Electronic battery tester with automotive scan tool communication

• US 6,967,484 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US10/460,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20040036443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 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: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electronic battery tester includes battery test circuitry configured to couple to a battery. A databus is configured to exchange data with external circuitry.

Claims

1. An electronic battery tester comprising:

battery test circuitry configured to couple to a battery;

a databus configured to exchange data with a scan tool of the type used to diagnose the vehicle operation; and

a Kelvin connection configured to couple to the battery.

2. The apparatus 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 apparatus of claim 1 including a memory configured to store data related to dynamic voltage and dynamic current measurements.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the data stored in the memory is time stamped.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the databus comprises a physical connection.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the databus is in accordance with the RS232 communication standard.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the databus is in accordance with the RS485 communication standard.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the databus is in accordance with the J1939 communication standard.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the databus is in accordance with the J1850 communication standard.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the databus is in accordance with the CAN communication standard.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to broadcast data on the databus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the data is related to voltage.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the data is related to conductance.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to receive power from a battery under test.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to receive power from the scan tool.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 including an internal power source configured to power the battery test circuitry.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the databus comprises a non-physical connection.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the non-physical connection comprises an infrared connection.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the non-physical connection comprises a radio frequency (RF) connection.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the databus is in accordance with the OBD (on-board databus) standard.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the databus is configured to carry data to a printer.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry includes memory containing text messages configured for transmission on the databus.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to transmit an instruction on the databus which causes the scan tool to display a text message.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry comprises a microprocessor.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry sends analog data on the databus to the scan tool.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry sends digitized data on the databus to the scan tool.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 including a memory.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the memory is in accordance with a secure digital (SD) standard.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the memory is in accordance with a multi-media interface (MMC) standard.

30. A scan tool configured to couple to the databus of the electronic battery test circuitry of claim 1.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the scan tool includes a microprocessor configured to convert data received on the databus in accordance with a battery rating standard.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 including a display configured to display information in response to data received on the databus from the electronic battery tester.

33. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry databus and Kelvin connection are integrated into cabling configured to couple to the scan tool to the battery.

34. A method of testing a battery with an automotive diagnostic scan tool, comprising:

electronically coupling to terminals of the battery through Kelvin connections;

measuring a parameter of the battery with battery test circuitry coupled to the battery through the Kelvin connections;

sending data related to the measured parameter from the battery test circuitry to the automotive scan tool through a databus which couples to the scan tool.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein measured a parameter of the battery includes applying a forcing function.

36. The method of claim 34 including storing data related to dynamic voltage and/or dynamic current measurements.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein including time stamping the stored data.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein the databus comprises a physical connection.

39. The method of claim 34 including broadcasting data on the databus.

40. The method of claim 34 wherein the data is related to voltage.

41. The method of claim 34 wherein the data is related to conductance.

42. The method of claim 34 including powering battery test circuitry from the battery under test.

43. The method of claim 34 including powering the battery test circuitry with power from the scan tool.

44. The method of claim 34 including powering the battery test circuitry with an internal power source.

45. The method of claim 34 wherein the databus comprises a non-physical connection.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the non-physical connection comprises an infrared connection.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein the non-physical connection comprises a radio frequency (RF) connection.

48. The method of claim 34 wherein the databus is in accordance with the OBC (on-board databus) standard.

49. The method of claim 34 including sending printer data on the databus.

50. The method of claim 34 including sending text messages on the databus.

51. The method of claim 34 including sending instructions to the scan tool on the databus which cause the scan tool to display a text message.

52. The method of claim 34 including sending analog data to the scan tool on the databus to the scan tool.

53. The method of claim 34 including sending digitized data to the scan tool on the databus to the scan tool.

54. The method of claim 34 including coupling an automotive scan tool to the databus.

55. The method of claim 54 including converting data received by the scan tool on the databus in accordance with a battery rating standard.

56. The method of claim 34 wherein the parameter comprises a dynamic parameter.

58. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to measure a dynamic parameter of the battery as a function of a forcing function.

59. The apparatus of claim 52 including a memory configured to store data related to dynamic voltage and dynamic current measurements.

60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the data stored in the memory is time stamped.

57. A scan tool for using on testing an automotive vehicle comprising:

a databus configured to couple to an on-board databus (OBD) of the automotive vehicle, wherein the scan tool is configured to diagnose the automotive vehicle through the on-board databus;

battery test circuitry; and

a Kelvin connection configured to couple the battery test circuitry to the battery.

61. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the databus comprises a physical connection.

62. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the scan tool is configured to print data to a printer.

63. The apparatus of claim 57 including a memory containing text messages configured for display by the scan tool.

64. The apparatus of claim 57 including a microprocessor.

65. The apparatus of claim 57 including a memory in accordance with a secure digital (SD) standard.

66. The apparatus of claim 57 including a memory in accordance with a multi-media interface (MMC) standard.

67. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to receive a battery rating.

68. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to test the battery using a load.

69. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an RS232 Standard.

70. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an CAN Standard.

71. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an ISA Standard.

72. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an PCI Standard.

73. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an PCMCIA Standard.

74. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an RS-485 Standard.

75. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an J1939 Standard.

76. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus in accordance with an J1850 Standard.

77. The apparatus of claim 57 including a databus configured to communicate with a Personal Data Assistant (PDA).

78. The apparatus of claim 57 including a display configured to provide instructions to an operator.

79. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to obtain information related to battery type.

80. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to obtain information related to charge history.

81. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the battery test is a function of a forcing function having a time varying component.

82. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the test circuitry is configured to store raw data.

83. The apparatus of claim 57 including an infrared (IR) input/output circuit.

84. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the battery test output provides an indication of relative condition of the battery.

85. The apparatus of claim 57 including a display configured to display text messages in an appropriate language for a consumer.