JP7770351B2 - Current monitoring device, current monitoring method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a current monitoring device, a current monitoring method, and a program.

In recent years, research and development has been conducted into secondary batteries that contribute to energy efficiency, in order to ensure that more people have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy. In this regard, a technology is known that incorporates a fuse inside a connector (electrical connection) to add an overcurrent interruption function (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-175389 A

In secondary battery technology, if the temperature of the connector or battery rises due to an overcurrent, there is a risk that the connector or battery may deteriorate. For this reason, it is possible to install a temperature sensor in addition to a fuse in the connector to monitor the temperature, but installing a fuse or temperature sensor increases costs. Therefore, in the past, it was difficult to appropriately control the power supply from the battery at low cost.

To solve the above problems, the present application aims to provide a current monitoring device, current monitoring method, and program that can appropriately control the power supply from a battery at lower cost. This will ultimately contribute to energy efficiency.

The current monitoring device, current monitoring method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configuration.
(1): A current monitoring device according to one aspect of the present invention is a current monitoring device that includes an acquisition unit that acquires a current value flowing through a connector of a battery that can be attached to or detached from a mobile body, an estimation unit that estimates that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value if the current value acquired by the acquisition unit satisfies a first condition, and a control unit that performs control over the mobile body if the estimation unit estimates that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds the threshold value.

(2): In the above aspect (1), the control of the mobile object includes output control of the power supplied from the battery to the mobile object.

(3): In the aspect (2) above, the control unit cancels the output control when the output control is being executed and a second condition based on the current value is satisfied.

(4): In the above aspect (1), the estimation unit determines whether the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value based on the current value of the connector detected by a mobile unit-side detection unit provided in the mobile unit.

(5): In the above aspect (1), the estimation unit determines whether the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value based on the current value of the connector detected by a battery-side detection unit provided in the battery.

(6): In the above aspect (1), the control of the moving body includes notification control to the occupants of the moving body.

(7): In the aspect (6) above, the notification control includes control to notify the occupant of information regarding the degree of temperature deterioration of the connector or the battery.

(8): Another aspect of the present invention relates to a current monitoring method in which a computer acquires a current value flowing through a connector of a battery detachable from a mobile object, infers that the temperature of the connector or the battery has exceeded a threshold value if the acquired current value satisfies a first condition, and performs control over the mobile object if it infers that the temperature of the connector or the battery has exceeded the threshold value.

(9): Another aspect of the present invention relates to a program that causes a computer to acquire a current value flowing through a connector of a battery detachable from a mobile body, infer that the temperature of the connector or the battery has exceeded a threshold value if the acquired current value satisfies a first condition, and control the mobile body if it is inferred that the temperature of the connector or the battery has exceeded the threshold value.

Aspects (1) to (9) above enable appropriate control of the power supply from the battery at lower cost.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vehicle 10 to which a current monitoring device according to an embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a battery 150. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining acquisition of a current value Irms from measurement data. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the content of condition information. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by a current monitoring device. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a battery 150A according to a modified example.

Embodiments of the current monitoring device, current monitoring method, and program of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following examples, the current monitoring device will be described as being mounted on a mobile object. Mobile objects include, for example, two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicles, micromobility, etc., and may include any mobile object that carries a person (a driver or other passenger) and operates on power supplied from multiple batteries (secondary batteries). In the following, the mobile object will be described as a vehicle.

(vehicle)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vehicle 10 to which a current monitoring device according to an embodiment is applied. The vehicle 10 includes, for example, a motor (electric motor) 12, drive wheels 14, a brake device 16, a vehicle sensor 20, a communication device 50, a control device 60, an output device 70, and a power supply control system 100. The vehicle 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that runs on an electric motor driven by power supplied from a battery (secondary battery) for running. Alternatively, the vehicle 10 may be a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which is a hybrid vehicle equipped with an external charging function. The vehicle 10 is, for example, a saddle-type two-wheeled vehicle, but is not limited to this and includes all types of moving bodies that run by an electric motor powered by electricity supplied from a battery, such as four-wheeled vehicles, three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel), assisted bicycles, and even electric boats.

The motor 12 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor. The rotor of the motor 12 is connected to the drive wheels 14. The motor 12 is driven by power supplied from a power storage unit included in the battery 150, and transmits rotational power to the drive wheels 14. The motor 12 also generates electricity using the kinetic energy of the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 decelerates.

The brake device 16 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, and an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder. The brake device 16 may also include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of a brake pedal (not shown) by an occupant (driver) of the vehicle 10 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that the brake device 16 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that transmits hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to the cylinder.

The vehicle sensor 20 includes, for example, an accelerator position sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a brake pedal depression sensor. The accelerator position sensor is attached to the accelerator pedal and detects the amount of accelerator pedal operation by the driver, and outputs the detected amount of operation as the accelerator position to the control device 60 (described below). The vehicle speed sensor includes, for example, wheel speed sensors attached to each wheel of the vehicle 10 and a speed calculator, and combines the wheel speeds detected by the wheel speed sensors to derive the speed of the vehicle 10 (vehicle speed), which is output to the control device 60. The brake pedal depression sensor is attached to the brake pedal and detects the amount of brake pedal operation by the driver, and outputs the detected amount of operation as the brake pedal depression to the control device 60.

The communication device 50 includes a wireless module for connecting to a cellular network or a Wi-Fi network. The communication device 50 may also include a wireless module for using Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like. The communication device 50 transmits and receives various information related to the vehicle 10 to and from an external device (e.g., an information management device or a battery replacement device) via communication via the wireless module. The communication device 50 transmits measurement data such as the current value, voltage value, and temperature of the battery 150 measured by the battery sensor 160 and the SOC (State of Charge) calculated by the control device 60 to the external device, linking the data to, for example, the vehicle identification number (VIN) that identifies the vehicle 10 or the battery ID that identifies the battery 150.

The control device 60 controls the overall components of the vehicle 10 based on information obtained from the vehicle sensors 20, the communication device 50, the power supply control system 100, etc. For example, the control device 60 controls the operation of the motor 12 based on the output from an accelerator opening sensor provided in the vehicle sensor 20. The control device 60 also controls the brake device 16 based on the output from a brake depression sensor provided in the vehicle sensor 20. The control device 60 also outputs control information related to power supply to the PCU 120, causes the communication device 50 to transmit various information related to the vehicle 10, and causes the output device 70 to output the information. The control device 60 is realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be implemented by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be implemented by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance on a storage device (a storage device with a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory, or may be stored on a removable storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed by inserting the storage medium into a drive.

The output device 70 outputs various information obtained from the control device 60 or the power supply control system 100. The output device 70 includes, for example, a display (an example of a display unit) 72 and a speaker (an example of an audio output unit) 74. The display 72 may include, for example, a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The display 72 displays an image indicating a predetermined state or a predetermined instruction obtained from the control device 60 or the power supply control system 100. The predetermined state may be, for example, information indicating a rise in temperature of the battery 150 or the connector 151 (described below), or information regarding the degree of deterioration of the battery 150 or the connector 151. The predetermined instruction may be, for example, an instruction to limit the use of power in the vehicle 10. The speaker 74 outputs audio information corresponding to the image displayed on the display 72. The speaker 74 may also output a sound (e.g., a warning sound) associated with the content of the output control.

The power supply control system 100 includes, for example, a PCU (Power Control Unit) 120, a battery 150, and a battery sensor 160. Note that in Figure 1, these components are shown as a single unit in the power supply control system 100, but this is merely an example; these components in the power supply control system 100 may also be distributed. The power supply control system 100 may also include other components. The PCU 120 is an example of a "power control unit." The battery sensor 160 is an example of a "vehicle-side detection unit."

The PCU 120 controls the supply (discharge) of power from the battery 150 to a load. The load is, for example, the motor 12, but may also include other on-board equipment (e.g., vehicle sensors 20, communication device 50, control device 60, etc.) that is mounted on the vehicle 10 and operates on the supply of power. The PCU 120 may also perform functions such as charging control of the battery 150, control of current flow and voltage within the power supply control system 100, and control of switching between a conductive state (on state) and a cutoff state (off state) within the system. The PCU 120 is realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI, ASIC, FPGA, or GPU, or by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance on a storage device (a storage device with a non-transitory storage medium) such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory, or it may be stored on a removable storage medium (a non-transitory storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed when the storage medium is inserted into a drive device.

In the example of FIG. 1, the PCU 120 includes, for example, a converter 130 and a VCU (Voltage Control Unit) 34, but may also include other components (circuits, etc.). The converter 130 is, for example, an AC-DC converter. The DC side terminal of the converter 130 is connected to the DC link DL. The battery 150 is connected to the DC link DL via the VCU 140. The converter 130 converts the AC generated by the motor 12 into DC and outputs it to the DC link DL. The VCU 140 is, for example, a DC-DC converter. The VCU 140 boosts the power supplied from the battery 150 and outputs it to the DC link DL.

For example, the control device 60 calculates the SOC of the battery 150 based on the output from the battery sensor 160 connected to the battery 150 and outputs it to the VCU 140. The VCU 140 increases the voltage of the DC link DL in response to instructions from the control device 60.

The battery 150 is a battery that can be used, for example, to power the vehicle 10 and also as a power source at home. The battery 150 is, for example, a removable battery such as a cassette type that can be easily attached to and detached from the vehicle 10, and is sometimes referred to as an MPP (Mobile Power Pack). The vehicle 10 is equipped with one or more batteries 150 and is configured to be able to supply power from each battery 150. The multiple batteries 150 may also be integrated into a battery pack. The battery 150 stores power supplied from a charging facility (not shown) external to the vehicle 10 and discharges it to enable the vehicle 10 to travel. The battery 150 may also store power using regenerative energy generated by the vehicle 10. The battery 150 installed in the vehicle 10 can be replaced with another battery housed in a battery exchange device.

The battery 150 is provided with a connector (connection portion) 151 that can be detachably attached to the vehicle 10 and enables mechanical and electrical connection with the vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the vehicle 10 can be equipped with multiple batteries 150, in which case the batteries are connected in series or parallel by the connectors 151. The connectors 151 may also be provided with a mechanism for blocking the flow of current.

The battery sensor 160 measures physical quantities such as the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery 150 (particularly the power storage unit 152 described below). The battery sensor 160 includes, for example, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, and a temperature sensor. The battery sensor 160 measures the current of the battery 150 using a current sensor, the voltage of the battery 150 using a voltage sensor, and the temperature of the battery 150 using a temperature sensor. The battery sensor 160 may also measure the value of the current flowing through the connector 151. The battery sensor 160 outputs data (measurement data) of the measured physical quantities such as the current value, voltage value, and temperature of the battery 150, as well as measurement data of the current value of the connector 151, to the battery 150, the control device 60, and the communication device 50.

[Battery]
Next, the configuration of the battery 150 will be described. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the battery 150. The battery 150 includes, for example, a connector 151, a power storage unit 152, and a BMU (Battery Management Unit) 154. The BMU 154 is an example of a "current monitoring device."

The power storage unit 152 includes a storage battery that stores charged power and discharges the stored power. Examples of storage batteries included in the power storage unit 152 include secondary batteries such as lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and all-solid-state batteries, capacitors such as electric double-layer capacitors, and hybrid batteries that combine secondary batteries and capacitors.

The BMU 154 controls the charging and discharging of the power storage unit 152, controls the direction of current flow and voltage value, determines abnormalities in the battery 150, and performs on/off control to switch the battery circuit between a conductive state and a cut-off state. The BMU 154 may also adjust the usable capacity of the battery 150. The BMU 154 may perform the various controls described above, for example, under the control of the control device 60 or the PCU 120.

