Adapter device, system, and discharge method

Abstract

The present invention provides an adapter device that can discharge a battery according to its discharge capacity. [Solution] The adapter device 5 is an adapter device 5 that can supply power from a battery 2 that is detachable from an electric vehicle to an external device, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires battery information including the discharge capacity of the battery 2 from the battery 2, and a processing unit 54 that determines the upper limit of the power to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, or the discharge time to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, based on the battery information.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an adapter device, a system, and a discharge method. [[Background Art]]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an adapter that supplies power from a battery to an electric device by attaching the electric device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal to the battery. [[Prior Art Literature]] [[Patent Literature]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2021-118128 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, since the battery discharge capacity varies depending on the type of electric vehicle, there is a problem that when an external device is electrically connected to an adapter with a battery attached thereto, the adapter cannot perform appropriate discharge to the external device.

[0005] Accordingly, the present disclosure provides an adapter device and the like that can perform discharge in accordance with the discharge capacity of a battery. [[Means for Solving the Problem]]

[0006] An adapter device according to an aspect of the present disclosure is an adapter device capable of supplying power from a battery, which is detachable from an electric vehicle, to an external device, the adapter device including: an acquisition unit that acquires battery information including a discharge capacity of the battery from the battery; and a processing unit that determines, based on the battery information, an upper power limit value for discharge from the battery to the external device or a discharge time period for discharge from the battery to the external device.

[0007] Furthermore, a system according to one aspect of this disclosure comprises an adapter device and a battery that can be attached to or detached from the adapter device.

[0008] Furthermore, a discharge method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a discharge method capable of supplying power from a battery detachable from an electric vehicle to an external device, comprising: an acquisition unit acquiring battery information including the discharge capacity of the battery from the battery; and a processing unit determining, based on the battery information, an upper limit of power to be discharged from the battery to the external device, or a discharge time to be discharged from the battery to the external device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the adapter device of this disclosure, it is possible to discharge the battery in accordance with its discharge capacity. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the adapter device and battery according to the embodiment, as seen from the front. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the adapter device and battery according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the relationship between battery voltage, battery current, battery temperature 1, battery temperature 2, processing unit temperature 1, processing unit temperature 2, output W(1 / 10), and time. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the relationship between battery discharge capacity, power limit, and discharge time. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing example 1 of the adapter device's operation. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing example 2 of the adapter device's operation. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing example 3 of the adapter device's operation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments described below are all general or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection configurations of components, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Furthermore, any components in the following embodiments that are not described in an independent claim will be described as optional components.

[0012] Furthermore, each figure is a schematic diagram and not necessarily a strictly accurate representation. Also, the same component is denoted by the same reference numeral in each figure.

[0013] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0014] (Embodiment) <Structure> First, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the configuration of the system 1 comprising the adapter device 5 and the battery 2 in this embodiment will be described.

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the adapter device 5 and battery 2 according to the embodiment, as seen from the front. Figure 2 is a block diagram of the system 1 according to the embodiment. In Figure 2, the cigarette lighter socket 57c is not shown. In Figure 2, the flow of power is shown with thick solid lines, and the signal lines are shown with thin solid lines.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, Battery 2 is a power supply battery that is detachably mounted on, for example, an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle is, for example, an electric bicycle or a specific type of small motorized bicycle. Battery 2 can supply power to, for example, the electric motor, headlights, control devices, cycle computer, etc. of the electric vehicle, or store electrical energy to supply power to these devices.

[0017] The battery 2 is attachable to and detachable from the adapter device 5. When the battery 2 is mounted on the adapter device 5, the battery 2 can supply the power of the battery 2 to an external device via the adapter device 5, or be charged via the adapter device 5. The external devices include smartphones, tablet terminals, personal computers, monitors, home electrical appliances, and the like.

[0018] The battery 2 includes, for example, a housing 21, a battery terminal 22, a plurality of battery cells 23, a detection unit 24, a control unit 25, a storage unit 26, a first communication unit 27, and the like.

[0019] The housing 21 forms an outer shell of the battery 2. The housing 21 accommodates the plurality of battery cells 23, the battery terminal 22, the detection unit 24, the control unit 25, the storage unit 26, the first communication unit 27, and the like. The battery terminal 22 is arranged at a lower end of the housing 21. When the battery 2 is mounted on the adapter device 5, the battery terminal 22 is electrically connected to a connection terminal 51 of the adapter device 5.

[0020] The plurality of battery cells 23 are, for example, secondary batteries such as lithium ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-cadmium batteries. The plurality of battery cells 23 may be connected in series. Further, in the plurality of battery cells 23, a plurality of blocks each formed by connecting two or more battery cells 23 in parallel may be arranged, and the plurality of blocks may be connected in series.

[0021] The detection unit 24 is, for example, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like.

[0022] When the detection unit 24 includes a voltage sensor and a current sensor, the control unit 25 may calculate the remaining power of the battery 2 on the basis of the respective voltages of the plurality of battery cells 23 and the respective currents of the plurality of battery cells 23 acquired from the detection unit 24. The control unit 25 may cause the storage unit 26 to store the remaining power of the battery 2.

[0023] If the detection unit 24 is a temperature sensor, the control unit 25 may store the temperature information obtained from the detection unit 24 in the storage unit 26, including at least one of the temperatures of the multiple battery cells 23 and the temperature of the battery terminals 22. In other words, the temperature information is information indicating the temperature of the battery 2, but more specifically, it is information indicating the temperature of the multiple battery cells 23 (e.g., average temperature) or the temperature of the battery terminals 22.

[0024] The storage unit 26 is a semiconductor memory or the like. The storage unit 26 stores battery information, which includes information about the discharge capacity of the battery 2. The battery information further includes at least one of the following: temperature information indicating the temperature of the battery 2, the degree of degradation of the battery 2, the failure history of the battery 2, and the remaining charge of the battery 2.

[0025] The failure history of battery 2 includes records of events such as short circuits, overheating, and other incidents that caused the discharge from battery 2 to stop.

[0026] The degree of degradation of battery 2 is calculated based on factors such as the number of charge cycles, charging speed, maximum temperature during charging, and the ratio of stored energy capacity to rated capacity.

[0027] The first communication unit 27 is a wired communication unit that can communicate with the adapter device 5 when controlled by the control unit 25. For example, the first communication unit 27 can output battery information to the adapter device 5 when controlled by the control unit 25 in response to a request from the adapter device 5.

[0028] The battery 2 may also be equipped with a display unit. The display unit may be controlled by the control unit 25 to display battery information. The display unit may also be controlled by the control unit 25 to display the battery 2's status, such as its storage capacity, power consumption, and whether or not there are any abnormalities. The display unit may also be controlled by the control unit 25 to indicate that the battery 2 is being charged or that the battery 2 is being discharged.

[0029] The adapter device 5 can support the attached battery 2 in an upright position. At this time, the adapter device 5 not only charges and discharges the attached battery 2, but also becomes capable of communicating with the battery 2.

[0030] Specifically, the adapter device 5 comprises a main unit 50, a second communication unit 52, a power conversion circuit 53, a processing unit 54, a display unit 55, and a notification unit 56.

[0031] The main body portion 50 has a base portion 50a and a protruding portion 50b.

[0032] The base 50a is a stand that is placed, for example, on the floor and supports the battery 2. The base 50a is provided with connection terminals 51 that electrically connect to the battery terminals 22 when the battery 2 is installed.

[0033] The base portion 50a is also provided with a protruding portion 50b. The protruding portion 50b extends from the base portion 50a along a predetermined direction. When the battery 2 is mounted on the base portion 50a, the protruding portion 50b is positioned to be aligned with the battery 2.

[0034] The main unit 50 further has a connection port 57.

[0035] The connection ports 57 are, for example, a power outlet 57b, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port 57a, a cigarette lighter socket 57c, a LAN port, etc. In this embodiment, the case in which the power outlet 57b, USB port 57a, and cigarette lighter socket 57c are provided on the front surface of the main body 50 is illustrated. Figure 1 illustrates the case in which the connection ports 57 are provided on the protruding portion 50b, but is not limited to this. The connection ports 57 may also be provided on the base portion 50a.

[0036] Furthermore, when the outlet 57b is connected to the external device, the adapter device 5 can supply power to the external device. The connection point of the external device is either a communication connector or a power connector. Examples of connection points for external devices include USB connectors, power plugs, cigarette lighter chargers, LAN connectors, etc.

[0037] Furthermore, if the USB port 57a or LAN port is connected to the terminal device used by the user in a communication-enabled manner, the adapter device 5 may output battery information to the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device may display the battery information as a display unit.

[0038] The connection port 57 is electrically connected to the power conversion circuit 53. In other words, the power conversion circuit 53 is electrically connected to the battery 2 when the battery 2 is installed in the main unit 50. Therefore, the power conversion circuit 53 can convert and supply power from the battery 2 to the connection port 57.

[0039] The power conversion circuit 53 includes a DC / DC conversion unit 53a that converts power from the battery 2 to DC / DC under the control of the processing unit 54, and a DC / AC conversion unit 53b that converts power from the battery 2 to DC / AC under the control of the processing unit 54.

[0040] For example, when the plug of an external device such as a monitor or home appliance is electrically connected to the outlet 57b, which is an example of an AC connection part, the DC / AC converter 53b can supply power from the outlet 57b to the external device by converting the power from the battery 2 between DC and AC.

[0041] For example, when an external device such as a smartphone or tablet is electrically connected to the USB port 57a, which is an example of a DC connection section, via a USB cable, the DC / DC converter 53a can supply power from the USB port 57a to the external device by converting the power from the battery 2 to a DC / DC converter.

[0042] For example, the power conversion circuit 53, under the control of the processing unit 54, can supply power from the battery 2 to the cigarette lighter socket 57c, thereby causing the inside of the cigarette lighter socket 57c to glow red.

[0043] The second communication unit 52 is a wired communication unit capable of communicating with the first communication unit 27 of the battery 2. The second communication unit 52 can acquire battery information from the battery 2 when the battery 2 is attached to the adapter device 5. Therefore, the battery information is information about when the battery 2 is electrically connected to the adapter device 5. The battery information acquired by the second communication unit 52 is output to the processing unit 54. The second communication unit 52 is an example of an acquisition unit.

[0044] The second communication unit 52 may be a wireless communication unit or a wired communication unit capable of communicating with a terminal device. The terminal device is, for example, a device with communication capabilities such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer. In this case, the second communication unit 52 may transmit battery information to the terminal device. This allows the terminal device to display the battery information. Furthermore, if the terminal device is connected to the connection port 57 of the adapter device 5 as an external device, the terminal device can also display the battery information.

[0045] The processing unit 54 is configured to determine the upper limit of the power to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, or the discharge time to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, based on battery information including the discharge capacity of the battery 2.

[0046] For example, the processing unit 54 determines that the power limit decreases as the discharge capacity of battery 2 decreases, or that the discharge time decreases as the discharge capacity of battery 2 decreases. The power limit is the amount of power that can be discharged to external devices from the discharge capacity. This power limit indicates how much power can be supplied from battery 2. The discharge capacity is an indicator of the total amount of power that battery 2 can supply to the adapter device 5.

[0047] Furthermore, the processing unit 54 can correct the power limit or discharge time by taking into account at least one of the following included in the battery information: temperature information indicating the temperature of battery 2, the degree of degradation of battery 2, the failure history of battery 2, and the remaining charge of battery 2. Specifically, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit or discharge time by using a correlation table between the battery information and correction values ​​corresponding to the power limit or discharge time. In addition, the processing unit 54 can also correct the determined power limit or discharge time by using a machine learning model that has been pre-trained on the relationship between the battery information and correction values ​​corresponding to the power limit or discharge time.

[0048] For example, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit or discharge time based on temperature information indicating the temperature of battery 2 included in the battery information. It is thought that the battery 2 tends to degrade less as its temperature decreases. Therefore, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit so that it increases as the temperature of battery 2 decreases, or correct the determined discharge time so that it increases.

[0049] Furthermore, a reference temperature that serves as a threshold for determining whether the temperature of battery 2 is high or low may be set in advance. In this case, if the temperature of battery 2 is lower than the reference temperature, the processing unit 54 may correct the determined power upper limit to be higher, or correct the determined discharge time to be longer.

[0050] For example, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit or discharge time based on the degree of battery 2 degradation included in the battery information. It is thought that the more the degree of battery 2 degradation progresses, the lower the power limit of battery 2 when fully charged tends to be. Therefore, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit to be smaller or the determined discharge time to be shorter as the degree of battery 2 degradation progresses.

[0051] For example, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit or discharge time based on the failure history of battery 2 included in the battery information. If there is a failure history of battery 2, it is considered that battery 2 is prone to malfunctions. Therefore, if there is a failure history of battery 2, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit to be smaller or correct the determined discharge time to be shorter.

[0052] For example, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit or discharge time based on the remaining charge of battery 2 included in the battery information. In this case, the processing unit 54 corrects the determined power limit or discharge time according to the remaining charge of battery 2 at the time battery 2 is electrically connected to the adapter device 5. It is thought that the voltage drop tends to occur more easily as the remaining charge of battery 2 decreases. For this reason, the processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit to be smaller or the determined discharge time to be shorter as the remaining charge of battery 2 decreases. The remaining charge is the remaining capacity that is charged in battery 2.

[0053] The display unit 55, under the control of the processing unit 54, can display the power limit or discharge time determined by the processing unit 54, or the power limit or discharge time corrected by the processing unit 54. The display unit 55 can also display battery information, etc. The display unit 55 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, an LED indicator light, etc. The display unit 55 may be an example of a notification unit in this disclosure.

[0054] The display unit 55 may, under the control of the processing unit 54, display the battery 2's status, such as its storage capacity, power consumption, and whether or not there are any abnormalities. The display unit 55 may also, under the control of the processing unit 54, indicate that the battery 2 is being charged or that the battery 2 is being discharged.

[0055] The notification unit 56, under the control of the processing unit 54, notifies the user if the battery 2's discharge capacity cannot be maintained. The battery 2's discharge capacity cannot be maintained if the temperature of the battery 2 exceeds the reference temperature, or if an external device exceeding the battery 2's discharge capacity (discharge limit) is connected. The notification that the battery 2's discharge capacity cannot be maintained indicates that the battery 2 has low remaining capacity and cannot discharge at the desired power limit. The notification unit 56 may be, for example, a notification light, a flash lamp, or a buzzer.

[0056] Furthermore, the adapter device 5 of this embodiment may further include a temperature detection unit for detecting the ambient temperature around the adapter device 5. The temperature detection unit may output the detected ambient temperature to the processing unit 54. In this case, the temperature detection unit is an example of an acquisition unit.

[0057] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of this embodiment, the second communication unit 52 may acquire the ambient temperature around the adapter device 5 from a temperature detection device. In this case, the second communication unit 52 may output the acquired ambient temperature to the processing unit 54. In this case, the second communication unit 52 is an example of an acquisition unit.

[0058] The processing unit 54 may correct the power limit or discharge time determined by taking into account the acquired ambient temperature. For example, the processing unit 54 may determine the power limit or discharge time based on the ambient temperature and battery information. It is considered that the lower the ambient temperature, the less likely the temperature of the battery 2 is to rise. For this reason, the processing unit 54 may correct the determined discharge time or power limit according to the ambient temperature. The processing unit 54 can correct the determined power limit so that it becomes larger as the ambient temperature decreases, or correct the determined discharge time so that it becomes longer.

[0059] On the other hand, the smaller the discharge capacity of battery 2, the more likely it is that a rapid temperature rise will occur in battery 2, and the shorter the discharge time tends to be. For this reason, the processing unit 54 may set the reference temperature lower the smaller the discharge capacity of battery 2. In other words, the smaller the discharge capacity of battery 2, the earlier the processing unit 54 can have the notification unit 56 notify. To put it another way, the notification unit 56 can notify earlier the smaller the discharge capacity of battery 2.

[0060] Now, referring to Figure 3, we will explain the timing at which the processing unit 54 notifies the notification unit 56.

[0061] Figure 3 shows the relationship between the voltage of battery 2, the current of battery 2, the temperature of battery 2 (1), the temperature of battery 2 (2), the temperature of control unit 25 (1), the temperature of control unit 25 (2), and the output W (1 / 10) and time.

[0062] Figure 3 shows the voltage of battery 2 (indicated by a thick dashed line), the current of battery 2 (indicated by a dashed line), the temperature of battery 2 (indicated by a thin solid line), the temperature of control unit 25 (indicated by a dashed line), the temperature of control unit 25 (indicated by a thin dashed line), and the output W(1 / 10) (indicated by a thick solid line). Figure 3 also shows the relationship between the current of battery 2, the voltage of battery 2, and time (minutes), as well as the relationship between the output W(1 / 10) of battery 2 and the temperature of battery 2 and time (minutes).

[0063] Battery 2 temperature 1 is the internal temperature of battery 2, and battery 2 temperature 2 is the temperature of the battery terminal 22. Control unit 25 temperature 1 is the temperature of the main FET mounted on control unit 25, and control unit 25 temperature 2 is the temperature of the sub-FET mounted on control unit 25. Output W (1 / 10) is the upper limit of the battery 2 power, and is shown as one-tenth in order to display it alongside the battery 2 temperature.

[0064] Figure 3 shows the case where the adapter device 5 discharges battery 2 for 60 minutes so that the output discharged from battery 2 is kept constant. In this case, the voltage decreases over time, and the current increases inversely proportional to the voltage. In accordance with the increase in current, the temperatures 1 and 2 of battery 2 and 1 and 2 of the control unit 25 also increase.

[0065] During the final stages of discharge from battery 2 (for example, after 50 minutes), the temperatures 1 and 2 of battery 2 and the temperatures 1 and 2 of control unit 25 become high.

[0066] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the temperature of battery 2 exceeds a reference temperature, it is possible to notify the user that the battery is nearing the end of its discharge. The reference temperature is set lower than the output stop temperature. The output stop temperature indicates the temperature of battery 2 when the control unit 25 stops discharging battery 2. In other words, the reference temperature is set to notify the user in advance that battery 2 will stop outputting before reaching the output stop temperature.

[0067] As a result, when the temperature of the battery 2 exceeds the reference temperature, the notification unit 56, under the control of the processing unit 54, can notify that the battery 2 will no longer be able to maintain its discharge capacity.

[0068] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of this embodiment, the processing unit 54 may start discharging the battery 2 after determining the upper limit of the battery 2's power or the discharge time. The processing unit 54 may also monitor the temperature of the battery 2 during discharge and correct the upper limit of the battery 2's power or the discharge time according to the temperature of the battery 2 during discharge. In other words, the processing unit 54 can correct the upper limit of the power or the discharge time according to the temperature of the battery 2 that changes due to discharge.

[0069] <Example of operation> Next, with reference to Figures 4 and 5, an example of operation 1 of the system 1 comprising the adapter device 5 and battery 2 in this embodiment will be described.

[0070] Figure 4 shows the relationship between the discharge capacity of battery 2, the power limit, and the discharge time. Figure 5 is a flowchart of operation example 1 of adapter device 5.

[0071] First, the second communication unit 52 of the adapter device 5 acquires battery information from the battery 2 (S11: Information acquisition step).

[0072] Next, the processing unit 54 of the adapter device 5 determines, based on the acquired battery information, the upper limit of the power to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, or the discharge time to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device (S12: determination step).

[0073] For example, as shown in Figure 4, the processing unit 54 may determine that the upper limit of power for battery 2 is "250W", "300W", and "350W" when the discharge capacity of battery 2 is "8Ah", "12Ah", and "16Ah", and may also determine that the discharge time for battery 2 is "20 minutes", "30 minutes", and "50 minutes".

[0074] In this way, the discharge of battery 2 may be set by a determined power limit or a determined discharge time.

[0075] Next, the processing unit 54 acquires the ambient temperature of the adapter device 5 (S13: Ambient temperature acquisition step).

[0076] Next, the processing unit 54 corrects the power limit or discharge time determined by taking into account the acquired ambient temperature (S14).

[0077] Specifically, the processing unit 54 corrects the determined power upper limit so that it increases as the ambient temperature decreases, or corrects the determined discharge time so that it becomes longer.

[0078] For example, if the ambient temperature decreases compared to the ambient temperature determined in Figure 4(a), the processing unit 54 corrects the determined power limit or discharge time, as shown in Figure 4(b).

[0079] Specifically, the processing unit 54 may adjust the power limit of battery 2 from "250W" to "200W" when the discharge capacity of battery 2 is "8Ah". The processing unit 54 may adjust the power limit of battery 2 from "300W" to "250W" when the discharge capacity of battery 2 is "12Ah". The processing unit 54 may adjust the power limit of battery 2 from "350W" to "300W" when the discharge capacity of battery 2 is "16Ah".

[0080] Furthermore, the processing unit 54 may adjust the discharge time of battery 2 from "20 minutes" to "10 minutes" if the discharge capacity of battery 2 is "8Ah". The processing unit 54 may adjust the discharge time of battery 2 from "30 minutes" to "20 minutes" if the discharge capacity of battery 2 is "12Ah". The processing unit 54 may adjust the discharge time of battery 2 from "50 minutes" to "40 minutes" if the discharge capacity of battery 2 is "16Ah".

