Battery swapping device

Abstract

According to an embodiment disclosed in the present document, a battery swapping device may comprise: a plurality of charging slots into which batteries are inserted; a plurality of chargers for charging the batteries inserted into the plurality of charging slots; a connection circuit including a plurality of switches for electrically connecting the plurality of charging slots and the plurality of chargers; and a processor for controlling a connection between the plurality of charging slots and the plurality of chargers by controlling the states of the plurality of switches, wherein the number of the plurality of chargers is less than the number of the plurality of charging slots.

Description

Battery exchange device

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2024-0106639, dated August 9, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The embodiments disclosed in this document relate to a battery exchange device.

[0003] Recently, research and development on secondary batteries has been actively conducted. Here, secondary batteries are rechargeable and include both conventional Ni / Cd and Ni / MH batteries, as well as recent lithium-ion batteries. Among secondary batteries, lithium-ion batteries have the advantage of having a much higher energy density than conventional Ni / Cd and Ni / MH batteries. Furthermore, lithium-ion batteries can be manufactured in a compact and lightweight form, making them suitable for use as power sources for mobile devices. Recently, their use has expanded to include power sources for electric vehicles, attracting attention as a next-generation energy storage medium.

[0004] Swappable Battery Charging Stations (SBCS) or Battery Swapping Stations are being introduced to charge swappable batteries, allowing users to exchange discharged battery packs for charged ones. Users can rent battery packs from these stations, use them in electric two-wheelers, and then return the discharged packs to receive new ones. These stations can be installed in easily accessible locations, such as near convenience stores or gas stations.

[0005] These battery swap stations are specifically designed to allow users of electric motorcycles to quickly swap out battery packs, allowing them to resume riding without long charging waits. Standardized battery sizes and interfaces have recently been adopted, increasing compatibility between electric motorcycles from various manufacturers.

[0006] One purpose of the embodiments disclosed in the document is to provide a battery exchange device that reduces manufacturing and operating costs and enables efficient charging control.

[0007] The technical problems of the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the descriptions below.

[0008] According to an embodiment disclosed in the present document, a battery exchange device includes: a plurality of charging slots into which batteries are inserted; a plurality of chargers for charging batteries inserted into the plurality of charging slots; a connection circuit including a plurality of switches for electrically connecting the plurality of charging slots and the plurality of chargers; and a processor for controlling a connection between the plurality of charging slots and the plurality of chargers by controlling states of the plurality of switches, wherein the number of the plurality of chargers may be less than the number of the plurality of charging slots.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the connection circuit may be configured such that the plurality of switches are arranged such that each of the plurality of charging slots has a connection path with at least one of the plurality of chargers.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the plurality of chargers include a first charger group and a second charger group, the plurality of charging slots include a first charging slot group and a second charging slot group, and the connection circuit includes a first connection circuit connecting the first charger group and the first charging slot group, a second connection circuit connecting the second charger group and the second charging slot group, and a third connection circuit connecting the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit, wherein the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit can be configured symmetrically.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the first charger group includes first to i-th (i is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) chargers, the first charging slot group includes first to i+1-th charging slots, and the first connection circuit may include an i+1-th connection line connecting between the first charger and the first charging slot and including at least one switch, a j-th connection line connecting between the j-th (j is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i) charger and the j+1-th charging slot and including at least one switch, and at least one switch connecting between the k-th (k is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i-1) connection line and the k+1-th connection line.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the first connection line includes one switch, the second connection line to the (i+1)-th connection line each include two switches, the first connection circuit includes two switches connecting the k-th connection line and the (k+1)-th connection line, and the third connection circuit may include a switch provided between a point between two switches included in the (i+1)-th connection line of the first connection circuit and a corresponding point of the second connection circuit, and a switch provided between a point between two switches included in the (i+1)-th connection line of the first connection circuit and a corresponding point of the second connection circuit.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the plurality of chargers include first to i-th (i is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) chargers, the plurality of charging slots include first to i+1-th charging slots, and the connection circuit includes a j-th connection line connecting between the j-th (j is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i) charger and the j-th charging slot, and an i+1-th connection line connecting between the i-th charger and the i+1-th charging slot, and each of the k-th (k is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i+1) connection lines includes one switch, and may include one switch connecting between the m-th (m is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i-1) connection line and the m+1-th connection line.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the plurality of chargers include a first charger group and a second charger group, the plurality of charging slots include a first charging slot group and a second charging slot group, and the connection circuit includes a first connection circuit connecting the first charger group and the first charging slot group, and a second connection circuit connecting the second charger group and the second charging slot group, and the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit may have the same connection structure.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the first charger group includes first to i-th (i is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) chargers, the first charging slot group includes first to i+1-th charging slots, the first connection circuit includes a j-th connection line connecting between the j-th (j is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i) charger and the j-th charging slot, and an i+1-th connection line connecting between the i-th charger and the i+1-th charging slot, and each of the k-th (k is a residual number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i+1) connection lines includes one switch, and may include one switch connecting between the m-th (m is a natural number equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than i-1) connection line and the m+1-th connection line.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the processor can identify a charging slot into which the battery is inserted among the plurality of charging slots, and control a switch corresponding to the identification result among the plurality of switches to a closed state.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the processor can control the plurality of switches based on a table matching the charging slot into which the battery is inserted and the states of the plurality of switches.

[0018] The battery exchange device according to the embodiments disclosed in the document can be designed so that the number of chargers is less than the number of charging slots, thereby reducing manufacturing and operating costs.

[0019] In addition, various effects may be provided, either directly or indirectly, through this document.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an example of a battery exchange system according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery exchange device (10) according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an example of the structure of a battery diagnostic device (10) according to the first embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing an example of the structure of a battery diagnostic device according to the second embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing an example of the structure of a battery diagnostic device according to the third embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0025] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the present invention encompasses various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments.

[0026] In this document, the singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" may each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish the corresponding element from other corresponding elements, and do not limit the corresponding elements in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively,” it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0027] Each component (e.g., a module or a program) described in this document may include one or more entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0028] The term "module" or "part" used in this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0029] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program or an application) including one or more instructions stored in a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., memory). For example, a processor of the device may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the device to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily in the storage medium.

[0030]

[0031] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an example of a battery exchange system according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, a battery exchange device (10) can be mounted on an external device (e.g., a means of transportation such as a two-wheeled vehicle) to receive and recharge a spent battery, and can provide a battery that is being charged or has completed charging internally.

[0033] The battery exchange device (10) may correspond to a battery swapping station (BSS) or a swappable battery charging station (SBCS) used in a battery exchange service.

[0034] The vehicle (20) may include a two-wheeled vehicle, and the battery (30) may be a replaceable battery. For example, the battery (30) may be removable from the vehicle (20). However, although the vehicle (20) is illustrated as a two-wheeled vehicle in FIG. 1, the embodiment according to the present disclosure is applicable to various electric mobility devices driven by a rechargeable battery pack, and the embodiment of the vehicle (20) including the battery (30) is not limited to a specific case.

[0035] A user of a vehicle (20) equipped with a battery (30) can exchange the battery (30) using a battery exchange device (10). For example, the user can insert a used battery installed in the vehicle (20) into the battery exchange device (10) and receive a battery that was inserted into the battery exchange device (10).

[0036] For example, a user can access an application that provides a battery exchange service related to the use of a battery exchange device (10) and perform battery exchange using the battery exchange device (10).

[0037] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery exchange device (10) according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, the battery exchange device (10) may include a plurality of charging slots (110), a plurality of chargers (120), a connection circuit (130), and a processor (140).

[0039] A plurality of charging slots (110) can be used to insert batteries. Each of the plurality of charging slots (110) can insert a battery for charging, and a battery selected by the user can be removed.

[0040] A plurality of chargers (120) may be configured to charge batteries inserted into a plurality of charging slots (110). The plurality of chargers (120) may be electrically connected to the plurality of charging slots (110) to provide power for charging the batteries inserted into the plurality of charging slots (110).

[0041] Since the battery swapping device is designed so that the user returns the batteries and takes out the batteries that were inserted into the battery swapping device, at least some of the charging slots of the battery swapping device are always empty. For example, if a pair of batteries installed in a two-wheeled vehicle is inserted and a pair of batteries inserted into the battery swapping device are taken out, two of the charging slots of the battery swapping device will always be empty. Therefore, if the number of charging slots of the battery swapping device and the number of chargers are designed to be the same, some chargers will always be inoperable, resulting in the chargers being designed to have a capacity greater than the amount of power actually required to operate the battery diagnostic device.

