Secondary battery management system

Abstract

This invention provides a secondary battery management system that can efficiently manage secondary batteries used as power sources for chargers that allow electric vehicles to be charged anywhere. [Solution] The secondary battery management system 1 includes means for lending a portable secondary battery to a user to be used as a power source for a portable charger for charging the battery of an electric vehicle; means for receiving the return of the lent secondary battery; and means for granting a reward to a user who borrows another secondary battery that can be determined to have an empty battery charge in exchange for a secondary battery that has been returned in a fully charged state, the reward being determined based on the remaining battery charge of the secondary battery that was returned in a fully charged state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a secondary battery management system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a portable charging device that supplies power from an AC power source to a power storage device of an electric vehicle. This portable charging device includes an AC port for inputting AC power from an external power source into the portable charging device, an AC port for inputting AC power from an AC charging stand, and an AC port for inputting AC power from a household outlet. That is, Patent Document 1 discloses charging an electric vehicle using a portable charging device that can use two types of external power sources, an AC charging stand and a household outlet, as external power sources for charging the electric vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the portable charging device of Patent Document 1 charges an electric vehicle by connecting to an AC power source of an AC charging stand or a household outlet. Therefore, an electric vehicle cannot be charged in a place where there is no AC charging stand or household outlet.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a secondary battery management system that can efficiently manage a secondary battery used as a power source for a charger that can charge an electric vehicle anywhere.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A secondary battery management system according to one aspect of the present invention includes means for lending a portable secondary battery to a user to be used as a power source for a portable charger for charging the battery of an electric vehicle; means for receiving the return of the lent secondary battery; and means for granting a reward to a user who borrows another secondary battery that can be determined to have an empty battery charge in exchange for a secondary battery that has been returned in a fully charged state, the reward being determined based on the remaining battery charge of the secondary battery that was returned in a fully charged state.

[0007] According to this embodiment, a secondary battery lent to a user as a power source for an electric vehicle charger is returned fully charged, and a user who borrows another secondary battery that is completely discharged in exchange for that battery can be rewarded with a reward corresponding to the remaining battery level of the returned fully charged secondary battery.

[0008] This makes it possible to manage the secondary batteries while maintaining a balance between the remaining charge of empty secondary batteries and the remaining charge of charged secondary batteries. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a secondary battery management system that can efficiently manage secondary batteries used as a power source for chargers that can charge electric vehicles anywhere. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure illustrates a schematic configuration of a secondary battery management system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a secondary battery management system according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0012] Referring to Figure 1, the configuration of the secondary battery management system 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The secondary battery management system 1 comprises, for example, a plurality of portable chargers 2, a secondary battery 3 for chargers that can be attached to each portable charger 2, and a management device 4.

[0013] The portable charger 2 and the rechargeable battery 3 for the charger are portable, reusable chargers and rechargeable batteries that are managed collectively at charging spots and lent out to users. Charging spots are facilities such as service areas, roadside rest areas, and shopping malls.

[0014] Users can charge the batteries (secondary batteries) of electric vehicles, such as electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles, using a portable charger 2 to which a secondary battery 3 for charging is attached.

[0015] Since the portable charger 2 and the secondary battery 3 for the charger are portable, users can freely carry the portable charger 2 and the secondary battery 3 to anywhere, for example, to charge the battery of an electric vehicle in their home parking lot.

[0016] The size of the portable charger 2 should preferably be such that, when placed around a vehicle parked in a typical parking lot, it does not interfere with adjacent vehicles.

[0017] It is preferable to design the portable charger 2 and the secondary battery 3 so that the user can easily attach the secondary battery 3 to the portable charger 2 and remove the secondary battery 3 from the portable charger 2.

[0018] The secondary battery management system 1 according to this embodiment provides a subscription service that allows users to use the portable charger 2 and the secondary battery 3 for the charger for a certain period of time by paying a monthly fee or the like.

[0019] The management device 4 constitutes a system for managing subscription services, the lending status of the portable charger 2 and the secondary battery 3 for the charger, the remaining battery level of the secondary battery 3 for the charger, and the like.

[0020] The management device 4 includes a processor (control unit) that controls the processes for realizing various functions implemented in the secondary battery management system 1, a memory (storage unit) that stores various data used for control, a communication interface (communication unit) that transmits and receives data, an input device (input unit) that accepts input of data, and a display device (display unit) that displays data and the like.

[0021] A user who uses the subscription service borrows the portable charger 2 and the secondary battery 3 for the charger at a charging spot, for example, transports them to the user's vehicle, and charges the vehicle battery with the portable charger 2 equipped with the borrowed secondary battery 3 for the charger.

[0022] Also, when going out with only the secondary battery 3 for the charger mounted in the vehicle, it is also possible to charge the vehicle battery using the portable charger 2 at a charging spot visited when going out.

