Position detection device and position tracking system

Abstract

A position detection device attached to a battery including a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal on a terminal surface, which is one surface of a battery case having a box shape, includes: a housing having a first through hole through which the positive electrode terminal penetrates and a second through hole through which the negative electrode terminal penetrates, and installed so as to cover the terminal surface; a position detection circuit that detects a position by a satellite positioning system; a communication circuit that communicates with the outside by wireless communication and transmits the position detected by the position detection circuit to the outside; and a control unit that is surrounded by the housing or by the housing and the terminal surface, wherein the positive electrode terminal is connected to a first wiring terminal through the first through hole, and the negative electrode terminal is connected to a second wiring terminal through the second through hole, thereby fixing the housing so that the housing cannot be removed from the battery.

Description

Location detection device and location tracking system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a location detection device and a location tracking system.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a theft detection system for detecting unauthorized removal of a battery, which includes a battery monitoring circuit attached to or embedded in the battery, and a remote device. Patent Document 1 discloses that the theft detection system includes a GPS receiver.

[0003] Special Publication No. 2020-529663

[0004] The present disclosure provides a location detection device capable of detecting the location of a battery.

[0005] In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a position detection device that is attached to a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal on a terminal surface, which is one surface of a box-shaped battery case, the position detection device comprising: a housing having a first through hole through which the positive terminal passes and a second through hole through which the negative terminal passes, the housing being installed to cover the terminal surface; a position detection circuit that detects a position using a satellite positioning system; and a communication circuit that communicates with the outside via wireless communication and transmits the position detected by the position detection circuit to the outside; and a control unit that is surrounded by the housing or surrounded by the housing and the terminal surface, wherein the positive terminal passes through the first through hole and is coupled to a first wiring terminal, and the negative terminal passes through the second through hole and is coupled to a second wiring terminal, thereby fixing the housing so that it cannot be removed from the battery.

[0006] According to the position detection device of the present disclosure, the position of the battery can be detected.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a housing of the position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plate-shaped portion of the housing of the position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plate-shaped portion of the housing of the position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the plate-shaped portion of the housing of the position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the position detection device according to this embodiment is installed on a battery. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating installation of the position detection device according to this embodiment on a battery. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the position detection device according to this embodiment is installed on a battery. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which the position detection device according to this embodiment is installed on a battery and wired. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an overview of a control unit of the position detection device according to this embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an overview of a position tracking system including the position detection device according to this embodiment.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0009] In the description of the specification and drawings of each embodiment, components having substantially the same or corresponding functional configurations may be designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation. In addition, the scale of each part in the drawings may differ from the actual scale to facilitate understanding.

[0010] In the directions of parallel, right-angle, orthogonal, horizontal, vertical, up-down, left-right, front-back, etc., deviations are permitted to the extent that they do not impair the effects of the embodiments. The shape of the corners is not limited to right angles and may be rounded. Parallel, right-angle, orthogonal, horizontal, and vertical may include approximately parallel, approximately right-angle, approximately orthogonal, approximately horizontal, and approximately vertical, respectively.

[0011] For example, "substantially parallel" means that even if two lines or two surfaces are not completely parallel to each other, they can be treated as parallel to each other as long as it is within a range that is permissible in manufacturing. As with "substantially parallel," "substantially right angle," "substantially perpendicular," "substantially horizontal," and "substantially vertical" are also intended to fall under the respective terms as long as the relative positional relationship between two lines or two surfaces is within a range that is permissible in manufacturing.

[0012] A position detection device according to this embodiment will be described. The position detection device according to this embodiment is attached to a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal on a terminal surface, which is one surface of a box-shaped battery case. The position detection device according to this embodiment includes a housing and a control unit. The housing of the position detection device according to this embodiment has a first through-hole through which the positive terminal passes and a second through-hole through which the negative terminal passes, and is installed so as to cover the terminal surface. The control unit of the position detection device according to this embodiment includes a position detection circuit that detects a position using a satellite positioning system and a communication circuit that communicates with the outside via wireless communication and transmits the position detected by the position detection circuit to the outside. The control unit of the position detection device according to this embodiment is surrounded by the housing, or is surrounded by the housing and the terminal surface. In the position detection device according to this embodiment, the positive terminal passes through the first through-hole and is coupled to the first wiring terminal, and the negative terminal passes through the second through-hole and is coupled to the second wiring terminal, thereby fixing the housing so that it cannot be removed from the battery.

[0013] The position detection device according to this embodiment detects the position of the battery and transmits the detection result of the battery position to an external device. For example, if a vehicle is stolen, the position detection device according to this embodiment can be used to detect the location of the stolen vehicle by detecting the position of the battery attached to the vehicle.

[0014] Even if a position detector is attached to the battery, if the position detector is detached, the battery's position cannot be detected. If the battery's position cannot be detected, the vehicle's position cannot be detected. Therefore, the inventors came up with the position detector according to this embodiment, which is a position detector that is difficult to detach from the battery.

[0015] Details of the position detection device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to the present embodiment, is installed on a battery BAT. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the installation of the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to the present embodiment, on a battery BAT. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to the present embodiment, is arranged on a battery BAT. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to the present embodiment, is arranged on a battery BAT and wired.

[0016] For ease of explanation, the drawings may include a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system (XYZ Cartesian coordinate system) consisting of mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes (XYZ axes). For example, for a coordinate axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, a black circle within a circle indicates that the coordinate axis faces toward the front of the plane of the drawing. Also, a cross within a circle indicates that the coordinate axis faces away from the plane of the drawing.

[0017] However, this coordinate system is defined for the purpose of explanation and does not limit the attitude of the position detection device according to this embodiment or the battery or the like to which the position detection device according to this embodiment is attached.

[0018] Additionally, a view of an object viewed from the +X side in the opposite direction to the X axis along the X axis is called a front view, a view of an object viewed from the +Z side in the opposite direction to the Z axis along the Z axis is called a plan view, and a view of an object viewed from the -Z side in the direction of the Z axis is called a bottom view.

[0019] With respect to the front view as the reference, the X-axis direction may be referred to as the front-to-back direction, the Y-axis direction as the left-to-right direction, and the Z-axis direction as the up-to-down direction. With respect to an object, the +X side may be referred to as the front, the -X side as the back, the +Y side as the right, the -Y side as the left, the +Z side as the top, and the -Z side as the bottom.

[0020] The position detection device 1 is a device that detects the position of a battery BAT when attached to the battery BAT. The battery BAT is a battery used in a vehicle or the like. The battery BAT includes a box-shaped battery case BDY. The battery BAT includes a positive terminal TMp and a negative terminal TMm on a terminal surface SB, which is one surface of the battery case BDY. The position detection device 1 detects the position of the battery BAT. Then, by detecting the position of the battery BAT, the position of a vehicle, such as a car, to which the battery BAT is attached is detected.

[0021] The position detection device 1 is attached to a battery BAT placed on a mounting surface ST of a stand TBL provided in a vehicle or the like. The position detection device 1 attached to the battery BAT is fixed together with the battery BAT by a battery fixing plate PLT. The stand TBL has male-threaded rods RD1 and RD2 extending in the Z-axis direction. The plate PLT fixes the battery BAT and the position detection device 1 by tightening the rods RD1 and RD2 with nuts NT1 and NT2, respectively.

[0022] The plate PLT includes a fixed portion PLTa and a fixed portion PLTb attached to the end sides of the terminal surface SB of the battery BAT, and a connection portion PLTc connecting the fixed portion PLTa and the fixed portion PLTb.

[0023] The position detection device 1 includes a housing 10 and a control unit 20. The housing 10 and the control unit 20 included in the position detection device 1 will be described in detail below.

[0024] <Housing 10> The housing 10 holds the control unit 20 so as to surround it. The housing 10 is attached to the battery BAT so as to cover the terminal surface SB on which the positive terminal TMp and negative terminal TMm of the battery BAT are provided. Furthermore, when the wiring terminal CONp is coupled to the positive terminal TMp of the battery BAT and the wiring terminal CONm is coupled to the negative terminal TMm of the battery BAT, the housing 10 is fixed to the battery BAT so as not to be detached from the battery BAT.

[0025] The housing 10 has a plate-shaped portion 11, a box-shaped portion 12, and a closure plate portion 13. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the housing 10 of the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to this embodiment. The box-shaped portion 12 is inserted into an opening 11c of the plate-shaped portion 11 in the Z-axis direction, as indicated by arrow A. The closure plate portion 13 is inserted into an opening 11d of the plate-shaped portion 11 in the Z-axis direction, as indicated by arrow A.

