Battery exchange device and method for controlling same

Abstract

Disclosed are a battery exchange device and a control method therefor. The battery exchange device comprises: a plurality of charging slots; a transceiver; a plurality of sensors disposed in one area of the plurality of charging slots; a memory storing instructions; and a processor connected to the memory. The processor is configured to: on the basis of at least one of location information about a first device or device information about the first device, check whether the first device is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device; acquire information measured via at least one sensor disposed in one area of a first charging slot among the plurality of charging slots when the first device is stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device; and determine, on the basis of the information measured via the at least one sensor, whether to open a door of the first charging slot.

Description

Battery exchange device and method of controlling the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery exchange device and a method for controlling the same.

[0002] Battery swapping stations (BSS) for electric motorcycles have been developed to reduce charging times. BSSs enable the rapid replacement of battery packs for electric motorcycles, allowing users to resume driving quickly without long charging waits. Recently, standardized battery sizes and interfaces have been adopted, increasing compatibility among electric motorcycles from various manufacturers. Various efforts are underway to improve user convenience during the battery pack delivery and shipment process, ensure the reliability of battery swaps, and ensure stable BSS operation.

[0003] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a battery exchange device and a method for controlling the same. Specifically, the present disclosure provides a control method for providing a more convenient battery exchange service to users through a primary authentication process that initiates preparations for battery exchange without a separate, additional authentication device based on location information (e.g., GPS information) of the electric two-wheeled vehicle, and a secondary authentication process that determines whether the battery is properly installed in the battery exchange device.

[0004] The technical task to be achieved by this embodiment is not limited to the technical task described above, and other technical tasks can be inferred from the following embodiments.

[0005] According to one embodiment, a battery exchange device comprises: a plurality of charging slots; a transceiver; a plurality of sensors arranged in one area of ​​the plurality of charging slots; a memory for storing instructions; and a processor connected to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the first device is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device based on at least one of location information of the first device and device information of the first device, and, when the first device is stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, acquire information measured by at least one sensor arranged in one area of ​​a first charging slot among the plurality of charging slots, and determine whether to open a door of the first charging slot based on the information measured by the at least one sensor.

[0006] The processor may be configured to receive, through the transceiver, information from the server that the first device is located within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, and to receive, through the transceiver, information from the server that indicates that the first device is stopped within the predefined distance.

[0007] The processor may be configured to receive, through the transceiver, a first signal for a communication connection broadcast by the first device, and determine, based on the received first signal, that the first device is located within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, and receive, through the transceiver, a second signal from the first device including device information of the first device, and determine, based on the device information of the first device, that the first device is stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device.

[0008] The processor may be configured to receive, through the transceiver, location information of the first device and device information of the first device from a server, determine based on the location information of the first device whether the first device is located within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, and determine based on the device information of the first device whether the first device has stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device.

[0009] One area of ​​the first charging slot may include a first area, a second area connected to the first area, a third area connected to the second area and disposed facing the first area, and a fourth area connected to the first area and the third area and disposed facing the second area, and the at least one sensor may include a first sensor located in the first area, a second sensor located in the second area, a third sensor located in the third area, and a fourth sensor located in the fourth area.

[0010] The at least one sensor may include at least one luminosity sensor, and information measured through the at least one sensor may include distance information and brightness information to the first battery pack measured by each of the at least one luminosity sensors.

[0011] The processor compares, for each of the at least one proximity sensor, preset reference distance information and reference brightness information with measured distance information and brightness information,

[0012] For each of the at least one proximity sensor, it may be determined whether the result of the comparison satisfies a preset condition, and based on whether the number of at least one proximity sensor satisfying the preset condition is greater than or equal to a preset number, it may be determined whether the first battery pack is located in an area of ​​the first charging slot.

[0013] The processor may be configured to open a door of the first charging slot when it is determined that the first battery pack is located in an area of ​​the first charging slot.

[0014] The processor may be configured to close the door of the first charging slot when it is determined that the first battery pack is not located in an area of ​​the first charging slot.

[0015] The processor may be configured to charge the first battery pack when normal insertion of the first battery pack is confirmed after opening the door of the first charging slot.

[0016] The processor may be configured to determine a second battery pack based on status information of each of a plurality of battery packs loaded into some of the plurality of charging slots, and control a second charging slot in which the second battery pack is located so that the second battery pack is shipped, if normal loading of the first battery pack is confirmed after the opening of the first charging slot.

[0017] The processor may be configured to close the door of the second charging slot when the second battery pack is shipped.

[0018] The device information of the first device includes at least one of identification information of the first device, speed information of the first device, and startup status information of the first device, and the identification information of the first device may be pre-registered in the database of the server.

[0019] A method for controlling a battery exchange device according to one embodiment may include: a step of determining whether the first device is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device based on at least one of location information of the first device and device information of the first device; a step of obtaining information measured by at least one sensor disposed in an area of ​​a first charging slot among the plurality of charging slots when the first device is stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device; and a step of determining whether to open a door of the first charging slot based on the information measured by the at least one sensor.

