Battery information management system

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a system platform capable of monitoring the timing and quantity of battery supply and demand. A battery information management system according to the present invention holds specification data, deterioration state data, and use history data for each of a supply battery and a demand battery, and uses the information to calculate a supply quantity and a supply timing of the supply battery and a demand quantity and a demand timing of the demand battery (see FIG. 1).

Description

Battery Information Management System

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for managing battery information.

[0002] Secondary batteries deteriorate with use, but even deteriorated used batteries may still be usable depending on the application. There is a potential need for such used batteries. For example, there is a need to utilize used batteries to effectively utilize valuable metal resources throughout the entire life cycle of secondary batteries.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses the following technology: "This disclosure discloses a technology for more accurately evaluating the residual value of a secondary battery. To this end, this disclosure proposes a battery residual value management system for managing the residual value of a battery, the system comprising: at least one storage device that stores information on a multidimensional vector space formed of at least three indicators for evaluating the residual value of a battery, the multidimensional vector space having multiple regions for determining a battery's residual value, the multiple regions being defined by one or more thresholds set for each indicator; and at least one processor that acquires the information on the multidimensional vector space from the storage device, and determines to which of the multiple regions of the multidimensional vector space the battery to be evaluated for residual value belongs based on the at least three indicators of the battery to be evaluated for residual value, thereby determining the residual value rank of the battery to be evaluated for residual value (see FIG. 2A)" (see Abstract).

[0004] Patent Document 2 (JP-A-2005-103563) describes a technique for calculating the battery capacity of a battery pack as a technology related to the present invention. The application describes the following technology: "A method for diagnosing a battery pack using a system for obtaining detection data including the current and temperature of a battery pack having a configuration in which multiple cells are connected in series, as well as the voltage of each cell. The method includes the steps of: calculating the charge capacity and SOC of each cell using the current and temperature, the voltage of each cell, an OCV SOC function, and a resistance table; calculating the imbalance and resistance, which are estimated values ​​of the SOC of each cell when the battery pack is fully charged; and calculating the energy capacity of the battery pack using the charge capacity, imbalance, and resistance. This allows the energy capacity of the battery pack to be accurately calculated even when the battery pack is in an unbalanced state." (See Abstract).

[0005] Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-038292 describes a technology related to the present invention. The document aims to provide a technology that "enables appropriate selection of economically effective measures and their implementation timing as measures to be implemented when a secondary battery deteriorates," and discloses the following technology: "The battery deterioration level management system according to the present invention calculates the cost required to implement a measure based on cost data describing the costs involved in implementing the measure to reduce the deterioration state of the battery, and determines the economically effective measure and its implementation timing based on the calculated cost" (see abstract).

[0006] WO2023 / 139684A1 WO2022 / 024885A1

[0007] Prior art such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1 aims to provide a match between the demands of battery consumers and the residual value of batteries. However, it does not sufficiently consider the amount of batteries needed in the market at what point in time. Similarly, it does not sufficiently consider the timing and amount of batteries supplied by battery suppliers. Therefore, there is a need for a system that can achieve a match between battery suppliers and battery consumers that takes these conditions into account.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a system platform that can grasp the timing and amount of battery supply and demand.

[0009] The battery information management system of the present invention stores specification data, deterioration state data, and usage history data for each supply battery and demand battery, and uses this information to calculate the supply amount and supply timing of the supply battery, as well as the demand amount and demand timing of the demand battery.

[0010] The battery information management system according to the present invention can provide a system platform that can grasp the timing and quantity of battery supply and demand. Other objects, configurations, effects, etc. of the present invention will become clear from the description of the following embodiments.

[0011] 1 is a configuration diagram of a battery information management system 1 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows an example of data used when the battery information management system 1 acquires information about supplied batteries. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a processing flow implemented by a calculation unit 11. FIG. 3 shows the results of predicting changes in the SOH of a battery cell over time. FIG. 4 is an example of input / output data when a market is formed for trading used batteries between a battery supplier 2 and a battery consumer 3. FIG. 5 is an example of input / output data when receiving financing using the asset price of the battery as collateral. FIG. 6 is an example of input / output data when reusing or recycling used batteries. FIG. 7 is an example of input / output data when determining the selling price of a battery damaged by the user. FIG. 8 is an example of input / output data when reusing a used electric vehicle as is, as a form of used battery reuse. FIG. 9 is an example of input / output data when the battery information management system 1 diagnoses a used battery and presents the results. FIG. 10 is another example of input / output data when the battery information management system 1 diagnoses a used battery and presents the results. FIG. 11 is an example of a GUI when the battery information management system 1 estimates a battery price. FIG. 12 is an example of a GUI when the battery information management system 1 presents a standard price list for batteries. 10 is an example of a GUI when a battery consumer 3 searches for a desired battery.

[0012] 1 is a configuration diagram of a battery information management system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The battery information management system 1 is a system that manages information on supply batteries supplied by a battery supplier 2 and information on demand batteries supplied by a battery consumer 3. The battery information management system 1 includes a calculation unit 11 and a database 12.

[0013] The calculation unit 11 acquires information about the supplied batteries from the battery supplier 2. The supplied batteries are batteries supplied to the market by the battery supplier 2, and are typically second-hand batteries, but may also be new batteries. The information about the supplied batteries includes specification information, degradation state information, and usage history information about the supplied batteries. The calculation unit 11 acquires this information and stores it in the database 12 as specification data, degradation state data, and usage history data (battery information data 121) for each supplied battery.

[0014] The calculation unit 11 acquires information about the demand batteries from the battery consumers 3. The demand batteries are batteries that the battery consumers 3 want the market to supply, and are typically second-hand batteries, but may also be new batteries. The information about the demand batteries includes specification information about the demand batteries, degradation state information about the demand batteries, and usage history information about the demand batteries. The calculation unit 11 acquires this information and stores it in the database 12 as specification data, degradation state data, and usage history data (battery information data 121) for each demand battery.

[0015] The calculation unit 11 estimates the amount of supply batteries to be supplied in the market (estimated supply amount) and the timing of supply (estimated supply timing) based on the battery information data 121. Similarly, the calculation unit 11 estimates the amount of demand batteries that will be demanded in the market (estimated demand amount) and the timing of demand (estimated demand timing) based on the battery information data 121. Examples of estimation methods include, but are not limited to, the following examples 1 to 4, and any estimation method can be used.

[0016] (Example 1 of a method for estimating timing and quantity) The calculation unit 11 grasps the progression of the degradation state of the supply battery based on the degradation state data, and based on this, estimates the timing and quantity of the supply battery to be released to the market. When a battery's degradation progresses to a certain level, the battery is discarded or released to the market as a used product. In other words, there is a statistical relationship between the battery's degradation state and the timing of its release to the market. The calculation unit 11 can estimate the timing of supply of the supply battery based on this statistical relationship. Furthermore, because the battery information data 121 holds information about multiple supply batteries, this statistical relationship can be described as a statistic for the collection of multiple supply batteries. Therefore, the calculation unit 11 can estimate the supply timing of the supply battery as well as the supply quantity at each time. The calculation unit 11 outputs these estimation results.

[0017] (Example 2 of estimation method for timing and quantity) Similarly, for demand batteries, the calculation unit 11 grasps the transition of the deterioration state required for the demand battery based on the deterioration state data, and based on this, estimates the timing and quantity at which the demand battery will be required in the market. The calculation unit 11 outputs these estimation results.

[0018] (Example 3 of estimation method for timing and quantity) In addition to or instead of the above, the calculation unit 11 may understand how the supply battery has been used up to now from the usage history data, and based on this, estimate the timing and quantity of the supply battery to be released into the market. For example, the usage history data can determine that the battery is repeatedly fully charged and fully discharged at the rated C rate for 12 hours each day, and then rests for the remaining 12 hours. The way the battery is used is considered to have a statistical relationship with the battery's degradation state. In other words, the way the battery is used contains information similar to the battery's degradation state. Therefore, the calculation unit 11 can estimate the quantity and timing of the supply battery to be released into the market based on the usage history data.

[0019] (Example 4 of estimation method for timing and quantity) The usage history of a demand battery indicates how the battery has been used and there is demand for the battery. Therefore, the calculation unit 11 similarly grasps the past usage required for the demand battery based on the usage history data, and based on this, estimates the timing and quantity that the demand battery will be required in the market. The calculation unit 11 outputs these estimation results.

[0020] When estimating the supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time, the calculation unit 11 may classify the supply batteries and demand batteries into quality groups in advance and estimate the supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time for each quality group. The estimation result data 122 in FIG. 1 is an example of the estimation results stored in the database 12. The quality groups here are obtained by classifying batteries according to their quality index values. For example, a numerical range of the deterioration state can be used as a quality group. Other specific examples of quality groups include: (a) battery specifications such as battery type, battery configuration, manufacturing date, capacity, and quantity; and (b) important usage environments and conditions (temperature, humidity, charging frequency, charging speed, and lifespan).

[0021] The calculation unit 11 may further classify the battery quality groups by battery application, and estimate the supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time for each combination of quality group / application or for each application. The battery applications referred to here include, for example, reuse and recycling. Reuse refers to, for example, reconstructing a battery that has deteriorated significantly as a recycled product. Recycling refers, for example, to diverting a battery from its current application to another application.

[0022] 2 shows an example of data used by the battery information management system 1 when acquiring information about a supply battery. The calculation unit 11 receives the characteristic data and measurement data, uses them to estimate the battery's SOH (current and at a predetermined time in the future), and may then reflect the result in the database 12 as degradation state data. Any known technology can be used for the estimation procedure. Based on the estimated SOH, the calculation unit 11 identifies batteries that are deteriorating and determines measures (reuse, recycling, etc.) to be taken for those batteries. Specific examples of measures and the determination procedure will be described later.

[0023] The characteristic data describes the physical characteristics of the battery and can be acquired in advance before estimating the SOH. The characteristic data describes the SOC-OCV curve, SOC-charge resistance curve, SOC-discharge resistance curve, number of battery cells, rated capacity (Wh), etc. The SOC-OCV curve describes the relationship between the battery's SOC (State of Charge) and OCV (Open Circuit Voltage). The SOC-charge resistance curve describes the relationship between the battery's SOC and charge resistance. The SOC-discharge resistance curve describes the relationship between the battery's SOC and discharge resistance. The number of battery cells is the number of cells that make up the battery. The rated capacity (Wh) is the rated capacity of the battery.

[0024] The measurement data is data describing the results of measuring the physical state of the battery, and can be obtained, for example, from a battery management unit (BMU). The measurement data describes a timestamp, battery current, battery voltage, battery temperature, etc. The timestamp is the date and time when the measurement data was acquired (or the date and time when the measurement was performed). The battery current, battery voltage, and battery temperature are the battery output current, battery output voltage, and battery temperature (or the temperature of the battery's surrounding environment), respectively.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the processing flow performed by the calculation unit 11. The calculation unit 11 estimates the SOH of the battery using characteristic data and measurement data. Specifically, the calculation unit 11 can calculate the battery capacity using the integrated value of the current value during charging and the SOC of the battery at the start and end of charging. Furthermore, the SOH can be estimated based on "SOH = 100 × battery capacity / rated battery capacity." Alternatively, any known technology such as that described in Patent Document 2 can be used. As another method, for example, the SOH can be estimated by obtaining the change in battery voltage over time during a rest period after a charging or discharging operation and then estimating the SOH based on the correspondence between the change over time and the SOH.

[0026] The calculation unit 11 predicts the change in SOH over time. Since SOH gradually decreases over time, future changes in SOH over time can be predicted based on, for example, the rate of decrease over time. Any other method may also be used for the prediction. The prediction of future changes in SOH over time may be performed using linear approximation, approximation using ARMA (autoregressive moving average) or Weibull distribution, or any other method. The prediction result can be output as an estimated quality of the battery.

[0027] The calculation unit 11 identifies a battery with a low SOH and determines a measure to be taken for that battery. Examples of measures to be taken include (a) rebalancing, which equalizes the state of charge of each battery constituting a battery group, (b) rebuilding (or reusing) a battery that has deteriorated significantly (reconstructing it as a refurbished product), and (c) converting it to another use. The determined measure can be presented together with other calculation results.

[0028] A deteriorated battery cell will experience a greater decrease in SOC during discharge than other battery cells. Rebalancing is a process for equalizing the SOC between deteriorated and undegraded battery cells. This allows the entire battery group to perform at a capacity close to the rated capacity. In this respect, rebalancing is suitable as a measure to be implemented for deteriorated battery cells.

[0029] When the deterioration of a battery cell progresses beyond the point where performance can be restored by rebalancing, measures other than rebalancing become necessary. Rebuilding is selected as a measure for such battery cells. Specifically, the deteriorated battery cell is removed from the battery group and reconstructed as a refurbished product. More simply, the deteriorated battery cell may be replaced with a new battery. In this embodiment, this is also considered a rebuild in a broad sense.

[0030] From a perspective separate from that of battery cells, measures can also be implemented for the entire battery group. For example, when the SOH of the entire battery group gradually deteriorates, the battery group may still be usable but may not meet the performance requirements in the current usage environment. In such a case, it is possible to repurpose the battery group to a different usage environment with less stringent performance requirements. Conversely, if the SOH of the entire battery group is sufficiently high, it is possible to repurpose the battery group to a different usage environment with stricter performance requirements. The battery group referred to here may be a battery module composed of multiple battery cells, a battery pack composed of multiple battery modules, or any other unit.

[0031] Diversion of batteries also includes recycling by disassembling the battery and extracting the materials. Therefore, the intended use of the battery includes recycling purposes, and these are all considered to be "diversion" in the broad sense.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the results of predicting the change in the SOH of a battery cell over time. When the SOH deterioration is relatively small (the SOH is equal to or greater than the first threshold), rebalancing can be selected as the measure. When the SOH deterioration progresses further (the SOH is equal to or less than the first threshold and equal to or greater than the second threshold), rebuilding can be selected as the measure. On the vertical axis of FIG. 4, the section where rebalancing is selected and the section where rebuilding is selected may or may not be adjacent. When the two sections are not adjacent, the measure to be implemented in the gap between the two sections may be, for example, either rebalancing or rebuilding.

[0033] In addition to estimating the supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time, the calculation unit 11 may also estimate the market price of the battery at a given time. Since the market price is determined by the balance between supply and demand, the market price can also be estimated by estimating the supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time. For example, by inputting the estimated supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time into a pre-constructed price model, the market price at that time can be estimated. Furthermore, since the degradation state of the supply battery is used when estimating the supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time, the quality of the battery supplied in the market at that time can also be estimated. The calculation unit 11 outputs these estimation results.

[0034] Another method for the calculation unit 11 to estimate the market price of batteries is to make an estimate by referring to actual market prices. Alternatively, (a) new battery supply forecast data predicting the supply amount of new batteries for each region may be obtained, (b) this data may be used to predict the supply amount of used batteries for each region, and (c) the predicted supply amount of used batteries may be used to estimate the estimated price of batteries supplied in the market at a predetermined time. The above estimation methods may be used in combination to obtain each estimation result, and these may be weighted averaged.

[0035] Summary of First Embodiment The battery information management system 1 according to the first embodiment calculates the supply amount, supply time, demand amount, and demand time using information about supply batteries acquired from battery suppliers 2 and information about demand batteries acquired from battery consumers 3, and outputs the results. When calculating these, highly accurate information can be presented by using not only the SOH of used batteries but also information about past SOH trends and how the batteries are used. Furthermore, it is possible to predict the quality and quantity of used batteries that will be released onto the market in the future. By presenting these, a futures market for used batteries can be formed.

[0036] The battery information management system 1 according to the first embodiment estimates the market price of a supplied battery at a predetermined time and presents the result. This allows the battery supplier 2 to grasp the asset value of the used batteries they own. Once the asset value is grasped, financing becomes possible using the used batteries as collateral. For example, a leasing company that owns electric vehicles can obtain business funds using their electric vehicles as collateral.

[0037] The estimated market price of the supplied battery presented by the battery information management system 1 according to the first embodiment can also be used as a standard price list. Presenting standard prices together with specification data, degradation state data, and usage history data can stimulate the used battery market and lower the psychological and economic barriers to transactions by making it easier to identify abnormal prices. The battery information management system 1 according to the first embodiment determines measures to be implemented on the battery based on the battery's degradation state, etc., and presents the determined measures. Since the required battery performance varies depending on the type of measure and the intended use, presenting measures together with the battery's specification data, degradation state data, and usage history data makes it possible to match the supply and demand of used batteries for each use.

[0038] The battery information management system 1 according to the first embodiment may store information about the location of a battery (the location where the battery is supplied if it is a supply battery, or the location where the battery is demanded if it is a demand battery) in the database 12, along with the battery specification data, deterioration state data, and usage history data. The location information can be obtained from the battery supplier 2 if it is a supply battery, or from the battery consumer 3 if it is a demand battery. The battery information management system 1 may present the information about the location of the battery along with the battery specification data, deterioration state data, and usage history data. This makes it possible to present, for example, information about supply batteries that are being released for recycling purposes, along with the location of the battery.

[0039] The battery information management system 1 according to the first embodiment presents information about the quality (specifications, SOH, and usage history) of supplying and demanding batteries. For example, battery manufacturers or manufacturers of products that use batteries can refer to this information to create production plans. Furthermore, consumers can know in advance the quality and quantity of batteries that are predicted to be available on the market at some point in the future, enabling futures trading of that future supply.

[0040] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention illustrates a specific application of the battery information management system 1. The configuration of the battery information management system 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0041] The battery information management system 1 described in the first embodiment presents an estimated price for a used battery, and thus can be used in the insurance industry. For example, if an electric vehicle is totally destroyed in an accident, the insurance company will own the electric vehicle after paying the insurance money, and the resale value of the battery installed in the electric vehicle will directly affect the insurance company's profit and loss. Therefore, insurance companies have a need to know the accurate selling price of the battery. The battery information management system 1 can satisfy this need by presenting the estimated price of the battery to the insurance company. However, because the transportation costs of damaged batteries are generally high, it is desirable to present information about the supply location / demand location along with the estimated price.

[0042] On the other hand, by using the battery information management system 1, the owner of the electric vehicle can know the correct battery value in the event of a total loss of the electric vehicle. Alternatively, by knowing the battery value over time, it is possible to more appropriately set fair prices and insurance options for automobile insurance.

[0043] Even if battery supplier 2 requests battery manufacturers to replace degraded batteries, they may be refused because the batteries are still usable as they are. By presenting information about battery performance and other information, battery information management system 1 can quantitatively present battery quality to battery manufacturers, thereby preventing such refusals to replace batteries. In other words, it becomes easier to receive quality assurance services for batteries.

[0044] The battery information management system 1 described in the first embodiment can be used by a battery consumer 3 to search across multiple battery suppliers 2 for a desired battery. Specifically, information about the battery suppliers 2, etc., is stored in the database 12 along with battery information, and the battery consumer 3 notifies the calculation unit 11 of the specifications, etc., required for the supplied battery. The calculation unit 11 searches the database 12 for batteries that meet the requirements and presents the results. Information about the battery suppliers 2 for each battery may or may not be presented at the same time. This is useful, for example, for a battery consumer 3 (e.g., a power storage business operator) that needs to purchase a large number of batteries with similar specifications and a similar level of deterioration, because it allows the battery consumer 3 to search for the desired battery in one go. In addition to the search, functions such as purchase reservations, receiving periodic information updates about the target battery, and automatically contacting the purchaser when the purchase time approaches can also be implemented.