[0026] In the examples of Figures 8 to 11, the positive terminal TMp is located on the right side of the battery BAT, and the negative terminal TMm is located on the left side of the battery BAT. However, the positions of the positive terminal TMp and the negative terminal TMm are not limited to the above. For example, the position detection device of the present disclosure can also be applied to a battery in which the positions of the positive terminal TMp and the negative terminal TMm are reversed from those of the battery BAT. The positive side wiring Wp is connected to the wiring terminal CONp. The negative side wiring Wm is connected to the wiring terminal CONm. Each of the wiring Wp and the wiring Wm is routed to a power supply circuit of a vehicle or the like in which the battery BAT is installed. Note that Figures 8 to 11 show only a portion of each of the wiring Wp and the wiring Wm.

[0027] The housing 10 is made of impact-resistant plastic such as reinforced plastic or polycarbonate so as to be unbreakable.

[0028] (Plate-shaped portion 11) The plate-shaped portion 11 is installed so as to cover the terminal surface SB on which the positive terminal TMp and the negative terminal TMm are provided when the battery BAT is attached. Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the plate-shaped portion 11 included in the housing 10 of the position detection device 1, which is an example of the position detection device according to this embodiment. Figure 7 is a bottom view of the plate-shaped portion 11 included in the housing 10 of the position detection device 1, which is an example of the position detection device according to this embodiment.

[0029] The plate-shaped portion 11 includes a horizontal plate portion 11T, front plate portions 11F1 and 11F2, side plate portions 11R and 11L, and rear plate portions 11B1 and 11B2. The horizontal plate portion 11T has a plate-like shape extending in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0030] The plate-shaped portion 11 has front plate portions 11F1 and 11F2 that extend in the opposite direction to the Z axis along the Z axis direction from the +X side end of the lateral plate portion 11T. The front plate portion 11F1 is provided on the +Y side of the +X side end of the lateral plate portion 11T. The front plate portion 11F2 is provided on the -Y side of the +X side end of the lateral plate portion 11T.

[0031] The plate-shaped portion 11 has a side plate portion 11R extending in the opposite direction to the Z axis along the Z axis direction from the end of the horizontal plate portion 11T on the +Y side. The plate-shaped portion 11 also has a side plate portion 11L extending in the opposite direction to the Z axis along the Z axis direction from the end of the horizontal plate portion 11T on the -Y side.

[0032] The plate portion 11 has rear plate portions 11B1 and 11B2 that extend in the opposite direction to the Z axis along the Z axis direction from the -X side end of the horizontal plate portion 11T. The rear plate portion 11B1 is provided on the +Y side of the -X side end of the horizontal plate portion 11T. The rear plate portion 11B2 is provided on the -Y side of the -X side end of the horizontal plate portion 11T.

[0033] The plate-shaped portion 11 has a horizontal plate portion 11T, a front plate portion 11F1, a front plate portion 11F2, a side plate portion 11R, a side plate portion 11L, a rear plate portion 11B1 and a rear plate portion 11B2, which makes it possible to prevent objects such as blades from being inserted from the side of the battery BAT.

[0034] The plate-shaped portion 11 has a through-hole 11a through which the positive electrode terminal TMp passes and a through-hole 11b through which the negative electrode terminal TMm passes. In other words, the plate-shaped portion 11 has the through-hole 11a and the through-hole 11b formed therein.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 10, the diameter Da of the through hole 11a is larger than the diameter Dp of the positive electrode terminal TMp. As shown in Fig. 11, the diameter Da of the through hole 11a is smaller than the width Lp of the wiring terminal CONp connected to the positive electrode terminal TMp. Similarly, the diameter Db of the through hole 11b is larger than the diameter Dm of the negative electrode terminal TMm. The diameter Db of the through hole 11b is smaller than the width Lm of the wiring terminal CONm connected to the negative electrode terminal TMm.

[0036] By making the diameter Da of the through hole 11a larger than the diameter Dp of the positive terminal TMp, the positive terminal TMp can pass through the through hole 11a. Also, by making the diameter Db of the through hole 11b larger than the diameter Dm of the negative terminal TMm, the negative terminal TMm can pass through the through hole 11b.

[0037] Furthermore, by making the diameter Da of the through hole 11a smaller than the width Lp of the wiring terminal CONp and making the diameter Db of the through hole 11b smaller than the width Lm of the wiring terminal CONm, the wiring terminals CONp and CONm can prevent the plate-shaped portion 11 from coming off the battery BAT. By preventing the plate-shaped portion 11 from coming off the battery BAT by the wiring terminals CONp and CONm, the housing 10 can be fixed to the battery BAT so that the plate-shaped portion 11 cannot be removed from the battery BAT.

[0038] To remove the position detection device 1, the wiring terminals CONp and CONm must be disconnected. To disconnect the wiring terminals CONp and CONm connected to the battery BAT, tools and other necessary tools are required. The work must be performed carefully to avoid accidents such as fires and burns due to short circuits, which requires a certain amount of time. For example, if a vehicle equipped with a battery BAT is stolen, it may be difficult to remove the position detection device 1 at the scene of the theft. Furthermore, the time required for the work may make the thief hesitant to perform the work at the scene of the theft. This allows the position detection device 1 to continue detecting the location for a certain period of time. Therefore, the stolen vehicle can be tracked for a certain period of time.

[0039] The through hole 11a is an example of a first through hole, and the through hole 11b is an example of a second through hole.

[0040] The plate-shaped portion 11 has an opening 11c to which the box-shaped portion 12 is attached. The plate-shaped portion 11 also has an opening 11d to which the closure plate portion 13 is attached. In other words, the plate-shaped portion 11 has multiple openings. The openings 11c and 11d have the same shape in a plan view, that is, when viewed from the +Z side along the Z-axis direction in the opposite direction to the Z-axis. Therefore, the opening 11c can be attached to either the box-shaped portion 12 or the closure plate portion 13. Similarly, the opening 11d can be attached to either the box-shaped portion 12 or the closure plate portion 13.

[0041] A back surface 11S of the plate-shaped portion 11 faces the terminal surface SB of the battery BAT. The back surface 11S of the plate-shaped portion 11 has a groove 11g1 in which a wiring 20a connecting the control unit 20 and the positive terminal TMp is disposed. The back surface 11S of the plate-shaped portion 11 also has grooves 11g2 and 11g3 in which a wiring 20b connecting the control unit 20 and the negative terminal TMm is disposed.

[0042] The groove 11g1 is an example of a first groove, and the grooves 11g2 and 11g3 are each an example of a second groove.

[0043] The back surface 11S of the plate-shaped portion 11 has a recess 11c1 around the opening 11c. For example, the eaves portion 12a of the box-shaped portion 12 or the eaves portion 13a of the closing plate portion 13 is fitted into and adhered to the recess 11c1. Similarly, the back surface 11S of the plate-shaped portion 11 has a recess 11d1 around the opening 11d. For example, the eaves portion 12a of the box-shaped portion 12 or the eaves portion 13a of the closing plate portion 13 is fitted into and adhered to the recess 11d1.

[0044] The wiring 20a may be fixed to the groove 11g1 by, for example, being sealed with a hot bond. The wiring 20a may also be fixed to the groove 11g1 by, for example, tape. The wiring 20b may be fixed to the grooves 11g2 and 11g3 by, for example, being sealed with a hot bond. The wiring 20b may also be fixed to the grooves 11g2 and 11g3 by, for example, tape.

[0045] Each of the wiring 20a and the wiring 20b may be, for example, a solid-wire cable or a stranded-wire cable. Furthermore, each of the wiring 20a and the wiring 20b may have an end on the battery BAT side formed of, for example, copper foil tape.

[0046] When the housing 10 is attached to the battery BAT, the wires 20a and 20b are surrounded by the housing 10 and the terminal surface SB. By surrounding the wires 20a and 20b with the housing 10 and the terminal surface SB, it is possible to prevent the control unit 20 from becoming unable to operate, for example, by cutting either the wires 20a or 20b.

[0047] The plate-shaped portion 11 includes the cutout portion 11 e and the cutout portion 11 f. By providing the cutout portion 11 e and the cutout portion 11 f on the plate-shaped portion 11, for example, the fixing portion PLTa and the fixing portion PLTb of the plate PLT, which is a metal fitting that fixes the battery BAT, can be prevented from interfering with the plate-shaped portion 11.

