Remote control for battery electrical system tester apparatus and method

• US 7,397,359 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Sparacino, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/168,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 340/505, 340/514, 340/636.1, 340/636.11, 340/636.12, 340/636.13, 340/636.19, 324/522, 324/523
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382

Abstract

A vehicle battery electrical system tester with a hand-held remote control can include a vehicle battery electrical system tester with a radio frequency transceiver and a remote control unit with a radio frequency transceiver. Preferably, the vehicle battery electrical system tester and the remote control unit both include a radio frequency integrated circuit transceiver microchip. In addition, each can include a microcontroller coupled to the transceiver to control the transceiver. Furthermore, each can include an antenna, preferably an integrated circuit antenna. The remote control unit can include a visual display device, such as an LCD display, and an input device, such as a keypad.

Claims

1. A battery electrical system tester with remote control, comprising:

a battery electrical system tester including a tester radio frequency transceiver; and

a remote unit including a remote radio frequency transceiver;

wherein the battery electrical system tester sends data to and receives a control signal from the remote unit by way of the tester radio frequency transceiver, and the remote unit receives the sent data and sends the control signal by way of the remote transceiver, wherein the tester further includes a tester controller linked to and configured to control the tester radio frequency transceiver, and the remote unit further includes a remote controller linked to and configured to control the remote radio frequency transceiver and wherein the tester further includes a tester serial peripheral interface coupled to the tester controller and to the tester radio frequency transceiver to link the tester controller to the tester radio frequency transceiver, and the remote unit further includes a remote serial peripheral interface coupled to the remote controller and to the remote radio frequency transceiver to link the remote controller to the remote radio frequency transceiver.

2. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein each of the tester radio frequency transceiver and the remote radio frequency transceiver includes a radio frequency integrated circuit.

3. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following tester radio frequency transceiver or remote radio frequency transceiver includes:

an analog receiver configured to sense a first radio frequency electrical signal and generate a first analog electrical signal based on the first radio frequency electrical signal;

an analog transmitter configured to generate a second radio frequency electrical signal based on a second analog electrical signal; and

a digital transceiver coupled to the analog receiver and to the analog transmitter, the digital transceiver being configured to convert the first analog electrical signal to a first digital electronic signal and to convert a second digital electronic signal to the second analog electrical signal.

4. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein the tester further includes a tester crystal oscillator coupled to the tester radio frequency transceiver and configured to generate a tester reference frequency signal, and the remote unit further includes a remote crystal oscillator coupled to the remote radio frequency transceiver and configured to generate a remote reference frequency signal.

5. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein the tester radio frequency transceiver and the remote radio frequency transceiver are configured to operate at or above a radio frequency of approximately 2.4 gigahertz.

6. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein the tester further includes a tester antenna coupled to the tester radio frequency transceiver and configured to transmit and receive radio frequency electromagnetic waves, and the remote unit further includes a remote antenna coupled to the remote radio frequency transceiver and configured to transmit and receive radio frequency electromagnetic waves.

7. The battery electrical system tester of claim 6, wherein the remote antenna comprises a printed wire antenna.

8. The battery electrical system tester of claim 6, wherein the remote antenna comprises an integrated circuit chip antenna.

9. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein the remote unit further includes a visual display device configured to display the data sent by the tester and received by the remote unit.

10. The battery electrical system tester of claim 9, wherein the visual display device comprises a liquid crystal display.

11. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein the remote unit further includes an input device configured to transduce user input.

12. The battery electrical system tester of claim 11, wherein the input device comprises a digital keypad.

13. The battery electrical system tester of claim 1, wherein the remote unit further includes a battery to provide power to operate the remote unit.

14. A battery electrical system tester with remote control, comprising:

means for testing a battery electrical system;

first means for generating radio frequency electromagnetic waves coupled to the means for testing;

first means for sensing radio frequency electromagnetic waves coupled to the means for testing;

remote means for controlling the means for testing via a control signal;

second means for generating radio frequency electromagnetic waves coupled to the remote means for controlling; and

second means for sensing radio frequency electromagnetic waves coupled to the remote means for controlling;

wherein the means for testing sends data to the remote means for controlling by way of the first means for generating, and the remote means for controlling receives the sent data by way of the second means for sensing, wherein the tester further includes a tester controller means linked to and configured to control the first means for generating and for sensing radio frequency electromagnetic waves, and the remote unit further includes a remote controller means linked to and configured to control the second means for generating and sensing radio frequency electromagnetic waves and wherein the tester further includes a tester serial peripheral interface coupling and linking the tester controller means to the first means for generating and for sensing radio frequency electromagnetic waves, and the remote unit further includes a remote serial peripheral interface coupling and linking the remote controller means to the second means for generating and sensing radio frequency electromagnetic waves.

15. The battery electrical system tester of claim 14, wherein the remote means for controlling includes means for displaying the data sent by the means for sensing and received by the remote means for controlling.

16. The battery electrical system tester of claim 14, wherein the remote means for controlling includes means for transducing operator input.

17. A method of remotely controlling a battery electrical system tester, comprising:

testing a battery electrical system with a battery electrical system tester;

generating a first sequence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves to broadcast data based on a test conducted by the tester to a remote unit;

remotely sensing the first sequence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves with the remote unit;

remotely generating a first control signal by the remote unit;

remotely generating a second sequence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves by the tester based on the first control signal;

sensing the second sequence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves generated by the tester; and

generating a second control signal by the remote unit based on the second sequence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves;

wherein the second control signal controls the testing of the battery electrical system.