Control device

Abstract

To provide a control device in which power shortage of an auxiliary battery hardly happens even when electric power is supplied to an emergency battery from the auxiliary battery during the off-state of an ignition switch of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A control device 20 controls charging of an emergency battery B2 mounted on a vehicle VH as a power source of an emergency call unit 10. The control device 20 includes a control part 21 which, when detecting the off-state of an ignition switch of the vehicle VH, determines whether charging condition for charging of the emergency battery B2 is satisfied based on vehicle data indicating the status of the vehicle VH, and when determined the charging condition is satisfied, performs control for starting power supply from an auxiliary battery B1 mounted on the vehicle VH to the emergency battery B2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicles such as electric vehicles generally include an emergency battery in addition to a main battery for driving the vehicle, an ECU that controls various vehicle functions, and an auxiliary battery that supplies power to in-vehicle functional equipment such as car navigation systems. "ECU" is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit. The emergency battery is a backup battery (BUB) that supplies the power required for an emergency notification device. The emergency battery is built into the emergency notification device. The emergency notification device is, for example, an on-board communication device such as a DCM. "DCM" is an abbreviation for Data Communication Module. The emergency notification device performs emergency operations such as the application of a vehicle emergency notification system called eCall.

[0003] It is generally said that an auxiliary battery needs to be charged for approximately 30 minutes, for example, once every two weeks. If the power stored in the auxiliary battery is insufficient, the vehicle's power unit will not start, which is known as a "dead battery." The auxiliary battery is charged while the vehicle's ignition (IG) switch is on, that is, while the main battery is running. The power required to charge the auxiliary battery is supplied from the main battery. In addition, it is common for the emergency battery to also be charged while the ignition switch is on. The power required to charge the emergency battery is supplied from the auxiliary battery.

[0004] The reason why the emergency battery is charged while the vehicle's ignition switch is on is as follows: While the vehicle's ignition switch is on, that is, while the vehicle is running and the main battery is operating, power is supplied from the main battery to the auxiliary battery. Therefore, unless there is a fault in the power supply path, there is almost no chance that the power stored in the auxiliary battery will run out while the vehicle is running, resulting in a "dead battery." However, while the vehicle's ignition switch is off, power is not supplied from the main battery to the auxiliary battery. Therefore, if the emergency battery were to be charged from the auxiliary battery while the ignition switch is off, there is a risk that the power stored in the auxiliary battery will run out, which could result in the power unit not starting (a "dead battery" occurring).

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for using power from an auxiliary power supply to transmit data received from outside the vehicle to a target in-vehicle device for updating when the vehicle's power switch is off. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-045278 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] If power is supplied from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery while the vehicle ignition switch is off, a power shortage is likely to occur in the auxiliary battery.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to make it less likely that a power shortage will occur in the auxiliary battery even if power is supplied from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery while the ignition switch of the vehicle is off. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A control device according to the present disclosure controls charging of an emergency battery installed as a power source for an emergency notification device installed in a vehicle. When the control device detects that the vehicle's ignition switch has been turned off, the control device determines whether charging conditions for charging the emergency battery are satisfied based on vehicle data indicating the vehicle state, and if it is determined that the charging conditions are satisfied, controls to start supplying power from an auxiliary battery installed in the vehicle to the emergency battery. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, even if power is supplied from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery while the ignition switch of the vehicle is off, a power shortage in the auxiliary battery is unlikely to occur. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0014] The configuration of a control system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0015] The control system 1 includes a vehicle VH, an emergency notification device 10, a main battery MB, and an auxiliary battery B1. The emergency notification device 10 includes a control device 20 and an emergency battery B2. The emergency notification device 10, the main battery MB, and the auxiliary battery B1 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other, for example, via an in-vehicle network such as a CAN or a dedicated line.

