Electronic battery tester or charger with databus connection

• US 20050212521A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Granted Patent: US 7,598,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06 Measuring leads; Measuring probes G01R19/145, G01R19/165 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electronic battery tester or charger for use with a storage battery includes a first and a second electrical connector configured to electrically couple to terminals of the storage battery. Circuitry operates on the storage battery. OBD communication circuitry is configured to couple to an OBD databus of a vehicle. The operation of the circuitry is a function of communication on the OBD databus.

Claims

1. A battery maintenance device for use with a storage battery of a vehicle, comprising:

electrical connectors configured to couple to the battery;

a databus connection configured to plug into an OBD connector of the vehicle which connects to a databus of the vehicle which carries information related to the vehicle; and

battery maintenance circuitry coupled to the electrical connectors and the databus connection configured to interact with the battery through the electrical connectors, to receive information related to the vehicle from the databus and wherein the operation of the battery maintenance circuitry is a function of the received information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry comprises battery test circuitry configured to measure a parameter of the battery through the electrical connectors and provide a battery test output as a function of the measured parameter and the received information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry comprises battery charge circuitry configured to charge the battery through the electrical connectors as a function of the received information.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to couple to the battery through Kelvin connections and the parameter of the battery comprises the dynamic parameter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the OBD connector comprises 16 pins.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry receives information from the databus of the vehicle related to the age of the vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry receives information from the databus of the vehicle related to battery specifications.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry receives information from the databus of the vehicle related to the number of times that the engine of the vehicle has been started.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry receives information from the databus of the vehicle related to whether the battery has been disconnected from the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry receives information from the databus of the vehicle related to the size of an alternator of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry receives information from the databus of the vehicle related to operation of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry controls operation of the vehicle using the connection to the databus of the vehicle through the OBD connector.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises a hybrid vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry monitors voltages of the vehicle through the databus connection.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry is configured to control trouble codes of the vehicle through the databus.

16. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry is configured to detect imbalances in voltages through the onboard databus which may occur during charging.

17. A method of performing maintenance on a storage battery of a vehicle comprising:

electrically connecting to the battery of the vehicle;

electrically connecting battery maintained circuitry to a databus of a vehicle through an OBD connector, wherein the databus of the vehicle carries information related to the vehicle; and

performing battery maintenance on the battery with the battery maintenance circuitry through the electrical connectors coupled to the battery and wherein the maintenance performed on the battery is a function of information carried on the databus of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 including measuring a parameter of the battery through the electrical connectors and providing a battery test output as a function of the measured parameter and the received information.

19. The method of claim 17 including charging the battery through the electrical connectors as a function of the received information.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the information from the databus of the vehicle is related to the age of the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the information from the databus of the vehicle is related to battery specifications.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the information from the databus of the vehicle is related to the number of times that the engine of the vehicle has been started.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the information from the databus of the vehicle is related to whether the battery has been disconnected from the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the information from the databus of the vehicle is related to the size of an alternator of the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the information from the databus of the vehicle is related to operation of the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 17 including controlling operation of the vehicle using the connection to the databus of the vehicle through the OBD connector.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle comprises a hybrid vehicle.

28. The method of claim 17 including monitoring voltages of the vehicle through the databus connection.

29. The method of claim 17 including controlling trouble codes of the vehicle through the databus.

30. The method of claim 17 including detecting imbalances in voltages through the onboard databus which may occur during charging.