[0020] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

[0021] According to the proposed embodiment, one or more of the following effects can be expected.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a more convenient battery exchange service can be provided to users through a primary authentication process that initiates preparation for battery exchange without a separate additional authentication device based on location information (e.g., GPS information) and device information of an electric two-wheeled vehicle, and a secondary authentication process that determines whether the battery is properly installed in a battery exchange device.

[0023] In addition, in accordance with the embodiment of the present specification, unlike methods that perform authentication through various methods such as QR, NFC, and RFID card tags, a service provider providing a battery exchange service can provide a battery exchange service without requiring a separate authentication means other than a battery exchange device, and without requiring high maintenance costs for a sensor within a battery exchange device.

[0024] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a battery exchange system according to one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a battery exchange device according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining a process for determining the status of a first device according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIGS. 4A to 4C are drawings for explaining a process in which a battery exchange device according to one embodiment controls a charging slot for exchanging a battery pack.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a method for controlling a battery exchange device according to one embodiment.

[0030] The terms used in the embodiments have been selected from widely used, current terms, taking into account the functions of the present disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, in which case their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should not be defined simply as names of terms, but rather based on their meanings and the overall content of the present disclosure.

[0031] When a part of a specification is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise stated.

[0032] The expression "at least one of a, b, and c" described throughout the specification may encompass 'a alone', 'b alone', 'c alone', 'a and b', 'a and c', 'b and c', or 'all of a, b, and c'.

[0033] The "terminal" mentioned below may be implemented as a computer or portable terminal that can access a server or other terminal via a network. Here, the computer includes, for example, a notebook, desktop, laptop, etc. equipped with a web browser, and the portable terminal may include, for example, a wireless communication device that guarantees portability and mobility, and may include all types of handheld-based wireless communication devices such as communication-based terminals such as IMT (International Mobile Telecommunication), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), W-CDMA (W-Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), smart phones, tablet PCs, etc.

[0034] Below, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0035] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a battery exchange system according to one embodiment.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 1, a battery exchange system (101) may include a first device (20) including a battery exchange device (100), a server (200), a network (300), and a first battery pack (B1). Hereinafter, the first device (20) is illustrated as an electric two-wheeled vehicle, but embodiments according to the present disclosure are applicable to various electric mobility devices driven by rechargeable battery packs, and the embodiments of the first device (20) including the first battery pack (B1) are not limited to a specific case. The first device (20) may correspond to a device that operates in conjunction with a battery exchange service that allows a used first battery pack (B1) to be exchanged with a charged battery pack after being brought into the battery exchange device (100). For example, device information of the first device (20) may be stored on a platform related to the battery exchange service by registration (e.g., membership registration) of the user (U) of the first device (20) for the battery exchange service.

[0038] A battery exchange device (100) according to an embodiment may correspond to a battery swapping station (BSS) or a swappable battery charging station used in a battery exchange service. The battery exchange device (100) may receive status information of a first device (20) from a server (200), indicating that the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100), and provide a battery exchange service. In addition, the battery exchange device (100) may receive device information of the first device (20) through BLE communication with the first device (20), and provide a battery exchange service, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3 below.

[0039] In addition, the first battery pack (B1) according to one embodiment may refer to a battery pack that is mounted on the first device (20) and can supply power to the first device (20). The user (U) may detach the first battery pack (B1) from the first device (20) and place the first battery pack (B1) in the charging slot of the battery exchange device (100) to charge the first battery pack (B1). The second battery pack (B2) according to one embodiment may refer to a battery pack that has been fully charged while being stored in the charging slot of the battery exchange device (100). However, the terms first battery pack (B1) and second battery pack (B2) used in the present disclosure are only distinguished based on whether the battery pack is brought into the battery exchange device (100) for charging or is shipped from the battery exchange device (100) for exchange, and the first battery pack (B1) and the second battery pack (B2) are not distinguished based on specific performance or specifications. The battery exchange device (100) can operate in conjunction with a user (U) using the first device (20), a network (300), and a server (200), and the specific configuration of the battery exchange device (100) will be described in detail below. For convenience of explanation, only one user (U), one battery exchange device (100), and one first device (20) are illustrated in FIG. 1, but multiple users, multiple battery exchange devices, and multiple electric mobility devices may be included, and embodiments according to the present disclosure are not limited to the special cases illustrated.

[0040] According to one embodiment, a server (200) may be configured to be capable of wireless communication with a battery exchange device (100) and a first device (20). The server (200) may be capable of communicating with a plurality of first devices (20) that operate in conjunction with a battery exchange service, and may receive device information of the first devices (20) including identification information, speed information, and starting status information of the plurality of first devices (20) and use the received device information in the process of providing a battery exchange service. Similarly, the server (200) may be configured to be capable of communicating with a plurality of battery exchange devices (100) that operate in conjunction with a battery exchange service. The server (200) may receive location information of the first device (20) through communication with the first device (20). In this case, the location information of the first device (20) may include GPS information of the first device (20), and the server (200) may receive GPS information of the first device (20) periodically over time through communication with the first device (20). For example, the server (200) can receive GPS information of the first device (20) over time at regular time intervals, such as every 2 seconds or 5 seconds. For example, the server (200) can periodically receive GPS information of the first device (20) over time whenever it receives information that a change has occurred in the startup status information of the first device (20).

[0041] The server (200) may receive device information of the first device (20) including at least one of identification information of the first device (20), speed information of the first device (20), and starting status information of the first device (20) through communication with the first device (20). In this case, the identification information of the first device (20) may include unique identification information of a terminal attached to or built into the first device (20). In this case, the identification information of the first device (20) may be pre-registered in the database of the server (200), and through this, the server (200) may receive and manage information on the status of battery packs of a battery exchange device (100) existing at a specific location to provide a battery exchange service. The server (200) may receive and manage information on the location of the first device (20) near the battery exchange device (100). The speed information of the first device (20) may include information regarding the current operating speed of the first device (20). In this case, the start status information of the first device (20) may include information indicating whether the electric motor of the first device (20) is activated, whether the first device (20) is currently turned on, and whether the starter is turned off. The server (200) may receive device information of the first device (20) periodically over time through communication with the first device (20).

[0042] The server (200) can transmit information indicating that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) through communication with the battery exchange device (100). In addition, the server (200) can transmit information indicating that the first device (20) is stopped within the predefined distance through communication with the battery exchange device (100). By transmitting the corresponding information to the battery exchange device (100), the server (200) can instruct the battery exchange device (100) to prepare to check whether the first battery pack (B1) is located in an area of ​​the first charging slot (so-called, battery exchange preparation).

[0043] The battery exchange device (100), the server (200), and the first device (20) can communicate with each other within the network (300). The network (300) includes a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Value Added Network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and a combination thereof, and is a comprehensive data communication network that enables each entity illustrated in FIG. 1 to communicate smoothly with each other, and may include wired Internet, wireless Internet, and a mobile radio communication network. Wireless communication may include, but is not limited to, for example, LTE (long term evolution), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), Zigbee, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct), UWB (ultra-wideband), IrDA (infrared Data Associa-tion), NFC (near field communication), etc.

[0044] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a battery exchange device according to one embodiment.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 2, a battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment may include a charging slot (110), a plurality of sensors (120), a memory (130), a processor (140), and a transceiver (150). Only components related to the present embodiment are illustrated in the battery exchange device (100) illustrated in FIG. 2. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment that other general components may be included in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0046] A charging slot (110) according to an embodiment may include a plurality of charging slots. The charging slot (110) may include a charging slot in which no battery pack is stored (i.e., an empty charging slot) and a charging slot in which a battery pack is stored. A user may store a first battery pack (B1) that is not in a fully charged state in a charging slot in which no battery pack is stored among the plurality of charging slots (110) to charge the first battery pack (B1). In response to the user storing the first battery pack (B1) in the first charging slot, the battery exchange device (100) may provide a second battery pack in a fully charged state to the user in a charging slot in which a battery pack is stored among the plurality of charging slots (110). For convenience of explanation, in the present disclosure, a first charging slot may mean an empty charging slot in which no battery pack is stored, and a second charging slot may mean a charging slot in which a battery pack in a fully charged state is stored.

[0047] A plurality of sensors (120) may be arranged in one area of ​​a plurality of charging slots (110). For example, at least one sensor (120) may be arranged in one area of ​​each of the plurality of charging slots. For example, at least one sensor may be arranged in one area of ​​the first charging slot, and the battery exchange device (100) may compare information measured by at least one sensor arranged in one area of ​​the first charging slot with preset conditions to determine whether to open the door of the first charging slot. In one embodiment, when a battery pack is stored in a charging slot, the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery pack stored in the charging slot may be electrically connected to the charging terminal of the charging slot, respectively, and the charging slot (110) may perform charging of the battery pack.

[0048] A battery exchange device (100) according to an embodiment may include a plurality of sensors (120) that detect an operating state of the battery exchange device (100) or an external environmental state and generate an electric signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. The plurality of sensors (120) according to an embodiment may be arranged in one area of ​​a plurality of charging slots (110), and the one area of ​​the plurality of charging slots (110) may mean an entrance of the charging slot. The plurality of sensors (120) according to an embodiment may include, for example, at least one proximity sensor. The proximity sensor may include a proximity sensor that determines a distance between a specific object and a space where the proximity sensor is located without physical contact with the specific object by emitting an electromagnetic field or electromagnetic wave, and an illuminance sensor that determines the light intensity of the space where the proximity sensor is located based on a resistance value that variably changes depending on the amount of light received. A battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment can control all of a plurality of sensors (120) arranged in one area of ​​a plurality of charging slots to be activated. In addition, the battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment can control a sensor located in an empty charging slot where a first battery pack (B1) can be charged to be activated, and a sensor located in a charging slot storing a remaining fully charged battery pack to be deactivated, for efficient power management in the process of providing an overall battery exchange service.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the memory (130) is hardware that stores various data processed within the battery exchange device (100), and the memory (130) can store data processed and data to be processed through the processor (140) in the battery exchange device (100). In addition, the memory can store basic programming and data structures that can provide functions of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, as well as applications (programs, code modules, instructions), drivers, etc. that can provide functions of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The memory may include random access memory (RAM) such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), CD-ROM, Blu-ray or other optical disk storage, hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), or flash memory, but is not limited to the specific cases mentioned in the embodiments according to the present disclosure.

