Charging locker, battery removal system, and battery removal method

Abstract

To provide a charging locker, a battery removing system, and a battery removing method capable of reducing labor for registration and management.SOLUTION: A battery removing system 1 includes: a charging locker 20 that has a plurality of battery housing sections 24 for housing a plurality of batteries 8 and can charge the batteries 8 housed in the respective battery housing sections 24; a key box 10 having an opening / closing door 12 that unlocks based on a short-range wireless communication signal and a key storage section 11 that can store keys 7 for a plurality of electrically-assisted bicycles; and a communication tag 60 that is attached to each key 7 directly or indirectly via a coupling member 2, and allows one battery 8 to be removed from the charging locker 20 by performing proximity wireless communication with the charging locker 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a charging locker, and also to a battery removal system and method used when removing a battery from an electrically assisted bicycle from the charging locker. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional charging locker is described in Patent Document 1. This charging locker has multiple storage compartments, each of which is equipped with a power source, to which a charger is connected. A user removes a battery from an electrically assisted bicycle, places it in the charger, and charges the battery during their free time. The door to the storage compartment can be locked with a key. While the battery is charging, the door to the storage compartment is closed and locked with a key. This prevents theft of the battery and charger. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-66315 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Crowd sharing is known, in which a limited number of residents of an apartment building (multi-family housing complex) share a charging locker that has multiple battery storage compartments that can store multiple batteries and can charge the batteries stored in the battery storage compartments. In crowd sharing, the charging locker is installed, for example, near the bicycle parking area of ​​the apartment building (multi-family housing complex) (for example, at the entrance to the bicycle parking area), and the limited number of residents of the apartment building install the battery charged in the charging locker into their electrically assisted bicycle before using the electrically assisted bicycle.

[0005] In cloud sharing, if IC cards for removing batteries from charging lockers are distributed to all people who share the charging lockers, a large number of IC cards (for example, 400 cards for 100 households with four people per household) must be registered with the charging lockers, making registration and management cumbersome. Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a charging locker that is easy to use with a battery removal system, which reduces the hassle of registration and management. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery removal system and a battery removal method, which reduce the hassle of registration and management. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The charging locker of the present disclosure has multiple battery storage sections that store multiple batteries and is capable of charging the batteries stored in the battery storage sections.The charging locker has a secondary battery, and even if it becomes impossible to supply power to the charging locker from the outside, the battery can be removed from the charging locker for a predetermined period of time using the power of the secondary battery.

[0007] Another aspect of the charging locker according to the present disclosure is a charging locker that has multiple battery storage sections that store multiple batteries and is capable of charging the batteries stored in the battery storage sections, and the charging locker obtains at least one of charging information regarding the battery's charging rate and degradation information regarding the battery's degradation state from the batteries it stores.

[0008] In addition, the battery removal system of the present disclosure comprises a charging locker having multiple battery storage sections that can store multiple batteries and can charge the batteries stored in the battery storage sections, a key box having an opening and closing door that unlocks based on a short-range wireless communication signal and a key storage section that can store keys for multiple electric assist bicycles, and a communication tag that is attached to each key directly or indirectly via a connecting member and that enables one battery to be removed from the charging locker by communicating with the charging locker via short-range wireless communication.

[0009] Another aspect of the battery removal system according to the present disclosure includes a charging locker having multiple battery storage sections that store multiple batteries and that can charge the batteries stored in the battery storage sections, and a key box that has a door that can be unlocked based on short-range wireless communication with a mobile phone and a key storage section that can store keys for multiple electric assist bicycles, and at least one battery can be removed from the charging locker based on short-range wireless communication between the mobile phone and the charging locker.

[0010] In addition, the battery removal method disclosed herein unlocks the door of the key box by performing short-range wireless communication with a key box having a key storage section that can store keys for multiple electric assist bicycles, and enables removal of one battery from the charging locker by performing short-range wireless communication with a communication tag that is attached directly or indirectly via a connecting member to the key removed from the key box, and a charging locker that has multiple battery storage sections that can store multiple batteries and can charge the batteries stored in the battery storage sections.

[0011] In addition, another aspect of the battery removal method according to the present disclosure unlocks the door of the key box by using short-range wireless communication between a mobile phone and a key box having a key storage section that can store keys for multiple electric assist bicycles, and enables removal of at least one battery from the charging locker by using short-range wireless communication between the mobile phone and a charging locker that has multiple battery storage sections that can store multiple batteries and can charge the batteries stored in the battery storage sections. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The charging locker, battery removal system, and battery removal method according to the present disclosure can reduce the effort required for registration and management when used in crowd sharing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery removal system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a key box. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charging locker. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of a charging locker. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of a battery. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for storing battery information in a storage unit of a server on the cloud. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of a server. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for registering a new communication tag to a charging locker. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating charging of a mobile phone using a battery. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of a communication tag. [Figure 11] This is a diagram that explains the series of steps that take place when the facility is an apartment building, from when a person borrows a battery to use a bicycle, until they return the battery. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery removal system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for removing a battery in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is anticipated from the beginning that new embodiments will be constructed by appropriately and selectively combining the characteristics of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and their modified examples, as described below. In the following examples, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and redundant explanations will be omitted. The drawings include schematic diagrams, and the dimensional ratios of the length, width, height, etc. of each component do not necessarily match between different drawings.

[0015] In the following description, each control device is preferably configured by a computer, for example, a microcomputer, and includes a control unit and a storage unit. Each control unit, i.e., various processors, includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Each storage unit is configured by a hard disk drive (HDD), semiconductor memory, etc., and the semiconductor memory is configured by a non-volatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). Each storage unit may be configured by only one storage medium or by multiple different storage media. The CPU reads and executes programs, etc., stored in advance in the storage unit. The non-volatile memory stores control programs, predetermined thresholds, etc. in advance. The volatile memory temporarily stores the read programs and processing data.

[0016] In the following, a first embodiment will be described in relation to an offline battery removal system and method for removing a battery without using a network (Internet), and a second embodiment will be described in relation to an online battery removal system and method for removing a battery using a network (Internet).

[0017] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery removal system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. First, a brief overview of a method for removing a battery 8 in the battery removal system 1 will be described below using FIG. 1. The battery removal system 1 is used by a limited number of people who belong to a facility, such as an apartment building, office, hospital, or theme park. As shown in FIG. 1, the battery removal system 1 includes a key box 10, a charging locker 20, and a communication tag 60. The key box 10 includes a key storage unit 11 that can store multiple keys 7 for electrically assisted bicycles. The key box 10 has a door 12 that automatically opens based on a short-range wireless communication signal. More specifically, the key box 10 automatically opens the door 12 by communicating short-range wirelessly with an integrated circuit card (IC) 5. The IC card 5 is a card equipped with an IC chip that includes a central processing unit (CPU) and memory. The IC card 5 is a near-field communication (NFC) card that communicates short-range wirelessly with a card reader 13 (see FIG. 2) of the key box 10. The key box 10 may be configured so that the door 12 is unlocked based on a short-range wireless communication signal, and the door 12 may be opened and closed manually.

[0018] A person holds an IC card 5 borrowed from a facility management office or the like over a key box 10. This opens the key box 10, allowing the person to remove a key 7 with a communication tag 60 attached (hereinafter referred to as a communication tag-attached key). Next, when the person holds the removed communication tag-attached key over a charging locker 20, the charging locker 20 allows the user to remove the battery 8 with the highest SOC (State Of Charge) among the stored batteries 8. This allows the user to attach a battery 8 with a high SOC to the battery attachment section of an electrically assisted bicycle (hereinafter simply referred to as a bicycle) 6, allowing the bicycle 6 to be used for a long period of time thanks to the battery 8 with a high SOC. The configurations and operations of the key box 10, charging locker 20, and communication tag 60 will be described in detail below.

[0019] <Key Box> As shown in FIG. 1, the key box 10 has a key storage section 11 that can store multiple keys 7 for electrically assisted bicycles. The key box 10 is designed so that a door 12 opens based on a short-range wireless communication signal. The key box 10 is designed so that the door 12 opens by communicating with an IC card (integrated circuit card) 5 via short-range wireless communication. The IC card 5 is a card equipped with an IC chip that includes a CPU (central processing unit) and memory. The IC card 5 is an NFC (near field communication) card that communicates with a card reader 13 (see FIG. 2) of the key box 10 via short-range wireless communication.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the key box 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the key box 10 includes a door 12, a card reader 13, a motor 14, and a control device 15. The control device 15 includes a control unit 15a and a memory unit 15b. The card reader 13 has a reader that reads an IC card 5 and, for example, constantly emits radio waves only in a proximity area close to the reader. The moment the IC card 5 enters the proximity area, the IC card 5 is activated by the power of the radio waves and transmits identification information. The control unit 15a determines whether the identification information acquired via the card reader 13 is included in the identification information of multiple registered IC cards 5 pre-stored in the memory unit 15b. If the determination is affirmative, the control unit 15a controls the motor 14 that opens the door 12 to open the door 12. This allows a person to remove the key 7 with the communication tag 60, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0021] <Charging Locker> FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the charging locker 20. The charging locker 20 includes a main body 21 and a base 22. The main body 21 has a housing 23 with an elongated rectangular parallelepiped outer shape and multiple identical battery storage compartments 24, each with an opening 24a on one side of the housing 23. The multiple battery storage compartments 25 are spaced apart in the vertical direction; in this embodiment, five battery storage compartments 24 are arranged at approximately equal intervals in the vertical direction. The base 22 is composed of a flat plate that is rectangular in plan view. The bottom of the main body 21 is fixed to the base 22, which is fixed to an installation location located, for example, near a bicycle parking lot. The charging locker 20 is slim, with an elongated, smart housing 23 that extends approximately vertically, so it does not take up much space and can be installed in a small area. Therefore, it can be easily retrofitted to existing facilities.

[0022] The charging locker 20 charges the battery 8 stored in the battery storage section 24. The charging locker 20 has an outlet (not shown) that can be connected to a 100V commercial power source (AC power source). The charging locker 20 has a power conversion section 35 (see FIG. 4) that converts AC power supplied from the commercial power source into DC power and also converts the voltage as appropriate, and charges the battery 8 with the converted DC power. The charging locker 20 may, for example, be capable of only charging an 8Ah battery for an electrically assisted bicycle, or only charging a 12Ah battery for an electrically assisted bicycle, or may be capable of charging both of these batteries.

[0023] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of charging locker 20. As shown in Fig. 4, charging locker 20 includes tag reader 31, card reader 32, multiple locking devices 33, multiple light-emitting devices 34, power conversion unit 35, secondary battery 36, transceiver unit 37, and control device 38, and control device 38 includes control unit 38a and memory unit 38b. The number of battery receptacles 24, the number of locking devices 33, and the number of light-emitting devices 34 are the same. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the multiple battery receptacles 24 and the multiple locking devices 33, and there is also a one-to-one correspondence between the multiple locking devices 33 and the multiple light-emitting devices 34.

[0024] The tag reader 31 performs the same operation as the card reader 13 described above, and performs short-range wireless communication with a communication tag 60, which will be described later. The control unit 38a determines whether the read communication tag 60 is a pre-registered communication tag 60. If the control unit 38a determines yes, it releases the locking device 33 that locks the battery 8 with the highest SOC (charging rate) %, allowing the battery 8 with the highest SOC to be removed. The SOC is calculated using the following equation (1): SOC = (remaining capacity / capacity when fully charged) × 100 (1)

[0025] The control unit 38a acquires the SOC and SOH (State of health) from the battery 8 at the timing stored in the memory unit 38b. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the battery 8. As shown in FIG. 5, the battery 8 includes, for example, a current detection sensor 41, a battery information reading terminal 42, and a control device 43, and the control device 43 includes a control unit 43a and a memory unit 43b. For each battery 8, the SOC and SOH (battery health (deterioration state)) are stored over time in the memory unit 43b by, for example, a program stored in the memory unit 43b. The SOH (deterioration state) % is calculated using the following formula (2): SOH = (full charge capacity after degradation (Ah) / initial full charge capacity (Ah)) × 100 (2)

[0026] The current detection sensor 41 detects the current value of the current flowing through the battery 8. The control unit 43a calculates the SOC and SOH based on the current value. Because there is a one-to-one correspondence between the current value and the SOC, the SOC can be estimated by detecting the current value. The control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 obtains the SOC and SOH from the memory unit 43b via the battery information reading terminal 42. This allows the control unit 38a to obtain the SOC and SOH for each battery 8 and identify the battery 8 with the highest SOC. The control unit 38a locks or unlocks the lock device 33 as follows.

[0027] The locking device 33 (see FIG. 4) has a solenoid (not shown), which includes a plunger and a coil. The plunger is advanced or retreated by controlling whether or not a current is passed through the coil. When the plunger is extended, a locking member receives force from the plunger and locks the battery 8, making it impossible to remove the battery 8 from the battery housing portion 24. On the other hand, when the plunger is retracted, the locking member is no longer in contact with the battery 8, making it possible to remove the battery 8 from the battery housing portion 24. The locking device 33 may have any mechanism that can selectively realize a state in which the battery 8 can be attached to or detached from the battery housing portion 24 and a state in which it cannot be attached or detached, and does not have to have a solenoid.

[0028] 3, the light emitting device 34 is an LED ring light. The light emitting device 34 has a light emitting unit 34a that has a substantially rectangular frame shape and is arranged on the periphery of the rectangular opening 24a of each battery housing unit 24. The light emitting unit 34a includes, for example, a plurality of LED elements arranged at substantially equal intervals on the periphery of the rectangular opening of each battery housing unit 24, and a diffuser plate arranged on the light-emitting side of the LED elements.

[0029] The light-emitting device 34 can selectively emit a plurality of different light emission (scenes) under the control of the control unit 38a (see FIG. 4), and the plurality of emitted light corresponds to a plurality of different pieces of information for the battery 8. For example, when the communication tag 60 is held over the tag reader 31 of the charging locker 20, the light-emitting unit 34a may illuminate fully until the person removes the battery 8, in order to allow the person to recognize that the battery 8 has been unlocked and can be removed. The light-emitting unit 34a may also illuminate fully for a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds) when charging begins. The light-emitting unit 34a may also illuminate dimly when charging is complete. The light-emitting unit 34a may also flash multiple times (e.g., 3 times) when an error occurs.

[0030] Here, an error refers to a situation where the solenoid malfunctions, preventing the plunger from moving and making it impossible to remove the battery 8. For example, if a person fails to remove the battery 8 with the light-emitting unit 34a fully lit within a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds), this constitutes the first error. If this occurs N times in a row (e.g., three times), the control unit 38a recognizes a solenoid malfunction and causes the corresponding light-emitting unit 34a to flash multiple times.

[0031] It should be noted that the number of different light emission (scenes) is not limited to this example, and there are countless different pieces of information for the battery 8, not limited to this example. Other light emission (scenes) include alternating between lighting for a first time period and lighting for a second time period that is shorter than the first time period, or, if the light-emitting device 34 has multiple LEDs with different light emission colors, different light emission can be achieved by changing the color of the emitted light. Other information for the battery 8 includes, for example, information that the battery will be fully charged in a predetermined time period (e.g., 30 minutes), information that the SOH has fallen below a predetermined value, etc. By knowing that the SOH has fallen below a predetermined value, a person can recognize that the life of the corresponding battery 8 has expired.

[0032] The light-emitting device is not limited to the rectangular frame shape described above, and may have any shape that allows a person to recognize that it corresponds to each battery housing 24. For example, the light-emitting device may have a circular, elliptical, rectangular, or other shaped light-emitting portion that is installed on one side of the opening of the battery housing 24.

[0033] The light emitting device has been described as having an LED. However, the light emitting device may have a semiconductor light emitting element other than an LED chip, such as a semiconductor laser element, or a solid-state light emitting element such as an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) element or an inorganic EL element. Alternatively, the light emitting device may be configured as an incandescent lamp or a fluorescent lamp.

[0034] Furthermore, when the above error occurs, the control unit 38a may enable removal of the battery 8 with the next highest SOC and may turn on all the corresponding light-emitting units. Furthermore, when the above error occurs, the transceiver unit 37 may transmit information about the failed solenoid to a server on the cloud and store the information in the server's memory, allowing the servicer to access the information.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4, the transmitter / receiver 37 is an interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from external devices via a network connected to the charging locker 20, and is configured, for example, as an interface compatible with Ethernet. As shown in Fig. 6, the charging locker 20 uses the transmitter / receiver 37 to communicate with a server 50 located on a cloud via the network (Internet). Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the server 50. As shown in Fig. 7, the server 50 includes a transmitter / receiver 51 and a control device 52, and the control device 52 includes a control unit 52a and a storage unit 52b.

[0036] The control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 periodically, for example, every minute, hour, day, or week, transmits a signal (command) to the control unit 43a of the battery 8 housed in the charging locker 20 to transmit the SOC stored in the memory unit 43b of the battery 8. The control unit 43a of the battery 8 then transmits the SOC stored in the memory unit 43b of the battery 8 to the charging locker 20 via the battery information reading terminal 42, and the control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 causes the transceiver unit 37 to transmit the acquired SOC to the server 50 in a state linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8. As a result, the SOC is stored in the memory unit 52b of the server 50 in a state linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8.

[0037] Alternatively, the control unit 52a of the server 50 periodically, for example, every minute, every hour, every day, or every week, causes the transceiver unit 51 to transmit a signal (command) to transmit information about the SOC of the battery 8 housed in the charging locker 20. The control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 then transmits a signal (command) to the control unit 43a of the battery 8 housed in the charging locker 20 to transmit the SOC stored in the memory unit 43b. The control unit 43a of the battery 8 then transmits the SOC stored in the memory unit 43b of the battery 8 to the charging locker 20 via the battery information reading terminal 42, and the control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 causes the transceiver unit 37 to transmit the acquired SOC to the server 50 while it is linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8. As a result, the SOC is stored in the memory unit 52b of the server 50 while it is linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8.

[0038] Similarly, the control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 periodically, for example, every hour, day, week, or month, transmits a signal (command) to the control unit 43a of the battery 8 housed in the charging locker 20 to cause the control unit 43a to transmit the SOH stored in the memory unit 43b of the battery 8. The control unit 43a of the battery 8 then transmits the SOH stored in the memory unit 43b of the battery 8 to the charging locker 20 via the battery information reading terminal 42, and the control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 causes the transceiver unit 37 to transmit the acquired SOH to the server 50 in a state linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8. As a result, the SOH is stored in the memory unit 52b of the server 50 in a state linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8.

[0039] Alternatively, the control unit 52a of the server 50 periodically, for example, every hour, every day, every week, or every month, causes the transceiver unit 51 to transmit a signal (command) to transmit information about the SOC of the battery 8 housed in the charging locker 20. The control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 then transmits a signal (command) to the control unit 43a of the battery 8 housed in the charging locker 20 to transmit the SOH stored in the memory unit 43b. The control unit 43a of the battery 8 then transmits the SOH stored in the memory unit 43b of the battery 8 to the charging locker 20 via the battery information reading terminal 42, and the control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 causes the transceiver unit 37 to transmit the acquired SOH to the server 50 in a state linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8. As a result, the SOH is stored in the memory unit 52b of the server 50 in a state linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 6, the server 50 can be accessed via the network 9 by, for example, an information processing device 55 of a sales company or maintenance company of the charging locker 20 or the battery 8. The information processing device 55 is configured, for example, as a personal computer or a workstation. Therefore, personnel at the sales company or maintenance company can obtain time-series information on the SOC and SOH linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8. This allows servicers at the sales company or maintenance company to obtain information on the frequency of use of each battery and degradation information of the battery 8, which can be used for developing new battery 8 products, etc.

[0041] Although the case has been described where the time-series information of the SOC and SOH is stored in the storage unit 52b of the server 50 on the cloud while being linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8, the time-series information of the SOC and SOH may also be stored in the storage unit 38b of the charging locker 20 while being linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8. Also, the case has been described where the time-series information of the SOC and SOH is stored in the storage unit 52b of the server 50 on the cloud or the storage unit 38b of the charging locker 20 while being linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8. However, the time-series information of only one of the SOC and SOH may also be stored in the storage unit 52b of the server 50 on the cloud or the storage unit 38b of the charging locker 20 while being linked to the identification information of the corresponding battery 8.

[0042] Alternatively, both the SOC and the SOH may not be stored in the memory unit 52b of the server 50, and may not be stored in the memory unit 38b of the charging locker 20. The charging locker may infer the battery 8 with the highest SOC by simply measuring the voltage of each battery 8. The charging locker may also not be able to communicate with a server on the cloud.

[0043] If the number of residents who want to use the bicycles 6 increases later, the number of bicycles 6 may be added later, which may require the addition of more batteries 8, resulting in an increase in the number of charging lockers 20. In this case, it is necessary to register the identification information of the communication tag 60 attached to the later-added key 7 to the existing batteries 8 so that the existing batteries 8 can recognize the new communication tag 60.

[0044] In such a case, the charging locker 20 is designed to easily register a new communication tag (described in detail later) 60. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the battery removal system 1 includes an IC card 3 configured as an NFC card that communicates near-field wirelessly with the card reader 32 (see FIG. 4) of the charging locker 20. The IC card 3 transmits information to the card reader 32 via near-field wireless communication to place the charging locker 20 in registration mode for the new communication tag 60, which places the charging locker 20 in registration mode for the new communication tag 60. In this state, when the new communication tag 60 is held over the tag reader 31 (see FIG. 4), the identification information of the new communication tag 60 is stored in the memory unit 38b of the charging locker 20, and as a result, the charging locker 20 becomes able to recognize the new communication tag 60.

[0045] Referring again to FIG. 4 , the charging locker 20 has a secondary battery 36. The secondary battery 36 is, for example, a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery. To unlock the locking device 33, the plunger must be operated, which requires power. The secondary battery 36 stores enough power to unlock the locking device 33 for a predetermined period of time, for example, one day, when the power is cut off due to a power outage or other reason. This allows a person to remove the battery 8 from the charging locker 20 for a predetermined period of time, even if a power outage or other reason occurs and external power cannot be supplied to the charging locker 20.

[0046] If external power cannot be supplied to the charging locker 20, the control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 may calculate the remaining power of the secondary battery 36 and unlock the lock devices 33 of all the batteries 8 housed in the charging locker 20 before the power of the secondary battery 36 becomes lower than the power required to unlock the lock devices 33 of all the batteries 8 housed in the charging locker 20. As shown in FIG. 9, the battery 8 may have a terminal into which a cable or adapter (e.g., a USB cable or a USB adapter) 19 that can be electrically connected to a mobile phone 70 can be inserted. The battery 8 may be capable of fully charging a mobile phone multiple times (e.g., 15 times) when fully charged.

[0047] <Communication tag> As shown in FIG. 1, the communication tag 60 is attached to each key 7 directly or indirectly via a connecting member 2, such as a string, chain, or metal hook. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the main components of the communication tag 60. As shown in FIG. 10, the communication tag 60 includes an IC chip 61 constituting a control device, which includes a control unit 61a and a memory unit 61b. The communication tag 60 is an NFC tag that performs short-range wireless communication. The communication tag 60 performs short-range wireless communication with the tag reader 31 (see FIG. 4), similar to the short-range wireless communication performed between the IC card 5 and the card reader 13 of the key box 10. When the charging locker 20 recognizes the communication tag 60, the battery 8 with the highest SOC can be removed from the charging locker 20. The communication tag 60 may perform any type of near-field wireless communication with the charging locker 20, for example, a FeliCa tag using Type-F FeliCa (registered trademark).

[0048] <Procedure from borrowing to returning the battery> Next, we will explain the process from when a person borrows battery 8, uses bicycle 6, and then returns battery 8 in an apartment building. Referring to FIG. 11, the user first goes to the manager's office, applies to use battery 8, and borrows IC card 5 (1). The manager, for example, manages the lending of IC card 5 using a ledger. Note that if the manager is absent, the user may be able to obtain IC card 5 from the IC card storage device by performing a predetermined operation, for example, by entering a password into the IC card storage device. Next, the user holds IC card 5 over card reader 13 of key box 10 to automatically open door 12 of key box 10, removes tagged key 7, manually closes door 12, and locks door 12 of key box 10 (2).

[0049] Next, when the user holds the communication tag 60 of the tag-attached key 7 over the tag reader 31 of the charging locker 20, the charging locker 20 fully lights up the light-emitting device 34 corresponding to the battery 8 with the highest SOC and unlocks the lock device 33 corresponding to that battery 8. The control unit 38a of the charging locker 20 also stores the identification information of the held communication tag 60 in the memory unit 38b, and information indicating that the battery 8 has been rented using the communication tag 60 with that identification number is stored in the memory unit 38b. This allows the user to identify the battery 8 with the highest SOC and remove it (3). Next, the user attaches the battery 8 with the highest SOC to the battery attachment section of the bicycle 6 and unlocks the bicycle 6 with the key 7 (4), and then uses the bicycle 6 (5).

[0050] When the person has finished using the bicycle 6, they lock the bicycle 6 with the key 7 (6) and remove the battery 8 from the battery attachment portion (7). Then, when they hold the communication tag 60 attached to the key 7 over the tag reader 31 of the charging locker 20, the control unit 38a puts one of the locking devices 33 in a state where the battery 8 can be returned, and lights up all the light-emitting devices 34 corresponding to that locking device 33 that is now in a returnable state (8).

[0051] When the user returns the battery 8 to the battery storage unit 24 corresponding to the locking device 33, the locking device 33 locks the battery 8, making it impossible to remove. Note that the user may be able to return the battery 8 without holding the communication tag 60 over the tag reader 31. In this case, if the user returns the battery 8 to an open battery storage unit 24, the locking device 33 may lock the returned battery 8 and make it impossible to remove. When the user then holds the IC card 5 borrowed from the caretaker over the card reader 13 of the key box 10, the door 12 of the key box 10 automatically opens. When the user returns the key to the key storage unit 11 and manually closes the door 12, the door 12 of the key box 10 automatically locks (9). When the user then returns the IC card 5 to the caretaker in the caretaker's room (or, if the caretaker is not present, the IC card 5 may be returned to the return slot), the entire procedure is completed.

[0052] [Essential Configurations and Their Effects in the First Embodiment (Offline Battery Removal System and Method)] The battery removal system 1 includes a charging locker 20 having multiple battery storage sections 24 that store multiple batteries 8, and that can charge the batteries 8 stored in the battery storage sections 24. The battery removal system 1 also includes a key box 10 that has an opening / closing door 12 that opens based on a short-range wireless communication signal, and a key storage section 11 that can store multiple keys 7 for electrically assisted bicycles. The battery removal system 1 also includes a communication tag 60 that is attached to each key 7 directly or indirectly via a connecting member 2, and that communicates with the charging locker 20 via short-range wireless communication, allowing one battery 8 to be removed from the charging locker 20.

[0053] The battery removal method of the present disclosure also unlocks the opening and closing door 12 of the key box 10 by performing short-range wireless communication with the key box 10, which has a key storage section 11 that can store multiple keys 7 for electrically assisted bicycles. The battery removal method of the present disclosure also enables removal of one battery 8 from the charging locker 20 by performing short-range wireless communication between the communication tag 60, which is attached directly or indirectly via a connecting member 2 to the key 7 removed from the key box 10, and the charging locker 20, which has multiple battery storage sections 24 that store multiple batteries 8 and can charge the batteries 8 stored in the battery storage sections 24.

[0054] According to the present disclosure, the battery 8 can be removed by holding the communication tag 60 attached to the key 7 of the bicycle 6 stored in the key box 10 over the charging locker 20. Therefore, it is only necessary to register the identification information of the communication tags 60 in the number that matches the number of bicycles in the charging locker 20, and there is no need to register the identification information of a large number of IC cards in the charging locker 20 (for example, 400 cards in the case of 100 households with four people per household). Therefore, when the battery removal system 1 is used for crowd sharing, the effort of registration and management can be significantly reduced.

[0055] [Configurations that are preferably adopted in the first embodiment (offline battery removal system and method) and their effects] The charging locker 20 may acquire at least one of charging information regarding the SOC of the battery (in the first embodiment, the SOC itself) and deterioration information regarding the SOH of the battery 8 (in the first embodiment, the SOH itself) from the battery 8 it houses.

[0056] In this configuration, when the charging locker 20 acquires charging information related to the SOC of the battery 8, the charging locker 20 can make the battery 8 with the highest SOC available for removal, allowing the user to use the bicycle 6 for a longer period of time. Also, when the charging locker 20 acquires deterioration information related to the SOH of the battery 8, the charging locker 20 can notify the user that the battery 8 has reached the end of its life, etc.

[0057] Furthermore, at least one of the charging information and the deterioration information may be stored in the storage unit 38b of the charging locker 20, or in the storage unit 52b of the server 50 on the cloud.

[0058] According to this configuration, a servicer at a sales company or a maintenance company can, at any time, obtain information on the frequency of use of each battery and information on the deterioration of the battery 8. Therefore, for example, based on the obtained information, it is possible to develop new battery 8 products, estimate the timing of replacing the battery 8, and identify trends in battery use by users at each facility.

[0059] Furthermore, the battery 8 with the highest SOC among the one or more batteries 8 housed in the charging locker 20 may be made removable as a single battery.

[0060] This configuration allows the user to use the bicycle 6 for a longer period of time.

[0061] The charging locker 20 may also have a plurality of light emitting devices 34 that correspond one-to-one to the plurality of battery receptacles 24, and the light emitting devices 34 may be capable of selectively emitting a plurality of different lights. The plurality of lights may correspond to a plurality of different pieces of information for the battery 8.

[0062] According to this configuration, the user can obtain a plurality of different pieces of information about the battery 8 by the light emitted by the light emitting device .

[0063] The light emitting device 34 may also be capable of illuminating the entire periphery of the socket in the battery housing portion 24 into which the battery 8 is inserted.

[0064] According to the above configuration, a person can easily identify the light-emitting device 34 corresponding to the battery receptacle 24 without making any mistake.

[0065] Furthermore, the charging locker 20 may have a card reader 32 capable of reading a new tag registration card (IC card 3) for registering a new communication tag 60. Furthermore, when the card reader 32 reads the new tag registration card, the charging locker 20 may be able to register the new communication tag 60, and the new communication tag 60 and the charging locker 20 may perform short-range wireless communication, thereby enabling the charging locker 20 to recognize the new communication tag 60.

[0066] According to this configuration, charging lockers 20 can be easily expanded, and an increase in the number of users can be flexibly accommodated. Also, new communication tags 60 can be easily registered in the charging lockers 20.

[0067] The charging locker 20 may also have a secondary battery 36. Even if it becomes impossible to supply power to the charging locker 20 from the outside, the battery 8 may be able to be removed from the charging locker 20 for a predetermined period of time using the power of the secondary battery 36.

[0068] According to the above configuration, even if power cannot be supplied to the charging locker 20 from the outside due to a power outage or the like, a person can remove the battery 8 from the charging locker 20 and use the bicycle 6 for a specified period of time.

[0069] (Second embodiment) As described above, in the second embodiment, an online battery removal system and a battery removal method for removing a battery 8 using a network (Internet) will be described. Note that in the second embodiment, the same components as in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof will be omitted. Also, in the second embodiment, various configurations and operations described in the first embodiment may be executed. For example, in the second embodiment, an operation may be performed in which at least one of the SOC and the SOH is stored in the storage unit 52b of the server 50 on the cloud or the storage unit 38b of the charging locker 20. In the second embodiment, descriptions of the same effects and modifications as in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0070] Fig. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery removal system 101 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for removing a battery 8 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 12, the battery removal system 101 includes a key box 110 and a charging locker 120. In the battery removal system 101 of the second embodiment, a mobile phone 70 is used to remove a battery 8 from the charging locker 120 instead of the IC card 5 described in the first embodiment.

[0071] The mobile phone 70 includes a display unit 71, an operation unit 72, a transmission / reception unit 73, and a control device 74, and the control device 74 includes a control unit 74a and a storage unit 74b. The display unit 71 and the operation unit 72 are configured with a touch panel or the like. An application is installed on the mobile phone 70 to reserve at least one battery 8 stored in the charging locker 20 (two or more batteries 8 may be reserved).

[0072] Compared to the key box 10 of the first embodiment, the key box 110 has a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal reading unit 113 instead of the card reader 13. Also, compared to the charging locker 20 of the first embodiment, the charging locker 120 has a Bluetooth signal reading unit 131 instead of the tag reader 31.

[0073] 13, after battery removal system 101 is established, a person downloads an application for making a battery reservation to their mobile phone from a predetermined server on the cloud, etc. Then, when the person uses the application to newly register the identification information of the mobile phone on the reservation site, the procedure for removing battery 8 becomes possible.

[0074] When a person reserves a battery 8 using the application (step S1), reservation information for the battery 8 linked to the reservation identification information is stored in the storage unit 52b of the server 50 (step S2). The application may display information about the batteries 8 stored in the charging locker 120 and the SOC of each battery 8 on the display unit 71, and the person may be able to reserve the battery 8 with the highest SOC in advance using the application in step S1. The person may also be able to make a reservation with a specified date and time using the application (for example, a reservation for 10 minutes later or a reservation for 1 PM two days later). If multiple people wish to use the battery 8, the person may be able to reserve multiple batteries 8 in advance using the application in order of highest SOC in step S1.

[0075] Next, the control unit 52a of the server 50 issues an encryption key, the transmitting / receiving unit 51 of the server 50 transmits information about the encryption key to the mobile phone 70, and the encryption key is stored in the storage unit 74b of the mobile phone 70 (step S3). The encryption key includes reservation identification information.

[0076] In step S4, the control unit 15a of the key box 110 determines whether the Bluetooth signal reading unit 113 has read the Bluetooth signal emitted by the mobile phone 70. If the determination in step S4 is negative, step S4 is repeated, and if the determination in step S4 is positive, the control unit 15a of the key box 110 automatically opens the opening / closing door 12 (step S5), and a person removes the key 7.