BMU 154 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 154A, an estimation unit 154B, a control unit 154C, and a storage unit 154D. Acquisition unit 154A, estimation unit 154B, and control unit 154C are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI, ASIC, FPGA, or GPU, or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory (a storage device with a non-transitory storage medium), or may be stored in a removable storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed by inserting the storage medium into a drive device.

The memory unit 154D may be realized by the various storage devices mentioned above, or alternatively, a solid state drive (SSD), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a read-only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM). The memory unit 154D also stores, for example, condition information indicating the conditions for executing and canceling output control in the embodiment, the control details of the control unit 154C, the detection results of the battery sensor 160, programs, and various other information.

The acquisition unit 154A acquires, for example, measurement data measured repeatedly (continuously) at predetermined intervals by the battery sensor 160.

The estimation unit 154B acquires the effective value (current value Irms) of the current flowing through the connector 151 based on the measurement data of the current value of the connector 151 acquired by the acquisition unit 154A, and estimates whether the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 exceeds a threshold (whether the temperature is rising) based on the acquired current value Irms. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining acquisition of the current value Irms from the measurement data. In the example of FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the current value [A]. The estimation unit 154B acquires samples (instantaneous values) of the current value at predetermined intervals (e.g., approximately 500 [ms]) over a predetermined time Tms, and uses the acquired samples (e.g., 20 samples) to acquire the current value Irms for the predetermined time Tms by performing a predetermined calculation process (calculation of the mean square value, etc.) as shown in, for example, the following equation (1):

In equation (1), I _t-1 to I _t-20 represent sample values (20 samples) at different times included in the predetermined time Tms. The estimation unit 154B performs the above-described process continuously while shifting the time (the start of the predetermined time Tms) to acquire the current value Irms (in the example of FIG. 3, current values Irms1 to Irms for predetermined times Tms1 to Tms5 are acquired). By performing the above-described process, it is possible to reduce variations due to temporary fluctuations in the current value, and it is possible to acquire a current value Irms that is more stable than the instantaneous value, as shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, more appropriate control can be performed using the current value Irms.

Next, based on the calculated current value Irms and the condition information stored in the memory unit 154D, the estimation unit 154B estimates that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 exceeds the threshold (the temperature is rising) if the current value Irms acquired by the acquisition unit 154A satisfies a first condition, and estimates that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 does not exceed the threshold (the temperature is not rising, or the temperature is the threshold) if the first condition is not satisfied. Furthermore, the estimation unit 154B may predict the current value Irms in the near future (within a predetermined time from the present) based on the trend (amount of fluctuation due to time-series information) of the continuously calculated current value Irms, and estimate whether the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 will exceed the threshold (the temperature will rise) in the near future based on the predicted current value Irms and the first condition. Furthermore, when it is estimated that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 exceeds the threshold value and output control, described below, is being executed, if the current value Irms satisfies a second condition, the estimation unit 154B may estimate that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 does not exceed the threshold value (the temperature is not rising or is at the threshold value).

Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the content of the condition information. The condition information shown in Figure 4 includes a first condition and a second condition. The first condition is a condition under which it is estimated that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 is likely to exceed a threshold, and is a condition (execution condition) for executing output control for the vehicle 10. The second condition is a condition under which it is estimated that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 is likely to fall below a threshold, and is a condition (cancellation condition) for canceling the execution of output control for the vehicle 10 based on the first condition. For example, if the vehicle 10 is equipped with multiple batteries 150, the first and second conditions may be set for each battery, or different conditions may be set depending on whether the multiple batteries 150 are connected in series or in parallel. The first and second conditions each include the state and duration of the current value Irms. In the example of FIG. 4, the first condition is met when the current value Irms remains at or above 60 A for at least 5 seconds, and the second condition is met when the current value Irms remains below 60 A for at least 1 second. Note that the values shown in FIG. 4 are merely examples and are not limiting. The estimation unit 154B can estimate temperature increases or decreases in the connector 151 and the battery 150 based on whether the above conditions are met, even without providing a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the connector 151. This allows for temperature monitoring at lower cost and control of the power supply from the battery 150.

