Maintenance service system for battery power unit

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

According to the present invention, the battery management information of an electronic device using a battery power supply device is taken into an information device via a storage medium, and the battery management information is transferred to a service-compatible server established on the communication network by connecting the information device to the communication network. It relates to a maintenance service system of a battery power supply that can be transmitted so that the maintenance and replacement of the battery power supply can be performed.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

Due to the practical application of miniaturized and sealed secondary batteries with high energy density, secondary batteries that can be repeatedly used as a power source for portable electronic devices are widely used.

【0003】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, although the secondary battery can be used repeatedly by charging, the number of times of repeated charging / discharging (charging / discharging cycle) is finite. The secondary battery deteriorates due to repeated charging and discharging, and eventually reaches the end of its life. It is necessary to accurately detect the state of reaching this life and replace the battery before it stops operating, but the secondary battery reaches the life depending on the usage method and environment as well as the repeated charging and discharging. It is not easy for the user to judge the life of the secondary battery because it changes.

【0004】

In electronic devices that use secondary batteries, there is a demand for a system configuration that determines the deterioration state of the secondary battery and prompts the user to replace it. In addition, secondary batteries are not available everywhere as if you were buying a dry battery, and it is not easy to replace them. In addition, many batteries, including primary batteries and secondary batteries, have an impact on the environment due to the materials used. From the viewpoint of material recycling, it is desired to reliably collect used batteries.

【0005】

An object of the present invention is to transmit data on the operating state of a secondary battery to an information device via a storage medium, and maintain the battery power supply device and maintain the secondary battery by connecting the information device to a service-compatible server. The purpose is to provide a maintenance service system for battery-powered devices that can be replaced.

【0006】

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes an electronic device provided with a battery power supply device and a reading / writing device for a storage medium, an information device provided with a reading / writing device for the storage medium and a function of connecting to a communication network, and the information device. A maintenance service system for a battery-powered device configured to include a service-enabled server established on a communication network as a client. The battery-powered device manages a secondary battery and the operating state of the secondary battery. A device for reading and writing the battery management information taken out from the battery management means and the identification information taken out from the identification information storage means. When the storage medium is connected to the read / write device of the information device, the information device is connected to the service compatible server by the connection function to the communication network, and the battery management read from the storage medium by the read / write device. Information and identification information are sent to the service-compatible server, and the service-compatible server refers to the sent battery management information to the database prepared in advance for each model specified from the identification information to check the operating status of the secondary battery. It is characterized in that it makes a judgment and returns the judgment result and the coping information at the time of abnormality detection to the information device.

【0007】

According to this system, since the electronic device using the battery power supply device records the battery management information of the secondary battery in the storage medium, the battery management information can be transmitted to the information device via this storage medium. The information device can access the service-compatible server established on the communication network by the communication network connection function and send the battery management information. The service-compatible server determines the operating status of the secondary battery by referring to the battery management information in the database prepared in advance for each model, and returns the determination result to the information device. Therefore, the state of the battery power supply device of the electronic device can be known from the information device.

【0008】

In the above system, the electronic device is preferably applied to an image capturing device for recording image information on a storage medium or an acoustic recording device for recording acoustic information on a storage medium, and the information device is preferably applied to a computer device. Is.

【0009】

When the service-compatible server determines that the secondary battery has deteriorated, it transmits determination data and order processing information to the information device as countermeasure information when an abnormality is detected, and receives the secondary battery order information from the information device. , The service base is instructed to deliver the replacement battery and the used battery is collected, and the deteriorated used battery can be replaced and collected by performing the payment settlement process.

【0010】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the purpose of understanding the present invention. The embodiments shown below are examples that embody the present invention, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

【0011】

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a service-compatible server 1 for performing maintenance services is set up on the Internet (communication network) 5, and the computer 2 is used for maintenance of the battery power supply device 3 used by the digital camera 60. It is a maintenance service system of the battery power supply device 3 configured so that it can be performed through the system.

【0012】

The digital camera 60 identifies a model of the secondary battery 6, a battery management means 7 that detects the battery voltage, charge / discharge current, battery temperature, remaining capacity, etc. of the secondary battery 6 and manages the operating state. A battery detected by the battery management means 7 by a battery power supply device 3 provided with an identification information storage means 9 for storing identification information, and a read / write device 62 for writing an captured image to a storage medium 61. The management information and the identification information read from the identification information storage means 9 are recorded in the storage medium 61. This recording is recorded in a storage area set as a part of the storage medium 61 at an arbitrary timing, and the recording timing may be specified by the user or may be recorded at predetermined time intervals.

【0013】

When the storage medium 61 on which the battery management information and the identification information are recorded together with the image is connected to the reading / writing device 2a of the computer 2, it is taken into the computer 2. The computer 2 is provided with an Internet connection means such as a modem, and when the storage medium 61 is connected to the read / write device 62, the WWW browser is started to access the service compatible server 1, and the battery management information and the identification information are transferred to the service compatible server 1. Will be sent.

【0014】

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the service-compatible server 1 is configured to process the information transmitted from the computer 2 and return the reply information. The power information DB (Database) 22 included in the service-compatible server 1 stores the latest data transmitted from the power information transmission unit 26 of the service headquarters 20. In addition, a service base 40 for carrying out maintenance service when an abnormality is detected is set up in each area, and information on this service base 40 is also stored in the e-mail address DB23 from the base information transmission unit 27 of the service headquarters 20. .. The service base 40 can be set at a computer 2 store, a support center, or the like.

【0015】

The WWW (World Wide Web) server / CGI (Common Gateway Interface) 17 functions as an interface with the client computer 2, receives information transmitted from the computer 2, and uses the result of information processing as reply data on the computer. Transfer to 2. Information processing is performed by the information processing unit 18, and when an abnormality is detected, information on how to deal with the abnormality is transmitted from the mail server 21 to various places as an e-mail (e-mail).

【0016】

The maintenance service process according to the above configuration will be described below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Note that S1, S2 ... Shown in the flowchart are step numbers indicating the processing procedure, and correspond to the numbers added in the following text.

【0017】

In FIG. 3, the user records the battery management information and the identification information on the storage medium 61 of the digital camera 60 (S1), and connects the storage medium 61 to the read / write device 2a of the computer 2 (S2). The computer 2 to which the storage medium 61 is connected starts the WWW browser 16, connects to the service compatible server 1 (S3), transfers the maintenance service page information (S4), and further transmits the set identification information. (S5) and the battery management information is sent (S6).

【0018】

The service-enabled server 1 is connected to the user (S11), and when the WWW server / CGI17 receives the page information, the information processing unit 18 is started and the maintenance page is opened (S12), and the user ID authentication unit 30 is input. Refer to the e-mail address DB23 for the identification information to identify the model of the battery power supply 3 used by the user (S13). For the received battery management information (S14), the parameter analysis unit 31 creates the evaluation target data obtained by analyzing the data, and the power supply information search unit 32 searches the database of the model specified from the power supply information DB 22 (S15). When the evaluation target data is evaluated (S16) and the result of the pass / fail judgment by the evaluation is judged to be normal (S17), the reply data "no abnormality" is generated and sent to the computer 2 (S18). , When the computer 2 receives this, "No abnormality" is displayed on the display (S7). On the other hand, when it is determined that "there is an abnormality", the error data generation unit 35 generates a reply message, sends it to the computer 2, and executes the abnormality handling subroutine shown in FIG. The error reply message will be displayed as "Abnormal" on the display of computer 2, and at the same time, a notification that information for dealing with the abnormality will be provided by e-mail will be displayed.

