METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING BATTERY DRAIN AND STARTER CURRENT

• US 20090125179A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Raichle, Kurt, Miller, Garret
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0046 characterised by a specific application or detail not covered by any other subgroup of G01R19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC

Abstract

A parasitic drain tester measuring the parasitic battery drain of a vehicle and the high current used by the vehicle starter motor, includes a current measuring circuit and a unit. The current measuring circuit includes a capacitor smoothing the current distribution within the circuit, a first interface connected to a vehicle power source being tested and the capacitor, a second interface accommodating an outside connection for communication, a first processor connected to the second interface and the capacitor, the processor communicating with the second interface and performing analysis and calculation of the data received, and a converting unit connected to the processor, converting the signal received through the first interface from a first form to a second form in order to process the signal received. The first unit is connected to the current measuring circuit, and the first unit includes a memory storing information retrieved from the current measuring circuit through the second interface, and a second processor analyzes the information received from the current measuring circuit and providing instructions to the first processor through the second interface.

Claims

1. A tester for measuring battery drain and starter motor current in a vehicle, comprising:

a current measuring circuit, comprising;

a capacitor that smoothes a current distribution within the circuit;

a first interface that connects to a vehicle power source being tested and the capacitor;

a second interface that provides an outside communication connection with an analyzing unit;

a first processor connected to the second interface, the processor communicates with the second interface and performs analysis and calculations of a data received, the processed data includes measurement of a parasitic battery drain and a high current used by a vehicle starter motor; and

a converting unit connected to the first processor and converts a signal received through the first interface from a first form to a second form in order to process the signal received; and

the analyzing unit connected to the current measuring circuit through the second interface, comprising;

a memory that stores the data retrieved from the current measuring circuit through the second interface; and

a second processor that analyzes the data received from the current measuring circuit and provides instructions to the first processor through the second interface.

2. The tester of claim 1, wherein the first interface connects to the vehicle through a clamp on a secondary battery of the vehicle.

3. The tester of claim 1, wherein the first interface is connected to a cigarette lighter of the vehicle through an adapter.

4. The tester of claim 1, wherein the first processor is a flash processor that is reprogrammable through a software.

5. The tester of claim 1, wherein the converting unit is integral with the first processor.

6. The tester of claim 1, wherein the second connector is a molded compact flash connector with input and output communication with the analyzing unit, and the converting unit is an analog to digital converter for converting the analog signals to digital signals for processing by the first processor.

7. The tester of claim 1, wherein the analyzing unit is any one of the following a battery service center, a diagnostic tool and a personal computer.

8. The tester of claim 7, wherein the battery service center provides a power to the current circuit through the capacitor.

9. The tester of claim 7 further comprised of:

the diagnostic tool analyzing the data from the current circuit transferred through the second interface; and

an external power supply providing power to the measuring circuit and a secondary battery of the vehicle.

10. A method for a parasitic drain tester, comprising:

connecting a first interface of a current measuring circuit to a vehicle power source being tested and a capacitor;

communicating from the current measuring circuit through a second interface to a analyzing unit for external analysis of an information generated a vehicle;

processing the information received by a first processor connected to the second interface, the first processor communicates with the second interface and performs analysis and calculations of the information received;

converting a signal received through the first interface from a first form to a second form in order for the first processor to process the signal received;

connecting the analyzing unit to the current measuring circuit for storing the information retrieved from the current measuring circuit through the second interface; and

analyzing the information received from the current measuring circuit by a second processor and providing instructions to the first processor through the second interface for testing of the parasitic drain within the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first interface connects to the vehicle through a clamp on a secondary battery of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first interface is connected to a cigarette lighter of the vehicle through an adapter.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first processor is a flash processor that is reprogrammable through a software.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the converting unit is integral with the first processor.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second connector is a molded compact flash connector with input and output communication with the analyzing unit.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the analyzing unit is any one of the following:

a battery service center, diagnostic tool and personal computer, and the current measuring circuit provides data for measuring the parasitic battery drain and a high current used by a vehicle starter motor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the battery service center provides a power to the current measuring circuit through the capacitor.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the diagnostic tool analyzing the data from the current measuring circuit transferred through the second interface;

and an external power supply providing power to the current measuring circuit and a secondary battery of the vehicle.

19. A current measuring system, comprising:

a current measuring means, comprising;

a means for smoothing a current distribution within the current measuring means;

a means for interfacing to a vehicle power source being tested;

a means for interfacing with an outside communication connection with an analyzing unit;

a first means for processing connected to the means for interfacing with the outside communication connection, the first means for the processing communicates with the means for interfacing with the outside communication connection and performs analysis and calculations of the a data received; and

a means for converting connected to the first means for processing and converts the signal received through the means for interfacing with the vehicle power from a first form to a second form in order to process the signal received by the first means for processing; and

a means for diagnosing the vehicle from the data received from the current measuring means, comprising;

a means storing information retrieved from the current measuring means; and

a second processing means analyzing the information received from the current measuring means and providing instructions to the first processing means for analysis of the current drain of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuit measuring means is connected directly to the power source of the vehicle.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuit measuring means is connected to the power source of the vehicle indirectly through an internal connection within the vehicle.

22. The system of claim 19 further comprising the first processing means being a flash processor that is reprogrammable through a software and the converting means being integral with the first processing means.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for diagnosing is any one of the following:

a battery service center, a diagnostic tool and a personal computer.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a power source controlled by the diagnosing means providing power to the current measuring means and the vehicle power source.

25. The system of claim 19 further comprising the diagnosing means analyzing the data from the current measuring means;

and

an external power supply providing power to the current measuring means and the secondary battery of the vehicle, the current measuring means providing data for measuring the parasitic battery drain and a high current used by a vehicle starter motor.