Abnormality cause determination method, abnormality cause determination program, and information processing device

Abstract

In this abnormality cause determination method for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device 23, an information processing device 1: acquires, via a telecommunication line 2, determination information for determining the cause of an abnormality in the power storage device 23 in which an abnormality has occurred; determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device 23 on the basis of the acquired determination information; and, if the determined cause of the abnormality is an abnormality cause that allows the power storage device 23 to be reused without carrying out a repair, notifies a user of the power storage device 23, via the telecommunication line 2, that the power storage device 23 can be reused without carrying out a repair.

Description

Method for determining the cause of abnormality, program for determining the cause of abnormality, and information processing device

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to an abnormality cause determination method for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, an abnormality cause determination program, and an information processing device.

[0002] Conventionally, information related to a power storage device has been transmitted to an information processing device via a telecommunications line (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, the lithium ion battery system described in Patent Document 1 includes a lithium ion battery module including a plurality of cells, a transmitter that transmits status data representing the status of the plurality of cells, and a battery status estimation system. The battery status estimation system generates analysis data related to the period during which the lithium ion battery module can be used from the received status data.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-163600

[0004] However, a power storage device may become unable to be used normally due to some abnormality. When an abnormality occurs in a power storage device, the user must bring the abnormal power storage device to a power storage device service center, call a repair technician, or inquire about how to deal with the problem from the manufacturer of the power storage device (battery supplier), which is a burden for the user. This burden is also imposed on not only the user but also on workers at the service center and repair technicians. This has not been sufficiently considered in the past, and there is room for improvement in reducing the burden on users and the like. One embodiment of the present invention aims to reduce the burden on users and the like when an abnormality occurs in a power storage device, thereby improving convenience for users and the like.

[0005] The method for determining the cause of an abnormality disclosed in this specification is a method for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, in which an information processing device acquires, via a telecommunications line, determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred, determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information, and if the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device to be reused without repair, notifies a predetermined notification destination via the telecommunications line that the power storage device can be reused without repair.

[0006] According to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the burden on users and the like when an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, thereby improving convenience for users and the like.

[0007] 1 is a schematic diagram of an information processing device and an external device according to a first embodiment. A schematic diagram showing the electrical configuration of an information processing device. A schematic diagram showing the electrical configuration of a vehicle. A schematic diagram showing the electrical configuration of a power storage device. A schematic diagram for explaining protection processing for a power storage device. A diagram for explaining determination of the cause of an abnormality, responsibility classification, and measures to deal with the abnormality. A diagram for explaining determination of the cause of an abnormality, responsibility classification, and measures to deal with the abnormality. A flowchart of the process for determining responsibility classification (when the cause of the abnormality is deterioration of a power storage element). A flowchart of the process for determining responsibility classification (when the cause of the abnormality is overcharging). A graph showing the results of tallying the number of vehicles by quarter and by cause of abnormality. A graph showing the results of tallying the number of vehicles by quarter and by responsibility classification.

[0008] [Outline of the embodiment] An outline of the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0009] (1) An abnormality cause determination method according to an embodiment is a method for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, in which an information processing device acquires, via a telecommunications line, determination information for determining the cause of an abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred, determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information, and, if the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device to be reused without repair, notifies a predetermined notification destination via the telecommunications line that the power storage device can be reused without repair.

[0010] The "abnormality of the power storage device" described above includes both a failure and a state in which the power storage device cannot be used normally for some reason (such as a drop in voltage) even though it is not a failure. The abnormality includes a failure in which the power storage device can be reused if repaired and a failure in which the power storage device cannot be repaired and requires the entire power storage device to be replaced. According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (1) above, even if an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, if the cause of the abnormality is such that the power storage device can be reused without repair, a predetermined notification destination is notified that the power storage device can be reused without repair. Therefore, if the predetermined notification destination is, for example, a user of the power storage device, the user does not need to bring the power storage device in which the abnormality has occurred to a power storage device service center, call a repair technician, or inquire about how to respond to the manufacturer of the power storage device. This reduces the burden on users and others when an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, thereby improving convenience for users and others.

[0011] (2) In the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (1) above, if the cause of the abnormality determined based on the determination information is an abnormality that allows the storage device to be reused without repair, the information processing device may notify the specified notification destination of the measures to be taken to reuse the storage device without repair.

[0012] Even if the power storage device can be reused without repair, it is possible that the notification recipient does not know what measures should be taken to reuse the power storage device. According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described above in (2), the notification recipient is notified of what measures should be taken to reuse the power storage device without repairing it, so that even a notification recipient who does not know what measures should be taken to reuse the power storage device can reuse the power storage device.

[0013] (3) In the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (1) or (2) above, if the cause of the abnormality determined based on the determination information is not an abnormality that allows the storage device to be reused without repairing it, the information processing device may determine the responsibility category for the abnormality of the storage device based on the determined cause of the abnormality.

[0014] The above phrase "when the cause of the abnormality is not such that the energy storage device can be reused without repair" can also be rephrased as "when the cause of the abnormality is such that the energy storage device can be reused if it is repaired, or when the cause of the abnormality is such that the energy storage device cannot be repaired and needs to be replaced." Multiple businesses are involved in the process from manufacturing an energy storage device to providing it to a user. When an abnormality occurs in an energy storage device that requires repair or replacement, which business should be responsible for the abnormality depends on the cause of the abnormality in the energy storage device. The above "category of responsibility for the abnormality" refers to the business that should be responsible for the abnormality that has occurred. However, because an abnormality can also occur due to the way the energy storage device is used by the user, the "category of responsibility for the abnormality" also includes the user.

[0015] The costs of dealing with abnormalities in power storage devices are borne by the business operator or user responsible for the abnormality. Conventionally, workers at power storage device service centers have investigated the cause of the abnormality for each power storage device to determine the responsibility division. Since multiple investigations are required for each power storage device in which an abnormality occurred, the investigations require a large number of man-hours. In particular, in the case of power storage devices that use lithium-ion secondary batteries as power storage elements, the causes of abnormalities are diverse. Furthermore, power storage devices that use lithium-ion secondary batteries are equipped with a management device (BMU: Battery Management Unit) that manages the lithium-ion secondary batteries, and analyzing the BMU information is often difficult. According to the abnormality cause determination method described in (3) above, an information processing device determines the cause of the abnormality and determines the responsibility division from the determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device. This allows workers to determine the responsibility division without having to investigate the cause of the abnormality for each power storage device. This reduces the man-hours required for determining the responsibility division.

[0016] (4) In the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the information processing device may compile information regarding the abnormality of the storage device based on the multiple pieces of determination information acquired.

[0017] According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (4) above, by aggregating information on abnormalities in the power storage device based on the multiple pieces of judgment information obtained, it becomes possible to grasp trends in the causes of abnormalities, trends in responsibility allocation, etc. As a result, the obtained judgment information can be used for purposes other than determining the cause of abnormalities and responsibility allocation (measures to suppress abnormalities, improvements to the specifications of power storage devices for the next generation, prediction of the number of power storage devices required for replacement, prediction of the number of parts required for repair, etc.).

[0018] (5) In the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (4) above, the information regarding the abnormality of the storage device is the number of the storage devices in which an abnormality has occurred, for each responsibility category and for each cause of the abnormality, and the information processing device may compile the information regarding the abnormality of the storage device for each specific period.

[0019] Invoicing businesses and users for repair and replacement costs for each storage battery device results in a lot of administrative work. If the repair and replacement of storage batteries is performed collectively by a service center and the number of storage batteries that have developed abnormalities is tallied for each specific period by responsibility category and by cause of abnormality, the costs can be billed collectively to each business and user for each specific period. This reduces administrative work. The reason for tallying not only by responsibility category but also by cause of abnormality is that costs vary depending on the cause of the abnormality.

[0020] (6) The method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (4) or (5) above, wherein the information processing device further acquires regional information that can identify the region in which the storage device is located via the telecommunications line, and compiles information regarding abnormalities in the storage device for each region.

[0021] According to the method for determining the cause of anomalies described in (6) above, it is possible to grasp the trends in the causes of anomalies and the trends in the division of responsibility by region, etc. This makes it possible to take measures to suppress anomalies, improve the specifications of power storage devices for the next generation, predict the number of power storage devices that will be required as replacements, and so on, taking into account the region in which the power storage device is used.

[0022] (7) In the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in any one of (4) to (6) above, the information processing device may further acquire time information that can identify the time when an abnormality occurred in the storage device, and compile information regarding the abnormality in the storage device for each time period.

[0023] According to the method for determining the cause of an anomaly described in (7) above, it is possible to grasp the trends in the causes of anomalies and the trends in the division of responsibility by period (for example, by month or by season). This makes it possible to take measures to suppress anomalies, improve the specifications of power storage devices for the next generation, predict the number of power storage devices that will be required as replacements, and so on, taking into account the period when the power storage devices will be used.

[0024] (8) In the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in any one of (3) to (7) above, if the cause of the abnormality determined based on the determination information is not an abnormality that allows the storage device to be reused without repairing it, the information processing device may notify a service center for the storage device of the cause of the abnormality of the storage device via the telecommunications line.

[0025] According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (8) above, by notifying the service center of the cause of the abnormality, workers at the service center can quickly arrange for parts required for repairs, arrange for a replacement power storage device, and the like.

[0026] (9) In the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in any one of (1) to (8) above, the power storage device or a system to which the power storage device is connected may predict an abnormality in the power storage device and transmit the determination information to the information processing device via the telecommunications line before the predicted abnormality occurs.

[0027] The above system may be a vehicle equipped with a power storage device, industrial equipment powered by a power storage device, or the like. The system may be an external device that acquires various information from the power storage device. If an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, the power storage device may be unable to transmit determination information to the information processing device. If the power storage device serves as the power source for the system, if an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, the system may be unable to transmit determination information to the information processing device. Even if the power storage device does not serve as the power source for the system, if an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, the system may be unable to acquire and transmit determination information from the power storage device. According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (9) above, if an abnormality in the power storage device is predicted, the power storage device or the system transmits determination information before the abnormality occurs, so that the information processing device can acquire the determination information.

[0028] (10) An abnormality cause determination method according to an embodiment is a method for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, in which an information processing device acquires, via a telecommunications line, determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred, determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information, and determines the responsibility category for the abnormality in the power storage device based on the determined cause of the abnormality.

[0029] According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described in (10) above, the information processing device determines the cause of the abnormality from the determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device and determines the responsibility division, so that the responsibility division can be determined without the need for an operator to investigate the cause of the abnormality for each power storage device, thereby reducing the man-hours required for determining the responsibility division.

[0030] (11) An abnormality cause determination program according to an embodiment is an abnormality cause determination program for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, and causes a computer to execute the following processes: a process of acquiring, via a telecommunications line, determination information for determining the cause of an abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred; a process of determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information; and a process of notifying a predetermined notification destination via the telecommunications line that the power storage device can be reused without repair, if the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device to be reused without repair.

[0031] According to the abnormality cause determination program described in (11) above, the burden on users and the like when an abnormality occurs in the power storage device can be reduced, thereby improving convenience for users and the like.

[0032] (12) An information processing device according to an embodiment is an information processing device that determines the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, and includes a communication unit that communicates with an external device via a telecommunications line, and an information processing unit. The information processing unit acquires, via the communication unit, determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred, determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information, and, if the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device to be reused without repair, notifies a specified notification destination via the communication unit that the power storage device can be reused without repair.

[0033] According to the information processing device described in (12) above, it is possible to reduce the burden on users and the like when an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, thereby improving convenience for users and the like.

[0034] [Details of the Embodiments] Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. 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. The embodiments of the present disclosure can be realized in various forms, such as an apparatus, a method, a computer program for implementing the functions of these apparatuses or methods, and a recording medium on which the computer program is recorded.

[0035] First Embodiment A first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. In the following description, the reference numerals of the drawings may be omitted for the same components, with some exceptions.

[0036] (1) Information Processing Device An information processing device 1 (an example of a computer) according to embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The information processing device 1 is a device that receives (acquires) determination information for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device 23 (see Fig. 3) in which an abnormality has occurred via a telecommunications line 2 such as the Internet, determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device 23 based on the received determination information, and executes various processes described below based on the determined cause of the abnormality.

[0037] The information processing device 1 is located in a data center 8 and is capable of communicating with external devices via a telecommunications line 2. The external devices include a vehicle 3 (an example of a system) equipped with a power storage device 23, a computer in industrial equipment 4 (an example of a system) powered by the power storage device 23, a computer in a service center 5 that repairs the power storage device 23, a computer in an OEM / battery supplier 6, and a computer 7 (e.g., a smartphone) of a user of the power storage device 23 (an example of a predetermined notification destination). The battery supplier refers to a business (battery manufacturer) that manufactures the power storage device 23. The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) refers to a business (vehicle manufacturer) that manufactures the vehicle 3 equipped with the power storage device 23.

[0038] The electrical configuration of the information processing device 1 will be described with reference to Figure 2. The information processing device 1 is a so-called personal computer or server computer, and includes an information processing unit 10, a storage unit 11, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, and a communication unit 14. The information processing unit 10 has a CPU 10A and a RAM 10B. The storage unit 11 stores various programs and data executed by the CPU 10A. The display unit 12 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display, a drive circuit for driving the display device, etc. The operation unit 13 includes a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc. The communication unit 14 is a communication circuit for connecting the information processing device 1 to an electric communication line 2.

[0039] The various programs stored in the storage unit 11 include an abnormality cause determination program that determines the cause of an abnormality in the power storage device 23. The various data includes a determination information database in which determination information, which will be described later, is registered.

[0040] (2) Vehicle The electrical configuration of the vehicle 3 will be outlined with reference to Fig. 3. The vehicle 3 according to the first embodiment is a so-called connected car, and can be connected to a telecommunication line 2 via a mobile communication network. The vehicle 3 is an engine vehicle, and is equipped with an engine starting device 20 (a so-called starter motor), a vehicle power generation system 21, various accessories 22, and a power storage device 23. Although not shown in Fig. 3, the vehicle 3 also includes various sensors, such as a voltage sensor that detects a charging voltage when the power storage device 23 is charged by the vehicle power generation system 21, a current sensor that detects a charging current, and an impact detection sensor.

[0041] The vehicle power generation system 21 includes a vehicle generator 21A (so-called alternator) that uses the engine of the vehicle 3 as a power source. Here, the vehicle 3 is illustrated as an engine vehicle, but the vehicle 3 may also be an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle includes a power storage device 23 that supplies power to the auxiliary devices 22, a high-voltage power storage device that supplies power to the vehicle drive motor, and a DC / DC converter that transforms the voltage of the high-voltage power storage device, and the power storage device 23 can be charged with the power transformed by the DC / DC converter. In the case of an electric vehicle, the high-voltage power storage device and the DC / DC converter correspond to the vehicle power generation system.

[0042] The various auxiliary devices 22 include a master ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a first communication unit, and a second communication unit. The first communication unit is a communication circuit that enables the master ECU to communicate with external devices via a mobile communication network. The second communication unit is a communication circuit that enables the master ECU to communicate with the power storage device 23. The master ECU can also communicate with other auxiliary devices 22 and various sensors via the second communication unit.

[0043] (3) Power Storage Device The electrical configuration of the power storage device 23 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The power storage device 23 is a power storage device that supplies power to the engine starting device 20 and various auxiliary devices 22, and is charged by the vehicle power generation system 21. The power storage device 23 includes a housing 30, a positive external terminal 31P, a negative external terminal 31N, a battery pack 32, a BMU (Battery Management Unit) 33, and a communication connector 34.

[0044] The battery pack 32 is connected to the positive external terminal 31P by a power line 35 and to the negative external terminal 31N by a power line 36. The battery pack 32 has 12 storage elements 32A connected in three parallel configurations and four in series configurations. In Fig. 4, the three storage elements 32A connected in parallel are represented by one battery symbol. The storage elements 32A are secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, and specifically, are, for example, lithium-ion secondary batteries.

[0045] The BMU 33 is a device that manages the power storage device 23. The BMU 33 includes a current sensor 33A, a voltage sensor 33B, a temperature sensor 33C, a relay 33D, a balancer 33E, and a management unit 33F. The current sensor 33A is provided on the power line 36. The current sensor 33A measures the charge / discharge current of the battery pack 32 and outputs the result to the management unit 33F. The voltage sensor 33B is connected to both ends of each storage element 32A. The voltage sensor 33B measures the voltage of each storage element 32A and outputs the result to the management unit 33F.

[0046] The temperature sensor 33C is a sensor that detects the temperature of the storage element 32A. The relay 33D is provided in the power line 35. The relay 33D is provided to protect the storage device 23 from overcharging and over-discharging. The relay 33D is opened and closed by the management unit 33F. The balancer 33E is a circuit that equalizes the voltage of each storage element 32A. The balancer 33E is sometimes referred to as an equalization circuit. The balancer 33E includes a discharge resistor 37 connected in parallel with the storage element 32A and a switch 38 connected in series to the discharge resistor 37. The switch 38 is, for example, a field effect transistor (FET), and is turned on / off by the management unit 33F.

[0047] The management unit 33F includes a microcomputer 39 in which a CPU 39A, a RAM 39B, etc. are integrated into one chip, a storage unit 40 having a rewritable non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory, and a communication unit 41. The microcomputer 39 executes a control program stored in the storage unit 40 to manage each unit of the power storage device 23. The storage unit 40 stores the control program and various data. The various data includes various data for determining abnormalities in the power storage device 23. These data will be described later. The communication unit 41 is a communication circuit that allows the BMU 33 to communicate with the master ECU. The communication connector 34 is a connector to which a signal line that allows the BMU 33 to communicate with the master ECU is connected.

[0048] (4) Processing for Protecting the Power Storage Device from Abnormalities Here, as examples of processing for protecting the power storage device 23 from abnormalities, processing for protecting against overcharging, processing for protecting against overdischarging, and processing for protecting against external short circuits will be described.

[0049] (4-1) Process for Protection from Overcharge Process for protection from overcharge will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The BMU 33 according to the first embodiment protects the power storage device 23 from overcharge in the following three stages.

[0050] Stage 1: When the storage device 23 is charged and the voltage rises to the overcharge threshold Va1, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU of overcharge. At this point, the relay 33D is not yet opened. After time has passed and the voltage falls below the overcharge threshold Va1, the BMU 33 recovers from the overcharge state and notifies the master ECU that overcharge is not occurring. Stage 2: When the storage device 23 is further charged and the voltage rises to the overcharge threshold Va2, the BMU 33 opens the relay 33D. After time has passed and the voltage falls below the overcharge threshold Va2, the BMU 33 closes the relay 33D. Then, when the voltage falls below the overcharge threshold Va1, the BMU 33 recovers from the overcharge state and notifies the master ECU that overcharge is not occurring. Stage 3: If relay 33D does not open due to a malfunction or the like when the voltage rises to overcharge threshold value Va2 and the voltage rises to overcharge threshold value Va3, BMU 33 prohibits reuse of power storage device 23.

[0051] When the master ECU is notified of overcharging in stage 1, it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the power storage device 23 and transmits determination information (described below) to the information processing device 1. In the following explanation, this transmission will be referred to as the first transmission. After being notified of overcharging, the master ECU will not start the engine even if instructed to do so by the driver of the vehicle 3 until it is notified that overcharging has not occurred. The master ECU then notifies the driver of the abnormality in the power storage device 23 by, for example, turning on an indicator lamp of the vehicle 3.

[0052] When the BMU 33 prohibits reuse of the power storage device 23 in Stage 3, it predicts that reuse of the power storage device 23 will be prohibited (in other words, an abnormality that prohibits reuse) when the voltage rises to a first predetermined voltage Vat that is lower than the overcharge threshold Va3, and notifies the master ECU of the prohibition of reuse before prohibiting reuse. Then, when the voltage subsequently rises to the overcharge threshold Va3, the BMU 33 prohibits reuse of the power storage device 23. When notified of the prohibition of reuse, the master ECU retransmits the latest determination information at that time to the information processing device 1. Because reuse has not yet been prohibited at this point, the master ECU can retransmit the determination information before reuse is prohibited (in other words, before an abnormality that prohibits reuse occurs). At this time, the master ECU notifies the information processing device 1 that this is the second transmission for the same power storage device 23.

[0053] When the information processing device 1 receives the determination information for the second time for the same power storage device 23, it determines the cause of the abnormality from the determination information transmitted for the second time, rather than from the determination information received initially. When the information processing device 1 receives the determination information for the second time, it determines that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited. The determination information may include information indicating that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited. Then, when the determination information includes this information, the information processing device 1 may determine that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited.

[0054] (4-2) Process for Protection from Over-Discharge Process for protection from over-discharge will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The BMU 33 according to the first embodiment protects the power storage device 23 from over-discharge in the following three stages.

[0055] Stage 1: When the storage device 23 is discharged and the voltage drops to the over-discharge threshold Vb1, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU of over-discharge. At this point, the relay 33D is not yet opened. When the storage device 23 is subsequently charged by an external charger or the like and the voltage rises above the over-discharge threshold Vb1, the BMU 33 recovers from the over-discharge state and notifies the master ECU that over-discharge is not occurring. Stage 2: When the storage device 23 is further discharged and the voltage drops to the over-discharge threshold Vb2, the BMU 33 opens the relay 33D. When an external charger or the like is subsequently connected, the BMU 33 closes the relay 33D. Then, when the storage device 23 is charged and the voltage rises above the over-discharge threshold Vb1, the BMU 33 recovers from the over-discharge state and notifies the master ECU that over-discharge is not occurring. Stage 3: If the storage device 23 is not charged for a long period of time after the voltage drops to the over-discharge threshold Vb2 and the relay 33D is opened, the voltage drops further. When the voltage drops to the over-discharge threshold Vb3, the BMU 33 prohibits the reuse of the power storage device 23.

[0056] When the master ECU is notified of over-discharge in Stage 1, it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the power storage device 23 and transmits determination information (described below) to the information processing device 1. When prohibiting reuse of the power storage device 23 in Stage 3, the BMU 33 predicts that reuse of the power storage device 23 will be prohibited (in other words, an abnormality that prohibits reuse) when the voltage drops to a second predetermined voltage Vbt that is higher than the overcharge threshold Va3, and temporarily closes relay 33D to supply power to the master ECU before prohibiting reuse. Then, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited. When the master ECU is notified that reuse is prohibited, it retransmits the latest determination information at that time to the information processing device 1. After the determination information is retransmitted, the BMU 33 reopens relay 33D.

[0057] (4-3) Processing for Protection from External Short Circuit An external short circuit refers to a short circuit that occurs when some conductor comes into contact with the positive external terminal 31P and the negative external terminal 31N outside the housing 30 of the power storage device 23. For example, an external short circuit occurs when the vehicle 3 crashes in an accident (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle crash) and a metal part of the vehicle 3 comes into contact with the positive external terminal 31P and the negative external terminal 31N. When an external short circuit occurs, a large current flows through the power storage device 23.

[0058] The power storage device 23 may or may not be equipped with a fuse. The method of protection from an external short circuit differs depending on whether or not the device has a fuse. If a fuse is provided, the power storage device 23 is protected by the fuse blowing. If the fuse blowing current value is the current value at which the fuse blows, the BMU 33 predicts that the fuse will blow when the current rises to a predetermined current value lower than the fuse blowing current value, and notifies the master ECU of an external short circuit. When the master ECU is notified of the external short circuit, it transmits determination information, which will be described later, to the information processing device 1. Therefore, the determination information is transmitted before the fuse blows.

[0059] In the absence of a fuse, the BMU 33 opens relay 33D when an external short circuit occurs. The BMU 33 then determines whether or not to prohibit reuse of the power storage device 23 based on the current value. Specifically, if a current value used as a criterion for determining whether an external short circuit has occurred is set to current threshold I1 and a current value greater than current threshold I1 is set to current threshold I2, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU of the external short circuit before opening relay 33D if the detected current value is equal to or greater than current threshold I1 and less than current threshold I2. Upon being notified of the external short circuit, the master ECU transmits determination information to the information processing device 1. The BMU 33 then opens relay 33D, and closes relay 33D when an external charger or the like is connected. Therefore, the power storage device 23 can be reused after a certain period of time has elapsed.

[0060] If the detected current value is equal to or greater than the current threshold value I2, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU that reuse is prohibited before opening the relay 33D. When the master ECU is notified that reuse is prohibited, it transmits determination information to the information processing device 1. This determination information includes information indicating that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited. The BMU 33 then opens the relay 33D, prohibiting reuse of the power storage device 23. If the determination information includes information indicating that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited, the information processing device 1 considers that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited.

[0061] (5) Other Abnormalities Other abnormalities include deterioration of the storage element, an internal short circuit, a BMU failure, deformation, etc. The BMU 33 also notifies the master ECU of any other abnormality that occurs. When the master ECU is notified of the abnormality, it transmits determination information (described later) to the information processing device 1.

[0062] (6) Determination Information The above-mentioned determination information will now be described. The master ECU records detection values ​​detected by various sensors equipped in the vehicle 3 as history data. When the master ECU is notified of an abnormality from the power storage device 23, it acquires information for determining the cause of the abnormality from the power storage device 23 and transmits this information, together with various history data recorded by the master ECU and information related to the vehicle 3, to the information processing device 1 as determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device 23. Examples of the determination information will now be described. Because abnormalities in the power storage device 23 are diverse, only some of them will be described below.

[0063] (6-1) Information Acquired from BMU An example of information that the master ECU acquires from the BMU 33 when an abnormality occurs in the power storage device 23 will be described.

[0064] Deterioration Flag The deterioration flag is a flag indicating whether the storage element 32A has deteriorated. The deterioration flag is initially set to a value (e.g., 0) indicating no deterioration. The BMU 33 monitors the deterioration of the storage element 32A, and when the storage element 32A deteriorates, the BMU 33 sets the deterioration flag to a value (e.g., 1) indicating deterioration. Whether the storage element 32A has deteriorated can be determined by various methods. For example, the storage element 32A may be determined to have deteriorated if the charge capacity (maximum chargeable amount of electricity) of the storage device 23 drops below a predetermined capacity, or if the internal resistance value of the storage device 23 rises above a predetermined value, or the deterioration may be estimated from a deterioration state estimation model.

[0065] Temperature history data of the storage element 32A The temperature history data is history data of the temperature of the storage element 32A. The BMU 33 measures the temperature of the storage element 32A at predetermined time intervals using the temperature sensor 33C, and records the measured temperature as temperature history data. Charging voltage / current history data The charging voltage / current history data is history data of the voltage value and current value when the storage device 23 is being charged. The BMU 33 measures the voltage value and current value at predetermined time intervals when the storage device 23 is being charged, and records the measured voltage value and current value as charging voltage / current history data.

[0066] Voltage history data of storage element 32A The voltage history data of storage element 32A is history data in which the voltage for each storage element 32A is recorded. Discharge current history data The discharge current history data is data in which the current value of the discharge current detected by current sensor 33A is recorded. BMU 33 measures the current value of the discharge current using current sensor 33A at predetermined time intervals and records the measured current value as discharge current history data.

[0067] Balancer operation history data When the balancer 33E equalizes voltages, the storage element 32A with the lowest voltage is used as a reference, and the other storage elements 32A are discharged until their voltages reach the same voltage as the reference storage element 32A, thereby equalizing the voltages. The balancer operation history data is data that records the operation of the balancer 33E. Self-diagnosis history data of the BMU 33 The BMU 33 self-diagnoses the presence or absence of failures in its components (current sensor 33A, voltage sensor 33B, temperature sensor 33C, relay 33D, etc.) at predetermined times, such as while the vehicle is parked. The self-diagnosis history data of the BMU 33 is data that records the results of the diagnosis.

[0068] Current voltage of the power storage device 23 The current voltage of the power storage device 23 is the voltage of the power storage device 23 at the time when an abnormality occurred in the power storage device 23. In the case of the second determination information described above, it is the voltage of the power storage device 23 at the time when the second determination information is transmitted. Current state of charge of the power storage device The state of charge (SOC) is the ratio (%) of the current amount of electricity [Ah] of the power storage device 23 to the full charge capacity [Ah] of the power storage device 23. The BMU 33 measures the charge and discharge current at predetermined time intervals and estimates the SOC by adding or subtracting the measured current value from an initial value. In the case of the second determination information described above, it is the SOC at the time when the second determination information is transmitted.

[0069] Fuse Status Flag The fuse status flag is a flag that indicates whether the fuse has blown in the case of the power storage device 23 that is equipped with a fuse. The fuse status flag is initially set to a value (e.g., 0) indicating that the fuse has not blown, and when the fuse has blown, the flag is set to a value (e.g., 1) indicating that the fuse has blown.

[0070] Various Data Related to the Power Storage Device 23 The various data related to the power storage device 23 include identification information for uniquely identifying the power storage device 23, model information indicating the model of the power storage device 23, the manufacturing date of the power storage device 23, and the warranty period of the power storage device 23. The warranty period is information indicating, for example, the start date and end date of the warranty period. The warranty period may be registered in advance in the determination information database for each model of the power storage device 23. The various data related to the power storage device 23 is not limited to these, and includes appropriate information necessary for the information processing device 1 to execute various processes described below.

[0071] (6-2) Information Recorded in the Master ECU Examples of information recorded in the master ECU will be described.

[0072] Charging voltage / current history data The charging voltage / current history data is history data of voltage values ​​and current values ​​when the power storage device 23 is charged by the vehicle power generation system 21. As described above, the vehicle 3 has a voltage sensor and a current sensor that are separate from the voltage sensor 33B and current sensor 33A that are provided in the power storage device 23. The master ECU measures the voltage values ​​and current values ​​when the power storage device 23 is charged by the vehicle power generation system 21, and records the measured values ​​as charging voltage / current history data.

[0073] Vehicle power generation system failure history data The master ECU self-diagnoses whether or not there is a failure in the components of the vehicle power generation system 21 at a predetermined timing, such as while the vehicle is parked. The vehicle power generation system failure history data is data in which the diagnosis results are recorded. Current consumption history data The current consumption history data is data in which the current consumed by the auxiliary devices 22 is recorded. Power consumption [W] may be recorded instead of the current consumption.

[0074] - Parking history data of vehicle 3 The parking history data is data that records the time (year, month, day, hour, minute) that vehicle 3 was parked. From the difference between the time that vehicle 3 was parked and the time that an abnormality occurred in the power storage device 23, it is possible to determine the time from when vehicle 3 was parked until the abnormality occurred. - Vehicle state data The vehicle state data is data that records various states of vehicle 3. The various states include information indicating whether vehicle 3 is in a traveling state or a parked state. For example, if the vehicle state data included in the determination information records that vehicle 3 was in a parked state, it means that an abnormality occurred in power storage device 23 while vehicle 3 was parked.

[0075] Vehicle crash detection history data The vehicle crash detection history data is data that records when the vehicle 3 has crashed. When the vehicle 3 crashes due to an accident or the like, an impact is detected by an impact detection sensor, and the fact that the vehicle 3 has crashed is recorded in the vehicle crash detection history data. Airbag deployment history data The airbag deployment history data is data that records the history of deployment of the airbags of the vehicle 3. The vehicle crash detection history data and airbag deployment history data described above are used to determine whether the vehicle 3 has crashed.

[0076] Various Data Related to the Vehicle The various data related to the vehicle include vehicle information for uniquely identifying the vehicle 3, address information required when the information processing device 1 communicates with the vehicle 3 via the telecommunication line 2, the battery use start date, and the email address of the driver (or owner) of the vehicle 3. The battery use start date is recorded by the master ECU, for example, when the power storage device 23 is mounted on the vehicle 3 and begins to be used. The email address can be registered in the vehicle 3 by an appropriate method, such as by inputting it from an operation unit provided in the vehicle 3 or by sending it to the vehicle 3 from a smartphone. The driver of the vehicle 3 may access the information processing device 1 from a computer in advance and register the email address in the determination information database in association with the vehicle information. The various data related to the vehicle 3 are not limited to these, and may also include appropriate information required for the information processing device 1 to execute various processes described below.

[0077] (7) Determination of the cause of the abnormality, the responsibility classification, and the measures to be taken to deal with the abnormality The determination of the cause of the abnormality, the responsibility classification, and the measures to be taken to deal with the abnormality, which is performed by the information processing device 1 that executes the abnormality cause determination program, will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. When the information processing device 1 receives determination information from the master ECU, it registers the received determination information in the determination information database in association with the date on which the determination information was acquired. The date is an example of time information that can identify the time when the abnormality occurred in the power storage device 23.

[0078] The information processing device 1 then determines the cause of the abnormality based on the registered determination information, and determines the responsibility category for the abnormality and the measures to be taken to deal with the abnormality based on the determined cause of the abnormality. Because there are many causes of abnormalities in the power storage device 23, only some of them will be described here.

[0079] (a) Deterioration of the storage element The information processing device 1 determines whether the storage element 32A is deteriorated based on the deterioration flag, and if it is deteriorated, determines that deterioration of the storage element is the cause of the abnormality. If the cause of the abnormality is deterioration of the storage element, the information processing device 1 determines the responsibility category based on the warranty period, the date of start of battery use, etc. received as determination information. A specific explanation of how to determine the responsibility category when the cause of the abnormality is deterioration of the storage element will be provided later.

[0080] In the first embodiment, if the energy storage element 32A is deteriorated, the power storage device 23 cannot be repaired and the entire power storage device 23 must be replaced. Therefore, if the cause of the abnormality is deterioration of the energy storage element, the measure to address the abnormality is to replace the energy storage device 23, regardless of whether the energy storage device 23 is within the warranty period. Deterioration of the energy storage element is an example of a failure in which the energy storage device 23 cannot be repaired and must be replaced. If the energy storage element 32A housed in the housing 30 of the energy storage device 23 can be removed and replaced, the measure to address the abnormality may be to replace the energy storage element 32A. In this case, deterioration of the energy storage element is an example of a failure in which the energy storage device 23 can be reused if it is repaired.

[0081] (b) Overcharging due to improper use of external charger When the voltage of the power storage device 23 drops and the engine cannot be started (when the battery is dead), the user may use an external charger to charge the power storage device 23. Overcharging due to improper use of an external charger is an abnormality in which the power storage element 32A is overcharged due to the user using an inappropriate external charger. An inappropriate external charger is, for example, an external charger that charges the power storage device 23 at a voltage higher than the rated voltage.

[0082] The power storage device 23 may be charged by the vehicle power generation system 21 or by an external charger. To determine whether overcharging has occurred due to misuse of the external charger, it is necessary to determine whether the power storage device 23 has been charged by the external charger. The information processing device 1 determines whether the power storage device 23 has been overcharged based on the current voltage (or current SOC) of the power storage device 23, and if overcharging has occurred, determines whether charging that would result in overcharging has been performed by the vehicle power generation system 21 based on charging voltage / current history data from the master ECU. If charging that would result in overcharging has not occurred, the cause of the overcharging is not the vehicle power generation system 21, and therefore it is considered that charging has occurred by the external charger. Therefore, the information processing device 1 determines whether charging that would result in overcharging has been performed based on the charging voltage / current history data of the BMU 33, and if charging that would result in overcharging has been performed, determines that overcharging due to misuse of the external charger is the cause of the abnormality.

[0083] As described above, if the received determination information is the second determination information, the information processing device 1 considers that reuse is prohibited. If the received determination information is the second determination information (i.e., if reuse is prohibited), the measure to deal with the abnormality is to replace the power storage device 23. In this case, the cause of the abnormality is the user's use of an inappropriate external charger, so the responsibility falls on the user.

[0084] If reuse is not prohibited even when overcharge occurs (i.e., if this is the first determination information), the power storage device 23 can be reused, but the master ECU is notified of overcharge, so the engine cannot be started. A state in which reuse is not prohibited even when overcharge occurs is an example of a state in which the power storage device cannot be used normally for some reason, even though it is not a malfunction.

[0085] As described above, even if the battery is overcharged, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU that the battery is not overcharged if the voltage drops below the overcharge threshold Va1 over time. This allows the engine to be started. In other words, even if the battery is overcharged, if reuse is not prohibited, the battery can be reused without repair. If the battery can be reused without repair, no costs are incurred for dealing with the abnormality, and the information processing device 1 does not determine the responsibility classification. In this case, the action to deal with the abnormality is "retry after xx hours." Retrying refers to reattempting to start the engine. The "xx hours" is determined appropriately for each model of the battery 23. As will be described in more detail later, if the battery can be reused without repair, the information processing device 1 notifies the user that the battery can be reused without repair and of the action to be taken to reuse the battery without repair.

[0086] (c) Overcharging Due to Vehicle Malfunction There is also a possibility that a malfunction of the vehicle power generation system 21 may cause the power storage device 23 to be overcharged. For example, a malfunction of the vehicle generator 21A may cause the charging voltage to increase, which may result in overcharging of the power storage device 23. The information processing device 1 determines whether the power storage device 23 is overcharged from the current voltage (or current SOC) of the power storage device 23, and if it is overcharged, determines whether charging that would result in overcharging has been performed from the charging voltage / current history data of the master ECU.

[0087] If charging that would result in overcharging is being performed, the information processing device 1 determines whether or not there is a failure in a component of the vehicle power generation system 21 based on the vehicle power generation system failure history data. If a component of the vehicle power generation system 21 is failed, the information processing device 1 determines that overcharging due to a vehicle failure is the cause of the abnormality. If the cause of the abnormality is overcharging due to a vehicle failure, the information processing device 1 determines whether reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited. Specifically, if the determination information used to determine the cause of the abnormality is the second determination information, the information processing device 1 considers that reuse is prohibited. If reuse is prohibited, the measure to address the abnormality is to replace the power storage device 23. In this case, since vehicle failure is the cause of the abnormality, the responsibility category is OEM. If reuse is not prohibited even though overcharging has occurred, the power storage device 23 can be reused after the passage of time, so the information processing device 1 does not determine the responsibility category. In this case, the measure to address the abnormality is "retry after xx hours."

[0088] (d) Over-discharge due to large dark current The dark current refers to a standby current that flows from the power storage device 23 to the vehicle 3 to supply power to the auxiliary devices 22 even when the vehicle 3 is parked (i.e., when the ignition switch is off). Normally, the power storage device 23 does not over-discharge when parked for a short period of time, but if the dark current becomes large due to some abnormality, over-discharge may occur even when the vehicle is parked for a short period of time.

[0089] The information processing device 1 determines whether the power storage device 23 is over-discharged based on the current voltage (or current SOC) of the power storage device 23. If the power storage device 23 is over-discharged, the information processing device 1 determines whether the over-discharge occurred while the vehicle 3 was parked based on the parking history data of the vehicle 3. If the power storage device 23 was over-discharged while parked, the information processing device 1 creates a histogram of the dark current consumed while the vehicle 3 was parked based on the current consumption history data. If an abnormality occurs in the vehicle 3 and the dark current is large, the mode (peak position) of the histogram changes compared to when no abnormality occurs. Therefore, the information processing device 1 compares the mode of the created histogram with the mode when no abnormality occurs, and if the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, determines that the abnormality is caused by a large dark current (large dark current). If the abnormality is caused by a large dark current, the vehicle 3 is abnormal, and the responsibility is assigned to the OEM. If reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited (i.e., the received determination information is the second determination information), the measure to address the abnormality is to replace the power storage device 23.

[0090] (e) Over-discharge due to large self-discharge Even if the power storage device 23 is left unused, chemical reactions will gradually occur inside the device, causing the voltage to drop. This is called self-discharge. The power storage device 23 may experience large self-discharge due to some abnormality. If the self-discharge is large, the voltage may drop significantly over a certain period of time, resulting in over-discharge.

[0091] There are various methods for determining whether the self-discharge of the power storage device 23 is large. For example, if the voltage of the power storage device 23 drops significantly in a short period of time even though the dark current of the power storage device 23 is within the normal range, it may be determined that the self-discharge is large. Alternatively, since the temperature of the power storage element 32A increases when the self-discharge is large, it may also be determined based on the temperature of the power storage element 32A. Here, an example of determining based on the dark current will be described.

[0092] If the power storage device 23 is over-discharged, the information processing device 1 determines whether the over-discharge occurred while the vehicle 3 was parked based on the parking history data of the vehicle 3. If the over-discharge occurred while the vehicle 3 was parked, the information processing device 1 determines whether the dark current was large based on the dark current histogram described above. If the dark current is not large, the information processing device 1 compares the time from when the vehicle was parked until the over-discharge occurred with a predetermined threshold. If the time is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold (in other words, if the dark current is small but the over-discharge occurred shortly after the vehicle was parked), the information processing device 1 determines that the cause of the abnormality is large self-discharge of the power storage device 23 (large self-discharge). If the cause of the abnormality is large self-discharge, the power storage device 23 is abnormal, and the battery supplier is held responsible. If reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited, the abnormality is addressed by replacing the power storage device 23.

[0093] (f) Over-discharge (long-term parking) Because dark current flows from the power storage device 23 to the vehicle 3 even when the vehicle is parked, parking for a long period of time can cause over-discharge of the power storage device 23. In the case of over-discharge, the information processing device 1 determines the parking time from when the vehicle 3 was parked until the over-discharge occurred from the parking history data of the vehicle 3, and if the parking time is longer than the long-term parking determination threshold, determines that long-term parking is the cause of the abnormality.

[0094] The power storage device 23 is designed not to be over-discharged even if the vehicle 3 is parked for a certain period of time. Therefore, if the cause of the abnormality is long-term parking, the battery supplier is responsible. If reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited, the measure to deal with the abnormality is to replace the power storage device 23.

[0095] However, since long-term parking can also be considered the responsibility of the user, the responsibility may be determined to be the user. For example, a second long-term parking determination threshold longer than the long-term parking determination threshold described above may be set, and if the parking time is equal to or greater than the long-term parking determination threshold and less than the second long-term parking determination threshold, the parking is considered to be within the expected long-term parking and the responsibility may be determined to be the battery supplier, whereas if the parking time exceeds the second long-term parking determination threshold, the parking is considered to be unexpect- ed long-term parking and the responsibility may be determined to be the user.

[0096] (g) Over-discharge (reusable) If reuse is not prohibited even when the storage device 23 is over-discharged due to (d), (e), or (f) described above, the storage device 23 can be reused without repair. Therefore, if reuse is not prohibited, the information processing device 1 does not determine the responsibility category. However, since the voltage has dropped significantly due to over-discharge, the engine cannot be started in this state. Therefore, the measures to deal with this abnormality in this case are "external charging or jump start." External charging refers to charging using an external charger. Jump start refers to connecting the storage device 23 in which the abnormality occurred to a storage device of another vehicle via an electric cable and starting the engine. When the storage device 23 is charged and the voltage reaches or exceeds the over-discharge threshold Vb1, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU that the storage device is not over-discharged, and the engine can be started.

[0097] (h) Internal short circuit of the storage element An internal short circuit of the storage element refers to contact between the positive electrode and the negative electrode inside the storage element 32A due to the separator arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode contained inside the storage element 32A being torn or the separator being misaligned.

[0098] When an internal short circuit occurs in the storage element 32A, the voltage drops to the overdischarge threshold Vb2 and the relay 33D opens. In this case, too, the BMU 33 notifies the master ECU of the abnormality just before the voltage drops to the overdischarge threshold Vb2, and the master ECU transmits determination information to the information processing device 1. Therefore, the master ECU can transmit the determination information to the information processing device 1 before the relay 33D opens. The information processing device 1 determines the voltage of each storage element 32A at the time when the relay 33D opens (more precisely, just before the relay 33D opens) from the voltage history data of the storage elements 32A, and if the voltage difference between the storage elements 32A is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, it determines that the abnormality is caused by the internal short circuit in the storage element 32A.

[0099] As another method for determining an internal short circuit of a storage element, the information processing device 1 may determine whether the balancer 33E has operated from balancer operation history data, and if the balancer 33E has operated, determine the amount of electricity discharged from each storage element 32A during equalization from voltage history data of the storage elements 32A. Then, if the amount of electricity discharged from any storage element 32A is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the information processing device 1 may determine that the abnormality is caused by an internal short circuit of the storage element 32A.

[0100] If the cause of the abnormality is an internal short circuit in the energy storage element, the battery supplier is responsible. In the case of an internal short circuit, the measures to deal with the abnormality are to replace the energy storage device 23 or the affected energy storage element 32A. Whether it is not possible to replace the energy storage element 32A and the entire energy storage device 23 must be replaced, or whether it is possible to reuse the energy storage device 23 by replacing only the affected energy storage element 32A, depends on the design of the energy storage device 23.

[0101] (i) BMU Failure The information processing device 1 determines whether the BMU 33 has failed based on the failure diagnosis history data of the BMU 33, and if the BMU 33 has failed, determines that the BMU failure is the cause of the abnormality. If the cause of the abnormality is a BMU failure, the battery supplier is responsible. In this case, the measures to deal with the abnormality are to replace the power storage device 23 or replace the BMU 33 (i.e., repair). Whether replacing the BMU 33 is impossible and the entire power storage device 23 must be replaced, or whether replacing the BMU 33 makes it possible to reuse the power storage device 23, depends on the design of the power storage device 23.

[0102] (j) External Short Circuit The information processing device 1 determines whether an external short circuit has occurred based on the discharge current history data of the BMU 33. Then, the information processing device 1 determines whether the vehicle 3 was traveling when the external short circuit occurred based on the vehicle state data at the time of the external short circuit. If the vehicle 3 was traveling, the information processing device 1 determines whether a vehicle crash occurred due to an accident based on the vehicle crash detection history data, and if a vehicle crash occurred, determines that the external short circuit due to the vehicle crash was the cause of the abnormality. In this case, the user crashed the vehicle 3, so the responsibility falls on the user.

[0103] If the cause of the abnormality is an external short circuit, the information processing device 1 determines whether or not there is a fuse in the power storage device 23. The presence or absence of a fuse can be determined, for example, from model information of the power storage device 23. If there is a fuse, the power storage device 23 can be reused by replacing the fuse (i.e., repairing the power storage device 23), so the measure to deal with the abnormality is to replace the fuse.

[0104] If there is no fuse, whether or not the storage device 23 can be reused is determined based on whether or not the determination information includes information indicating that reuse of the storage device 23 is prohibited. As described above, when an external short circuit occurs and a current value equal to or greater than the current threshold I2 is detected, the determination information includes information indicating that reuse of the storage device 23 is prohibited. If the information indicating that reuse is prohibited is included, the measure to deal with the abnormality is to replace the storage device 23.

[0105] If an external short circuit occurs but the current value is less than the current threshold I2, the determination information does not include information indicating that reuse of the power storage device 23 is prohibited. In this case, when an external charger or the like is connected, the relay 33D is closed and the power storage device 23 can be reused, so the information processing device 1 does not determine the responsibility category. However, because the voltage has dropped significantly due to the external short circuit, the action to deal with the abnormality is "external charging or jump start."

[0106] Here, a case where a vehicle crash is used as a condition for an external short circuit has been exemplified, but an external short circuit can also occur for reasons other than a vehicle crash. For example, an external short circuit can occur when a tool comes into contact with the positive external terminal 31P and the negative external terminal 31N while a user is servicing the vehicle 3. For this reason, the information processing device 1 may determine that an external short circuit has occurred if a large current that would not normally flow is flowing, regardless of whether the vehicle 3 is running. Alternatively, the information processing device 1 may determine whether a fuse has blown based on a fuse status flag, and determine that an external short circuit has occurred if the fuse has blown.

[0107] (k) Deformation due to a vehicle crash, etc. Deformation due to a vehicle crash, etc. refers to deformation of the power storage device 23 due to a vehicle crash, etc. If the power storage device 23 is deformed, it may not be able to perform as intended, so it is not preferable to continue using it as is.

[0108] The information processing device 1 determines whether the power storage device 23 is deformed based on the airbag operation history data and the vehicle crash detection history data. Specifically, if a vehicle crash occurs, the power storage device 23 may have been deformed by the impact. Therefore, if a vehicle crash occurs, the information processing device 1 assumes that the power storage device 23 is deformed. In this case, the user crashed the vehicle 3, so the user is responsible. Since it is not desirable to continue using the deformed power storage device 23 as is, the measure to deal with the abnormality is to replace the power storage device 23.

[0109] (8) Notification that the storage device can be reused without repair If the storage device 23 can be reused without repair, the information processing device 1 notifies the user of the storage device 23 in which the abnormality occurred (an example of a specified notification destination) by email via the telecommunications line 2 that the storage device 23 can be reused without repair and of the steps that should be taken to reuse the storage device 23 without repair.

[0110] For example, in the above-mentioned "(b) overcharging due to misuse of an external charger," if reuse is not prohibited, the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair. In this case, the action to be taken to reuse the power storage device 23 without repair is "try again after xx hours." In the above-mentioned "(g) overdischarge," the action to be taken to reuse the power storage device 23 without repair is "external charging or jump start."

[0111] The method of notifying the user that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair, etc., is not limited to email, and can be any appropriate method. For example, the information processing device 1 may notify the master ECU (an example of a predetermined notification destination) of the vehicle 3 in which the abnormal power storage device 23 is installed of the fact that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair, etc. Then, the master ECU may display the fact that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair, etc., on a display device of the vehicle 3, or may sound the message from a speaker of the vehicle 3.