[0081] Furthermore, by setting a threshold, the processing unit 54 may correct the determined power upper limit to be higher when the ambient temperature is below the threshold, or correct the determined discharge time to be longer, compared to when the ambient temperature is above the threshold.

[0082] In this way, the discharge of battery 2 may be set by a corrected power limit or a determined discharge time.

[0083] Next, the processing unit 54 outputs the corrected power limit or the corrected discharge time to the display unit 55. As a result, the display unit 55 displays the corrected power limit or the corrected discharge time (S15).

[0084] This concludes the operation example of the adapter device 5 shown in Figure 5.

[0085] Furthermore, with reference to Figure 6, an example of the operation of the system 1 comprising the adapter device 5 and battery 2 in this embodiment will be described.

[0086] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing example 2 of the operation of the adapter device 5.

[0087] First, the processing unit 54 sets the power limit or the discharge time, and then starts discharging the battery 2 (S21: Start step).

[0088] Next, the processing unit 54 monitors the temperature of the battery 2 during discharge (S22: monitoring step).

[0089] Next, the processing unit 54 corrects the upper limit of the battery 2's power or the discharge time according to the temperature of the battery 2 during discharge (S23: suppression step). In the suppression step, the processing unit 54 also includes stopping the discharge of the battery 2 through the correction.

[0090] Then, the processing unit 54 terminates the operation example shown in Figure 6 for the adapter device 5 and returns to step S21.

[0091] Furthermore, with reference to Figure 7, an example of operation 3 of the system 1 comprising the adapter device 5 and battery 2 in this embodiment will be described.

[0092] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing example 3 of the operation of the adapter device 5.

[0093] First, the processing unit 54 determines whether or not the discharge capacity of the battery 2 can be maintained (S31).

[0094] If the processing unit 54 can maintain the discharge capacity of battery 2 (YES in S31), it returns to step S31.

[0095] On the other hand, if the processing unit 54 cannot maintain the discharge capacity of battery 2 (NO in S31), it causes the notification unit 56 to notify that the discharge capacity of battery 2 can no longer be maintained. In other words, the notification unit 56 notifies that the discharge capacity of battery 2 can no longer be maintained (S32). This allows the user to recognize that it cannot discharge to external devices. As a result, the user can understand that the power limit of battery 2 is low.

[0096] <Effects and Effects> Next, the effects and advantages of the adapter device 5 in this embodiment will be described.

[0097] As described above, the adapter device 5 of Technology 1 according to this embodiment is an adapter device 5 capable of supplying power from a battery 2 that can be attached to and removed from an electric vehicle to an external device, and comprises an acquisition unit that acquires battery information including the discharge capacity of the battery 2 from the battery 2, and a processing unit 54 that determines the upper limit of the power to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, or the discharge time to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, based on the battery information.

[0098] According to this, regardless of the type of battery 2 installed in the adapter device 5, the processing unit 54 can determine the power limit or discharge time based on battery information including the discharge capacity of the battery 2. Then, the processing unit 54 can discharge the battery 2 at the determined power limit or discharge time.

[0099] Therefore, this adapter device 5 allows for discharge according to the discharge capacity of the battery 2.

[0100] In particular, when the power limit or discharge time is displayed on the display unit 55, the user can be made aware of the power limit or discharge time. As a result, the user will be able to understand the power limit or discharge time, making it less likely for the user to experience sudden output stoppages or insufficient output. Consequently, it is expected that the usability of the adapter device 5 will be improved.

[0101] Furthermore, as in conventional technology, if batteries are discharged uniformly regardless of their discharge capacity, the temperature of batteries with low discharge capacity will rise, excessively accelerating their degradation. However, in this embodiment, since discharge can be performed according to the discharge capacity of battery 2, it is possible to suppress excessively accelerating the degradation of battery 2.

[0102] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of Technology 2 according to this embodiment, the acquisition unit further acquires the ambient temperature around the adapter device 5, and the processing unit 54 corrects the power limit or discharge time determined by taking into account the acquired ambient temperature.

[0103] According to this, the processing unit 54 can correct the power limit or discharge time to take the ambient temperature into account. Therefore, it can be adjusted so that the power limit or discharge time corresponds to the change in ambient temperature around the adapter device 5.

[0104] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of Technology 3 according to this embodiment, the battery information is the information at the time when the battery 2 is electrically connected to the adapter device 5.

[0105] According to this, since the battery information at the time the battery 2 is installed in the adapter device 5 can be used, it becomes possible to determine an appropriate power limit or discharge time for the state of the battery 2.

[0106] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of the technology 4 according to this embodiment, the processing unit 54 corrects the determined power upper limit or discharge time according to the ambient temperature.

[0107] According to this, for example, the power limit can be adjusted so that it increases as the ambient temperature decreases, or the discharge time can be adjusted to increase.

[0108] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of the technology 5 according to this embodiment, the processing unit 54 corrects the determined power limit or discharge time according to the remaining charge of the battery 2 at the time of electrical connection to the adapter device 5.

[0109] According to this, the remaining charge of battery 2 at the time it is attached to the adapter device 5 can be used, making it possible to determine a power limit or discharge time appropriate for the remaining charge of battery 2.

[0110] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of technology 6 according to this embodiment, the battery information further includes at least one of the following: temperature information indicating the temperature of the battery 2, the degree of degradation of the battery 2, the failure history of the battery 2, and the remaining charge of the battery 2. The processing unit 54 further takes into account at least one of the temperature information, degree of degradation, failure history, and remaining charge to correct the determined power limit or discharge time.

[0111] According to this, the processing unit 54 can correct the power limit or discharge time by taking into account at least one of the temperature information, degradation level, failure history, and remaining charge. Therefore, it can be adjusted so that the power limit or discharge time corresponds to a change in at least one of the temperature information, degradation level, failure history, and remaining charge.

[0112] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of Technology 7 according to this embodiment, the processing unit 54 further determines the power limit or discharge time, starts discharging the battery 2, monitors the temperature of the battery 2 during discharge, and corrects the power limit or discharge time determined according to the temperature of the battery 2 during discharge.

[0113] According to this, the power limit or discharge time can be adjusted according to the temperature change of battery 2 during discharge.

[0114] Furthermore, in the adapter device 5 of the technology 8 according to this embodiment, the temperature of the battery 2 includes at least one of the internal temperature of the battery 2 and the temperature of the connection terminals that connect the adapter device 5 and the battery 2.

[0115] According to this, the temperature of battery 2 can be monitored, allowing for adjustments to be made to the power limit or discharge time according to the temperature of battery 2.

[0116] Furthermore, the adapter device 5 of the technology 9 according to this embodiment further includes a display unit 55, and the processing unit 54 causes the power limit value or discharge time to be displayed on the display unit 55.

[0117] According to this, the display unit 55 can display the maximum power value or discharge time, allowing the user to understand the maximum power value or discharge time. Therefore, situations such as sudden output stoppage or insufficient output from the battery 2 are less likely to occur for the user. As a result, the usability of the adapter device 5 is expected to be improved.

[0118] Furthermore, the adapter device 5 of the technology 10 according to this embodiment is further equipped with a notification unit 56, and the processing unit 54 causes the notification unit 56 to notify the battery 2 that it will no longer be able to maintain its discharge capacity if it cannot maintain the discharge capacity of the battery 2.

[0119] According to this, the notification unit 56 will notify the user that it will no longer be able to maintain the discharge capacity of the battery 2, so the user can be aware that the remaining capacity of the battery 2 is low.

[0120] Furthermore, the system 1 of technology 11 according to this embodiment includes an adapter device 5 and a battery 2 that can be attached to or detached from the adapter device 5.

[0121] This system 1 also produces the same effects as described above.

[0122] Furthermore, the discharge method of technology 12 according to this embodiment is a discharge method that can supply power from a battery 2 that is detachable from an electric vehicle to an external device, and includes the acquisition of battery information including the discharge capacity of the battery 2 by an acquisition unit, and the determination of an upper limit of power to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, or a discharge time to be discharged from the battery 2 to the external device, by a processing unit 54 based on the battery information.

[0123] This discharge method also produces the same effects as described above.

