Patent Application
20250183675
This application claims priority to European Patent Application Number 23307098.6, filed 30 Nov. 2023, the specification of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The field of the invention relates to electrical energy storage and, more particularly, to a distribution module and a method for managing batteries during their life cycle.
Nowadays, the management of electrical energy storage batteries is not achieved to ensure data transparency across all stages of the battery lifecycle. For example, the composition and performances of batteries may vary and are not easily accessible among all the existing batteries.
Therefore, there is no relevant solution today to foster the sustainable transition to fast-growing low-carbon mobility and energy storage.
It is therefore an object of one or more embodiments of the invention to provide a device and a method to achieve these goals at least partly.
To this end, at least one embodiment of the invention relates to a distribution module for managing digital battery passports in a management system, said management system comprising a plurality of manufacturer modules, each manufacturer module being connected to the distribution module via a manufacturer module communication link, wherein the distribution module comprises a user access submodule configured to receive a passport code sent by a user, to retrieve from the manufacturer database of one of the manufacturer modules, on the corresponding manufacturer module communication link, using said passport code, a subset of data of the digital battery passport related to said received passport code and to transmit said retrieved subset of data to the user, preferably using a blockchain asset.
By “using a blockchain asset”, it is meant using tokens, that are created, stored, and transferred on a blockchain network.
The distribution module according to one or more embodiments of the invention allows ensuring data transparency across all stages of the battery lifecycle. In particular, the distribution module allows to easily access data related to batteries, like for example data related to composition and performances of said batteries. The distribution module also allows creating and managing digital battery passports in an easy, efficient, reliable and secured manner. Moreover, the distribution module allows tracing where raw materials of the battery come from and to ensure that environmental, social, and human aspects have been taken into account when manufacturing the battery. Furthermore, the distribution module may perform plausibility checks on user inputs and guides the user through the process of creating new battery passports. The distribution module may also verify the data, acting as a passport controller with regard to regulations, and allow to create a certificate for digital battery passports.
End users may have different access levels to access different sets of data in a given digital battery passport.
Advantageously, in at least one embodiment, the distribution module further comprises a collection submodule configured to allow an end user to send data related to a battery-type of a manufacturer, to collect said data and to transfer said collected user data to the manufacturer module associated with said manufacturer on the corresponding manufacturer module communication link supported by the corresponding blockchain asset.
Advantageously, in at least one embodiment, the data sent by a user to the distribution module comprise battery user feedback.
Preferably, in one or more embodiments, the data that can be accessed by end users are publicly available data.
In at least one embodiment, the distribution module comprises a fraud detection submodule configured to detect any modification made to certified digital battery passports accessed via said distribution module to allow for fraud detection.
Preferably, in one or more embodiments, the fraud detection submodule is configured to predict misuse of the system based on artificial intelligence and blockchain. The fraud detection submodule may use user location data together with time and date and the feedback data to identify passport codes that are used more than once. The fraud detection submodule may analyze spatiotemporal patterns in this data and reports unusual and impossible battery movements to the system administrators.
At least one embodiment of the invention also relates to a managing system for managing digital battery passports, said system comprising a distribution module as described here before, and a plurality of manufacturer modules, each manufacturer module being connected to the distribution module via a manufacturer module communication link, wherein each manufacturer module comprises:
Preferably, in one or more embodiments, each manufacturer module is associated with one and only one manufacturer.
In at least one embodiment, at least one manufacturer module, preferably each manufacturer module, further comprises a blockchain orchestrator, the creation submodule is configured to generate a fingerprint for each set of data that is to be sent by the manufacturer module and said blockchain orchestrator is configured to insert said generated fingerprint inside the blockchain.
According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the code generation submodule of a manufacturer module is configured to receive a digital battery passport and to generate a passport code based on said received digital battery passport. Preferably, the passport code is a QR Code based on a UUIDv4 (Universally Unique Identifier version 4), which uniquely identifies the passport in the blockchain.
In at least one embodiment, a unique passport code is generated for each battery of a type of batteries.
In at least one embodiment, at least one manufacturer module, preferably each manufacturer module, further comprises a certification submodule configured to certify a digital battery passport previously created by the creation submodule.
Preferably, in one or more embodiments, the data that can be accessed by end users are publicly available data.
Advantageously, in one or more embodiments, the information data further comprise data on the manufacturer of the battery and/or technical performance parameters.
Advantageously, in one or more embodiments, the information about sustainability further comprises the carbon footprint of the battery and/or data on responsible sourcing and recycled content.
Advantageously, in one or more embodiments, some of the data are only accessible to end users with a first level of access and more data are accessible to end users with a second level of access. For example, further disassembly and safety information, such as disassembly sequences and a detailed description of the materials used, may only be available to accredited preprocessor's, second-life operators, and recyclers with a second level of access.
In at least one embodiment, at least one manufacturer module comprises a performance submodule configured to generate performance evaluations on information data of the digital battery passports stored in its manufacturer database.
Advantageously, in one or more embodiments, the manufacturer module comprises an integrated supplier management submodule configured to setup, authorize and delegate information collection for a battery from a whole battery manufacturers supply chain. The supplier management submodule may advantageously include a dedicated view managed by the manufacturer.
Advantageously, in one or more embodiments, the system comprises a marketplace portal configured to allow the exchange of data between the distribution module and marketplaces.
In at least one embodiment, the system being dedicated to an internal communication network, the distribution module is configured to receive and send digital battery passports from external communication networks.
At least one embodiment of the invention also relates to a method for managing digital battery passports using a system comprising a plurality of manufacturer modules and a distribution module as presented here before, each manufacturer module being connected to the distribution module via a manufacturer module communication link, said method, operated by the distribution module, comprising the steps of authenticating a user to allow said user to send data related to a battery-type of a manufacturer, collecting said user data related to a battery-type of a manufacturer and transferring said collected user data to the manufacturer module associated with said manufacturer on the corresponding manufacturer module communication link enabled by corresponding blockchain entries.
In at least one embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of:
In at least one embodiment, the method further comprises the step of certifying the created digital battery passport.
At least one embodiment of the invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method as described before.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the one or more embodiments of the invention are better understood with regard to the following Detailed Description of the Invention, appended Claims, and accompanying Figures, where:
Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts. Moreover, references to various elements described herein are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements in the singular may also be construed to relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of the disclosure to the exact number or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in the appended claims.
The management system 1 allows for managing digital battery passports.
To this end, the management system 1 comprises a plurality of manufacturer modules 10 and a single distribution module 20. In the example illustrated on
The manufacturer modules 10, the distribution module 20 and the marketplace portal 30 are interconnected by secured communication links of the secured internal communication network 2. The internal communication network 2 may be a secured private network that prevents third parties to access the secured internal communication links between the entities of the system 1.
Each manufacturer module 10 is connected to the distribution module 20 via a dedicated manufacturer module communication link MML. By “dedicated”, it is meant that a manufacturer module communication link MML is only used to communicate between one manufacturer module 10 and the distribution module 20 and is not accessible to other entities.
Two main types of actors use the management system 1: manufacturers MF and end users EU.
A manufacturer MF is the manufacturer of a type (or series) of batteries. The manufacturer MF can communicate with a manufacturer module 10, after identification, on a corresponding manufacturer communication link MFL and enter the data related to a type of batteries to create a digital battery passport DBP (
An end user EU is a user than can access some of the data of a digital battery passport DBP via an end user communication link EUL through the distribution module 20.
End users EU may have different access levels to access different sets of data in a digital passport. For example, a first level may be given to simple end user EU such as e.g., service and repair places or the owner of the car, and a second level may be given to qualified end users EU like e.g., preprocessor's, second-life operators, and recyclers.
Preferably, in at least one embodiment, each manufacturer module 10 is associated with one and only one manufacturer MF.
In reference to
The creation submodule 110 is configured to allow a battery manufacturer to create a digital battery passport DPB for each type of electrical energy storage physical battery.
A digital battery passport DBP comprises a set of information data related to said electrical energy storage physical battery.
A set of information data comprises information about the manufacturer of the battery, about the composition of the battery and about the sustainability of the battery.
Preferably, in at least one embodiment, the information about sustainability comprises the carbon footprint of the battery and/or data on responsible sourcing and recycled content.
The set of information data may further comprise disassembly and safety information, such as disassembly sequences and a detailed description of the materials used, which should only be available to accredited end users EU such as e.g., preprocessor's, second-life operators, and recyclers.
Advantageously, in at least one embodiment, the set of information may further comprise information about the manufacturing process of the battery and/or technical performance parameters.
Preferably, in at least one embodiment, the data that can be accessed by end users are publicly available data.
The creation submodule 110 is configured to generate a fingerprint for each set of data that is to be sent by the manufacturer module 10 and to send said generated fingerprint to the blockchain orchestrator 160.
The manufacturer database 120 is configured to store digital battery passports that have previously been created by the creation submodule 110.
The code generation submodule 130 is configured to receive a digital battery passport DBP from the creation submodule 110.
The code generation submodule 130 is configured to generate a passport code based on said received digital battery passport DBP and which is configured to be placed on each battery associated with a created digital battery passport DBP, said passport code allowing a user to retrieve a subset of information of the digital battery passport of said type of battery.
A passport code is associated to a unique physical battery in a series or type of batteries.
The certification submodule 140 is configured to receive a digital battery passport DBP from the creation submodule 110.
The certification submodule 140 is configured to certify said digital battery passport DBP.
The certification submodule 140 is configured to send a certified digital battery passport DBP to the manufacturer database 120.
The performance submodule 150 is configured to generate performance evaluations on the data of the dynamic feedback data received from end-users EU and stored in the manufacturer databases 120 of the manufacturer modules 10, preferably using an AI-based method.
The blockchain orchestrator 160 is configured to receive a fingerprint for each set of data from the creation submodule 110 that is to be sent by the manufacturer module 10 to the distribution module 20 and store (i.e. insert) said received fingerprint inside the blockchain. Such fingerprint allows to trace said data and authenticate the expeditor and the recipient during and after the transmission of said set of data to the distribution module 20 or a car manufacturer CM. In particular, the fingerprint ensures the correctness and the unchangeability of the data send to the recipient.
The blockchain orchestrator 160 implements the blockchain functionality and provides an easy-to-use interface for other modules or submodules, in particular for the creation submodule 110 and the distribution module 20. The blockchain orchestrator 160 allows to access and configure the blockchain itself.
In at least one embodiment, the code generation submodule 130 is embedded into and controlled by the blockchain orchestrator 160 so that the generated codes are embedded and authenticated by the blockchain. In at least one embodiment, the code generation submodule 130 and the blockchain orchestrator 160 could be implemented by two different physical entities.
In one or more embodiments, in reference to
The user access submodule 210 is configured to receive a passport code sent by an end user EU.
The user access submodule 210 is configured to retrieve from the manufacturer database 120, via the manufacturer module communication link MML, using said passport code, a subset of data of the digital battery passport DBP related to said received passport code.
The retrieval may be based on the level of access of the end user EU to give different end users EU different rights to access different data.
The user access submodule 210 is configured to transmit a retrieved subset of data to the user that sent the passport code using the manufacturer module communication link MML enabled by the blockchain.
The collection submodule 220 is configured to allow a user to send data related to a battery-type of a manufacturer on an end user communication link EUL.
The collection submodule 220 is configured to collect said data. The data sent by a user to the collection module 220 may comprise battery user feedback.
The collection submodule 220 is configured to transfer said collected user data to the manufacturer module 10 associated with said manufacturer MF on the corresponding communication link using a blockchain-supported transmission.
The external interface module 230 is configured to receive digital battery passports from an external communication network 200 (i.e. external to the secured internal communication network 2) on an external communication link EXL.
The external interface module 230 is configured to send digital battery passports from an external communication network 200 (i.e. external to the secured internal communication network 2) on an external communication link EXL. Every single blockchain asset has to be accessed and transferred over said interface to an external network.
The fraud detection submodule 240 is configured to detect any illegal modifications, copies, or fakes made to a digital battery passport, for example by an end user EU or a manufacturer MF.
The blockchain orchestrator 250 is configured to generate a fingerprint for each set of data that is to be sent by the distribution module 20 and store said fingerprint inside the blockchain. Such fingerprint allows to trace said data and authenticate the expeditor and the recipient during and after the transmission of said set of data to a manufacturer module 10 or an end user EU. In particular, the fingerprint ensures the correctness and the unchangeability of the data send to the recipient.