[0045] Third Embodiment A third embodiment of the present invention illustrates an example of a specific application of the battery information management system 1, which is related to the diagnosis results for battery cells. The configuration of the battery information management system 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0046] The calculation unit 11 estimates the battery's degradation state and presents the result, and may also present a method for recovering from the degradation state. For example, if a battery is composed of a collection of battery cells, even if some cells are degraded and take longer to charge than other cells, the battery management system (BMS) may stop charging the degraded cells without charging them. In this case, simply charging the degraded cells alone may increase the SOH of the entire battery by several points. Therefore, the calculation unit 11 may diagnose the degradation state of each battery cell and present the result, and may suggest charging only the degraded cells if some cells are significantly more degraded than the other cells.

[0047] Since the temperature of the center of a battery pack is higher than that of the peripheral parts, the battery cells in the center generally deteriorate faster than the battery cells in the peripheral parts. If a diagnosis result different from this is obtained by diagnosing the individual battery cells, there is a possibility that a problem has occurred in the manufacturing of the battery pack. Therefore, the calculation unit 11 may feed back the diagnosis result for each battery cell to the manufacturing process. This allows the manufacturing process to identify possible problems in the manufacturing process such as those described above.

[0048] Fourth Embodiment In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a specific example of data input and output by the battery information management system 1 in the above embodiments will be described. The configuration of the battery information management system 1 is the same as in the above embodiments. The input and output data is processed by a calculation unit 11.

[0049] FIG. 5A shows an example of input and output data when a market for trading used batteries is formed between a battery supplier 2 and a battery consumer 3. The operator of the battery information management system 1 inputs past trading records, price conditions in external markets, and the like into the battery information management system 1. The battery supplier 2 provides information about itself (e.g., contact information) in addition to battery information. The battery consumer 3 specifies the desired battery specifications, etc. The battery information management system 1 presents the supply amount, specifications, price, etc. of used batteries that match the demand. This allows both the battery supplier 2 and the battery consumer 3 to understand the battery price at the specified time. As an example, the battery consumer 3 specifies the desired battery specifications, quantity, etc., and the battery supplier 2 can decide to sell based on that information and price.

[0050] 5B shows an example of input and output data when financing is provided using the asset price of a battery as collateral. In this example, the financial institution providing the financing needs to know the asset price of the battery, so the financial institution obtains information about the battery price at a given time.

[0051] 5C shows an example of input and output data when reusing or recycling used batteries. The operator of the battery information management system 1 may input the expected battery specifications for each reuse / recycle scenario as a template in advance. The battery consumer 3 specifies the intended use for each reuse / recycle scenario. Since the demand for reuse / recycle is also related to the location of demand, the location where the used batteries will be used may also be specified.

[0052] FIG. 5D shows an example of input and output data for determining the resale value of a battery that has been damaged by the battery supplier 2. To take into account the cost of transporting the damaged battery, the battery supplier 2 provides information about the storage location of the battery. Further, as reference information, the supplier 2 may provide information about the surrounding circumstances when the damage occurred and the condition of the battery itself. The battery consumer 3 (e.g., an insurance company) specifies the location where the battery should be collected. If the battery consumer 3 is an insurance company, the supplier 2 may provide, as reference information, the viewpoints to be considered when assessing the battery.

[0053] FIG. 5E shows an example of input / output data for the reuse of a used electric vehicle as is, as a form of used battery reuse. The price of a used battery (or, if possible, a used electric vehicle) at a specified time is presented to the battery supplier 2. In addition to the battery price, the predicted lifespan of the used battery installed in the electric vehicle may also be presented to the battery consumer 3. Any method for predicting the lifespan may be used. For example, the SOH at a specified time may be predicted based on changes in the SOH over time, and the lifespan may be predicted based on this prediction (e.g., the battery is considered to have reached its end of life when the SOH falls below a reference value). In this example, the benefit to the battery supplier 2 is increased opportunities to sell used electric vehicles. The benefit to the battery consumer 3 is that, for example, if the battery consumer 3 is an insurance company, the battery price can be used as a basis for calculating automobile insurance premiums. Furthermore, presenting the battery lifespan may motivate consumers to purchase insurance, thereby reducing the statistical probability of paying premiums and increasing company profits.

