JP2005249582A - Battery driver system attesting battery - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an attesting system which cannot be copied and imitated because cases analyzing and imitating attesting system of original battery pack and assembling in a battery pack are increasing even in the battery pack of third party currently not attested, in spite of the attesting system introduced for preventing use of non-attested battery and battery pack and resulting in malfunction of components and undesirable safety problems in appliance system driven by a battery. <P>SOLUTION: Battery characteristic data attested in advance are preserved in an appliance, the battery characteristics are gained and analyzed before driving an appliance system, and compared with the preserved attested battery characteristics. If the analyzed results are unnatural, alert indication is given or functioning of the appliance is terminated as an unapplicable battery. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a battery-driven device system that determines whether or not a battery is compatible in a battery-driven device and eliminates the non-compliant battery.

Conventionally, in battery-operated equipment systems, genuine battery packs are often recommended for the purpose of safety and performance maintenance. However, non-genuine battery packs are often released by third parties, and it is not uncommon for inferior and unsafe batteries to be distributed in large quantities at a low price. Therefore, manufacturers and distributors of devices are taking measures by incorporating ICs and microcomputers incorporating encrypted IDs into battery packs as authentication systems. For example, there is a device in which an encrypted logic circuit is incorporated in an IC and the device is not driven unless the device body recognizes the logic. There is also a method in which when a ciphertext is input from the main body to the microcomputer of the battery pack, the microcomputer built in the genuine battery pack decrypts the ciphertext and returns a response text to the device main body. In a battery-powered device system using this method, a non-genuine unauthorized battery pack cannot decrypt the ciphertext and cannot reply to the device body. In that case, the non-genuine battery pack is excluded by preventing the device from operating.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-162356

However, even with third-party battery packs that are not approved today, there are an increasing number of cases where the code of a genuine battery pack is decrypted and incorporated into an IC or microcomputer built in the battery pack. There are many products that have problems with battery safety. Therefore, it is a challenge to make an authentication system that can not be imitated so that it cannot be duplicated.

The present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires battery characteristics, an analysis unit that analyzes battery characteristics, and a warning unit in an apparatus system that is driven by a battery. If the battery characteristics obtained by the acquisition means and the analysis results of the battery characteristics analyzed by the analysis means do not match, it is determined as a non-conforming battery. The result is displayed on the display, a warning sound is generated, or warning is performed by warning means such as stopping the operation of the device. Since the chemical characteristics of the battery are used for authentication, there is a feature that makes it difficult to replicate the authentication system.

Further, the present invention is a means for obtaining the battery voltage by the obtaining means, detecting and accumulating the battery current entering and leaving the battery, and obtaining the amount of coulomb actually entering and leaving the battery. The analysis means includes means for converting the battery voltage into the theoretical battery remaining capacity to calculate the theoretical battery remaining capacity change amount, and the actual battery remaining capacity obtained from the actual battery remaining capacity obtained by integrating the current amount by the obtaining means. Compare with capacity change. If the correlation between the theoretical battery capacity change amount and the actual battery capacity change amount is unnatural, a warning is given by the warning means as an incompatible battery. Except for the same manufacturer using the same material, it is very difficult to imitate the relationship between the theoretical battery capacity change amount and the actual battery capacity change amount. In addition, since most of the remaining capacity calculation hardware and software can be used, there is a feature that it is not necessary to install another IC for authentication and the cost is reduced.

Moreover, this invention is applied when a battery pack and an apparatus can be attached or detached. That is, part or all of the acquisition means is built in the battery, and part or all of the analysis means is built in the device. That is, firmware for acquiring and analyzing battery characteristics is distributed to the battery pack side and the device side. Only when all of the acquisition means and all of the analysis means are combined, correct battery characteristics are acquired so that correct analysis can be performed. In order for the firmware to operate correctly, the firmware assigned to the battery pack must be duplicated, and the battery pack must be created so that the protocol matches the firmware on the device side. There is.

In the present invention, in a device driven by a battery, it is determined that the battery is a valid battery 1 only when the data obtained by the two means of the obtaining means 3 for obtaining the battery characteristics and the analyzing means 4 for analyzing the battery characteristics coincide. To do. Therefore, in order to drive the device system 2 normally, it is necessary to supply the battery 1 and the battery pack 8 so that the hardware for acquiring the battery characteristics and the software to be analyzed almost completely match. Then, since the battery manufacturer who has not received authorization becomes very difficult to supply a battery and a battery pack, it is effective as a strong authentication system.

The ratio of the theoretical remaining capacity change obtained by converting the battery open voltage to the remaining capacity and the actual battery remaining capacity change obtained by integrating the current is the battery deterioration degree α. The battery deterioration degree α hardly changes in the battery voltage range used. However, in other batteries in which the conversion formula for converting the battery open voltage to the remaining capacity is inevitably different, the battery deterioration degree α changes unnaturally within the battery voltage range to be used, so that it can be easily determined as a non-conforming battery. Moreover, in order to make the battery compatible, it is necessary to match the components of the battery material, so that it is very difficult for an uncertified third party to manufacture a replicated battery.

Further, according to the present invention, when the battery pack and the apparatus main body can be attached and detached, the firmware of the acquisition means 3 and the analysis means 11 distributed in the battery pack 8 are divided into the firmware embedded in the apparatus main body and the battery pack. Since the software cannot be used unless the protocol for communication with the analyzing means 9 of the device 7 is matched, there is an effect that it becomes double difficult to make a duplicate battery pack without obtaining authorization.

