Battery swapping devices and battery swapping systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery swapping device. According to one of the schemes described in this description, the battery swapping device may comprise: a receiving unit comprising charging ports where a battery can be inserted or removed; a charging unit comprising at least one charger configured to charge a battery inserted into the receiving unit; and a control unit configured to receive authentication information relating to the inserted battery, and to control the connection between the charging unit and the receiving unit based on the battery authentication results and the state of the battery swapping device.

Description

Battery exchange device and battery exchange system

[0001] Cross-citation with related applications

[0002] This invention claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0137881, filed October 16, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Technology field

[0004] Embodiments disclosed in this document relate to a battery exchange device and a battery exchange system.

[0005] Recently, active research and development has been conducted on secondary batteries. The term "secondary battery" refers to a rechargeable battery, encompassing both conventional Ni / Cd and Ni / MH batteries, as well as recent lithium-ion batteries. Among secondary batteries, lithium-ion batteries can boast higher energy densities than conventional Ni / Cd and Ni / MH batteries. They can be manufactured in small and lightweight designs, making them highly versatile power sources for mobile devices. Recently, their use has expanded to include power sources for electric vehicles, attracting attention as a next-generation energy storage medium.

[0006] Swappable Battery Charging Stations (SBCS) are being introduced to charge swappable batteries, allowing users to exchange discharged battery packs for fully charged ones. Users can rent battery packs from SBCSs, use them in electric two-wheeled vehicles, and then return the discharged packs to rent new ones. BSSs can be installed in easily accessible locations, such as near convenience stores or gas stations.

[0007] One purpose of the embodiments disclosed in this document is to provide a battery exchange device and a battery exchange system that reduce manufacturing and operating costs and enable efficient charging control.

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

[0009] According to an embodiment disclosed in the present document, a battery exchange device may include an insertion portion including a plurality of charging ports through which a battery can be inserted or ejected, a charging portion including at least one charger for charging a battery inserted into the insertion portion, and a control portion that obtains authentication information related to the inserted battery and controls a connection between the charging portion and the insertion portion based on an authentication result of the battery and a state of the battery exchange device.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the charging unit and the insertion unit may include at least one switch connected to the charging unit and configured to vary a connection path between the charging unit and the insertion unit.

[0011] According to an embodiment, each of the switches may include an input port connected to one of the chargers of the charging unit and a plurality of output ports connected to at least some of the plurality of charging ports of the insertion unit.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the control unit can control, for each of the switches, to transmit a signal applied to the input port to at least one of the plurality of output ports.

[0013] According to an embodiment, each of said at least one switch may be a demux switch.

[0014] According to an embodiment, each of the chargers includes a plurality of power transmission ports, each of the plurality of power transmission ports being connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports, and the control unit can control power of each of the chargers to be transmitted to at least one of the plurality of power transmission ports.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the number of the chargers may be less than the number of the charging ports.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the control unit may allow charging of the inserted battery if the authentication result of the battery is successful, and may disallow charging of the inserted battery if the authentication result of the battery is failed.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the state of the battery exchange device includes a charge rate of a battery being charged, and the control unit can control the connection so that, if there is a battery whose charge rate of the battery being charged is greater than or equal to a threshold value, charging of the battery whose charge rate is greater than or equal to the threshold value is stopped and the inserted battery is charged.

[0018] According to an embodiment, the charging unit includes a plurality of chargers, at least some of the plurality of chargers are connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports, the state of the battery exchange device includes the number of remaining chargers, and the control unit can determine whether to charge the inserted battery using the charger connected one-to-one based on the number of remaining chargers.

[0019] According to an embodiment, the control unit may control the connection so that the inserted battery is charged using the charger connected one-to-one when the number of the remaining chargers is equal to or greater than a preset ratio of the number of total chargers.

[0020] According to an embodiment disclosed in the present document, a battery exchange system may include a battery exchange device including an insertion portion including a plurality of charging ports through which batteries can be inserted or ejected, and a charging portion including at least one charger for charging a battery inserted into the insertion portion, and a management server for receiving authentication information related to a battery inserted into the insertion portion, performing authentication of the inserted battery based on the authentication information, and transmitting a control signal to the battery exchange device for controlling a connection between the charging portion and the insertion portion based on an authentication result of the battery and a state of the battery exchange device.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the battery exchange device may be configured to insert a pair of batteries requiring charging and provide a pair of batteries that have been stored therein.

[0022] According to an embodiment, the authentication information may include at least one of a unique ID of the battery pair, pairing information, information on a vehicle equipped with the battery pair, and user information of the vehicle.

[0023] According to an embodiment, the management server may include a database that matches and stores the unique ID of the battery pair, the pairing information, the transportation means information, and the user information.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the battery exchange device obtains a unique ID and pairing information of the inserted battery pair and transmits them to the management server, and the management server can perform authentication of the battery pair by comparing the received unique ID and pairing information with information stored in the database.

[0025] According to an embodiment, the management server may allow charging of the inserted battery if the authentication result of the battery is successful, and may disallow charging of the inserted battery if the authentication result of the battery is failed.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the status of the battery exchange device includes a charge rate of a battery being charged, and the management server can control the connection so that, when there is a battery pair inserted into the insertion portion and being charged, the charge rate of the battery pair being inserted and charged is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the connection can be controlled so that the inserted battery pair is charged.

[0027] According to an embodiment, the charging unit includes a plurality of chargers, at least some of the plurality of chargers are connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports, the status of the battery exchange device includes the number of remaining chargers, and the management server can determine whether to charge the inserted battery using the one-to-one connected charger based on the number of remaining chargers.

[0028] According to an embodiment, the management server may control the connection so that the inserted battery is charged using the one-to-one connected charger when the number of the remaining chargers is greater than or equal to a preset ratio of the total number of chargers.

[0029] The battery exchange device and battery exchange system according to the embodiments disclosed in this document can reduce manufacturing costs and operating costs by designing the number of chargers to be less than the number of charging ports.

[0030] In addition, various effects may be provided, either directly or indirectly, through this document.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery exchange device according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0032] FIGS. 2 to 4 are drawings showing examples of implementations of a battery exchange device according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing an example of an implementation of a battery exchange device according to another embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery exchange system according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0035] FIG. 7 is a drawing for explaining the configuration and operation of a battery exchange system according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0036] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the present invention encompasses various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments.

[0037] In this document, the singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" may each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish the corresponding element from other corresponding elements, and do not limit the corresponding elements in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively,” it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0038] Each component (e.g., a module or a program) described in this document may include one or more entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0039] The term "module" or "part" used in this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0040] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program or an application) including one or more instructions stored in a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., memory). For example, a processor of the device may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the device to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily in the storage medium.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery exchange device according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, the battery exchange device (100) may include an insertion unit (110), a charging unit (120), and a control unit (130).

[0043] A battery exchange device (100) can be mounted on an external device (e.g., a vehicle such as a two-wheeled vehicle) to receive and charge a discharged battery and provide a charged battery. The battery may be a replaceable battery.

[0044] The battery exchange device (100) controls the connection between the insertion part (110) and the charging part (120), thereby reducing the cost consumed in manufacturing the battery exchange device (100) and enabling efficient use of the battery exchange device (100).

[0045] The insertion portion (110) may include a plurality of charging ports (111) through which a battery may be inserted or discharged. For example, a battery requiring charging may be inserted into the charging port (111), and a battery that has been partially charged or has been fully charged may be discharged.

[0046] A plurality of charging ports (111) may be provided, and at a specific point in time, the charging ports (111) may have a state such as an empty state, a charging state, a battery being inserted state, or a state in which the battery is naturally discharged after charging.

[0047] The charging unit (120) may include at least one charger (121) for charging a battery inserted into the insertion unit (110). The charging unit (120) may be electrically connected to the insertion unit (110) and may provide power for charging the battery inserted into the insertion unit (110).

[0048] The control unit (130) can obtain authentication information related to the inserted battery. The control unit (130) can obtain authentication information based on various methods. In one embodiment, when a battery is inserted into the charging port (111), the insertion unit (110) can obtain information about the inserted battery and transmit the obtained information to the control unit (130).

[0049] In another embodiment, when a user of the battery exchange device (100) exchanges a battery, information about the battery for charging may be obtained from a server or other component external to the battery exchange device (100). In this case, the control unit (130) may receive authentication information from the external server or other component that obtained the battery information. For example, the battery exchange device (100) may be equipped with an interface for user input, and battery information may be obtained based on the user's input into the interface.

[0050] As another example, a user may use a user terminal having an application installed for using a battery exchange device (100), and a server that obtains and manages battery information entered by the user through the application may provide the battery information to the control unit (130).

[0051] The control unit (130) can control the connection between the charging unit (120) and the insertion unit (110) based on the authentication result of the battery and the status of the battery exchange device (100). The control unit (130) can perform control by making its own judgment or can perform control based on a command received from a higher controller. In the latter case, the control unit (130) does not make judgments for control by itself, but can only perform the role of transmitting control signals to other components of the battery exchange device (100) (e.g., a charger, a charging port, etc.) based on the received command.

[0052] The battery authentication result can be determined based on authentication information related to the battery. In one embodiment, the control unit (130) can generate the authentication result based on the authentication information. In another example, the control unit (130) can receive the authentication result from an external server.

[0053] The status of the battery exchange device (100) may include the status of the battery being charged (e.g., charge rate, etc.) received in the battery exchange device (100), the remaining power, the number of remaining chargers, etc.

[0054] The control unit (130) can control the connection between the charging unit (120) and the insertion unit (110). Here, the control unit (130) controlling the connection between the charging unit (120) and the insertion unit (110) may include controlling the connection path and whether or not the connection is made between the charger (121) of the charging unit (120) and the charging port (111) of the insertion unit (110).

[0055] According to an embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) may further include at least one switch (140) connected to the insertion portion (110) and the charging portion (120) and configured to vary the connection path between the insertion portion (110) and the charging portion (120). For example, the switch (140) may vary the charging port through which the power of the charger is transmitted for a specific charger.

[0056] According to an embodiment, each of the switches (140) may include an input port connected to one of the chargers (121) of the charging unit (120) and a plurality of output ports connected to at least some of the plurality of charging ports (111) of the insertion unit (110). Each of the switches (140) may connect the chargers (121) and the charging ports (111) in a 1:N relationship (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2).

[0057] According to an embodiment, the control unit (130) can control each switch (140) to transmit a signal applied to an input port to at least one of a plurality of output ports. For example, the control unit (130) can apply a control signal to each switch (140), and the output port to which the signal is transmitted can be varied according to the control signal.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the switch (140) may be a demux (demultiplexer) switch. A demux may refer to a circuit element that can convert a single input into multiple outputs. For example, a demux may determine an output path based on a logical operation of an input signal and a select signal.

[0059] In this way, the battery exchange device (100) may include at least one switch (140) that connects the charger (121) and the charging port (111) in a 1:N ratio (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2). In an embodiment, some of the chargers (121) and the charging ports (111) may be connected in a 1:1 ratio. That is, the charger (121) and the charging port (111) may have a mixture of 1:1 connections and 1:N connections.

[0060] According to another embodiment disclosed in this document, each charger (121) of the charging unit (120) may include a plurality of power transmission ports. Each of the plurality of power transmission ports may be connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports (111).

[0061] Each charger (121) can provide power to at least one of a plurality of power transmission ports. At this time, the control unit (130) can control the power of each charger (121) to be transmitted to at least one of the plurality of power transmission ports. For example, the control unit (130) can control the power to be transmitted through a power transmission port of the charger connected to a charging port that accommodates an inserted battery.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the number of chargers (121) may be less than the number of charging ports (111). As described above, the battery exchange device (100) may be provided with at least one switch (140) to control a 1:N connection between the charger (121) and the charging ports (111) and / or may be provided with multiple power transfer ports on the charger (121).

[0063] In this way, the battery exchange device (100) can be equipped with a smaller number of chargers (121) compared to the number of charging ports (111). At this time, the control unit (130) can charge the battery inserted into the charging port without any problem even if the number of chargers (121) is less than the number of charging ports (111) through control of the switch (140) and / or control of the power transmission port.

[0064] Through this, the battery exchange device (100) can reduce the number of chargers (121) that must be equipped, and accordingly, the manufacturing cost of the battery exchange device (100) can be reduced.

[0065] Furthermore, by considering the power demand in the area where the battery exchange device (100) is installed, the demand for exchange batteries, etc., the number of chargers provided in the battery exchange device (100) is adjusted, and the connection between the insertion part (110) and the charging part (120) is designed accordingly, the cost of the battery exchange device (100) can be reduced and its operation can be performed effectively.

[0066] The control unit (130) can control the connection based on the battery authentication result and the status of the battery exchange device (10).

[0067] According to an embodiment, the control unit (130) may allow charging of the inserted battery if the battery authentication result is successful. Conversely, the control unit (130) may disallow charging of the inserted battery if the battery authentication result is failed. The control unit (130) may allow charging on the premise that the inserted battery is authenticated to facilitate charging, exchange, and management of the battery through the battery exchange device (100).

[0068] According to an embodiment, if there is a battery among the batteries being charged whose charge rate is higher than a threshold value, the control unit (130) can control the connection so that charging of the battery whose charge rate is higher than the threshold value is stopped and the inserted battery is charged.

[0069] Typically, the battery charging process involves constant current charging and constant voltage charging. The charging speed during the constant current charging section is faster than that during the constant voltage charging section, and the constant voltage charging speed slows down as the battery approaches full charge. Furthermore, after the battery is fully charged (e.g., SOC = 100%), it naturally discharges when charging is complete, resulting in a decrease in the SOC by a certain percentage. The degree of natural discharge may vary depending on the battery manufacturer, the settings of the battery exchange device (100), etc.

[0070] Accordingly, the control unit (130) controls charging of a battery whose charge rate exceeds a threshold value, taking into account the charging speed and natural discharge, to terminate or prevent charging of the battery, and utilize the remaining power to charge a newly inserted battery. Through this, the battery exchange device (100) can utilize power efficiently.

[0071] In an embodiment, the threshold may be set based on the charging rate and natural discharge conditions, for example, 90%. This is merely an example, and the numerical value and range of the threshold are not limited thereto.

[0072] In an embodiment, the charging unit (120) may include a plurality of chargers (121), and at least some of the plurality of chargers may be connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports. That is, the connection between the insertion unit (110) and the charging unit (120) may be a mixture of a 1:1 connection and a 1:N connection between the charger and the charging port.

[0073] The control unit (130) can determine whether to charge the inserted battery using a charger connected in a 1:1 ratio based on the number of remaining chargers. For example, the control unit (130) can control the inserted battery to be charged using a charger connected in a 1:1 ratio when the number of remaining chargers is greater and the available power is greater.

[0074] In an embodiment, the control unit (130) may control the inserted battery to be charged using a charger connected 1:1 if the number of remaining chargers is greater than or equal to a preset ratio of the total number of chargers. In another example, the control unit (130) may control the inserted battery to be charged using a 1:N charger that was previously charging if the number of remaining chargers is less than a predetermined ratio of the total number of chargers.

[0075] In an embodiment, the 1:1 connected charger may be a high-voltage charger compared to the 1:N connected charger, and the control unit (130) may enable fast charging by charging the inserted battery through the 1:1 connected charger when there is a sufficient number of remaining chargers or sufficient residual power. In another example, the 1:1 connected charger may be a charger capable of rapid charging, and the control unit (130) may enable fast charging by charging the inserted battery using the charger.

[0076] In an embodiment, when a user requests a battery exchange, the battery exchange device (100) may guide the user to the charging port into which the battery should be inserted, based on the status of the battery exchange device (100), etc. Guidance to the charging port may be provided, for example, through an interface (not shown) of the battery exchange device (100).

[0077] FIGS. 2 to 4 are drawings showing examples of implementations of a battery exchange device according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0078] First, referring to FIG. 2, the battery exchange device (100) may include an insertion unit (110), a charging unit (120), a control unit (130), and a connection circuit (150).

[0079] The insertion portion (110) may include a plurality of charging ports (111). The charging portion (120) may include at least one charger (121). Although multiple chargers are illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the battery exchange device (100) may also include a single charger.

[0080] The connection circuit (150) can connect the charging unit (120) and the insertion unit (110). For example, the connection circuit (150) can include at least one switch (140) that connects the charger and the charging ports in a 1:N ratio. The connection circuit (150) can include a wire that connects the charger and the charging port in a 1:1 ratio.

[0081] In this way, the connection between the charging unit (120) and the insertion unit (110) through the connection circuit (150) may be a mixture of a 1:1 connection and a 1:N connection between the charger and the charging port.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 3, the switch (140) may be a demux switch. The demux switch can transmit an input signal to at least one of a plurality of output ports. The demux switch can receive a control signal from the control unit (130) and determine the output port to which the input signal will be transmitted.

[0083] FIG. 3 discloses controlling the connection between two chargers and eight charging ports using two 1:4 demux switches, but the type and number of demux switches and the number of chargers and charging ports are not limited thereto. The control unit (130) can control the connection between the charging unit (120) and the insertion unit (110) by controlling each switch (140).

[0084] Referring to FIG. 4, some of the chargers and charging ports may be connected 1:1, and some of the chargers and some of the charging ports may be connected 1:N via a switch (140). That is, the charger (121) and the charging port (111) may have a mixture of 1:1 connections and 1:N connections.

[0085] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing an example of an implementation of a battery exchange device according to another embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 5, each charger may include multiple power transfer ports. Each of the multiple power transfer ports may be connected one-to-one with a charging port. The control unit (130) may control power from each charger to be transferred to at least one of the multiple power transfer ports.

[0087] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the battery exchange device (100) can be configured with a number of chargers less than the number of charging ports, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and operating cost of the battery exchange device (100).

[0088] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery exchange system according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 6, the battery exchange system (1) may include a battery exchange device (10) and a management server (20). The battery exchange device (10) illustrated in FIG. 6 may be substantially identical to the battery exchange device (100) illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0090] In an embodiment, a user may subscribe to a battery exchange service for use with a battery exchange system (1). In this case, an application for using the battery exchange service may be provided to the user. The user may use the application to make reservations, make payments, etc. for battery exchange.

[0091] The battery exchange device (10) may include an insertion portion including a plurality of charging ports and a charging portion including at least one charger.

[0092] The management server (20) can manage exchangeable batteries registered in the battery exchange service and register and manage information on users who have subscribed to the battery exchange service and the means of transportation used by the users.

[0093] The management server (20) can receive authentication information related to a battery inserted into the insertion portion of the battery exchange device (10). The management server (20) can receive at least a portion of the authentication information from the battery exchange device (10). In another example, the management server (20) can receive at least a portion of the authentication information from an external component, such as a user terminal. For example, the management server (20) can receive information related to the status of the battery from the battery exchange device (10), and receive information related to the user from the user terminal.

[0094] The management server (20) can authenticate the inserted battery based on authentication information. For example, the management server (20) can determine whether the battery is managed by the battery exchange service based on the authentication information.

[0095] The management server (20) can transmit a control signal to the battery exchange device (10) for controlling the connection between the charging unit and the insertion unit based on the authentication result and the status of the battery exchange device (10). The battery exchange device (10) can receive the control signal from the management server (20) and control the connection between the charging unit and the insertion unit.

[0096] In an embodiment, the status of the battery exchange device (10) may include the status of the battery being charged in the battery exchange device (10), the status of the remaining power, the number of remaining chargers, etc.

[0097] According to an embodiment, the battery exchange device (10) may be configured to insert a battery pair requiring charging and provide a stored battery pair. That is, the battery exchange system (1) can exchange paired battery pairs. By exchanging paired battery pairs, the battery exchange system (1) can similarly manage the status of each battery included in the battery pair, such as the SOC / SOH.

[0098] According to an embodiment, the authentication information may include at least one of a unique ID of the battery pair, pairing information, information on a vehicle equipped with the battery pair, and user information of the vehicle. Here, the unique ID of the battery pair may include a unique ID of each battery included in the battery pair, and the pairing information may be information for confirming whether the battery pair is paired.

[0099] Vehicle information may include, for example, the type of vehicle, chassis number, etc., and user information may include a user ID (e.g., application subscription information).

[0100] According to an embodiment, the management server (20) may include a database (21) that matches and stores the unique ID, pairing information, transportation information, and user information of battery pairs. For example, the management server (20) may manage the unique IDs of batteries being managed by the battery exchange service and the pairing information of paired batteries. In addition, the management server (20) may register and manage transportation information and user information from users who have subscribed to the battery exchange service.

[0101] According to an embodiment, the battery exchange device (10) can obtain the unique ID and pairing information of the inserted battery pair and transmit them to the management server (20). For example, when a pair of batteries requiring charging are inserted into each charging port, the battery exchange device (10) can read or receive the unique ID and pairing information of each battery through various communication methods such as NFC, device-to-device communication (e.g., CAN communication), WI-FI, and Bluetooth. The battery exchange device (10) can transmit the unique ID and pairing information of the battery pair obtained in this way to the management server (20).

[0102] According to an embodiment, the management server (20) can authenticate the battery pair by comparing the received unique ID and pairing information with information stored in the database (21). For example, the management server (20) can verify whether the unique ID and pairing information of the battery received from the battery exchange device (10) matches the information stored in the database (21).

[0103] In an embodiment, the management server (20) can verify whether the vehicle information and user information matched with the battery's unique ID and pairing information are appropriate, even if they match. For example, a user may discontinue or withdraw from the battery exchange service, or the user's vehicle may change. In this case, the user information and / or vehicle information stored in the database (21) may change, and the matching relationship with the existing unique ID and pairing information may change accordingly. Accordingly, the management server (20) can verify whether the battery's unique ID and pairing information received from the battery exchange device (10) match the matching information stored in the database (21).

[0104] The management server (20) performs authentication in this manner, and if the authentication result is successful, allows charging of the inserted battery pair, and if the authentication result is unsuccessful, does not allow charging of the inserted battery pair.

[0105] According to an embodiment, the management server (20) can generate a control signal to stop charging of a battery pair and charge a newly inserted battery pair when there is a battery pair among the battery pairs being charged in the battery exchange device (10) whose charge rate is higher than a threshold value.

[0106] According to an embodiment, the management server (20) can determine whether to charge the inserted battery pair using a charger that is connected 1:1 based on the number of remaining chargers. For example, if the number of remaining chargers of the battery exchange device (10) is greater than a preset ratio of the total chargers, the management server (20) can control the inserted battery to be charged using a charger that is connected 1:1. Through this, the management server (20) can quickly and efficiently charge the newly inserted battery pair for charging.

[0107] FIG. 7 is a drawing for explaining the configuration and operation of a battery exchange system according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 7, a battery exchange system (1) according to one embodiment disclosed in the present document is illustrated. In FIG. 7, for convenience, two charging ports are grouped together to indicate that a pair of batteries are being charged (e.g., charging ports #1 to #2), but one battery can be inserted into one charging port and charged.

[0109] A battery exchange system (1) may include a battery exchange device (10) and a management server (20). A user (30) may use the battery exchange service to start charging a used battery and receive a charged battery.

[0110] The battery exchange device (10) may include a power supply (11), at least one charger (13), a switch (14), a plurality of charging ports (15) and an integrated controller (16).

[0111] The power supply unit (11) can supply power to the charger (13), and the charger (13) can receive power and provide power for charging to the charging port connected to the charger (13).

[0112] The switch (14) can control the connection path between the charger (13) and the charging port (15). A battery for charging can be inserted into the charging port (15), and a battery for replacement can be ejected.

[0113] The integrated controller (16) may be substantially identical to the control unit (130) illustrated in FIG. 1, and may control the configurations of the battery exchange device (10) according to a control signal from the management server (20).

[0114] First, the management server (20) can receive user information and transportation information from the user (30) (S1). For example, when the user (30) signs up for the battery exchange system (1), the management server (20) can receive and register the user information and transportation information.

[0115] The management server (20) can store and manage the transportation means information and user information in a database (e.g., the database (21) illustrated in FIG. 6) by matching the unique ID information and pairing information of the battery pair mounted on the transportation means.

[0116] The management server (20) can continuously reflect and update the subscription status of the user's (30) battery exchange system (1), whether the means of transportation has changed, etc.

[0117] A user (30) can insert a pair of batteries requiring charging into a charging port (15) (S2). The user (30) can insert a battery into an empty charging port among the plurality of charging ports.

[0118] In an embodiment, the battery exchange system (1) may also guide the user (30) to a charging port (15) for efficient charging. For example, the battery exchange system (1) may include an interface for user input. For example, the battery exchange system (1) may receive battery information through the interface and guide the user to a charging port (15) for efficient charging based on the received information and / or the current status of the battery exchange device (10). The status of the battery exchange device (10) may include the status of the battery being charged in the battery exchange device (10), the number of remaining chargers, the remaining power, etc.

[0119] The integrated controller (16) can receive the unique ID and pairing information of the battery pair (S3). For example, the charging port (15) into which the battery pair is inserted can obtain the unique ID and pairing information of each battery through various communication methods such as NFC, device-to-device communication (e.g., CAN communication), WI-FI, and Bluetooth, and transmit this to the integrated controller (16).

[0120] The management server (20) can receive the unique ID and pairing information of the inserted battery pair from the integrated controller (16) (S4). Wired or wireless communication can be established between the management server (20) and the integrated controller (16).

[0121] The management server (20) can perform authentication by comparing the received unique ID and pairing information with information stored in a database (e.g., database (21) shown in FIG. 6) and transmit a control signal to the integrated controller (16) (S5).

[0122] The management server (20) may further utilize user information and transportation information stored in the database during the battery pair authentication process. For example, the management server (20) may perform authentication based on whether the unique ID and pairing information received from the battery control device (10) match the user information and / or transportation information.

[0123] The integrated controller (16) can control the connection between the charger (13) and the charging port (15) based on a control signal received from the management server (20) (S6).

[0124] The integrated controller (16) can control charging of a battery inserted into a battery exchange device (10) using a 1:1 connected charger (S7) and / or control charging using a 1:N connected charger (S8) based on a control signal received from a management server (20).

[0125] Although all components constituting the embodiments disclosed in this document have been described as being combined or operating in combination as one, the embodiments disclosed in this document are not necessarily limited to such embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the embodiments disclosed in this document, all of the components may be selectively combined and operated one or more times.

[0126] In addition, terms such as "include," "comprise," or "have" described above, unless specifically stated otherwise, mean that the corresponding component can be included, and therefore should be interpreted to include other components rather than excluding other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document belong, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted to be consistent with the contextual meaning of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined in this document.

[0127] The above description is merely an example of the technical idea disclosed in this document, and those skilled in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document pertain may make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments disclosed in this document. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this document are not intended to limit the technical idea of ​​the embodiments disclosed in this document, but to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea disclosed in this document is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the technical idea disclosed in this document should be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of this document.

Claims

1. An insertion portion including a plurality of charging ports through which batteries can be inserted or ejected; A charging unit including at least one charger for charging a battery inserted into the insertion unit; and Obtain authentication information related to the inserted battery, A battery exchange device including a control unit that controls the connection between the charging unit and the insertion unit based on the authentication result of the battery and the status of the battery exchange device.

2. In paragraph 1, A battery exchange device comprising at least one switch connected to the charging unit and the insertion unit and configured to vary a connection path between the charging unit and the insertion unit.

3. In paragraph 2, Each of the above switches, an input port connected to one of the chargers of the above charging unit; and A battery exchange device comprising a plurality of output ports connected to at least some of the plurality of charging ports of the insertion portion.