[0023] Here, the secondary battery 3 for the charger can also be charged using, for example, late-night power at the user's home. The user can take the secondary battery 3 for the charger charged at home to the charging spot and exchange it with another secondary battery 3 for the charger with an empty remaining battery level. In this case, the user can receive points corresponding to the remaining battery level of the brought secondary battery 3 for the charger. The more the remaining battery level of the brought secondary battery 3 for the charger, the more points the user will receive.

[0024] Whether the remaining battery level is empty or not can be determined, for example, by setting a threshold value at which it can be determined that the remaining battery level is empty, and determining that the remaining battery level is empty when the remaining battery level is below the threshold value.

[0025] When managing the secondary batteries 3 for chargers at charging spots, the battery levels of the secondary batteries 3 can be managed so that, for example, about half of the secondary batteries 3 at the charging spot are fully charged and about half are empty. This makes it possible to meet the needs of users who want to accumulate points by exchanging empty secondary batteries 3.

[0026] Alternatively, the battery level of the secondary batteries 3 for chargers may be managed so that the total charge percentage of all secondary batteries 3 for chargers at the charging station reaches a predetermined percentage. For example, the predetermined percentage can be set to around 50%.

[0027] If the total charge percentage of all secondary batteries 3 for chargers at a charging spot is higher than a predetermined percentage, power from the secondary batteries 3 for chargers may be supplied to a facility adjacent to the charging spot. When supplying power to an adjacent facility, it is preferable to control the power supplied so that the total charge percentage becomes a predetermined percentage.

[0028] On the other hand, if the total charge percentage is lower than a predetermined percentage, the points awarded to the user may be increased according to the total charge percentage. For example, if all the secondary batteries 3 for chargers at a charging spot are depleted, a user who brings a fully charged secondary battery 3 to the charging spot and exchanges it for an empty secondary battery 3 may be awarded double the usual points.

[0029] Furthermore, the rewards users receive are not limited to points. For example, they may include coupons, miles, gifts, or other forms of rewards in addition to points.

[0030] For example, you can use the rewards you receive as a discount when purchasing drinks or other items sold at charging stations, or to exchange them for drinks or other items (as gifts).

[0031] Referring to Figure 2, an example of the operation of the secondary battery management system 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0032] First, the secondary battery management system 1 lends a portable charger 2 and a secondary battery 3 for the charger to a user who is registered as a member of the subscription service when the user visits a charging spot (step S101). The lending records of the portable charger 2 and the secondary battery 3 for the charger are managed by the management device 4.

[0033] Next, the secondary battery management system 1 receives the return of the charged secondary battery 3 from the user who lent it out (step S102). The return record of the secondary battery 3 is managed by the management device 4.

[0034] Next, the secondary battery management system 1 determines whether the secondary battery 3 for the charger to be returned has been replaced with a secondary battery with an empty battery charge (step S103). If this determination is NO (step S103; NO), this operation is terminated.

[0035] If, in the determination in step S103 above, it is determined that the secondary battery 3 for the charger to be returned has been replaced with a secondary battery with an empty battery charge (step S103; YES), the secondary battery management system 1 determines points based on the remaining battery charge of the secondary battery 3 for the charger that was returned in a charged state, and awards the determined points to the user (step S104). The record of the replacement of the secondary battery 3 for the charger and the record of the point award are managed by the management device 4. Then, this operation ends.

[0036] As described above, according to the secondary battery management system 1 of the embodiment, a secondary battery 3 for a charger that has been lent to a user as a power source for a portable charger 2 for an electric vehicle is returned in a fully charged state, and a user who borrows another secondary battery 3 for a charger that is empty in exchange for that secondary battery 3 can be awarded points corresponding to the remaining battery level of the secondary battery 3 that was returned in a fully charged state.

[0037] This makes it possible to manage the secondary battery 3 for the charger while maintaining a balance between the empty secondary battery 3 and the charged secondary battery 3 for the charger.

[0038] Therefore, according to the secondary battery management system 1 of this embodiment, the secondary battery 3 for the charger, which is used as the power source for the portable charger 2 that can charge electric vehicles anywhere, can be managed efficiently.

[0039] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. For this reason, the above embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted restrictively. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1...Secondary battery management system, 2...Portable charger, 3...Secondary battery for charger, 4...Management device

Claims

[Claim 1] A means of lending portable rechargeable batteries to users to be used as a power source for portable chargers for charging electric vehicle batteries, A means for receiving the return of the aforementioned rechargeable battery that has been loaned out, A means for granting a reward to a user who borrows another secondary battery that can be determined to be empty in exchange for the secondary battery that has been returned in a fully charged state, the reward being determined based on the remaining battery level of the secondary battery that was returned in a fully charged state, A secondary battery management system equipped with the following features.

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