Tester for equipment, apparatus or component with distributed processing function

• US 20140374475A1
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battery Technology Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Battery Technology Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Kallfelz, Andrew F., Rumsey, Gary T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,857,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system and method for testing equipment, apparatuses, or components with distributed measurement and analytical functions. The system comprises a simplified test circuit for obtaining key data representative of the operational characteristics of said equipment, apparatus, or component and transmitting these to a sophisticated device capable of other uses, such as a smart phone or tablet computer. The latter analyzes the raw data with reference to values for nominal characteristics or operation of the equipment, apparatus, or component and provides a result indicative of the condition thereof, or may transmit the data over the Internet to a remote computer for performing the analysis.

Claims

1. A system for testing equipment, an apparatus, or a component, providing distributed measurement and analytical functions, comprising:

A) a testing device adapted to be connected to a piece of equipment, an apparatus, or a component to be tested and to obtain data indicative of the condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component, and to communicate values representative of said data to a smart device; and

B) a smart device independent from the testing device, capable of other uses, and adapted by software stored therein to

     1) receive said values communicated by said testing device; and

     2) communicate the received values to a remote computer device; and

C) a remote computer device adapted to receive said values communicated by the smart device, to analyze said values to determine the condition of the equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested, and provide an indication of the condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote computer device is further adapted to receive identification data in respect of said predetermined equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested, is connected to a database storing nominal values for data representative of the condition of the equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested, and is further adapted to compare the determined condition of the equipment, apparatus or component to be tested to the nominal data corresponding thereto.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said values representative of said data obtained by said testing device are transferred from said testing device to said smart device by displaying an optical code readable by said smart device on a screen comprised by said testing device, and wherein said smart device is further adapted by software to read said optical code using an image sensor device comprised thereby and derive said values representative of said data obtained by said tester therefrom.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said optical code is a bar code.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said optical code is a two-dimensional code.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said two-dimensional code is a QR code.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device capable of other uses is a smart phone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device capable of other uses is a tablet computer.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein said smart device is further adapted by software to employ an image sensor device comprised thereby to read an identification of said equipment, apparatus, or components to be tested.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said equipment, apparatus, or component is a battery.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said battery is installed in a vehicle, and said values representative of said data obtained by said testing device are transferred from said testing device to said smart device over preexisting wiring of said vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said preexisting wiring of said vehicle includes an onboard diagnosis port to which said smart device can be connected.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the smart device is a Shop Diagnosis Platform capable of analyzing other vehicle functions.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said smart device is further adapted by software to employ an image sensor device comprised thereby to read an identification of a vehicle with which said battery is associated.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device receives an indication of the identification of said equipment, apparatus, or component by user input.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device receives an indication of the identification of said equipment, apparatus, or component by employing an image sensor device comprised by the smart device to read the identification of said equipment, apparatus, or component directly therefrom.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested is a battery, and said data indicative of battery condition obtained by said testing device include at least an open-circuit voltage and an ohmic value.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said battery is installed in a vehicle, and said testing device measures further parameters during an engine starting sequence, during which said battery provides power to a starter motor to start an engine.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said further parameters include at least the minimum battery voltage experienced during said starting sequence.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said testing device first communicates values representative of said open-circuit voltage and an ohmic value to said smart device and subsequently communicates values representative of said further parameters to said smart device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said testing device communicates said values representative of said open-circuit voltage and an ohmic value and said values representative of said further parameters by successive display of one or more machine-readable codes readable by said smart device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device comprises software causing said smart device to prompt a user to input pertinent information.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said smart device functions as a web browser and the remote computer device as a web server.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the testing device communicates a Web address indicative of the address of the remote computer to the smart device together with the data indicative of the condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said testing device is further enabled to receive an identification of the equipment, apparatus or component to be tested therefrom, and to transmit said identification to the smart device together with the data indicative of the condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said testing device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) receiver adapted to read an identification of the equipment, apparatus or component from an RFID chip comprised thereby.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said predetermined equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested is a battery installed in a vehicle, and said remote computer device is further adapted to receive identification data in respect of said battery and said vehicle, is connected to a database storing nominal values for data representative of the nominal characteristics of the battery to be tested and of the vehicle, and is further adapted to compare the determined condition of the battery to be tested as corrected for the characteristics of the vehicle to the nominal data corresponding thereto.

28. A method of determining the condition of a piece of equipment, an apparatus, or a component, comprising the steps of:

1) connecting a simplified testing device to said piece of equipment, an apparatus, or a component;

2) employing said simplified testing device to obtain data indicative of the condition of the equipment, apparatus or component;

3) communicating said data from said testing device to a smart device capable of other uses,

4) communicating said data from said smart device to a remote computer; and

5) employing said remote computer to evaluate the determined condition of the equipment, apparatus, or component from said data.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of communicating said data from said testing device to a smart device is performed by displaying a machine-readable optical code readable by a smart device on a display screen comprised by said testing device, said code including said data obtained indicative of the condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component, and employing a smart device to read said code from said display screen.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said machine-readable optical code displayed on the display screen comprised by said testing device and read therefrom by said smart device is a bit mapped code.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said bit-mapped code displayed on the display screen comprised by said testing device and read therefrom by said smart device is a QR code.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said machine-readable optical code displayed on the display screen comprised by said testing device and read therefrom by said smart device is a bar code.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein said smart device capable of other uses is a smart phone.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein said smart device capable of other uses is a tablet computer.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein said smart device is further adapted by software to employ an image sensor device comprised thereby to read an identification of said equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said equipment, apparatus, or component is a battery.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said identification of said equipment, apparatus, or component is an identifying characteristic of a vehicle with which said battery is associated.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said remote computer is associated with a database containing nominal data in respect of characteristics of batteries to be tested and of vehicles, and wherein said nominal data is employed by said remote computer in evaluation of the determined condition of the battery from said data indicative of the condition of the battery.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein said remote computer is associated with a database containing nominal data in respect of said predetermined equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested, and wherein said remote computer compares said nominal data to the determined condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein said equipment, apparatus, or component to be tested is a battery, and said data indicative of said determined condition of said battery obtained by said testing device include at least an open-circuit voltage and an ohmic value.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said battery is installed in a vehicle, and said testing device measures further parameters of said battery during an engine starting sequence, during which said battery provides power to a starter motor to start an engine.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said further parameters include at least the minimum battery voltage experienced during said starting sequence.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said testing device first communicates values representative of said open-circuit voltage and an ohmic value to said smart device and subsequently communicates values representative of said further parameters to said smart device.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said testing device communicates said values representative of said open-circuit voltage and an ohmic value and said values representative of said further parameters by successive display of more than one machine-readable optical codes readable by said smart device.

45. The method of claim 28, wherein said smart device comprises software causing said smart device to prompt a user to input pertinent information.

46. The method of claim 28, wherein said smart device functions as a web browser and the remote computer device as a web server.

47. The method of claim 28, wherein the testing device communicates a web address indicative of the address of the remote computer to the smart device together with the data indicative of the condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component.

48. The method of claim 28, wherein said testing device is further enabled to receive an identification of the equipment, apparatus or component to be tested therefrom, and to transmit said identification to the smart device together with the data indicative of the condition of said equipment, apparatus, or component.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said testing device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) receiver adapted to read an identification of the equipment, apparatus or component from an RFID chip comprised thereby.