[0048] When the plate PLT is fastened to the rods RD1 and RD2 with nuts NT1 and NT2 to secure the battery BAT, the plate-shaped portion 11 is fastened together with the battery BAT by the connection portion PLTc of the plate PLT. Because the battery BAT and the plate-shaped portion 11 are fastened together, the plate PLT must be removed in order to remove the position detection device 1. Removing the plate PLT requires time and effort to remove the position detection device 1, which can make people hesitant to work at the scene of a theft.

[0049] (Box-shaped portion 12) The box-shaped portion 12 has a hollow box shape. The box-shaped portion 12 houses the control unit 20 inside. The box-shaped portion 12 is attached to the opening 11c. Alternatively, the box-shaped portion 12 may be attached to the opening 11d.

[0050] By storing the control unit 20 in the box-shaped portion 12, when the housing 10 is placed on the terminal surface SB of the battery BAT, the control unit 20 is surrounded by the box-shaped portion 12 and the terminal surface SB of the housing 10. By surrounding the control unit 20 by the box-shaped portion 12 and the terminal surface SB of the housing 10, it is possible to prevent, for example, the control unit 20 itself from being removed.

[0051] The box-shaped portion 12 includes a partition plate 12b that separates the tracking device 21 and the power supply circuit 22 that constitute the control portion 20. The partition plate 12b is provided to divide the inside of the box-shaped portion 12 according to the size of the tracking device 21.

[0052] Note that the box-shaped portion 12 may also have a wall on the terminal surface SB side, so that the control unit 20 is surrounded by the box-shaped portion 12 of the housing 10. In other words, the control unit 20 may be surrounded by the housing 10.

[0053] (Closure Plate 13) The closure plate 13 is attached to the opening 11d. The closure plate 13 closes the opening 11d. The closure plate 13 is attached to the opening 11c or the opening 11d to which the box-shaped portion 12 is not attached.

[0054] The closing plate portion 13 has a groove 13g on the side facing the terminal surface SB, in which the wire 20b is arranged.

[0055] <Controller 20> Next, a description will be given of the controller 20. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an overview of the controller 20 of the position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to this embodiment.

[0056] The control unit 20 includes a tracking device 21 and a power supply circuit 22. The tracking device 21 includes a position detection circuit 21a that detects its position using a satellite positioning system, and a communication circuit 21b that communicates with the outside world via wireless communication. The power supply circuit 22 converts power from a battery BAT to a predetermined voltage and supplies it to the tracking device 21. The tracking device 21 is connected to the power supply circuit 22 via a cable 20c.

[0057] The position detection circuit 21a detects the position using a satellite positioning system. The satellite positioning system is, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). More specifically, the satellite positioning system may be, for example, any of the Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou navigation system.

[0058] The communication circuit 21b transmits the position detection information measured by the position detection circuit 21a to an external device. The communication circuit 21b communicates with the outside via wireless communication. For example, a mobile communication network may be used as the wireless communication. Alternatively, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) may be used as the wireless communication. In particular, a LPWAN (Low-Power Wide-Area Network) may be used as the wireless communication.

[0059] The power supply circuit 22 converts power from the battery BAT to a predetermined voltage and supplies it to the tracking device 21. The power supply circuit 22 includes, for example, a DC / DC converter. For example, if the battery BAT is a battery for a passenger car, the voltage of the battery BAT is 12 volts. The power supply circuit 22 steps down the 12 volt voltage to, for example, 3.3 volts or 5 volts and supplies it to the tracking device 21.

[0060] The power supply circuit 22 also includes a secondary battery 22a for backup purposes. The power supply circuit 22 includes a charge / discharge circuit for charging and discharging the secondary battery 22a. The secondary battery 22a is, for example, a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or the like. For example, when the power supply circuit 22 is removed from the battery BAT and the power supply stops, the power supply circuit 22 supplies power to the tracking device 21 from the secondary battery 22a. For example, when the battery BAT is discharged and the power supply stops, the power supply circuit 22 also supplies power to the tracking device 21 from the secondary battery 22a.

[0061] When position detection is performed using a satellite positioning system, power consumption is large, and the operating time may be limited. However, with the position detection device according to this embodiment, power is supplied from the vehicle battery, so the operating time can be extended. Furthermore, by providing the secondary battery 22a, the operating time can be further extended.

[0062] For example, the power supply circuit 22 may emit a sound or light when the power supply from the battery BAT is stopped.

