Control device, refrigerated vehicle, battery inspection method and program

Abstract

To provide a control device for determining whether or not a designated battery is mounted.SOLUTION: A control device comprises a determination unit which acquires a measured value of an open-circuit voltage before charge / discharge of a battery, an estimated value of an open-circuit voltage after the charge / discharge estimated based on a charged / discharged power amount and characteristic information indicating a relation between an open-circuit voltage of a predetermined reference battery and a battery remaining capacity, and a measured value of the open-circuit voltage after the charge / discharge of the battery, determines that the battery is the reference battery if a difference between the estimated value of the open-circuit voltage and the measured value of the open-circuit voltage after the charge / discharge is less than a threshold, and determines that the battery is not the reference battery if the difference is equal to or more than the threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, a refrigerated vehicle, a battery inspection method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Among refrigerated vehicles, there are those that supply power generated by an alternator driven by the vehicle engine to the refrigerator to cool or heat the refrigerator while the vehicle is running, and operate the refrigerator by supplying power from a battery for the refrigerator mounted on the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped (Patent Document 1). The battery for the refrigerator is charged by power generated by the alternator while the vehicle is running or by power supplied from a commercial power source while the vehicle is stopped.

[0003] In many cases, a dedicated battery specified by the manufacturer is used for a refrigerator. Such a dedicated battery may not be easily available even if you try to replace it with a new battery when it deteriorates or breaks down. If a dedicated battery cannot be installed, for example, if a battery with a different capacity is temporarily installed, the operation of the refrigerator may be affected. Or, even if a dedicated battery is installed, if a deteriorated dedicated battery is continued to be used until a new dedicated battery can be arranged, the operation of the refrigerator may be affected. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-61697 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Continuing to drive without knowing whether the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated battery presents the risks mentioned above.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide a control device, a refrigerated vehicle, a battery inspection method, and a program that can solve the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control device acquires an actual measured value of the open-circuit voltage before charging / discharging of the battery, an estimated value of the open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging estimated based on the amount of charged / discharged power and characteristic information indicating the relationship between the open-circuit voltage of a specified reference battery and the remaining battery capacity, and the actual measured value of the open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging of the battery, and determines that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if the difference between the estimated value of the open-circuit voltage and the actual measured value of the open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging is less than a threshold, and determines that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold, and an output unit that outputs the result of the determination.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerated vehicle includes a refrigerator, a refrigerator that cools or heats the refrigerator, a battery that supplies power to the refrigerator, and the above-mentioned control device.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery inspection method is a battery inspection method executed by a computer, and includes the steps of acquiring an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage before charging / discharging a battery, an estimated value of an open circuit voltage after charging / discharging estimated based on an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage before charging / discharging, an amount of charged / discharged power, and characteristic information indicating a relationship between the open circuit voltage of a specified reference battery and a remaining battery capacity, and an actual measured value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging the battery, determining that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if a difference between the estimated value of the open circuit voltage and the actual measured value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging is less than a threshold, and determining that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold, and outputting a result of the determination.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the program causes a computer to execute the steps of acquiring an actual measured value of the open-circuit voltage before charging / discharging the battery, an estimated value of the open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging estimated based on the actual measured value of the open-circuit voltage before charging / discharging the battery, the amount of power charged / discharged, and characteristic information indicating the relationship between the open-circuit voltage of a specified reference battery and the remaining battery capacity, determining that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if the difference between the estimated value of the open-circuit voltage and the actual measured value of the open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging is less than a threshold, and determining that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold, and outputting the result of the determination. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to detect whether the battery is the expected one. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a refrigeration vehicle equipped with a battery inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of battery characteristics according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a battery inspection process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, a battery testing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. (composition) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a refrigeration vehicle equipped with a battery inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, a refrigerated vehicle 200 includes a refrigerator 201, an external unit 202, an internal unit 203, a controller 205, a cabin controller 206, a power supply unit 207, and an alternator 208.

