Method and system for preventing battery discharge of agricultural work vehicle

Abstract

Provided is a method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle. The method may comprise the steps of: receiving state-related data of the agricultural work vehicle from the agricultural work vehicle; determining whether an engine starting condition is satisfied on the basis of the state-related data of the agricultural work vehicle; transmitting a message requesting user consent for engine starting to a user terminal on the basis of determining that the engine starting condition is satisfied; and transmitting an engine start command to the agricultural work vehicle in response to receiving a user consent message from the user terminal.

Description

Method and system for preventing battery discharge of agricultural work vehicles

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and system for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle through remote engine starting.

[0002] Agricultural work vehicles are vehicles used for agricultural work, such as rice transplanters, combines, and tractors. For example, a tractor can perform necessary agricultural work by moving with various implements attached.

[0003] Agricultural work vehicles experience significant seasonal variations in usage time, leading to difficulties in maintenance. For example, rice tractors are used for extended periods from March to November, but are often stored in warehouses from December to February without being used. When a tractor is not used for a long time, the battery naturally discharges; consequently, there is a high probability that the engine will not start when the time comes to use the tractor later due to the dead battery.

[0004] To prevent battery discharge when storing agricultural work vehicles, methods such as disconnecting the battery terminals, cutting off the power using a switch, or periodically starting the engine exist; however, although these methods must be performed directly by the user, batteries often discharge due to improper maintenance.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to provide a remote engine starting method and system for preventing battery discharge when an agricultural work vehicle is stored without being used for a long period of time.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, performed by a server, may include the steps of receiving data related to the status of the agricultural work vehicle from the agricultural work vehicle; determining whether an engine start condition is satisfied based on the data related to the status of the agricultural work vehicle; transmitting a message requesting user consent for engine start to a user terminal based on the determination that the engine start condition is satisfied; and transmitting an engine start command to the agricultural work vehicle in response to receiving the user consent message from the user terminal.

[0007] In one embodiment, whether the engine starting condition is satisfied may be determined based on at least one of whether the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage, whether the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is greater than or equal to a predetermined period, and whether the existing temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is ambient.

[0008] In one embodiment, whether the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage may be determined based on battery-related data included in the status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle, and the predetermined reference voltage may be determined within a range greater than the minimum voltage required to start the engine.

[0009] In one embodiment, whether the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is longer than a predetermined period may be determined based on engine rotational speed data included in the status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle, and the predetermined period may be determined based on at least one of the type and performance of the battery and the average temperature during the period when the agricultural work vehicle is not used.

[0010] In one embodiment, whether the existing environment around the agricultural work vehicle is at room temperature can be determined based on at least one of the temperature data and location data included in the status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle.

[0011] In one embodiment, the method may further include the step of receiving a message of the result of executing the engine start command from the agricultural work vehicle; and the step of transmitting the received message of the result of executing the engine start command to the user terminal.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, performed by an agricultural work vehicle, may include the steps of transmitting status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle to a server, receiving an engine start command from the server, determining whether safety conditions for starting the engine are satisfied, and starting the engine based on the determination that safety conditions are satisfied.

[0013] In one embodiment, whether the safety condition for starting the engine is satisfied can be determined based on at least one of whether the transmission is in neutral, whether the PTO (Power Take-Off) is OFF, and whether the parking brake is operated.

[0014] In one embodiment, the method may further include the step of checking whether the engine start is successful, and the step of retrying the engine start a predetermined number of times if the engine start fails.

[0015] In one embodiment, the method may further include the step of transmitting a message reporting an engine start result to the server, and the message reporting the engine start result may include, if the engine start was successful, that the engine start was successful, at least one of the charging time, voltage, state of charge (SoC), and remaining useful life (RUL) of the battery, and if the engine start failed, that the engine start failed, and if safety conditions for the engine start were not satisfied, at least one of the criteria that were not satisfied.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, performed by an agricultural work vehicle, may include the steps of determining whether the battery needs to be charged; determining whether safety conditions for starting an engine are satisfied based on the determination that the battery needs to be charged; transmitting status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle to a server based on the determination that the safety conditions are satisfied; receiving an engine start command from the server; and starting the engine.

