Electric monitoring method and apparatus for electric system of automotive vehicle
First Claim
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1. Monitoring apparatus for use with a secondary energy source connected to an alternator driven by the prime engine of a vehicle and to an electric load circuit through a conductor, said apparatus comprising:
- first detecting means for generating a first signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said energy source;
second detecting means for generating a second signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said load circuit;
means responsive to said first and second electric signals for calculating a load current flowing through said load circuit using a resistance value of said conductor and the difference between said first and second signals and for generating a reference value related to said calculated load current, said reference value representing a minimum performance for normal functioning of the circuit comprising said energy source, alternator, conductor, and load circuit, said calculating means also including means for comparing a value related to said first signal with said reference value; and
warning means for producing a warning signal when the said value indicative of said first signal is lower than said reference value.
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Abstract
In an electric monitoring method and apparatus for a secondary battery, a computer is utilized to monitor abnormal phenomena of a terminal voltage across the battery in relation to a load current flowing from the battery to an electric load circuit.
45 Citations
14 Claims
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1. Monitoring apparatus for use with a secondary energy source connected to an alternator driven by the prime engine of a vehicle and to an electric load circuit through a conductor, said apparatus comprising:
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first detecting means for generating a first signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said energy source; second detecting means for generating a second signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said load circuit; means responsive to said first and second electric signals for calculating a load current flowing through said load circuit using a resistance value of said conductor and the difference between said first and second signals and for generating a reference value related to said calculated load current, said reference value representing a minimum performance for normal functioning of the circuit comprising said energy source, alternator, conductor, and load circuit, said calculating means also including means for comparing a value related to said first signal with said reference value; and warning means for producing a warning signal when the said value indicative of said first signal is lower than said reference value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 14)
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5. A method of monitoring the instantaneous terminal voltage across a secondary energy source connected to an alternator drive by the prime engine of a vehicle and to an electric load circuit through a conductor, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a first signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said energy source; (b) generating a second signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said load circuit; (c) calculating a load current flowing through said load circuit using a resistance value of said conductor and the difference between said first and second signals; (d) generating a reference value related to said calculated load current;
said reference value being representative of a minimum performance for normal functioning of the circuit comprising the energy source, alternator, conductor and load circuit;(e) comparing a value indicative of said first signal with said reference value; and (f) producing a warning signal when said value indicative of said first signal is lower than the said reference value. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. Monitoring apparatus for use with a secondary energy source connected to an alternator driven by the prime engine of a vehicle and to an electric load circuit through a conductor, said apparatus comprising:
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first detecting means for generating a first signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said energy source; second detecting means for generating a second signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said load circuit; signal generating means for selectively generating first and second travel mode signals, respectively indicative of first and second travel modes of the vehicle; means responsive to said first and second electric signals and said first and second travel mode signals for selectively generating one of a first reference value and a second reference value, said first and second reference values being generated from first and second relationships, respectively, with the load current corresponding with the terminal voltage across said load circuit, said first and second reference values being generated when said first and second travel mode signals, respectively, are being generated, said reference values representing a minimum performance for normal functioning of the circuit comprising said energy source, alternator, conductor, and load circuit, said calculating means also including means for comparing a value related to said first signal with said reference values; and warning means for producing a warning signal when the said first signal is lower than said first reference value during said first travel mode and said second reference value during said second travel mode. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of monitoring the instantaneous terminal voltage across a secondary energy source connected to an alternator driven by the prime engine of a vehicle and to an electric load circuit through a conductor, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a first signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said energy source; (b) generating a second signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said load circuit; (c) selectively generating first and second travel mode signals, respectively indicative of first and second travel modes of the vehicle; (d) generating a first reference value in response to said first travel mode signal and a second reference value in response to said second travel mode signal, said first and second reference values being related to the load current corresponding with said terminal voltage across said load circuit by different functions, said first and second reference values being representative of a minimum performance for normal functioning of the circuit comprising the energy source, alternator, conductor and load circuit; (e) comparing a value indicative of said first signal with the said reference value; and (f) producing a warning signal when the said value indicative of said first signal is lower than said first reference value during said first travel mode and said second reference value during said second travel mode.
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12. Monitoring apparatus for use with a secondary energy source connected to an alternator driven by the prime engine of a vehicle and to an electric load circuit through a conductor, said apparatus comprising:
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first detecting means for generating a first signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said energy source; second detecting means for generating a second signal related to the instantaneous terminal voltage across said load circuit; means, responsive to said first and second electric signals, for calculating a load current across said conductor in consideration with a resistance value of said conductor and for generating a reference value related to said calculated load current based on a linear function VA =aIL +V1 (T) where VA is said reference value, a is a negative constant indicative of a slope of the function, and V1 (T) is an ordinate intercept of the function in consideration with the ambient temperature in the proximity of said second energy source, said reference value representing a minimum performance for normal functioning of the circuit comprising said energy source, alternator, conductor and load circuit, said calculating means also including means for comparing a value related to said first signal with said reference value; and warning means for producing a warning signal when the said value indicative of said first signal is lower than said reference value. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification