Apparatus and method for incorporating the use of a processing device into a battery charger and tester

• US 20040002824A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Raichle, Kurt, Xia, Weixing
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/919 for treatment by electrical current, e.g. magnet or battery charger, heater or welder

Abstract

A method and apparatus for charging and testing a battery wherein the battery is monitored throughout the process and loads are adjusted by a microprocessor based upon the data collected during the process. Furthermore, the microprocessor allows battery information to be collected and transmitted to a variety of sources.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a battery charger; and

a field programmable gate array (FPGA) linked to the battery charger.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a battery tester that is linked to the FPGA.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein an image of the field programmable gate array is stored in a memory device.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the memory device can be selected from a group consisting of flash memory, RAM, hard drive, other storage devices, and a combination thereof.

5. The apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the image is loaded into the FPGA upon start-up of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the FPGA receives an input to charge a battery.

7. The apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the FPGA uses the input to regulate the charge to the battery.

8. The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the FPGA uses the data input to determine the amount of output from a dc power source to pass to the battery.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the FPGA regulates the charge or load applied to the battery.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a module port that is linked to the FPGA.

11. The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the FPGA conducts testing procedures on the battery to analyze its charging ability.

12. The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the testing procedures are based upon the type of battery.

13. The apparatus in claim 10, wherein the module port can be selected from a group consisting of a communication module, a display module, an alphanumeric keypad module, a bar code module, a printer module, and memory module.

14. A method for determining the properties of a battery, comprising:

applying a load to the battery;

in response to the load, measuring its effect on the battery;

transmitting data from the measurement to a FPGA; and

analyzing the data.

15. The method as in claim 14, further comprising the steps of determining the battery type to determine the load to apply.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising the step of scanning the battery data into the FPGA.

17. The method as in claim 14, further comprising the step of testing the battery to determine if the battery can be recharged.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving an input to apply a specific load to the battery.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining which voltages to allow to pass to the battery based upon the input.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein further comprising determining which current to allow to pass to the battery based upon the input.

21. An apparatus for determining the properties of a battery means, comprising:

means for applying a load to the battery means;

means for measuring the load'"'"'s effect on the battery means;

means for transmitting data from the means for measuring; and

means for processing the data.

22. The apparatus as in claim 21, further comprising means for determining the battery means type to determine the load to apply.

23. The apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising means for scanning the battery data into the means for processing.

24. The apparatus as in claim 21, further comprising means testing the battery means to determine if the battery means can be recharged.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means of receiving an input to apply a specific load to the battery means.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means of determining which voltages to allow to pass to the battery means based upon the input.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for determining which current to allow to pass to the battery means based upon the input.