[0017] In one embodiment, the step of determining whether the battery needs to be charged may include monitoring at least one of the voltage and the state of charge (SoC) of the battery, and determining whether the battery needs to be charged based on at least one of whether the voltage of the battery is below a predetermined reference voltage and whether the state of charge is below a predetermined reference value.

[0018] According to various aspects of the present disclosure, when an agricultural work vehicle is stored without being used for a long period of time, the engine can be started remotely and the battery discharge can be prevented.

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a method in which a system according to one embodiment prevents battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle.

[0021] FIGS. 3a and 3b are flowcharts illustrating the operation of a server determining whether engine start conditions are satisfied according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an agricultural work vehicle performing an engine start command according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of monitoring whether an agricultural work vehicle needs to charge a battery according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an agricultural work vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the components of a server according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining the components of a user terminal according to one embodiment.

[0027] The terms used in this disclosure have been selected to be as widely used and general as possible, taking into account their functions within this disclosure; however, these terms may vary depending on the intent of those skilled in the art, case law, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In specific cases, terms have been selected at the applicant's discretion, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant explanatory sections. Therefore, terms used in this disclosure should be defined not merely by their names, but based on their meanings and the overall content of this disclosure.

[0028] Singular expressions may include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art as described in this specification.

[0029] In this disclosure, the term “and / or” includes a combination of a plurality of related described components or any of a plurality of related described components.

[0030] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first" or "second," used in this disclosure may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. Such terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0031] In the present disclosure, the expression “at least one of a, b, or c” may refer to “a,” “b,” “c,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” “all of a, b, and c,” or variations thereof.

[0032] When a part of a specification is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, terms such as "part" or "module" as used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented in hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software.

[0033] Hereinafter, 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 invention. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, in order to clearly explain the present disclosure in the drawings, parts unrelated to the explanation have been omitted, and similar parts throughout the specification have been given similar reference numerals. In addition, the reference numerals used in each drawing are for the purpose of explaining each drawing, and different reference numerals used in different drawings are not intended to represent different elements.

[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, a system according to one embodiment may include an agricultural work vehicle (10), a server (20), and a user terminal (30). The agricultural work vehicle (10), the server (20), and the user terminal (30) may exchange data through a network.

[0036] Agricultural work vehicle (10) is a vehicle used for agricultural work, and may refer to, for example, a rice transplanter, a combine, a tractor, etc.

[0037] The agricultural work vehicle (10) may include a battery (11) and an engine (12).

[0038] The battery (11) can supply power necessary to start the engine (12). For example, the battery (11) can supply power to a starter motor that generates power necessary for the initial rotation of the engine (12), a fuel injection system that mixes fuel and air by injecting fuel at high pressure into the combustion chamber of the engine (12) (in the case of a diesel engine), a spark plug that ignites and burns the mixture of fuel and air (in the case of a gasoline engine), etc. Since the engine (12) will not start if the battery (11) is discharged and the voltage becomes lower than the minimum voltage required to start the engine (12), the voltage of the battery (11) needs to be managed when the agricultural work vehicle (10) is not used for a long period of time.

[0039] The engine (12) can generate the power required to charge the battery (11). When the engine (12) rotates, the generator included in the agricultural work vehicle (10) can produce power, and the produced power can be used to charge the battery (11) or to operate other electrical devices of the agricultural work vehicle (10).

[0040] The server (20) can monitor the agricultural work vehicle (10) based on data related to the status of the agricultural work vehicle (10). The server (20) can transmit the monitoring results to the user terminal (30) and can transmit commands to the agricultural work vehicle (10) to control the agricultural work vehicle (10).

[0041] The user terminal (30) can display the monitoring results of the agricultural work vehicle (10) received from the server (20) so that the user can view them, receive whether the user consents to the remote start of the engine, and send a message regarding whether the user consents to the server (20). For example, the user terminal (30) may be a mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch.