[0042] Accordingly, according to one embodiment, the number of the plurality of chargers (120) may be less than the number of the plurality of charging slots (110). That is, the battery diagnostic device (10) may be equipped with a number of chargers less than the number of charging slots, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and operating cost of the battery exchange device (10) and enabling efficient charging control.

[0043] The connection circuit (130) may include a plurality of switches for electrically connecting a plurality of charging slots (110) and a plurality of chargers (120). As described above, the connection circuit (130) may be designed to have a structure for ensuring optimized connection between a plurality of charging slots (110) and a plurality of chargers (120) in a battery exchange device (10) having a smaller number of chargers than the number of charging slots, and for ensuring charging of batteries inserted into the charging slots.

[0044] That is, in order to ensure charging of a battery inserted into a charging slot, according to one embodiment, the connection circuit (130) may have a plurality of switches arranged so that each of the plurality of charging slots (110) has a connection path to at least one of the plurality of chargers (120).

[0045] Each of the multiple switches can be a different type of switch, such as a MOSFET switch, a transistor switch, or a relay.

[0046] Below, various embodiments of the connection circuit (130) will be described in more detail.

[0047]

[0048] Example 1

[0049] According to one embodiment, the plurality of charging slots (110) may include a first charging slot group and a second charging slot group, and the plurality of chargers (120) may include a first charger group and a second charger group. In addition, the connection circuit (130) may include a first connection circuit connecting the first charger group and the first charging slot group, a second connection circuit connecting the second charger group and the second charging slot group, and a third connection circuit connecting the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit.

[0050] Here, the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit may be configured symmetrically. That is, the arrangement of the switches included in the first connection circuit and the arrangement of the switches included in the second connection circuit may be symmetrical.

[0051] Since the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit are configured symmetrically, the number of charging slots included in the first charging slot group and the second charging slot group may be the same, and the number of chargers included in the first charger group and the second charger group may also be the same.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the first charger group may include the first charger to the i-th charger. In this case, i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2, and may represent the number of chargers belonging to each charger group.

[0053] At this time, the first charging slot group may include the first charging slot to the (i+1)th charging slot. That is, the number of charging slots included in the first charging slot group may be one more than the number of chargers included in the first charger group. Similarly, the number of charging slots included in the second charging slot group may be one more than the number of chargers included in the second charger group, and the number of charging slots of the plurality of charging slots (110) may be two more than the number of chargers of the plurality of chargers (120).

[0054] According to one embodiment, the first connection circuit may include an (i+1)-th connection line connecting between the first charger and the first charging slot and including at least one switch. Furthermore, the first connection circuit may include a (j)-th connection line connecting between the (j)-th charger and the (j+1)-th charging slot and including at least one switch. Here, j is a variable and is any natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i, and a connection line may be configured for each j value. That is, the first connection circuit may include (i+1) connection lines.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the first connection circuit may include at least one switch connecting the k-th connection line and the k+1-th connection line. Here, k is a variable and is any natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i-1. That is, the first connection circuit may include a switch connecting adjacent connection lines, from the first connection line to the i-th connection line. In this case, a switch connecting the i-th connection line and the i+1-th connection line may not be provided.

[0056] In one embodiment, the first connection line may include one switch, and each of the second connection line to the (i+1)-th connection line may include two switches. Furthermore, the first connection circuit may include two switches connecting the k-th connection line and the (k+1)-th connection line.

[0057] When configured in this manner, the first connection circuit may include 4i-1 switches.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the third connection circuit may include a switch provided between a point between two switches included in the i-th connection line of the first connection circuit and a corresponding point of the second connection circuit, and a switch provided between a point between two switches included in the i+1-th connection line of the first connection circuit and a corresponding point of the second connection circuit.

[0059] That is, the third connecting circuit may include two switches connected in parallel to electrically connect the first connecting circuit and the second connecting circuit, and may electrically connect between the first connecting circuit and the second connecting circuit.

[0060] When configured in this manner, the connection circuit (130) can include (4i-1)*2+2 = 8i switches.

[0061] As described above, two of the charging slots of the battery diagnosis device (10) can always be empty, and up to 2i batteries can be inserted into the plurality of charging slots (110) of the battery diagnosis device (10). At this time, the connection circuit (130) of the battery diagnosis device (10) according to the first embodiment can achieve electrical connection between the charging slot and the charger regardless of which charging slot the battery is inserted into. In addition, there is no need to switch over even if the position of the battery inserted into the battery diagnosis device (10), i.e., the charging slot, is changed.

[0062]

[0063] Second Example

[0064] According to one embodiment, the plurality of chargers (120) may include a first charger to an i-th charger. Here, i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2, and may mean the number of chargers belonging to each charger group.

[0065] At this time, the plurality of charging slots (110) may include the first charging slot to the (i+1)th charging slot. That is, the number of charging slots of the plurality of charging slots (110) of the battery diagnostic device (10) according to the second embodiment may be one more than the number of chargers of the plurality of chargers (120).

[0066] According to one embodiment, the connection circuit (130) may include a j-th connection line connecting the j-th charger and the j-th charging slot, and an (i+1)-th connection line connecting the ith charger and the (i+1)-th charging slot. Here, j is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i, and is a variable, and a connection line may be configured for each j value. That is, the connection circuit (130) may include (i+1) connection lines.

[0067] According to one embodiment, each of the kth connection lines of the connection circuit (130) may include one switch. Here, k is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i+1, and is a variable, and each connection line may include one switch.

[0068] In addition, the connection circuit (130) may include one switch connecting between the m-th connection line and the (m+1)-th connection line. Here, m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i-1, and is a variable. That is, the connection circuit (130) may include a switch connecting adjacent connection lines, from the first connection line to the i-th connection line. In this case, the switch connecting between the i-th connection line and the (i+1)-th connection line may not be provided.

[0069] When configured in this manner, the connection circuit (130) may include 2i switches.

[0070] As described above, two of the charging slots of the battery diagnosis device (10) can always be empty, and up to 2i batteries can be inserted into the plurality of charging slots (110) of the battery diagnosis device (10). At this time, the connection circuit (130) of the battery diagnosis device (10) according to the first embodiment can achieve electrical connection between the charging slot and the charger regardless of which charging slot the battery is inserted into. In addition, there is no need to switch over even if the position of the battery inserted into the battery diagnosis device (10), i.e., the charging slot, is changed.

[0071] However, the battery exchange device (10) according to the second embodiment has a disadvantage in that when the position of the charging slot into which the battery is inserted is changed, the connection between the charging slot and the charger is disconnected during the process of changing the state of the switch.

[0072]

[0073] Third Example

[0074] According to one embodiment, the plurality of charging slots (110) may include a first charging slot group and a second charging slot group, and the plurality of chargers (120) may include a first charger group and a second charger group. In addition, the connection circuit (130) may include a first connection circuit connecting the first charger group and the first charging slot group, and a second connection circuit connecting the second charger group and the second charging slot group.

[0075] Here, the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit may have the same connection structure. That is, the arrangement of the switches included in the first connection circuit and the arrangement of the switches included in the second connection circuit may be the same.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the first charger group may include the first charger to the I charger. Here, i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2, and may represent the number of chargers belonging to each charger group.

[0077] At this time, the first charging slot group may include the first charging slot to the (i+1)th charging slot. That is, the number of charging slots included in the first charging slot group may be one more than the number of chargers included in the first charger group. Similarly, the number of charging slots included in the second charging slot group may be one more than the number of chargers included in the second charger group, and the number of charging slots of the plurality of charging slots (110) may be two more than the number of chargers of the plurality of chargers (120).

[0078] According to one embodiment, the first connection circuit may include a j-th connection line connecting between the j-th charger and the j-th charging slot, and an (i+1)-th connection line connecting between the ith charger and the (i+1)-th charging slot. Here, j is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i, and is a variable, and a connection line may be configured for each j value. That is, the first connection circuit may include (i+1) connection lines.

[0079] According to one embodiment, each of the kth connection lines of the first connection circuit may include one switch. Here, k is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i+1, and is a variable, and each connection line may include one switch.

[0080] In addition, the first connection circuit may include a single switch connecting the m-th connection line and the (m+1)-th connection line. Here, m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i-1, and is a variable. That is, the first connection circuit may include a switch connecting adjacent connection lines, from the first connection line to the i-th connection line. In this case, the switch connecting the i-th connection line and the (i+1)-th connection line may not be provided.

[0081] When configured in this manner, the first connection circuit may include 2i switches. Similarly, the second connection circuit may also include 2i switches, and accordingly, the connection circuit (130) may include 4i switches.