[0077] In step S6, the control unit 38a of the charging locker 120 determines whether the Bluetooth signal reading unit 131 has read the encryption key information included in the Bluetooth signal. When a person carrying the mobile phone 70 approaches the charging locker 120 within a predetermined distance, the mobile phone 70 automatically pairs with the Bluetooth signal reading unit 131 and begins communication. Because the mobile phone 70 automatically pairs with the charging locker 120 and performs short-range wireless communication, the battery 8 can be removed from the charging locker 120 even if the person's hands are full, improving convenience.

[0078] If a negative determination is made in step S6, step S6 is repeated, and if a positive determination is made in step S6, the control unit 38a of the charging locker 120 causes the transceiver unit 37 to transmit a signal to cause the server 50 to transmit reservation information linked to the reservation identification information included in the encryption key to the charging locker 120. Then, the control unit 38a of the charging locker 120 acquires the reservation information linked to the reservation identification information (step S7).

[0079] In the next step S8, the control unit 38a of the charging locker 120 controls the locking device 33 based on the reservation information linked to the reservation identification information. For example, if the first battery 8, which has the highest SOC at that time, is reserved in step S1, the locking device 33 corresponding to the first battery 8 may be unlocked and the light-emitting device 34 corresponding to the first battery 8 may be fully lit. Note that in step S1, a person may simply reserve one or more batteries 8. Then, in step S8, the control unit 38a of the charging locker 120 may unlock one or more locking devices 33 corresponding to one or more batteries with the highest SOC among the multiple batteries 8 stored therein and fully light the one or more light-emitting devices 34 corresponding to the one or more batteries with the highest SOC. When step S8 is completed, the removal of the battery 8 is complete.

[0080] In the second embodiment, when a person borrows a battery 8, uses a bicycle 6, and then goes through the procedures to return the battery 8, instead of borrowing an IC card 5 as in (1) of Fig. 11, the person makes a reservation for the battery via a mobile phone, as shown by (α) in Fig. 11. When the battery 8 is returned to the charging locker 120, information about the return of the battery may be sent from the charging locker 120 to the server 50 of the reservation site, as shown by (β) in Fig. 11, and furthermore, information about the end of use of the battery 8 may be sent from the server 50 to the mobile phone 70, for example, by email. In this way, a person may be able to check the information about the end of use of the battery 8.

[0081] [Essential Configurations and Their Effects in the Second Embodiment (Online Battery Removal System and Method)] The battery removal system 101 includes a charging locker 120 having multiple battery storage sections 24 that store multiple batteries 8, and that can charge the batteries 8 stored in the battery storage sections 24. The battery removal system 101 also includes a key box 110 that has an opening / closing door 12 that is unlocked based on short-range wireless communication with a mobile phone 70, and a key storage section 11 that can store multiple keys 7 for electrically assisted bicycles. At least one battery 8 can be removed from the charging locker 120 based on short-range wireless communication between the mobile phone 70 and the charging locker 120.

[0082] In addition, the battery removal method of the present disclosure unlocks the opening and closing door 12 of the key box 110 by communicating the mobile phone 70 with the key box 110 having a key storage section 11 that can store multiple keys 7 for electric assist bicycles by short-range wireless communication, and makes it possible to remove at least one battery from the charging locker 120 by communicating the mobile phone 70 with the charging locker 120 having multiple battery storage sections 24 that can store multiple batteries 8 and can charge the batteries 8 stored in the battery storage sections 24 by short-range wireless communication.

[0083] There are cases where a facility does not have a caretaker's room. Also, there are facilities where a caretaker is not on duty 24 hours a day. In this context, the battery removal system 101 allows the battery 8 to be removed from the charging locker 120 without using the IC card 5 described in the first embodiment. Therefore, there is no need for any supervision by a caretaker, and the battery 8 can be freely removed from the charging locker 120 at any time.

[0084] [Configurations that are preferably adopted in the second embodiment (online battery removal system and method) and their effects] An application for reserving at least one battery 8 stored in the charging locker 120 may be installed on the mobile phone. When a reservation is made using the mobile phone 70, information about the reservation may be stored in the server 50 on the cloud, and information indicating that a reservation has been made may also be stored in the mobile phone 70. When the mobile phone 70 transmits information indicating that a reservation has been made to the charging locker 120 via short-range wireless communication, the charging locker 120 may be able to remove at least one battery 8 from the charging locker 120 based on the information about the reservation stored in the server 50.

[0085] According to this configuration, reservation information and the like can be managed by a dedicated server 50 on the cloud. Therefore, there is no need for the charging lockers 120 to perform complex management and control of reservations, making it easy to build an extensive system spanning multiple facilities.

[0086] Furthermore, the charging locker 120 may acquire at least one of charging information related to the SOC of the battery 8 and degradation information related to the SOH of the battery from the battery 8 it houses. Then, at least one of the charging information and degradation information may be stored in the storage unit 38b of the charging locker 120 or in the server 50 on the cloud.

[0087] According to this configuration, it is possible to develop new battery 8 products, estimate the timing of replacing the battery 8, identify trends in battery usage by users in each facility, and so on, based on the acquired information.

[0088] [Charging Locker Disclosure] The charging locker 20 has a secondary battery 36, and even if power is no longer supplied from outside, the battery 8 can be removed from the battery storage section 24 for a predetermined period using the power of the secondary battery 36. This has the remarkable effect of allowing the battery 8 to be removed from the battery storage section 24 for a predetermined period even if power is no longer supplied due to a power outage or the like.

[0089] A charging locker 20 has a plurality of battery storage sections 24 that store a plurality of batteries 8, and is capable of charging the batteries 8 stored in the battery storage sections 24, and the charging locker 20 obtains at least one of charging information regarding the charging rate of the batteries 8 and degradation information regarding the degradation state of the batteries 8 from the batteries 8 it stores. Because the charging locker 20 can obtain at least one of the charging information and degradation state of the batteries 8, it has the remarkable effect of allowing servicers and the like to utilize the information later.

[0090] [Variations] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described first and second embodiments and their modifications, and various improvements and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents.

[0091] For example, in the second embodiment, at least one of the communication between the mobile phone 70 and the key box 110 and the communication between the mobile phone 70 and the charging locker 120 may be performed based on a short-range wireless communication standard other than Bluetooth.

[0092] The key box may also be able to send and receive information to and from the server 50 via a network. The control unit of the key box may then confirm that information relating to the reservation identification information included in the encryption key is stored in the memory unit 52b of the server 50, thereby unlocking the opening and closing door 12.

[0093] In addition, unlocking the key box may be performed based on short-range wireless communication between a mobile phone and the key box, while removing the battery from the charging locker may be performed based on short-range wireless communication between a communication tag attached to the key and the charging locker.

[0094] Furthermore, the charging locker may have two or more different battery storage compartments and may be capable of charging two or more different types of batteries.

[0095] In the second embodiment, the reservation information may be stored in the storage unit of the charging locker, instead of in the storage unit of the server on the client computer.

[0096] [The disclosure in this application may be considered a highly advanced technical invention utilizing the laws of nature independently of the independent claims of this application] The battery information storage system and the battery information storage method, in which the charging locker 20 acquires at least one of charging information relating to the charging rate of the battery 8 and degradation information relating to the degradation state of the battery from the battery 8 stored therein, and at least one of the charging information and degradation information is stored in the memory unit 38b of the charging locker 20 or in the memory unit 52b of the server 50 on the cloud, may be considered to be an advanced technical creation utilizing the laws of nature independently of the independent claims of this application.

[0097] Furthermore, the charging locker 20 and the lighting method of the lighting devices 34 of the charging locker 20, which have a plurality of lighting devices 34 that correspond one-to-one to a plurality of battery storage compartments 24, and which can selectively emit different lights, and the lights correspond to different pieces of information for the batteries 8, can be considered to be an advanced technical creation that utilizes the laws of nature independently of the independent claims of this application.

[0098] Furthermore, the charging locker 20 has a card reader 32 capable of reading a new tag registration card (IC card 3) for registering a new communication tag 60, and when the card reader 32 reads the new tag registration card, the new communication tag 60 can be registered, and by performing short-range wireless communication with the new communication tag 60, the new communication tag 60 can be recognized. This can be considered an advanced technical creation that utilizes the laws of nature on its own, unrelated to the independent claims of this application.

[0099] Furthermore, the charging locker 20 has a card reader 32 that can read a new tag registration card (IC card 3) for registering a new communication tag 60, and when the card reader 32 reads the new tag registration card, the charging locker 20 becomes able to register the new communication tag, and the new communication tag 60 and the charging locker 20 perform short-range wireless communication, thereby enabling the charging locker 20 to recognize the new communication tag 60. This method of registering a communication tag 60 for a charging locker 20 can be considered a highly advanced technical creation that utilizes the laws of nature on its own, unrelated to the independent claims of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1,101 Battery removal system, 2 Connecting member, 3,5 IC card, 6 Bicycle, 7 Key, 8 Battery, 9 Network, 10,110 Key box, 11 Key storage section, 12 Opening and closing door, 13 Card reader, 14 Motor, 15 Key box control device, 20,120 Charging locker, 21 Main body, 22 Base, 23 Housing, 24 Battery storage section, 24a Opening, 25 Battery storage section, 31 Tag reader, 32 Card reader, 33 Locking device, 34 Light-emitting device, 34a Light-emitting section, 35 Power conversion section, 36 Secondary battery, 37 Transmitting and receiving section, 38 Charging locker control device, 41 Current detection sensor, 42 Terminal for reading battery information, 43 Battery control device, 50 Server, Server transmission / reception unit, 52 Server control device, 55 Information processing device, 60 Communication tag, 61 IC chip, 70 Mobile phone, 71 Display unit, 72 Operation unit, 73 Transmission / reception unit, 74 Mobile phone control device, 113 Key box Bluetooth signal reading unit, 131 Charging locker Bluetooth signal reading unit.

Claims

1. A charging locker has a plurality of battery storage sections that store a plurality of batteries, and is capable of charging the batteries stored in the battery storage sections, and is equipped with a locking device that can select a state in which the battery can be removed from the battery storage section or a state in which it cannot be removed; the charging locker has a secondary battery that is different from the battery and is not to be charged, and even if power cannot be supplied to the charging locker from the outside, the locking device can be released using power from the secondary battery to make the battery removable from the battery storage section, allowing the battery to be removed from the charging locker for a predetermined period of time; the locking device has a locking member that engages with the battery, and by engaging with the battery, the battery cannot be removed from the battery storage section, and by the locking member being out of contact with the battery, the battery can be removed from the battery storage section.

2. A charging locker as described in claim 1, wherein the secondary battery stores enough power to unlock the locking device for one day, and the battery can be removed from the charging locker.

3. 3. A charging locker according to claim 1, wherein the locking device has a solenoid, the solenoid including a plunger and a coil, and the plunger can be advanced and retracted by controlling whether or not current is passed through the coil, thereby selecting a state in which the battery can be attached and detached from the battery storage section or a state in which the battery cannot be attached and detached.

4. A charging locker as described in any of claims 1 to 3, which is equipped with a control device, and when external power can no longer be supplied to the charging locker, the control device calculates the remaining power of the secondary battery and unlocks the locking devices of all of the batteries contained in the battery storage section before the power of the secondary battery becomes less than the power required to unlock the locking devices of all of the batteries contained in the battery storage section.

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