4. In paragraph 3, The above control unit, A battery exchange device that controls, for each of the above switches, a signal applied to the input port to be transmitted to at least one of the plurality of output ports.

5. In paragraph 2, A battery replacement device, wherein each of the above at least one switch is a demux switch.

6. In paragraph 1, Each of the above chargers includes multiple power delivery ports, Each of the plurality of power transmission ports is connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports, A battery exchange device, wherein the control unit controls power of each of the chargers to be transmitted to at least one of the plurality of power transmission ports.

7. In paragraph 1, A battery exchange device, characterized in that the number of the chargers is less than the number of the charging ports.

8. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, If the authentication result of the above battery is successful, charging of the inserted battery is permitted, A battery exchange device that does not allow charging of the inserted battery if the authentication result of the above battery is failed.

9. In paragraph 8, The status of the above battery exchange device includes the charge rate of the battery being charged, The above control unit, If there is a battery whose charge rate exceeds the threshold value while being charged, A battery exchange device that stops charging a battery whose charge rate is above a threshold value and controls the connection so that the inserted battery is charged.

10. In paragraph 8, The above charging unit includes a plurality of chargers, At least some of the plurality of chargers are connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports, The status of the above battery exchange device includes the number of remaining chargers, The above control unit, A battery exchange device that determines whether to charge the inserted battery using the one-to-one connected charger based on the number of remaining chargers.

11. In paragraph 10, The above control unit, A battery exchange device that controls the connection so that the inserted battery is charged using the one-to-one connected charger when the number of the remaining chargers is greater than a preset ratio of the total number of chargers.

12. A battery exchange device including an insertion portion including a plurality of charging ports through which batteries can be inserted or ejected, and a charging portion including at least one charger for charging a battery inserted into the insertion portion; and Receive authentication information related to the battery inserted into the above insertion part, Perform authentication of the inserted battery based on the above authentication information, A battery exchange system including a management server that transmits a control signal to the battery exchange device for controlling the connection between the charging unit and the insertion unit based on the authentication result of the battery and the status of the battery exchange device.

13. In paragraph 12, The above battery exchange device, A battery exchange system configured to insert a pair of batteries requiring charging and provide a pair of batteries that were stored therein.

14. In paragraph 13, The above authentication information is, A battery exchange system comprising at least one of a unique ID of the battery pair, pairing information, information on a vehicle equipped with the battery pair, and user information of the vehicle.

15. In paragraph 14, The above management server, A battery exchange system comprising a database that matches and stores the unique ID of the battery pair, the pairing information, the means of transportation information, and the user information.

16. In paragraph 15, The above battery exchange device, Obtain the unique ID and pairing information of the inserted battery pair and transmit them to the management server, A battery exchange system in which the management server performs authentication of the battery pair by comparing the received unique ID and pairing information with the information stored in the database.

17. In paragraph 13, The above management server, If the authentication result of the above battery is successful, charging of the inserted battery is permitted, A battery exchange system that does not allow charging of the inserted battery if the authentication result of the above battery is failed.

18. In paragraph 17, The status of the above battery exchange device includes the charge rate of the battery being charged, The above management server, If there is a battery pair inserted into the above insertion portion and being charged, the charge rate of the battery pair being inserted into the insertion portion is greater than the threshold value, A battery exchange system that stops charging a battery pair whose charge rate is above a threshold value and controls the connection so that the inserted battery pair is charged.

19. In paragraph 13, The above charging unit includes a plurality of chargers, At least some of the plurality of chargers are connected one-to-one with at least some of the plurality of charging ports, The status of the above battery exchange device includes the number of remaining chargers, The above management server, A battery exchange system that determines whether to charge the inserted battery using the one-to-one connected charger based on the number of remaining chargers.

20. In paragraph 19, The above management server, A battery exchange system that controls the connection so that the inserted battery is charged using the charger connected one-to-one when the number of the remaining chargers is greater than a preset ratio of the total number of chargers.

Images