Battery tester with databus

• US 6,586,941 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: McShane, Stephen J., Bertness, Kevin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/816,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20020003423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 324/427, 324/429, 324/430, 324/431, 324/432, 324/435, 324/437
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]

Abstract

An electronic battery tester includes battery test circuitry configured to couple to a battery. A memory is configured to log data from the battery test circuitry and a databus configured to exchange logged data with external circuitry.

Claims

1. An electronic battery tester comprising:

battery test circuitry configured to couple to a battery;

a memory configured to log data from the battery test circuitry;

a databus configured to exchange logged data with external circuitry; and

a Kelvin connection configured to couple to the battery.

2. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the battery tester is configured to measure a dynamic parameter of the battery as a function of an applied forcing function.

3. The electronic battery of claim 1 wherein the databus is configured to carry data to a printer.

4. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including a memory configured to store data related to dynamic voltage and dynamic current measurements.

5. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the data stored in the memory is time stamped.

6. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus comprises a physical connection.

7. The electronic battery tester of claim 6 wherein the databus is in accordance with the RS232 communication standard.

8. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus comprises a non-physical connection.

9. The electronic battery tester of claim 8 wherein the non-physical connection comprises an infrared connection.

10. The electronic battery tester of claim 8 wherein the non-physical connection comprises a radio frequency (RF) connection.

11. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus is configured to couple to a personal data assistance (PDA).

12. The electronic battery tester of claim 11 wherein the battery test circuitry is responsive to instructions recorded from the PDA through the databus.

13. The battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus is in accordance with the OBD (on-board databus) standard.

14. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus is configured to couple to a PCMCIA card.

15. An automotive vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a scan tool configured to retrieve diagnostic information from a vehicle;

battery test circuitry configured to perform a battery test on a vehicle;

and a Kelvin connection configured to couple to the battery.