external device in response to a request from the external device.

[0056] 3(E) is an example of the status data 502A. The status data 502A is similar to the battery data 102A stored by the first server 100 and the battery data 202A stored by the second server 200, but differs in that both the first battery ID and the second battery ID are associated with the status data 502A.

[0057] Furthermore, when transmitting the battery information, the ECU 501 determines whether to output the first battery ID or the second battery ID depending on the transmission destination. In this embodiment, when the battery pack 500 is mounted on the vehicle 300 and the battery information is transmitted to the first server 100 via the vehicle 300, the ECU 501 transmits the battery information in association with the first battery ID. When the battery pack 500 is removed from the vehicle 300 and the battery information is transmitted to the second server 200 via the communication device 400, the ECU 501 transmits the battery information in association with the second battery ID. At this time, the ECU 501 executes a process of converting the mileage included in the battery information into an approximate number. The CAN communication unit 503 is an interface for connecting the battery pack 500 to an in-vehicle network.

[0058] 2 is an example, and all or part of the functions shown in the figure may be executed using a dedicated circuit. Also, the programs may be stored or executed using a combination of a main memory device and an auxiliary memory device other than those shown in the figure.

[0059] Next, the processes executed by each device included in the system will be described. 4 is a sequence diagram of a process in which the first server 100 acquires information about the vehicle 300 and the battery pack 500 mounted on the vehicle 300. The illustrated process is executed in a state in which the battery pack 500 is mounted on the vehicle 300. The process may be executed periodically, or may be executed with a predetermined event as a trigger.

[0060] First, in step S11, the first server 100 identifies target vehicles from which information is to be collected. The target vehicles may be determined according to an information collection schedule or based on instructions from an operator. For example, the first server 100 acquires the vehicle ID of the determined vehicle, and transmits an information request to the vehicle 300 having the vehicle ID. The information request is data requesting the vehicle 300 to transmit vehicle information and battery information. Information request is received by the vehicle 300 (ECU 301).

[0061] In step S12, the vehicle 300 (ECU 301) that has received the information request generates vehicle information. As described above, the vehicle information may include the vehicle's speed, traveling direction, position information, etc. The ECU 301 can obtain this information based on sensor data obtained from the sensor group 302. Furthermore, the ECU 301 transmits an information request to the battery pack 500 (ECU 501). The information request is data requesting the battery pack 500 to transmit the battery information.

[0062] In step S13, the battery pack 500 (ECU 501) that has received the information request generates battery information. The ECU 501 may generate the battery information based on the status data 502A stored in the storage unit 502, or may update the status data 502A with the latest information and generate the battery information based on the updated information. The battery information generated here is associated with the first battery ID. The first battery ID and the battery information are transmitted to the vehicle 300 (ECU 301). The vehicle 300 (ECU 301) adds the vehicle information to the first battery ID and the battery information, and transmits them to the first server 100.

[0063] In step S14, the first server 100 updates the battery data 102A and the vehicle data 102B based on the received information.

[0064] 5 is a sequence diagram of a process in which the second server 200 acquires information about the battery pack 500 removed from the vehicle 300. The illustrated process is executed in a state in which the battery pack 500 is removed from the vehicle 300 and connected to the communication device 400. The process may be started by an operation of an operator.

[0065] First, an operator connects the communication device 400 and the battery pack 500. The communication device 400 and the battery pack 500 can be connected using a CAN interface. When the communication device 400 and the battery pack 500 are connected, the communication device 400 (control unit 401) transmits an information request to the battery pack 500 (ECU 501). The information request is data requesting the battery pack 500 to transmit battery information.

[0066] In step S21, the battery pack 500 (ECU 501) that has received the information request generates battery information. The ECU 501 may generate the battery information based on the status data 502A stored in the storage unit 502, or may update the status data 502A with the latest information and generate the battery information based on the updated information. The battery information generated here is associated with the second battery ID.

[0067] As described above, the status data includes information regarding the mileage of the vehicle 300 in which the battery pack 500 was installed. Although the second battery ID is an ID that is not linked to a vehicle, by referring to the mileage, there are cases in which the vehicles in which the battery pack 500 was installed can be narrowed down. Therefore, in step S22, the ECU 501 converts the mileage included in the battery information into an approximate number by rounding down or rounding off at any digit. For example, if the mileage is 36,421 km and processing is performed to round it down to the thousands digit, it becomes 36,000 km. Also, processing to round it down to the hundreds digit becomes 36,400 km. If the deterioration level of the battery can be estimated, the digit to be rounded down can be any digit. Note that the above example is in kilometers, but the same applies when the mileage is in miles. do. When the process of step S22 is completed, the second battery ID and the battery information are transmitted to the communication device 400 (control unit 401). The communication device 400 (control unit 401) transfers the second battery ID and the battery information to the second server 200.

