Battery control system

Abstract

To provide technology that automatically changes settings related to the battery of an electric vehicle. [Solution] The battery control system acquires target driving data, which is driving data of an electric vehicle, and reference driving data, which is driving data for multiple vehicles. The battery control system compares the target driving data and the reference driving data, and if predetermined conditions are met, it executes a setting change process to change the settings related to the battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery control system applied to a battery mounted on an electric vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a setting inheritance system that sets vehicle equipment to settings suitable for a user based on the user's information of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for changing settings such as the steering wheel, seat position, mirror position, and audio device volume according to user preferences. However, it does not describe the viewpoint of changing driving characteristics by changing battery settings using travel data related to a plurality of vehicles.

[0005] One object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for automatically changing settings related to a battery of an electric vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The first aspect relates to a battery control system applied to batteries installed in electric vehicles. The battery control system comprises one or more processors and one or more storage devices. One or more storage devices store reference driving data, which is driving data for multiple vehicles. One or more processors acquire target driving data, which is driving data for electric vehicles, and the reference driving data. One or more processors compare the target driving data and the reference driving data, and if predetermined conditions are met, execute a setting change process to change the settings related to the battery. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The setting change process described in this disclosure modifies battery settings based on a comparison of target driving data and reference driving data. This allows the battery control system to flexibly change the settings of the electric vehicle's battery according to how it is used. As a result, driving characteristics suitable for the target electric vehicle are achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an overview of the battery control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This graph conceptually illustrates a comparison between target driving data and reference driving data. [Figure 3] This flowchart outlines the series of processes related to the configuration change process. [Figure 4] This flowchart details the series of processes involved in changing settings. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the general outline of the deployment of other vehicles. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a battery control system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0010] 1. Overview of the Battery Control System Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the battery control system 1 according to an embodiment. The battery control system 1 is applied to a battery 20 mounted on a target vehicle 10T. The target vehicle 10T is an electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as its propulsion system. The battery 20 is a power source that supplies current to rotate the electric motor.

[0011] The management device 200 acquires driving data from the vehicle group 10G. The vehicle group 10G includes multiple vehicles (typically electric vehicles) and may include the target vehicle 10T. The management device 200 manages the acquired driving data as reference driving data DTR. The management device 200 acquires target driving data DTT, which is driving data related to the target vehicle 10T. The management device 200 compares the reference driving data DTR and the target driving data DTT and executes a "setting change process" if predetermined conditions are met. The setting change process is a process of changing the settings related to the battery 20 of the target vehicle 10T. For example, in the setting change process, the management device 200 sends a command to the target vehicle 10T to change the settings of the battery 20.

[0012] Driving data refers to information about the driving history of the target vehicle 10T or vehicle group 10G. Driving data includes, for example, the operating time of the electric vehicle, vehicle speed, distance traveled, accelerator opening history, etc. The target driving data DTT is acquired by the sensor group 30 installed on the target vehicle 10T. The operating time of the electric vehicle refers to the duration of time when the electric vehicle's power is ON and it is ready to receive power from the battery 20 to the electric motor.

[0013] The sensor group 30 includes a recognition sensor, a vehicle status sensor, a positioning sensor, and a position sensor. The recognition sensor recognizes (detects) the surrounding conditions of the target vehicle 10T. Examples of recognition sensors include cameras, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), radar, etc. The vehicle status sensor detects the state of the target vehicle 10T. For example, the vehicle status sensor includes a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a steering angle sensor, a wheel speed sensor, a rotational speed sensor, etc. The acceleration sensor detects the lateral and longitudinal acceleration of the target vehicle 10T. The wheel speed sensor detects the rotational speed of the wheels of the target vehicle 10T. The rotational speed sensor detects the rotational speed of the electric motor. The positioning sensor detects the position and orientation of the target vehicle 10T. For example, the positioning sensor includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

[0014] The position sensor detects the position and angle of parts of the target vehicle 10T. For example, the position sensor may include an engine speed sensor, a braking force sensor, an EPS torque sensor, etc. While the driver is manually operating the vehicle, the presence or absence of driving operations by the driver and the amount of those operations can be obtained based on changes in accelerator opening, engine speed, braking force, EPS torque, etc. As another example, the position sensor may include a steering sensor that detects the amount of steering of the steering wheel, an accelerator position sensor (accelerator opening sensor) that detects the stroke amount of the accelerator pedal, and a brake position sensor (brake pedal sensor) that detects the stroke amount of the brake pedal.

[0015] The reference driving data DTR is acquired by sensors attached to each vehicle in the vehicle group 10G, similar to the target driving data DTT.

[0016] 2. Configuration change process 2-1. Overview As described above, the battery 20 supplies electric current for rotating the electric motor. For example, when the accelerator pedal is operated to move the target vehicle 10T forward, the electric current for rotating the electric motor is supplied from the battery 20 to the electric motor. At this time, the current (discharge current) supplied from the battery 20 correlates with the accelerator opening degree. That is, the larger the accelerator opening degree, the higher the discharge current, and as a result, the target vehicle 10T obtains a larger driving force. The magnitude of the discharge current is also related to the weight of the target vehicle 10T. The larger the vehicle weight, the greater the energy required for acceleration, and the current tends to increase.

[0017] An upper limit value of the discharge current (hereinafter referred to as "discharge upper limit value") is set for the battery 20 for safety purposes to prevent excessive acceleration and for the purpose of preventing deterioration of the battery 20 due to large current. The setting change process in the battery control system 1 includes a process of changing this discharge upper limit value. When the target vehicle 10T is loaded with a large amount of cargo, its total weight increases, and more energy, that is, discharge current, is required for starting and acceleration. Therefore, it is reasonable to increase the discharge upper limit value within a range that causes no safety problem. On the other hand, when the target vehicle 10T is intended for long-distance travel, it is effective to lower the discharge upper limit value. By lowering the discharge upper limit value, the power consumption of the battery 20 can be saved, and the cruising range of the target vehicle 10T can be made longer.

[0018] 2-2. Specific Examples Several specific examples of the setting change process will be described. The battery control system 1 executes the setting change process when the result of comparison between the target travel data DTT and the reference travel data DTR satisfies a predetermined condition. Figure 2 is a graph conceptually showing the comparison between the target travel data DTT and the reference travel data DTR. The horizontal axis and the vertical axis of the graph represent parameters included in the travel data. In the following, the conditions under which the setting change process is executed and the processing content corresponding to each condition will be described.

[0019] <Settings for Transportation Applications> When the battery control system 1 estimates that the usage of the target vehicle 10T is a usage of transporting heavy objects such as luggage and people, more specifically, when it estimates that the total weight of the target vehicle 10T is heavier than the average total weight of the vehicle group 10G, the battery control system 1 executes a setting change process (upper limit release process) that increases the discharge upper limit value.

[0020] (A) in FIG. 2 shows a situation where settings for transportation usage are performed as the setting change process. The horizontal axis of the graph represents the operation time of the vehicle, and the vertical axis represents the travel distance. The operation time and the travel distance are values aggregated over a predetermined period (for example, every month). White circles in the graph are data showing the relationship between the operation time and the travel distance regarding the vehicle group 10G (that is, reference travel data DTR). The battery control system 1 obtains a relational expression between the operation time and the travel distance for the vehicle group 10G from the reference travel data DTR. This relational expression is shown as a reference regression line L-R in FIG. 2. The battery control system 1 further sets a threshold based on the reference regression line L-R. The threshold is indicated by a threshold line L-TH (dashed line) in the drawing. The threshold line L-TH can be obtained by translating or rotating the reference regression line L-R in parallel. The battery control system 1 refers to the operation time and travel distance of the target vehicle 10T (that is, target travel data DTT).

[0021] The battery control system 1 determines whether to execute the setting change process based on the relationship between the target travel data DTT and the threshold line L-TH. Assume that the operation time of the target vehicle 10T is X1, and the corresponding travel distance is Y1. The travel distance Y1 is smaller than the travel distance Y-TH on the threshold line L-TH. This indicates that the travel distance of the target vehicle 10T is significantly shorter than the average value of the vehicle group 10G. In this case, the battery control system 1 estimates that the total weight of the target vehicle 10T is heavier than the average total weight of the vehicle group 10G. In response to this, the battery control system 1 releases the restriction on the discharge current of the battery 20. That is, the battery control system 1 executes the setting change process that increases the discharge upper limit value of the battery 20. Note that a short travel distance is synonymous with a low average vehicle speed during the operation time, so the vehicle speed may be used for the above estimation instead of the travel distance.

[0022] The usage estimation of the target vehicle 10T may be performed based on the relationship between the accelerator opening and the discharge current. When the target vehicle 10T is used for transportation, it tends to repeatedly stop and start due to traffic congestion in urban areas and unloading at delivery destinations. The accelerator opening fluctuates greatly due to repeated stopping and starting. The resulting change in discharge current can be explained as follows: When starting from a standstill, the discharge current rises sharply to bring the target vehicle 10T from a standstill to a running state. On the other hand, when stopping from a running state, the accelerator pedal is not operated, and the accelerator opening becomes zero. In other words, the change in discharge current in response to changes in accelerator opening is larger for the target vehicle 10T used for transportation compared with that of the vehicle group 10G. The battery control system 1 can estimate the usage of the target vehicle 10T by comparing the discharge current of the target vehicle 10T with a threshold determined based on the reference driving data DTR.

[0023] Furthermore, the usage estimation of the target vehicle 10T may be performed based on the relationship between accelerator opening and vehicle speed. When the target vehicle 10T is used for transportation, the total weight of the vehicle increases due to the load, so the vehicle speed for a given accelerator opening tends to be lower than that of the vehicle group 10G. Therefore, the battery control system 1 can estimate the usage of the target vehicle 10T by setting a threshold based on the relationship between accelerator opening and vehicle speed. The method of estimating usage based on the relationship between accelerator opening and vehicle speed can be considered by replacing the horizontal axis of graph (A) in Figure 2 with accelerator opening and the vertical axis with vehicle speed.

[0024] The intended use of the target vehicle 10T may be estimated based on long-term trends. For example, the battery control system 1 records the relationship between monthly operating time and mileage over a predetermined aggregation period (e.g., one year) (right side of Figure 2(A)). This allows for the acquisition of a relationship between operating time and mileage for the target mileage data DTT, such as the target regression line LT. Estimating the intended use based on long-term trends in this way effectively eliminates the influence of short-term events. Whether there is a significant difference in trends between the data set of target mileage data DTT and the data set of reference mileage data DTR is statistically tested, and the method is not particularly limited.

[0025] <Settings for long-distance use> If the battery control system 1 estimates that the mileage of the target vehicle 10T is longer than the average mileage of the vehicle group 10G, it estimates that the target vehicle 10T will be used for long-distance travel. In this case, the battery control system 1 performs a setting change process (upper limit limit process) to lower the upper limit of the discharge current of the battery 20 installed in the target vehicle 10T.

[0026] Figure 2(B) shows a situation where settings for long-distance use are applied as part of the setting change process. The meaning of each axis of the graph and the precedents are the same as in Figure 2(A). In this case, the mileage Y1 corresponding to the operating time X1 of the target vehicle 10T is greater than the mileage Y-TH on the threshold line L-TH. This indicates that the mileage of the target vehicle 10T is significantly longer than the average value of the vehicle group 10G. In this case, the battery control system 1 estimates that the target vehicle 10T is used for long-distance purposes. In response, the battery control system 1 limits the discharge current of the battery 20. That is, the battery control system 1 executes a setting change process that lowers the upper limit of the discharge value of the battery 20. Note that a long mileage is synonymous with a high average vehicle speed during operating time, so vehicle speed may be used instead of mileage in the above estimation. The estimation of long-distance use may also be based on long-term trends, as shown in the right part of Figure 2(B).

[0027] The battery control system 1 may use indicators that indirectly indicate a long driving range when estimating the intended use. Such indicators include the charge level of the battery 20 and the frequency of using fast charging. The charge level and the frequency of fast charging are included in the target driving data DTT or the reference driving data DTR.

[0028] The charge rate of battery 20 refers to the percentage of stored energy relative to the battery's capacity. The charge rate is expressed as 100% when fully charged and 0% when no energy is stored at all. To estimate long-distance use, the battery control system 1 refers to how long a predetermined charge rate was maintained during the vehicle's operating time. For long-distance travel, charging at specific locations (home, office, etc.) is less frequent, so the time spent driving in a low-charge state tends to be longer. Therefore, if the time that the battery 20 of the target vehicle 10T is in a "low-charge state" (for example, a charge rate of 40% or less is considered a low-charge state) is significantly longer than that of vehicle group 10G, the battery control system 1 estimates that the target vehicle 10T is being used for long-distance use. In this case, a threshold for the duration of the low-charge state is set based on the reference driving data DTR.

[0029] The frequency of using fast charging is also used as an indicator to estimate long-distance use. For vehicles that regularly return to a base (e.g., commercial vehicles that drive around town), charging can be done while parked at the base, so the need for fast charging is not high. For example, if charging can be done at the base overnight, sufficient charging time can be secured, and fast charging is unnecessary. On the other hand, for long-distance use, even if the battery is fully charged at departure, situations that require charging along the way to the destination are likely to occur. In such cases, it is likely that charging will be done at rest areas on highways, etc. From the perspective of travel efficiency, fast charging is typically selected as the charging method in this case. Therefore, if the frequency of using fast charging is significantly higher than that of vehicle group 10G, the battery control system 1 estimates that the target vehicle 10T is being used for long-distance use. In this case, a threshold for the frequency of fast charging is set based on the reference driving data DTR.

[0030] If the target vehicle 10T is estimated to be used for long-distance purposes, the battery control system 1 may change the range of charge levels for which rapid charging is possible. Generally, rapid charging of electric vehicle batteries involves a large current, which can cause the battery to overheat and contribute to battery degradation. To prevent such degradation and keep the battery in good condition, it is effective to limit the range of charge levels for which rapid charging is possible. For example, while rapid charging is possible in the range of 10-80% for normal use, it may be possible to set it to 30-100% for long-distance use. This type of processing will be referred to as "rapid charging limitation" below.

[0031] 2-3. Effects As described above, the setting change process for the battery control system 1 includes at least three types of processes. These are: an upper limit release process when the vehicle group 10G is estimated to be used for transportation purposes, an upper limit restriction process and a rapid charging restriction, which are performed when the vehicle group 10G is estimated to be used for long-distance purposes. The upper limit release process allows the target vehicle 10T to accelerate powerfully when transporting goods or people in urban areas. The upper limit restriction process reduces power consumption by suppressing excessive discharge current, contributing to extending the driving range of the target vehicle 10T. The rapid charging restriction extends the product life of the battery 20 by suppressing the degradation of the battery 20 associated with rapid charging. In summary, the setting change process estimates the intended use of the target vehicle 10T and appropriately changes the settings of the battery 20 according to that use. This realizes driving characteristics suitable for the target vehicle 10T.

[0032] 2-4. Processing Flow Figure 3 is a flowchart outlining the series of processes related to the configuration change process.

[0033] In step S10, the management device 200 acquires driving data. This driving data includes target driving data DTT (data relating to the target vehicle 10T) and reference driving data DTR (data relating to the vehicle group 10G).

[0034] In step S20, the control device 200 estimates whether the target vehicle 10T is used for transportation purposes. This estimation is performed based on the mileage, vehicle speed, accelerator opening, etc., as previously mentioned. These conditions may also be used in combination. In other words, the control device 200 may consider the vehicle to be used for transportation purposes if at least one of the above conditions is met, or it may consider it to be used for transportation purposes if all of these conditions are met. If the target vehicle 10T is estimated to be used for transportation purposes (step S20; Yes), the process proceeds to step S30. If the target vehicle 10T is not estimated to be used for transportation purposes (step S20; No), the process proceeds to step S40.

[0035] In step S30, the management device 200 executes an upper limit release process as a setting change process. The upper limit release process raises the upper limit of the discharge current of the battery 20 installed in the target vehicle 10T. Specifically, the settings of the battery 20 are changed by the management device 200 sending an instruction to the target vehicle 10T to raise the upper limit of the discharge current.

[0036] In step S40, the management device 200 estimates whether the target vehicle 10T is for long-distance use. This estimation is performed based on factors such as mileage, charge rate, and fast charging frequency, as previously mentioned. These conditions may also be used in combination. In other words, the management device 200 may consider the vehicle to be for long-distance use if at least one of the above conditions is met, or it may consider it to be for long-distance use only if all of these conditions are met. If the target vehicle 10T is estimated to be for driving use (step S40; Yes), the process proceeds to step S50. If the target vehicle 10T is not estimated to be for long-distance use (step S40; No), the setting change process is not performed, and the series of processes ends.

[0037] In step S50, the management device 200 performs an upper limit limit process as a setting change process. That is, the management device 200 lowers the upper limit of the discharge current of the battery 20 installed in the target vehicle 10T. As a result, the target vehicle 10T's ability to accelerate rapidly when the accelerator pedal is operated is suppressed, thus extending the target vehicle 10T's driving range. In addition to the upper limit limit process, or instead of the upper limit limit process, the management device 200 may also perform a rapid charging restriction to prevent degradation of the battery 20. Hereinafter, the upper limit limit process and the rapid charging restriction will be collectively referred to as the "limit setting process".

[0038] The series of processes shown in Figure 3 are preferably executed repeatedly at regular intervals. For example, by executing these processes once a month, it becomes possible to make appropriate setting changes in conjunction with the driving data accumulated each month. Furthermore, the processes related to steps S20 to S30 (upper limit release process) and the processes related to steps S40 to S50 (limit setting process) do not need to be executed in the order shown in Figure 3. The limit setting process may be executed before the upper limit release process. Moreover, it is not necessarily required that both the upper limit release process and the limit setting process be executed. Even if only one of the processes is executed, the effect of appropriately changing the settings of the battery 20 according to the use of the target vehicle 10T will be achieved.

[0039] Figure 4 is a flowchart that shows in more detail the series of processes related to the configuration change process. Figure 4 explains steps S20 and S40 of Figure 3 in more detail.

[0040] Steps S21 to S23 detail the conditions for settings intended for transport applications. Step S21 shows conditions based on the relationship between operating time and mileage. Step S22 shows conditions based on the relationship between accelerator opening and discharge current. Step S23 shows conditions based on the relationship between accelerator opening and vehicle speed. Steps S41 to S43 detail the conditions for settings intended for long-distance applications. Step S41 shows conditions based on the relationship between operating time and mileage. Step S42 shows conditions based on the duration of low charge state. Step S43 shows conditions based on the frequency of use of fast charging. Details of each condition are as described in Section 2-2.

[0041] The processing related to the battery control system 1 does not necessarily include all of steps S21-S23 and S41-S43. Furthermore, the order of these steps is not limited to that shown. In the case of Figure 4, the setting change process is executed when all of the indicated conditions are met, but it is not necessarily required that all of these conditions be met in order to execute the setting change process. For example, the upper limit release process may be executed when one or two of the conditions in steps S21-S23 are met. Similarly, the limit setting process may be executed when one or two of the conditions in steps S41-S43 are met.

[0042] 3. Selection of Vehicle Group The vehicle group 10G from which the reference driving data DTR is obtained can be set arbitrarily. For example, as a specific example of vehicle group 10G, vehicles used in the same region as the target vehicle 10T may be selected (first vehicle group 10G-1). Alternatively, as another example, vehicles of the same category as the target vehicle 10T may be selected (second vehicle group 10G-2). Vehicles of the same category as the target vehicle 10T refer to vehicles of the same make and model as the target vehicle 10T, or vehicles belonging to the same classification (kei cars, compact cars, SUVs, trucks, etc.). In this way, by selecting vehicles that have elements in common with the target vehicle 10T as vehicle group 10G, the reference driving data DTR and the target driving data DTT can be compared more appropriately.

[0043] <Expansion of settings to other vehicles> The management device 200 may extend the settings of the battery 20, which have been changed by the setting change process, to other vehicles other than the target vehicle 10T. This process is called "extension to other vehicles". Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the extension to other vehicles.

[0044] Figure 5(A) shows the deployment of other vehicles to a group of vehicles used in a certain region (first vehicle group 10G-1). The first vehicle group 10G-1 includes a modified vehicle group 10G-A, which includes vehicles whose settings have been changed by a setting change process (i.e., vehicles for which a specific use has been estimated), and an unmodified vehicle group 10G-B, which includes vehicles for which the setting change process has not yet been performed. As time passes, the setting change process is performed on many vehicles, so the number of vehicles belonging to the modified vehicle group 10G-A increases, and the number of vehicles belonging to the unmodified vehicle group 10G-B decreases. The management device 200 executes the deployment of other vehicles when predetermined conditions are met. That is, the management device 200 acquires the battery setting information STG of the modified vehicle group 10G-A and deploys that battery setting information STG to the unmodified vehicle group 10G-B. The battery setting information STG is information including the settings of the battery 20 (discharge limit value, rapid charge range) according to the estimated use of each vehicle. Typically, the management device 200 performs the deployment of other vehicles when the proportion of vehicles belonging to the modified vehicle group 10G-A to the entire first vehicle group 10G-1 exceeds a threshold (for example, a majority). In summary, deployment of other vehicles is a process in which the use of the modified vehicle group 10G-A is considered the typical vehicle use in that region, and the same battery settings as the modified vehicle group 10G-A are applied to the unmodified vehicle group 10G-B. This allows settings tailored to the traffic conditions of each region to be deployed early. The unit of region here can be arbitrarily set to a city, town, prefecture, state, country, etc., and is not particularly limited.

[0045] Figure 5(B) shows the deployment of other vehicles to a group of vehicles belonging to a certain category (Vehicle Group 2, 10G-2). The fundamental mechanism is the same as in the case of Vehicle Group 1, 10G-1. This allows for the early deployment of battery settings according to each category.

[0046] When selecting vehicle group 10G, the perspectives of vehicle group 10G-1 and vehicle group 10G-2 may be applied in combination. In other words, vehicles belonging to a certain category used in a certain region may be selected as vehicle group 10G. Such selection makes it possible to develop battery settings that are appropriate for both region and category. For example, even if a certain vehicle model is mainly used for long-distance travel in country A, but is often used for transportation in country B, it is possible to develop battery settings that are suitable for each.

[0047] 4. Example Configuration Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the battery control system 1.

[0048] 4-1. Target Vehicles The target vehicle 10T is equipped with a control device 110, a battery 20, a sensor group 30, and a communication device 140.

[0049] Battery 20 is a rechargeable secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. Battery 20 supplies power to the electric motor. The electric motor uses the power received from battery 20 to drive the target vehicle 10T. Examples of electric motors include brushless DC motors and three-phase AC synchronous motors.

[0050] The sensor group 30 includes a recognition sensor, a vehicle status sensor, a positioning sensor, and a position sensor. Further details are as described in Section 1.

