Battery life information providing device and operation method thereof

Abstract

A battery life information providing device according to one embodiment of the present invention can include a judgment unit that judges whether a first battery pack included in a first vehicle needs to be replaced based on a reference electricity consumption rate and first data related to the first vehicle, a calculation unit that calculates a first replacement mileage of the first vehicle based on the first data, and a diagnosis unit that calculates life information related to the first battery pack based on the first replacement mileage and the first data.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0181137, filed December 21, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of this Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The embodiments disclosed herein relate to an apparatus and method of operation for providing battery life information. [Background technology]

[0003] In recent years, research and development into secondary batteries has been actively pursued. Here, secondary batteries are batteries that can be charged and discharged, and include both conventional Ni / Cd batteries, Ni / MH batteries, and more recent lithium-ion batteries. Among secondary batteries, lithium-ion batteries have the advantage of having a much higher energy density than conventional Ni / Cd batteries, Ni / MH batteries, and other batteries. Furthermore, because lithium-ion batteries can be manufactured to be compact and lightweight, they are used as power sources for mobile devices. In recent years, their range of use has expanded to include power sources for electric vehicles, and they are attracting attention as a next-generation energy storage medium.

[0004] Batteries installed in electric vehicles tend to deteriorate as they are repeatedly charged and discharged. For example, the capacity and resistance of batteries installed in electric vehicles may deteriorate as they are repeatedly charged and discharged to operate the electric vehicle, and the remaining lifespan of the batteries may decrease. Furthermore, the degree of battery deterioration and remaining lifespan may vary depending on the operating conditions of the electric vehicle.

[0005] A sudden drop in the remaining battery life can cause safety issues when using an electric vehicle. Therefore, there is a need for a method for diagnosing the condition of a battery installed in an electric vehicle in advance, preventing dangers caused by a sudden drop in battery performance, and providing battery life information to users. In particular, if there is a battery replacement history, providing lifespan information that reflects the battery replacement history can improve user convenience. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] One object of the embodiment disclosed in this document is to determine a reference electricity consumption rate based on driving data, and to determine whether or not to replace the battery pack based on the reference electricity consumption rate and battery pack status data.

[0007] It is an object of the embodiments disclosed herein to provide an apparatus and method of operation that reflects whether a battery pack has been replaced and provides lifespan information about the battery pack.

[0008] The technical problems of the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A battery life information providing device according to one embodiment of the present invention can include a judgment unit that judges whether a first battery pack included in a first vehicle needs to be replaced based on a reference electricity consumption rate and first data related to the first vehicle, a calculation unit that calculates a first replacement mileage of the first vehicle based on the first data, and a diagnosis unit that calculates life information related to the first battery pack based on the first replacement mileage and the first data.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control system may further include an electricity consumption determining unit that receives a plurality of second data related to a second vehicle of the same model as the first vehicle and calculates the reference electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the plurality of second data may include a plurality of second cumulative discharge currents for second battery packs included in the second vehicles, respectively, and a plurality of second cumulative mileages for the second vehicles.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the electricity consumption determination unit can determine whether the second battery pack has been replaced and calculate the reference electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data relating to the second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the electric power consumption determination unit calculates a second electric power consumption based on the plurality of second accumulated mileages for the plurality of second accumulated discharge currents, and determines a third quartile electric power consumption of the second electric power consumption as the reference electric power consumption.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the electric power consumption determination unit calculates an average electric power consumption of the second electric power consumption, and the first data includes a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle, and the calculation unit calculates the cumulative mileage when the cumulative discharge current is 0 on a straight line whose gradient of the first cumulative mileage with respect to the first cumulative discharge current is the average electric power consumption as the mileage before replacement, and can calculate the value obtained by subtracting the mileage before replacement from the first cumulative mileage as the first replacement mileage.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the first data further includes a first cumulative discharge voltage for the first battery pack, and the diagnosis unit can calculate the life information based on the first cumulative discharge current and the first cumulative discharge voltage for the first replacement mileage.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the first data includes a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle, and the determination unit can determine that the first battery pack has been replaced if the first cumulative mileage for the first cumulative discharge current exceeds the reference power consumption.

[0017] An operating method of a battery life information providing device according to another embodiment of the present invention may include the steps of determining whether a first battery pack included in a first vehicle needs to be replaced based on a reference electricity consumption rate and first data relating to the first vehicle, calculating a first replacement mileage of the first vehicle based on the first data, and calculating life information relating to the first battery pack based on the first replacement mileage and the first data.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the operating method of the battery life information providing device may further include the steps of receiving a plurality of second data relating to a second vehicle of the same model as the first vehicle, and calculating the standard electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data.

[0019] According to another embodiment, the plurality of second data may include a plurality of second cumulative discharge currents for second battery packs included in the second vehicles, respectively, and a plurality of second cumulative mileage distances for the second vehicles.

[0020] According to another embodiment, the step of calculating the standard electricity consumption may include a step of determining whether the second battery pack has been replaced, and a step of calculating the standard electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data relating to the second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced.

[0021] According to another embodiment, the step of calculating the reference electric consumption may include the steps of calculating a second electric consumption based on the plurality of second accumulated mileages for the plurality of second accumulated discharge currents, and determining a third quartile electric consumption of the second electric consumption as the reference electric consumption.

[0022] According to another embodiment, the first data includes a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle, and the step of calculating the first replacement mileage includes the steps of calculating an average electric consumption of the second electric consumption, calculating the cumulative mileage before replacement when the cumulative discharge current is 0 on a straight line whose gradient of the first cumulative mileage with respect to the first cumulative discharge current is the average electric consumption, and calculating the value obtained by subtracting the mileage before replacement from the first cumulative mileage as the first replacement mileage.

[0023] According to another embodiment, the first data may further include a first cumulative discharge voltage for the first battery pack, and the step of calculating life information regarding the first battery pack may be a step of calculating the life information based on the first cumulative discharge current and the first cumulative discharge voltage for the first replacement mileage.

[0024] According to another embodiment, the first data may include a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle, and the step of determining whether the first battery pack has been replaced may be a step of determining that the first battery pack has been replaced if the first cumulative mileage for the first cumulative discharge current exceeds the reference power consumption. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] The battery life information providing device and its operating method according to an embodiment disclosed herein can determine whether a battery pack needs to be replaced.

[0026] The battery life information providing device and its operating method according to one embodiment disclosed in this document can calculate the mileage of a vehicle after a battery pack has been replaced, and can calculate battery pack life information based on the mileage of the vehicle after the battery pack has been replaced. In addition, this document can provide various other benefits that can be perceived directly or indirectly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle including a battery pack. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram of a battery life information providing device according to one embodiment disclosed herein; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an operation method of an electricity cost determination unit according to an embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a method for determining whether to replace a battery pack and a method for calculating a mileage required for replacement. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining lifespan information calculated by a diagnostic unit according to an embodiment disclosed in this document. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram illustrating an operation method of a battery life information providing device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document. [Figure 7] 10 is a diagram illustrating an operation method of a battery life information providing device according to another embodiment disclosed in this document. [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram illustrating an operation method of a battery life information providing device according to another embodiment disclosed in this document. [Figure 9] 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a computing system for performing an operation method of a battery life information providing device according to an embodiment disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Hereinafter, the embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. When assigning reference numerals to components in each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components when they appear in other drawings as much as possible. Furthermore, when describing the embodiments disclosed herein, if a detailed description of related known structures or functions is deemed to hinder understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0029] In describing components of the embodiments disclosed herein, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. Such terms are merely used to distinguish the component from other components and do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components. Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed herein belong. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined in this application.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle including a battery pack. Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a battery pack 100 and a host control unit 200.

[0031] 1, the battery pack 100 includes a rechargeable battery module 120 including one or more battery cells, a switching unit 160 connected in series to the (+) terminal side or (-) terminal side of the battery module 120 to control the flow of charge / discharge current of the battery module 120, and a battery management system 180 (e.g., RBMS) that controls and manages the battery pack 100 to prevent overcharging and overdischarging, and monitors data related to the battery module 120. In this case, the battery pack 100 may be provided with a plurality of battery modules 120, sensors 140, switching units 160, and battery management systems (BMS) 180.

[0032] The sensor 140 is connected between the battery module 120 and the battery management system 180 and can sense the voltage, current, temperature, internal resistance, impedance, etc. of the battery module 120 and transmit the sensed values ​​to the battery management system 180 .

[0033] The switching unit 160 is an element for controlling the flow of current for charging or discharging the battery module 120, and may be, for example, at least one relay, electromagnetic contactor, etc., depending on the specifications of the battery pack 100.

[0034] The battery management system 180 is an interface that receives input of measured values ​​of the various parameters described above, and may include a plurality of terminals and circuits connected to the terminals for processing the received values. The battery management system 180 may also control the ON / OFF of the switching unit 160, such as a relay or contactor, and may be connected to the battery modules 120 to monitor the status of each battery module 120.

[0035] The upper controller 200 can transmit a control signal for the battery pack 100 to the battery management system 180. The operation of the battery management system 180 can be controlled based on the signal applied from the upper controller 200.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the battery management system 180 can receive data such as the voltage, current, temperature, internal resistance, impedance, charge / discharge count, charge / discharge current, and charge / discharge voltage of the battery module 120 from the sensor 140 .

[0037] Data such as the voltage, current, temperature, internal resistance, impedance, number of charge / discharge cycles, charge / discharge current, and charge / discharge voltage of the battery module 120 may be used as the basis for determining the lifespan information of the battery pack 100. The battery management system 180 can transmit the data to an external device (for example, a battery life information providing device, etc.).

[0038] The upper control unit 200 may receive data related to the operation of the vehicle 10 from other control units (e.g., a vehicle control unit (VCU)) included in the vehicle 10. Exemplarily, the data related to the operation of the vehicle 10 may include information related to the cumulative mileage of the vehicle. The cumulative mileage may be the total distance traveled by the vehicle 10 after the vehicle 10 leaves the depot. The upper control unit 200 may provide the data received from other control units included in the vehicle 10 to a battery life information providing device (20 in FIG. 2).

[0039] The battery life information providing device can receive data from the battery management system 180 and the higher-level control unit 200. In other words, the battery life information providing device can receive data related to the vehicle 10.

[0040] The battery life information providing device can calculate life information about the battery pack 100 based on the received data. The life information regarding the battery pack 100 may include, for example, a State of Health (SOH), which is a performance index that indicates a comparison between an ideal state of the battery pack 100 and the current state of the battery pack 100 .

[0041] According to the embodiment, the battery life information providing device can calculate the SOH based on the travel distance of the vehicle 10 including the battery pack 100 , the cumulative discharge current and the cumulative discharge voltage of the battery pack 100 .

[0042] The data collected by the battery pack 100 and the upper control unit 200 can correspond to a plurality of vehicles, respectively. The data can be affected by the driving habits of the driver and the environment in which the vehicle is operated. The battery life information providing device may be connected to a plurality of vehicles via a network so as to receive data collected for each vehicle.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a battery life information providing device according to one embodiment disclosed herein. Furthermore, referring to FIG. 2, vehicles 10a and 10b connected to the battery life information providing device 20 via a network are shown as an example.

[0044] The respective vehicles may be referred to as a first vehicle 10a and a second vehicle 10b, with the first vehicle 10a including a first battery pack 100a and a first upper control unit 200a, and the second vehicle 10b including a second battery pack 100b and a second upper control unit 200b.

[0045] The battery life information providing device 20 can be connected to multiple vehicles via a network. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that the first vehicle 10a is the vehicle for which the battery life information is calculated, and the second vehicle 10b is the vehicle that provides data for calculating the reference electricity consumption. The first vehicle 10a and the second vehicle 10b may be the same model.

[0046] The battery life information providing device 20 can include an electricity consumption determination unit 320 that calculates a standard electricity consumption based on the second data received from the second vehicle 10b, a judgment unit 340 that determines whether the first battery pack 100a of the first vehicle 10a has been replaced based on the standard electricity consumption and data related to the first vehicle 10a, a calculation unit 360 that calculates the first replacement mileage of the first vehicle 10a after the first battery pack 100a has been replaced, and a diagnosis unit 380 that calculates life information related to the first battery pack 100a.

[0047] Generally, electric expenses can mean the distance (km) a vehicle travels per kWh of power consumed. However, for the sake of convenience, the unit of electric expenses in this specification is the distance (km) a vehicle travels per cumulative discharge current (Ah).

[0048] According to the embodiment, the battery life information providing device 20 can be connected to a plurality of second vehicles 10b and can receive a plurality of second data sets. The second data sets can include the cumulative driving time and cumulative driving distance of the second vehicles 10b, and the cumulative discharge current and cumulative discharge voltage of the second battery packs 100b included in the second vehicles 10b.

[0049] Electricity consumption rate determination unit 320 can calculate a second electricity consumption rate based on the plurality of second data, and calculate a standard electricity consumption rate and an average electricity consumption rate based on the second electricity consumption rate. According to an embodiment, the reference electricity consumption may be an electricity consumption for determining whether or not the first battery pack 100a included in the first vehicle 10a needs to be replaced, and the average electricity consumption may be an electricity consumption for calculating the first replacement mileage, which is the mileage of the first vehicle 10a after the first battery pack 100a is replaced.

[0050] The method by which electricity cost determination unit 320 determines the reference electricity cost or the average electricity cost will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Electricity consumption cost determination unit 320 can select second data relating to a second vehicle whose battery pack has not been replaced among the second vehicles, and calculate a plurality of second electricity consumption costs based on the selected second data.

[0051] The determination unit 340 can determine whether the first battery pack 100a of the first vehicle 10a needs to be replaced based on the reference electricity consumption and the first data. The first data can include the cumulative driving time and cumulative driving distance of the first vehicle 10a, as well as the cumulative discharge current and cumulative discharge voltage of the first battery pack 100a included in the first vehicle 10a.

[0052] According to the embodiment, the first cumulative mileage may be the total distance traveled by the first vehicle 10a from the time the first vehicle 10a leaves the depot until the time the life information is calculated. Also, the first cumulative discharge current may be the cumulative discharge current after the first battery pack 100a is attached to the first vehicle 10a. Therefore, if the first battery pack 100a is a replaced battery pack, the first accumulated mileage may be greater than the first accumulated discharge current.

[0053] According to an embodiment, the first data may include only the first cumulative mileage and the first cumulative discharge current at the time of calculating the life information, whereas the second data may include all data related to changes in the second cumulative mileage and the second cumulative discharge current of the second vehicle for a predetermined time period.

[0054] Therefore, the electricity cost determination unit 320 can determine whether or not the second battery pack 100b needs to be replaced based on the time-dependent changes in the state of the second vehicle 10b and the second battery pack 100b.

[0055] In contrast, since the first data includes only data relating to the first vehicle 10a and the first battery pack 100a at the time of calculating the life information, the judgment unit 340 can introduce additional judgment criteria (e.g., a reference electricity consumption) to determine whether the first battery pack 100a needs to be replaced.

[0056] According to the embodiment, the determining unit 340 may plot the reference electricity consumption on a plane of the mileage versus the discharge current, and compare the first accumulated mileage versus the first accumulated discharge current with the reference electricity consumption.

[0057] If the first cumulative mileage for the first cumulative discharge current exceeds the reference electricity consumption, in other words, if the first cumulative mileage for the first cumulative discharge current is located at the top of the reference electricity consumption graph on the mileage plane for the discharge current, the judgment unit 340 can determine that the first battery pack 100a of the first vehicle 10a has been replaced. The method by which the determining unit 340 determines whether the battery pack has been replaced will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0058] The calculation unit 360 can calculate a first replacement mileage, which is the mileage of the first vehicle 10a after the first battery pack 100a is replaced. The calculation unit 360 can obtain the first replacement mileage by subtracting the mileage before the replacement of the first battery pack 100a from the first cumulative mileage of the first vehicle 10a.

[0059] The calculation unit 360 can calculate the mileage before the replacement of the first battery pack 100a based on the average power consumption, the first accumulated discharge current, and the first accumulated mileage. The calculation method of the calculation unit 360 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0060] The diagnosis unit 380 can calculate lifespan information about the first battery pack 100a based on the first replacement mileage and the first data. The lifespan information can include SOH information about the first battery pack 100a.

[0061] When the first battery pack 100a of the first vehicle 10a is replaced, the first cumulative mileage may not correspond to the first cumulative discharge current of the first battery pack 100a. Therefore, when calculating lifespan information (e.g., SOH) of the replaced first battery pack 100a based on the first cumulative mileage of the first vehicle 10a, it may be difficult for the diagnosis unit 380 to accurately calculate the lifespan information.

[0062] For example, the first replacement mileage may be less than the first accumulated mileage of the first vehicle 10a at the time of determining the lifespan information. As a result, when calculating the lifespan information of the first battery pack 100a based on the first accumulated mileage, the SOH of the first battery pack 100a may be calculated to be lower than the actual SOH.

[0063] If the SOH of the first battery pack 100a is calculated to be lower than the actual SOH, accurate information cannot be provided to the user, and it may be difficult for the user to predict the state of the first battery pack 100a. The first data may include a first accumulated discharge voltage, which is an accumulated discharge voltage for the first battery pack 100a.

[0064] The diagnosis unit 380 can calculate the SOH value of the first battery pack 100a for the first replacement mileage. The diagnosis unit 380 can calculate the accumulated charge / discharge power of the replaced first battery pack 100a based on the first accumulated discharge voltage and the first accumulated discharge current, and can calculate the SOH value based on the accumulated charge / discharge power and the first replacement mileage.

[0065] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an operation method of the electricity cost determination unit according to an embodiment disclosed herein. More specifically, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method for selecting, from the plurality of second data, second data relating to a second vehicle whose second battery pack has not been replaced.

[0066] Electricity cost determination unit 320 can collect a plurality of second data from a second vehicle of the same model as the first vehicle that is the target of the lifespan information calculation. The electricity consumption determining unit 320 can select second data relating to a second vehicle whose second battery pack has not been replaced from the plurality of collected second data, and calculate a reference electricity consumption or an average electricity consumption based on the selected second data.

[0067] The electricity cost determination unit 320 calculates a second cumulative discharge current graph of the second vehicle versus the number of days of operation or a second cumulative mileage graph versus the second cumulative discharge current from the plurality of second data, and can determine whether or not to replace the second battery pack based on the graph.

[0068] 3(a) shows a graph illustrating the change in the second cumulative discharge current depending on the number of days of operation. As shown in FIG. 3(a), if the second cumulative discharge current includes a section in which it discontinuously decreases as the number of days of operation increases, the electricity cost determination unit 320 can determine that the second battery pack corresponding to the second data has been replaced and can exclude the second data from the calculation of the reference electricity cost or the average electricity cost.

[0069] 3(b) shows a graph of the second cumulative mileage versus the second cumulative discharge current. As shown in FIG. 3(b), if the cumulative mileage is not 0 km when the cumulative discharge current is 0 Ah, the electricity consumption determining unit 320 determines that the second battery pack corresponding to the second data has been replaced, and can exclude the second data from the calculation of the reference electricity consumption or the average electricity consumption.

[0070] The electricity consumption determining unit 320 selects, from the plurality of second data, second data in which the second battery pack has not been replaced, and calculates the reference electricity consumption based on the selected second data, thereby more accurately determining whether the first battery pack of the first vehicle that is the subject of the lifespan information calculation has been replaced.

[0071] Electricity consumption rate determination unit 320 can calculate a plurality of second electricity consumption rates from second data related to a second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced. Electricity consumption rate determination unit 320 can calculate a reference electricity consumption rate or an average electricity consumption rate based on the plurality of second electricity consumption rates.

[0072] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a method for determining whether to replace the battery pack and a method for calculating the replacement mileage. Referring to FIG. 4(a), a plurality of second electricity consumption rates (E1, E2, E3, and E4), a reference electricity consumption rate R, and an average electricity consumption rate M are shown.

[0073] The second electricity consumption values ​​E1, E2, E3, and E4 shown in FIG. 4(a) are merely exemplary, and the electricity consumption determination unit 320 can calculate the reference electricity consumption graph R and the average electricity consumption value M based on a second electricity consumption value that is greater than the second electricity consumption value shown in FIG. 4.

[0074] Electricity consumption rate determination unit 320 calculates second electricity consumption rates E1, E2, E3, and E4 for multiple second vehicles by calculating the second cumulative mileage for each second cumulative discharge current. Second electricity consumption rates E1, E2, E3, and E4 can each correspond to any second vehicle.

[0075] As described with reference to Figure 3, electricity consumption determination unit 320 can calculate the second electricity consumption from the second data of the second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced. Therefore, the second electricity consumptions E1, E2, E3, and E4 used to calculate the reference electricity consumption can pass through the origin of the plane of the cumulative discharge current (Ah) versus the mileage (km).

[0076] According to the embodiment, the electricity consumption rate determination unit 320 can determine the third quartile electricity consumption rate of the plurality of second electricity consumption rates as the reference electricity consumption rate. The third quartile may be a value between the median and the maximum value. More specifically, the third quartile may be a value at which 75% of all samples have values ​​equal to or less than the third quartile.

[0077] When the third quartile electricity consumption of the second electricity consumption is set as the reference electricity consumption, the reference electricity consumption may be an electricity consumption that corresponds to 75% of the entire second electricity consumption for the second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the third quartile may be a value that divides the median and the maximum value in half. Therefore, the reference electricity consumption R may be a value that divides the median electricity consumption (not shown), which is an electricity consumption that corresponds to 50% of the entire second electricity consumptions E1, E2, E3, and E4, and the maximum electricity consumption (e.g., E1), which is the maximum value of the entire second electricity consumptions.

[0079] Electricity consumption rate determination unit 320 can calculate the average electricity consumption rate from the second data of the second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced. According to the embodiment, the average electricity consumption M may be calculated by calculating the average rate of change of all of the second electricity consumptions E1, E2, E3, and E4.

[0080] The reference electricity consumption rate R and the average electricity consumption rate M shown in FIG. 4(a) are shown as examples for the convenience of explanation. FIG. 4(b) is a diagram for explaining how the determining unit 340 determines whether to replace the battery pack.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 4, reference electricity consumption R, average electricity consumption M, and first data S1 of a first vehicle are shown. According to the embodiment, the first data S1 regarding the first vehicle that is the target of the life information determination may include a first accumulated discharge current and a first accumulated mileage.

[0082] If the first accumulated traveling distance for the first accumulated discharging current included in the first data S1 exceeds the reference electricity cost R, the determination unit 340 can determine that the first battery pack of the first vehicle has been replaced.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 4(b), the first data S1 may be located above the reference electricity cost R. In other words, the first accumulated mileage for the first accumulated discharge current included in the first data S1 may be located in an area exceeding the reference electricity cost R. Therefore, the determination unit 340 may determine that the first battery pack of the first vehicle has been replaced.

[0084] The calculation unit 360 can calculate the first replacement mileage based on the average electricity consumption, the first accumulated discharge current and the first accumulated mileage included in the first data S1. If it is determined that the first battery pack has not been replaced, the calculation unit 360 does not need to calculate the first replacement mileage separately.

[0085] If the first battery pack has not been replaced, the diagnosis unit 380 can calculate lifespan information regarding the first battery pack based on the first accumulated mileage. When it is determined that the first battery pack has been replaced, the calculation unit 360 can calculate a first replacement mileage based on the average power consumption, the first accumulated discharge current, and the first accumulated mileage.

[0086] For example, in (b) of FIG. 4, the determination unit 340 can determine that the first battery pack corresponding to the first data S1 has been replaced, and the calculation unit 360 can calculate the replacement mileage of the first vehicle.

[0087] According to the embodiment, the calculation unit 360 can calculate the first replacement mileage by subtracting the mileage when the cumulative discharge current is 0 Ah (mileage before replacement) from the first cumulative mileage. The calculation unit 360 can calculate the mileage before replacement based on the average electricity consumption, the first accumulated discharge current, and the first accumulated mileage.

[0088] The initial data S0 shown in (b) of Figure 4 is calculated by the calculation unit 360 based on the first data S1 and the average electricity consumption M, and may be data indicating the state of the first vehicle before the first battery pack is replaced.

[0089] When the first battery pack is replaced, the cumulative discharge current of the first battery pack may be 0 Ah. In other words, the mileage included in the initial data S0 may be the mileage before the first battery pack is replaced.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 4(b), the gradient between the first data S1 and the initial data S0 can correspond to the average electricity cost M. The calculation unit 360 can calculate the first replacement mileage by subtracting the mileage before replacement included in the initial data S0 from the first cumulative mileage included in the first data S1.

[0091] When the first replacement mileage is calculated, the diagnosis unit 380 may calculate lifespan information about the first battery pack based on the first replacement mileage. According to an embodiment, the lifespan information about the first battery pack may include, for example, the SOH of the first battery pack.

[0092] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining lifespan information calculated by a diagnosis unit according to an embodiment disclosed in this document. Referring to FIG. 5, there are shown the results of calculating the SOH value based on the first replacement mileage and the first data when it is determined whether the first battery pack has been replaced and the first battery pack has been replaced, and the results of calculating the SOH value based on the first cumulative mileage and the first data without determining whether the first battery pack has been replaced.

[0093] The SOH value calculated to reflect the replacement of the first battery pack may be higher than the SOH value calculated without reflecting the replacement. When the first battery pack is replaced, the SOH value, which indicates the remaining life or current performance of the first battery pack, may be higher than when the first battery pack is not replaced. In other words, if the presence or absence of replacement of the first battery pack is determined and the SOH is calculated based on the first replacement mileage, which is the mileage after replacing the first battery pack, a result close to the actual SOH value can be obtained.

[0094] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an operation method of a battery life information providing device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document. The battery life information providing device can receive a plurality of second data related to a second vehicle of the same model as the first vehicle (S100). The first vehicle may be a vehicle that is the target of the lifespan information calculation.

[0095] The battery life information providing device can calculate a reference electricity consumption rate based on the plurality of second data (S200). The plurality of second data may include a plurality of second cumulative discharge currents for the second battery packs included in the second vehicles respectively, and a plurality of second cumulative mileages for the second vehicles.

[0096] The battery life information providing device can determine whether the second battery pack has been replaced, and calculate the reference electricity consumption based on a plurality of second data relating to a second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced.

[0097] More specifically, the battery life information providing device can determine whether the second battery pack has been replaced based on a second cumulative discharge current graph over the number of days of operation or a cumulative mileage graph against the cumulative discharge current, and if the second battery pack has been replaced, the second data can not be used to calculate the reference electricity consumption.

[0098] The battery life information providing device can determine whether or not the first battery pack included in the first vehicle needs to be replaced based on the reference electricity consumption rate and the first data related to the first vehicle (S300).

[0099] The first data may include a first cumulative discharge current that is a cumulative discharge current of a first battery included in a first vehicle that is the target of the life information calculation, or a first cumulative mileage that is a cumulative mileage of the first vehicle.

[0100] The battery life information providing device can determine that the first battery pack has been replaced if the first accumulated mileage for the first accumulated discharge current exceeds the reference electricity consumption. More specifically, if the first cumulative mileage for the first cumulative discharge current exceeds the reference power consumption in the mileage versus discharge current plane, it can be determined that the first battery pack has been replaced.

[0101] The battery life information providing device can calculate the first replacement mileage of the first vehicle based on the first data (S400). The first replacement mileage may be the mileage of the first vehicle after the first battery pack is replaced.

[0102] The battery life information providing device can generate life information about the first battery pack based on the first replacement mileage and the first data (S500). According to an embodiment, the first data may include a cumulative discharge voltage for the first battery pack that is the target of the life information calculation.

[0103] The lifespan information providing device can calculate lifespan information of the first battery pack based on the first accumulated discharge current and the first accumulated discharge voltage for the first replacement mileage. When the lifespan information providing device calculates lifespan information including the SOH by reflecting the first replacement mileage, the accuracy of the SOH calculation can be improved.

[0104] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an operation method of a battery life information providing device according to another embodiment disclosed in this document. The step of calculating the reference electricity consumption (S200) will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

[0105] The battery life information providing device can calculate a second electricity consumption rate based on the second accumulated distances for the second accumulated discharge currents (S210). The battery life information providing device can calculate a second cumulative mileage for the second cumulative discharge current as a second electricity consumption. The battery life information providing device can calculate a plurality of second electricity consumptions each corresponding to a second vehicle whose second battery pack has not been replaced.

[0106] The battery life information providing device may determine the third quartile of the second power consumption values ​​as the reference power consumption value (S220). The third quartile power consumption value may be an electricity consumption value that corresponds to 75% of all second power consumption values ​​for second vehicles that have not had their second battery packs replaced.

[0107] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an operation method of a battery life information providing device according to another embodiment disclosed in this document. Referring to FIG. 8, the step of calculating the first replacement mileage (S400) will be described in more detail.

[0108] The first data may include a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage of a first vehicle including the first battery pack. The battery life information providing device can calculate an average second electricity consumption based on the second electricity consumption calculated from the plurality of second data (S410).

[0109] The battery life information providing device can calculate the cumulative mileage when the cumulative discharge current is 0 on a line whose gradient of the first cumulative mileage against the first cumulative discharge current is the average power consumption as the mileage before replacement (S420).

[0110] More specifically, the battery life information providing device can display a straight line whose gradient is the same as the average power consumption on a plane of mileage versus discharge current. The straight line may pass through a first cumulative mileage for a first cumulative discharge current, and the cumulative mileage when the cumulative discharge current is zero for the straight line may be set as the mileage before the first battery pack is replaced.

[0111] The battery life information providing device can calculate the first replacement mileage by subtracting the mileage before replacement from the first cumulative mileage (S430). By subtracting the mileage before replacement from the first cumulative mileage, the battery life information providing device can calculate the actual distance traveled by the first vehicle after the replacement of the first battery pack.

[0112] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a computing system for performing the method of operating a battery life information providing device according to an embodiment disclosed herein.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 9, a computing system 1000 according to one embodiment disclosed herein may include an MCU 1010, a memory 1020, an input / output I / F 1030, and a communication I / F 1040.

[0114] The MCU 1010 can execute various programs stored in the memory 1020 (e.g., a relay control program included in the battery pack, a program for collecting the voltage, current, temperature, internal resistance, impedance, number of charge / discharge cycles, charge / discharge current, and charge / discharge voltage of the battery module, etc.) or process data collected through such programs. According to an embodiment, the MCU 1010 may be a processor that performs the function of the battery management system shown in FIG. 1 or a processor that performs the function of a higher-level control unit, or may be a processor that performs the function of the battery life information providing device 20 shown in FIG. 2.

[0115] The memory 1020 stores driving data and / or status data, and can store various programs related to the data processing. A plurality of such memories 1020 may be provided as necessary. The memory 1020 may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory. The memory 1020 as a volatile memory may be a RAM, a DRAM, an SRAM, etc. The memory 1020 as a non-volatile memory may be a ROM, a PROM, an EAROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a flash memory, etc. The examples of the memory 1020 listed above are merely illustrative and are not limited to these examples.

[0116] The input / output I / F 1030 can provide an interface that connects input devices (not shown) such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, and output devices such as a display (not shown), to the MCU 1010, enabling data to be sent and received.

[0117] The communication I / F 1040 is configured to be able to send and receive various types of data and may be any type of device that supports wired or wireless communication. For example, the battery life information providing device can send and receive driving data and / or status data directly from the vehicle via the communication I / F 1040. The battery life information providing device can also send and receive driving data and / or status data from a separately provided external server via the communication I / F 1040.

[0118] In this way, a computer program according to one embodiment disclosed in this document may be recorded in memory 1020 and processed by MCU 1010 to be realized, for example, as a module that performs each function shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0119] The above description is merely an illustrative example of the technical ideas disclosed in this document, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of those skilled in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document pertain without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments disclosed in this document.

[0120] Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this document are intended to illustrate, not limit, the technical ideas disclosed in this document, and such embodiments do not limit the scope of the technical ideas disclosed in this document. The scope of protection of the technical ideas disclosed in this document should be interpreted according to the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of this document.

Claims

1. a determination unit that determines whether a first battery pack included in the first vehicle needs to be replaced based on a reference electricity consumption rate and first data related to the first vehicle; a calculation unit that calculates a first replacement mileage of the first vehicle based on the first data; a diagnosis unit that calculates lifespan information regarding the first battery pack based on the first replacement mileage and the first data; A battery life information providing device including:

2. receiving a plurality of second data relating to a second vehicle of the same model as the first vehicle; 2. The battery life information providing device according to claim 1, further comprising an electricity consumption determining unit that calculates the reference electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data.

3. The battery life information providing device according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of second data include a plurality of second cumulative discharge currents for second battery packs included in the second vehicles, and a plurality of second cumulative mileages for the second vehicles.

4. 4. The battery life information providing device according to claim 3, wherein the electricity consumption determining unit determines whether the second battery pack has been replaced and calculates the reference electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data relating to the second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced.

5. the electricity consumption determining unit calculates a second electricity consumption based on the second cumulative mileages for the second cumulative discharge currents; 4. The battery life information providing device according to claim 3, wherein a third quartile of said second power consumption is determined as said reference power consumption.

6. The electricity consumption determining unit calculates an average electricity consumption of the second electricity consumption, the first data includes a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle; the calculation unit calculates, as a mileage before replacement, a mileage when a mileage of the first cumulative mileage with respect to the first cumulative mileage is 0 on a straight line whose gradient of the mileage with respect to the first cumulative mileage with respect to the first cumulative mileage is the average electricity consumption; 6. The battery life information providing device according to claim 5, wherein the first replacement mileage is calculated as a value obtained by subtracting the mileage before the replacement from the first cumulative mileage.

7. the first data further includes a first cumulative discharge voltage for the first battery pack; 7. The battery life information providing device according to claim 6, wherein the diagnosing unit calculates the life information based on the first cumulative discharge current and the first cumulative discharge voltage with respect to the first replacement mileage.

8. the first data includes a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle; 6. The battery life information providing device according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines that the first battery pack has been replaced when the first cumulative mileage for the first cumulative discharge current exceeds the reference electricity consumption.

9. determining whether a first battery pack included in the first vehicle needs to be replaced based on a reference electricity consumption rate and first data related to the first vehicle; calculating a first replacement mileage of the first vehicle based on the first data; calculating lifespan information regarding the first battery pack based on the first replacement mileage and the first data; A method for operating a battery life information providing device, comprising:

10. receiving a plurality of second data related to a second vehicle of the same model as the first vehicle; 10. The method for operating a battery life information providing device according to claim 9, further comprising the step of: calculating the reference electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data.

11. The method for operating a battery life information providing device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of second data include a plurality of second cumulative discharge currents for second battery packs included in the second vehicles, and a plurality of second cumulative mileage distances for the second vehicles.

12. The step of calculating the reference electricity consumption determining whether the second battery pack has been replaced; 12. The method for operating a battery life information providing device according to claim 11, further comprising: calculating the reference electricity consumption based on the plurality of second data relating to the second vehicle in which the second battery pack has not been replaced.

13. The step of calculating the reference electricity consumption calculating a second electric consumption rate based on the second accumulated distances for the second accumulated discharge currents; 12. The method for operating a battery life information providing device according to claim 11, further comprising the step of: determining a third quartile of the second power consumption as the reference power consumption.

14. the first data includes a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle; The step of calculating the first replacement mileage includes: A step of calculating an average electricity consumption of the second electricity consumption; a step of calculating a cumulative mileage when the cumulative discharge current is 0 on a straight line whose gradient of the first cumulative mileage with respect to the first cumulative discharge current is the average power consumption, as the mileage before replacement; 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: calculating a value obtained by subtracting the mileage before the replacement from the first cumulative mileage as the first replacement mileage.

15. the first data further includes a first cumulative discharge voltage for the first battery pack; The step of calculating lifespan information regarding the first battery pack includes:

15. The method for operating a battery life information providing device according to claim 14, further comprising the step of calculating the life information based on the first accumulated discharge current and the first accumulated discharge voltage for the first replacement mileage.

16. the first data includes a first cumulative discharge current for the first battery pack and a first cumulative mileage for the first vehicle; The step of determining whether the first battery pack has been replaced includes:

14. The method for operating a battery life information providing device according to claim 9, further comprising the step of determining that the first battery pack has been replaced if the first cumulative mileage for the first cumulative discharge current exceeds the reference power consumption.

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