Method of Monitoring a Functional Status of a Vehicle's Electrical Powering System
First Claim
1. PCA method of monitoring a functional status of a vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, the method comprises the steps of:
- (A) providing a retrofit device, wherein the retrofit device is electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system and includes a multimeter module, a microprocessor, and a data storage module;
(B) providing a plurality of measurable characteristics of the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, wherein each measurable characteristic is associated to a manufacturer specification stored on the data storage module;
(C) providing a plurality of voltage triggers stored on the data storage module, wherein each voltage trigger is associated to a corresponding response;
(D) periodically probing the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system for a series of voltage readings with the multimeter module and storing the series of voltage readings on the data storage module;
(E) comparing the series of voltage readings to each voltage trigger with the microprocessor in order to identify at least one matching trigger from the plurality of voltage triggers;
(F) executing the corresponding response for the matching trigger with the retrofit device, if the matching trigger is identified during step (E);
(G) initializing the manufacturer specification as a baseline for each measurable characteristic with the microprocessor;
(H) executing a plurality of iterations for step (D) in order to compile a time-dependent dataset of voltage readings, wherein the time-dependent dataset of voltage readings includes the series of voltage readings from each iteration; and
(I) updating the baseline for each measurable characteristic according to the time-dependent dataset of voltage readings.
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Abstract
A system and a method of monitoring a functional status of a vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system is able to make measurements on the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, to diagnose problems for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, and send a warning notification to the vehicle'"'"'s owner. A retrofit device is electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system so that the retrofit device is able to periodically make voltage readings. The retrofit device stores and analyzes those voltage readings so that the retrofit device is able to predict any malfunctions or failure that may occur for the vehicle'"'"'s electrical power system. If retrofit device does predict a malfunction or failure in the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, then the retrofit device would output a warning notification either through the retrofit device itself or another external computing device.
3 Citations
18 Claims
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1. PCA method of monitoring a functional status of a vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, the method comprises the steps of:
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(A) providing a retrofit device, wherein the retrofit device is electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system and includes a multimeter module, a microprocessor, and a data storage module; (B) providing a plurality of measurable characteristics of the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system, wherein each measurable characteristic is associated to a manufacturer specification stored on the data storage module; (C) providing a plurality of voltage triggers stored on the data storage module, wherein each voltage trigger is associated to a corresponding response; (D) periodically probing the vehicle'"'"'s electrical powering system for a series of voltage readings with the multimeter module and storing the series of voltage readings on the data storage module; (E) comparing the series of voltage readings to each voltage trigger with the microprocessor in order to identify at least one matching trigger from the plurality of voltage triggers; (F) executing the corresponding response for the matching trigger with the retrofit device, if the matching trigger is identified during step (E); (G) initializing the manufacturer specification as a baseline for each measurable characteristic with the microprocessor; (H) executing a plurality of iterations for step (D) in order to compile a time-dependent dataset of voltage readings, wherein the time-dependent dataset of voltage readings includes the series of voltage readings from each iteration; and (I) updating the baseline for each measurable characteristic according to the time-dependent dataset of voltage readings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification