Battery pack and vehicle control device

Abstract

To effectively prevent electric power from being stolen from a power supply terminal to an external device, which is provided in a battery pack attachable to and detachable from an electric vehicle.SOLUTION: A battery pack comprises a battery, a power supply unit for supplying power from a battery to an external device different from a control unit of an electric vehicle, a detection unit for detecting whether or not the battery pack is attached to the electric vehicle, and a control unit for causing the power supply unit to stop supplying power to an external device in the first case where the battery pack is detected to be attached to the electric vehicle but a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is traveling is not received from the control unit of the electric vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for preventing electricity theft from a power supply terminal for an external device provided in a battery pack used in an electric vehicle such as an electrically assisted vehicle or an electric motorcycle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery for an electrically assisted bicycle that has a terminal separate from the connection to the electrically assisted bicycle's control device, and that can be used to charge and discharge external devices. However, this document merely discloses connecting a special battery charger to this terminal and using this battery charger to charge and discharge external devices, and does not anticipate a third party other than the owner of the battery or electrically assisted bicycle connecting an external device to the terminal without permission and using the power stored in the battery.

[0003] Furthermore, there are documents (e.g., Patent Documents 2 and 3) that describe a configuration in which an electric vehicle is provided with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal to enable power supply to external devices, but by providing a physical structure that prevents third parties from accessing the terminal, it is possible to prevent third parties from manipulating the power supply system.

[0004] Providing a USB terminal or the like on battery packs used in electric vehicles such as electrically assisted vehicles and electric motorcycles to enable power supply to external devices improves user convenience, but allowing power supply without any restrictions poses the problem that third parties other than the legitimate user may use the power of the battery pack without permission. On the other hand, providing a physical structure to a small battery pack that prevents operation by third parties is not reasonable from the standpoint of cost, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] WO2013 / 001909 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-233020 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-230730 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a technology for effectively preventing electricity theft from a power supply terminal for an external device that is provided in a battery pack that is detachable from an electric vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The battery pack of the present invention includes (A) a battery, (B) a power supply unit that supplies power from the battery to an external device other than a control unit of an electric vehicle, (C) a detection unit that detects whether or not the battery is attached to the electric vehicle, and (D) a control unit that causes the power supply unit to stop supplying power to the external device in a first case where the battery pack is detected to be attached to the electric vehicle but a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is running is not received from the control unit of the electric vehicle.

[0008] The control device for an electric vehicle according to the present invention includes: (A) a determination unit that determines whether the electric vehicle is running based on at least one of pedal rotation, motor rotation, and wheel rotation; and (B) an output unit that, when it is determined that the electric vehicle is running, outputs a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is running to a battery pack that can supply power to external devices. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As one aspect, it is possible to effectively prevent electricity theft from a power supply terminal for an external device that is provided in a battery pack that is detachable from an electric vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of an electrically assisted bicycle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a battery pack attached to an electrically assisted bicycle. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing cases in which power can be supplied to an external device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the battery pack and the motor control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the motor control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the state classification when indicating whether or not the vehicle is running based on the crank rotation speed. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the state classification when indicating whether or not the vehicle is running based on the motor rotation speed. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C is a diagram showing an example of state classification in the case where whether or not the vehicle is running is indicated based on the motor rotation speed and the crank rotation speed. [Figure 6D] FIG. 6D is a diagram showing another example of state classification in the case where whether or not the vehicle is running is indicated based on the motor rotation speed and the crank rotation speed. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the battery pack according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the power-assisted bicycle and the battery pack according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a battery pack and a motor control device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the bottom surface of the battery pack according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a battery pack and a motor control device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the motor control device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a determination process according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the battery pack according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another example of cases in which power can be supplied to an external device. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the battery pack according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a flow of the setting switching process according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the relationship between pressing the battery button and LED display according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating processing in the wireless communication terminal according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a process in the battery pack according to the sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described using an electrically assisted bicycle as an example of an electrically assisted vehicle. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to electrically assisted vehicles, and can also be applied to battery packs of electric vehicles such as electric motorcycles.

[0012] [Embodiment 1] 1 is an external view showing an electrically assisted bicycle, which is an example of an electrically assisted vehicle according to this embodiment. This electrically assisted bicycle 1 is equipped with a motor drive device. The motor drive device has a battery pack 101, a motor control device 102, a torque sensor 103, a crank rotation sensor 104, a motor 105, a display 106, and a brake sensor 107.

[0013] The power-assisted bicycle 1 also has a rear wheel lock, a front wheel, a rear wheel, a headlight, a gearbox, etc.

[0014] The battery pack 101 is, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery, but may be other types of batteries, such as a lithium ion polymer secondary battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, etc. The battery pack 101 supplies power to the motor 105 via the motor control device 102, and is also charged by the regenerated power from the motor 105 via the motor control device 102 during regeneration.

[0015] The torque sensor 103 is provided near the crankshaft, detects the pedal force applied by the driver, and outputs the detection result to the motor control device 102. Similarly to the torque sensor 103, the crank rotation sensor 104 is provided near the crankshaft, and outputs a signal corresponding to the crank rotation to the motor control device 102.

[0016] The motor 105 is, for example, a well-known three-phase DC brushless motor, and is attached to, for example, the front wheel of the electrically assisted bicycle 1. The motor 105 assists the rotation of the front wheel. Furthermore, the motor 105 is equipped with a rotation sensor such as a Hall element, and outputs rotation information (i.e., a Hall signal) of the rotor provided inside the motor 105 to the motor control device 102.

[0017] The brake sensor 107 detects a brake operation by the user and outputs a brake signal related to the brake operation (for example, a signal indicating whether the brake is applied or not) to the motor control device 102. Specifically, it is a sensor using a magnet and a reed switch.

[0018] The motor control device 102 performs predetermined calculations based on signals from the brake sensor 107, the rotation sensor of the motor 105, the torque sensor 103, the crank rotation sensor 104, etc., to control the drive of the motor 105 and also control regeneration by the motor 105.

[0019] The display device 106 receives instructions from the user, such as turning a power switch on and off, and outputs the instructions to the motor control device 102. The display device 106 may also have a display unit such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), thereby presenting to the user (driver) information such as the remaining battery capacity (SOC: State Of Charge) of the battery pack 101, the on / off state, and the mode corresponding to the desired assist ratio.

[0020] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which motor 105 is attached to the front wheel, so the rotation of the front wheel can be determined from the rotation of motor 105, but a sensor that detects the rotation of the wheel may also be provided on the rear wheel.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the battery pack 101 as viewed from the opposite side to FIG. 1. The battery pack 101 has a battery button 111, a group of LEDs 112 for displaying the remaining battery charge when the battery button is pressed, and a USB terminal 113 for connecting to a smartphone or other external device to supply power. While an example is shown in which two USB terminals 113 are provided here, the number of terminals is not limited to this. Also, the USB terminal 113 is an example of a power supply terminal, and terminals conforming to other standards may also be used. Note that a battery lock 108 is also generally provided to prevent a third party from taking the battery pack 101 away after it has been attached to the electrically assisted bicycle 1.

[0022] In this embodiment, based on the fact that a legitimate user of the power-assisted bicycle 1 has a key and unlocks the rear wheel lock of the power-assisted bicycle 1 before riding, power supply from the USB terminal 113 of the battery pack 101 is permitted when it is detected that the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1 and that the bicycle is being ridden in a manner that satisfies predetermined conditions. Also, because only a legitimate user can unlock the battery lock 108 with a key, power supply from the USB terminal 113 is permitted even when the battery pack 101 is not attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1, i.e., when the battery pack 101 is standing alone. On the other hand, when the user parks the power-assisted bicycle 1 and leaves the power-assisted bicycle 1, there is a high risk of power theft, so power supply from the USB terminal 113 is stopped. More specifically, if the battery pack 101 remains attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1 and the motor control device 102 is powered off, power supply from the USB terminal 113 is stopped. In this embodiment, power supply from the USB terminal 113 is also stopped when the power-assisted bicycle 1 is temporarily stopped, that is, when the bicycle is not traveling and a predetermined condition is not met.

[0023] This can be summarized into a table like the one shown in Figure 3. In other words, if the battery pack 101 is attached to the electrically assisted bicycle 1, power can be supplied to external devices while the bicycle is in motion and predetermined conditions are met, but power cannot be supplied to external devices while the bicycle is stopped or parked (also called parked). On the other hand, if the battery pack 101 is detached from the electrically assisted bicycle 1 and not attached, power can be supplied to external devices regardless of the riding state. Note that in the table, when the battery pack 101 is not attached to the vehicle, it is mainly when the bicycle is parked, so "external power supply possible" is displayed when the bicycle is stopped or parked, but in fact, it is irrelevant whether the bicycle is in motion, stopped, or parked.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of a battery pack 101 and a motor control device 102 according to this embodiment.

[0025] The motor control device 102 has a motor drive output unit 1022, a control unit 1021, and terminals 1023a to 1023d for connection to the battery pack 101. The motor drive output unit 1022 causes the motor 105 to perform power driving or regenerative braking in response to instructions from the control unit 1021. The control unit 1021 is connected to the rotation sensor of the motor 105, the display 106, the crank rotation sensor 104, etc., and controls the power driving or regenerative braking of the motor drive output unit 1022 based on information obtained from these sensors, etc., and also communicates with the battery pack 101 via the terminal 1023b. In particular, in this embodiment, the control unit 1021 outputs a signal to the battery pack 101 indicating whether or not the vehicle is running in a manner that satisfies predetermined conditions, based on information from the rotation sensor of the motor 105 and the crank rotation sensor 104.

[0026] Terminal 1023a is a terminal for supplying power from the battery pack 101 to the motor drive output unit 1022 and the control unit 1021. Terminal 1023b is a terminal for communicating with the control unit 1011 of the battery pack 101. Terminal 1023c is connected to one end of a resistor 1024, the other end of which is grounded. This allows the control unit 1011 of the battery pack 101 to electrically detect that it is connected to the motor control device 102, i.e., that it is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1. Terminal 1023d is a terminal for grounding.

[0027] On the other hand, the battery pack 101 includes a control unit 1011, a battery cell 1016 for storing power, a FET (Field Effect Transistor) 1015, a power conversion unit 1012, a power supply control unit 1014, a FET 1013, a USB terminal 113, a resistor 1017, and terminals 1018a to 1018d. The FET 1015 turns on or off the power supply from the battery cell 1016 in response to an instruction from the control unit 1011. The power conversion unit 1012 converts the output voltage of the battery cell 1016 into the output voltage of the USB terminal 113. The FET 1013 turns on or off the power supply from the power conversion unit 1012 to the USB terminal 113 in response to an instruction from the power supply control unit 1014. The power supply control unit 1014 turns on or off the FET 1013 in response to an instruction from the control unit 1011. One end of resistor 1017 is connected to VCC, and the other end is connected to terminal 1018c. Power supply control unit 1014, FET 1013, power conversion unit 1012, and USB terminal 113 are understood to be a power supply unit as a configuration for supplying power to external devices.

