Secondary battery module, battery information management device, battery information management system, secondary battery reuse system, secondary battery recovery and sales system, secondary battery reuse method, and secondary battery recovery and sales method

• US 20070108946A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Emori, Akihiko, Kawahara, Youhei, Yamauchi, Shuko
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/54 Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/52 Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste cells or batteries , e.g. recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/84 Recycling of batteries or fuel cells

Abstract

A secondary battery module includes a battery information storage unit for storing electric characteristic information and usage history information of the secondary battery module. A battery information management device and a terminal device respectively include interfaces to be connected to the secondary battery module. The battery information management device is provided with a battery information database. The battery information management device is connected to the terminal device through a communications network. In this way, battery information stored in the battery information storage unit, which is acquired by the battery information management device and the terminal device, is accumulated in the battery information database. Moreover, the battery information management device grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on the battery information and a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A secondary battery module, which is connected to a battery controller, which operates under control by the battery controller, and which is chargeable and dischargeable, the secondary battery module comprising:

battery information storage means for storing at least one of electrical characteristic information and usage history information on the secondary battery module; and

interface means for connecting the battery information storage means to the battery controller.

2. The secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein

the battery information storage means is configured to be included in a radio frequency identification tag.

3. The secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein

the interface means includes password judging means,

any of a reading operation and a writing operation by the battery information storage means is validated when the password judging means judges that a predetermined password is inputted, and

any of the reading operation and the writing operation by the battery information storage means is invalidated when the password judging means judges that the predetermined password is not inputted.

4. The secondary battery module according to claim 1 further comprising:

second interface means for connecting the battery information storage means to another device different from the battery controller.

5. The secondary battery module according to claim 4, wherein

the second interface means is interface means for connecting the battery information storage means to a portable storage medium storage device.

6. The secondary battery module according to claim 4, wherein

the second interface means is interface means for connecting the battery information storage means to a portable storage medium storage device, the secondary battery module comprising

at least one of a read switch and a write switch on a housing for containing the secondary battery module, the read switch instructing an operation to read information stored in the battery information storage means out to the portable storage medium storage device, and the write switch instructing an operation to write information stored in the portable storage medium storage device into the battery information storage means.

7. The secondary battery module according to claim 4, wherein

the second interface means includes password judging means,

any of a reading operation and a writing operation by the battery information storage means is validated when the password judging means judges that a predetermined password is inputted, and

any of the reading operation and the writing operation by the battery information storage means is invalidated when the password judging means judges that the predetermined password is not inputted.

8. A battery information management device connected to a secondary battery module including battery information storage means for storing at least one of electrical characteristic information and usage history information on the secondary battery module as battery information, the battery information management device comprising:

information processing means including at least a central processing unit and a memory;

output means for outputting a result of information processing by the information processing means; and

interface means for connecting the secondary battery module to the information processing means, wherein

the information processing means reads the battery information stored in the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module by use of the interface means,

the information processing means grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on at least one threshold predetermined with respect to the battery information and the battery information which is read out, and

the information processing means outputs grading information obtained as a result of the grading to the output means.

9. The battery information management device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a battery information database for accumulating the battery information read out by the interface means while associating the battery information with identification information on the secondary battery module outputting the battery information.

10. The battery information management device according to claim 9, wherein

the battery information database further accumulates the grading information while associating the grading information with the identification information on the secondary battery module.

11. The battery information management device according to claim 8, wherein

the information processing means further performs a predetermined encoding process on information to be written into the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module, and performs a predetermined decoding process on the information read out of the battery information storage means.

12. A battery information management system comprising:

a battery information management device, which is connected to a secondary battery module including battery information storage means for storing at least one of electrical characteristic information and usage history information on the secondary battery module as battery information, which reads the battery information stored in the battery information storage means, and which includes a battery information database for accumulating the battery information thus read out while associating the battery information with identification information on the secondary battery module retaining the battery information;

a terminal device, which is connected to the secondary battery module, which reads the battery information stored in the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module, and which transmits the battery information thus read out and the identification information on the secondary battery module to the battery information management device;

a communications network mutually connecting the battery information management device with the terminal device, wherein

the battery information management device registers the battery information transmitted from the terminal device and the identification information on the secondary battery module retaining the battery information in the battery information database while associating the battery information with the identification information.

13. The battery information management system according to claim 12, wherein

the battery information management device further grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on at least one threshold predetermined with respect to each piece of the battery information and the battery information which is read out, when reading the battery information stored in the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module or when reading the battery. information registered in the battery information database, and

the battery information management device further registers grading information obtained as a result of the grading in the battery information database while associating the grading information with the secondary battery module.

14. The battery information management system according to claim 12, wherein

a host system for a secondary battery including the secondary battery module is further connected to the communications network, and

the host system for the secondary battery transmits the battery information stored in the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module to the battery information management device through the communications network.

15. A secondary battery reuse system for reusing a secondary battery module of a secondary battery system configured by including at least one secondary battery module, the secondary battery reuse system comprising:

battery information acquiring means for acquiring at least one piece of battery information from the secondary battery system, the battery information selected from the group consisting of a resistance, a capacity, battery operating time, a resistance changing rate, a capacity changing rate, and battery use intensity, of each of the secondary battery modules included in the secondary battery system;

threshold attainment judging means for judging whether or not the acquired battery information attains a threshold predetermined with respect to the battery information; and

grading means for recovering the secondary battery module and grading of the recovered secondary battery module according to a battery performance based on the battery information on the recovered secondary battery module, when the threshold attainment judging means judges that any one piece of the battery information on the secondary battery module attains the threshold, wherein

the recovered secondary battery module is applied to a system having threshold conditions, under which the recovered secondary battery module is operable with the battery performance at a point of the recovery, based on a result of the grading by the grading means.

16. The secondary battery reuse system according to claim 15, wherein

each of the secondary battery modules includes battery information storage means for storing at least one piece of the battery information selected from the group consisting of the resistance, the capacity, the battery operating time, the resistance changing rate, the capacity changing rate, and the battery use intensity, of the secondary battery module, and

the battery information acquiring means acquires the battery information by reading the battery information out of the battery information storage means of each of the secondary battery modules.

17. A secondary battery reuse system for reusing a chargeable and dischargeable cell of a secondary battery module configured by including at least one cell, the secondary battery reuse system comprising:

battery information acquiring means for acquiring at least one piece of battery information from the secondary battery module, the battery information selected from the group consisting of a resistance, a capacity, battery operating time, a resistance changing rate, a capacity changing rate, and battery use intensity, of the secondary battery module;

threshold attainment judging means for judging whether or not the acquired battery information attains a threshold predetermined with respect to the battery information; and

performance evaluating means for recovering the secondary battery module, disassembling the secondary battery module into the cells, and evaluating a performance of each of the disassembled cells, when the threshold attainment judging means judges that any one piece of the battery information on the secondary battery module attains the threshold, wherein

each of the evaluated cells is applied to an application at a voltage and a current, in which the evaluated cell is operable with the battery performance, based on a result of the evaluation.

18. A secondary battery recovery and sales system for recovering and selling a secondary battery module of a secondary battery system configured by including at least one of secondary battery modules, the secondary battery recovery and sales system comprising:

battery information acquiring means for acquiring at least one piece of battery information from the secondary battery system, the battery information selected from the group consisting of a resistance, a capacity, battery operating time, a resistance changing rate, a capacity changing rate, and battery use intensity, of each of the secondary battery modules included in the secondary battery system;

threshold attainment judging means for judging whether or not the acquired battery information attains a threshold predetermined with respect to the battery information; and

application system storage means for storing a list of application systems for a secondary battery and at least one threshold condition selected from the group consisting of a resistance, a capacity, battery operating time, a resistance changing rate, a capacity changing rate, and battery use intensity of the secondary battery module, for establishing an operation of each of the application systems, wherein

the secondary battery is recovered when the threshold attainment judging means judges that any one piece of the battery information on the secondary battery module attains the threshold,

the recovered secondary battery is applied to grading based on the battery information on the recovered secondary battery module, and

the recovered secondary module is sold to a manufacturer of a system having the threshold conditions, under which the recovered secondary module is operable with a battery performance at a point of the recovery, with reference to the application system storage means based on a result of the grading.

19. The secondary battery recovery and sales system according to claim 18, wherein

each of the secondary battery modules includes battery information storage means for storing at least one piece of the battery information selected from the group consisting of the resistance, the capacity, the battery operating time, the resistance changing rate, the capacity changing rate, and the battery use intensity, of the secondary battery module, and

the battery information acquiring means acquires the battery information by reading the battery information out of the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module.

20. A secondary battery reuse method of reusing a secondary battery module of a secondary battery system configured by including at least one secondary battery module, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring at least one piece of battery information from the secondary battery system, the battery information selected from the group consisting of a resistance, a capacity, battery operating time, a resistance changing rate, a capacity changing rate, and battery use intensity, of each of the secondary battery modules included in the secondary battery system;

judging whether or not the acquired battery information attains a threshold predetermined with respect to the battery information;

recovering the secondary battery module when it is judged that any one piece of the battery information on the secondary battery module attains the threshold in the judging step;

grading the recovered secondary battery module according to a battery performance based on the battery information on the recovered secondary battery module; and

applying the recovered secondary battery module to a system having threshold conditions, under which the secondary battery module is operable with the battery performance at a point of the recovery, based on a result of the grading by the grading means.

21. The secondary battery reuse method according to claim 20, wherein

each of the secondary battery modules includes battery information storage means for storing at least one piece of the battery information selected from the group consisting of the resistance, the capacity, the battery operating time, the resistance changing rate, the capacity changing rate, and the battery use intensity, of the secondary battery module, and

the battery information is acquired by reading the battery information out of the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module in the acquiring step.

22. A secondary battery reuse method of reusing a chargeable and dischargeable cell of a secondary battery module configured by including at least one cell, the secondary battery reuse method comprising the steps of:

acquiring at least one piece of battery information from the secondary battery module, the battery information selected from the group consisting of a resistance, a capacity, battery operating time, a resistance changing rate, a capacity changing rate, and battery use intensity, of the secondary battery module;

judging whether or not the acquired battery information attains a threshold predetermined with respect to the battery information;

recovering the secondary battery module when it is judged that any one piece of the battery information on the secondary battery module attains the threshold in the judging step;

disassembling the secondary battery module into the cells and evaluating a performance of each of the disassembled cells; and

applying each of the evaluated cells to an application operable at a voltage and a current, in which the evaluated cell is operable with the battery performance, based on a result of the evaluation.

23. A secondary battery recovery and sales method of recovering and selling a secondary battery module of a secondary battery system configured by including at least one secondary battery module, the secondary battery recovery and sales method comprising:

application system storage means for storing a list of application systems for a secondary battery and at least one threshold condition selected from the group consisting of a resistance, a capacity, battery operating time, a resistance changing rate, a capacity changing rate, and battery use intensity of the secondary battery module establishing an operation of each of the application systems in advance;

the secondary battery recovery and sales method further comprising the steps of;

acquiring at least one piece of battery information from the secondary battery system, the battery information selected from the group consisting of the resistance, the capacity, the battery operating time, the resistance changing rate, the capacity changing rate, and the battery use intensity of the secondary battery module included in the secondary battery system;

judging whether or not the acquired battery information attains a threshold predetermined with respect to the battery information;

recovering the secondary battery module when it is judged that any one piece of the battery information on the secondary battery module attains the threshold in the judging step;

grading the recovered secondary battery module based on the battery information on the recovered secondary battery module; and

selling the recovered secondary battery module to a manufacturer of a system having the threshold condition, under which the recovered secondary battery module is operable with a battery performance at a point of the recovery, with reference to the application system storage means based on a result of the grading.

24. The secondary battery recovery and sales method according to claim 23, wherein

the secondary battery module includes battery information storage means for storing at least one piece of the battery information selected from the group consisting of the resistance, the capacity, the battery operating time, the resistance changing rate, the capacity changing rate, and the battery use intensity, of the secondary battery module, and

the battery information is acquired by reading the battery information out of the battery information storage means of the secondary battery module in the acquiring step.