Drone battery monitoring systems and modules

Abstract

To provide a battery monitoring system for monitoring a battery mounted on a drone.SOLUTION: A battery monitoring system 100A of a drone has: an imaging camera 210 mounted on a drone; a battery 230 mounted on the drone; a temperature sensor 220 for detecting the temperature of the battery 230; a controller 240 for combining battery information according to the temperature of the battery 230 detected by the temperature sensor 220 on an image signal imaged by the imaging camera 210; and a communication part 250 for transmitting the image signal combined by the controller 240 to outside by radio.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to unmanned aerial vehicles or drones (hereinafter referred to as drones) that can be remotely or automatically controlled, and in particular to monitoring of batteries installed in drones. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, drones have been used for inspecting structures (such as steel towers and power lines), delivering goods, spraying pesticides and fertilizers, and reconnaissance. Drones generally include components such as a battery, motor, propellers, receiver, and flight controller. The battery serves as the drone's power source and supplies electricity to each part, while the flight controller drives the propellers via the motor based on instructions (radio waves) from the transmitter received by the receiver, controlling the attitude and speed of the aircraft. It is desirable for the batteries installed in drones to be small and lightweight, as an increase in weight reduces the drone's flying range.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a drone that can automatically replace batteries, and Patent Document 2 discloses a drone that can continue to supply power from a battery even if an impact is applied. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-97373 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7109837 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] A typical drone system is shown in Figure 1. The drone system 10 includes an electric drone 20 and a user terminal 30 that can remotely control the drone 20. A user gives instructions to the drone 20 by wireless signals via the user terminal 30, for example, to fly the drone 20 to a destination.

[0006] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to an imaging function mounted on the drone 20. The drone 20 is equipped with a camera 40, a flight controller 50, an image transmitter (VTX) 60, an antenna 70, and a battery 80. The camera 40 captures an image of a target during flight of the drone 20, and outputs the captured image signal to an input terminal CAM of the flight controller 50. The flight controller 50 includes an OSD function 52 therein, which synthesizes flight information of the drone 20 (e.g., altitude, latitude, longitude, flight time, remaining battery power) into an image signal, and outputs the synthesized image signal from the VTX terminal to the transmitter 60. The transmitter 60 transmits the received image signal from the antenna 70 to the user terminal 30.

[0007] As shown in FIG. 3(A), the user terminal 30 displays on a display 32 a real-time image 34 captured by a camera 40 and combined flight information 36.

[0008] The battery 80 installed in the drone 20 is small and lightweight, but is required to output high power PWR in a short period of time, so generally a lithium-based battery (e.g., lithium polymer or lithium ion) is used.

[0009] A battery 80 with such characteristics may develop abnormalities such as fire, rupture, or explosion due to the operating environment (for example, when a large amount of electricity is suddenly output) or deterioration over time. For this reason, as shown in Fig. 3(B), it has been considered to prevent the battery from catching fire, etc. by housing the battery 80 in a case 82 made of a non-flammable or flame-retardant material. The figure shows a cross-sectional structure in which three sheet-like battery cells are stacked and arranged inside the case 82.

[0010] However, although the case 82 has a certain degree of fire suppression effect, it is difficult to completely suppress the battery from catching fire, and if the weight of the entire battery increases due to the use of the case 82, the drone's flight range will decrease. Therefore, it is desirable to suppress the fire or explosion of the battery 80 using a method other than the case 82.

[0011] The present invention is intended to solve these conventional problems, and aims to provide a battery monitoring system and module for monitoring batteries installed in drones. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The drone battery monitoring system of the present invention comprises an imaging means mounted on the drone, a battery mounted on the drone, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the battery, a synthesis means that synthesizes an image signal captured by the imaging means with battery information corresponding to the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and a transmission means that wirelessly transmits the image signal synthesized by the synthesis means to the outside.

[0013] In one embodiment, the battery information is the temperature of the battery. In one embodiment, the combining means generates battery information indicating a battery abnormality when the temperature of the battery detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold value. In one embodiment, the combining means includes a first input terminal for inputting an image signal from the imaging means, a second input terminal for inputting a detection signal from the temperature sensor, an electronic device for generating battery information based on the detection signal input from the second input terminal, an OSD for combining the image signal input from the first input terminal with the battery information generated by the electronic device, and an output terminal for outputting the image signal combined by the OSD to the transmitting means. In one embodiment, the combining means includes the first and second input terminals, the output terminal, the electronic device, and a circuit board on which the OSD is mounted. In one embodiment, the electronic device includes a memory for storing text information or graphic information for generating battery information based on the detection signal. In one embodiment, the combining means further includes a third input terminal for inputting a signal for instructing whether or not to combine the battery information. In one embodiment, the temperature sensor is built into the battery. In one embodiment, the battery includes a plurality of stacked thin-plate cells, and at least one temperature sensor is disposed between adjacent cells. In one embodiment, the battery monitoring system further includes a receiving means for receiving the image signal transmitted from the transmitting means, and a display means for displaying the image signal received by the receiving means. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, the temperature of the battery installed in the drone is detected, battery information corresponding to the detected battery temperature is synthesized into an image signal, and the synthesized image signal is transmitted wirelessly. Therefore, the battery information displayed in the captured image can be monitored in real time, and abnormalities such as battery fire or explosion can be prevented in advance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a typical drone system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration relating to an imaging function of a conventional drone. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a battery mounted on a conventional drone. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drone system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a drone battery monitoring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is an operational flow of the battery monitoring system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 4 is a display example of a battery temperature according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 6 is a diagram showing another example of generating battery information and an example of displaying the same according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a diagram showing a specific configuration example of a battery monitoring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a battery incorporating a temperature sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a battery monitoring system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a battery incorporating a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 11 is a display example of battery information including battery temperature and pressure in the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The battery monitoring system of the present invention is mounted on an electric drone. The form of the drone (the number of propellers, shape, size, weight, etc.) is not particularly limited, and it may be either a large drone or a small micro drone. The drone of the present invention is equipped with a battery as a power source, and has a function of wirelessly transmitting images captured by a camera in real time. The captured images may be either color images or black and white images, and the resolution and size of the camera are not particularly limited. The drone of the present invention has a function of synthesizing battery information indicating the temperature of the battery, etc., with an image signal captured by the camera.

[0017] It should be noted that the drawings referred to in the following description are exaggerated to facilitate understanding of the invention, and do not represent the actual size and shape of products, parts, etc. EXAMPLES

[0018] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drone system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The drone system 100 of this embodiment includes an electric drone 200 and a user terminal 300 capable of remotely controlling the drone 200. The user terminal 300 may directly transmit and receive wireless signals to and from the drone 200, or may transmit and receive wireless signals via a network NW.

[0019] The drone 200 includes a main body 202, a plurality of support members 204 connected to the main body 202, and a plurality of propellers 206 connected to the ends of the support members 204. The propellers 206 are driven by a motor (not shown), which is driven by power from a battery. The main body 202 houses a camera, a circuit board on which electronic components and the like are mounted, a battery, and the like.

[0020] 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a battery monitoring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The battery monitoring system 100A of this embodiment is one of the functions included in the drone system 100, and includes a drone 200 and a user terminal 300. The drone 200 includes an imaging camera 210, a temperature sensor 220 that detects the temperature of a battery 230, a controller 240, and a communication unit 250.

[0021] The imaging camera 210 can capture images of surrounding targets while the drone 200 is flying, and provides the captured image signals to the controller 240. The image signals are, for example, moving images composed of 30 frames / second or 60 frames / second, and may be either color images or black and white images. The image signals output from the imaging camera 210 may be either analog image signals or digital image signals. In the case of analog image signals, the controller 240 converts the analog image signals into digital image signals and performs processes such as synthesis of battery information on the digital image signals.

[0022] The battery 230 is a power source of the drone 200, and is housed within the main body 202. The battery 230 is not particularly limited, but is composed of, for example, a lithium-based secondary battery (lithium polymer or lithium ion). The size, shape, number, and the like of the battery 230 are optional. For example, in one embodiment, the battery 230 is composed of a plurality of laminated thin plate-like or sheet-like cells, and a desired output voltage is obtained by electrically connecting the plurality of cells in series.

[0023] The temperature sensor 220 is not particularly limited in configuration as long as it can detect the temperature of the battery 230, and may be configured, for example, by a thermocouple. In one embodiment, for example, the temperature sensor 220 is attached integrally to the battery 230 or built into the battery 230. When the battery 230 is configured by stacking a plurality of cells, the temperature sensor 220 is disposed at the boundary of at least one of the plurality of cells and detects the temperature there. A detection signal from the temperature sensor 220 is provided to the controller 240. The controller 240 converts the detection signal into a digital signal and performs necessary processing such as generating battery information.

[0024] The controller 240 controls the overall operation of the battery monitoring system 100A and is configured using hardware and / or software. The controller 240 has a function of generating battery information according to the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor 220 and synthesizing the generated battery information with the image signal captured by the imaging camera 210.

[0025] The controller 240 is configured using, for example, a microcontroller or microprocessor, a memory, an A / D converter, a signal processing circuit, and the like. The A / D converter converts the detection signal from the temperature sensor 220 into a digital signal and provides the converted digital signal to the microcontroller. Also, when the image signal from the imaging camera 210 is an analog signal, it converts it into a digital signal. The memory stores data and programs necessary for the battery monitoring system. For example, the memory stores character information and graphic information for generating the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and position information for synthesizing such information into an image signal. When the controller 240 receives a detection signal from the temperature sensor 220, it reads out character information or graphic information corresponding to the detected battery temperature from the memory and generates battery information to be synthesized into the image signal. Furthermore, the controller 240 synthesizes the generated battery information into the image signal from the imaging camera 210 and outputs the synthesized image signal to the communication unit 250.

[0026] The communication unit 250 receives the image signal output from the controller 240 and transmits it to the user terminal 300 by wireless communication. The communication unit 250 may compress or modulate the image signal before transmitting it, and may transmit it as either an analog signal or a digital signal. When transmitting it as an analog signal, the communication unit 250 converts the digital image signal with the battery information combined into an analog image signal. The communication unit 250 may transmit the image signal directly to the user terminal 300, or may transmit the image signal to the user terminal 300 via a relay station or a network line network.

[0027] The user terminal 300 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a multi-function communication terminal such as a smartphone, a mobile communication terminal, or a notebook or laptop computer with communication functions.

[0028] The user terminal 300 includes, for example, an input unit 310, an output unit 320, a communication unit 330, a storage unit 340, and a control unit 350. The input unit 310 receives instructions from a user and provides the instructions to the control unit 350. The output unit 320 can include a display unit such as a display and an audio output unit such as a speaker. The communication unit 330 transmits and receives signals to and from the communication unit 250 of the drone 200. The storage unit 340 stores programs and data required for controlling the drone 200. The control unit 350 remotely controls the drone 200 via the communication unit 330 based on instructions input from the input unit 310 and programs stored in the storage unit 340, and displays image signals received from the communication unit 330 on the output unit (display unit) 320.

[0029] Next, the operation of the battery monitoring system 100A of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow of Fig. 6. The temperature sensor 220 detects the temperature of the battery 230 of the drone 200 during flight (S100) and provides it to the controller 240. The controller 240 A / D converts the detection signal from the temperature sensor 220 (S110), generates battery information representing the temperature of the battery 230 based on the detection signal (S120), then combines the battery information with the image signal captured by the imaging camera 210 (S130), and provides the combined image signal to the communication unit 250. The communication unit 250 wirelessly transmits the combined image signal to the user terminal 300 (S140).

[0030] The user terminal 300 receives the synthesized image signal via the communication unit 330, performs necessary processing on the received image signal, and displays the captured image including the battery information on a display unit such as a display (S150). Fig. 7 shows an example of a display of a captured image on the user terminal 300. An image 322 captured by the imaging camera 210 is displayed in real time on the display 320A, and battery information 324 indicating the temperature of the battery is also displayed on the image 322. Flight information 326 of the drone 200 is also displayed on the image 322 in the same manner as in the past.

[0031] The user can check the battery information 324 displayed on the display 320A in real time, and if the user determines that there is an abnormality in the battery temperature, the user issues an instruction to stop the flight of the drone 200 from the input unit 310, and this instruction is sent to the communication unit 250 of the drone 200 via the communication unit 330, and the flight controller of the drone 200 performs control to stop the flight (S160).

[0032] Lithium batteries have the advantage of being able to output high power in a short time, but they may cause abnormalities such as fire or explosion depending on the operating environment, aging, etc. It is known that a rise in battery temperature or expansion of the battery volume (capacity) is a precursor to an abnormality such as fire or explosion. According to this embodiment, the battery temperature is confirmed in real time from a captured image, and when the battery temperature exceeds a certain temperature, it is predicted that an abnormality will occur in the battery, and the drone flight is stopped, thereby preventing the battery from catching fire or exploding in advance.

[0033] Next, another operation example of the battery monitoring system of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow of FIG. 8. In the examples shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the battery information to be combined with the image signal represents the temperature of the battery. In this example, as shown in FIG. 8, the controller 240 judges whether the temperature of the battery detected by the temperature sensor 220 is equal to or higher than a threshold (S200), and if it is equal to or higher than the threshold, generates a battery abnormality or warning as battery information (S210). The battery abnormality or warning may, for example, display the battery temperature in a color different from the normal color to call attention (for example, displaying the normal temperature in green in red), generate a character or graphic like a warning indicating a battery abnormality, or blink the display of the battery temperature. FIG. 8(B) shows a display example of the battery information 324A representing a battery abnormality. By displaying such a warning, the user can easily notice the battery abnormality. On the other hand, if the detected temperature is lower than the threshold (S200), battery information representing the battery temperature is generated (S220) in the same manner as in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

[0034] Next, a more preferable configuration example of the battery monitoring system of this embodiment is shown in Fig. 9. Regarding the battery monitoring system 400, the drone 200 is configured to include an image capturing camera 410, a temperature sensor 420, a temperature measurement module (substrate) 430, a flight controller 440, a transmitter 450, and an antenna 460. In other words, the drone 400 of this embodiment is provided with a temperature measurement module 430 between the image capturing camera 40 and the flight controller 50 in the conventional drone 20 shown in Fig. 2.

[0035] The temperature measurement module 430 is, for example, a circuit board on which a plurality of electronic devices are mounted, and includes an input terminal IN1 for receiving an image signal from the imaging camera 410, an input terminal IN2 for receiving a detection signal from the temperature sensor 420, and an output terminal OUT for outputting an image signal to the flight controller 440. Furthermore, an OSD (On Screen Display) 432, a sensor I / F 434, a ROM / RAM 436, a CPU 438, etc. are mounted on the circuit board.

[0036] The OSD 432 receives an image signal from the imaging camera 410 input from the input terminal IN1, synthesizes the image signal with battery information BT generated by the CPU 438, and provides the synthesized image signal to the output terminal OUT. The OSD 432 includes, but is not limited to, a frame memory for storing frames constituting an image signal, and a write circuit for receiving the battery information BT and address information generated by the CPU 438, and the write circuit sequentially writes the battery information BT to each frame according to the address information. In this way, the OSD 432 sequentially supplies the frames in which the battery information is written to the output terminal OUT. The sensor I / F 434 receives a detection signal from the temperature sensor 420 input from the input terminal IN2, A / D converts the detection signal, and provides the digitally converted detection signal to the CPU 438. The ROM / RAM stores a program related to battery monitoring, text and graphic data for generating the battery information BT, calibration data for calibrating the detection signal from the temperature sensor, synthesis position information for synthesizing the battery information BT with an image signal (address information to the OSD 432), and the like.