[0028] Terminal 1018a is a terminal that connects to terminal 1023a of the motor control device 102 and is a terminal for supplying power from the battery cell 1016. Terminal 1018b is a terminal that connects to terminal 1023b of the motor control device 102 and is a terminal for communication between the control unit 1011 of the battery pack 101 and the control unit 1021 of the motor control device 102. Terminal 1018c is a terminal that connects to terminal 1023c of the motor control device 102. When terminal 1018c is connected to terminal 1023c, the voltage at terminal 1018c changes from VCC to a voltage obtained by dividing VCC by resistors 1017 and 1024, and the control unit 1011 detects that it has been electrically connected to the motor control device 102, i.e., that the battery pack 101 has been attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1.

[0029] The control unit 1011 has a detection unit 10111, which determines whether or not the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1 based on a change in the voltage at the terminal 1018c described above. The control unit 1011 also monitors the battery cell 1016 and determines whether or not power can be supplied from the battery cell 1016 and whether or not power can be supplied from the USB terminal 113. The control unit 1011 performs the operations described below to enable or stop power supply to an external device from the USB terminal 113 by causing the power supply control unit 1014 to turn the FET 1013 on or off.

[0030] Next, the operations of the battery pack 101 and the motor control device 102 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. First, the operation of the motor control device 102 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 6D. Note that steps S3 to S13 are executed at every predetermined control cycle.

[0031] When the power switch of the display 106 is turned on, the control unit 1021 of the motor control device 102 is powered by the battery pack 101 and starts up (FIG. 5: step S1). Before the control unit 1021 starts up, the signal according to this embodiment is not transmitted via the terminal 1023b.

[0032] Thereafter, the control unit 1021 acquires the crank rotation speed, the motor rotation speed, etc. from signals from the crank rotation sensor 104, the rotation sensor of the motor 105, etc. (step S3). In this embodiment, only the crank rotation speed, only the motor rotation speed, or both the crank rotation speed and the motor rotation speed may be used.

[0033] Then, the control unit 1021 determines whether the condition for being in motion is met based on the acquired information (step S5). When only the crank rotation speed is used, it determines whether the crank rotation speed exceeds a threshold value Thc (e.g., 20 rpm). In this case, as shown in FIG. 6A, regardless of the state of the motor rotation speed, if the crank rotation speed exceeds the threshold value Thc, it is determined that the vehicle is in motion, and if the crank rotation speed is equal to or less than the threshold value Thc, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped or parked. When only the motor rotation speed is used, it determines whether the motor rotation speed exceeds a threshold value Thm (e.g., 20 rpm). In this case, as shown in FIG. 6B, regardless of the state of the crank rotation speed, if the motor rotation speed exceeds the threshold value Thm, it is determined that the vehicle is in motion, and if the motor rotation speed is equal to or less than the threshold value Thm, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped or parked. Furthermore, when the crank rotation speed and the motor rotation speed are used, it determines whether the motor rotation speed exceeds the threshold value Thm and the crank rotation speed exceeds the threshold value Thc, it is determined that the vehicle is in motion, and if the motor rotation speed is equal to or less than the threshold value Thm or the crank rotation speed is equal to or less than the threshold value Thc, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped or parked. In this case, as shown in Figure 6C, an area in the upper right corner is determined to be in motion, and areas in the lower right, upper left, and lower left corners are determined to be stopped or parked. Furthermore, the crank rotation speed and motor rotation speed are used, and it may be determined that the vehicle is in motion when the motor rotation speed exceeds a threshold value Thm or when the crank rotation speed exceeds a threshold value Thc, and that the vehicle is stopped or parked when the motor rotation speed is equal to or less than the threshold value Thm and the crank rotation speed is equal to or less than the threshold value Thc. In this case, as shown in Figure 6D, an area in the lower left corner is determined to be in motion, and the rest of the area is determined to be in motion.

[0034] Either pattern may be adopted, and in some cases, it may be possible to determine whether the vehicle is running by referring to the value of the input torque from torque sensor 103. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the motor rotation speed and the front wheel rotation speed are the same, but a separate sensor for detecting the rear wheel rotation speed may be provided, and it may be determined whether the vehicle is running based on the rear wheel rotation speed obtained from that sensor. Furthermore, instead of the division of zones shown in Figures 6A to 6D, another division of zones may be adopted.

[0035] Returning to the explanation of FIG. 5, if the condition of being in motion is met, the control unit 1021 sets the first flag, which indicates whether or not the vehicle is in motion, to ON (step S7). Then, the process proceeds to step S11. On the other hand, if the condition of being in motion is not met, the control unit 1021 sets the first flag to OFF (step S9). Then, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0036] Thereafter, the control unit 1021 outputs a signal representing the first flag to the battery pack 101 via the terminal 1023b (step S11). Then, the control unit 1021 determines whether an event for terminating the processing has occurred, such as the power switch being turned off (step S13). If an event for terminating the processing has not occurred, the processing returns to step S3. On the other hand, if an event for terminating the processing has occurred, the processing is terminated. As a result, the signal representing the first flag is no longer output to the battery pack 101.

