Partial Battery Replacement Fee Setting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power storage device replacement systems do not effectively set replacement fees for partially replaced devices, which are configured to be dividable and replaceable, and often involve reused components, requiring appropriate selection of components to be removed and replaced.

Innovation Solution

A replacement fee setting apparatus and method that sets a lower fee for partial replacement of power storage devices by selecting the power storage element with the smallest full charge capacity for replacement and a second element with a full charge capacity between the maximum and minimum values for the system, increasing available power and motivating users to choose partial replacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If entire replacement is performed, then reliability is improved, but replacement fee increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower storage device reliabilityVSAvoidreplacement fee

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The power storage device is divided into multiple independent power storage elements that can be replaced individually. This segmentation allows users to replace only the degraded elements rather than the entire device, reducing replacement costs while maintaining necessary reliability for the remaining functional elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing complete replacement (excessive action), the system enables partial replacement of only the necessary power storage elements. This partial action approach achieves sufficient reliability improvement without incurring the full cost of entire device replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Quantity of substance

If partial replacement is performed, then replacement fee is reduced, but power storage capacity may decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereplacement feeVSAvoidpower storage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of power storage capacity by selecting replacement elements with higher full charge capacities than the elements being replaced. This parameter change compensates for the partial replacement approach, ensuring that the overall power storage capacity increases or is maintained despite replacing only some elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If power storage elements with varying full charge capacities are combined, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereplacement flexibilityVSAvoidfull charge capacity uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by allowing different power storage elements to have different full charge capacities based on their individual characteristics and replacement needs. Each element's capacity is optimized for its specific role and replacement context, rather than requiring uniform capacity across all elements, thus improving replacement flexibility while accepting capacity variation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11685285B2Replacement fee setting apparatus, method and system

Publication Date: 2023.06.27 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A management server performs a process including: when there is a request to partially replace a battery, obtaining a usage history of the battery; obtaining each cell's full charge capacity; determining a cell having a smallest full charge capacity as a cell to be replaced; calculating an average value of the full charge capacities of the plurality of cells excluding the cell to be replaced; extracting a selectable cell from inventory information; selecting a replacement cell; setting a replacement fee corresponding to partial replacement; and when entire replacement is requested, setting a replacement fee corresponding to entire replacement.