[0037] The CPU 438 controls the battery monitoring operation by executing a program stored in the ROM / RAM 436. When the CPU 438 receives a detection signal from the sensor I / F 434, it calibrates the detection signal based on the calibration data to calculate the battery temperature, and generates battery information BT representing the battery temperature. Furthermore, the CPU 438 provides the generated battery information BT and synthesis position information to the OSD 432. The synthesis position information specifies, for example, a horizontal position and a vertical position in a frame for synthesizing the battery information with the BT. The synthesis position information is set in advance to a position that does not interfere with the captured image when the battery information is displayed. The OSD 432 synthesizes the battery information BT with the image signal according to the synthesis position information (address information) from the CPU 438, and outputs the synthesized image signal to the output terminal OUT.

[0038] The image signal output from the output terminal OUT of the temperature measurement module 430 is provided to the input terminal CAM of the flight controller 440, and the image signal is further synthesized with flight information by the built-in OSD 432, and the synthesized image signal is provided to the transmitter 450 from the output terminal VTX and transmitted to the user terminal via the antenna 460.

[0039] The temperature measurement module 430 may further optionally include an input terminal IN3 for receiving digital input 1, an input terminal IN4 for receiving digital input 2, an input terminal IN5 for receiving a power supply voltage from a power supply 470, and a voltage conversion module 480.

[0040] The digital input 1 and the digital input 2 received from the input terminals IN3 and IN4 are provided to the CPU 438. The signals input from the digital input 1 and the digital input 2 are arbitrary, but for example, the digital input 1 can be a detection signal of a pressure sensor in the second embodiment described later. In this case, the CPU 438 generates battery information BT according to the detection signal of the pressure sensor, and provides the generated battery information BT to the OSD 432. As a result, the battery information BT related to the pressure of the battery is combined with the image signal. The digital input 2 may also be an instruction to turn on / off the combination of the battery information BT with the image signal. For example, when a 2-bit combination instruction signal is input from the digital input 2, if the combination instruction signal is "11", the battery information BT including both the detected temperature of the temperature sensor and the detected pressure of the pressure sensor is combined with the image signal, if it is "10", the battery information BT including only the detected temperature of the temperature sensor is combined with the image signal, if it is "01", the battery information BT including only the detected pressure of the pressure sensor is combined with the image signal, and if it is "00", the combination of the battery information BT with the image signal is stopped.

[0041] Furthermore, the temperature measurement board 430 may include an input interface (I / F) 482 connected to the input terminal IN3 and an input interface (I / F) 484 connected to the input terminal IN4, as necessary. The input I / Fs 482 and 484 generate a pulse waveform from the input digital signal, perform voltage conversion of the digital signal, and provide an appropriate signal to the CPU 438, for example.

[0042] Note that digital input 1 and digital input 2 may be replaced with analog input 1 and analog input 2. In this case, an A / D converter for converting analog signals input from analog input 1 and analog input 2 into digital signals may be mounted on the circuit board. This A / D converter may be shared by the A / D converter of the sensor I / F 434.

[0043] The power supply voltage received from the input terminal IN5 is converted to an operating voltage of the temperature measurement module 430 by the voltage conversion module 480. For example, if the operating voltage (supply voltage) of the temperature measurement module 430 is the same as the operating voltage of the flight controller 440, the voltage conversion module 480 is not necessarily required, but if the operating voltage of the temperature measurement module 430 is different from the operating voltage of the flight controller 440, the operating voltage of the temperature measurement module 430 is generated by the voltage conversion module 480. By providing the voltage conversion module 480, the temperature measurement module 430 can be mounted on the drone 400 without considering the operating voltage of the flight controller 440, and the temperature measurement module 430 can be made versatile.

[0044] Next, the battery with a built-in temperature sensor of this embodiment will be described. Figure 10(A) is a perspective view from the front side of one battery with one temperature sensor attached, and Figure 10(B) is a side view showing the relationship between the three stacked cells and the temperature sensor.