[0050] A processor (140) according to an embodiment may control the overall operation of a battery exchange device (100) and process data and signals. The processor (140) may be composed of at least one hardware unit. In addition, the processor (140) may operate by one or more software modules generated by executing a program code stored in a memory (130). The processor (140) may include a memory, and the processor (140) may execute the program code stored in the memory to control the overall operation of the battery exchange device (100) and process data and signals. The processor (140) according to an embodiment may monitor status information of battery packs of a plurality of charging slots (110). The status information of the battery pack may include battery identification information and / or status parameters (e.g., voltage, SoC, SoH). The processor (140) may monitor (estimate) the SoC and / or SoH of the battery pack stored in the charging slot based on the time series of the voltage value and / or current value of the battery pack stored in the charging slot when a specific charging slot is in the second state. Any one or a combination of two or more of various known methods may be used to estimate the SoC and / or SoH. For example, the SoC-OCV map, ampere counting, and an extended Kalman filter may be utilized to estimate the SoC of the battery pack. The processor (140) according to one embodiment may be implemented in hardware using at least one of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

[0051] A battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment may include a transceiver (150) for performing wireless communication. The battery exchange device (100) may communicate with an external electronic device (e.g., a first device (20) or a server (200)) using the transceiver (150). The transceiver (150) may be configured to connect to a server (200) located remotely from the battery exchange device (100) via a network (300) and transmit and receive information related to a battery exchange service between the server (200) and the battery exchange device (100).

[0052] The communication technology used by the transceiver (150) may include LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication technology. For example, the transceiver (150) may utilize LTE communication technology in the process of performing communication between the battery exchange device (100) and the server (200). The battery exchange device (100) may receive information from the server via the transceiver (150) that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100), and may receive information from the server via the transceiver that the first device (20) is stopped within the predefined distance. The battery exchange device (100) may receive location information of the first device (20) and device information of the first device (20) from the server (300) via the transceiver (150). The battery exchange device (100) can determine whether the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) based on the location information of the first device (20). The battery exchange device (100) can determine whether the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) based on the device information of the first device (20).

[0053] The communication technology used by the transceiver (150) may include Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication technology. For example, the transceiver (150) may use BLE communication technology in the process of performing communication between the battery exchange device (100) and the first device (20). The battery exchange device (100) may receive a first signal for communication connection broadcast by the first device (20) through the transceiver (150), and based on the received first signal, determine that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100). The battery exchange device (100) may receive a second signal including device information of the first device (20) from the first device (20) through the transceiver (150), and based on the device information of the first device (20), determine that the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100).

[0054] In addition, the communication technologies used by the transceiver (150) may include GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), CDMA (Code Division Multi Access 5G), WLAN (Wireless LAN), Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity), Bluetooth (Bluetooth), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Associa- tion (IrDA), ZigBee, NFC (Near Field Communication), etc.

[0055] A battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment may further include a display (not shown) that provides a user (U) with explanations and guidance regarding the overall battery pack exchange process. The display according to one embodiment may display information such as status information for multiple charging slots and battery entry and exit instructions, so that the user can seamlessly utilize the battery exchange service.

[0056] Methods implemented as software modules or algorithms may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium as computer-readable codes or program instructions executable on the processor (203). Here, the computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic storage medium (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), floppy disk, hard disk, etc.) and an optical reading medium (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD: Digital Versatile Disc)). The computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected to a network, so that the computer-readable code may be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium may be readable by a computer, stored in a memory (130), and executed by a processor (140).

[0057] FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining a process for determining the status of a first device according to one embodiment.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, a battery exchange device (100) according to an embodiment may include a plurality of charging slots (S1 to S8). Each of the plurality of charging slots (S1 to S8) may be provided to enable storage and withdrawal of a battery pack. Each of the plurality of charging slots (S1 to S8) may correspond to a first state in which, for example, no battery pack exists inside the charging slot and thus a first battery pack (B1) can be stored, and may correspond to a second state in which, for example, a battery pack that has completed charging or a battery pack that is being charged, such as a second battery pack (not shown), exists inside the charging slot. The first battery pack (B1) and the second battery pack that can be used in the battery exchange device (100) according to an embodiment may be standardized and standardized to have specifications that can be stored in the charging slot of the battery exchange device (100) and can be normally charged by charging power supplied by the battery exchange device (100) while stored in the charging slot. The structure of the plurality of charging slots (S1 to S8) included in the battery exchange device (100) and the second battery pack are specifically examined in FIGS. 4a to 4c.

[0059] In Fig. 3, for convenience of explanation, the battery exchange device (100) is illustrated as having a total of eight charging slots (S1 to S8). The battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment may be controlled to manage, for example, two charging slots adjacent to each other on the left and right among the total of eight charging slots in the first state. The number and arrangement positions of the plurality of charging slots included in the battery exchange device (100) are not limited to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, and the number of the plurality of charging slots may be less than or greater than eight, and the arrangement positions of the charging slots to be managed in the first state on the battery exchange device (100) may be variously changed.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) may receive information from the server (200) that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100). The information that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) may be information generated and transmitted to the first device (20) when the server (200) determines the distance between the first device (20) and the battery exchange device (100) based on the GPS information of the first device (20) and the GPS information of the battery exchange device (100) and determines that the distance is within the predefined distance. The battery exchange device (100) may receive information from the server (200) indicating that the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100). The information indicating that the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) may be information generated and transmitted to the first device (20) when the server (200) determines whether the ignition of the first device (20) is turned on or off, and determines based on the degree of change in GPS information of the first device (20) over time. For example, the process of the battery exchange device (100) receiving information from the server (200) that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) and the process of receiving information indicating that the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) may be performed based on LTE communication.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) can receive location information of the first device (20) and device information of the first device (20) from the server (200). For example, the battery exchange device (100) can determine whether the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) based on the location information of the first device (20). For example, the battery exchange device (100) can compare GPS information included in the location information of the first device (20) with GPS information of the battery exchange device (100) to determine whether the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100). For example, the battery exchange device (100) can determine whether the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) based on the device information of the first device (20). For example, the battery exchange device (100) may determine that the first device (20) is stopped if it is determined that the amount of change in GPS information included in the location information of the first device (20) over a certain period of time is less than a threshold value. The battery exchange device (100) may determine that the first device (20) is stopped based on device information of the first device (20) that includes information indicating whether the ignition of the first device (20) is turned on and whether the ignition is turned off.

[0062] According to one embodiment, a battery exchange device (100) performs communication based on BLE communication with a first device (20) and can determine whether the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance without communicating with a server (200). For example, the battery exchange device (100) can receive a first signal for communication connection broadcast by the first device. The first signal can be a signal transmitted by the first device (20) to a device within a BLE communication range to initiate BLE communication. The battery exchange device (100) can determine that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) based on the received first signal. For example, the battery exchange device (100) may receive a first signal from the first device (20) and, based on a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the first signal, determine that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100). The battery exchange device (100) may receive a second signal including device information of the first device (20) from the first device (20) and, based on the device information of the first device (20), determine that the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100). In the case of BLE communication, communication between the battery exchange device (100) and the first device (20) is performed at a relatively short distance compared to LTE communication, so the battery exchange device (100) can determine whether the first device (20) registered on the platform related to the battery exchange service is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) based on data existing in the memory of the battery exchange device (100) without communication with the server (200).

[0063] In one embodiment, a battery exchange device (100) can compare information measured by at least one sensor with preset conditions to prepare for battery exchange when the first device (20) is determined to be in a stopped state within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100), and this will be specifically examined with reference to FIGS. 4a to 4c.

[0064] FIGS. 4A to 4C are drawings for explaining a process in which a battery exchange device according to one embodiment controls a charging slot for exchanging a battery pack.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 4A, the structure of the charging slots included in the battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment can be confirmed. In FIG. 4A, for convenience of explanation, only four charging slots of the battery exchange device (100) are illustrated. However, this is for convenience of explanation, and as previously described, the number of charging slots is not limited to a specific case.

[0066] According to one embodiment, a plurality of sensors (e.g., a first sensor (401) to a fourth sensor (404)) may be arranged in one area (410) of a charging slot (Sn), and the plurality of sensors may include at least one proximity sensor. In this case, one area (410) of the charging slot (Sn) may correspond to an entrance area of ​​the charging slot. One area (410) of the charging slot (Sn) may include a first area (410-1), a second area (410-2) connected to the first area (410-1) and arranged facing the first area, a third area (410-3) connected to the second area (410-2) and arranged facing the first area, and a fourth area (410-4) connected to the third area (410-3) and arranged facing the second area (410-2). The first region (410-1) and the second region (410-2), the second region (410-2) and the third region (410-3), and the third region (410-3) and the fourth region (410-4) may be connected vertically to each other, may be connected in an adjoining manner, or may be connected in an intersecting manner. According to one embodiment, one region (410) of the charging slot (Sn) may include indicator lights (420) indicating the internal state of the charging slot (Sn). The indicator lights (420) may display a first color (e.g., white) indicating a first state in which no battery pack exists inside the charging slot (Sn), such as the indicator light (411), a second color (e.g., green) indicating a second-first state in which a fully charged battery exists inside the charging slot (Sm), such as the indicator light (412), and a third color (e.g., orange) indicating a second-second state in which a battery pack being charged exists inside the charging slot, such as the indicator light (413). According to one embodiment, the plurality of sensors may include a first sensor (401), a second sensor (402), a third sensor (403), and a fourth sensor (404) included in one area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn).Information measured through the first sensor (401), the second sensor (402), the third sensor (403), and the fourth sensor (404) can obtain information measured through at least one luminance sensor included in each sensor. The information measured through at least one sensor can include distance information and brightness information to the first battery pack (B1) measured by each of at least one luminance sensor. Each luminance sensor can be manufactured to react only to a specific part of a battery pack made of a specific material in consideration of the material of the standardized and standardized battery pack, so that when the battery pack is an object made of a different material, the distance information and brightness information to the first battery pack (B1) can not be received from each of the at least one luminance sensor mentioned above.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 4b, the battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment can compare preset reference distance information and reference brightness information with measured distance information and brightness information for each of at least one proximity sensor after confirming whether the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) through the process described in FIG. 3. The preset reference distance information and reference brightness information can be, for example, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0068] Reference distance information Reference brightness information Illuminance sensor within 11 mm Within 0.7 lux Illuminance sensor within 20.8 mm Within 0.5 lux Illuminance sensor within 30.5 mm Within 0.4 lux ......... Illuminance sensor within NX mm Within Y lux

[0069] As shown in Table 1, the preset reference distance information in the luminance sensor included in each of the sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) may be set differently. In addition, as the preset reference distance information in the luminance sensor included in each of the sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) decreases, the preset reference brightness information may decrease.

[0070] According to one embodiment, there may be a tolerance in the internal structure of the first charging slot (Sn) so that the first battery pack (B1) can be naturally inserted, and due to the characteristics of the first battery pack (B1) having a standardized weight, when the first battery pack (B1) is inserted into the first charging slot (Sn), the first battery pack (B1) may be positioned close to a lower region (e.g., a third region (410-3)) among one region (410) of the first charging slot (Sn). For example, the proximity sensor included in the third sensor (403) located in the lower region of the first charging slot (Sn) can obtain distance information closer to the lower region of the first battery pack (B1), and the proximity sensor included in the first sensor (401) in the upper region (e.g., the first region (410-1)) of one region (410) of the first charging slot (Sn) can obtain distance information further from the upper region of the first battery pack (B1). Based on the characteristics due to the physical form of the first charging slot (Sn) and the first battery pack (B1), the battery exchange device (100) can compare the distance information to the first battery pack (B1) measured through the proximity sensor of each of the sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) with preset reference distance information, and compare the brightness information with the preset reference brightness information to determine whether the preset condition is satisfied.

[0071] The battery exchange device (100) can determine whether the first battery pack is located in an area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn) based on whether the number of at least one light sensor satisfying a preset condition is greater than or equal to a preset number. The preset number may be changed according to the setting of the battery exchange device (100). For example, if the distance information from the light sensor (401) to the first battery pack (B1) is 0.9 mm and the brightness information is 0.6 lux, the light sensor (401) can be considered to satisfy the reference brightness information of each light sensor according to the reference distance information from each light sensor to the first battery pack (B1) in Table 1. For another example, if the distance information from the proximity sensor (401) to the first battery pack (B1) is 0.9 mm and the brightness information is 0.8 lux, it can be seen that the proximity sensor (401) does not satisfy the reference brightness information of each proximity sensor according to the reference distance information from each proximity sensor to the first battery pack (B1) in Table 1. In this way, if the number of proximity sensors included in each of the sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) that satisfy the preset conditions as a result of the comparison is greater than or equal to the preset number (e.g., 3), the battery exchange device (100) can determine that the information measured through the sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) satisfies the preset conditions, and can determine that the first battery pack is located in an area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn). If the number of proximity sensors that satisfy the preset conditions as a result of the comparison of the battery exchange device (100) is less than the preset number, it can be determined that the first battery pack is not located in an area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn).Unlike in FIG. 4a, for the sake of simplicity, FIGS. 4b and 4c are illustrated as being adjacent to the first charging slot (Sn) and the second charging slot (Sm), but the embodiments according to the present disclosure are not limited to the illustrated cases.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) can determine that the first battery pack (B1) is located in one area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn) when information measured through sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) included in the sensor satisfies a preset condition, and can open the door of the first charging slot (Sn). In this case, the door of the first charging slot (Sn) can be formed in contact with any one area among the first area (410-1) to the fourth area (410-4) included in the one area (410), and can be formed to open the first charging slot (Sn) when the door is opened with any one of the areas as an axis, and to close the first charging slot (Sn) when the door is closed. For example, the door of the first charging slot (Sn) can be opened when the first battery pack (B1) is positioned in the first area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn) with the first area (410-1) included in the area (410) as an axis, and can be maintained in a continuously open state after the first battery pack (B1) is loaded into the first charging slot (Sn). The battery pack (B1) loaded into the first charging slot (Sn) can be fixed inside the first charging slot (Sn) by a fixing device (e.g., a hook).

[0073] According to one embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) may determine that the first battery pack (B1) is not positioned in an area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn) if information measured by the sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) included in the sensor does not satisfy a preset condition, and may close the door of the first charging slot (Sn). In this case, closing the door of the first charging slot (Sn) may include both an operation of closing the first charging slot (Sn) in a situation where the first charging slot (Sn) is open and an operation of maintaining the closed state of the first charging slot (Sn) in a situation where the first charging slot (Sn) is closed.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) can charge the first battery pack (B1) when normal insertion of the first battery pack (B1) is confirmed after the door of the first charging slot (Sn) is opened. Confirmation of normal insertion of the first battery pack (B1) may mean a situation in which various parameters, including the SOC and SOH of the first battery pack (B1), are obtained through communication with the battery management system (BMS) of the first battery pack (B1), and the state of the first battery pack (B1) confirmed through communication with the server (200) corresponds to a normal state. For example, the battery exchange device (100) can monitor (estimate) the SOC and / or SOH of the first battery pack (B1) stored in the first charging slot (Sn) based on a time series of voltage values ​​and / or current values ​​of the first battery pack (B1) stored in the first charging slot (Sn). SOC and / or SOH estimation may utilize SOC-OCV map, ampere counting, and extended Kalman filter, and the battery exchange device (100) may determine whether the first battery pack (B1) is in a normal state through communication with the server (200). In this case, the normal state may mean, for example, a state in which the operating performance of the first battery pack (B1) confirmed based on parameters related to SoC, SoH, voltage, current, and temperature of the first battery pack (B1) or the operating performance of the first battery pack (B1) when fully charged exists within a critical range suitable for driving the first device (20).

[0075] Referring to FIG. 4c, the battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment, when normal loading of the first battery pack (B1) is confirmed after the opening of the first charging slot (Sn), determines the second battery pack (B2) based on the status information of each of the plurality of battery packs loaded in some of the plurality of charging slots, and controls the second charging slot (Sm) in which the second battery pack (B2) is located so that the second battery pack (B2) is shipped. For example, when there are a plurality of battery packs in the charging slots (S1 to Sm) before the loading of the first battery pack (B1), the battery exchange device (100) may determine the battery pack having the highest SoC among the plurality of battery packs as the second battery pack (B2). According to one embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) can close the door of the second charging slot (Sm) when the second battery pack (B2) is released by the user (U) after the second charging slot (Sm) in which the second battery pack (B2) is received is opened. Thereafter, the battery exchange device (100) can provide a battery exchange service to various users (U) through a process of controlling the second charging slot (Sm) corresponding to the first state in a manner similar to the process of controlling the first charging slot (Sn) throughout the battery exchange process described above.

[0076] In FIGS. 4A and 4B, it is expressed that only the first charging slot (Sn) in which the first battery pack (B1) is to be accommodated has sensors (401, 402, 403, 404) including at least one proximity sensor, and that only four proximity sensors exist on one area (410) of the first charging slot (Sn). However, in an embodiment, when the first battery pack (B1) is loaded into the first charging slot (Sn) and is charged, and then becomes the second battery pack (B2), the first charging slot (Sn) can function in the same way as the second charging slot (Sm) in the process of providing a battery exchange service, and the number of the plurality of proximity sensors and the number and positions of the plurality of proximity sensors on one area (410) of the charging slot can also vary, and the embodiments according to the present disclosure are not limited to the cases described based on the drawings.

[0077] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a method for controlling a battery exchange device according to one embodiment.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, the battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment can determine whether the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100) based on the location information of the first device (20) and the device information of the first device (20) in step S510. The battery exchange device (100) according to one embodiment can receive information from the server (200) that the first device (20) is located within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100), as described in FIG. 3, and can receive information from the server indicating that the first device (20) is stopped within the predefined distance. In addition, the battery exchange device (100) receives the location information of the first device (20) and the device information of the first device (20) from the server (200), and compares the GPS information included in the location information including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the first device (20) with the GPS information including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the battery exchange device (100), and based on the amount of change in the GPS information included in the location information of the first device (20) over a certain period of time, it can determine that the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100). In addition, the battery exchange device (100) can determine that the first device (20) is stopped based on the device information of the first device (20) including information indicating whether the ignition of the first device (20) is turned on and whether the ignition is turned off.

[0079] In addition, the battery exchange device (100) can perform communication between the battery exchange device (100) and the first device (20) based on the first signal and the second signal described above, and can determine whether the first device (20) is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device (100).

[0080] According to an embodiment, a battery exchange device (100) may obtain information measured by at least one sensor disposed in an area of ​​a first charging slot among a plurality of charging slots in step S520. In this case, at least one sensor may be disposed in an area of ​​the charging slot as described with reference to FIG. 4A. The area of ​​the charging slot may refer to an entrance of the charging slot, and information measured by at least one ambient light sensor included in the at least one sensor may include distance information and brightness information to the first battery pack measured by each of the at least one ambient light sensors. As described with reference to FIG. 4B, if the information measured by at least one sensor satisfies a preset condition, the battery exchange device (100) may determine that the first battery pack (B1) is located in an area of ​​the first charging slot.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the battery exchange device (100) may determine whether to open the door of the first charging slot based on the result of the comparison in step S530. If the battery exchange device (100) determines that the first battery pack (B1) is located in an area of ​​the first charging slot in step S530, the battery exchange device (100) may open the door of the first charging slot. If the battery exchange device (100) determines that the first battery pack (B1) is not located in an area of ​​the first charging slot in step S530, the battery exchange device (100) may close the door of the first charging slot. Thereafter, if normal insertion of the first battery pack (B1) is confirmed after the door of the first charging slot is opened as described above in FIG. 4C, the battery exchange device (100) may charge the first battery pack (B1). In addition, when the normal loading of the first battery pack (B1) is confirmed after the opening of the first charging slot, the battery exchange device (100) can determine the second battery pack (B2) based on the status information of each of the plurality of battery packs loaded in some of the plurality of charging slots, and control the second charging slot in which the second battery pack (B2) is located so that the second battery pack (B2) is shipped. When the second battery pack (B2) is shipped after the opening of the door of the second charging slot, the battery exchange device (100) can perform a process of closing the door of the second charging slot.