[0042] FIG. 2 illustrates a method for a system according to one embodiment to prevent battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a server according to one embodiment to determine whether an engine start condition is satisfied, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an agricultural work vehicle according to one embodiment to perform an engine start command.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 2, in operation 201, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can transmit status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle (10) to the server (20). For example, the status-related data may include, but is not limited to, at least one of battery-related data (e.g., voltage of the battery (11), state of charge (SoC), remaining useful life (RUL), etc.), engine-related data (e.g., rotational speed, torque, output, coolant temperature of the engine (12), etc.), location data (e.g., GPS coordinates, etc.), and temperature data around the agricultural work vehicle (10).

[0044] Operation 201 may be performed at a predetermined interval (e.g., once a day, etc.), or it may be performed when the agricultural work vehicle (10) monitors whether the battery (11) needs charging and determines that charging is necessary. Below, an example in which operation 201 is performed at a predetermined interval is first described, and an example in which the agricultural work vehicle (10) monitors whether the battery (11) needs charging is described later with reference to FIG. 5.

[0045] In operation 202, the server (20) can determine whether the engine starting condition is satisfied based on data related to the status of the agricultural work vehicle (10). The engine starting condition is to determine whether the battery (11) needs to be charged and whether the engine (12) can be started.

[0046] Whether the engine starting conditions are satisfied may be determined based on one or more criteria. For example, criteria for determining whether the engine starting conditions are satisfied may include, but are not limited to, at least one of whether the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage, whether the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is longer than a predetermined period, and whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is ambient temperature.

[0047] For example, the server (20) can determine whether the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage based on voltage data of the battery (11) received from the agricultural work vehicle (10). In this case, the reference voltage can be determined to be in a range greater than the minimum voltage required to start the engine (12).

[0048] For example, the server (20) can determine whether the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is longer than a predetermined period based on rotational speed data of the engine (12) received from the agricultural work vehicle (10). In this case, the predetermined period may be determined based on the type and performance of the battery (11), the average temperature during the period when the agricultural work vehicle (10) is not used, etc. For example, the predetermined period may be 60 days, but is not limited thereto.

[0049] For example, the server (20) can determine whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is ambient temperature based on temperature data received from the agricultural work vehicle (10). Alternatively, the server (20) can obtain weather data for the corresponding location from a server of a weather agency or a server of a weather information service provider using location data received from the agricultural work vehicle (10), and can determine whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is ambient temperature based on the obtained weather data. However, the temperature standard is not limited to ambient temperature, and for example, the temperature standard may be a temperature at which the engine (12) can operate.

[0050] Whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle (10) is ambient is related to cranking. Cranking is a process in which a starter motor rotates the flywheel and crankshaft to start the engine (12), and is performed until the engine (12) can rotate the crankshaft by its own power. If the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle (10) is below freezing, cranking consumes more battery (11), and there is a high probability of failure to start the engine due to increased engine oil viscosity and fuel vaporization issues. Therefore, to increase the probability of successful engine starting, whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle (10) is ambient may be considered.

[0051] However, since the battery (11) discharges more rapidly due to a decrease in the chemical reaction rate in a low-temperature environment, the need to start the engine to charge the battery is greater in a low-temperature environment than in a high-temperature or ambient-temperature environment. Therefore, whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle (10) is ambient temperature may be selectively considered based on the average temperature or season during the period when the agricultural work vehicle (10) is not in use. For example, if the average temperature during the period when the agricultural work vehicle (10) is not in use is below freezing or it is winter, the server (20) may determine whether the engine starting condition is satisfied based on at least one of the remaining criteria mentioned above, without considering whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle (10) is ambient temperature.

[0052] The server (20) can determine whether the engine starting condition is satisfied by a combination of two or more of the aforementioned criteria.

[0053] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3a, the server (20) can determine that the engine starting condition is satisfied when the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage (301) and the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is ambient temperature (303) (304).