The estimation unit 154B may infer that there is an abnormality in the power storage unit 152 based on a measurement value that indicates the state of the power storage unit 152, such as the temperature when the power storage unit 152 is being charged or discharged. For example, the estimation unit 154B may infer that there is an abnormality in the battery 150 when at least one of the current value, voltage value, or temperature value of the power storage unit 152 measured by the battery sensor 160 is an abnormal value (a value that is outside a predetermined acceptable range for use). The estimation unit 154B may also infer that there is an abnormality in the battery 150 when no measurement value can be obtained from the battery sensor 160 for a predetermined period of time or longer (sensor abnormality). The estimation unit 154B may also detect the magnitude of the abnormal value (degree of deviation from the usable range) or the degree of abnormality according to the type and number of abnormal values.

The estimation unit 154B may also estimate the degree of deterioration of the battery 150 based on the degree of abnormality of the battery 150. For example, the estimation unit 154B may change the degree of deterioration of the battery 150 so that it gradually increases depending on the number of times an abnormality of the battery 150 is detected. The estimation unit 154B may also estimate the degree of deterioration based on the number of times the current value Irms flowing through the connector 151 satisfies the first condition. In this case, the estimation unit 154B changes the degree of deterioration of the connector 151 so that it gradually increases depending on the number of times the first condition is satisfied. The number of times may be adjusted, for example, depending on the current degree of deterioration of the battery 150 or the connector 151.

The results of the estimation by the estimation unit 154B may be output to the control unit 154C, stored in the memory unit 154D, or output to the PCU 120 or the control device 60.

The control unit 154C performs control based on the results of the estimation by the estimation unit 154B. For example, when the estimation unit 154B estimates that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 has exceeded a threshold value (or that the temperature will exceed the threshold value in the near future), the control unit 154C performs control over the vehicle 10. The control over the vehicle 10 includes, for example, output control of the power supplied from the battery 150 to the vehicle 10 and/or notification control to the vehicle occupants.

For example, when the control unit 154C estimates that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 exceeds a threshold, it reduces the amount of power supplied from the power storage unit 152 to the vehicle 10 (power reduction control). For example, the control unit 154C adjusts the available power capacity so that an amount of power that is reduced by a predetermined amount compared to the amount of power before the reduction (reference power amount) can be supplied. The predetermined amount may be set according to the degree of deterioration of the battery 150 or the connector 151 estimated by the estimation unit 154B, for example, or may be a fixed amount. Furthermore, when the vehicle 10 is equipped with multiple batteries 150, the predetermined amount may differ depending on whether the batteries are connected in series or in parallel.

In addition, the control unit 154C may output information to the control device 60 to notify the occupants of the vehicle 10, such as information indicating that power output control is being executed, the degree of abnormality in the battery 150, and the degree of deterioration of the battery 150 and connector 151, as output control for the vehicle 10. The control unit 154C may also cause the control device 60 to output information encouraging the occupants of the vehicle 10 to suspend use of on-board equipment and reduce power consumption. The control device 60 acquires the information output by the control unit 154C, generates images and sounds based on the acquired information, and outputs them to the output device 70. This allows the occupants to be notified of the various pieces of information described above via the output device 70. This allows the occupants to more accurately grasp the power supply status and perform replacement or repair of the battery 150 and connector 151 at a more appropriate time depending on the degree of deterioration. The control unit 60 may output various pieces of information to a terminal device of the user (or administrator) of the vehicle 10 via the communication device 50, instead of (or in addition to) the output device 70.