[0054] FIG. 5F shows an example of input and output data when the battery information management system 1 diagnoses a used battery and presents the results. If the battery consumer 3 is an insurance company, the battery supplier 2 needs to know the appropriate insurance premium according to the battery condition. The battery consumer 3 provides information in advance about the relationship between the battery condition and the coverage / premium. The battery information management system 1 calculates and presents the appropriate insurance premium based on this information. This has the advantage that the battery supplier 2 can understand the insurance premium, and the battery consumer 3 can set the appropriate insurance amount / premium based on the lifespan prediction.

[0055] 5G shows another example of input / output data when the battery information management system 1 diagnoses a used battery and presents the results. In this example, the battery diagnostic information is fed back to the battery manufacturer. This provides the benefits described in embodiment 3. Alternatively, for the battery supplier 2, this has the advantage of making it easier to obtain a warranty from the battery manufacturer, as described in embodiment 2.

[0056] Fifth Embodiment A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to an example of a user interface (Graphical User Interface: GUI) presented by the battery information management system 1. The GUI can be provided by the calculation unit 11.

[0057] 6A shows an example of a GUI when the battery information management system 1 estimates battery prices. The user (battery supplier 2 or battery consumer 3) inputs information to specify the battery for which the price is to be estimated. The calculation unit 11 estimates the battery price according to the specified conditions and outputs the result. Battery prices can be estimated by time period or by reuse / recycle use.

[0058] 6B shows an example of a GUI when the battery information management system 1 presents a standard price list for batteries. The standard price serves as an estimated battery price. The user inputs information to specify the battery for which the standard price is to be calculated. The calculation unit 11 estimates the standard price according to the specified conditions and outputs the result.

[0059] 6C is an example of a GUI when a battery consumer 3 searches for a desired battery. The battery consumer 3 specifies the conditions for the desired battery. The calculation unit 11 searches the database 12 for batteries that meet the specified conditions and outputs the results.

[0060] <Regarding Modifications of the Present Invention> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the calculation unit 11 may estimate at least one of the price / supply amount / supply time / demand amount / demand time of the battery based on the trading history on the battery information management system 1. Alternatively, or in addition to this, any of these may be estimated based on the trading history of the battery in the market.

[0062] In the above embodiment, when the battery supplier 2 purchases a battery, the contract may specify a period during which the battery is permitted to be used. This period serves as the basis for estimating the battery supply amount and supply time. The calculation unit 11 may acquire the contract conditions and estimate at least one of the battery supply amount and supply time based on the contract conditions.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the calculation unit 11 may exchange data with a system other than the battery information management system 1. For example, the calculation unit 11 may describe the results of estimation / searching, etc., in a general-purpose data format and provide the data to an external system.

[0064] In the above-described embodiments, the calculation unit 11 can be configured by hardware such as a circuit device that implements its functions, or can be configured by a calculation device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes software that implements its functions.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the calculation unit 11 may obtain evidence to prove that the battery has been recycled, and a record to that effect may be left in the database 12. For example, when a fleet operator that owns battery assets attempts to recycle a deteriorated battery, it may be possible to store in the database 12 a record that enables tracking of both the battery before recycling and the battery after recycling.

[0066] 1: Battery information management system 11: Calculation unit 12: Database

Claims

1. A battery information management system for managing information about batteries, comprising: a database for storing the information; and a calculation unit for calculating information regarding the supply or demand of the battery using the information stored in the database, wherein the database stores, as the information of supply batteries supplied to the market, the following: specification data describing the specifications of the supply battery, degradation state data describing the degradation state of the supply battery, and usage history data describing the usage history of the supply battery; and the calculation unit uses the information of the supply batteries stored in the database to calculate the supply amount of the supply battery and the supply time of the supply battery for each quality group into which the supply batteries are classified according to their quality, and the database further stores, as the information of demand batteries for which there is demand from the market, specification data describing the specifications required for the demand battery, degradation state data describing the degradation state required for the demand battery, and usage history data describing the usage history required for the demand battery, A battery information management system characterized in that the calculation unit uses the information of the demand batteries stored in the database to calculate the demand amount of the demand batteries and the demand time of the demand batteries for each quality group into which the demand batteries are classified according to their quality.

2. The battery information management system described in claim 1, characterized in that the database classifies the quality groups of the supply batteries according to the use of the supply batteries and stores the information on the supply batteries, the database classifies the quality groups of the demand batteries according to the use of the demand batteries and stores the information on the demand batteries, the calculation unit calculates the supply amount of the supply battery and the supply time of the supply battery for each use of the supply battery, and the calculation unit calculates the demand amount of the demand battery and the demand time of the demand battery for each use of the demand battery.

3. The battery information management system described in claim 1, characterized in that the calculation unit predicts the future degradation state of the supply battery using the time rate of change of the degradation state of the supply battery, and reflects the prediction result in the database as the degradation state data of the supply battery.

4. The battery information management system of claim 1, characterized in that the calculation unit calculates an estimated price of the battery supplied in the market at a specified time using the supply amount of the supply battery, the supply time of the supply battery, the demand amount of the demand battery, and the demand time of the demand battery, and presents the result.

5. The battery information management system described in claim 1, characterized in that the calculation unit uses the information on the supply batteries and the information on the demand batteries to calculate an estimated quality of batteries supplied in the market at a specified time and presents the result.

6. The battery information management system of claim 1, characterized in that the calculation unit acquires new battery supply forecast data that predicts the supply of new batteries for each region, the calculation unit predicts the supply of used batteries for each region using the new battery supply forecast data, and the calculation unit uses the predicted supply of used batteries to calculate an estimated price of batteries supplied in the market at a specified time using the predicted supply of used batteries, and presents the result.

7. The battery information management system of claim 2, characterized in that, when the degradation state of the supply battery is equal to or greater than a first threshold, the calculation unit selects rebalancing, which equalizes the charge state of multiple batteries, as the use of the supply battery, when the degradation state of the supply battery is equal to or greater than a second threshold that is less than the first threshold, the calculation unit selects rebuilding, which regenerates the supply battery, as the use of the supply battery, and the calculation unit calculates the supply amount and supply timing of the supply battery for which rebuilding is selected and presents the results.

8. The battery information management system described in claim 2, characterized in that the calculation unit selects, depending on the deterioration state of the supply battery, to repurpose the supply battery for another use, and the calculation unit calculates the supply amount and supply timing of the supply battery for which the repurposing has been selected, and presents the results.

9. The battery information management system described in claim 8, characterized in that the database stores the location of the supply battery, and the calculation unit presents at least one of the specification data of the supply battery selected for repurposing, the deterioration state data of the supply battery selected for repurposing, and the usage history data of the supply battery selected for repurposing, together with the location of the supply battery.

10. A battery information management system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the database stores the information on the supply battery for each owner who owns the supply battery, the calculation unit receives a request for the supply battery desired by a consumer who needs the supply battery, and the calculation unit searches the database for the supply battery and its owner that meets the request and presents the result.

11. The battery information management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the calculation unit diagnoses the deterioration state of each battery cell of the battery and presents the results.

12. The battery information management system described in claim 1, characterized in that the calculation unit estimates at least one of the price of the battery, the supply amount, the supply timing, the demand amount, or the demand timing based on the actual trading price of the battery on the battery information management system or the trading history of the battery in the market.

13. The battery information management system described in claim 1, characterized in that the calculation unit acquires, as the information of the supply battery, contract conditions that specify the period during which the supply battery is permitted to be used, and the calculation unit estimates at least one of the supply amount or the supply timing in accordance with the contract conditions.

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