[0037] In this way, the control unit 1021 transmits to the battery pack 101 a signal indicating the first flag, which indicates whether the vehicle is running or not.

[0038] In response to this, the battery pack 101 executes the process shown in FIG.

[0039] First, the detection unit 10111 of the control unit 1011 in the battery pack 101 checks the vehicle connection state (FIG. 7: step S21). As described above, the detection unit 10111 detects, based on a voltage change, whether the battery pack 101 and the motor control device 102 are connected, i.e., whether the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1, as the vehicle connection state.

[0040] If the detection unit 10111 detects that the battery pack 101 and the motor control device 102 are not connected (step S23: No route), the control unit 1011 allows power supply from the USB terminal 113 to the external device by causing the power supply control unit 1014 to turn on the FET 1013 (step S31). Then, the process proceeds to step S33. In this embodiment, when the battery pack 101 and the motor control device 102 are not connected, this is a situation in which the battery pack 101 is being used alone, and in such a case, it is assumed that the battery pack 101 is being used by a legitimate user, and power supply to the external device is allowed.

[0041] On the other hand, if the detection unit 10111 detects that the battery pack 101 and the motor control device 102 are connected (step S23: Yes route), the control unit 1011 checks the signal representing the first flag from the motor control device 102 (step S25). Here, it checks whether the signal itself can be received and whether the first flag is on or off.

[0042] If it is confirmed that the first flag is on (step S27: Yes route), the process proceeds to step S31, where external power supply via the USB terminal 113 is permitted. This indicates that the power-assisted bicycle 1 is being driven by a legitimate user, and power is not being stolen but is instead being supplied to an external device. On the other hand, if it is confirmed that the first flag is not on, that is, that a signal cannot be received and that the first flag is off, the control unit 1011 stops power supply from the USB terminal 113 to the external device by having the power supply control unit 1014 turn off the FET 1013 (step S29). Although the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1, since the bicycle is stopped or parked, there is a risk of power theft, and therefore the external power supply is stopped. The process then proceeds to step S33.

[0043] The control unit 1011 determines whether to end the process based on conditions such as whether the output voltage of the battery cell 1016 is equal to or lower than a predetermined level or whether the temperature is outside a predetermined range (step S33). If the process is not to be ended, the process returns to step S21. On the other hand, if the process should be ended, the process is ended.

[0044] By executing such processing, the battery pack 101 can appropriately grasp the state in cooperation with the motor control device 102 and operate autonomously to prevent power theft.

[0045] [Embodiment 2] In the first embodiment, attachment of the battery pack 101 to the electric assist bicycle 1 was detected by electrically detecting the connection between the terminals 1018c and 1023c, but this may also be detected using other methods.

[0046] 8, in this embodiment, a magnet 109 is provided near the battery lock 108 in a portion that comes into contact with the battery pack 101, while a magnet detection switch 114 such as a reed switch or Hall sensor is provided on the battery pack 101 in a position corresponding to the magnet 109. When the battery pack 101 is attached to the electrically assisted bicycle 1, the magnet detection switch 114 detects the magnet 109 and turns on, and when the battery pack 101 is removed from the electrically assisted bicycle 1, the magnet detection switch 114 cannot detect the magnetism of the magnet 109 and turns off. In this way, the battery pack 101 is able to determine its vehicle connection status.

[0047] 9 shows an example of the configuration of a battery pack 101 and a motor control device 102 according to this embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the first embodiment.

[0048] In this embodiment, the terminal 1023c and the resistor 1024 are removed from the motor control device 102. Furthermore, the terminal 1018c is removed from the battery pack 101, and a resistor 1019 and a magnet detection switch 114 are added.

[0049] One end of resistor 1017 is connected to VCC, and the other end is connected to one end of resistor 1019. The other end of resistor 1019 is connected to one end of magnet detection switch 114, the other end of which is grounded. Furthermore, detection unit 10111b of control unit 1011b detects voltage VCC when magnet detection switch 114 is off, but when magnet detection switch 114 is on, it detects the voltage obtained by dividing VCC by resistors 1017 and 1019, and this voltage change is used to detect that battery pack 101 has been attached to power-assisted bicycle 1.

[0050] In this embodiment, whether or not the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1 is detected using a method different from that of the first embodiment, and therefore the operation is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 7. However, in Fig. 7, the vehicle connection status is confirmed in step S21 by turning the magnet detection switch 114 on and off, as described above.

[0051] Even if such a configuration is adopted, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0052] [Embodiment 3] In this embodiment, attachment of the battery pack 101 to the power-assisted bicycle 1 is detected using yet another method.

[0053] For example, as shown in FIG. 10, a protruding button switch 115 is provided on the bottom surface of the battery pack 101, and when the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1, the button switch 115 is pressed.

[0054] That is, when the battery pack 101 is not attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1, the button switch 115 is off, and when the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1, the button switch 115 is turned on. This allows the battery pack 101 to determine the vehicle connection status.

[0055] 11 shows an example of the configuration of a battery pack 101 and a motor control device 102 according to this embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the first embodiment.

[0056] In this embodiment, the terminal 1023c and the resistor 1024 are removed from the motor control device 102. Furthermore, the terminal 1018c is removed from the battery pack 101, and a resistor 1019 and a button switch 115 are added.

[0057] One end of resistor 1017 is connected to VCC, and the other end is connected to one end of resistor 1019. The other end of resistor 1019 is connected to one end of button switch 115, the other end of which is grounded. Furthermore, detection unit 10111b of control unit 1011b detects voltage VCC when button switch 115 is off, but when button switch 115 is on, it detects the voltage obtained by dividing VCC by resistors 1017 and 1019, and from this voltage change it is possible to detect that battery pack 101 has been attached to power-assisted bicycle 1.

[0058] In this embodiment, whether or not the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1 is detected using a method different from that of the first embodiment, and therefore the operation is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 7. However, the vehicle connection status is confirmed in step S21 in Fig. 7 by turning the button switch 115 on and off, as described above.

[0059] Even if such a configuration is adopted, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0060] [Embodiment 4] In the first to third embodiments, power supply from the USB terminal 113 is stopped when the vehicle is stopped, but the vehicle often stops at traffic lights while traveling, and it may not be appropriate to stop power supply every time. Therefore, in this embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which power supply continues if the vehicle is stopped for a certain period of time.

[0061] In this embodiment, motor control device 102 performs the operations shown in Figure 12 instead of those shown in Figure 5. In Figure 12, the same operations as those in Figure 5 are denoted by the same reference symbols. The difference is that step S41 is inserted after steps S7 and S9, and step S43 is executed instead of step S11.

[0062] In step S41, the control unit 1011 executes a determination process. The determination process will be described with reference to Fig. 13. Then, the control unit 1021 outputs signals representing the first flag and the second flag to the battery pack 101 via the terminal 1023b (step S43). The second flag is a flag representing whether or not the vehicle has been stopped for a certain period of time.

[0063] Next, the determination process will be explained with reference to Fig. 13. The control unit 1011 determines whether a first flag indicating whether the vehicle is moving is off (step S51). If the first flag is on, i.e., the vehicle is moving, the control unit 1011 sets the second flag to off (step S53). Then, the control unit 1011 initializes a counter that measures the time the vehicle is stopped to 0 (step S55). Then, the process returns to the calling process.

[0064] On the other hand, if the first flag is off, that is, if the vehicle is stopped, the control unit 1011 determines whether the counter value exceeds a threshold value Th1 (e.g., 3 minutes) (step S57). If the counter value is equal to or less than the threshold value Th1, the control unit 1011 counts up the counter by one control cycle (step S59). Then, the process returns to the calling process.

[0065] On the other hand, if the counter value exceeds the threshold value Th1, the control unit 1011 sets the second flag to ON (step S61).

[0066] In this example, when a stoppage of more than a certain time (for example, 3 minutes) is detected, the second flag is set to ON, and when the vehicle is moving or stopped for less than the certain time, the second flag is set to OFF.

[0067] Next, the operation of the battery pack 101 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same operations as in Fig. 7. The control unit 1011 executes step S71 instead of step S25. That is, the control unit 1011 checks the first and second flags from the motor control device 102 (step S71).

[0068] If the first flag is on (step S27: Yes route), the process proceeds to step S31, where control unit 1011 permits power supply to the external device from USB terminal 113 (step S31). This is the same as in the first embodiment, but if the first flag is off (step S27: No route), control unit 1011 checks the second flag, and if the second flag is on (step S73: Yes route), control unit 1011 stops power supply to the external device from USB terminal 113 (step S29). This is because if the first flag is off because the vehicle is not running, and the second flag is off because the vehicle has been stopped for more than a certain period of time, power supply to the external device from USB terminal 113 is stopped to prevent power theft.

[0069] On the other hand, if the second flag is off (step S73: No route), the control unit 1011 maintains the permission or suspension of power supply from the USB terminal 113 to the external device (step S75). That is, if power supply is already permitted or power supply has already been suspended, that state is maintained. Typically, the first flag is off because the vehicle is not running, and the stopped time is within the certain period of time, so the second flag is on, and therefore power supply continues.

[0070] By performing the above-described processing, power supply continues even when the vehicle is stopped for a certain period of time, thereby making it possible to avoid a situation in which power supply is stopped every time the vehicle is stopped for a short period of time.

[0071] Note that the operation according to this embodiment can be performed almost identically to the operation according to the present embodiment by transmitting only the second flag from motor control device 102, permitting external power feeding while the second flag is off, and stopping external power feeding while the second flag is on. The second flag is a flag that indicates whether the vehicle has been stopped for more than a certain period of time, but when the second flag is off, it can also be considered a flag that indicates whether the vehicle is in a state that is considered to be moving.

[0072] Also, although the second flag is set in the judgment process of the motor control device 102 in the above, the battery pack 101 may execute a process that treats the first flag as if it were on for a certain period of time after the first flag transitions from on to off.

[0073] Furthermore, this embodiment can be applied not only to the first embodiment but also to the second and third embodiments.

[0074] [Embodiment 5] In the first to fourth embodiments, a configuration has been shown in which power supply to external devices from the USB terminal 113 is possible while the power-assisted bicycle 1 is in motion or is considered to be in motion, or when the battery pack 101 is used alone, and power supply to external devices from the USB terminal 113 is stopped when the power-assisted bicycle 1 is stopped or parked, but it is also possible to allow the legitimate user of the power-assisted bicycle 1 to choose whether or not to adopt this configuration. In other words, it is possible to choose between the first configuration (FIG. 3) as described above and a second configuration (FIG. 15) in which external power supply is permitted without any restrictions.