[0045] The shape and size of one battery cell 500 are arbitrary, but for example, one battery cell 500 has a rectangular appearance of several centimeters square, and its thickness is about 6 to 7 mm. A pair of positive terminal 510 and negative terminal 520 is provided on the side of one battery cell 500. The output voltage of one battery cell 500 is, for example, about 3.7 V. When three battery cells 500 are stacked, the voltage terminals of the three battery cells are connected in series, and the output voltage is about 11.1 V. Of course, the number of battery cells is not limited to three, and may be four or more, or two or less. The stacked battery cells may be surrounded by an extremely light film such as an insulating film or a heat-resistant film so that the inside is in a vacuum state, or the battery cells may be fixed using an adhesive, double-sided tape, or the like.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 10(A), a thin sheet-like temperature sensor 540 is attached to a flat main surface 530 of a battery cell 500. The size of the temperature sensor 540 is smaller than the main surface 530, and the thickness is about 0.5 mm. The temperature sensor 540 is composed of, for example, a thermocouple, and an output line 550 for outputting a detected temperature is provided at its end. The temperature sensor 540 may be attached to the main surface 530 using, for example, double-sided tape or adhesive, or may be sandwiched at a certain pressure between the main surfaces 530 of adjacent battery cells.

[0047] 10(B), when three battery cells 500 are stacked, at least one temperature sensor 540 is attached to at least one boundary between adjacent battery cells. In the example shown in the figure, two temperature sensors 540 are attached to two boundaries between adjacent battery cells. When multiple temperature sensors 540 are attached, the CPU 438 determines the highest temperature among the temperatures detected by the multiple temperature sensors 540 as the temperature of the entire battery, and generates battery information BT indicating the determined temperature of the battery.

[0048] The battery 500 is not necessarily limited to being composed of a plurality of cells, and may be composed of one cell with one temperature sensor 540 attached to the surface of the cell, as shown in FIG. 10(C). The battery 500 including one cell or a plurality of cells may be entirely sealed with a flexible film 550, as shown in FIG. 10(D). The material of the flexible film 550 is not particularly limited, and may be composed of an insulating and heat-resistant material, for example. However, the battery 500 incorporating the temperature sensor of this embodiment does not require a non-flammable or flame-retardant case for suppressing battery ignition, and therefore can be made lighter and smaller than the conventional battery shown in FIG. 3(B). Furthermore, the shape of the battery 500 is not necessarily limited to a thin plate shape, and may be other shapes (for example, a cylindrical shape or a pyramidal shape). Furthermore, the surface of the battery does not necessarily have to be flat, and may be formed with a recess for mounting the temperature sensor 540, for example.

[0049] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of the drone side of the battery monitoring system 100B according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the drone 200A further includes a pressure sensor 260 in addition to the configuration of the drone 200 in Fig. 5 according to the first embodiment. The configuration other than the pressure sensor 260 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0050] Fig. 12(A) is a perspective view from the front side of one battery cell with one pressure sensor attached, and Fig. 12(B) is a side view showing the relationship between three stacked cells and the pressure and temperature sensors. Note that the same components as in Fig. 10 are given the same numbers.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 12(A), a thin sheet-like pressure sensor 560 is attached to the flat main surface 530 of the battery cell 500. The size of the pressure sensor 560 is smaller than the main surface 530, and the thickness is about 0.5 mm. The pressure sensor 560 includes, for example, a piezoelectric element, and an output line 570 that outputs the detected pressure is provided at its end. The pressure sensor 560 may be attached using, for example, double-sided tape or adhesive, or may be sandwiched between the main surfaces 530 of adjacent battery cells.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 12(B), when three battery cells 500 are stacked, a pressure sensor 560 is attached to one side of the central battery cell, and a temperature sensor 540 is attached to the other side. In addition, another pressure sensor 560 is attached to the side surface of the left battery cell 500. When the main surface 530 of the battery cell 500 expands in a convex shape as a precursor to ignition or explosion, this expansion presses the pressure sensor 560, which is detected as pressure. The pressure sensor 560 detects the pressure corresponding to the expansion and provides it to the controller 240.