[0016] The emergency notification device 10 is, for example, an in-vehicle communication device such as a DCM. The emergency notification device 10 is equipped with a vehicle emergency notification system called eCall, and is a device for notifying an emergency event, such as an accident or collision of the vehicle VH, to an emergency notification center. In this embodiment, the emergency notification device 10 has a built-in antenna for communicating with the outside of the vehicle VH. This vehicle emergency notification system allows the vehicle VH to automatically send an emergency notification even in the event of a serious automobile accident in which the driver and / or passengers lose consciousness.

[0017] The vehicle VH may be, for example, any type of electric vehicle, such as an HEV, a PHEV, a BEV, or an FCEV. "HEV" is an abbreviation for hybrid electric vehicle. "PHEV" is an abbreviation for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. "BEV" is an abbreviation for battery electric vehicle. "FCEV" is an abbreviation for fuel cell electric vehicle. The vehicle VH includes privately owned vehicles and commercial vehicles. In this embodiment, the vehicle VH is a private car, but is not limited to this and may be any vehicle. The vehicle VH may also be an AV with any level of automated driving. "AV" is an abbreviation for autonomous vehicle. The level of automation is, for example, any of levels 1 to 5 in the SAE classification. "SAE" is an abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers.

[0018] The main battery MB is a driving battery for propelling the vehicle VH. When the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is turned on, the main battery MB supplies electric power necessary to drive a power unit such as a motor.

[0019] The auxiliary battery B1 is a battery that supplies power to the ECU that controls various functions of the vehicle VH, the car navigation system, and other in-vehicle functional equipment. The auxiliary battery B1 is automatically charged when the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is on. The power required to charge the auxiliary battery B1 is supplied from the main battery MB. In Figure 1, the arrow e1 indicates the flow of power supply from the main battery MB to the auxiliary battery B1.

[0020] The emergency battery B2 is a backup battery that supplies the power required for the emergency notification device 10. The power required for charging the emergency battery B2 is supplied from the auxiliary battery B1. In FIG. 1, the flow of power supply from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 is indicated by an arrow e2.

[0021] The main battery MB, the auxiliary battery B1, and the emergency battery B2 may each be configured to include a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, such as a lithium-ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. Instead of a secondary battery, another power storage device, such as a multilayer capacitor, may be used. In this embodiment, the emergency battery B2 is a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. The reason for using a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery as the emergency battery B2 will be described later. As described above, the emergency battery B2 is built into the emergency notification device 10. The main battery 34 may be, for example, a large battery mounted in the rear of the vehicle VH. The auxiliary battery B1 may be located anywhere in the vehicle VH, such as under the rear seat or in the luggage compartment of the vehicle VH.

[0022] The control device 20 controls the control system 1 according to this embodiment. The control device 20 includes a microcomputer equipped with a processor, a memory, and an input / output interface. This microcomputer is also called an ECU. The control device 20 collects measured values ​​of the remaining charge and ambient temperature t1 of the emergency battery B2 and the open-circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1 at any control timing. The control device 20 controls the main battery MB, the auxiliary battery B1, and the emergency battery B2. For example, the control device 20 can start or stop the supply of power from the main battery MB to the auxiliary battery B1. Similarly, the control device 20 can start or stop the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2.

[0023] Although the control device 20 is built into the emergency notification device 10 in FIG. 1, the control device 20 may be provided outside the vehicle VH and communicably connected to the vehicle VH via a network such as the Internet.

[0024] An overview of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0025] Conventionally, emergency notification devices 10 have been installed in locations that are difficult to see, such as under the instrument panel or near the feet of a vehicle occupant. Furthermore, the antenna used by the emergency notification device 10 for communication, such as a shark fin antenna or a microantenna, has been mounted externally to the emergency notification device 10, for example, on the rooftop of the vehicle. However, due to the recent trend toward incorporating an antenna into the emergency notification device 10 for cost reduction and other purposes, it has become necessary to change the installation location of the emergency notification device 10 to, for example, above the instrument panel or dashboard, or near the roof, in order to improve the antenna's sensitivity. However, when the emergency notification device 10 is installed above the instrument panel or dashboard, or near the roof, the expected operating temperature at the installation location of the emergency notification device 10 is expected to be higher than in the past. Therefore, a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery, which can withstand high temperatures, was adopted as the emergency battery B2 that supplies the necessary power to the emergency notification device 10, instead of a conventional lithium-ion secondary battery. However, it was found that the leakage current from the nickel-metal hydride secondary battery at high temperatures increases compared to when a lithium-ion secondary battery is used. Furthermore, the temperature at the location where the emergency notification device 10 is installed tends to exceed the upper limit of the allowable charging temperature range for charging a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. As a result, even if an attempt is made to charge the emergency battery B2 while the ignition switch is on, as in the past, if the vehicle equipped with the emergency notification device 10 is driven only during the daytime when the temperature is high, the temperature at the location where the emergency notification device 10 is installed may exceed the upper limit of the allowable charging temperature range for the emergency battery B2, and the emergency battery B2 may not be charged even when the ignition switch is on. If the emergency battery B2 is not fully charged, the remaining charge (SOC) of the emergency battery B2 decreases, resulting in a shortage of capacity required for emergency operation of the emergency notification device 10, which may make it impossible to make an emergency call when one is required, which is undesirable. "SOC" is an abbreviation for State of Charge. Therefore, it has been discovered that the emergency battery B2 needs to be charged not only while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is on, as in the past, but also while the ignition switch is off.However, since power is not supplied from the main battery MB to the auxiliary battery B1 while the ignition switch is off, there is a concern that if the emergency battery B2 is charged while the ignition switch is off, the auxiliary battery B1, which supplies power to the emergency battery B2, may run out of power.

[0026] In the control system 1 according to this embodiment, the control device 20 controls the charging of the emergency battery B2 mounted on the vehicle VH as a power source for the emergency notification device 10 mounted on the vehicle VH. Specifically, the control unit 21 controls the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is off. When the control device 20 detects that the ignition switch of the vehicle VH has been turned off, the control device 20 determines whether a charging condition C for charging the emergency battery B2 is satisfied based on vehicle data D1 indicating the state of the vehicle VH. If it is determined that the charging condition C is satisfied, the control device 20 controls the start of the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 mounted on the vehicle VH to the emergency battery B2.

[0027] According to this embodiment, when charging the emergency battery B2 while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is off, a determination is made as to whether the charging condition C is satisfied. With this configuration, even if power is supplied from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 while the ignition switch is off to charge the emergency battery B2, it is possible to avoid inconveniences such as power being supplied from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 even when the auxiliary battery B1 does not have a sufficient remaining charge. Therefore, even if the emergency battery B2 is charged from the auxiliary battery B1 while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is off, a power shortage in the auxiliary battery B1 is unlikely to occur.

[0028] The configuration of a control device 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0029] The control device 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23.

[0030] The control unit 21 includes at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. "CPU" is an abbreviation for central processing unit. "GPU" is an abbreviation for graphics processing unit. An example of the programmable circuit is an FPGA. "FPGA" is an abbreviation for field-programmable gate array. An example of the dedicated circuit is an ASIC. "ASIC" is an abbreviation for application specific integrated circuit. The control unit 21 controls each part of the control unit 20 and executes processing related to the operation of the control unit 20.

[0031] The memory unit 22 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, RAM or ROM. "RAM" is an abbreviation for random access memory. "ROM" is an abbreviation for read only memory. RAM is, for example, SRAM or DRAM. "SRAM" is an abbreviation for static random access memory. "DRAM" is an abbreviation for dynamic random access memory. ROM is, for example, EEPROM. "EEPROM" is an abbreviation for electrically erasable programmable read only memory. The memory unit 22 functions as, for example, a main memory device, an auxiliary memory device, or a cache memory. The memory unit 22 stores data used in the operation of the control device 20 and data obtained by the operation of the control device 20. The memory unit 22 may also store vehicle data D1 indicating the state of the vehicle VH. The vehicle data D1 includes data indicating the state of the vehicle VH, such as the remaining charge of the emergency battery B2, the open circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1, and the ambient temperature t1 of the emergency battery B2.

[0032] The communication unit 23 includes at least one communication interface. The communication interface is, for example, an interface compatible with a mobile communication standard such as LTE, 4G standard, or 5G standard, an interface compatible with short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), or a LAN interface. "LTE" is an abbreviation for Long Term Evolution. "4G" is an abbreviation for 4th generation. "5G" is an abbreviation for 5th generation. The communication unit 23 receives data used in the operation of the vehicle VH and transmits data obtained by the operation of the vehicle VH. In this embodiment, the communication unit 23 communicates with an emergency call center in the event of an emergency for the vehicle VH.

[0033] The functions of the control device 20 are realized by executing a program according to this embodiment on a processor serving as the control unit 21. That is, the functions of the control device 20 are realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute the operations of the control device 20, thereby causing the computer to function as the control device 20. That is, the computer functions as the control device 20 by executing the operations of the control device 20 in accordance with the program.

[0034] The program can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include flash memory, magnetic recording devices, optical disks, magneto-optical recording media, and ROMs. The program can be distributed by selling, transferring, or lending portable media such as SD cards, DVDs, or CD-ROMs that store the program. "SD" is an abbreviation for Secure Digital. "DVD" is an abbreviation for digital versatile disc. "CD-ROM" is an abbreviation for compact disc read only memory. The program can also be distributed by storing it in the storage of a server and transferring it from the server to another computer. The program can also be provided as a program product.

[0035] A computer temporarily stores a program stored on a portable medium or transferred from a server in its main storage device. The computer then reads the program stored in the main storage device using a processor and executes processing in accordance with the read program. The computer may also read the program directly from a portable medium and execute processing in accordance with the program. The computer may also execute processing in accordance with the received program each time a program is transferred from a server to the computer. Processing may also be executed through a so-called ASP-type service that achieves its function simply by issuing an execution command and obtaining the results, without transferring the program from the server to the computer. "ASP" is an abbreviation for application service provider. Programs include information used for processing by a computer that is equivalent to a program. For example, data that does not directly instruct a computer but has properties that define computer processing falls under the category of "equivalent to a program."

[0036] Some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be realized by a programmable circuit or a dedicated circuit as the control unit 21. In other words, some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be realized by hardware.

[0037] The operation of the control device 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. This operation corresponds to the control method according to this embodiment. That is, the control method according to this embodiment includes steps S1 to S4 shown in Fig. 2. Hereinafter, each step in the flowchart will be identified by an S and a number.

[0038] In S1, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 detects that the ignition switch of the vehicle VH has been turned off. Specifically, the control unit 21 detects that the ignition switch has been turned off when the operation mode of the emergency notification device 10 is in Standby mode or Eco mode. "Standby mode" refers to a state in which the ignition switch is off and the emergency notification device 10 is on standby. "Eco mode" refers to a state in which the ignition switch is off and the emergency notification device 10 is activated by a trigger such as a command or at a predetermined timing. When the ignition switch is in the off state, the power supply from the main battery MB to the auxiliary battery B1 is stopped.

[0039] In S2, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 acquires vehicle data D1. The vehicle data D1 includes data indicating the remaining charge of the emergency battery B2, the open-circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1, and the ambient temperature t1 of the emergency battery B2 as the state of the vehicle VH. The vehicle data D1 can be acquired by any procedure. The control unit 21 collects a measured value of the open-circuit voltage from the auxiliary battery B1. The control unit 21 collects measured values ​​of the SOC and the ambient temperature t1 from the emergency battery B2. The control unit 21 acquires each of the collected measured values ​​as vehicle data D1. The control unit 21 may store the acquired vehicle data D1 in the memory unit 22.

[0040] In S3, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 determines whether a charging condition C related to the charging of the emergency battery B2 is satisfied based on the vehicle data D1 acquired in S1. In this embodiment, the charging condition C includes a first condition C1 that the remaining charge of the emergency battery B2 is less than a first threshold value Th1, a second condition C2 that the open circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1 is equal to or greater than a second threshold value Th2, and a third condition C3 that the ambient temperature t1 is within a predetermined range.

[0041] Here, the concept of setting the charging condition C will be explained.

[0042] As a first condition C1, a first threshold value Th1 is set to the minimum capacity required for the emergency notification device 10 to operate in an emergency. The first threshold value Th1 can be, for example, 60% of the total capacity of the emergency battery B2. As a second condition C2, a second threshold value Th2 is set to the minimum voltage required as an open circuit voltage for starting the auxiliary battery B1. The second threshold value Th2 is, for example, 12.5 V. As a third condition C3, a temperature range within a predetermined range in which the emergency battery B2 can be charged is set. For example, if the nominal value of the charging temperature range of a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery adopted as the emergency battery B2 is 0°C to 50°C, the range of the ambient temperature t1 in the third condition C3 is set to 0°C to 50°C. The specific numerical values ​​listed as these charging conditions C are merely examples, and can be set arbitrarily as long as the capacity required for emergency operation of the emergency battery B2 can be secured, the emergency battery B2 can be charged from the auxiliary battery B1, and the open circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1 is not insufficient even when power is supplied from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2.

[0043] In S3, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 determines that the charging condition C is satisfied if all of the first condition C1, the second condition C2, and the third condition C3 are satisfied. Furthermore, the control unit 21 determines that the charging condition C is not satisfied if any one of the first condition C1, the second condition C2, and the third condition C3 is not satisfied. If it is determined in S3 that the charging condition C is satisfied, the process of S4 is performed.

[0044] On the other hand, if it is determined in S3 that charging condition C is not satisfied, the process returns to S2 and the process is performed again. Note that the processes of S2 and S3 can be repeated at any timing as long as the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is not turned on, but it is desirable to repeat them at least once every 24 hours. For example, suppose that it is determined in S3 that charging condition C is not satisfied because the third condition C3 of the first condition C1, second condition C2, and third condition C3 is not satisfied. In this case, because the ambient temperature t1 may fluctuate over time after the ignition switch is turned off, the process of S2 may be performed again several hours later. Alternatively, the control unit 21 may predict daily temperature changes based on, for example, data from a temperature sensor in the vehicle VH or weather forecast data, and determine the point in time when the ambient temperature t1 will reach a temperature that satisfies the third condition C3, thereby determining the timing to perform the process of S2 again.

[0045] 2, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 performs control to start charging the emergency battery B2. Specifically, the control unit 21 performs control to start supplying power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2.

[0046] As described above, the control device 20 according to this embodiment controls the charging of the emergency battery B2 mounted on the vehicle VH as a power source for the emergency notification device 10 mounted on the vehicle VH. When the control device 20 detects that the ignition switch of the vehicle VH has been turned off, the control device 20 determines whether the charging condition C related to the charging of the emergency battery B2 is satisfied based on the vehicle data D1 indicating the state of the vehicle VH, and if it is determined that the charging condition C is satisfied, the control device 20 performs control to start the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 mounted on the vehicle VH to the emergency battery B2.

[0047] According to this embodiment, when charging the emergency battery B2 while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is off, a determination is made as to whether the charging condition C is satisfied. With this configuration, even if power is supplied from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is off, it is possible to avoid inconveniences such as power being supplied from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 even when the auxiliary battery B1 does not have a sufficient remaining charge. Therefore, even if power is supplied from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is off, a power shortage in the auxiliary battery B1 is unlikely to occur.