[0112] (9) Flow of Responsibility Classification Determination Process The flow of responsibility classification determination process executed by the information processing device 1 will be described using the example of deterioration and overcharging of the storage element.

[0113] (9-1) Determination of responsibility when the cause of the abnormality is the deterioration of the storage element The determination of responsibility when the cause of the abnormality is the deterioration of the storage element will be described with reference to Fig. 8. This process is executed when it is determined that the cause of the abnormality is the deterioration of the storage element.

[0114] In S101, the information processing device 1 determines whether the battery usage period of the power storage device 23 has exceeded the warranty period. Specifically, the information processing device 1 calculates the battery usage period from the difference between the battery usage start date and the current date, and compares the calculated battery usage period with the warranty period to determine whether the warranty period has expired. If the warranty period has expired (i.e., outside the warranty period), the information processing device 1 proceeds to S102, and if the warranty period has not expired (i.e., within the warranty period), the information processing device 1 proceeds to S103. In S102, the information processing device 1 determines that the user is responsible because the power storage device 23 has been used beyond the warranty period.

[0115] In S103, the information processing device 1 creates a temperature histogram from the temperature history data of the energy storage element 32A and determines, based on the created histogram, whether the energy storage element 32A was used under usage conditions within the battery supplier's expectations. Specifically, the temperature of the energy storage element 32A increases when used under unexpectedly harsh usage conditions. Therefore, if the temperature of the energy storage element 32A is high, it is possible that the energy storage element 32A was used under usage conditions beyond the OEM's expectations, causing the energy storage element 32A to deteriorate within the warranty period. In contrast, if the temperature of the energy storage element 32A is low, it is possible that there is a problem with the energy storage element 32A itself, causing the energy storage element 32A to deteriorate within the warranty period. The information processing device 1 determines whether the difference between the mode (i.e., peak value) of the created histogram and the mode when the energy storage element 32A was used under the expected usage conditions is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. If the difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the information processing device 1 proceeds to S104. If the difference is less than the predetermined value, the information processing device 1 proceeds to S105.

[0116] In S104, the information processing device 1 determines that the responsibility category is OEM. In S105, the information processing device 1 determines that the responsibility category is battery supplier.

[0117] (9-2) Determining the responsibility category when the cause of the abnormality is overcharging The process of determining the responsibility category when the cause of the abnormality is overcharging will be described with reference to Fig. 8. This process is executed when it is determined that the cause of the abnormality is overcharging.

[0118] In S201, the information processing device 1 determines whether the power storage device 23 is reusable (i.e., whether reuse is prohibited). If the power storage device 23 is reusable, the information processing device 1 proceeds to S202, and if the power storage device 23 is not reusable (i.e., if reuse is prohibited), the information processing device 1 proceeds to S203.

[0119] In S202, the information processing device 1 does not determine the responsibility classification, but notifies the user that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair, and of the steps to be taken to reuse the power storage device 23 without repair. In S203, the information processing device 1 determines whether overcharging was detected during charging with an external charger. If overcharging was detected during charging with an external charger, the information processing device 1 proceeds to S204, and if overcharging was detected when not charging with an external charger, the information processing device 1 proceeds to S205.

[0120] In S204, the information processing device 1 determines that the cause of the abnormality is misuse of the external charger by the user, and determines that the user is responsible. In S205, the information processing device 1 determines whether overcharging has been detected during charging by the vehicle power generation system 21. If overcharging has been detected during charging by the vehicle power generation system 21, the information processing device 1 proceeds to S206, and if overcharging has been detected when charging by the vehicle power generation system 21 is not being performed, the information processing device 1 proceeds to S207.

[0121] In S206, the information processing device 1 determines that the responsibility belongs to the OEM. In S207, the information processing device 1 determines that the cause is unknown because the overcharging was detected when charging was not being performed by an external charger or by the vehicle power generation system 21. If the cause is unknown, the power storage device 23 is individually investigated by a worker at the service base 5 for the power storage device 23 to determine the responsibility.

[0122] (10) Notification of the cause of the abnormality to the service center If the cause of the abnormality is not such that the storage battery device 23 can be reused without repair (in other words, if the cause of the abnormality is such that the storage battery device 23 can be reused if it is repaired, or if the cause of the abnormality is such that the storage battery device 23 cannot be repaired and must be replaced), the information processing device 1 notifies the service center 5 of the storage battery device 23 of the cause of the abnormality of the storage battery device 23 via the telecommunications line 2.

[0123] The notification of the cause of the abnormality is made, for example, by email. The method of notifying the cause of the abnormality is not limited to email, and any appropriate method can be adopted. For example, a worker at the service center 5 may inquire of the information processing device 1 from a computer at the service center 5 about information regarding the power storage device 23 that needs to be repaired or replaced, and the information processing device 1 that receives the inquiry may transmit the information to the computer at the service center 5.

[0124] If the cause of the abnormality is such that the storage battery device 23 can be reused if it is repaired, the storage battery device 23 is sent from the maintenance shop of the vehicle 3 to the service base 5, where it is repaired by a worker at the service base 5 and sent back to the maintenance shop. If the cause of the abnormality is such that the storage battery device 23 cannot be repaired and needs to be replaced, the worker at the service base 5 sends a replacement storage battery device 23 to the maintenance shop.

[0125] (11) Counting of information relating to abnormalities in power storage devices The information processing device 1 registers the determined causes of the abnormality and responsibility categories in association with the determination information in the determination information database, and at a predetermined timing, counts information relating to abnormalities in the power storage devices 23. Here, the information to be counted will be described using, as an example, the number of power storage devices 23 in which abnormalities have occurred per quarter and per cause of abnormality, and the number of power storage devices per quarter and per responsibility category.

[0126] FIG. 10A is a graph showing an example of the results of tallying the number of units by quarter and by cause of abnormality. As described above, the judgment information database stores judgment information in association with the year, month, and date. The information processing device 1 acquires data from the judgment information database and tallys up the number of power storage devices 23 in which an abnormality has occurred by quarter and by cause of abnormality. In FIG. 10A, Q1 represents the first quarter (January to March), Q2 represents the second quarter (April to June), Q3 represents the third quarter (July to September), and Q4 represents the fourth quarter (October to December). FIG. 10B is a graph showing an example of the results of tallying the number of units by quarter and by responsibility category.

[0127] Although the example shown here is a case where the number of power storage devices 23 in which an abnormality has occurred is tallied by period (specifically, by quarter), the number may also be tallied by region. For example, when transmitting the determination information, the master ECU may further transmit to the information processing device 1 location information (an example of regional information that can identify the region in which the power storage device 23 is located) obtained from a location information system such as a GPS (Global Positioning System). The information processing device 1 may then tallie the number of power storage devices 23 in which an abnormality has occurred by region. The vehicle 3 may transmit the name of the region in which the vehicle 3 is located as location information. The information processing device 1 may also tallie the number of vehicles for each cause of abnormality and the number of vehicles for each responsibility category for all determination information registered in the determination information database, regardless of period or region.

[0128] The information processing device 1 may tally up the number of power storage devices 23 that have experienced an abnormality during a specific period (for example, every quarter) by responsibility category and by cause of the abnormality. This allows the costs for dealing with the abnormality to be billed collectively to each responsibility category for each period. The reason for tallying up not only by responsibility category but also by cause of the abnormality is that the costs vary depending on the cause of the abnormality.

[0129] Here, the number of units for each responsibility category and each cause of abnormality has been exemplified as the information to be compiled, but the information to be compiled is not limited to these and may be other information that is compiled based on multiple pieces of acquired judgment information. For example, the information to be compiled may be a failure rate. The failure rate here refers to the proportion of power storage devices 23 that require repair or replacement among the power storage devices 23 in which an abnormality has occurred.

[0130] (12) Effects of the Embodiment According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality according to the first embodiment, even if an abnormality occurs in the power storage device 23, if the cause of the abnormality is such that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair, the user of the power storage device 23 is notified that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair. This eliminates the need for the user to bring the power storage device 23 in which the abnormality has occurred to the service base 5 for the power storage device 23, call a repair company, or inquire about how to deal with the problem from a battery supplier. This reduces the burden on the user and the like when an abnormality occurs in the power storage device 23, thereby improving convenience for the user and the like.

[0131] According to the above-described method for determining the cause of an abnormality, the user is notified of the measures to be taken to reuse the storage device 23 without repairing it, so that even a user who does not know the measures to be taken to reuse the storage device 23 can reuse the storage device 23.