[0053] The battery 500 does not necessarily have to be made up of multiple cells, but may be made up of a single cell, with one pressure sensor 560 attached to the surface of the cell. Similarly to the temperature sensor shown in Fig. 10(D), the battery 500 incorporating the pressure sensor 560 may be entirely sealed with a flexible film.

[0054] The controller 240 generates battery information according to the pressure of the battery 230 based on the detection signal from the pressure sensor 230. The controller 240 converts the battery pressure into text or graphics representing multiple pressure levels such as "low", "medium", and "high", for example, or generates text or graphics such as "normal" if the battery pressure is below a threshold value and "abnormal" if the battery pressure is above the threshold value. Then, the controller 240 combines the generated battery information BT with the image signal from the imaging camera 210, in the same way as in the first embodiment.

[0055] In this embodiment, the battery information BT includes both the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor 220 and the battery pressure detected by the pressure sensor 260. In one embodiment, the controller 240 may change the position where the battery temperature and the battery pressure are combined so that they can be distinguished from each other.

[0056] An example of the display of battery information in this embodiment is shown in Fig. 13. An image 322 captured by the imaging camera 210 is displayed on a display 320A of the user terminal, and battery information BT including a battery temperature 324A and a battery pressure 324B is further displayed on the image 322. Flight information 326 is also displayed on the image 322.

[0057] As described above, it is known that lithium-based batteries are prone to abnormalities such as fire or explosion when their temperature rises or their volume (or capacity) expands. According to this embodiment, the battery pressure can be checked in real time from the captured image, and when the battery pressure exceeds a threshold, it is possible to predict that an abnormality will occur in the battery and stop the drone's flight, thereby preventing the battery from catching fire or exploding.

[0058] 9, the detection signal of the pressure sensor 560 may be input to the CPU 438 as, for example, digital input 1 (in this case, the detection signal of the pressure sensor is an A / D converted digital signal), or may be input as an analog signal like the temperature sensor 220 and then A / D converted before being input to the CPU 438. The CPU 438 provides the OSD 432 with synthesis position information for synthesizing the battery temperature and synthesis position information for synthesizing the battery pressure, and the OSD 432 synthesizes the battery information representing the battery temperature and battery pressure into an image signal according to the synthesis position information (address information).

[0059] In the second embodiment, the battery monitoring system monitors both the battery temperature and the battery pressure, but the present invention is not limited to this. The battery monitoring system may monitor only the battery pressure. In this case, the captured image is synthesized with battery information corresponding to the battery pressure, not including the battery temperature. Then, while checking the battery pressure in real time via the captured image, the user can stop the flight of the drone before the battery ignites or explodes when the user detects an abnormality due to an increase in the battery pressure.

[0060] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 100: Drone System 100A, 100B, 400: Battery monitoring system 200, 200A: Drone 300: User terminal 320A: Display 322: Captured image 324, 324A, 324B: Battery Information 326: Flight Information 430: Temperature measurement board 432:OSD 434: Sensor I / F 436: ROM / RAM 438:CPU IN1, IN2, IN3, IN4, IN5: Input terminals OUT: Output terminal 500: Battery cell 530: Main surface 540: Temperature sensor 560: Pressure sensor

Claims

1. A battery monitoring system for a drone, An imaging means mounted on the drone; The battery installed on the drone a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the battery; a controller that receives an image signal captured by the imaging means from a first input terminal, receives a detection signal detected by the temperature sensor from a second input terminal, generates text information representing a temperature of a battery based on the detection signal received at the second input terminal, synthesizes the generated text information with the image signal received at the first input terminal, and outputs the synthesized image signal from an output terminal; A transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting the image signal output from the output terminal to a terminal having a communication function outside the drone via an antenna; A battery monitoring system having

2. 2. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the controller generates battery information indicating a battery abnormality when the temperature of the battery detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold, and synthesizes the generated battery information indicating the battery abnormality with the image signal received at the first input terminal.

3. The controller: an A / D converter for converting the detection signal into a digital signal; a memory for storing the character information; The battery monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller reads character information from the memory based on the detection signal, and combines the read character information with the image signal.

4. 2. The battery monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the image signal is a moving image composed of a plurality of frames per second, and the controller combines the character information with each frame in real time.

5. 2. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a third input terminal that receives a synthesis instruction signal for instructing whether or not to synthesize the character information, and the controller synthesizes the character information with the image signal when the synthesis instruction signal instructs synthesis, and does not synthesize the character information with the image signal when the synthesis instruction signal does not instruct synthesis.

6. 10. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the battery has a plurality of stacked, laminar cells and a flexible film encapsulating a temperature sensor.

7. The battery includes a plurality of stacked, laminar cells; The battery monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein at least one temperature sensor is located at a boundary of adjacent cells.

8. 2. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the terminal with communication capability includes a receiving means for receiving the image signal transmitted from the transmitting means, and a display means for displaying the image signal received by the receiving means and combined with the text information.

9. A battery monitoring system for a drone, An imaging means mounted on the drone; The battery installed on the drone a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the battery; a controller that receives an image signal captured by the imaging means from a first input terminal, receives a detection signal detected by the pressure sensor from a second input terminal, generates text information representing a pressure of a battery based on the detection signal received at the second input terminal, synthesizes the generated text information with the image signal received at the first input terminal, and outputs the synthesized image signal from an output terminal; A transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting the image signal output from the output terminal to a terminal having a communication function outside the drone via an antenna; A battery monitoring system having

10. 10. The battery monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein the image signal is a moving image composed of a plurality of frames per second, and the controller combines the character information with each frame in real time.

11. The battery includes a plurality of stacked, laminar cells; 10. The battery monitoring system of claim 9, wherein at least one pressure sensor is located at a boundary of adjacent cells.

12. A battery monitoring system for a drone, An imaging means mounted on the drone; The battery installed on the drone a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the battery; a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the battery; a controller that receives an image signal captured by the imaging means from a first input terminal, receives a first detection signal detected by the temperature sensor from a second input terminal, receives a second detection signal detected by the pressure sensor from a third input terminal, generates first character information representing a temperature of the battery based on the first detection signal received at the second input terminal, generates second character information representing a pressure of the battery based on the second detection signal received at the third input terminal, synthesizes the generated first and second character information with the image signal received at the first input terminal, and outputs the synthesized image signal from an output terminal; A transmitting means for transmitting the image signal output from the output terminal via an antenna to a terminal having a communication function outside the drone; A battery monitoring system having

13. 13. The battery monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the controller further includes a fourth input terminal that receives a synthesis instruction signal for instructing whether or not to synthesize the first and second character information, and the controller executes, based on the synthesis instruction signal, one of synthesizing the first character information, synthesizing the second character information, synthesizing the first and second character information, or not synthesizing the first and second character information.

14. The battery includes a plurality of stacked, laminar cells; 13. The battery monitoring system of claim 12, wherein at least one temperature sensor is disposed on one side of adjacent cells and at least one pressure sensor is disposed on the other side.

15. 13. The battery monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the terminal with communication capability includes a receiving means for receiving an image signal transmitted from the transmitting means, and a display means for displaying an image signal received by the receiving means in which the first and second character information are combined.

16. A module that can be mounted on a drone and includes an imaging means, a battery, and a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting an image signal to an external terminal having a communication function via an antenna, a first input terminal for receiving an image signal from the imaging means; a second input terminal for receiving a detection signal from a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the battery or a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the battery; a controller that generates character information representing a battery temperature or a battery pressure based on the detection signal received at the second input terminal, combines the generated character information with the image signal received at the first input terminal, and outputs the combined image signal from an output terminal; an output unit that outputs the image signal having the character information combined therewith to the transmission means; The module containing

17. the module further includes a third input terminal for receiving a detection signal from a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the battery or a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the battery; 17. The module of claim 16, wherein the controller generates text information representing a battery pressure or a battery temperature based on the detection signal received at the third input terminal, and combines the generated text information with the image signal received at the first input terminal.

18. 17. The module of claim 16, wherein the module is a circuit board, and outputs of the circuit board are connected to inputs of a flight controller board.

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