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, it is considered that the state of the vehicle VH, i.e., the remaining charge of the emergency battery B2, the open-circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1, and the ambient temperature t1 of the emergency battery B2, may vary over time. Therefore, after starting the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 in S4, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 may monitor whether the charging condition C is satisfied while the ignition switch is off. Specifically, the control unit 21 may determine whether the charging condition C is satisfied every time a predetermined time elapses while the ignition switch is off. The predetermined time can be set arbitrarily, but is preferably performed at least once every 12 hours, for example. If it is determined in S4 that the charging condition C is not satisfied, the control unit 21 may perform control to stop the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2. Specifically, after starting the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 in S4 of FIG. 2, the processes of S2 and S3 may be repeated. In this case, if it is determined in S3 that charging condition C is satisfied, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 performs control to continue the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2. On the other hand, if it is determined in S3 that charging condition C is not satisfied, the control unit 21 performs control to stop the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2. In this embodiment, the processes of S2 and S3 may be repeated until the emergency battery B2 is fully charged, unless the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is turned on. Whether the emergency battery B2 is fully charged may be determined using any procedure, but in this embodiment, it is determined, for example, using the following procedure.

[0049] After starting the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 in S4 of FIG. 2, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 acquires the remaining time until full charge based on the SOC of the emergency battery B2 and counts the acquired remaining time to monitor whether the emergency battery B2 is fully charged. The remaining time may be acquired arbitrarily. For example, when starting charging of the emergency battery B2, the control unit 21 assumes that the amount of current flowing from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 is constant and calculates the remaining time until full charge (rated capacity) of the emergency battery B2 based on the SOC. Alternatively, the memory unit 22 of the control device 20 may pre-store the remaining charging time associated with each SOC value of the emergency battery B2. In such a case, the control unit 21 acquires, for example, the SOC value at the time when the supply of power to the emergency battery B2 is started and acquires the remaining charging time corresponding to that value from the memory unit 22. The control unit 21 may also acquire information indicating the state of health (SOH) of the emergency battery B2. "SOH" is an abbreviation for State Of Health. For example, if the SOH is defined by dividing the current capacity of the emergency battery B2 by the rated capacity, the value obtained by multiplying the rated capacity by the SOH value may be regarded as the fully charged capacity of the emergency battery B2, and the remaining time may be calculated from the remaining charge amount until that capacity is reached.

[0050] According to the present embodiment, after the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is turned off and charging of the emergency battery B2 is initiated, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 monitors whether charging condition C is satisfied while the ignition switch is off, and if charging condition C is no longer satisfied, charging of the emergency battery B2 is stopped. With this configuration, after the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 is initiated while the ignition switch is off, if the state of the vehicle VH, i.e., the remaining charge of the emergency battery B2, the open-circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1, and / or the ambient temperature t1 of the emergency battery B2, fluctuates over time while charging of the emergency battery B2, and any of the first condition C1, second condition C2, and third condition C3 no longer satisfies, it is determined that charging condition C is no longer satisfied, and charging of the emergency battery B2 is stopped. After the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is turned off and charging of the emergency battery B2 is initiated, a case in which charging condition C is no longer satisfied while the ignition switch is off may occur, for example, when charging of the emergency battery B2 is initiated early in the morning and the temperature rises during the day. According to this embodiment, in such a case, the third condition C3 of charging condition C related to the ambient temperature t1 of the emergency battery B2 is no longer satisfied, and the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 is stopped. This prevents inconveniences such as power being supplied to the emergency battery B2 even when the temperature at which the emergency battery B2 can be charged has exceeded. Another case in which charging condition C is no longer satisfied after the ignition switch is turned off and charging of the emergency battery B2 is initiated may occur, for example, when the open-circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1 drops due to the supply of power to the emergency battery B2. According to this embodiment, in such a case, the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 is stopped because the second condition C2 of the charging condition C is no longer satisfied. This makes it possible to avoid inconveniences such as continuing the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 even when the remaining charge of the auxiliary battery B1 is insufficient.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is turned on while power is being supplied to the emergency battery B2. The processing in this case will be described.