[0082] That is, the structure of the connection circuit (130) of the battery diagnostic device (10) according to the third embodiment may be a structure in which the structure of the connection circuit (130) according to the second embodiment is connected in parallel.

[0083]

[0084] According to one embodiment, the processor (140) can control the connection between the plurality of charging slots (110) and the plurality of chargers (120) by controlling the states of the plurality of switches. The processor (140) can control the states of the plurality of switches so that a charging slot into which a battery is inserted is electrically connected to one of the plurality of chargers (120). Through this, the battery inserted into the charging slot can be charged.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the processor (140) can identify a charging slot into which a battery is inserted among a plurality of charging slots (110). Typically, a two-wheeled vehicle is equipped with a pair of paired batteries, and thus, a pair of batteries can be inserted into the battery charging device (10), and the processor (140) can identify two charging slots into which the pair of batteries is inserted among the plurality of charging slots (110). However, this is merely an example, and only a single battery may be inserted into a charging slot.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the processor (140) may control a switch corresponding to the identification result among the plurality of switches to a closed state. Here, the switch corresponding to the identification result may refer to a switch included in a connection path for establishing an electrical connection between a charging slot into which a battery is inserted and a corresponding charger. By controlling the switch corresponding to the identification result to a closed state, the processor (140) may establish an electrical connection between the charging slot into which a battery is inserted and any one of the plurality of chargers (120).

[0087] According to one embodiment, the processor (140) may control a plurality of switches based on a table that matches the charging slot into which the battery is inserted with the states of the plurality of switches. For example, the processor (140) may store the positions of the chargers for establishing electrical connections with the charging slots into which the battery is inserted, and the states of the switches for this purpose, based on the structure of the connection circuit (130).

[0088] In this way, the battery exchange device (10) can reduce the number of chargers required, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the battery exchange device (10). In addition, by reducing the number of chargers required for the battery exchange device (10), the size of the battery exchange device (10) can be reduced, and the installation of the battery exchange device (10) can be facilitated.

[0089] Furthermore, by considering the power demand in the area where the battery exchange device (10) is installed, the demand for exchange batteries, etc., and adjusting the number of chargers provided in the battery exchange device (10), and designing a connection circuit (130) between a plurality of charging slots (110) and a plurality of chargers (120) accordingly, the cost of the battery exchange device (10) can be reduced and the efficiency of operation can be increased.

[0090] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an example of the structure of a battery diagnostic device (10) according to the first embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 3, the plurality of charging slots (110) of the battery diagnostic device (10) according to the first embodiment may include a first charging slot group (111) and a second charging slot group (113), and the plurality of chargers (120) may include a first charger group (121) and a second charger group (123). In addition, the connection circuit (130) may include a first connection circuit (131), a second connection circuit (133), and a third connection circuit (135).

[0092] Additionally, the battery diagnostic device (10) may include a grid power and AC / DC converter (140) that is connected to a plurality of chargers (120) to provide power.

[0093] The first charging slot group (111) and the second charging slot group (113) may include the same number of charging slots, and the first charger group (121) and the second charger group (123) may include the same number of chargers. The first charging slot group (111) may be distinguished by the order of arrangement of charging slots, and the first charger group (121) may be distinguished by the order of arrangement of chargers.

[0094] Fig. 3 illustrates an example of a battery exchange device (10) having eight charging slots and six chargers. The structure of the connection circuit (130) of the battery diagnostic device (10) according to the first embodiment is such that the first connection circuit (131) and the second connection circuit (133) can be formed symmetrically in circuit structure.

[0095] The first connection circuit (131) may include a first connection line (L1) to a fourth connection line (L4). That is, since i is 3 in FIG. 3, the first connection circuit (131) and the second connection circuit (133) may each include four connection lines. Similarly, the second connection circuit (133) may include connection lines (L'1) to (L'4).

[0096] The first connecting line (L1) may include one switch (SW4), the second connecting line (L2) may include two switches (SW7, SW9), the third connecting line (L3) may include two switches (SW11, SW12), and the fourth connecting line (L4) may include two switches (SW1, SW3).

[0097] Additionally, two switches (SW5, SW6) may be included between the first connecting line (L1) and the second connecting line (L2), and two switches (SW8, SW10) may be included between the second connecting line (L2) and the third connecting line (L3).