[0132] According to the above-described method for determining the cause of an abnormality, the information processing device 1 determines the cause of the abnormality from the determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device 23, and determines the responsibility division, so that the responsibility division can be determined without the need for an operator to investigate the cause of the abnormality for each power storage device 23. This reduces the man-hours required for determining the responsibility division.

[0133] According to the above-described method for determining the cause of an abnormality, it is possible to grasp the trend of the cause of the abnormality, the trend of the responsibility division, etc. by aggregating information on the abnormality of the power storage device 23 based on the multiple pieces of determination information acquired. As a result, the acquired determination information can be used for purposes other than determining the cause of the abnormality and the responsibility division (measures to suppress the abnormality, improvement of the specifications of the power storage device 23 for the next generation, prediction of the number of power storage devices 23 required for replacement, prediction of the number of parts required for repair, etc.).

[0134] According to the method for determining the cause of an abnormality described above, the costs can be billed collectively to each business operator or each user for each specific period, thereby reducing the amount of administrative work required.

[0135] The above-described method for determining the cause of an abnormality makes it possible to grasp the trends in the causes of abnormalities and the trends in the division of responsibility for each region, which allows measures to suppress abnormalities, improvements to the specifications of the power storage device 23 for the next generation, and predictions of the number of power storage devices 23 required as replacements to be made, taking into consideration the region in which the power storage device 23 is used.

[0136] The above-described method for determining the cause of an abnormality makes it possible to grasp the trends in the causes of abnormalities and the trends in the allocation of responsibility on a periodic basis (for example, monthly or quarterly). This makes it possible to take measures to suppress abnormalities, improve the specifications of the power storage device 23 for the next generation, predict the number of power storage devices 23 that will be required as replacements, and so on, taking into account the period when the power storage device 23 will be used.

[0137] According to the above-described method for determining the cause of the abnormality, by notifying the worker at the service center 5 of the cause of the abnormality, the worker at the service center 5 can quickly arrange for the parts necessary for repairs, arrange for a replacement storage device 23, and so on.

[0138] According to the above-described method for determining the cause of an abnormality, when an abnormality that prohibits reuse of the storage device 23 is predicted, the vehicle 3 transmits judgment information before the abnormality occurs (in other words, before reuse is prohibited), so that the information processing device 1 can acquire the judgment information.

[0139] <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0140] (1) In the above embodiment, the information processing device 1 receives (acquires) the determination information from the master ECU of the vehicle 3. That is, the vehicle 3 is the source of the determination information. However, the source of the determination information is not particularly limited as long as it is a source from which the information processing device 1 can acquire the determination information via the telecommunications line 2. For example, the source may be the power storage device 23 itself, a computer in the industrial equipment 4 powered by the power storage device 23, or an external device (such as an OBD scan tool or a smartphone) that acquires various information from the power storage device 23. Alternatively, instead of the information processing device 1 directly acquiring the determination information from these sources, another computer may collect the determination information from these sources, and the information processing device 1 may acquire the determination information from that computer.

[0141] (2) In the above embodiment, the power storage device 23 is mounted on the vehicle 3 as an example. However, the power storage device 23 is not limited to being mounted on the vehicle 3. For example, the power storage device 23 may supply power to the industrial facility 4, may be used as a backup power source for equipment such as a computer, may store power generated by natural energy such as wind power, or may be used for peak shifting of commercial power sources.

[0142] (3) In the above embodiment, when the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the storage device 23 to be reused without repair, the user is notified that the storage device 23 can be reused without repair and is notified of the measures that should be taken to reuse the storage device 23 without repair. However, it is not necessary to notify the user of the measures that should be taken to reuse the storage device 23 without repair.

[0143] (4) In the above embodiment, when the cause of the abnormality is such that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair, the user is notified that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair. In addition, even when the cause of the abnormality is such that the power storage device 23 cannot be reused without repair, the notification destination may be notified of information related to the abnormality, such as the need to repair or replace the power storage device 23 and the cause of the abnormality.

[0144] (5) In the above embodiment, when the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device 23 to be reused without repair, the user is notified that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair. However, this notification does not have to be given. For example, the information processing device 1 may not perform the process of notifying the user that the power storage device 23 can be reused without repair, but may only determine the responsibility category (or only determine the responsibility category and determine the measures to take to deal with the abnormality).

[0145] (6) In the first embodiment, the user and the master ECU are exemplified as the predetermined notification destinations. However, the predetermined notification destinations are not limited to these and may be determined as appropriate. For example, the predetermined notification destination may be a maintenance shop for the vehicle 3, or multiple notification destinations may be notified.

[0146] (7) In the first embodiment, a lithium ion secondary battery is used as the power storage element 32A, but the power storage element 32A is not limited to a lithium ion secondary battery. For example, the power storage element 32A may be a capacitor that generates an electrochemical reaction.

[0147] 1: Information processing device 2: Telecommunication line 3: Vehicle (an example of a system or external device) 4: Industrial equipment (an example of a system or external device) 5: Service base 10: Information processing unit 14: Communication unit 23: Power storage device

Claims

1. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, comprising: an information processing device, which acquires, via a telecommunications line, determination information for determining the cause of an abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred; determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information; and, if the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device to be reused without repair, notifies a predetermined notification destination via the telecommunications line that the power storage device can be reused without repair.

2. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality as set forth in claim 1, wherein, if the cause of the abnormality determined based on the determination information is an abnormality that allows the storage device to be reused without repair, the information processing device notifies the specified notification destination of the measures that should be taken to reuse the storage device without repair.

3. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, if the cause of the abnormality determined based on the determination information is not one that allows the storage device to be reused without repair, the information processing device determines the responsibility category for the abnormality in the storage device based on the determined cause of the abnormality.

4. The method for determining the cause of an abnormality according to claim 3, wherein the information processing device compiles information relating to the abnormality of the power storage device based on the acquired plurality of pieces of determination information.

5. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality according to claim 4, wherein the information relating to abnormalities in the power storage devices is the number of power storage devices in which an abnormality has occurred for each responsibility category and each cause of abnormality, and the information processing device compiles the information relating to abnormalities in the power storage devices for each specific period.

6. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality as set forth in claim 4, wherein the information processing device further acquires, via the telecommunications line, regional information that can identify the region in which the storage device is located, and compiles information relating to abnormalities in the storage device for each of the regions.

7. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality according to claim 4, wherein the information processing device further acquires time information that can identify the time when an abnormality occurred in the storage device, and compiles information related to the abnormality in the storage device for each of the time periods.

8. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality as set forth in claim 3, wherein, if the cause of the abnormality determined based on the determination information is not one that allows the storage battery device to be reused without repair, the information processing device notifies the service center for the storage battery device of the cause of the abnormality via the telecommunications line.

9. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the power storage device or a system to which the power storage device is connected predicts an abnormality in the power storage device and transmits the determination information to the information processing device via the telecommunications line before the predicted abnormality occurs.

10. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, when the information processing device acquires the determination information multiple times for the same storage battery device, the information processing device determines the cause of the abnormality from the most recent determination information and regards the storage battery device as being prohibited from reuse.

11. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the power storage device or a system to which the power storage device is connected records detection values ​​detected by various sensors provided in the system as history data, and when an abnormality occurs in the power storage device, obtains information from the power storage device for determining the cause of the abnormality and transmits the information together with the history data as the determination information to the information processing device.

12. A method for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, comprising: an information processing device acquiring, via a telecommunications line, determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred; determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information; and determining the responsibility category for the abnormality in the power storage device based on the determined cause of the abnormality.

13. A program for determining the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, the program causing a computer to execute the following processes: a process of acquiring, via a telecommunications line, determination information for determining the cause of an abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred; a process of determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information; and a process of notifying a predetermined notification destination, via the telecommunications line, that the power storage device can be reused without repair, if the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device to be reused without repair.

14. An information processing device that determines the cause of an abnormality in a power storage device, comprising: a communication unit that communicates with an external device through an electric communication line; and an information processing unit, wherein the information processing unit acquires, via the communication unit, determination information for determining the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device in which an abnormality has occurred; determines the cause of the abnormality in the power storage device based on the acquired determination information; and, if the determined cause of the abnormality is one that allows the power storage device to be reused without repair, notifies a predetermined notification destination via the communication unit that the power storage device can be reused without repair.

Images