Battery Pack Theft Detection via Movement and Discharge Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical-power storage devices lack an effective method to detect abnormalities, such as theft, especially when they are being moved without discharging, which can indicate unauthorized removal or transport.
Innovation Solution
An electrical-power storage device equipped with a movement detector, a reporter, and a controller that communicates with an information terminal via short-range wireless communication, determining abnormality by detecting movement and lack of discharging, and reporting this to the outside, while terminating power supply to prevent further use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a movement detector is added to detect device movement, then theft detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movement detector is integrated into the battery pack and serves multiple functions: it detects both device movement (theft detection) and discharging status. By making the detection system multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated sensors for each function, thereby improving theft detection capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack's existing sensor system is made to serve the additional function of theft detection. The movement detector uses the battery pack's own movement and operational status information to determine both discharging state and theft attempts, eliminating the need for external monitoring systems and reducing overall system complexity.
2Loss of information
If short-range wireless communication is implemented for reporting, then real-time theft reporting is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The short-range wireless communication is activated periodically or event-driven rather than continuously. The reporter only transmits theft information when movement is detected and confirmed as theft (when discharging is not occurring), rather than maintaining constant communication, thereby reducing energy consumption while still providing effective real-time theft reporting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses short-range wireless communication as an intermediary between the battery pack and external devices. This intermediary approach allows theft information to be transmitted without requiring direct physical connection or continuous power-intensive communication, enabling effective theft reporting with moderate energy consumption through opportunistic wireless transmissions.
3Reliability
If power supply is terminated upon theft detection, then security is improved, but usability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply termination is implemented as a dynamic response based on real-time detection of theft conditions. The system continuously monitors movement and discharging status, and only terminates power supply when both conditions indicate theft (movement detected while not discharging). This dynamic approach ensures security by responding to actual theft attempts while maintaining normal usability during legitimate operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the movement detector and discharging status to control the power supply termination. The controller receives continuous feedback about device movement and operational state, and adjusts power supply accordingly - maintaining power during normal use and terminating only when theft is confirmed through the feedback loop, thereby balancing security improvement with usability preservation.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical-power storage device includes: a storage battery; a movement detector that detects movement of the electrical-power storage device including the storage battery; a reporter that reports that the electrical-power storage device has an abnormality to outside; and a controller that causes the reporter to report that the electrical-power storage device has an abnormality, when the movement detector detects movement of the electrical-power storage device, and the storage battery is not executing discharging.