Charging state control system and charging state control method and aircraft

Abstract

To control a charging state of a battery.SOLUTION: A charging state control system 99 comprises: a power generator 40a that generates power and supplies the power to a load; a battery 32 that stores the power generated by the power generator 40a and supplies the stored power to the load; an ECU 33 that detects a charging state of the battery 32; and a control unit 91 that, when a remaining charge amount of the battery 32 detected by the ECU 33 is equal to or larger than a reservation threshold, discharges the power stored in the battery 32 to an external power supply 111 to control the charging state of the battery 32. As a result, the control unit 91 makes the battery 32 be charged by power supply from the power generator 40a and, when the remaining charge amount is equal to or larger than the reservation threshold, discharges the power stored in the battery 32 to the external power supply 111, which makes it possible to suppress progression of degradation of the battery 32 by keeping the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 about at or below the reservation threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a charge state control system, a charge state control method, and an aircraft.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL aircraft or simply an aircraft) that takes off and lands vertically by ascending and descending in the vertical direction by a plurality of takeoff and landing (VTOL) rotors arranged on the left and right sides of the fuselage and flies in the horizontal direction by a cruise rotor arranged at the rear of the fuselage is known. In such an aircraft, a power generation device generates power using an engine and charges a battery, and the power charged in the battery is used to operate a plurality of rotors to fly. Patent Document 1 discloses a thermal management system for an aircraft that recovers the charge amount of a battery using an external power source and controls its temperature to an appropriate temperature until the next flight. Patent Document 1 US Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0170908

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] However, since the deterioration of the battery progresses depending on the charge state (remaining charge amount, temperature, etc.) of the battery, the progress of deterioration can be suppressed by managing the charge state of the battery.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charge state control system for controlling the charge state of a battery, including a power generation device that generates power and supplies power to a load, a battery that stores the power generated by the power generation device and supplies the stored power to the load, a detection unit that detects the charge state of the battery, and a control unit that controls the charge state of the battery by discharging the power stored in the battery to an external power source when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery by the detection unit is equal to or greater than a storage threshold value.

[0005] In a second aspect of the present invention, an aircraft is provided comprising a charge state control system of the first aspect, wherein the load is a propulsion system that generates thrust for flight.

[0006] A third aspect of the present invention provides a charge state control method for controlling the charge state of a battery, comprising the steps of: detecting the charge state of a battery that stores power supplied from a power generator and supplies the stored power to a load; and controlling the charge state of the battery by discharging the power stored in the battery to an external power source when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a storage threshold.

[0007] It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all of its features. Furthermore, subcombinations of these features may also constitute an invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] The configuration of the aircraft according to this embodiment is shown in a top view. [Figure 2] The configuration of the high-voltage system and the communication system are shown. [Figure 3] This shows the functional configuration of the charging state control system. [Figure 4] The flowchart of the charging state control method according to this embodiment is shown. [Figure 5] This shows an example of the operation of the charging state control system. [Figure 6A] This shows one state of power transfer in the charge state control system ((1) Operating state of the battery discharge and temperature control system). [Figure 6B] This shows one state of power transfer in the charge state control system ((2) Operating state of the temperature control system during soaking). [Figure 6C] This shows one state of power transfer in the charging state control system ((3) Engine starting state). [Figure 6D]This shows one state of power transfer in the charging state control system ((4) state after engine start). [Figure 7] This shows an example of how the battery's charge level changes over time. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention will be described below through embodiments, but these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0010] In this specification, "greater than or equal to" and "exceeding" may be interpreted interchangeably. Similarly, "less than or equal to" and "less than" may be interpreted interchangeably.

[0011] Figure 1 shows a top view of the configuration of the aircraft 100 according to this embodiment. The aircraft 100 is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft equipped with rotors driven by electric motors, which generate thrust using a take-off and landing rotor (also called a VTOL rotor) 20 to take off and land vertically, and generate thrust using a cruising rotor (also called a cruise rotor) 29 to fly horizontally. It is also a hybrid aircraft that can operate electric motors using high-voltage power generated by a power generator 40a (engine 44 and motor generator 42) and high-voltage power charged in a high-voltage battery (also simply called a battery) 32, and can charge the battery 32 with the engine 44.

[0012] The aircraft 100 according to this embodiment is configured to suppress the progression of battery degradation by, for example, discharging the battery 32 while parked to maintain the remaining charge below a storage threshold, and comprises a fuselage 12, a front wing 14, a rear wing 16, two booms 18, eight VTOL rotors 20, two cruising rotors 29, a temperature control system 70, a high-voltage system 40 and a communication system 49, and a charge state control system 99.

[0013] The fuselage 12 is a structure that provides space for crew and passengers to board and for cargo to be loaded, as well as housing equipment such as the battery 32, motor generator 42, and engine 44. The fuselage 12 is symmetrical with respect to the central axis L, extends in the longitudinal direction parallel to the central axis L, and has a shape that is narrow in the lateral direction perpendicular to the central axis L in the horizontal plane. Here, the direction parallel to the central axis L is the longitudinal direction, the left and right sides of the drawing are the front (F) and rear (B), respectively, the direction perpendicular to the central axis L in the horizontal plane is the width direction (or lateral direction), and the top and bottom of the drawing are the right (R) and left (L), respectively. The vertical direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal and width directions, respectively, and the upward and downward directions in the vertical direction are also called the upward (U) and downward (L), respectively. In a top view, the fuselage 12 has a rounded, curved front end and a rear end that is somewhat narrower relative to the fuselage and parallel to the width direction.

[0014] The canard wing 14 extends laterally from the fuselage 12 and generates lift by moving forward during cruising, i.e., it functions as the canard of the aircraft 100. The canard wing 14 has a V-shape with two wing bodies extending forward to the left and right from the center, and is fixed at the center to the upper front of the fuselage of the fuselage 12 with the opening of the V-shape facing forward. The canard wing 14 includes elevators 14a positioned on each of the two wing bodies.

[0015] The rear wing 16 extends laterally from the fuselage 12 and is a wing body that generates lift by moving forward during cruising, and functions as a swept wing to reduce air resistance. The rear wing 16 has a V-shape with two wing bodies extending from the center to the left rear and right rear, respectively, and is fixed at the center to the upper rear end of the fuselage 12 via a pylon 16c with the V-shape opening facing rearward. The rear wing 16 includes elevons 16a arranged on each of the two wing bodies and a vertical stabilizer 16b located at the wingtip.

