Method of monitoring a functional status of a vehicle's electrical powering system
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring a functional status of a vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, the method comprises the steps of:
- (A) providing a retrofit device, wherein the retrofit device is electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system through a disconnection device and includes a multimeter module, a microprocessor and a data storage module, and wherein the retrofit device is engaged into a cigarette lighter socket, and wherein the cigarette lighter socket is electrically connected to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical power system, and wherein the disconnection device readily disconnects the retrofit device from the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system in order to prevent damage to the retrofit device in case the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system is malfunctioning or failing;
(B) providing a plurality of measurable characteristics of the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, wherein each measurable characteristic is associated to a manufacturer specification stored on the data storage module;
(C) providing a plurality of voltage triggers stored on the data storage module, wherein each voltage trigger is associated to a corresponding response;
(D) periodically probing the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system for a series of voltage readings with the multimeter module and storing the series of voltage readings on the data storage module;
(E) comparing the series of voltage readings to each voltage trigger with the retrofit device in order to identify at least one matching trigger from the plurality of voltage triggers;
(F) executing the corresponding response for the matching trigger with the microprocessor, if the matching trigger is identified during step (E);
(G) deriving a baseline for each measurable characteristic through statistical summarization and setting the baseline for each measurable characteristic to the manufacturer specification with the microprocessor;
(H) executing a plurality of iterations for step (D) in order to compile a time-dependent dataset of voltage readings, wherein the time-dependent dataset of voltage readings includes the series of voltage readings from each iteration;
(I) updating the baseline for each measurable characteristic by replacing the manufacturer specification with the series of voltage readings from each iteration;
providing a minor voltage-drop threshold for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system as one of the plurality of voltage triggers;
identifying the minor voltage-drop threshold for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system as the matching trigger during step (E), if a trend in the series of voltage readings is less than or equal to the voltage-drop threshold; and
logging an accessory-activation event entry for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system on the data storage module as the corresponding response for the matching trigger during step (F), wherein the accessory-activation event entry includes the series of voltage readings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and a method of monitoring a functional status of a vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system is able to make measurements on the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, to diagnose problems for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, and send a warning notification to the vehicle'"'"'s owner. A retrofit device is electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system so that the retrofit device is able to periodically make voltage readings. The retrofit device stores and analyzes those voltage readings so that the retrofit device is able to predict any malfunctions or failure that may occur for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical power system. If retrofit device does predict a malfunction or failure in the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, then the retrofit device would output a warning notification either through the retrofit device itself or another external computing device.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring a functional status of a vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, the method comprises the steps of:
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(A) providing a retrofit device, wherein the retrofit device is electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system through a disconnection device and includes a multimeter module, a microprocessor and a data storage module, and wherein the retrofit device is engaged into a cigarette lighter socket, and wherein the cigarette lighter socket is electrically connected to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical power system, and wherein the disconnection device readily disconnects the retrofit device from the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system in order to prevent damage to the retrofit device in case the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system is malfunctioning or failing; (B) providing a plurality of measurable characteristics of the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, wherein each measurable characteristic is associated to a manufacturer specification stored on the data storage module; (C) providing a plurality of voltage triggers stored on the data storage module, wherein each voltage trigger is associated to a corresponding response; (D) periodically probing the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system for a series of voltage readings with the multimeter module and storing the series of voltage readings on the data storage module; (E) comparing the series of voltage readings to each voltage trigger with the retrofit device in order to identify at least one matching trigger from the plurality of voltage triggers; (F) executing the corresponding response for the matching trigger with the microprocessor, if the matching trigger is identified during step (E); (G) deriving a baseline for each measurable characteristic through statistical summarization and setting the baseline for each measurable characteristic to the manufacturer specification with the microprocessor; (H) executing a plurality of iterations for step (D) in order to compile a time-dependent dataset of voltage readings, wherein the time-dependent dataset of voltage readings includes the series of voltage readings from each iteration; (I) updating the baseline for each measurable characteristic by replacing the manufacturer specification with the series of voltage readings from each iteration; providing a minor voltage-drop threshold for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system as one of the plurality of voltage triggers; identifying the minor voltage-drop threshold for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system as the matching trigger during step (E), if a trend in the series of voltage readings is less than or equal to the voltage-drop threshold; and logging an accessory-activation event entry for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system on the data storage module as the corresponding response for the matching trigger during step (F), wherein the accessory-activation event entry includes the series of voltage readings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification