Battery identification system, battery identification method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

1 . A battery identification system comprising:

a sensor including:

a board having a sensing surface extending in a first-axis direction and a second-axis direction orthogonal to the first-axis direction; and

a plurality of magnetic elements arranged, in or on the sensing surface, in at least one row or column along at least one of the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction;

a meter configured to measure, using the plurality of magnetic elements, a magnetic field distribution on an outer surface of a battery with the sensing surface facing the outer surface along a third-axis direction orthogonal to both the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction, the battery including a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other and arranged in the second-axis direction, the outer surface extending in the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction; and

a computer configured to identify a type of the battery by comparing the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter with a reference magnetic field distribution, with reference to reference data indicating the reference magnetic field distribution, and output information regarding the identified type of the battery, as battery information.

2 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein the meter is configured to measure the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface with the sensing surface facing the outer surface so that the plurality of magnetic elements is aligned along an end surface of at least one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells.

3 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein the meter is configured to measure the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface with the sensing surface facing the outer surface so that the plurality of magnetic elements is aligned across end surfaces of two or more battery cells of the plurality of battery cells.

4 . The battery identification system according to claim 3 , wherein the meter is configured to measure the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface with the sensing surface facing the outer surface so that the plurality of magnetic elements is aligned along an end surface of each of the two or more battery cells.

5 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to be secured to the battery when the meter measures the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface.

6 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to be moved along the second-axis direction when the meter measures the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface.

7 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to be moved along the first-axis direction when the meter measures the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface.

8 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to compare the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter with the reference magnetic field distribution, after weighting each magnetic field measurement value included in the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter according to a position at which the each magnetic field measurement value is measured.

9 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein

the reference data is data that indicates the reference magnetic field distribution as a function, and

the computer is configured to compare the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter with the reference magnetic field distribution, after converting the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter into a function.

10 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein

each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells has a first end surface and a second end surface located on an opposite side of the first end surface, and has, within the each battery cell, a positive current collector disposed on a side of the first end surface and a negative current collector disposed on a side of the second end surface, and

the meter is configured to measure the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface with the sensing surface facing any one of the first and second end surfaces of at least one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells.

11 . The battery identification system according to claim 10 , wherein

the reference data is data that indicates a magnetic field distribution on an outer surface of an actual battery product, as the reference magnetic field distribution,

at least one soft magnetic material with a specified magnetic susceptibility is disposed inside the battery product so as to affect the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface of the battery product, and

the computer is configured to determine whether the type of the battery matches the battery product by comparing the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter with the reference magnetic field distribution, and output a result of determination, as the battery information.

12 . The battery identification system according to claim 1 , wherein

the battery further includes a ferromagnetic frame or case that integrates the plurality of battery cells,

the reference data is data that indicates a magnetic field distribution on an outer surface of an actual battery product, as the reference magnetic field distribution,

the battery product includes a frame or case magnetized in a specified pattern, as a frame or case corresponding to the ferromagnetic frame or case, and

the computer is configured to determine whether the type of the battery matches the battery product by comparing the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter with the reference magnetic field distribution, and output a result of determination, as the battery information.

13 . A battery identification method comprising:

measuring, by a meter, a magnetic field distribution on an outer surface of a battery, using a plurality of magnetic elements, with a sensing surface of a board of a sensor facing the outer surface along a third-axis direction orthogonal to both a first-axis direction and a second-axis direction orthogonal to the first-axis direction, the battery including a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other and arranged in the second-axis direction, the outer surface extending in the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction, the sensing surface extending in the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction, the plurality of magnetic elements being arranged, in or on the sensing surface, in at least one row or column along at least one of the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction;

identifying, by a computer, a type of the battery by comparing the magnetic field distribution measured by the meter with a reference magnetic field distribution, with reference to reference data indicating the reference magnetic field distribution; and

outputting, from the computer, information regarding the identified type of the battery, as battery information.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a battery identification program to cause a computer to execute operations, the operations comprising:

acquiring measurement data that indicates a magnetic field distribution on an outer surface of a battery, the magnetic field distribution being measured using a plurality of magnetic elements, with a sensing surface of a board of a sensor facing the outer surface along a third-axis direction orthogonal to both a first-axis direction and a second-axis direction orthogonal to the first-axis direction, the battery including a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other and arranged in the second-axis direction, the outer surface extending in the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction, the sensing surface extending in the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction, the plurality of magnetic elements being arranged, in or on the sensing surface, in at least one row or column along at least one of the first-axis direction and the second-axis direction;

identifying a type of the battery by comparing the magnetic field distribution on the outer surface with a reference magnetic field distribution, with reference to reference data indicating the reference magnetic field distribution; and

outputting information regarding the identified type of the battery, as battery information.