The blockchain orchestrator 250 implements the blockchain functionality and provides an easy-to-use interface for other modules (user access submodule 210 and manufacturer modules 10). The blockchain orchestrator 250 allows to access and configure the blockchain itself.
The distribution module 20 is configured to allow access to a car manufacturer CM on a car manufacturer communication link CML. A car manufacturer CM may thus receive digital battery passports automatically over a dedicated interface, directly from the management system 1, according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
The marketplace portal 30 is configured to allow the exchange of data between the distribution module 20 and different marketplaces MP. Marketplaces MP provide a network for car manufacturers CM to exchange information about their car parts with different providers. The management system 1 offers a marketplace portal 30 to connect to such a marketplace MP and provide necessary information for car manufacturers CM.
The marketplace portal 30 is connected to the distribution module 20 on a portal link PTL and to marketplaces MP on marketplace link MPL.
An example of operation will be described here after in relation to
A digital battery passport DBP may be created for each type or series of electrical energy storage physical battery.
In reference to
Once the digital battery passport DBP has been created by the creation submodule 110, the digital battery passport DBP is transferred by the creation submodule 110 to the manufacturer database 120 for storing said created digital battery passports in a step S2.
In a step S3, the code generation submodule 130 generates a passport code, which is printed then placed by the manufacturer on each battery corresponding to the created digital battery passport DBP. The passport code may be associated to a unique battery within a series of batteries. When scanned by an end user EU, the passport code allows said end user EU to retrieve a subset of information of the data included in the digital battery passport DBP. For example, the end user EU may retrieve the type or model of battery or the composition of the battery or some sustainability information.
The manufacturer module 10 is configured to, on request from the distribution module 20, communicate in a step S4 a predetermined subset of data of the set of information to the distribution module 20 for an end user EU using a blockchain-enabled communication managed by the distribution module 20.
The digital battery passport DBP is validated in a step S5 by the distribution module 20, for example using a registered electronic signature. For clarification: The certificate is generated once by the time the series is created and released, a passport can never be accessed before this point of time.
In reference to
In a step T2, the user access submodule 210 of the distribution module 20 receives the message, read the information about the manufacturer MF of the battery contained in the message and retrieved from the passport code, and send a request to the manufacturer module 10 associated with said manufacturer MF to retrieve data from the digital battery passport DBP associated with said battery using the manufacturer module communication link enabled by the corresponding blockchain entry.
In a step T3, the manufacturer module 10 receives and reads the request, then retrieves from its manufacturer database 120, a subset of data of the set of information of the digital battery passport DBP related to said battery and sends said subset of data to the distribution module.
In a step T4, the distribution module 20 receives the retrieved subset of data from the manufacturer module 10, validates the fingerprint against said data and transmits said received subset of data to the end user EU, via the user access submodule 210.
An end user EU may want to send data about a given battery to add feedback data to its digital battery passport DBP. For example, an end user EU may want to send text feedback on the battery to the manufacturer MF.
In reference to
Then, in a step U2, the collection module 220 collects the user data.
The collected data are then transferred by the distribution module 20 to the manufacturer module 10 associated with the battery in a step U3 which fingerprints it in the creation submodule 110 in a step U4.
The manufacturer module 10 stores said fingerprinted data in the corresponding digital battery passport DBP stored in its manufacturer database 120 in a step U5 and the fingerprints inside the blockchain.
In reference to
In this case, the manufacturer MF receives a notification about the type of event and possible root causes that should be investigated. Additionally, the performance submodule 150 may analyze the feedback text if available and escalates important events to the manufacturer MF.
Still in reference to
The system and method according to one or more embodiments of the invention allow efficiently, rapidly and easily to trace where the raw materials come from and to ensure that environmental, social, and human aspects have been taken into account (ESG Compliance).
The Specification, which includes the Brief Summary of Invention, Brief Description of the Drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the appended Claims refer to particular features (including process or method steps) of the invention. Those of skill in the art understand that the one or more embodiments of the invention includes all possible combinations and uses of particular features described in the Specification. Those of skill in the art understand that the invention is not limited to or by the description of the one or more embodiments given in the Specification.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23307098.6 | Nov 2023 | EP | regional |