[0098] The third connecting line (135) may include a switch (SW13) provided between a point between two switches (SW11, SW12) included in the third connecting line (L3) and a corresponding point (a point between SW14 and SW16) of the second connecting circuit. In addition, the third connecting line (135) may include a switch (SW2) provided between a point between two switches (SW1, SW3) included in the fourth connecting line (L4) and a corresponding point (a point between SW23 and SW24) of the second connecting circuit.

[0099] In this way, when six chargers and eight charging slots are provided, the connection circuit may include 24 switches. The processor (140) can identify batteries inserted into multiple charging slots (110) and control the states of the multiple switches.

[0100] For example, when referring to the charging slots located on the left side in FIG. 3 as the first charging slot, if a battery is inserted into the first charging slot, the second charging slot, the fourth charging slot, the fifth charging slot, the sixth charging slot, and the eighth charging slot among the charging slots, the processor (140) can control the states of SW1, SW3, SW4, SW11, SW12, SW14, SW16, SW18, SW20, SW23, and SW24 to be closed. Conversely, the processor (140) can control SW2, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8, SW9, SW10, SW13, SW15, SW17, SW19, SW21, and SW22 to be open.

[0101] At this time, the state of the switch according to the position of the charging slot into which the battery is inserted can be matched and stored in a table form, and the processor (140) can control the state of the switch using the table.

[0102] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of a battery diagnostic device according to the second embodiment disclosed in this document. Fig. 4 illustrates an example in which there are seven chargers and eight charging slots.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 4, the connection circuit (130) of the battery diagnostic device (10) according to the second embodiment may include a first connection line (L1) to an eighth connection line (L8).

[0104] The first connecting line (L1) may include one switch (SW1), and each connecting line may include one switch. In addition, one switch may be provided to connect the first connecting line (L1) and the second connecting line (L2). Similarly, one switch may be provided to connect the sixth connecting line (L6) and the seventh connecting line (L7).

[0105] In this way, when the battery diagnostic device (10) is implemented, the connection circuit (130) may be equipped with 14 switches.

[0106] For example, when a battery is inserted into the second charging slot and the third charging slot, the processor (140) can control SW2 and SW4 to be closed and control the remaining switches to be open.

[0107] A battery diagnostic device (10) according to a second embodiment may be implemented such that a single charger is electrically connected to two adjacent charging slots, enabling charging of either of the two adjacent charging slots. For example, a first charger may charge a battery inserted into either the first charging slot or the second charging slot depending on the state control of a switch.

[0108] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of a battery diagnostic device according to the third embodiment disclosed in this document. FIG. 5 illustrates an example in which a plurality of charging slots (110) include eight charging slots and a plurality of chargers (120) include six chargers.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 5, a battery diagnostic device (10) according to a third embodiment may include a plurality of charging slots (110) including a first charging slot group (111) and a second charging slot group (113), and a plurality of chargers (120) including a first charger group (121) and a second charger group (123).

[0110] In addition, the battery diagnostic device (10) according to the third embodiment may include a connection circuit (130) including a first connection circuit (131) and a second connection circuit (133), and the first connection circuit (131) and the second connection circuit (133) may have the same circuit structure.

[0111] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the first connection circuit (131) may include a first connection line (L1) to a fourth connection line (L4), and each connection line may include one switch. For example, the fourth connection line (L4) may include one switch (SW6).

[0112] Additionally, one switch (SW2) may be provided between the first connecting line (L1) and the second connecting line (L2), one switch (SW4) may be provided between the second connecting line (L2) and the third connecting line (L3), and one switch (SW6) may be provided between the third connecting line (L3) and the fourth connecting line (L4).

[0113] In this way, when the battery diagnostic device (10) is implemented, the connection circuit (130) may include 12 switches.

[0114] For example, when batteries are inserted into the first charging slot, the second charging slot, and the third charging slot, the processor (140) can control SW1, SW3, and SW5 to be closed, and control the remaining switches to be open.

[0115]

[0116] Meanwhile, the present specification and drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and although specific terms are used, they are used in a general sense only to easily explain the technical contents of the present disclosure and to help understand the embodiments, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the embodiments of the present disclosure pertain that other modified examples based on the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure are possible in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0117] The device or terminal according to the above-described embodiments may include a processor, a memory for storing and executing program data, a permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with an external device, a user object device such as a touch panel, a key, a button, etc. The methods implemented as software modules or algorithms may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium as computer-readable codes or program commands that can be executed on the processor. Here, the computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic storage medium (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a floppy disk, a hard disk, etc.) and an optical reading medium (e.g., a CD-ROM, a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)). The computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected through a network, so that the computer-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium is readable by a computer, stored in a memory, and executed by a processor.