[0014] The external unit 202 includes a compressor and an external heat exchanger (not shown). The internal unit 203 is provided in the cooler 201 and includes an internal heat exchanger (not shown). The external unit 202 and the internal unit 203 are connected by refrigerant piping to constitute a refrigerator 204 that cools or heats the luggage transported by the refrigerated vehicle 200. The controller 205 controls the operation of the refrigerator 204 so that the temperature inside the cooler 201 becomes a set temperature. The controller 205 of this embodiment also includes a battery inspection function that inspects whether the battery 207b mounted on the refrigerated vehicle 200 is a dedicated battery designated by the manufacturer (described later). The cabin controller 206 is provided in the driver's seat of the refrigerated vehicle 200 and includes a display and various operation switches. The cabin controller 206 is connected to the controller 205 so as to be able to communicate with the controller 205, and obtains information such as the operating status and set temperature of the refrigerator 204, the temperature inside the cooler, and the remaining battery level of the battery 207b from the controller 205 and displays it on the display. In addition, the cabin controller 206 generates various control signals in response to operations performed on the operation switches by the user, and outputs the control signals to the controller 205.

[0015] The power supply unit 207 includes a charge / discharge control device 207a and a battery 207b. The charge / discharge control device 207a controls charging and discharging of the battery 207b. For example, when the refrigeration vehicle 200 is stopped and the refrigerator 204 is operating, the charge / discharge control device 207a discharges power from the battery 207b at a predetermined voltage and supplies power to the refrigerator 204. When the refrigeration vehicle 200 is traveling, the charge / discharge control device 207a supplies power generated by an alternator 208 driven by an engine (not shown) to the battery 207b to charge the battery 207b. When the power supply unit 207 receives power from the commercial power supply 100, the charge / discharge control device 207a supplies the power to the battery 207b to charge the battery 207b. The battery 207b is, for example, a lead battery. It is preferable that the battery 207b mounted on the refrigeration vehicle 200 is a dedicated battery designated by the manufacturer. FIG. 2 shows the characteristics of the battery 207b.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of battery characteristics according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vertical axis of the graph in FIG. 2 is the remaining battery charge (SOC: State Of Charge) (%), and the horizontal axis is the open circuit voltage (V). The open circuit voltage is the voltage at the terminals of the battery when no load is connected to the battery. Graph 11 is a graph that shows the characteristics of a dedicated battery at a certain ambient temperature specified by the manufacturer. As shown in the figure, there is a positive correlation between the open circuit voltage of the battery and the remaining battery charge. In other words, the higher the open circuit voltage of the battery, the higher the remaining battery charge of the battery. In addition, the battery capacity changes according to the ambient temperature at which the battery is used. Even with the same battery, the higher the ambient temperature, the higher the battery capacity, and the lower the ambient temperature, the lower the battery capacity. Depending on the change in battery capacity, the relationship between the open circuit voltage and the remaining battery charge shown in FIG. 2 also changes when the ambient temperature is high and low. For example, even with the same remaining battery charge, the open circuit voltage is higher when the ambient temperature is high. These battery characteristics are provided by the battery manufacturer. If the battery characteristic information such as that of Graph 11 is provided, the remaining battery charge can be estimated from the open circuit voltage of the dedicated battery. Furthermore, when the ambient temperature is different, the remaining battery capacity can be estimated based on a graph showing the relationship between the open circuit voltage and the remaining battery capacity at that temperature.