[0075] In this embodiment, focusing on the fact that any legitimate user of the electric assist bicycle 1 can unlock the battery lock 108 with a key and remove the battery pack 101 from the electric assist bicycle 1, if the battery pack 101 is a standalone unit, the setting of a flag (hereinafter referred to as the fourth flag) indicating whether or not it is in the first mode can be changed.

[0076] In this embodiment, the battery pack 101 executes the operations shown in Fig. 16 instead of Fig. 7. However, the same operations as those in Fig. 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0077] In Fig. 16, after step S31, the control unit 1011 executes a setting switching process (step S81). The setting switching process will be described with reference to Fig. 17. It is assumed that the setting is switched when the battery button 111 is pressed and held.

[0078] The control unit 1011 determines whether the battery button 111 has been pressed (step S91). If the battery button 111 has not been pressed, the control unit 1011 initializes a second counter, which measures the time the battery button 111 has been pressed, to 0 (step S93). The control unit 1011 also sets a third flag, which indicates whether or not to switch the settings, to OFF (step S95). If the third flag is OFF, the settings are switched. Then, the process returns to the process that called the process.

[0079] On the other hand, if the battery button 111 is pressed, the control unit 1011 determines whether the value of the second counter is greater than a threshold value Th2 (e.g., 30 seconds) (step S97). If the value of the second counter is equal to or less than the threshold value Th2, the control unit 1011 counts up the second counter by one control cycle (step S99). Then, the process returns to the original process.

[0080] On the other hand, if the value of the second counter is greater than threshold value Th2, control unit 1011 determines whether or not the third flag is off (step S101). If the third flag is on, battery button 111 continues to be pressed, and therefore no further switching of the settings is performed, i.e., the setting is not switched until battery button 111 is released, and therefore the process returns to the process that called the process.

[0081] On the other hand, if the third flag is off, the control unit 1011 determines whether the fourth flag, which indicates whether the first mode is active, is off (step S103). If the fourth flag is off, the control unit 1011 sets the third flag on (step S105) and further sets the fourth flag on (step S107). The process then returns to the caller's process. On the other hand, if the fourth flag is on, the control unit 1011 sets the third flag on (step S109) and further sets the fourth flag off (step S111). The process then returns to the caller's process.

[0082] Returning to the explanation of the processing in Fig. 16, after the setting switching processing in step S81, the processing proceeds to step S33. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S23 that the battery pack 101 is attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1, i.e., that there is a vehicle connection (step S23: Yes route), the control unit 1011 determines whether the fourth flag is on (step S83). If the fourth flag is on (step S83: Yes route), the control unit 1011 causes the power supply control unit 1014 to turn on the FET 1013 to permit power supply from the USB terminal 113 to the external device (step S85). Then, the processing proceeds to step S33.

[0083] On the other hand, if the fourth flag is off (step S83: No route), the control unit 1011 checks the signal representing the first flag from the motor control device 102 (step S25). If the first flag is on (step S27: Yes route), the process proceeds to step S85. On the other hand, if the first flag is off (step S27: No route), the process proceeds to step S29.

[0084] In this way, when the battery pack 101 is used alone, a legitimate user of the electrically assisted bicycle 1 can switch between the first mode (Figure 3) and the second mode (Figure 15) by pressing and holding the battery button 111.

[0085] 18, when the battery pack 101 is a standalone unit, pressing and holding the battery button 111 causes the LED group 112 to display a mode switch indicating that the first mode and the second mode are being switched. The mode switch display may be made by flashing one or more predetermined LEDs in the first mode, or by flashing one or more different LEDs in the second mode. As with conventional devices, simply pressing the battery button 111 displays the remaining charge, except when the device is connected to a charger. As with conventional devices, when the device is connected to a charger, the remaining charge is displayed even without pressing the battery button 111.

[0086] [Embodiment 6] In the fifth embodiment, any authorized user of the power-assisted bicycle 1 can remove the battery pack 101 from the power-assisted bicycle 1, allowing the above settings to be changed after removal, but it may be desirable to be able to change the settings by other means. For example, possible uses include powering devices owned by members from the battery pack 101 attached to a power-assisted bicycle 1 used for bicycle sharing, or releasing a power-assisted bicycle 1 used for bicycle sharing to a charging spot in the event of a disaster. Also, there may be cases where an authorized user of the power-assisted bicycle 1 wants to leave the battery pack 101 attached to the power-assisted bicycle 1 and not ride the bicycle, but instead want to power an external device.

[0087] In this embodiment, as schematically shown in Fig. 19, a computer network 3000 is connected to, for example, a management server 3100 for managing bicycle sharing, a user's wireless communication terminal 3200 such as a smartphone, and an electrically assisted bicycle 1 having wireless communication functionality. The wireless communication functionality is mainly provided in the motor control device 102 or the display 106, but in some cases it may be provided in the battery pack 101. When provided in the motor control device 102, it is wireless communication unit 300; when provided in the display 106, it is wireless communication unit 300c; and when provided in the battery pack 101, it is wireless communication unit 300b. When the motor control device 102 or the display 106 has a wireless communication functionality, a setting change is notified from the control unit 1021 of the motor control device 102 to the control unit 1011 of the battery pack 101 via terminals 1018c and 1023c.