[0082] The present embodiment may be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. These functional blocks may be implemented by various hardware and / or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, the embodiment may employ direct circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look-up tables, etc., which may perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, the present embodiment may be implemented in a programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, assembler, etc., including various algorithms implemented as a combination of data structures, processes, routines, or other programming configurations. Functional aspects may be implemented as algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, the present embodiment may employ conventional techniques for electronic configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism," "element," "means," and "composition" can be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physical structures. These terms can also encompass a series of software routines, such as those associated with a processor.

[0083] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may be implemented within the scope of the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. In the battery exchange device, Multiple charging slots; transceiver; A plurality of sensors arranged in one area of ​​the plurality of charging slots; memory for storing instructions; and comprising a processor connected to the above memory, The above processor, Based on at least one of the location information of the first device and the device information of the first device, it is determined whether the first device is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device, When the first device is stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, information measured by at least one sensor disposed in an area of ​​the first charging slot among the plurality of charging slots is acquired, Based on information measured through at least one sensor, it is set to determine whether the door of the first charging slot is open. Battery exchange device.

2. In paragraph 1, The above processor, Through the transceiver, information is received from the server that the first device is located within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, Set to receive information from the server via the transceiver indicating that the first device is stationary within the predefined distance, Battery exchange device.

3. In paragraph 1, The above processor, Through the transceiver, the first signal for communication connection broadcast by the first device is received, Based on the received first signal, it is determined that the first device is located within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, Through the transceiver, a second signal including device information of the first device is received from the first device, Based on the device information of the first device, the first device is set to determine that it is stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device. Battery exchange device.

4. In paragraph 1, The above processor, Through the transceiver, location information of the first device and device information of the first device are received from the server, Based on the location information of the first device, it is determined whether the first device is located within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, Based on the device information of the first device, it is set to determine whether the first device has stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device. Battery exchange device.

5. In paragraph 1, One area of ​​the above first charging slot is, Area 1, A second area arranged in connection with the first area, A third area connected to the second area and positioned facing the first area, and A fourth region connected to the first region and the third region and positioned facing the second region, At least one sensor above, Including a first sensor located in the first area, a second sensor located in the second area, a third sensor located in the third area, and a fourth sensor located in the fourth area, Battery exchange device 6. In paragraph 1, At least one sensor above, comprising at least one skew sensor, Information measured through at least one sensor above, including distance information and brightness information to the first battery pack, measured by each of the at least one luminosity sensor, Battery exchange device.

7. In paragraph 6, The above processor, For each of the above at least one proximity sensor, compare the preset reference distance information and reference brightness information with the measured distance information and brightness information, For each of the at least one proximity sensor, determine whether the result of the comparison satisfies a preset condition, Based on whether the number of at least one proximity sensor satisfying the above preset condition is greater than or equal to the preset number, it is determined whether the first battery pack is located in an area of ​​the first charging slot. Battery exchange device.

8. In paragraph 7, The above processor, When it is determined that the first battery pack is located in an area of ​​the first charging slot, the door of the first charging slot is set to open. Battery exchange device 9. In paragraph 7, The above processor, If it is determined that the first battery pack is not located in an area of ​​the first charging slot, the door of the first charging slot is set to be closed. Battery exchange device.

10. In paragraph 1, The above processor, When normal loading of the first battery pack is confirmed after opening the door of the first charging slot, the first battery pack is set to be charged. Battery exchange device.

11. In paragraph 1, The above processor, If normal loading of the first battery pack is confirmed after the opening of the first charging slot, the second battery pack is determined based on the status information of each of the plurality of battery packs loaded in some of the plurality of charging slots, Set to control the second charging slot in which the second battery pack is located so that the second battery pack is discharged. Battery exchange device.

12. In paragraph 11, The above processor, When the second battery pack is shipped, the door of the second charging slot is set to be closed. Battery exchange device.

13. In paragraph 1, The device information of the above first device is: Includes at least one of identification information of the first device, speed information of the first device, and startup status information of the first device, The identification information of the above first device is: It is already registered in the server's database, Battery exchange device.

14. In a method for controlling a battery exchange device, A step of determining whether the first device is stopped within a predefined distance from the battery exchange device based on at least one of the location information of the first device and the device information of the first device; When the first device is stopped within the predefined distance from the battery exchange device, a step of obtaining information measured through at least one sensor disposed in an area of ​​a first charging slot among the plurality of charging slots; and A step of determining whether the door of the first charging slot is open based on information measured through at least one sensor, How to control a battery exchange device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of Article 14 on an electronic device.

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