Furthermore, while the above-described power output control is being executed, the control unit 154C cancels the ongoing output control (power restriction control) if the estimation unit 154B estimates that the second condition is satisfied and that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 does not exceed the threshold. Releasing the output control means, for example, restoring the amount of power supplied to the amount of power before restriction or terminating the output of notification information to the occupant. Furthermore, the control unit 154C may cause the control device 60 to output information indicating that the output control has been canceled in order to notify the occupant. Such control can prevent the power supplied from the battery 150 to the vehicle 10 from being interrupted due to the effects of an overcurrent or the like, enabling a more continuous power supply.

If the estimation unit 154B estimates that there is an abnormality in the power storage unit 152 (that power cannot be supplied), the control unit 154C may perform power cut-off control to cut off the supply of power using the connector 151 or another mechanism (an existing cut-off mechanism). If the current value Irms does not decrease even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the above-mentioned output control (power suppression control) was performed, the control unit 154C may estimate that an abnormality has occurred in the power storage unit 152 and perform power cut-off control.

[Processing flow]
Next, a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the current monitoring device of the embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. The following description will mainly focus on output control processing based on the value of the current flowing through the connector 151, among the processing executed by the BMU 154, which is an example of a current monitoring device. The processing shown below may be executed repeatedly, for example, at a predetermined cycle or timing.

5, the acquisition unit 154A acquires measurement data of the current value flowing from the battery sensor 160 to the connector 151 (step S100). Next, the estimation unit 154B acquires the current value Irms based on the acquired measurement data (step S110). Next, the estimation unit 154B determines whether the current value Irms satisfies a first condition (step S120). If it is determined that the current value Irms satisfies the first condition, the estimation unit 154B estimates that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 exceeds a threshold (the temperature is rising) (step S130). Next, because the temperature exceeds the threshold, the control unit 154C performs output control for the vehicle 10 (e.g., power restriction control or notification to the occupants) (step S140). The processing of step S140 is intended to reduce the temperature of the connector 151 and battery 150 by suppressing the power supply (output current value). Even if the current value Irms does not decrease when this output control is executed, it is assumed that an abnormality has occurred in the battery 150, and processing such as power cutoff is executed. As a result, the current value Irms flowing through the connector 151 will decrease.

Next, while the output control is being executed, the estimation unit 154B determines whether the current value Ims satisfies the second condition (step S150). If the current value Ims does not satisfy the second condition, the estimation unit 154B waits until the second condition is satisfied. If it is determined that the second condition is satisfied, the estimation unit 154B estimates that the temperature of the connector 151 or the battery 150 does not exceed the threshold value (step S160). Next, because the temperature does not exceed the threshold value, the control unit 154C cancels the output control for the vehicle 10 executed in the processing of step S140 (step S170). This ends the processing of this flowchart. Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S140 that the current value Irms does not satisfy the first condition, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[Modification]
In an embodiment, the battery sensor 160 may be provided inside the battery 150. Also, in an embodiment, a current sensor (battery-side detection unit) may be provided inside the battery 150, and the value of the current flowing through the connector 151 may be detected by the battery-side detection unit instead of the battery sensor 160. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a battery 150A in a modified example. The battery 150A shown in FIG. 6 differs from the configuration of the battery 150 shown in FIG. 2 in that it includes a current sensor 156. Therefore, the following description will mainly focus on the current sensor 156, and description of the other components will be omitted. The current sensor 156 is an example of a "battery-side detection unit."

The current sensor 156 measures the current flowing through the connector 151 and outputs the measured data (measurement data) to the acquisition unit 154A. The acquisition unit 154A acquires the current value of the connector 151 using the current sensor 156, rather than from the battery sensor 160. Note that the current sensor 156 may be provided for each battery 150, or may be provided for any one of the batteries 150 when multiple batteries 150 are connected in series on the vehicle 10. As described above, by providing a sensor in the battery 150 that measures the current value flowing through the connector 151, the battery 150 itself can infer that the temperature of the battery 150 or connector 151 is rising. Furthermore, because the battery makes the inference itself, it is easy to compare the temperature with a threshold set for each battery.

In addition, in an embodiment, a current sensor 156 (battery-side detection unit) may be provided in addition to the battery sensor 160 (vehicle-side detection unit), and the source from which the current value flowing into the connector 151 is acquired may be switched depending on the situation. For example, if multiple batteries 150 mounted on the vehicle 10 are connected in series, the current value is acquired from the battery sensor 160, and if they are connected in parallel, the current value of each battery is acquired from the current sensor 156.

In addition, in an embodiment, at least some of the functions of the acquisition unit 154A, the estimation unit 154B, and the control unit 154C may be provided on the vehicle side (e.g., the PCU 120 or the control device 60). In this case, the PCU 120 and/or the control device 60 are an example of a "current monitoring device." Furthermore, a configuration including the PCU 120 and/or the control device 60 and the BMU 154 may also be an example of a "current monitoring device."

For example, by having the estimation unit 154B estimate the temperature of the connector 151 and the battery 150, and the control unit 154C execute and release output control on the vehicle side, the configuration of the battery 150 becomes easier, reducing the cost of the battery 150 and alleviating the load on the battery side.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, when multiple batteries 150 are installed in the vehicle 10, the temperature of each battery 150 and connector 151 may be estimated for each battery. In this case, when multiple batteries 150 are connected in series, the control unit 154C performs output control (power restriction control) based on the battery estimated to have the highest temperature or the battery with the greatest degradation. Furthermore, when multiple batteries 150 are connected in parallel, the control unit 154C performs output control (power restriction control) for each battery. Note that the control unit 154C may comprehensively determine the degree of degradation for each of the multiple batteries and adjust the degree of control (power restriction degree) for the output control described above. This allows for more appropriate control of the power supply from the batteries.

According to the embodiment described above, the current monitoring device (BMU 154) includes an acquisition unit 154A that acquires the value of the current flowing through the connector 151 of the battery 150 that is detachable from the mobile object (vehicle 10), an estimation unit 154B that infers that the temperature of the connector 151 or battery 150 has exceeded a threshold value if the current value acquired by the acquisition unit 154A satisfies a first condition, and a control unit 154C that controls the mobile object if the estimation unit 154B infers that the temperature of the connector 151 or battery 150 has exceeded the threshold value. This makes it possible to appropriately control the power supply from the battery at lower cost. Therefore, the embodiment can contribute to energy efficiency.

For example, according to an embodiment, it is possible to estimate a temperature rise from the current value of the connector 151 without providing a temperature sensor in the connector 151. Furthermore, according to an embodiment, for example, by estimating (or predicting) a temperature rise in the connector or battery based on the current value previously applied to the connector and executing power restriction control early, it is possible to suppress a temperature rise that would cause an abnormality and render the battery 150 unusable, and to suppress a sudden stop of the power supply destination, such as a vehicle, and early deterioration of the battery or connector. Therefore, it is possible to more appropriately suppress a temperature rise in the battery 150 and connector 151, thereby extending the life of the battery 150.

The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows.
a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions;
a processor connected to the storage medium;
The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to:
Obtain the current value flowing through the connector of the removable battery mounted on the mobile object,
If the acquired current value satisfies a first condition, it is inferred that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value;
When it is estimated that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold, control is performed on the moving object.
Current monitoring device.

The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is in no way limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 vehicle 12 motor 14 driving wheels 16 brake device 20 vehicle sensor 50 communication device 60 control device 100 power supply control system 120 PCU
130 Converter 140 VCU
150, 150A Battery 151 Connector 152 Power storage unit 154 BMU
154A Acquisition unit 154B Estimation unit 154C Control unit 154D Storage unit 156 Current sensor

