Battery device, control method, and electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577456-B2
Application number	US-201214122129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2012
Priority date	May 31, 2011
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

This technology relates to a battery device, a control method, and an electric vehicle capable of providing a highly secure anti-theft function. A battery outputs DC power through a power line, a reader/writer communicates by outputting a high-frequency signal through the power line to read authentication information of an electronic device when the electronic device is connected to the battery through the power line, a microcomputer stores the read authentication information and controls the battery when first connection to the electronic device is performed, and performs an authentication process of the electronic device based on the read authentication information and the authentication information stored in the first connection and controls the battery according to a result of the authentication process of the electronic device when second or subsequent connection to the electronic device is performed. This technology may be applied to the battery device mounted on a power-assisted bicycle, for example.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A battery device, comprising:
a battery configured to output a DC power through a power line;
a communication unit, in an event an electronic device is connected to the battery through the power line, configured to:
output a high-frequency signal through the power line to the electronic device, and
receive authentication information of the electronic device in response to the high-frequency signal; and

a control unit configured to store the received authentication information and control the battery in an event of a first connection to the electronic device,
wherein the control unit is configured to authenticate the electronic device based on authentication information received in a second or subsequent connection and the authentication information stored in the first connection and control the battery based on a result of the authentication of the electronic device in an event of the second or subsequent connection to the electronic device.

2. The battery device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic device is a power supply device further configured to supply the DC power to a drive device to generate an auxiliary electric driving force in a power-assisted bicycle, wherein the power-assisted bicycle is configured to generate the auxiliary electric driving force in addition to a human driving force to travel forward, and
the control unit is further configured to control the DC power output from the battery to the power supply device through the power line.

3. The battery device according to claim 2 , wherein the power supply device comprises a storage element configured to output the stored authentication information to the battery device through the power line by load modulation of the high-frequency signal input through the power line.

4. The battery device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic device is a charging device further configured to charge the battery, and
the control unit is further configured to control a DC power output from the charging device to the battery through the power line.

5. The battery device according to claim 4 , wherein
the charging device comprises a storage element configured to output the stored authentication information to the battery device through the power line by load modulation of the high-frequency signal input through the power line.

6. The battery device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a storage unit configured to store history information about authentication history and use history of the battery device,
wherein the communication unit is configured to output the high-frequency signal through the power line to transmit the stored history information to the charging device.

7. A method of controlling a battery device, comprising:
in the battery device with a battery:
transmitting a high-frequency signal through a power line to an electronic device in an event the electronic device is connected to the battery device through the power line;
receiving authentication information of the electronic device in response to the high-frequency signal;
storing the received authentication information and controlling the battery in an event the connection is a first connection to the electronic device; and
authenticating the electronic device, in an event the connection is a second or subsequent connection to the electronic device, based on the authentication information stored in the first connection and authentication information received in the second or subsequent connection; and
controlling the battery based on a result of the authentication of the electronic device in an event of the second or subsequent connection to the electronic device.

8. An electric vehicle, comprising:
a battery configured to output DC power through a power line;
a power supply device configured to supply the DC power to a drive device to generate an auxiliary electric driving force in addition to a human driving force;
a communication unit, in an event the power supply device is connected to the battery device through the power line, configured to:
output a high-frequency signal through the power line to the power supply device, and
receive authentication information of the power supply device in response to the high-frequency signal; and

a control unit configured to store the received authentication information and control the battery in an event of a first connection to the power supply device,
wherein the control unit is configured to authenticate the power supply device based on authentication information received in a second or subsequent connection and the authentication information stored in the first connection and control the battery based on a result of the authentication of the power supply device in an event of the second or subsequent connection to the power supply device.

Assignees

• Takemura Kazuyoshi
• Washiro Takanori
• Soma Isao
• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Takemura Kazuyoshi
• Washiro Takanori
• Soma Isao

Classifications

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/47

  Arrangements for checking compatibility or authentication between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source · CPC title

• B62M6/45

  Control or actuating devices therefor · CPC title

• B60L2200/46

  Vehicles with auxiliary ad-on propulsions, e.g. add-on electric motor kits for bicycles · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title