[0016] Here, the wing area of ​​the rear wing 16 is larger than that of the forewing wing 14, and the wingspan of the rear wing 16 is longer than that of the forewing wing. As a result, the lift generated by the rear wing 16 when moving forward is greater than the lift generated by the forewing wing 14, and the rear wing 16 functions as the main wing of the aircraft 100. The wing area, length, etc., of the forewing wing 14 and the rear wing 16 may be determined based on the balance of the lifts they generate, the position of the center of gravity, the attitude of the aircraft during cruising, etc.

[0017] The two booms 18 are structures supported by the front wing 14 and rear wing 16, respectively, spaced apart from the fuselage 12, and serve to support or house the various components of the VTOL rotor 20. The two booms 18 have a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction when viewed from above, and an airfoil-shaped cross-section that curves rounded at the top and tapers at the bottom when viewed from the front, and are arranged symmetrically in pairs with respect to the fuselage 12 (i.e., the central axis L). The two booms 18 may also be formed to extend in the front-rear direction and curve in an arc shape in the width direction. The two booms 18 are positioned forward of the forewing 14 at the front fuselage (between the two front VTOL rotors 20aL, 20bL and between the two front VTOL rotors 20aR, 20bR) and are supported by the tip of the forewing 14 at the front fuselage, while their rear ends are positioned behind the rear wing 16 and are supported by the rear wing 16 at the rear fuselage (between the two rear VTOL rotors 20cL, 20dL and between the two rear VTOL rotors 20cR, 20dR).

[0018] The eight VTOL rotors 20 (20aL to 20dL, 20aR to 20dR) are an example of a load to which power generated by the power generation device 40a is supplied, and are a propulsion system supported by the two booms 18 and generating vertical thrust during takeoff and landing. Four of the eight VTOL rotors 20, i.e., 20aL to 20dL, are supported by the left boom 18 at substantially equal intervals, and the remaining four VTOL rotors 20aR to 20dR are supported by the right boom 18 at substantially equal intervals. Here, among the left VTOL rotors 20aL to 20dL, the VTOL rotor 20aL is the foremost, the two VTOL rotors 20bL and 20cL are arranged one in front of the other between the front wing 14 and the rear wing 16, and the VTOL rotor 20dL is the last. Similarly, among the right VTOL rotors 20aR to 20dR, the VTOL rotor 20aR is the foremost, the two VTOL rotors 20bR and 20cR are arranged one in front of the other between the front wing 14 and the rear wing 16, and the VTOL rotor 20dR is the last. Among these left VTOL rotors 20aL to 20dL and the right four VTOL rotors 20aR to 20dR, each two left and right VTOL rotors 20aL, 20aR, VTOL rotors 20bL, 20bR, VTOL rotors 20cL, 20cR, and VTOL rotors 20dL, 20dR having the same position in the front-rear direction form a pair and are controlled to rotate in opposite directions to each other.

[0019] Unless otherwise specified, each of the eight VTOL rotors 20aL to 20dL, 20aR to 20dR is simply referred to as the VTOL rotor 20.

[0020] The VTOL rotor 20 has one or more blades 23, a motor 21, an inverter 22, and an ECU 25 (see FIG. 2).

[0021] One or more blades 23 are wing-shaped members supported on the boom 18 that generate vertical thrust by rotating. In this embodiment, there are two blades 23, but any number including one or three or more may be used. One or more blades 23 are supported at a position higher than the front wing 14 and rear wing 16. In Figure 1, the rotation planes of one or more blades 23 of each VTOL rotor 20 are shown using dashed lines.

[0022] Motor 21 is an electric motor having a rotating shaft (not shown) oriented in the vertical direction, and rotates a blade 23 fixed to motor 21 via a transmission (not shown) that changes the rotational speed of the rotating shaft. Motor 21 is housed in boom 18.

[0023] The inverter 22 is a device that receives DC power from the battery 32 via the high-voltage system 40 and converts the DC power to AC power by driving (turning on and off) a switching element according to a drive signal received from the ECU 25, and supplies it to the motor 21. The inverter 22 is housed in the boom 18 together with the motor 21. The inverter 22 can control the rotational torque and rotational speed of the motor 21 by increasing or decreasing the amplitude and frequency of the AC power.

[0024] The Electronic Control Unit (ECU) 25 controls the operation of the inverter 22 by transmitting a drive signal to it, modulating the amplitude and frequency of the AC power, and also manages the power state input to the inverter 22. In this embodiment, the ECU 25 is attached to the inverter 22. The ECU 25 is implemented as a microcontroller, for example, and operates by receiving high-voltage DC power from the battery 32, stepping it down to low-voltage DC power using a DC-DC converter 26 (described later), via a low-voltage system (also called a low-voltage system (LVS)), and performing control functions by executing a dedicated program stored in memory. Alternatively, a low-voltage battery independent of the battery 32 may be provided inside the aircraft to receive low-voltage DC power. Here, the power state input to the inverter 22 includes at least the voltage applied to the input terminals of the inverter 22 (also called the terminal voltage), the current entering the input terminal, and their product (i.e., power). The ECU 25 detects the power state input to the inverter 22 and transmits the detection results to the flight controller 92.

[0025] The two cruising rotors 29 (29L, 29R) are an example of a load supplied with power generated by the generator 40a, and are propulsion systems supported at the rear end of the fuselage 12 that generate thrust during cruising (see Figure 2). The cruising rotors 29L, 29R are arranged side by side with respect to the central axis L within a cylindrical duct 28 fixed to the rear end of the fuselage 12, and are supported within the duct 28. Each rotor has one or more blades 23 that generate forward thrust by rotating, a motor 21 having a rotation axis oriented in the front-rear direction that rotates one or more blades 23 fixed to the tip, an inverter 22 that receives DC power from the battery 32, converts it to AC power and supplies it to the motor 21, and an ECU 25 that controls the operation of the inverter 22. The inverter 22 can control the rotational speed of the motor 21. Each of these components is configured similarly to those in the VTOL rotor 20.

[0026] Unless otherwise specified, the two cruising rotors 29L and 29R will be simply referred to as cruising rotor 29. Also, unless otherwise specified, the VTOL rotor 20 and the cruising rotor 29 will be collectively referred to as rotors 20 and 29.

[0027] The temperature control system 70 is an example of a temperature control unit and controls the temperature of the battery 32, which will be described later, by heating, cooling, and maintaining its temperature. The temperature control system 70 includes a heating device 71, a cooling device 72, and a pump 73 (see Figure 3). The temperature control system 70 can be operated by low-voltage DC power supplied via a low-voltage system, which is obtained by stepping down the high-voltage power of the battery 32 via a DC-DC converter 26, which will be described later, and by low-voltage DC power supplied from an external power supply 111.

[0028] The heating device 71 is controlled by the control unit 91 and uses low-voltage DC power supplied from the battery 32 and the external power supply 111 to heat and maintain the temperature of the battery 32. The heating device 71 can be an electric water heater (ECH) that uses electricity to heat water and circulates it to heat and maintain the temperature of the object. While one heating device 71 is sufficient for each battery 32, it is not limited to one for multiple batteries 32, or one for each of the batteries 32. The heating device 71 can also be used for air conditioning inside the aircraft.

[0029] This device is controlled by a cooling device 72 and a control unit 91, and cools the battery 32 using low-voltage DC power supplied from the battery 32 and an external power supply 111. The cooling device 72 can be a device that includes a compressor that pressurizes the refrigerant to make it a high-temperature gas, a first heat exchanger that cools the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant to liquefy it, a pressure reducer that reduces the liquid refrigerant to make it a low-temperature liquid, a second heat exchanger that cools water by heat exchange using the low-temperature liquid refrigerant, and a pump that circulates the refrigerant through piping between the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the pressure reducer, and the second heat exchanger. The cooling device 72 cools the target object by circulating the cooled water. One cooling device 72 is sufficient for all batteries 32, but it is not limited to one for multiple batteries 32, or one for each of all batteries 32. The cooling device 72 can also be used for air conditioning inside the aircraft.

[0030] The pump 73 is controlled by the control unit 91 and circulates water between the heating device 71, the cooling device 72, and the four batteries 32. The heating device 71, the cooling device 72, and the four batteries 32 are connected in series via piping 75, and the batteries 32 are heated by the heating device 71 or cooled by the cooling device 72 and sent to the four batteries 32, thereby heating, maintaining the temperature, or cooling the batteries 32. Note that any medium other than water can be used.

[0031] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the high-voltage system (also called a power distribution system (PDS)) 40 and the communication system 49.

[0032] The high-voltage system 40 consists of one set of power generators 40a and four group components G1 to G4. These components are connected via power lines (power cables shown as solid lines).

[0033] The power generation device 40a is a power source that generates electricity using the engine 44 based on a target power generation amount and supplies the generated electricity to the load, and is composed of an engine (ENG) 44, a motor generator (M / G) 42, and a power control unit (PCU) 41.

[0034] Engine 44 is an internal combustion engine such as a reciprocating engine or a gas turbine engine. Engine 44 generates rotational power and outputs it to the motor generator 42. Engine 44 is controlled by the ECU 44a installed on it.

[0035] The ECU44a is a unit that controls power generation by operating the engine 44 based on the target power generation amount received from the control unit 91. The ECU44a is implemented as a microcontroller, for example, and operates by receiving low-voltage DC power via a low-voltage system after stepping down high-voltage DC power from the battery 32 to low-voltage DC power using a DC-DC converter 26 (described later), and performs control functions by executing a dedicated program stored in memory. Alternatively, a low-voltage battery independent of the battery 32 may be provided inside the aircraft, and the aircraft may be configured to receive low-voltage DC power from this battery.

[0036] The motor-generator 42 is an electric generator that acts as a starter when starting the engine 44 and becomes a generator after the engine 44 has started. The rotating shaft of the motor-generator 42 is connected to the output shaft of the engine 44. The motor-generator 42 receives power from the engine 44 to generate electricity, i.e., AC power (especially three-phase AC power), which it outputs to the PCU 41, and then supplies the generated power to the load (i.e., the VTOL rotor 20 that generates thrust for flight and the cruising rotor 29) via the PCU 41. Also, when starting the engine 44, the motor-generator 42 receives AC power to generate rotational power and outputs it to the engine 44.

[0037] The PCU41 is a power conversion unit that uses an inverter circuit to convert AC power (especially three-phase AC power) input from the primary side into DC power and output it to the secondary side, and also converts DC power input from the secondary side into AC power (especially three-phase AC power) and outputs it to the primary side. The primary terminals of the PCU41 are connected to the motor generator 42, and the secondary terminals are connected to each of the four group components G1 to G4. The PCU41 can convert the AC power output from the motor generator 42 into DC power and output it to each of the four group components G1 to G4, and can also convert the DC power supplied from the batteries 32 included in the four group components G1 to G4 into AC power and output it to the motor generator 42. The PCU41 is controlled by the ECU41a installed on it.

[0038] ECU41a is an example of a control unit, and it controls power generation by operating PCU41 based on the target power generation amount received from the control unit 91. ECU41a is implemented as a microcontroller, for example, and operates by receiving low-voltage DC power via a low-voltage system after stepping down high-voltage DC power from battery 32 to low-voltage DC power using a DC-DC converter 26 (described later), and performs control functions by executing a dedicated program stored in memory. Alternatively, a low-voltage battery independent of battery 32 may be provided inside the aircraft, and the system may be configured to receive low-voltage DC power from this battery.

[0039] The four group components G1 to G4 each consist of electrical components, each comprising any two of the eight VTOL rotors 20, one of the two cruising rotors 29 for group components G1 to G2, and one DC-DC converter 26 for group components G3 to G4, along with a battery 32 and a switch 36 attached to them. These components, including the battery 32, are connected via circuit elements such as power lines (power cables shown as solid lines), conductors, and diodes.

[0040] Group component G1 includes VTOL rotors 20aR, 20dL, cruising rotor 29R, battery 32, and switch 36.

[0041] As previously mentioned, the VTOL rotors 20aR, 20dL, and cruising rotor 29R each have a motor 21 that rotates one or more blades 23, and an inverter 22 that receives DC power from the battery 32, converts it to AC power, and supplies it to the motor 21. These three rotors 20 and 29 are connected in parallel to the battery 32. For simplicity, in Figure 2, the VTOL rotors 20aR, 20dL, and cruising rotor 29R are represented by a single rotor.

[0042] Battery 32 is an internal power source that stores electricity generated by the generator 40a, supplies the stored electricity to the engine 44 to start it, and also supplies it to the VTOL rotor 20 and the cruising rotor 29 (motor 21 via inverter 22) to operate them. Here, the charge state of the battery (especially the remaining charge amount or charge rate) is also called SOC (State of Charge). Battery 32 is connected between the three rotors 20, 29 and the switch 36. Battery 32 is managed by the ECU 33 installed in it.

[0043] The ECU33 is an example of a detection unit and is a unit that manages the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 32. The ECU33 is implemented as a microcontroller, for example, and operates by receiving high-voltage DC power from the battery 32, which is stepped down to low-voltage DC power by a DC-DC converter 26 (described later), via a low-voltage system. It performs control functions by executing a dedicated program stored in memory. Alternatively, a low-voltage battery independent of the battery 32 may be provided inside the aircraft, and the system may be configured to receive low-voltage DC power from this battery. Here, the charge state of the battery 32 includes at least the charge amount (remaining charge amount, also called SOC), the discharge amount (discharged power amount), temperature, and the voltage of each cell constituting the battery 32. The ECU33 detects the charge state of the battery 32 by any method, such as detecting the current output from the battery 32 and calculating its cumulative amount, or detecting the potential of the output terminal. The detection result is transmitted to the control unit 91 via a communication line.

[0044] Switch 36 is an element for connecting and disconnecting the group component G1 to the secondary terminal of PCU 41, and is composed of, for example, a rectifier element (diode) and a switching element connected in parallel. The rectifier element is an element that allows only power going from PCU 41 into group component G1 to pass through. The switching element is an element that short-circuits both ends of the rectifier element, and an element such as an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) can be used. By turning off switch 36 (switching element), DC power output from PCU 41 can be sent to the battery 32 and the three rotors 20, 29 via the rectifier element, and by turning it on, DC power can be sent from the battery 32 to PCU 41 via the switching element.

[0045] Furthermore, by including a rectifier element in the switch 36, it is possible to prevent power from being supplied from one group component's battery 32 to another group component among the four group components G1 to G4 while the VTOL rotor 20 and cruising rotor 29 are in operation.

[0046] Group component G2 includes VTOL rotors 20aL and 20dR, a cruising rotor 29L, a battery 32, and a switch 36. Each of these components is configured similarly to those in group component G1. For simplicity, in Figure 2, the VTOL rotors 20aL and 20dR and the cruising rotor 29L are represented by a single rotor.

[0047] Group component G3 includes VTOL rotors 20bR, 20cL, a DC-DC converter 26, a battery 32, and a switch 36. All components except the DC-DC converter 26 are configured similarly to those in group component G1. For simplicity, in Figure 2, the VTOL rotors 20bR, 20cL are represented by a single rotor.

[0048] The DC-DC converter 26 is a device that steps down the high-voltage power supplied from the generator 40a and the high-voltage power (DC power) stored in the battery 32 and supplies low-voltage power to the temperature control system 70 (heating device 71, cooling device 72, and pump 73), external power supply 111, etc. via a low-voltage system. The low-voltage power stepped down by the DC-DC converter 26 may be used in electrical components of the low-voltage system such as the elevator 14a, elevon 16a and other control surfaces, display-related equipment in the cockpit, the pitch angle changing mechanism of the blades 23 of the VTOL rotor 20, and cabin air conditioning. Any type of step-down converter can be used for the DC-DC converter 26, such as a chopper type, flyback type, or forward type converter. The DC-DC converter 26 is connected in parallel to the battery 32 together with the VTOL rotors 20bR and 20cL.

[0049] Group component G4 includes VTOL rotors 20bL, 20cR, a DC-DC converter 26, a battery 32, and a switch 36. Each of these components is configured similarly to those in group component G3. For simplicity, in Figure 2, the VTOL rotors 20bL, 20cR are represented by a single rotor.

[0050] In this embodiment, the aircraft 100 is equipped with one battery 32 for each of the four group components G1 to G4, for a total of four batteries. However, it is not limited to this, and any number of batteries 32 may be provided, such as one battery 32 for two of the four group components G1 to G4, for a total of two batteries 32, or two batteries 32 for each of the group components G1 to G4, for a total of eight batteries 32. The number of group components is also not limited to assembling components for every three rotors, but may be assembling components for every two rotors or every four rotors. Furthermore, each group component may be equipped with one or more batteries 32.

[0051] The communication system 49 includes a flight controller (FCU) 92, a control unit (MCU) 91, an ECU 44a installed in the engine 44, an ECU 41a installed in the PCU 41, four switches 36 included in group components G1 to G4, four ECUs 33 connected to the battery 32, and ten ECUs 25 connected to the inverter 22. These are interconnected via communication lines (communication cables shown by dotted lines) to enable communication with each other.

[0052] The flight controller 92 is a unit that receives operation signals from the crew of the aircraft 100 via interfaces 92a such as the control stick and thrust levers, and controls the operation of each component. The flight controller 92 is connected to the ECUs 25 of the control units 91 and 10 via communication lines. The flight controller 92 is implemented as a microcontroller, for example, and operates by receiving high-voltage DC power from the battery 32, which is stepped down to low-voltage DC power by a DC-DC converter 26, via a low-voltage system, and performs control functions by executing a dedicated program stored in memory. Alternatively, a low-voltage battery independent of the battery 32 may be provided inside the aircraft, and the aircraft may be configured to receive low-voltage DC power from this battery.

[0053] For example, when the flight controller 92 receives commands for steering the aircraft 100, such as commands for takeoff or cruising, via interface 92a, the ECU 25 detects the state of the VTOL rotor 20 and the cruising rotor 29 (i.e., load) (rotational speed of the blades 23, terminal voltage of the inverter 22, etc.), and based on these states, determines the thrust required for each (also called the thrust command value) and the amount of power required to generate each thrust (i.e., the target power supply amount), and transmits these to the ECUs 41 and 44 via the control unit 91, causing the power generator 40a to generate the power necessary to operate the rotors 20 and 29. At the same time, the thrust command value (or the rotational speed of the rotors 20 and 29 required to generate that thrust) is transmitted to the ECU 25, which operates the switching element of the inverter 22, converting the DC power output from the PCU 41 or the DC power supplied from the battery 32 into AC power and outputting it to the motor 21. As a result, the motor 21 operates and the blade 23 rotates, generating the thrust commanded to the VTOL rotor 20 and the cruising rotor 29.

[0054] The control unit (MCU) 91 is a unit that centrally controls the control units included in the communication system 49. For example, it communicates with the switch 36 to control the operation of its switching elements, transmits a target power generation amount to the ECU 44a to control the operation of the engine 44, and transmits a target power generation amount to the ECU 41a to control the operation of the switching elements of the PCU 41. It also communicates with the ECU 33 to detect the state of the battery 32 (especially the charge state). The control unit 91 is connected to the engine 44, the PCU 41, the four switches 36, and the four ECUs 33 via communication lines. The control unit 91 is implemented as a microcontroller, for example, and operates by receiving high-voltage DC power from the battery 32, which is stepped down to low-voltage DC power by the DCDC converter 26, via a low-voltage system. It performs control functions by executing a dedicated program stored in memory. Alternatively, a low-voltage battery independent of the battery 32 may be provided inside the aircraft, and the aircraft may be configured to receive low-voltage DC power from this battery.

[0055] The four ECU33s and the ten ECU25s are configured as described above.

[0056] In the high-voltage system 40 and communication system 49 configured as described above, when the control unit 91 receives an operation command from the crew of the aircraft 100 via the flight controller 92, for example, an engine start command, it turns on at least one switch 36 of the group components G1 to G4, connecting the battery 32 included in that group component to the PCU 41. As a result, the power charged in the battery 32 is supplied to the PCU 41. At this time, the current may be controlled via a pre-charge circuit (not shown) to supply power to the PCU 41. Then the control unit 91 operates the PCU 41. The PCU 41 converts the DC power supplied from the battery 32 into AC power and outputs it to the motor generator 42. As a result, the motor generator 42 operates and starts the engine 44.

[0057] When the engine 44 starts, the control unit 91 turns off the switch 36. In this state, the motor generator 42 generates electricity using the power from the engine 44. The generated AC power is converted to DC power by the PCU 41 and supplied to each of the group components G1 to G4. As a result, the VTOL rotor 20 and the cruising rotor 29 operate, and the battery 32 is charged.

[0058] Figure 3 shows the functional configuration of the charge state control system 99. The charge state control system 99 is a system that controls the charge state of the battery 32 and consists of a control unit 91, a temperature control system (TMS) 70, a DC-DC converter 26, an external power supply 111, and four ECUs 33, each of the four batteries 32. Of these, the control unit 91, the temperature control system 70, the DC-DC converter 26, and the four ECUs 33 are configured as described above.

[0059] The external power supply 111 is a low-voltage power supply installed outside the aircraft, for example, in a hangar where the aircraft 100 is stored, or in an area where the aircraft 100 is parked. The external power supply 111 is a low-voltage power supply that provides power to the temperature control system 70 (heating device 71, cooling device 72, and pump 73) to operate them. By connecting the external power supply 111 to the temperature control system 70 of the parked aircraft 100, the power supplied from the external power supply 111 is used to operate the temperature control system 70 to heat, cool, or keep the battery 32 warm. This makes it possible to maintain the temperature of the battery 32 at an appropriate temperature. When the aircraft 100 is about to depart, the external power supply 111 is disconnected from the temperature control system 70.

[0060] Battery 32 stores the power necessary to start the engine 44 and operate the VTOL rotor 20 and cruising rotor 29 to fly the aircraft 100. When starting the engine 44, battery 32 needs to store the minimum charge amount required for starting (also called the starter charge amount or starter state of charge), and when flying the aircraft 100, it needs to store the minimum charge amount required to operate the VTOL rotor 20 and cruising rotor 29 to generate the necessary thrust (also called the flight charge amount or flight state of charge). The starter charge amount is smaller than the flight charge amount. Furthermore, since battery 32 has the characteristic of degrading more easily when the remaining charge amount is high, it is desirable to maintain the remaining charge amount below the preservation threshold. The preservation threshold is a threshold that provides an appropriate upper limit for the remaining charge amount to suppress the degradation of battery 32, and can be set to be greater than the starter charge amount and less than the flight charge amount.

[0061] Therefore, in the charge state control system 99, the control unit 91 controls the charge state of the battery 32 by discharging the power stored in the battery 32 to the external power supply 111 when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 by the ECU 33 is equal to or greater than the storage threshold. As a result, the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 can be maintained at or below the storage threshold, thereby suppressing the progression of battery 32 degradation.

[0062] Furthermore, the performance of the battery 32 is highly dependent on its temperature. For example, the warmer the battery 32 is, the more power it outputs; the colder it is, the less power it outputs; and when frozen, it outputs almost no power at all. Therefore, when starting the engine 44, it is necessary to maintain a temperature at which it can output the minimum power required for starting (starting temperature), and when flying the aircraft 100, it is necessary to maintain a temperature at which it can output the minimum power required to operate the VTOL rotor 20 and the cruising rotor 29 to generate the necessary thrust (flight temperature). Note that the starting temperature is lower than the flight temperature.

[0063] Therefore, the control unit 91 operates the temperature control system 70 based on the temperature detection result of the battery 32 by the ECU 33 to control the temperature state of the battery 32. As a result, the temperature state of the battery 32 can be maintained at a temperature suitable for starting the generator 40a, and also at a temperature suitable for supplying power to the VTOL rotor 20 and the cruising rotor 29.

[0064] Figure 4 shows a flow chart of the charge state control method for controlling the charge state of the battery 32 according to this embodiment. This flow chart is initiated, for example, by storing the aircraft 100 in a hangar and connecting the external power supply 111 to the aircraft 100. It is assumed that the natural discharge of the battery 32 can be ignored.

[0065] In step S110, the control unit 91 determines whether the engine 44 is running or not. If the engine 44 is running, the process proceeds to step S132; otherwise, it proceeds to step S112.

[0066] In step S112, the control unit 91 determines whether the external power supply 111 is connected to the temperature control system 70 and DC-DC converter 26 of the aircraft 100. Whether or not a connection is made can be determined by detecting whether or not power is being supplied from the battery 32 to the external power supply 111 or from the external power supply 111 to the temperature control system 70 (or whether or not current is flowing). If the external power supply 111 is connected, the process proceeds to step S113; otherwise, step S112 is repeated.

[0067] In step S113, the control unit 91 determines whether the parking time until the next flight, for example, the time until the start of the charging operation during a flight check in which the generator 40a is operated to store power in the battery 32, is longer than a threshold time. The control unit 91 obtains the flight plan entered by the crew via interface 92a or the flight plan transmitted from the control tower, etc., and from that flight plan, it can obtain the start time of the charging operation during the flight check and the parking time.

[0068] Here, the threshold time can be determined from the time required to transfer the power stored in the battery 32 to the external power supply 111 at a predetermined rate. For example, by dividing the difference between the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 and the storage threshold by the output speed of the DC-DC converter 26, the threshold time can be determined from the time required to discharge the battery 32 through the DC-DC converter 26 to reduce it to the storage threshold. Therefore, the control unit 91 may set a longer threshold time the more the detected remaining charge amount of the battery 32 is.

[0069] In steps S114 to S126, the control unit 91 controls the charging state of the battery 32 and uses power supplied from the battery 32 or the external power supply 111 to heat, cool, or maintain the temperature of the battery 32.

[0070] In step S114, the control unit 91 determines whether the remaining charge amount (battery SOC) of the battery 32 is greater than the storage threshold (storage SOC). The charge state of the battery 32 is detected by the ECU 33, and the detection result is transmitted to the control unit 91. Based on the detection result received from the ECU 33, the control unit 91 can determine whether the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 is greater than the storage threshold. If the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 is greater than the storage threshold, the process proceeds to step S116; if the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 is less than or equal to the storage threshold, the process proceeds to step S120.

[0071] In step S116, the control unit 91 discharges the power stored in the battery 32 to the external power supply 111.

[0072] Figure 5 shows the operation of the charge state control system 99. When the remaining charge of the battery 32 is greater than the storage threshold, the control unit 91 (1) uses the DC-DC converter 26 to step down the power (DC power) stored in the battery 32 and discharge it to the external power supply 111. As a result, as shown in Figure 6A, the remaining charge of the battery 32 decreases and the charge of the external power supply 111 increases.

[0073] In step S118, the control unit 91 supplies power stored in the battery 32 to the temperature control system 70, which is then operated to heat, cool, or maintain the temperature of the battery 32. As shown in Figures 5 and 6A, (1) the power (DC power) stored in the battery 32 is stepped down using the DC converter 26 and supplied to the temperature control system (TMS) 70.

[0074] Here, the temperature of the battery 32 is detected by the ECU 33, and the detection result is transmitted to the control unit 91. Based on the detection result received from the ECU 33, the control unit 91 operates the heating device 71 to heat the battery 32 if the temperature of the battery 32 is lower than the starting temperature or the flight temperature, operates the cooling device 72 to cool the battery 32 if the temperature of the battery 32 is higher than the upper limit temperature, and operates the heating device 71 to keep the battery 32 warm if the temperature of the battery 32 is at an appropriate temperature. Here, the upper limit temperature of the battery 32 is the upper limit temperature at which the battery 32 functions normally, and is higher than the starting temperature and the flight temperature. As a result, the temperature of the battery 32 is maintained within a suitable temperature range.

[0075] Steps S116 to S118 are repeated until the battery 32 has discharged to a level below the storage threshold and the judgment in step S114 is affirmed. This controls the temperature state of the battery 32 while discharging the power stored in the battery 32 towards the external power supply 111.

[0076] As the battery 32 discharges, and the remaining charge falls below the storage threshold, but above the starting threshold required to start the generator 40a, the judgment in step S114 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step S120, where the control unit 91 stops discharging to the external power supply 111. This allows the remaining charge of the battery 32 to be maintained below the storage threshold and above the starting threshold.

[0077] In step S120, the control unit 91 operates the temperature control system 70 using power supplied from the external power supply 111 to heat, cool, or keep the battery 32 warm. As shown in Figures 5 and 6B, (2) low-voltage DC power stored in the external power supply 111 is supplied to the temperature control system 70.

[0078] Here, the temperature of the battery 32 is detected by the ECU 33, and the detection result is transmitted to the control unit 91. Based on the detection result received from the ECU 33, the control unit 91 operates the heating device 71 to heat the battery 32 if the temperature of the battery 32 is lower than the starting temperature or the flight temperature, operates the cooling device 72 to cool the battery 32 if the temperature of the battery 32 is higher than the upper limit temperature, and operates the heating device 71 to keep the battery 32 warm if the temperature of the battery 32 is at an appropriate temperature. In this way, the temperature of the battery 32 is maintained within a suitable temperature range.

[0079] In step S122, the control unit 91 determines whether a flight check is being performed at a predetermined time before or after the scheduled departure time. Here, the flight check includes all of the pre-flight check, system check, and flight check described later. However, it may include at least one, such as only a pre-flight check. Whether a flight check is being performed can be determined, for example, by detecting when maintenance personnel or crew members perform an operation for the check via interface 92a. Step S120 is repeated until a flight check is started, and then the process proceeds to step S124.

[0080] In step S124, the control unit 91 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the starting charge and whether the temperature of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the starting temperature. The charge state of the battery 32 is detected by the ECU 33, and the detection result is transmitted to the control unit 91. Based on the detection result received from the ECU 33, the control unit 91 can determine the remaining charge and temperature of the battery 32. If the remaining charge of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the starting charge and the temperature of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the starting temperature, the process proceeds to step S126; otherwise, step S120 is repeated until the determination in step S124 is confirmed.

[0081] In step S124, when determining the remaining charge level of the battery 32, a threshold slightly larger than the starting charge level may be used instead of the starting charge level to ensure that a sufficient starting charge level remains. The same applies to the other determination steps.

[0082] In step S126, the control unit 91 issues a signal to the crew of the aircraft 100 authorizing the start of the engine 44. The signal can be represented by the illumination of a lamp, sound, screen display, etc. The crew can confirm the signal and start the engine 44 via interface 92a. At this time, as shown in Figures 5 and 6C, the control unit 91 (3) starts the generator 40a with power supplied from the battery 32, and after the generator 40a is started, (4) charges the battery 32 with power supplied from the generator 40a, as shown in Figures 5 and 6D.

[0083] When engine 44 starts, the judgment in step S110 is affirmed and the system proceeds to step S132. In steps S132 to S138, the control unit 91 performs the procedure for restoring the battery state due to engine start.

[0084] In step S132, the control unit 91 further determines, while the engine 44 is starting, whether the remaining charge of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the flight-ready charge and whether the temperature of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the flight-ready temperature. The remaining charge and temperature of the battery 32 can be detected as described above. If the remaining charge of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the flight-ready charge and the temperature of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the flight-ready temperature, the process proceeds to step S136; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S134.

[0085] In step S134, the control unit 91 operates the temperature control system 70 using power supplied from the generator 40a (stepped down by the DC-DC converter 26) to heat, cool, or keep the battery 32 warm. Here, the temperature of the battery 32 is detected by the ECU 33, and the detection result is transmitted to the control unit 91. Based on the detection result received from the ECU 33, the control unit 91 operates the heating device 71 to heat the battery 32 if the temperature of the battery 32 is below the flight temperature, operates the cooling device 72 to cool the battery 32 if the temperature of the battery 32 is above the upper limit temperature, and operates the heating device 71 to keep the battery 32 warm while charging the battery 32 if the temperature of the battery 32 is at an appropriate temperature. As a result, the temperature of the battery 32 is maintained within a suitable temperature range and the battery 32 is charged.

[0086] Furthermore, if the remaining charge level of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the flight-ready charge level, the control unit 91 activates the temperature control system 70 using power supplied from the engine 44 (which is stepped down by the DC-DC converter 26) to heat or cool the battery 32. However, the battery 32 is not charged.

[0087] In step S136, since the remaining charge of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the flight-ready charge and the temperature of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the flight-ready temperature, the control unit 91 issues a signal to the crew of the aircraft 100 authorizing the aircraft 100 to fly. The signal can be represented by the illumination of a lamp, sound, screen display, etc. The crew can confirm the signal and begin flight via interface 92a.

[0088] Since the process cannot proceed to step S136 unless the judgment in step S132 is affirmed, the flight cannot begin if the remaining charge of the battery 32 is less than the flight-ready charge or if the temperature of the battery 32 is below the flight-ready temperature.

[0089] In step S138, the control unit 91 determines whether the aircraft 100 has started flight. The start of flight can be detected by the crew inputting a flight command via interface 92a or by detecting the operation of rotors 20 and 29. If flight has not started, the process returns to step S132 and steps S132 to S136 are repeated. If flight has started, the flow S100 ends.

[0090] Figure 7 shows an example of the time progression of the battery 32's charge state. The aircraft 100 completes the previous day's flight schedule and is stored in the hangar. Subsequently, the engines 44 are shut down and the external power supply 111 is connected to the aircraft 100's temperature control system 70 and DC-DC converter 26 to enter a night soak.

[0091] In this example, when the external power supply 111 is connected after the engine 44 is stopped, the decision in step S110 in flow S100 is negated and the decision in step S112 is affirmed during the night soak, causing steps S114 to S126 to be repeated. Steps S116 to S118 (1) use the DC-DC converter 26 to step down the power (DC power) stored in the battery 32 and discharge it to the external power supply 111, while also supplying it to the temperature control system (TMS) 70, which is operated to heat, cool, or keep the battery 32 warm. As a result, the remaining charge amount (SOC) of the battery 32 decreases and the external power supply 111 is charged.

[0092] Then, as the battery 32 continues to discharge, and the remaining charge falls below the storage threshold, but above the starting threshold required to start the generator 40a, in step S120, the control unit 91 stops discharging to the external power supply 111, and (2) operates the temperature control system 70 using power supplied from the external power supply 111 to heat, cool, or keep the battery 32 warm. As a result, the remaining charge of the battery 32 is maintained below the storage threshold and above the starting threshold, and the temperature of the battery 32 is maintained at an appropriate temperature (in this case, above the flight temperature). Natural discharge of the battery 32 is considered negligible.

[0093] On the day of the flight, a pre-flight check, system check, and flight check of the aircraft are performed at a predetermined time before the scheduled departure time. During the pre-flight check, for example, one maintenance worker will perform checks on equipment such as fire extinguishers, the power system, the exterior of the aircraft, sensors, the drive points of rotors 20 and 29, oil, coolant, heating fluid, fuel, and interface 92a, which may take approximately one hour.

[0094] The system check is performed after the pre-flight check and before flight. For example, two crew members spend several minutes checking the power supply, warning sounds, fuel system, air conditioning system, and interface 92a such as the control stick. After the system check is complete, the crew starts the engine 44. Furthermore, the rotational speed, temperature, pressure, etc., of the engine 44 and rotors 20 and 29 are checked.

[0095] The flight check is the final check performed just before departure. For example, two crew members spend 1-2 minutes checking warning and control functions, engine 44, rotor 20 and 29 rotation speeds, temperature, pressure, etc. Once the flight check is complete, the aircraft can begin flying.

[0096] In this example, the external power supply 111 is disconnected from the aircraft 100 (temperature control system 70) at the start of the flight check. As a result, power supply from the external power supply 111 is stopped, and power is switched to the battery 32 to activate the temperature control system 70. Then, the judgment in step S122 of flow S100 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step S124. At this point, since the remaining charge of the battery 32 is maintained at or above the starting charge level and the temperature of the battery 32 is maintained at or above the starting temperature, the control unit 91 authorizes the starting of the engine 44 in step S126. Following this, the crew starts the engine 44.

[0097] Once the engine is started, the judgment in step S110 is affirmed and the process proceeds to step S132. Here, since the remaining charge of battery 32 is maintained at or above the flight-ready charge level and the temperature of battery 32 is maintained at or above the flight-ready temperature, the judgment in step S132 is affirmed, and in step S136, the control unit 91 grants permission to fly. Following this, after the completion of the flight check, the aircraft 100 is operated by the crew and begins flight. As a result, the judgment in step S138 is affirmed and this flow S100 ends.

[0098] The charge state control system 99 in this embodiment includes a power generation device 40a that generates electricity and supplies power to a load, a battery 32 that stores the electricity generated by the power generation device 40a and supplies the stored electricity to a load, an ECU 33 that detects the charge state of the battery 32, and a control unit 91 that controls the charge state of the battery 32 by discharging the electricity stored in the battery 32 to an external power supply 111 when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 by the ECU 33 is above a storage threshold. With this, the control unit 91 can maintain the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 at or below the storage threshold by discharging the electricity stored in the battery 32 to an external power supply 111 when the battery 32 is charged by power supplied from the power generation device 40a and the remaining charge amount is above a storage threshold, thereby suppressing the progression of battery 32 deterioration.

[0099] Furthermore, the control unit 91 operates the temperature control system 70 based on the temperature detection result of the battery 32 by the ECU 33 to control the temperature state of the battery 32. In this way, the control unit 91 operates the temperature control system 70 based on the temperature state of the battery 32, either by supplying power from the battery 32 or from the external power supply 111, thereby maintaining the temperature state of the battery 32 at a temperature suitable for starting the power generator 40a and supplying power to the load.

[0100] In this embodiment, the aircraft 100 is equipped with the above-described charge state control system 99, and the load is a propulsion system that generates thrust for flight. According to this, when the aircraft 100 is parked, if the remaining charge of the battery 32 is above a storage threshold, the power stored in the battery 32 is discharged to an external power source 111, thereby maintaining the remaining charge of the battery 32 at or below the storage threshold and suppressing the progression of battery 32 degradation.

[0101] The charging state control method in this embodiment includes the steps of detecting the charging state of a battery 32 that stores power supplied from a power generator 40a and supplies the stored power to a load, and controlling the charging state of the battery 32 by discharging the power stored in the battery 32 to an external power source when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a storage threshold. According to this, when the battery 32 is charged by power supplied from the power generator 40a and its remaining charge amount is equal to or greater than a storage threshold, the power stored in the battery 32 is discharged to an external power source 111, thereby maintaining the remaining charge amount of the battery 32 at or below the storage threshold and suppressing the progression of battery 32 deterioration.

[0102] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0103] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and that these can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 12...Fuselage, 14...Forewing, 14a...Elevator, 16...Rearwing, 16a...Elevon, 16b...Vertical stabilizer, 16c...Pylon, 18...Boom, 20 (20aL~20dL, 20aR~20dR)...VTOL rotor (rotor), 21...Motor, 22...Inverter, 23...Blade, 25...ECU, 26...DC-DC converter, 28...Duct, 29 (29L, 29R)...Cruising rotor (rotor), 32...Battery, 33...ECU, 3 6...Switch, 40...High-voltage system, 40a...Generator, 41...PCU, 42...Motor generator, 44...Engine, 49...Communication system, 70...Temperature control system, 71...Heating device, 72...Cooling device, 73...Pump, 75...Piping, 91...Control unit, 92...Flight controller, 92a...Interface, 99...Charge state control system, 100...Aircraft, 111...External power supply, G1~G4...Group components, L...Central axis.

Claims

1. A battery charge state control system that controls the charge state of a battery, A power generation device that generates electricity and supplies it to the load, A battery that stores the electricity generated by the aforementioned power generation device and supplies the stored electricity to the aforementioned load, A detection unit for detecting the charge state of the aforementioned battery, A control unit controls the charge state of the battery by discharging the power stored in the battery to an external power source when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery detected by the detection unit is equal to or greater than a storage threshold, A temperature control unit that heats, cools, or maintains the temperature of the battery by power supply from the battery and power supply from the external power source, respectively. Equipped with, The control unit further stops discharging to the external power supply when the remaining charge of the battery falls below the storage threshold and above the starting threshold required to start the power generation device. The detection unit further detects the temperature of the battery, The control unit operates the temperature control unit based on the temperature detection result of the detection unit, thereby controlling the temperature state of the battery. The control unit is a charge state control system that stops discharging to the external power supply and then operates the temperature control unit by supplying power from the external power supply.

2. The charge state control system according to claim 1, further comprising a transformer that steps down the power of the battery and supplies it to the temperature control unit and the external power supply.

3. The charge state control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit discharges the power stored in the battery to the external power supply and supplies it to the temperature control unit to operate the temperature control unit when the remaining charge amount of the battery is greater than the storage threshold.

4. The charge state control system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit starts the power generation device by power supply from the battery and charges the battery by power supply from the power generation device.

5. The charge state control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit controls the charge state of the battery when the time until the start time of the charging operation to operate the power generator and store power in the battery is longer than a threshold time.

6. The charge state control system according to claim 5, wherein the control unit sets the threshold time to be longer as the detected remaining charge amount of the battery increases.

7. A battery charge state control system that controls the charge state of a battery, A power generation device that generates electricity and supplies it to the load, A battery that stores the electricity generated by the aforementioned power generation device and supplies the stored electricity to the aforementioned load, A detection unit for detecting the charge state of the aforementioned battery, A control unit controls the charge state of the battery by discharging the power stored in the battery to an external power source when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery detected by the detection unit is equal to or greater than a storage threshold, A temperature control unit that heats, cools, or maintains the temperature of the battery by power supply from the battery and power supply from the external power source, respectively. Equipped with, The detection unit further detects the temperature of the battery, The control unit operates the temperature control unit based on the temperature detection result of the detection unit, thereby controlling the temperature state of the battery. The control unit, when the remaining charge of the battery is greater than the storage threshold, discharges the power stored in the battery to the external power supply and supplies it to the temperature control unit to operate the temperature control unit. The control unit stops discharging to the external power supply when the remaining charge of the battery falls below the storage threshold and above the starting threshold required to start the power generator. The control unit is a charge state control system that stops discharging to the external power supply and then operates the temperature control unit by supplying power from the external power supply.

8. A battery charge state control system that controls the charge state of a battery, A power generation device that generates electricity and supplies it to the load, A battery that stores the electricity generated by the aforementioned power generation device and supplies the stored electricity to the aforementioned load, A detection unit for detecting the charge state of the aforementioned battery, A control unit controls the charge state of the battery by discharging the power stored in the battery to an external power source when the detection result of the remaining charge amount of the battery detected by the detection unit is equal to or greater than a storage threshold. Equipped with, The control unit controls the charge state of the battery if the time until the start of the charging operation to operate the power generator and store power in the battery is longer than the threshold time. The control unit is a charging state control system that sets the threshold time longer the more the detected remaining charge amount of the battery is.

9. A charging state control system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The aforementioned load is a propulsion system that generates thrust for flight, an aircraft.

10. The aircraft according to claim 9, wherein the external power supply is a low-voltage power supply installed outside the aircraft.

11. A charging state control method for controlling the charging state of a battery, The process involves detecting the charge state of a battery that stores electricity supplied from a power generation device and supplies the stored electricity to a load, and The steps include controlling the battery's charge state by discharging the power stored in the battery to an external power source when the detected remaining charge level of the battery is equal to or greater than a storage threshold, Equipped with, In the detection step, the temperature of the battery is further detected. In the control step, the temperature state of the battery is controlled by heating, cooling, or maintaining the temperature of the battery based on the temperature detection result of the battery, by supplying power from the battery or from the external power supply. In the control step described above, if the remaining charge of the battery is greater than the storage threshold, the power stored in the battery is discharged to the external power supply and the battery is heated, cooled, or kept warm. In the control stage described above, if the remaining charge of the battery falls below the storage threshold and above the starting threshold required to start the power generator, the discharge to the external power source is stopped. In the control stage, after stopping the discharge to the external power supply, the battery is heated, cooled, or kept warm by power supply from the external power supply. A method for controlling the charging state.

12. A charging state control method for controlling the charging state of a battery, The process involves detecting the charge state of a battery that stores electricity supplied from a power generation device and supplies the stored electricity to a load, and The step of controlling the battery's charge state by discharging the power stored in the battery to an external power source when the detected remaining charge level of the battery is equal to or greater than a storage threshold. Equipped with, In the control stage described above, if the time until the start time of the charging operation to operate the power generator and store power in the battery is longer than the threshold time, the charge state of the battery is controlled. In the control stage, the charging state control method is configured such that the threshold time is set longer the greater the detected remaining charge amount of the battery.

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