【0019】

When an abnormality in the battery power supply device 3, that is, deterioration of the secondary battery 6 is detected, the service-enabled server 1 executes the processing operation for replacement and recovery of the secondary battery 6 shown in FIG. 4 as an abnormality processing subroutine. In FIG. 4, in the service-enabled server 1, the battery deterioration status data is generated by the abnormal data generation unit 35 (S21). In addition, the e-mail generator 36 searches the user's e-mail address from the e-mail address DB23, creates an e-mail for the user, attaches the battery deterioration status data to the e-mail, attaches the battery deterioration status data (S22), and exchange guidance message (S23). And the order reception file (S24) is attached, and it is sent from the mail server 21 as an error response mail (S25).

【0020】

When computer 2 receives this anomaly response email (S31) and opens it, the battery life evaluation result screen displaying the battery deterioration status data as shown in Fig. 5 is displayed on the display of computer 2 (S32). ). When the user wishes to replace the secondary battery 6 based on the judgment of the deteriorated state, he / she clicks the "Go to replacement guide screen" button on the battery life evaluation screen, and a replacement guide message as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. (S33) When you confirm the price, product name, etc. and click the "Go to order screen" button, the order processing screen as shown in Fig. 7 is displayed (S34). When the user enters the order items in each input field on the order processing screen (S35) and clicks the "Order" button, the order mail is sent from the mailer to the mail server 21 (S36).

【0021】

The mail server 21 that has received the order mail opens it and forwards it to the service-enabled server 1 (S26). The order processing unit 37 registers the order data (S27), searches the service base 40 corresponding to the user's address from the mail address DB23 (S28), and creates an order instruction mail for the service base 40 (S29). .. This order instruction mail is uploaded to the mail server 21 and sent to the service base 40 (S30).

【0022】

The service base 40 that received the order instruction mail (S41) prepares the replacement secondary battery 6 described in the order instruction mail (S42), and delivers the delivery data to the courier company 41 (S43). , Send a delivery date and time notification email to computer 2 (S44). The courier 41 receives the secondary battery 6 from the service base 40, delivers it to the user (S45), replaces the replacement secondary battery with the used secondary battery (S46), and uses it. By delivering the secondary battery to the service base 40, the used secondary battery is collected (S47).

【0023】

As for the payment settlement of the rechargeable battery 6 ordered, cash on delivery to receive the price at the time of delivery by the courier company 41, card approval by credit card, etc. can be applied.

【0024】

The above is the case of using the Internet, but maintenance services can also be performed by sending and receiving information using e-mail. As shown in FIG. 8, the computer 2 takes in the battery management information and the identification information recorded in the storage medium 61 by the reading / writing device 62 of the digital camera 60, creates this as an e-mail attachment file 24, and uses the mailer 25 to connect to the Internet. Send to the mail server 21 through. The mail server 21 that has received the attached file 24 opens it and forwards it to the service-enabled server 1. The service-enabled server 1 that has received the battery management information and the identification information processes information in the same manner as described above, and if there is no abnormality, sends a reply mail of "no abnormality" to the computer 2. Since it is the same as the system described above except that the data is transmitted from the computer 2 by e-mail, the explanation is omitted.

【0025】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, the information of the battery power supply device is recorded on the storage medium by the reading / writing device of the storage medium included in the electronic device, and by connecting this to the information device, the information on the communication network of the information device The battery power supply can be maintained by accessing the established service-enabled server. Further, since the recovery system for the deteriorated secondary battery is configured, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of pollution due to the disposal of the secondary battery.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a maintenance service system for a battery power supply.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a maintenance service system.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a maintenance service system.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a battery replacement procedure.

FIG. 5 is a display screen showing an example of a battery life evaluation result screen.

FIG. 6 is a display screen showing an example of a battery replacement guidance message.

FIG. 7 is a display screen showing an example of a battery order screen.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a maintenance service system by e-mail.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Service-enabled server 2 Computer 2a, 62 Read / write device 3 Battery power supply 5 Internet (communication network) 6 Secondary battery 7 Battery management means 9 Identification information storage means 60 Digital camera (electronic device) 61 Storage medium