[0017] Graph 21 shows the characteristics of a battery (called an alternative battery) different from the dedicated battery. For example, the dedicated battery and the alternative battery have different capacities, and the capacity of the dedicated battery is greater than the capacity of the alternative battery. Even if the dedicated battery and the alternative battery have the same open-circuit voltage, their remaining battery power and dischargeable capacity are different. For example, when the open-circuit voltage is V1(v), the remaining battery power of the dedicated battery is C1(%), and the remaining battery power of the alternative battery is C2(%) (C2>C1). If the dedicated battery is supplied with power from the commercial power source 100 from this state and charged for the same time with the same voltage, after charging, the increase in the remaining battery power of the alternative battery with a smaller capacity exceeds the increase in the remaining battery power of the dedicated battery. For example, when the open-circuit voltage after charging is V2(v), the remaining battery power of the dedicated battery is C3(%), and the remaining battery power of the alternative battery is C4(%) (C4>C3). In this case, (C4-C2)>(C3-C1). Also, when discharging, if power is supplied from the battery 207b to the refrigerator 204 for the same time at the same voltage, the rate at which the remaining battery level of the alternative battery decreases is greater than that of the dedicated battery. In reality, it is preferable to operate the refrigerator 204 with a dedicated battery, but in reality, there are cases where a dedicated battery is not available and an alternative battery must be temporarily installed. Also, the controller 205 cannot determine what kind of battery is installed. When an alternative battery is installed, if the controller 205 recognizes that a dedicated battery is installed and operates the refrigerator 204, the battery capacity will be overestimated. Then, the refrigerator 204 will continue to operate while recognizing that more discharge is possible than it actually is, which may cause the battery to run out and force the refrigerator 204 to stop operating. Then, the temperature control of the luggage loaded in the cooler 201 cannot be maintained. In this embodiment, a function is provided that checks whether the installed battery 207b is a dedicated battery or not, and if a dedicated battery is not installed, issues a warning to warn of a dead battery, automatically corrects the remaining battery charge based on the characteristics of an alternative battery, and adjusts the operating intensity of the refrigerator 204 according to the remaining battery charge.

[0018] 1 shows an example of the functions of the controller 205. The controller 205 includes a data acquisition unit 211, a battery remaining capacity estimation unit 212, an inspection control unit 213, a refrigerator control unit 216, a storage unit 217, and an output unit 218. The inspection control unit 213 includes an electric energy calculation unit 214 and a battery determination unit 215.

[0019] The data acquisition unit 211 acquires a current value from an ammeter that measures a current when the battery 207b is charged or discharged. The data acquisition unit 211 acquires a voltage value of the battery 207b when it is charged or discharged from the charge / discharge control device 207a. The data acquisition unit 211 also acquires an open circuit voltage of the battery 207b.

[0020] The remaining battery capacity estimation unit 212 estimates the remaining battery capacity on the assumption that the battery 207b is a dedicated battery, based on the open circuit voltage of the battery 207b acquired by the data acquisition unit 211 and the characteristic graph of the dedicated battery illustrated in FIG.

[0021] The inspection control unit 213 controls the inspection process to inspect whether the mounted battery 207b is a dedicated battery. For example, the inspection control unit 213 inspects the battery 207b when either of the following execution conditions 1 and 2 is met. (Execution condition 1) The refrigerated vehicle 200 is stopped, the refrigerator 204 is stopped, and the battery 207b is supplied with power from the commercial power source 100 and charged. (Execution condition 2) The refrigerated vehicle 200 is stopped, the refrigerator 204 is operating, and charging is not being performed. (Execution condition 1) and (Execution condition 2) allow the accurate detection of the effect of charging and discharging on the remaining battery level of the battery 207b in a situation where no load other than charging or discharging is applied to the battery 207b. When either of the execution conditions 1 and 2 is met, the inspection control unit 213 performs the inspection process using the power amount calculation unit 214 and the battery determination unit 215.

[0022] When (Execution condition 1) is satisfied, the power amount calculation unit 214 calculates the amount of power supplied to the battery 207b during the charging time by calculating the power to be charged from the charging voltage of the battery 207b (the charging voltage is managed by the charge / discharge control device 207a) and the current value supplied by charging, and integrating the power over the charging time. The power amount calculation unit 214 adds the remaining battery amount that increases when the calculated amount of power is supplied to the dedicated battery to the remaining battery amount based on the open voltage of the battery 207b before the start of charging, to calculate the remaining battery amount after charging. The characteristic information indicating how much the remaining battery amount increases when the amount of power is supplied to the dedicated battery is provided by the manufacturer and is known. When (Execution condition 2) is satisfied, the power amount calculation unit 214 calculates the amount of power discharged from the battery 207b during the discharging time by integrating the product of the discharging voltage of the battery 207b (the discharging voltage is managed by the charge / discharge control device 207a) and the discharged current value over the discharging time. The power calculation unit 214 calculates the remaining battery level after discharging by subtracting the decrease in the remaining battery level when the calculated amount of power is discharged from the dedicated battery from the remaining battery level based on the open circuit voltage of the battery 207b before the start of discharging. The characteristic information indicating the degree to which the remaining battery level decreases when the amount of power is discharged from the dedicated battery is provided by the manufacturer and is known in advance.

[0023] The battery determination unit 215 obtains the open circuit voltage by reversely looking up the characteristic graph (graph 11 of the dedicated battery) in FIG. 2 based on the remaining battery level after charging and discharging calculated by the power amount calculation unit 214. The battery determination unit 215 also compares the reversely looked up open circuit voltage with the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage measured after charging and discharging. Here, if the mounted battery 207b is a dedicated battery, the open circuit voltage obtained by reversely looking up the remaining battery level after charging and discharging, which is obtained by adding and subtracting the amount of power charged and discharged to and from the remaining battery level before charging and discharging, should be equal to the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage after charging and discharging. If the mounted battery 207b is a battery with a different capacity from the dedicated battery, an error occurs between the open circuit voltage after charging and discharging calculated on the assumption that the mounted battery 207b is a dedicated battery and the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage after charging and discharging. For example, if a battery with a smaller capacity than expected is mounted, it tends to reach full charge earlier than expected during charging, and the open circuit voltage tends to be higher than expected. On the other hand, during discharging, the remaining battery level tends to decrease faster than expected, and the open circuit voltage tends to become lower than expected. If the difference between the reversed open circuit voltage and the actual measurement of the open circuit voltage is less than a threshold, the battery determination unit 215 determines that the battery 207b is a dedicated battery. If the difference between the reversed open circuit voltage and the actual measurement of the open circuit voltage is equal to or greater than a threshold, the battery determination unit 215 determines that the battery 207b is not a dedicated battery. In addition, the battery determination unit 215 estimates the type and capacity of the mounted battery 207b from the difference in the open circuit voltage before and after charging and discharging, and the amount of charged and discharged power calculated by the power amount calculation unit 214. The characteristic information indicating the extent to which the remaining battery level or the open circuit voltage increases or decreases when the amount of power is charged or discharged is provided by the manufacturer for each type and capacity of the battery and is known.

[0024] The refrigerator control unit 216 operates the refrigerator 204. In particular, in a situation where the refrigerator 204 is operated using the battery 207b as a power source, the refrigerator control unit 216 adjusts the operation intensity according to the remaining battery charge of the battery 207b. For example, when the remaining battery charge falls below a predetermined threshold, the refrigerator control unit 216 reduces the operation intensity of the refrigerator 204 to operate in an energy-saving mode. The refrigerator control unit 216 may change the operation intensity of the refrigerator 204 based on a threshold determined according to the type and capacity of the battery 207b. For example, when the battery 207b is an alternative battery and its capacity is smaller than that of the dedicated battery, the refrigerator control unit 216 performs control to reduce the operation intensity of the refrigerator 204 based on a threshold set higher than that of the dedicated battery.

[0025] The storage unit 217 stores various information. For example, the storage unit 217 stores characteristic graphs of the dedicated battery and main alternative battery candidates illustrated in Fig. 2. The storage unit 217 also stores characteristic information regarding the dedicated battery and the main alternative battery candidates, such as the extent to which the remaining battery capacity and the open circuit voltage increase or decrease when the amount of power is charged or discharged. The storage unit 217 also stores thresholds used for various determinations.

[0026] The output unit 218 outputs the result of the battery inspection to the cabin controller 206, etc. For example, if the result of the inspection process indicates that the mounted battery 207b is not a dedicated battery, the output unit 218 outputs an alarm.

[0027] (operation) Next, the flow of the battery inspection will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a battery inspection process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The data acquisition unit 211 acquires the charging voltage or discharging voltage of the battery 207b and the charging / discharging current value at a predetermined time interval. The data acquisition unit 211 also acquires the open circuit voltage of the battery 207b before and after the start and end of charging / discharging.

[0028] First, the inspection control unit 213 determines whether the execution conditions for the battery inspection are met (step S11). The inspection control unit 213 determines whether (execution condition 1) or (execution condition 2) is met. If either execution condition is met, the inspection control unit 213 determines that the execution condition for the inspection process for the battery 207b is met, and if not, determines that the execution condition for the inspection process is not met. If the execution condition for the inspection process is not met (step S11, No), the process ends.

[0029] When the execution condition of the inspection process is satisfied (step S11; Yes), the battery remaining capacity estimation unit 212 estimates the battery remaining capacity immediately before charging or discharging based on the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage at the start of charging or discharging and the characteristic graph illustrated in Fig. 2 (step S12). The battery remaining capacity estimation unit 212 records the estimated battery remaining capacity and the open circuit voltage before charging or discharging in the storage unit 217 in association with each other.

[0030] When charging or discharging starts, the power amount calculation unit 214 records the charge / discharge voltage and current values ​​during charging or discharging acquired by the data acquisition unit 211 in the storage unit 217 (step S13).

[0031] When charging or discharging is completed, the power calculation unit 214 calculates the power per unit time from the product of the charging / discharging voltage and the current value recorded during charging / discharging, and integrates the calculated power over the time during which charging / discharging was performed. The power calculation unit 214 estimates the battery remaining amount at the end of charging / discharging by adding or subtracting the increase or decrease in the remaining battery amount corresponding to the integrated amount of charged / discharged power to the estimated value of the remaining battery amount before charging / discharging. The power calculation unit 214 also estimates the open circuit voltage by reverse lookup based on the estimated value of the remaining battery amount at the end of charging / discharging and the characteristic graph of FIG. 2, assuming that the battery 207b is a dedicated battery (step S14). The power calculation unit 214 records the estimated value of the remaining battery amount and the estimated value of the open circuit voltage at the end of charging / discharging in the storage unit 217.

[0032] Next, the battery remaining capacity estimation unit 212 estimates the remaining battery capacity based on the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage at the end of charging or discharging and the characteristic graph illustrated in Fig. 2 (step S15). The battery remaining capacity estimation unit 212 records the estimated remaining battery capacity and the open circuit voltage before charging or discharging in the storage unit 217 in association with each other.

[0033] Next, the battery determination unit 215 calculates the difference between the estimated value of the open circuit voltage estimated in step S14 and the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage recorded in step S15, and determines whether or not this difference is equal to or greater than a threshold value (step S16). Since the characteristics of the battery 207b change depending on the ambient temperature, the threshold value used in the determination in step S16 may be set depending on the ambient temperature of the battery 207b. If the difference is less than the threshold value (step S16; No), the battery determination unit 215 determines that the battery 207b is a dedicated battery. If the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S16; Yes), the battery determination unit 215 determines that the battery 207b is a replacement battery. If the battery 207b is a replacement battery, the output unit 218 outputs an alarm to the cabin controller 206. For example, the output unit 218 outputs an alarm such as "A dedicated battery is not installed." For example, if the capacity of the alternative battery is smaller than that of the dedicated battery, the output unit 218 outputs an alarm such as "A battery with a smaller capacity than the dedicated battery is installed. Be careful not to run out of battery." The cabin controller 206 outputs such an alarm to the display (step S17).

[0034] Also, when the battery 207b is an alternative battery, the battery determination unit 215 estimates the capacity of the alternative battery. For example, the storage unit 217 registers characteristic information indicating the relationship between the amount of charged / discharged power and the change in open-circuit voltage before and after charging / discharging for each of the alternative batteries of various capacities. The battery determination unit 215 selects a battery having similar characteristics from among the alternative batteries of various capacities based on the difference between the amount of charged / discharged power calculated in step S14 and the actual measurement value of the open-circuit voltage recorded in steps S12 and S15, and the characteristic information indicating the relationship between the amount of charged / discharged power and the change in open-circuit voltage before and after charging / discharging for each of the alternative batteries of various capacities recorded in the storage unit 217. Then, the battery determination unit 215 corrects the mounted battery 207b to the alternative battery selected from the dedicated battery. For example, the battery determination unit 215 records the type (name and identification information) of the selected alternative battery and its capacity in the storage unit 217 in association with the battery 207b. Furthermore, the battery determination unit 215 calculates the remaining battery capacity of the battery 207b from the characteristic graph (FIG. 2) of the selected alternative battery and the open circuit voltage after charging and discharging recorded in step S15. The battery determination unit 215 corrects the remaining battery capacity estimated in step S15 with the calculated remaining battery capacity (step S18). The output unit 218 outputs the corrected remaining battery capacity. The cabin controller 206 displays the corrected remaining battery capacity on the display.