[0088] The wireless communication terminal 3200 has installed therein, for example, a specific application program for communicating with the management server 3100, and accesses the management server 3100 using this application program to instruct the setting of the battery pack 101 attached to the specific power-assisted bicycle 1 to be changed. If the shared bicycle is a membership-based service, the management server 3100 performs user authentication to confirm whether the user is a member. In response, the management server 3100 instructs the specific power-assisted bicycle 1 to change the setting. Upon receiving the instruction from the management server 3100, the specific power-assisted bicycle 1 changes the fourth flag.

[0089] In addition, if the electric assist bicycle 1 and the wireless communication terminal 3200 are equipped with a short-range wireless communication function (e.g., Bluetooth (registered trademark)), the wireless communication terminal 3200 may receive a token permitting setting change from the management server 3100 and transmit the token to the electric assist bicycle 1 using the short-range wireless communication function to change the setting.

[0090] In addition, in cases where the electric assist bicycle 1 is used as a charging spot during a disaster, the management server 3100 may instruct the electric assist bicycles 1 located in a specific area to switch settings, even without a request from the wireless communication terminal 3200, so that the battery packs 101 of those electric assist bicycles 1 can freely supply power to external devices.

[0091] If a legitimate user of the electrically assisted bicycle 1 wishes to supply power to an external device without riding the electrically assisted bicycle 1 while the battery pack 101 is attached to the electrically assisted bicycle 1, the user may be able to access the electrically assisted bicycle 1 and change the settings using, for example, a short-range wireless communication function using a special application program installed on the wireless communication terminal 3200.

[0092] In the above-described situation, for example, the application program of the wireless communication terminal 3200 performs the processing shown in FIG.

[0093] For example, when an application program for switching settings on the wireless communication terminal 3200 is instructed to start, it performs user authentication (step S201). For example, it cooperates with the management server 3100 to confirm whether the user is a valid member. If the user authentication fails, it does not perform any further processing.

[0094] On the other hand, if user authentication is successful, the application program for switching the settings asks the user to specify the power-assisted bicycle 1 that is the target of the setting change, and identifies the power-assisted bicycle 1 based on the user's specification (for example, the ID of the power-assisted bicycle 1) (step S203).The application program for switching the settings then acquires the current settings of the target power-assisted bicycle 1, for example, from the management server 3100, and displays a screen for switching the settings that includes the current settings (step S205).For example, this screen may have a "Allow power supply at all times" button and a "Allow power supply only while riding" button, allowing the user to select a setting other than the current setting.

[0095] If the user selects a setting other than the current setting, i.e., issues an instruction to switch the setting, the application program for switching the setting accepts the instruction. If no such instruction is received (step S207: No route), the process proceeds to step S211. On the other hand, if an instruction to switch the setting is accepted, the application program for switching the setting transmits a setting switching request to, for example, the management server 3100, to set the fourth flag on if the new setting is "always permitted to supply power," or to set the fourth flag off if the new setting is "only permitted to supply power while riding" (step S209). In response to the setting switching request, the management server 3100 transmits the setting switching request to the specified power-assisted bicycle 1 to set the fourth flag on or off. The process then proceeds to step S211.

[0096] In step S211, the application program for setting switching determines whether or not the process should be terminated, for example, when an instruction to terminate the application program is received (step S211), and if the process should be terminated, the process is terminated. On the other hand, if the process should not be terminated, the process returns to step S205, for example. However, if the power-assisted bicycle 1 to be the target of the setting switch is to be redesignated, the process may return to step S203.

[0097] Even if the management server 3100 is not used, the current settings can be obtained from the power-assisted bicycle 1 and a setting change request can be sent to the power-assisted bicycle 1 .

[0098] On the other hand, the power-assisted bicycle 1 performs the processing shown in Fig. 21. If the wireless communication function is provided in the motor control device 102 or the display device 106, a setting change request is sent to the control unit 1011 of the battery pack 101 via the control unit 1021. If the wireless communication function is provided in the battery pack 101, the control unit 1011 receives the setting change request directly from the wireless communication function.

[0099] When the control unit 1011 receives a setting switching request (step S221), it checks whether the setting switching request is for turning on the fourth flag (step S223). If the setting switching request is for turning on the fourth flag, the control unit 1011 sets the fourth flag to on (step S225). On the other hand, if the setting switching request is for turning off the fourth flag, the control unit 1011 sets the fourth flag to off (step S227).

[0100] By performing such an operation separately from that shown in FIG. 16, the flow of processing changes in step S83 of FIG.

[0101] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these. For example, depending on the purpose, any technical feature in each of the above-described embodiments may be deleted, or any technical feature described in another embodiment may be added.

[0102] Furthermore, the above-described representation of the component group is merely an example, and one component may be divided into multiple components, or multiple components may be integrated into one component. Regarding the operational flow, the order of steps may be changed or multiple steps may be executed in parallel, as long as the content of the operation remains the same.

[0103] The above-described embodiment can be summarized as follows.

[0104] The battery pack of this embodiment includes (A) a battery (e.g., battery cell 1016), (B) a power supply unit (e.g., power supply control unit 1014, FET 1013, and USB terminal 113) that supplies power from the battery to external devices other than the control unit of the electric vehicle, (C) a detection unit (e.g., detection unit 10111) that detects whether or not the battery pack is attached to the electric vehicle, and (D) a control unit (e.g., control unit 1011) that causes the power supply unit to stop supplying power to the external devices in a first case in which the battery pack is detected to be attached to the electric vehicle but has not received a signal from the control unit of the electric vehicle indicating that the electric vehicle is running (e.g., a signal indicating a first flag that is on, or a signal indicating a second flag that is off).