[0054] For example, the server (20) can determine that the engine starting conditions are satisfied if the battery voltage exceeds a predetermined reference voltage (301), the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is greater than a predetermined period (302), and the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is normal temperature (303) (304).

[0055] For example, the server (20) can determine that the engine starting conditions are not satisfied if the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage (301) and the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is not normal temperature (303) (305).

[0056] For example, the server (20) may determine that the engine starting condition is not satisfied if the battery voltage exceeds a predetermined reference voltage (301) and the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is less than a predetermined period (302).

[0057] Meanwhile, as described above, the server (20) may determine whether the engine starting condition is satisfied based on the average temperature or season during the period when the agricultural work vehicle (10) is not in use, without considering whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle (10) is ambient temperature.

[0058] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3b, the server (20) may determine that the engine start condition is satisfied if the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage (301) or if the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is above a predetermined period (302) (304).

[0059] For example, the server (20) may determine that the engine starting condition is not satisfied if the battery voltage exceeds a predetermined reference voltage (301) and the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is less than a predetermined period (302).

[0060] Referring again to FIG. 2, in operation 203, the server (20) may send a message to the user terminal (30) requesting user consent for engine starting based on the determination that the engine starting condition is satisfied. Along with the message requesting user consent, the server (20) may also send to the user terminal (30) the result of judgment of one or more criteria for determining whether the engine starting condition is satisfied.

[0061] If the server (20) determines that the engine starting condition is not satisfied in operation 202, the server (20) may transmit the aforementioned battery-related data to the user terminal (30) so that the user can check the status of the battery (11). Since the determination that the engine starting condition is not satisfied can be made not only when charging of the battery (11) is unnecessary, but also when charging of the battery (11) is necessary but the voltage is too low to start the engine, the server (20) transmits the battery-related data to the user terminal (30), thereby allowing the user to directly check the battery status and take necessary measures.

[0062] In operation 204, the user terminal (30) can receive user input regarding whether the user consents to the engine start. For example, the user terminal (30) can display a message asking for consent to the engine start along with a message that the battery (11) needs to be charged on the display, and can receive user input regarding consent through the user's touch input.

[0063] In operation 205, the user terminal (30) can send a message to the server (20) regarding whether the user consents to starting the engine based on user input.

[0064] In operation 206, the server (20) can send an engine start command to the agricultural work vehicle (10) in response to receiving a user consent message from the user terminal (30).

[0065] In operation 207, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can execute an engine start command received from the server (20).

[0066] Referring to FIG. 4, in operation 401, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can determine whether safety conditions for starting the engine are satisfied. Whether safety conditions are satisfied may be determined based on one or more criteria. Criteria for determining whether safety conditions are satisfied may include, but are not limited to, at least one of whether the transmission is in neutral, whether the PTO (Power Take-Off) is OFF, and whether the parking brake is engaged. For example, the agricultural work vehicle (10) may determine that safety conditions are satisfied when the transmission is in neutral, the PTO is OFF, and the parking brake is engaged.

[0067] If it is determined that the agricultural work vehicle (10) does not satisfy safety conditions, it may terminate operation 207 without starting the engine (12).

[0068] In operation 402, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can start the engine (12) when it is determined that safety conditions are satisfied. For example, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can start the engine (12) after preheating the engine (12) using glow plugs to prevent the engine (12) from wearing out when started in a low-temperature environment.

[0069] In operation 403, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can check whether the engine start is successful, and if the engine start fails, it can retry operation 402 a predetermined number of times. For example, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can check whether the engine start is successful based on the rotational speed and / or power voltage of the engine (12).

[0070] Since operation 403 is performed while the agricultural work vehicle (10) is stored for a long period of time without being used, there is a possibility that the engine (12) may not start on the first attempt. Therefore, even if the agricultural work vehicle (10) fails to start the engine, it may attempt to start the engine a predetermined number of times after a certain amount of time has elapsed. For example, the predetermined number of times may be three, but is not limited thereto.