[0035] Next, the refrigerator control unit 216 controls the refrigerator 204 based on the capacity and remaining battery power of the installed battery 207b (step S19). For example, in a situation where the refrigerator 204 is operated by discharging from the battery 207b, the power amount calculation unit 214 calculates the amount of power discharged during the operation of the refrigerator 204, and updates the remaining battery power of the battery 207b by subtracting the discharged amount from the remaining battery power of the battery 207b before the discharge. Then, when the remaining battery power (dischargeable power power) of the battery 207b falls below a predetermined threshold, the refrigerator control unit 216 reduces the operating intensity of the refrigerator 204. The threshold at this time is determined in advance for each ambient temperature of the battery 207b and each capacity of the battery 207b. This makes it possible to continue the operation of the refrigerator 204 while reducing the risk of the battery running out.

[0036] As described above, according to this embodiment, even if a dedicated battery cannot be installed, the operation of the refrigerator 204 can be controlled according to the remaining capacity of the battery actually installed, so that it is possible to avoid operation stoppage and suppress the influence on the luggage loaded in the cooler 201. Furthermore, if a dedicated battery is not installed, a warning to that effect is given to the driver, and the correct remaining battery capacity can be notified, so that the driver can take measures to prevent the battery from running out, such as frequently charging the battery.

[0037] In the above description, in the inspection process, it is determined whether or not a dedicated battery is installed, but the deterioration of the dedicated battery may be inspected. Even if the installed battery 207b is a dedicated battery, the capacity decreases due to long-term use and deterioration. In such a case, if the refrigerator 204 is operated assuming that a normal dedicated battery is installed, the battery may run out. Therefore, by the same process as in FIG. 3, if the determination in step S16 is Yes, the battery determination unit 215 determines that the dedicated battery has deteriorated, and in step S17, the output unit 218 outputs an alarm such as "The battery has deteriorated. Please replace the battery." This allows early detection of battery deterioration.

[0038] Alternatively, since it is not possible to determine whether the battery has deteriorated or a different battery has been installed, the output unit 218 may display an alarm such as "Either a dedicated battery is not installed or the dedicated battery has deteriorated." Furthermore, when replacing the battery, information on the replaced battery may be registered in the storage unit 217, and if a dedicated battery is installed, the output unit 218 may output an alarm such as "The battery has deteriorated. Please replace the battery," and if an alternative battery is installed, an alarm such as "No dedicated battery is installed" may be output.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The computer 900 includes a CPU 901, a main storage device 902, an auxiliary storage device 903, and an interface 904. The above-mentioned controller 205 includes the computer 900. The operations of the above-mentioned processing units are stored in the auxiliary storage device 903 in the form of a program. The CPU 901 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 903, loads it in the main storage device 902, and executes the above-mentioned processing in accordance with the program. The CPU 901 also secures a storage area in the main storage device 902 in accordance with the program.

[0040] In at least one embodiment, the auxiliary storage device 903 is an example of a non-transitory tangible medium. Other examples of non-transitory tangible media include a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, and a semiconductor memory connected via the interface 904. In addition, when the program is distributed to the computer 900 via a communication line, the computer 900 that receives the program may load the program into the main storage device 902 and execute the above-mentioned process.