[0124] (Other variations) The adapter devices and the like related to this disclosure have been described above based on the embodiments described above, but this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. Various modifications to the embodiments that a person skilled in the art can conceive of may also be included in the scope of this disclosure, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0125] For example, in the above embodiment, the adapter device has a function to supply power to an external device, but it may also have a charging function that can charge a battery. In this case, the adapter device may include a power cable (not shown) and a power plug (not shown) that can be connected to a commercial power source, and a charging circuit having an AC-DC conversion circuit (not shown) that can convert AC power from the commercial power source to DC power. The charging circuit may further include a DC-DC conversion circuit (not shown) that converts the DC power output from the AC-DC conversion circuit into DC power that can charge the battery. The charging circuit may also include a control circuit (not shown) that can control the AC-DC conversion circuit and the DC-DC conversion circuit. The control circuit can appropriately charge the battery by controlling the AC-DC conversion circuit and the DC-DC conversion circuit.

[0126] The power cable, power plug, and charging circuit may be mounted on the adapter device. Alternatively, the power cable, power plug, and charging circuit do not have to be mounted on the adapter device. If they are not mounted on the adapter device, the device consisting of the power cable, power plug, and charging circuit may be connected to the adapter device's connection port and the commercial power supply, and the battery may be attached to the adapter device so that the adapter device charges the battery with power from the commercial power supply.

[0127] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the adapter device is charging the battery, the adapter device may also be capable of supplying power to external devices.

[0128] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each component constituting the processing unit, etc., may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may also be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0129] Furthermore, each component may be implemented by hardware. For example, each component may be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or they may be separate circuits. Also, each of these circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0130] Furthermore, the general or specific embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM. They may also be implemented in any combination of systems, apparatus, methods, integrated circuits, computer programs, and recording media.

[0131] Furthermore, this disclosure may be implemented as a method executed by a computer, or as a program causing a computer to execute such a method. This disclosure may also be implemented as a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium on which such a program is recorded.

[0132] Furthermore, this disclosure also includes forms that can be obtained by applying various modifications to the above embodiments that a person skilled in the art could conceive, as well as forms that can be realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the embodiments without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0133] 1 System 2 batteries 5 Adapter device 52. Second Communications Department (Acquisition Department) 54 Processing Unit 55 Display section 56 Hochi Department

Claims

1. An adapter device capable of supplying power from a battery that can be attached to or removed from an electric vehicle to an external device, An acquisition unit that acquires battery information including the discharge capacity of the battery from the battery, The system includes a processing unit that determines, based on the aforementioned battery information, an upper limit of the power to be discharged from the battery to the external device, or a discharge time to be discharged from the battery to the external device. Adapter device.

2. The acquisition unit further acquires the ambient temperature of the adapter device, The processing unit corrects the power limit or discharge time determined by taking into account the acquired ambient temperature. The adapter device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned battery information is information from the time when the battery was electrically connected to the adapter device. The adapter device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The processing unit corrects the determined power limit or discharge time according to the ambient temperature. The adapter device according to claim 2.

5. The processing unit corrects the determined power limit or discharge time according to the remaining charge of the battery at the time of electrical connection to the adapter device. The adapter device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The battery information further includes at least one of the following: temperature information indicating the temperature of the battery, the degree of degradation of the battery, the failure history of the battery, and the remaining charge of the battery. The processing unit further corrects the determined power limit or discharge time by taking into account at least one of the temperature information, the degree of degradation, the failure history, and the remaining charge. The adapter device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. moreover, The aforementioned processing unit, After determining the power limit or the discharge time, the battery discharge is started. The temperature of the battery during discharge is monitored, The power limit or discharge time determined according to the temperature of the battery during discharge is corrected. The adapter device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The battery temperature includes at least one of the internal temperature of the battery and the temperature of the connection terminals connecting the adapter device and the battery. The adapter device according to claim 6.

9. Furthermore, it is equipped with a display unit, The processing unit causes the power limit value or the discharge time to be displayed on the display unit. The adapter device according to claim 1 or 2.

10. Furthermore, it is equipped with a news department, If the processing unit cannot maintain the discharge capacity of the battery, it will cause the notification unit to notify that the battery will no longer be able to maintain its discharge capacity. The adapter device according to claim 8.

11. The adapter device according to claim 1 or 2, The adapter device is equipped with a detachable battery, system.

12. A discharge method that allows power from a battery detachable from an electric vehicle to be supplied to an external device, The unit acquires battery information, including the discharge capacity of the battery, from the aforementioned battery. The processing unit determines, based on the battery information, an upper limit of the power to be discharged from the battery to the external device, or a discharge time to be discharged from the battery to the external device. Discharge method.

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