Electronic battery tester with internal battery

• US 6,249,124 B1
• Filed: 11/01/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr., Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US09/432,476
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 320/103, 320/134
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/005 Testing of electric installations on transport means
• 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 electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery include storage battery test circuitry configured to receive power through a power input. An internal battery is configured to provide power to the power input of the storage battery test circuitry. A switch is provided to selectively couple the storage battery test circuitry to the internal battery such that the internal battery can be tested.

Claims

1. An electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery, comprising:

storage battery test circuitry having test connections configured to test a battery, the storage battery test circuitry configured to receive power through a power input;

an internal battery configured to provide power to the power input of the storage battery test circuitry; and

a switch configured to selectively couple test connections of the storage battery test circuitry to the internal battery to thereby configure the test circuitry to test the internal battery.

2. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including an AC power adaptor configured to supply a charging signal to the internal battery.

3. The electronic battery tester of claim 2 wherein the AC power adaptor is configured to supply the charging signal to the internal battery while the storage battery test circuitry is operational.

4. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the test connections comprise a Kelvin connection.

5. The electronic battery tester of claim 3 wherein the battery test circuitry includes a forcing function source applied between a pair of connections in the Kelvin connection and the battery test is performed as a function of the forcing function and a resultant signal measured between a second pair of connections of the Kelvin connection.

6. The electronic battery tester of claim 5 wherein the forcing function comprises a load.

7. The electronic battery tester of claim 5 wherein the battery test is a function of conductance G of the battery.

8. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including a power supply configured to draw power from the storage battery and responsively generate a charging signal to charge the internal battery.

9. The electronic battery tester of claim 8 wherein the power supply includes a switch mode power supply.

10. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including a display configured to provide information to an operator.

11. The electronic battery tester of claim 10 wherein the display is configured to provide a menu, the electronic battery tester further including an input configured to receive forward and back commands for navigation through the menu.

12. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including a mount configured to mount the battery tester vertically, the mount further configured to support the battery tester in a horizontal position.

13. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the internal battery is configured to provide power to an automotive vehicle which contains the storage battery when the storage battery is disconnected from the automotive vehicle.

14. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including a bar code reader for receiving information relating to the storage battery.

15. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the storage battery test circuitry includes a load for selectively removing surface charge from the storage battery to thereby determine a steady state value of the open circuit voltage of the battery.

16. The electronic battery tester of claim 15 wherein only a portion of the surface charge is removed and the storage battery test circuitry predicts the steady state open circuit voltage.

17. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the storage battery test circuitry is configured to provide and display measured voltage, resistance or current.

18. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the storage battery test circuitry is configured to measure a frequency and display an output related to the measured frequency.

19. The electronic battery tester of claim 18 wherein the frequency is due to an AC voltage impressed on the battery due to starter operation, the frequency related to starter RPM.

20. An electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery, comprising:

storage battery test circuitry having test connections configured to test a battery, the storage battery test circuitry configured to receive power through a power input;

an internal battery configured to provide power to the power input of the storage battery test circuitry; and

a power supply configured to draw power from the storage battery and responsively generate a charging signal to charge the internal battery.

21. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 including an AC power adaptor configured to supply a charging signal to the internal battery.

22. The electronic battery tester of claim 21 wherein the AC adapted is configured to supply the charging signal to the internal battery while the storage battery test circuitry is operational.

23. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 wherein the battery circuitry couples to a battery through a test Kelvin connection.

24. The electronic battery tester of claim 23 wherein the battery test circuitry includes a forcing function source applied between a pair of connections in the Kelvin connection and the battery test is performed as a function of the forcing function and a resultant signal measured between a second pair of connections of the Kelvin connection.

25. The electronic battery tester of claim 24 wherein the forcing function comprises a load.

26. The electronic battery tester of claim 24 wherein the battery test is a function of conductance G of the battery.

27. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 including a display configured to provide information to an operator.

28. The electronic battery tester of claim 27 wherein the display is configured to provide a menu, the electronic battery tester further including an input configured to receive forward and back commands for navigation through the menu.

29. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 including a mount configured to mount the battery tester vertically, the mount further configured to support the battery tester in a horizontal position.

30. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 wherein the power supply includes a switch mode power supply.

31. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 wherein the internal battery is configured to provide power to an automotive vehicle which contains the storage battery when the storage battery is disconnected from the automotive vehicle.

32. The electronic battery tester of claim 31 includes a display configured to display a current supplied to the automotive vehicle from the internal battery.

33. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 including a bar code reader for receiving information relating to the storage battery.

34. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 wherein the storage battery test circuitry includes a load for selectively removing surface charge from the storage battery to thereby determine a steady state value of the open circuit voltage of the battery.

35. The electronic battery tester of claim 33 wherein only a portion of the surface charge is removed and the storage battery test circuitry predicts the steady state open circuit voltage.

36. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 wherein the storage battery test circuitry is configured to provide and display measured voltage, resistance or current.

37. The electronic battery tester of claim 20 wherein the storage battery test circuitry is configured to measure a frequency and display the measured frequency.

38. An electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery, comprising:

storage battery test circuitry having test connections configured to test a battery, the storage battery test circuitry configured to receive power through a power input;

an internal battery configured to provide power to the power input of the storage battery test circuitry; and

wherein the internal battery is configured to provide power to an automotive vehicle which contains the storage battery when the storage battery is disconnected from the automotive vehicle.

39. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 including an AC power adaptor configured to supply a charging signal to the internal battery.

40. The electronic battery tester of claim 39 wherein the AC adapted is configured to supply the charging signal to the internal battery while the storage battery test circuitry is operational.

41. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 wherein test circuitry couples to a battery through a Kelvin connection.

42. The electronic battery tester of claim 41 wherein the battery test circuitry includes a forcing function source applied between a pair of connections in the Kelvin connection and the battery test is performed as a function of the forcing function and a resultant signal measured between a second pair of connections of the Kelvin connection.

43. The electronic battery tester of claim 42 wherein the forcing function comprises a load.

44. The electronic battery tester of claim 42 wherein the battery test is a function of conductance G of the battery.

45. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 including a power supply configured to draw power from the storage battery and responsively generate a charging signal to charge the internal battery.

46. The electronic battery tester of claim 45 wherein the power supply includes a switch mode power supply.

47. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 including a display configured to provide information to an operator.

48. The electronic battery tester of claim 47 wherein the display is configured to provide a menu, the electronic battery tester further including an input configured to receive forward and back commands for navigation through the menu.

49. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 including a mount configured to mount the battery tester vertically, the mount further configured to support the battery tester in a horizontal position.

50. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 including a bar code reader for receiving information relating to the storage battery.

51. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 wherein the storage battery test circuitry includes a load for selectively removing surface charge from the storage battery to thereby determine a steady state value of the open circuit voltage of the battery.

52. The electronic battery tester of claim 51 wherein only a portion of the surface charge is removed and the storage battery test circuitry predicts the steady state open circuit voltage.

53. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 wherein the storage battery test circuitry is configured to provide and display measured voltage, resistance or current.

54. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 wherein the storage battery test circuitry is configured to measure a frequency and display the measured frequency.

55. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 wherein the battery test circuitry tests the condition of the internal storage battery prior to providing power to the automotive vehicle.

56. The electronic battery tester of claim 38 including a display configured to display a current supplied to the automotive vehicle from the internal battery.