[0071] In operation 404, if the engine is successfully started, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can increase the rotational speed of the engine (12) to charge the battery (11). The agricultural work vehicle (10) can charge the battery (11) to a predetermined level, taking into account the type and lifespan of the battery (11). For example, if the battery (11) is a lead-acid battery, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can charge the battery (11) so that the state of charge (SoC) of the battery (11) becomes 100%.

[0072] In operation 405, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can turn off the engine when the battery (11) is fully charged.

[0073] Referring again to FIG. 2, in operation 208, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can send a message reporting the engine start result to the server (20), and in operation 209, the server (20) can send a message reporting the received engine start result to the user terminal (30).

[0074] For example, if the engine is successfully started, the message reporting the engine start result may include, but is not limited to, that the engine was successfully started, the charging time, voltage, state of charge (SoC), or remaining life (RUL) of the battery (11).

[0075] For example, if the engine fails to start, the message reporting the engine start result may include, but is not limited to, that the engine failed to start, the criteria not met in Operation 401 if safety conditions are not met.

[0076] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of monitoring whether an agricultural work vehicle needs to charge a battery according to one embodiment.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 5, in operation 501, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can determine whether the battery (11) needs to be charged. For example, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can monitor the voltage and / or state of charge (SoC) of the battery (11) and can determine that the battery (11) needs to be charged if the voltage is below a reference voltage or if the state of charge (SoC) is below a reference value (e.g., 50%).

[0078] In operation 502, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can determine whether safety conditions for starting the engine (12) are satisfied based on the determination that the battery (11) needs to be charged. Operation 502 may correspond to the aforementioned operation 401.

[0079] In operation 503, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can transmit status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle (10) to the server (20) based on the determination that safety conditions are satisfied.

[0080] When the server (20) receives data related to the status of the agricultural work vehicle (10), the aforementioned operations 202 to 206 may be performed.

[0081] For example, the server (20) can determine whether the engine start condition is satisfied based on the status data of the agricultural work vehicle (10) (202), and based on the determination that the engine start condition is satisfied, it can send a message requesting user consent for engine start to the user terminal (30) (203). The user terminal (30) can receive user input regarding whether the user consents to engine start, display a message asking for consent to engine start along with a message that the battery (11) needs to be charged on the display, and receive user input regarding consent through the user's touch input (204). The user terminal (30) can send a message regarding whether the user consents to engine start to the server (20) based on the user input (205). The server (20) can send an engine start command to the agricultural work vehicle (10) in response to receiving the user consent message from the user terminal (30) (206).

[0082] In operation 504, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can receive an engine start command from the server (20).

[0083] In operation 505, the agricultural work vehicle (10) can perform an engine start command. Operation 505 may include the aforementioned operations 402, 403, 404, and 405.

[0084] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an agricultural work vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 6, the agricultural work vehicle (10) may include a processor (610), memory (620), a communication module (630), a sensor (640), a drive system (650), and a battery (11). The drive system (650) may include an engine (12), a transmission (651), a Power Take-Off (PTO) (652), and a parking brake (653). However, not all of the illustrated components are essential. The agricultural work vehicle (10) may be implemented with more components than those illustrated in FIG. 6, or with fewer components.

[0086] The processor (610) can control the overall operations of the agricultural work vehicle (10). For example, the processor (610) can cause the agricultural work vehicle (10) to perform operations to prevent battery discharge by executing one or more instructions or programs of a program stored in memory (620). There may be one or more processors (610).

[0087] The processor (610) may be composed of at least one of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a microprocessor, an AP (Application Processor), a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a TCU (Transmission Control Unit), and a VCU (Vehicle Control Unit), but is not limited thereto.

[0088] The memory (620) may store one or more instructions or programs that can be executed by the processor (610). The operations of the agricultural work vehicle (10) described in this disclosure may be implemented by the processor (610) executing the instructions or programs stored in the memory (620).

[0089] The memory (620) may include at least one of flash memory, hard disk, RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), and PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), but is not limited thereto.

[0090] The communication module (630) can perform data communication between an agricultural work vehicle (10) and other devices (e.g., a server (20), a user terminal (30), etc.) using at least one of a data communication method including, for example, cellular communication, wired LAN, wireless LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), NFC (Near Field Communication), infrared communication (IrDA, Infrared Data Association), and RF communication.

[0091] The sensor (640) may include at least one of a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a tilt sensor, an infrared sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., GPS), a temperature and humidity sensor, a proximity sensor, and a light sensor, but is not limited thereto.

[0092] The drive system (650) is a configuration for moving and performing work of the agricultural work vehicle (10) and may include an engine (12), a transmission (651), a PTO (652), and a parking brake (653). The engine (12) can generate power to charge the battery (11).

[0093] The battery (11) can supply power necessary to start the engine (12). For example, the battery (11) can supply power to a starter motor that generates power necessary for the initial rotation of the engine (12), a fuel injection system that mixes fuel and air by injecting fuel at high pressure into the combustion chamber of the engine (12) (in the case of a diesel engine), a spark plug that ignites and burns the mixture of fuel and air (in the case of a gasoline engine), etc.

[0094] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the components of a server according to one embodiment.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 7, the server (20) may include a processor (710), memory (720), and a communication module (730). However, not all of the illustrated components are essential components. The server (20) may be implemented with more components than those illustrated in FIG. 7, or with fewer components.

[0096] The processor (710) can control the overall operations of the server (20). For example, the processor (710) can cause the server (20) to perform operations to prevent battery discharge by executing one or more instructions or programs of a program stored in memory (720). There may be one or more processors (710).

[0097] The processor (710) may be composed of at least one of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a microprocessor, an AP (Application Processor), a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a TCU (Transmission Control Unit), and a VCU (Vehicle Control Unit), but is not limited thereto.

[0098] The memory (720) may store one or more instructions or programs that can be executed by the processor (710). The operations of the server (20) described in this disclosure may be implemented by the processor (710) executing the instructions or programs stored in the memory (720).

[0099] The memory (720) may include at least one of flash memory, hard disk, RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), and PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), but is not limited thereto.

[0100] The communication module (730) can perform data communication between the server (20) and other devices (e.g., agricultural work vehicle (10), user terminal (30), etc.) using at least one of the data communication methods including, for example, cellular communication, wired LAN, wireless LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), NFC (Near Field Communication), infrared communication (IrDA, Infrared Data Association), and RF communication.

[0101] FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining the components of a user terminal according to one embodiment.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 8, the user terminal (30) may include a processor (810), memory (820), a communication module (830), and an input / output interface (840). However, not all of the illustrated components are essential components. The user terminal (30) may be implemented with more components than those illustrated in FIG. 8, or with fewer components.

[0103] The processor (810) can control the overall operations of the user terminal (30). For example, the processor (810) can cause the user terminal (30) to perform operations to prevent battery discharge by executing one or more instructions or programs of a program stored in memory (820). There may be one or more processors (810).

[0104] The processor (810) may be composed of at least one of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a microprocessor, an AP (Application Processor), a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), but is not limited thereto.

[0105] The memory (820) may store one or more instructions or programs that can be executed by the processor (810). The operations of the user terminal (30) described in this disclosure may be implemented by the processor (810) executing the instructions or programs stored in the memory (820).

[0106] The memory (820) may include at least one of flash memory, hard disk, RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), and PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), but is not limited thereto.

[0107] The communication module (830) can perform data communication between a user terminal (30) and other devices (e.g., an agricultural work vehicle (10), a server (20), etc.) by using at least one of the data communication methods including, for example, cellular communication, wired LAN, wireless LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), NFC (Near Field Communication), infrared communication (IrDA, Infrared Data Association), and RF communication.

[0108] The input / output interface (840) may include an input interface that receives user input from a user and a display that allows the user to check information. For example, the input / output interface (840) may be a touch screen capable of receiving touch input from a user.

[0109] The embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be implemented in the form of a recording medium comprising computer-executable instructions, such as program modules executed by a computer. A computer-readable medium may include any volatile and non-volatile media, and removable and inseparable media, that can be accessed by a computer. Additionally, a computer-readable medium may include computer storage media and communication media. A computer storage medium may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and inseparable media implemented by any method or technique for storing information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. A communication medium may include other data of modulated data signals, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, or program modules.