Claims (11)

an acquisition unit that acquires a current value flowing through a connector of a battery that is detachable from the mobile object;
an estimation unit that estimates that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value when the current value acquired by the acquisition unit satisfies a first condition;
a control unit that controls the moving object when the estimation unit estimates that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value,
the control of the mobile object includes output control of power supplied from the battery to the mobile object;
the estimation unit estimates a degree of deterioration of the connector or the battery based on the number of times that the value of the current flowing through the connector satisfies the first condition;
the control unit adjusts the available capacity of the power supplied from the battery based on the degree of deterioration of the connector or the battery estimated by the estimation unit.
Current monitoring device. an acquisition unit that acquires a current value flowing through a connector of a battery that is detachable from the mobile object;
an estimation unit that estimates that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value when the current value acquired by the acquisition unit satisfies a first condition;
a control unit that controls the moving object when the estimation unit estimates that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value,
the control of the mobile object includes output control of power supplied from the battery to the mobile object;
the control unit cancels the output control when the output control is being executed and a second condition based on the current value is satisfied;
the first condition is that the current value remains equal to or greater than a predetermined value for a first predetermined time period or longer;
the second condition is that the state in which the current value is less than the predetermined value continues for a second predetermined time period or longer, the second predetermined time period being shorter than the first predetermined time period;
Current monitoring device. the control unit cancels the output control when the output control is being executed and a second condition based on the current value is satisfied.
2. The current monitoring device of claim 1 . the estimation unit determines whether the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value based on a current value of the connector detected by a mobile body side detection unit provided in the mobile body.
3. A current monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2 . the estimation unit determines whether the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value based on a current value of the connector detected by a battery-side detection unit provided in the battery.
3. A current monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2 . The control of the moving body includes control of notification to a passenger of the moving body.
3. A current monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2 . The notification control includes control of notifying the occupant of information regarding a degree of deterioration of the connector or the battery.
7. The current monitoring device of claim 6 . The computer
Obtain the current value flowing through the connector of the battery that can be attached to the mobile object,
If the acquired current value satisfies a first condition, it is inferred that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value;
When it is estimated that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold, control is performed on the moving object;
the control of the mobile object includes output control of power supplied from the battery to the mobile object;
Inferring a degree of deterioration of the connector or the battery based on the number of times that the value of the current flowing through the connector satisfies the first condition;
adjusting the available capacity of the power supplied from the battery based on the estimated degree of deterioration of the connector or the battery;
Current monitoring method. The computer
Obtain the current value flowing through the connector of the battery that can be attached to the mobile object,
If the acquired current value satisfies a first condition, it is inferred that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value;
When it is estimated that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold, control is performed on the moving object;
the control of the mobile object includes output control of power supplied from the battery to the mobile object;
canceling the output control when the output control is being executed and a second condition based on the current value is satisfied;
the first condition is that the current value remains equal to or greater than a predetermined value for a first predetermined time period or longer;
the second condition is that the state in which the current value is less than the predetermined value continues for a second predetermined time period or longer, the second predetermined time period being shorter than the first predetermined time period;
Current monitoring method. On the computer,
Acquire the current value flowing through the connector of a detachable battery of the mobile object,
When the acquired current value satisfies a first condition, it is inferred that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value;
When it is estimated that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold, control is performed on the moving object;
the control of the mobile object includes output control of power supplied from the battery to the mobile object;
a deterioration degree of the connector or the battery is estimated based on the number of times that the current value flowing through the connector satisfies the first condition;
adjusting the available capacity of the power supplied from the battery based on the estimated degree of deterioration of the connector or the battery;
program. On the computer,
Acquire the current value flowing through the connector of a detachable battery of the mobile object,
When the acquired current value satisfies a first condition, it is inferred that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold value;
When it is estimated that the temperature of the connector or the battery exceeds a threshold, control is performed on the moving object;
the control of the mobile object includes output control of power supplied from the battery to the mobile object;
When the output control is being executed and a second condition based on the current value is satisfied, the output control is released;
the first condition is that the current value remains equal to or greater than a predetermined value for a first predetermined time period or longer;
the second condition is that the state in which the current value is less than the predetermined value continues for a second predetermined time period or longer, the second predetermined time period being shorter than the first predetermined time period;
program.