[0063] Next, a position tracking system including the position detection device according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an overview of a position tracking system 100 including a position detection device 1, which is an example of a position detection device according to this embodiment.

[0064] The position tracking system 100 includes at least one position detection device 1 and a server 50. The position detection device 1 and the server 50 are connected to a network NW. A terminal DEV is also connected to the network NW.

[0065] The server 50 communicates with the position detection device 1. The server 50 stores the position detected by the position detection circuit 21a included in the position detection device 1. The server 50 stores the position information output from the position detection device 1.

[0066] The server 50 outputs the stored location information to a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet device. A user can use a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet device or a terminal DEV such as a personal computer to, for example, display the location of the position detection device 1 on a map, thereby checking the location of the position detection device 1 and the route traveled by the position detection device 1. By checking the route traveled by the position detection device 1, for example, the route taken by a stolen vehicle can be identified, and the route traveled by the position detection device 1 can be used as a clue to finding the stolen vehicle.

[0067] When the supply of power from the battery is stopped, the position detection device 1 may notify the server 50 that the supply of power has been stopped.

[0068] The position detection device according to this embodiment can detect the position of the battery. Furthermore, the position detection device according to this embodiment can detect the position for a long time by being powered by the battery. Furthermore, the position detection device according to this embodiment can maintain a state in which the position can be detected for a long time by being attached to the battery in a manner that makes it difficult to remove.

[0069] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Position detection device 10 Housing 11 Plate-shaped portion 11a, 11b Through-hole 11c, 11d Opening 11g1, 11g2, 11g3 Groove 11S Back surface 12 Box-shaped portion 13 Closure plate portion 20 Control unit 20a, 20b Wiring 21 Tracking device 21a Position detection circuit 21b Communication circuit 22 Power supply circuit 50 Server 100 Position tracking system

Claims

1. A position detection device attached to a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal on a terminal surface, which is one surface of a box-shaped battery case, comprising: a housing having a first through-hole through which the positive terminal passes and a second through-hole through which the negative terminal passes, and installed so as to cover the terminal surface; a position detection circuit that detects position using a satellite positioning system, and a communication circuit that communicates with the outside via wireless communication and transmits the position detected by the position detection circuit to the outside, and a control unit surrounded by the housing or surrounded by the housing and the terminal surface; wherein the positive terminal passes through the first through-hole and is coupled to a first wiring terminal, and the negative terminal passes through the second through-hole and is coupled to a second wiring terminal, thereby fixing the housing so that it cannot be removed from the battery.

2. The position detection device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the diameter of the positive electrode terminal and smaller than the width of the first wiring terminal, and the diameter of the second through hole is larger than the diameter of the negative electrode terminal and smaller than the width of the second wiring terminal.

3. The position detection device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is supplied with power from the battery.

4. The position detection device of claim 3, further comprising a first wiring connecting the control unit and the positive terminal, and a second wiring connecting the control unit and the negative terminal, wherein when the housing is attached to the battery, the control unit, the first wiring, and the second wiring are each surrounded by the housing and the terminal surface.

5. A position detection device as described in claim 4, wherein the housing has, on the back surface opposite the terminal surface when the housing is attached to the battery, a first groove in which the first wiring is arranged and a second groove in which the second wiring is arranged.

6. A position detection device according to claim 5, wherein the first wiring is sealed in the first groove by hot bonding, and the second wiring is sealed in the second groove by hot bonding.

7. A position detection device according to claim 5, wherein the first wiring is fixed to the first groove with tape, and the second wiring is fixed to the second groove with tape.

8. The position detection device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit includes a secondary battery, and the control unit operates using power supplied from the secondary battery when the supply of power from the battery is stopped.

9. A position detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a plate-like portion in which the first through hole and the second through hole are formed, and a box-like portion that houses the control unit therein, and the plate-like portion has an opening into which the box-like portion is attached.

10. A position detection device according to claim 9, wherein the plate-shaped portion has a plurality of openings, and the housing has a closing plate portion that closes the openings to which the box-shaped portion is not attached.

11. A position tracking system comprising: a position detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10; and a server that communicates with the position detection device, wherein the server stores the position detected by the position detection circuit.

12. The location tracking system according to claim 11, wherein the location detection device notifies the server of the power supply interruption when the power supply from the battery is interrupted.

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