[0041] Each process in the controller 205 described above is stored in a computer-readable recording medium in the form of a program, and the computer of each device reads and executes the program to perform the above processes. Here, the computer-readable recording medium refers to a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, etc. Also, the computer program may be distributed to a computer via a communication line, and the computer that receives the program may execute the program. Also, the program may be for realizing part of the above-mentioned functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called difference file (difference program) that can realize the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system. The control system may be composed of one computer, or may be composed of multiple computers connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0042] In addition, the components in the above-described embodiment may be replaced with known components as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0043] <Additional Notes> The control device, refrigeration vehicle, battery inspection method, and program described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0044] (1) A control device (controller 205) according to a first aspect includes a determination unit (battery determination unit 215) that obtains an actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage before charging / discharging of a battery, an estimated value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging that is estimated based on the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging, the amount of electric power charged / discharged, and characteristic information indicating the relationship between the open circuit voltage of a specified reference battery and the remaining battery capacity, and determines that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if the difference between the estimated value of the open circuit voltage and the actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging is less than a threshold, and determines that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold, and an output unit (output unit 218) that outputs a result of the determination. This makes it possible to know whether the intended battery is installed in the intended condition.

[0045] (2) A control device according to a second aspect is the control device of (1), wherein, if the difference is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the determination unit determines that the battery is a different battery from the reference battery, and the output unit outputs a signal indicating that the battery is not the reference battery. This makes it possible to know that the expected battery is not installed.

[0046] (3) A control device according to a third aspect is a control device of (1) to (2), wherein the judgment unit judges that the battery is degraded when the difference is greater than or equal to a threshold value, and the output unit outputs a message prompting replacement of the battery. This increases the likelihood of avoiding the adverse effects of battery degradation.

[0047] (4) A control device according to a fifth aspect is the control device of (1) to (3), wherein the determination unit performs the determination when the battery is charged in a state in which no load is connected to the battery. By conducting a battery inspection under conditions where the voltage and current related to the charging and discharging of the battery can be detected accurately, the accuracy of the battery inspection can be ensured.

[0048] (5) A fifth aspect of the present invention relates to a control device according to any one of (1) to (4), in which the threshold value is set in accordance with characteristics of the reference battery and an ambient temperature. This ensures the accuracy of battery inspection.

[0049] (6) A control device according to a sixth aspect is a control device of (1) to (5), further including a calculation unit (power amount calculation unit 214) that calculates the capacity and remaining battery amount of the battery based on second characteristic information indicating the relationship between the open circuit voltage before charging / discharging, the amount of power charged / discharged, and the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging for a plurality of batteries having different capacities, third characteristic information indicating the relationship between the open circuit voltage and remaining battery amount for the plurality of batteries, an actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage of the battery before charging / discharging, and an actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage of the battery after charging / discharging. This allows the actual capacity and remaining battery power of the battery to be known.

[0050] (7) A control device according to a seventh aspect is a control device according to (6), further including a control unit (refrigeration unit control unit 216) that suppresses the amount of discharge to a load when the remaining battery charge of the battery becomes equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold based on the capacity of the battery and the remaining battery charge calculated by the calculation unit. This makes it possible to avoid the battery running out.

[0051] (8) A refrigerated vehicle 200 according to an eighth aspect includes a cooler 201, a refrigerator 204 for cooling or heating the cooler 201, a battery 207b for supplying power to the refrigerator, and a control device (controller 205) according to (1) to (7). This makes it possible to avoid shutting down the refrigerator.

[0052] (9) A battery inspection method according to a ninth aspect is a battery inspection method executed by a computer, and includes the steps of acquiring an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage before charging / discharging a battery, an estimated value of an open circuit voltage after charging / discharging estimated based on an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage before charging / discharging, an amount of charged / discharged electric power, and characteristic information indicating the relationship between the open circuit voltage of a specified reference battery and a remaining battery capacity, and an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage after charging / discharging the battery; determining that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if the difference between the estimated value of the open circuit voltage and the actual measured value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging is less than a threshold, and determining that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold; and outputting a result of the determination.

[0053] (10) A program according to a tenth aspect causes a computer to execute the steps of acquiring an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage before charging / discharging a battery, an estimated value of an open circuit voltage after charging / discharging based on an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage before charging / discharging, an amount of electric power charged / discharged, and characteristic information indicating the relationship between the open circuit voltage of a specified reference battery and a remaining battery capacity, and an actual measured value of an open circuit voltage after charging / discharging the battery; determining that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if the difference between the estimated value of the open circuit voltage and the actual measured value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging is less than a threshold, and determining that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold; and outputting a result of the determination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 100...Commercial power supply 200 Refrigerated vehicle 201... Refrigerator 202...External unit 203... Storage unit 204... Refrigeration unit 205...Controller 206···Cabin controller 207 Power supply unit 207a...Charge / discharge control device 207b Battery 211 Data acquisition section 212... Battery remaining capacity estimation unit 213 Inspection control section 214...Electric energy calculation section 215 Battery determination unit 216... Refrigeration unit control section 217...Storage section 218... Output section 900...Computer 901··CPU 902...Main memory 903...Auxiliary storage device 904···Interface

Claims

1. a determination unit which obtains an estimated value of an open-circuit voltage after charging and discharging, which is estimated based on an actual measurement value of an open-circuit voltage before charging and discharging a battery, an amount of charged and discharged electric power, and characteristic information indicating a relationship between the open-circuit voltage of a predetermined reference battery and a remaining battery capacity, and which determines that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if a difference between the estimated value of the open-circuit voltage and the actual measurement value of the open-circuit voltage after charging and discharging is less than a threshold, and determines that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold; an output unit that outputs a result of the determination; A control device comprising:

2. The determination unit determines that the battery is a different battery from the reference battery when the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold value; The output unit outputs a signal indicating that the battery is not the reference battery. The control device according to claim 1 .

3. The determination unit determines that the battery is degraded when the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold value, The output unit outputs a message prompting the user to replace the battery. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 2.

4. the determination unit performs the determination when the battery is charged in a state in which no load is connected to the battery. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The threshold value is set according to the characteristics of the reference battery and the ambient temperature. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. a calculation unit that calculates the capacity and remaining battery capacity of the battery based on second characteristic information indicating a relationship between an open circuit voltage before charging / discharging, an amount of power charged / discharged, and an open circuit voltage after charging / discharging for a plurality of batteries having different capacities, third characteristic information indicating a relationship between an open circuit voltage and a remaining battery capacity for the plurality of batteries, an actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage before charging / discharging of the battery, and an actual measurement value of the open circuit voltage after charging / discharging of the battery; The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

7. a control unit that suppresses an amount of discharge to a load when a remaining battery charge of the battery becomes equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold based on the capacity and remaining battery charge of the battery calculated by the calculation unit; The control device of claim 6 further comprising:

8. A cooling box, a refrigerator that cools or heats the cooling box, a battery that supplies power to the refrigerator, and the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A refrigerated vehicle equipped with

9. 1. A computer-implemented method for testing a battery, comprising: acquiring an estimated value of an open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging, which is estimated based on an actual measurement value of an open-circuit voltage before charging / discharging a battery, an amount of charged / discharged electric power, and characteristic information indicating a relationship between an open-circuit voltage of a predetermined reference battery and a remaining battery capacity, and an actual measurement value of an open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging the battery; determining that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if a difference between the estimated open-circuit voltage and the actual measured open-circuit voltage after charging and discharging is less than a threshold, and determining that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold; outputting a result of the determination; A battery inspection method comprising:

10. On the computer, acquiring an estimated value of an open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging, which is estimated based on an actual measurement value of an open-circuit voltage before charging / discharging a battery, an amount of charged / discharged electric power, and characteristic information indicating a relationship between an open-circuit voltage of a predetermined reference battery and a remaining battery capacity, and an actual measurement value of an open-circuit voltage after charging / discharging the battery; determining that the battery is the reference battery in a normal state if a difference between the estimated open-circuit voltage and the actual measured open-circuit voltage after charging and discharging is less than a threshold, and determining that the battery is not the reference battery in a normal state if the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold; outputting a result of the determination; A program that executes the following.

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