Test counter for electronic battery tester

• US 6,225,808 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2000
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Varghese, Philip, Lewis, David J., Cable, Michael R., Troy, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/513,046
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 324/430, 320/133, 320/155, 702/63
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382

Abstract

An apparatus for testing a storage battery includes battery test circuitry configured to perform a battery test on the storage battery. The battery test circuitry responsively provides a test result output related to a condition of the storage battery. A test count memory configured to store a test count and test count circuitry is configured to maintain a test count in response to an occurrence of a battery test performed by the battery test circuitry.

Claims

1. An apparatus for testing a storage battery, comprising:

battery test circuitry configured to perform a battery test on the storage battery, the battery test circuitry responsively providing a test result output related to a condition of the storage battery;

a current date memory configured to store a current date;

a test date memory configured to store test count dates indicative of dates on which a battery test was performed; and

test counter circuitry coupled to the battery test circuitry and test date memory, the test counter circuitry configured to store a current date in the test date memory in response to an occurrence of a battery test performed by the battery test circuitry the stored current date indicative of a date on which a battery test was performed, the test counter circuitry further configured to determine a number of battery tests performed during a test period of at least one day as a function of the stored test dates in the test date memory.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to couple to the storage battery using Kelvin connections.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry measures conductance of the battery.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry measures impedance of the battery.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a test count display configured to display the determined number of battery tests.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including a user input and wherein the test count display is configured to display the test count following entry of a code through the user input.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises non-volatile memory.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 including a test count output configured to transmit the determined number of battery tests to a remote location.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the test count output comprises a modem.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 including a reset input configured to clear the test count from the test count memory.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test date memory is configured as a First-In-First-Out (FIFO).

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the test period comprises a most recent number of days and wherein test dates older than the most recent number of dates are deleted.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test period comprises a most recent number of days and wherein test dates older than the most recent number of dates are deleted.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test date memory is sufficiently large to store at least 100 test dates.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 including an output adapted to couple to a personal computer to communicate the determined number of tests.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the currernt date stored in the current date memory cannot be altered to an earlier date.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test counter circuitry stores the current date upon completion of a battery test.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 including a memory pointer configured to point to the stored dates in the test date memory.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 including a second pointer configured to point to a second stored date in the test date memory the second stored date related to the test period.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test period is stored in the memory.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stored current date corresponds to a memory location in the test date memory and the memory location stores a number of tests performed on the test date.

22. A method for monitoring use of a battery tester, comprising:

performing a battery test on a battery using the battery tester;

storing information in a memory related to a current date on which the battery test was performed; and

determining the number of battery tests performed during a test period of at least one day as a function of stored date information.

23. The method of claim 22 including incrementing a pointer which points to memory locations which store date information.

24. The method of claim 23 including a pointer which points to a memory location related to the current date and wherein the memory location contains the number of tests performed on the current date.

25. The method of claim 22 including outputting the determined number of tests in response to receipt of a security code.