[0052] When the control unit 21 of the control device 20 detects that the ignition switch of the vehicle VH has been turned on while power is being supplied to the emergency battery B2, the control unit 21 monitors whether the conditions of the charging condition C other than the second condition C2 are satisfied. Specifically, while the ignition switch is on, the control unit 21 determines whether the conditions of the charging condition C other than the second condition C2 are satisfied every time a predetermined time elapses. While the predetermined time can be set arbitrarily, it is desirable that the determination be performed at least once every 12 hours, for example. The reason for determining whether the conditions of the charging condition C other than the second condition C2 are satisfied is that, when the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is turned on, the supply of power from the main battery MB to the auxiliary battery B1 is started, charging the auxiliary battery B1. Therefore, it is considered that the second condition C2, that the open circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery B1 is equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2, does not need to be considered.

[0053] The control unit 21 of the control device 20 performs control to stop the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 when a condition other than the second condition C2, i.e., the first condition C1 or the third condition C3, is no longer satisfied while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is on.

[0054] According to this configuration, when the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is turned on while power is being supplied from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 with the ignition switch of the vehicle VH turned off, a determination is made regarding the conditions other than the second condition C2 among the charging conditions C. In other words, while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is on, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 does not need to make a determination regarding the second condition C2 among the charging conditions C, and therefore the processing load of the control unit 21 can be reduced.

[0055] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 is stopped while the ignition switch of the vehicle VH is off or on, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 may temporarily suspend counting the time remaining until the emergency battery B2 is fully charged without resetting it, and then resume counting when the supply of power to the emergency battery B2 is resumed. With this configuration, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 does not need to obtain the time remaining until the emergency battery B2 is fully charged every time the supply of power from the auxiliary battery B1 to the emergency battery B2 is resumed. This reduces the processing load on the control unit 21.

[0056] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, multiple blocks shown in the block diagrams may be integrated, or a single block may be divided. Instead of executing multiple steps shown in the flowcharts in chronological order as described, steps may be executed in parallel or in a different order depending on the processing capabilities of the device executing each step, or as needed. Other modifications are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1. Control System 10 Emergency call device 20 Control device 21 Control section 22 Memory section 23 Communications Department MB Main Battery B1 Auxiliary battery B2 Emergency Battery VH vehicle

Claims

1. A control device that controls charging of an emergency battery mounted as a power source for an emergency notification device mounted on a vehicle, A control device including a control unit that, when it detects that the ignition switch of the vehicle has been turned off, determines whether charging conditions for charging the emergency battery are met based on vehicle data indicating the state of the vehicle, and if it determines that the charging conditions are met, controls to start supplying power from an auxiliary battery installed in the vehicle to the emergency battery.

2. the vehicle data includes data indicating a remaining charge of the emergency battery, an open circuit voltage of the auxiliary battery, and an ambient temperature of the emergency battery as the state of the vehicle; the charging conditions include a first condition that the remaining charge indicated by the vehicle data is less than a first threshold, a second condition that the open circuit voltage is equal to or greater than a second threshold, and a third condition that the ambient temperature is within a predetermined range; The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines that the charging condition is satisfied when all of the first condition, the second condition, and the third condition are satisfied.

3. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit monitors whether the charging condition is satisfied after starting the supply of power from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery, and when the charging condition is no longer satisfied, performs control to stop the supply of power from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery.

4. the control unit, after starting the supply of power from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery, calculates the remaining time until the emergency battery is fully charged based on the remaining charge and capacity of the emergency battery, and monitors whether the emergency battery is fully charged by counting the calculated remaining time; 3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein when the control unit detects that the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned on while power is being supplied from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery, the control unit monitors whether any of the charging conditions other than the second condition is satisfied, and when any of the conditions other than the second condition is no longer satisfied, controls to stop the supply of power from the auxiliary battery to the emergency battery without resetting the count of the remaining time.

5. the emergency call device includes an antenna built into the emergency call device, 5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the emergency battery is a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery.

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