[0118] 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 integrated 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, Python, 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 like "mechanism," "element," "means," and "composition" can be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physical components. These terms can also encompass a series of software routines, such as those associated with a processor.

Claims

1. Multiple charging slots into which batteries are inserted; A plurality of chargers for charging batteries inserted into the plurality of charging slots; A connection circuit including a plurality of switches for electrically connecting the plurality of charging slots and the plurality of chargers; and A processor is included that controls the state of the plurality of switches to control the connection between the plurality of charging slots and the plurality of chargers, The number of the plurality of chargers is less than the number of the plurality of charging slots. Battery exchange device.

2. In paragraph 1, The above connection circuit is, The plurality of switches are arranged so that each of the plurality of charging slots has a connection path with at least one of the plurality of chargers. Battery exchange device.

3. In paragraph 2, The above plurality of chargers include a first charger group and a second charger group, The above plurality of charging slots include a first charging slot group and a second charging slot group, The above connection circuit is, A first connection circuit connecting the first charger group and the first charging slot group; A second connection circuit connecting the second charger group and the second charging slot group, and A third connecting circuit connecting the first connecting circuit and the second connecting circuit is included, The first connection circuit and the second connection circuit are configured symmetrically. Battery exchange device.

4. In paragraph 3, The above first charger group includes the first charger to the i-th charger (i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2), The first charging slot group includes the first charging slot to the (i+1)th charging slot, The above first connection circuit, An i+1-th connecting line connecting between the first charger and the first charging slot and including at least one switch, A j-th connecting line connecting a j-th charger (j is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i) and a j+1-th charging slot, and including at least one switch, and At least one switch connecting the kth (k is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i-1) connection line and the k+1th connection line, Battery exchange device.

5. In paragraph 4, The above first connecting line includes one switch, Each of the second connecting line to the i+1-th connecting line includes two switches, The above first connection circuit, It includes two switches connecting between the kth connection line and the k+1th connection line, The above third connection circuit, A switch provided between a point between two switches included in the i-th connection line of the first connection circuit and a corresponding point of the second connection circuit, and A switch provided between a point between two switches included in the i+1-th connection line of the first connection circuit and a corresponding point of the second connection circuit, Battery exchange device.

6. In paragraph 2, The above plurality of chargers include first charger to i-th charger (i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2), The above plurality of charging slots include a first charging slot to an (i+1)-th charging slot, The above connection circuit is, It includes a j-th connection line connecting between the j-th charger (j is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i) and the j-th charging slot, and an i+1-th connection line connecting between the i-th charger and the i+1-th charging slot, Each of the k (k is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i+1) connection lines contains one switch, Contains one switch connecting the mth (m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i-1) connecting line and the m+1th connecting line. Battery exchange device.

7. In paragraph 2, The above plurality of chargers include a first charger group and a second charger group, The above plurality of charging slots include a first charging slot group and a second charging slot group, The above connection circuit is, A first connection circuit connecting the first charger group and the first charging slot group, and A second connection circuit is included that connects the second charger group and the second charging slot group, The first connection circuit and the second connection circuit have the same connection structure, Battery exchange device.

8. In paragraph 7, The above first charger group includes the first charger to the i-th charger (i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2), The first charging slot group includes the first charging slot to the (i+1)th charging slot, The above first connection circuit, It includes a j-th connection line connecting between the j-th charger (j is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i) and the j-th charging slot, and an i+1-th connection line connecting between the i-th charger and the i+1-th charging slot, Each of the k (k is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i+1) connection lines contains one switch, Contains one switch connecting the mth (m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to i-1) connecting line and the m+1th connecting line. Battery exchange device.

9. In paragraph 1, The above processor, Identifying a charging slot into which the battery is inserted among the plurality of charging slots; Controlling the switch corresponding to the identification result among the plurality of switches to a closed state, Battery exchange device.

10. In paragraph 1, The above processor, Controlling the plurality of switches based on a table matching the charging slot into which the battery is inserted and the states of the plurality of switches. Battery exchange device.

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