[0051] The control device 110 is a computer that controls the target vehicle 10T. The control device 110 includes one or more processors 101 (hereinafter simply referred to as processor 101) and one or more storage devices 102 (hereinafter simply referred to as storage devices 102). The processor 101 can also be called processing circuitry. Circuitry is hardware programmed to realize the described functions, or hardware that executes functions. The processor 101 processes various types of information. For example, the processor 101 includes a CPU. The storage device 102 stores various types of information necessary for processing by the processor 101. Examples of storage devices 102 include volatile memory, non-volatile memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. The control device 110 may also include one or more ECUs (Electronic Control Units). The functions of the battery control system 1 are realized through the cooperation of the processor 101 and the storage device 102.

[0052] The storage device 102 includes target driving data DTT and battery setting information STG. The target driving data DTT is data related to the driving of the target vehicle 10T. The battery setting information STG is information regarding the settings of the battery 20 (discharge limit, rapid charge range).

[0053] The communication device 140 communicates with the outside of the target vehicle 10T. For example, the communication device 140 communicates with the management device 200. Information necessary for each process related to the battery control system 1 is transmitted and received via the communication device 140.

[0054] 4-2.Management device The management device 200 includes a communication device 240 and a control device 210. The communication device 240 communicates with the target vehicle 10T and the vehicle group 10G, and sends and receives information necessary for each process related to the battery control system 1. The control device 210 controls the management device 200. The control device 210 includes one or more processors 201 (hereinafter simply referred to as processor 201) and one or more storage devices 202 (hereinafter simply referred to as storage devices 202). The detailed configuration of the control device 210 and storage devices 202 is the same as that of the control device 110 and storage device 102 on the target vehicle 10T side, respectively.

[0055] The battery control program PROG is a computer program executed by the processor 201. The processor 201 executes the battery control program PROG, thereby realizing the functions of the control device 210. The battery control program PROG is stored in the storage device 202. Alternatively, the battery control program PROG may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The battery control program PROG may also be provided via a network.

[0056] The storage device 202 includes target driving data DTT acquired from the target vehicle 10T, reference driving data DTR acquired from the vehicle group 10G, and battery setting information STG acquired from the target vehicle 10T.

[0057] 4-3. Others In this embodiment, the management device 200 is said to execute each process related to the battery control system 1, but in reality, the target vehicle 10T may execute some of each process. For example, the target vehicle 10T may receive the reference driving data DTR and execute the setting change process. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 1: Battery control system, 10G: Vehicle group, 10T: Target vehicle, 20: Battery, 30: Sensor group, 200: Management device, DTR: Reference driving data, DTT: Target driving data, STG: Battery setting information

Claims

1. A battery control system applied to batteries installed in electric vehicles, One or more processors, One or more storage devices and Equipped with, The one or more storage devices described above are: It stores reference driving data, which is driving data for multiple vehicles. The one or more processors described above are: The target driving data, which is the driving data of the electric vehicle, and the reference driving data are acquired. The target driving data and the reference driving data are compared, and if predetermined conditions are met, a setting change process is executed to change the settings related to the battery. It is configured to Battery control system.

2. A battery control system according to claim 1, The one or more processors described above are: If it is estimated that the total weight of the electric vehicle is heavier than the average total weight of the multiple vehicles, the setting change process is executed. It is configured in such a way, The setting change process includes raising the upper limit of the battery's discharge current. Battery control system.

3. A battery control system according to claim 1, The one or more processors described above are: If it is estimated that the driving range of the electric vehicle is longer than the average driving range of the multiple vehicles, the setting change process is executed. It is configured in such a way, The setting change process includes lowering the upper limit of the battery's discharge current. Battery control system.

4. A battery control system according to claim 1, The one or more processors described above are: If it is estimated that the driving range of the electric vehicle is longer than the average driving range of the multiple vehicles, the setting change process is executed. It is configured in such a way, The setting change process includes changing the range over which the electric vehicle can be rapidly charged. Battery control system.

5. A battery control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The one or more processors further include: The settings relating to the battery of the electric vehicle, which have been changed by the aforementioned setting change process, are then extended to other vehicles in the same category as the electric vehicle, or to other vehicles used in the same region as the electric vehicle. Battery control system.

Images