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the device system 2 driven by the battery 1 includes an acquisition unit 3 that acquires battery characteristics, an analysis unit 4 that analyzes battery characteristics, and a warning unit 5. Typical battery characteristics include battery voltage, current flowing in and out of the battery, battery impedance, battery temperature, battery deterioration level, etc., all of which are obtained and used in the conventional device system 2. Similarly, the acquisition means 3 has been proposed conventionally. The analyzing means 4 includes typical examples that have been conventionally implemented, such as controlling the charging and discharging by analyzing the acquired battery characteristics and calculating the remaining battery capacity. As the warning means 5, the display on the display is shown in FIG. 1, but other typical warnings such as sounding a buzzer, stopping charging and discharging, and stopping the operation of the main body of the device are also shown. It is a means example. In the present invention, when the battery characteristic data acquired by the acquisition unit 3 and the analysis result of the analysis unit 4 do not match, the warning unit 5 issues a warning such as stopping the operation of the device system 2. For example, if the acquisition means 3 acquires the battery voltage and current and the battery impedance is calculated, and the battery impedance of the genuine battery stored in advance in the analysis means does not match, the display 5 is not compatible with the display 5 Warning is displayed. Furthermore, the acquisition means 3, the analysis means 4, and the warning means 5 are not limited to the conventionally used means described in the above example, and the gist of the present invention does not change even if new means are used.

Next, in the second embodiment, the battery deterioration degree α is adopted as the battery characteristic for determining the compatible battery and the non-compliant battery. 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the flowchart of FIG. 3, the battery deterioration level α is calculated based on a battery remaining capacity calculation method that calculates the remaining battery capacity by using both the current integration method and the voltage method. That is, the battery deterioration degree α is calculated from the ratio of the actual battery remaining capacity change obtained by the current integration method and the theoretical battery remaining capacity change obtained by converting the battery voltage to the remaining capacity when the current flowing through the battery is very small. It is a flowchart of the algorithm to do. This method is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-162356 filed previously by the present inventor.

First, the power source of the device system 2 is turned on (S1). Then, the acquisition unit 3 and the analysis unit 4 are turned on (S2). Next, the acquisition means 3 detects the voltage generated in the detection resistor 6 and acquires the flowing current (S3). Next, the analysis means 4 determines whether or not the current flowing into and out of the battery is below the minimum value (S4). If the current is less than the minimum value, the battery open voltage of the battery 1 is detected using the IC which is the acquisition means 3 (S5). The battery open voltage is converted into the remaining battery capacity (S6). When the current flowing through the battery exceeds a certain value, the acquisition means 3 integrates the current (S7). In this way, the actual battery capacity change amount ΔCreal (S8) obtained from the current integration using the acquisition unit 3 and the theoretical battery capacity change amount ΔC (S) obtained by converting the battery voltage into the remaining battery capacity using the analysis unit 4 The battery deterioration degree α is calculated from the ratio of S9) (S10). By the way, although the battery voltage changes when the battery 1 is used or charged, the battery deterioration degree α is substantially the same even if the battery voltage range is changed. This is because the conversion means for measuring and analyzing the characteristics of the battery 1 in advance and converting the battery open voltage to the remaining capacity is incorporated in the analysis means 4. However, when the battery material component is different or the manufacturing method is different, the calculated battery deterioration degree α varies depending on the battery voltage range. When the battery deterioration degree α changes unnaturally in this way (S11), the warning means warns as an incompatible battery (S12). If there is no unnatural change in the battery deterioration degree α, the battery is continuously used as a compatible battery (S13). In this embodiment, the battery deterioration degree α is observed as the battery characteristic. However, the acquisition unit 3 and the analysis unit 4 compare other battery characteristics to determine whether the battery is a conforming battery or a nonconforming battery. However, the gist of the present invention remains unchanged.

Next, the third embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The device 7 and the battery pack 8 of the drive device system 2 can be attached and detached. The microcomputer 8 of the device 7 incorporates analysis means 9 and the microcomputer 10 of the battery pack 8 incorporates analysis means 11. Only when the analyzing means 9 and the analyzing means 11 are combined, the analysis program is completed. This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3. (S9), (S10), and (S11) are built in the analyzing means 9, and (S4) is built in the analyzing means 11. Depending on whether or not the current value is equal to or smaller than the current minimum value in (S4), there is a great difference between obtaining the battery voltage and integrating the current. If this (S4) is not programmed correctly, the analysis result becomes unnatural, and a warning can be given as an incompatible battery pack. That is, when manufacturing a suitable battery pack 8, not only the communication protocol for connecting the microcomputer 8 and the microcomputer 10 is duplicated, but the analysis means 11 program must be completely duplicated so that the battery pack suitable for the device is obtained. Don't be. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult to manufacture the duplicate battery pack without permission.

3 is a block diagram of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a third embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 is a battery 2 is an equipment system 3 is an acquisition means 4 is an analysis means 5 is a warning means 8 is a microcomputer on the equipment side 9 is a microcomputer on the battery pack side (S1) to (S13) is a step number in the flowchart

Claims (3)

In an apparatus driven by a battery, the apparatus has an acquisition means for acquiring battery characteristics, an analysis means for analyzing the battery characteristics, and a warning means, and the battery characteristics acquired by the acquisition means and the battery characteristics analyzed by the analysis means A battery-operated device system that warns with a warning means as a non-conforming battery if the analysis results do not match. The acquisition means is a means for acquiring a battery voltage, or an integration means for acquiring and accumulating battery current flowing into and out of the battery, and the analysis means converts the battery voltage acquired by the acquisition means into a remaining battery capacity. A theoretical battery remaining capacity change amount converted by the conversion means and an actual battery remaining capacity change amount integrated by the integrating means when the device is driven and the battery capacity is consumed. 1 battery-powered equipment system. The battery is stored in a battery pack so that the battery pack can be attached to and detached from the device, and part or all of the acquisition means is built in the battery pack, and part or all of the analysis means is incorporated. The battery-powered equipment system according to claim 1 built in the equipment.

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