[0110] The foregoing description of the present disclosure is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will understand that other specific forms can be easily modified without altering the technical spirit or essential features of the present disclosure. Therefore, all of the above descriptions should be understood as illustrative and not limiting. For example, a component described in a single form may be implemented in a distributed manner, and components described in a distributed manner may likewise be implemented in a combined manner.

[0111] The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims set forth below rather than by the detailed description above, and all modifications or variations derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and equivalents thereof should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, performed by a server, A step of receiving status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle from the agricultural work vehicle; A step of determining whether the engine starting condition is satisfied based on status-related data of the above agricultural work vehicle; A step of transmitting a message requesting user consent for engine starting to a user terminal based on a determination that the above engine starting conditions are satisfied; and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, comprising the step of transmitting an engine start command to the agricultural work vehicle in response to receiving a user consent message from the user terminal.

2. In Paragraph 1, Whether the above engine starting conditions are satisfied is A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, determined based on at least one of whether the battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage, whether the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is above a predetermined period, and whether the temperature around the agricultural work vehicle is ambient.

3. In Paragraph 2, Whether the above battery voltage is below a predetermined reference voltage is determined based on battery-related data included in the status-related data of the above agricultural work vehicle, and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, wherein the above-determined reference voltage is determined in a range greater than the minimum voltage for starting the engine.

4. In Paragraph 2, Whether the number of days elapsed since the last engine start is longer than a predetermined period is determined based on the engine rotational speed data included in the status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle, and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, wherein the above-determined period is determined based on at least one of the type and performance of the battery and the average temperature during the period when the agricultural work vehicle is not in use.

5. In Paragraph 2, A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, wherein whether the surrounding environment of the agricultural work vehicle is at room temperature is determined based on at least one of temperature data and location data included in the condition-related data of the agricultural work vehicle.

6. In Paragraph 1, A step of receiving a message indicating the result of executing the engine start command from the agricultural work vehicle; and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, further comprising the step of transmitting a message of the result of executing the received engine start command to the user terminal.

7. A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, performed by an agricultural work vehicle, A step of transmitting status-related data of the above agricultural work vehicle to a server; A step of receiving an engine start command from the above server; A step of determining whether safety conditions for starting the above engine are satisfied; and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, comprising the step of starting the engine based on a determination that the above safety conditions are satisfied.

8. In Paragraph 7, Whether the safety conditions for starting the above engine are satisfied is A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, determined based on at least one of whether the transmission is in neutral, whether the PTO (Power Take-Off) is OFF, and whether the parking brake is engaged.

9. In Paragraph 7, A step of checking whether the above engine start is successful; and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, further comprising the step of retrying the engine start a predetermined number of times if the above engine start fails.

10. In Paragraph 7, It further includes the step of sending a message reporting the engine start result to the said server, and The message reporting the above engine start result is, In the case where the engine is successfully started, the engine is successfully started, and at least one of the charging time, voltage, state of charge (SoC), and remaining useful life (RUL) of the battery is included. A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, comprising at least one of the following criteria: failure to start the engine, failure to start the engine, and failure to satisfy safety conditions for starting the engine.

11. A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, performed by an agricultural work vehicle, A step to determine whether the battery needs to be charged; A step of determining whether safety conditions for starting the engine are satisfied based on the determination that charging of the above battery is required; A step of transmitting status-related data of the agricultural work vehicle to a server based on a determination that the above safety conditions are satisfied; A step of receiving an engine start command from the above server; and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, comprising the step of starting the engine.

12. In Paragraph 11, The step of determining whether the above battery needs to be charged is: A step of monitoring at least one of the voltage and state of charge (SoC) of the battery, and A method for preventing battery discharge of an agricultural work vehicle, comprising the step of determining whether charging of the battery is required based on at least one of whether the voltage of the battery is below a predetermined reference voltage and whether the charge state is below a predetermined reference value.

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