[0105] In this way, when no signal is received from the control unit of the electric vehicle or when a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is not moving is received, the electric vehicle may be stopped or parked and a legitimate user may be away from the electric vehicle, so power supply from the power supply unit is stopped to prevent power theft. Note that the above signal may also be a signal indicating that the vehicle is in a state considered to be moving.

[0106] Furthermore, the control unit may allow the power supply unit to supply power to the external device in the second case where it is detected that the external device is not attached to the electric vehicle, and in the third case where the signal is received from the control unit of the electric vehicle. This is because in the second and third cases, it is generally assumed that the electric vehicle or the battery pack is being used by a legitimate user.

[0107] Furthermore, when the control unit transitions from a state in which the control unit receives the signal to a state in which the control unit receives a second signal indicating that the electric vehicle is not running (for example, a signal indicating that the first flag is off), the control unit may continue to permit the power supply unit to supply power to the external device for a predetermined time. Because it may not be appropriate to stop power supply when the vehicle is stopped for a short time, power supply is continued for the predetermined time.

[0108] Furthermore, the above-mentioned detection unit may be either a detection unit that electrically detects connection to a control unit of the electric vehicle, or a detection unit that detects a signal from a switch that is turned on physically or magnetically when the battery pack is attached to the electric vehicle. Attachment of the battery pack to the electric vehicle can be detected by various methods.

[0109] The control unit described above may also determine whether a setting that allows the power supply unit to supply power to an external device is set (for example, the fourth flag is on) even in the first case, and if such a setting is set, may allow the power supply unit to supply power to an external device even in the first case. This basically aims to prevent power theft, but also makes it possible to switch to a mode that allows the user to freely supply power according to their wishes.

[0110] The control unit described above may accept the change (i.e., switching) of the setting when it is detected that the battery pack is not attached to the electric vehicle. This is to ensure that the setting change (i.e., switching) is made by a legitimate user, since the battery pack can be removed from the electric vehicle by a legitimate user.

[0111] On the other hand, the control unit described above may accept the change of the setting in response to a setting change instruction (e.g., a setting switching request) via wireless communication. For example, if a shared bicycle is to be used as a charging spot during a disaster, the management server may uniformly issue instructions via wireless communication. Also, a specific user such as a member may change the setting of a specific electric vehicle such as a shared bicycle using a wireless communication terminal.

[0112] The control device for an electric vehicle according to this embodiment includes (A) a determination unit that determines whether the electric vehicle is running based on at least one of pedal rotation, motor rotation, and wheel rotation, and (B) an output unit that, when it is determined that the electric vehicle is running, outputs a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is running to a battery pack that can supply power to external devices. By using such a control device, it becomes possible for the battery pack to perform external power supply only when it is appropriate.

[0113] The output unit may be configured to output a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is in a state of being in motion (for example, an OFF fourth flag) for a predetermined time when it is determined that the electric vehicle is not in motion after it has been determined that the electric vehicle is in motion. This makes it possible to prevent frequent interruptions of power supply from the battery pack.

[0114] Such a configuration is not limited to the matters described in the embodiment, and may be implemented in other configurations that provide substantially the same effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 102 Motor control unit 1021 Control unit 101 Battery pack 1011 Control unit 113 USB terminal 10111,10111b Detector

Claims

1. A battery, a power supply unit that supplies power from the battery to an external device other than a control unit of the electric vehicle; a detection unit that detects whether the device is attached to the electric vehicle; a control unit that causes the power supply unit to stop supplying power to the external device in a first case in which the external device is detected as being attached to the electric vehicle but a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is traveling is not received from a control unit of the electric vehicle; A battery pack having

2. The control unit In a second case where it is detected that the external device is not attached to the electric vehicle, and in a third case where the signal is received from a control unit of the electric vehicle, the power supply unit is permitted to supply power to the external device. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit When the state transitions from receiving the signal to receiving a second signal indicating that the electric vehicle is not traveling, the power supply unit continues to permit power supply to the external device for a predetermined time. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

4. The detection unit a detection unit that electrically detects connection to a control unit of the electric vehicle; a detection unit that detects a signal from a switch that is turned on physically or magnetically when attached to the electric vehicle; 2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack is any one of the following:

5. The control unit It is determined whether the power supply unit is set to be able to supply power to the external device even in the first case, and if the setting is set, it allows the power supply unit to supply power to the external device even in the first case. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

6. The control unit Accepting a change to the setting in a state where it is detected that the device is not attached to the electric vehicle 6. The battery pack according to claim 5.

7. The control unit Accepting a change to the settings in response to a setting change instruction via wireless communication 6. The battery pack according to claim 5.

8. a determination unit that determines whether the electric vehicle is running based on at least one of pedal rotation, motor rotation, and wheel rotation; an output unit that, when it is determined that the electric vehicle is running, outputs a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is running to a battery pack that can supply power to an external device; A control device for an electric vehicle having the above.

9. The output unit If it is determined that the electric vehicle is not running after it has been determined that the electric vehicle is running, a signal indicating that the electric vehicle is in a running state is output for a predetermined time. The control device according to claim 8.

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