[0068] In step S23, the second server 200 updates the battery data 202A based on the received information.

[0069] Next, the contents of the processes performed by the battery pack 500 (ECU 501) in the above-mentioned steps S13, S21, and S22 will be described. Fig. 6 is a flowchart of the processes performed by the battery pack 500 (ECU 501) that has received an information request in steps S13, S21, and S22.

[0070] First, in step S31, ECU 501 generates battery information. The battery information may be generated based on status data 502A that is acquired in advance and stored in storage unit 502. Next, in step S32, ECU 501 determines whether or not the received information request has been transmitted from vehicle 300. If the information request has been transmitted from vehicle 300, the process proceeds to step S33. If the information request has not been transmitted from vehicle 300 (i.e., if the information request has been transmitted from communication device 400), the process proceeds to step S34.

[0071] In step S33, ECU 501 reads the first battery ID, and transmits it together with the battery information generated in step S31. In step S34, the ECU 501 executes a process of converting the mileage included in the battery information into an approximate number. The ECU 501 may convert the mileage included in the battery information into an approximate number by rounding up, rounding down, or rounding up to an arbitrary digit. In step S35, ECU 501 reads the second battery ID, and transmits it together with the battery information generated in step S31.

[0072] As described above, in the battery management system according to this embodiment, the battery pack to be managed stores two types of identifiers, an identifier linked to personal information and an identifier not linked to personal information, and the identifier to be transmitted together with the battery information is determined according to the device to which the battery management system is to communicate. This makes it possible to provide the battery information appropriately to both the device that handles personal information (the first server 100) and the device that does not (the second server 200). In particular, since a battery identifier not linked to personal information is provided to a device that does not handle personal information, it is possible to obtain the effect that the personal information cannot be traced from the battery information. Furthermore, the battery pack according to this embodiment executes a process of converting the mileage included in the battery information into an approximate value when providing the battery information to the second server 200. This makes it difficult to estimate the vehicle in which the target battery pack was installed.

[0073] (Modification) The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0074] In the description of the embodiment, the battery identifier to be output is determined based on the battery pack 500 being a vehicle In the above, the battery identifier is determined based on "whether the battery is installed in both vehicles 300" (step S32), but the determination may be made based on the communication destination. For example, the battery identifier to be output may be determined based on whether the device that transmitted the information request is a first server (i.e., a device related to the vehicle 300) or a second server (a device not related to the vehicle 300). In addition, in the description of the embodiment, the process of converting the mileage included in the battery information into an approximate number (step S34) is performed by the battery pack 500 (ECU 501), but this process may be performed by the communication device 400. The communication device 400 performs this conversion process before transmitting the battery information received from the battery pack 500 to the second server 200.

[0075] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by one device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed.

[0076] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors of the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 100...First server 200...Second server 300...Vehicle 400 Communication equipment 500···Battery pack

Claims

1. A battery; a storage unit that stores a first battery identifier that is linked to personal information in another system and a second battery identifier that is not linked to personal information in the other system; a control unit that selectively transmits either the first battery identifier or the second battery identifier together with battery information relating to a status of the battery to a predetermined information processing device; A battery system having:

2. the control unit transmits the battery information together with the first battery identifier to the predetermined information processing device when the battery is mounted on the vehicle, and transmits the battery information together with the second battery identifier to the predetermined information processing device when the battery is removed from the vehicle. The battery system of claim 1 .

3. the control unit transmits the battery information together with the first battery identifier to the predetermined information processing device when the predetermined information processing device is a device related to the vehicle equipped with the battery system, and transmits the battery information together with the second battery identifier to the predetermined information processing device when the predetermined information processing device is a device not related to the vehicle equipped with the battery system. The battery system of claim 1 .

4. The battery information includes mileage information of a vehicle associated with the battery. The battery system of claim 1 .

5. the control unit converts a value indicated by mileage information included in the battery information into an approximate number when transmitting the second battery identifier to the predetermined information processing device. The battery system according to claim 4 .

Images