Critical-voltage indicator for a vehicle battery

• US 20060049803A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hamid Sahebjami, Steve Sahebjam
• Original Assignee: Hamid Sahebjami, Steve Sahebjam
• Inventors: Sahebjam, Steve, Sahebjami, Hamid
• Application Number:
  US11/215,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20060049803A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for the detection and warning of a critical voltage of a vehicle battery. An apparatus includes a voltage regulator, a voltage-level detector, a logic circuit, and a light-emitting diode (LED) with a current-protection circuit for providing an indication when the battery voltage drops below a critical voltage level.

Claims

1. An apparatus that detects a low voltage condition for a battery of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a voltage regulator that provides a voltage reference having a corresponding predetermined voltage value;

a voltage detector that compares a voltage representation of the battery and the voltage reference and that provides a corresponding detection output; and

a logic circuit that captures the corresponding detection output to form a captured detection output.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an indicator that electrically couples to the logic circuit and that provides an indication associated with the captured detection output.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage detector compares the voltage representation of the battery when the battery is energizing a starter motor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage detector compares the voltage representation of the battery when an engine of the vehicle is inactive.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage detector compares the voltage representation of the battery when an engine of the vehicle is active.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic circuit includes a register that is configured in response to receiving the corresponding detection output.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the register includes a flip flop circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the indicator includes a visual display.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic circuit includes an initialization circuit that initializes the apparatus to an initial state when the apparatus is activated.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an analog to digital converter that transforms the voltage representation to a digital format.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the visual display includes a light emitting diode (LED).

13. An apparatus that detects a low voltage condition for a battery of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an interface that obtains a voltage representation of the battery;

a voltage regulator that provides a voltage reference having a corresponding predetermined voltage value;

a processor that is configured to perform;

(a) comparing the voltage reference with the voltage representation to provide a comparison result; and

(b) capturing the comparison result to form a captured result;

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to further perform:

(c) conveying the captured result to an indicator.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to further perform:

(b)(i) comparing the voltage reference with the voltage representation when the battery is energizing a starter motor.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to further perform:

(b)(i) comparing the voltage reference with the voltage representation when an engine of the vehicle is inactive.

17. The apparatus if claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to further perform:

(b)(i) comparing the voltage reference with the voltage representation when an engine of the vehicle is active.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the interface includes an analog to digital converter that transforms the voltage representation into a digital format.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to further perform:

(c) initializing the apparatus when the apparatus is activated.

20. The method for indicating a low voltage condition for a battery of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

(a) generating a voltage reference having a corresponding predetermined voltage value;

(b) obtaining a voltage representation of the battery;

(c) comparing, when the battery is energizing a starter motor of the vehicle, the voltage reference with the voltage representation of the battery to obtain a corresponding detection output;

(d) capturing the corresponding detection output to form a captured detection output; and

(e) configuring a display according to the captured detection output.