Method and apparatus for charging a battery
First Claim
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1. A method of testing a battery comprising:
- (a) applying a heavy load to the battery;
(b) measuring the voltage V1 between the positive and negative terminals of the battery after a first time period under which the battery is subjected to the heavy load;
(c) removing the heavy load;
(d) waiting for a second length of time;
(e) reading the voltage across the positive and negative terminals after the second length of time V2;
(f) performing a cold cranking amps CCA testif the CCA test indicates a CCA value above a first threshold, then consider V2, if V2 is below the second threshold than skip to step g but if V2 is above a second threshold than determine if the V2 is above a third threshold, if V2 is above a third threshold than determine that the battery is good and skip steps g-h;
but if V2 is below the third threshold then if a battery charge flag has been set, determine that the battery is bad and skip steps g and h, if the battery charge flag has not been set, determine that the battery is good but needs additional charging and skip steps g-h;
if the CCA test indicates a CCA valve below the first threshold then move to step g;
(g) determine if the battery charge flag has been set,if the battery charge flag has been set, then determine that the battery is bad,if the battery charge flag has not been set then move to step h; and
(h) applying a charging current to the batteryif the charging current is less than a fourth threshold amount then stop charging the battery and return to step a,if the charging current is greater than the fourth threshold amount, then charge the battery for a third length of time then stop charging the battery and return to step a.
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Abstract
A method of testing a battery including several steps described herein is provided.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of testing a battery comprising:
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(a) applying a heavy load to the battery; (b) measuring the voltage V1 between the positive and negative terminals of the battery after a first time period under which the battery is subjected to the heavy load; (c) removing the heavy load; (d) waiting for a second length of time; (e) reading the voltage across the positive and negative terminals after the second length of time V2; (f) performing a cold cranking amps CCA test if the CCA test indicates a CCA value above a first threshold, then consider V2, if V2 is below the second threshold than skip to step g but if V2 is above a second threshold than determine if the V2 is above a third threshold, if V2 is above a third threshold than determine that the battery is good and skip steps g-h;
but if V2 is below the third threshold then if a battery charge flag has been set, determine that the battery is bad and skip steps g and h, if the battery charge flag has not been set, determine that the battery is good but needs additional charging and skip steps g-h;if the CCA test indicates a CCA valve below the first threshold then move to step g; (g) determine if the battery charge flag has been set, if the battery charge flag has been set, then determine that the battery is bad, if the battery charge flag has not been set then move to step h; and (h) applying a charging current to the battery if the charging current is less than a fourth threshold amount then stop charging the battery and return to step a, if the charging current is greater than the fourth threshold amount, then charge the battery for a third length of time then stop charging the battery and return to step a. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19)
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17. A battery tester charger comprising:
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a microcontroller; a data entry device operatively connected to the microcontroller; a display operatively connected to the microcontroller; and a set of terminals configured to connect the microcontroller to a battery, wherein the microcontroller is configured to; (a) applying a heavy load to the battery; (b) measuring the voltage V1 between the positive and negative terminals of the battery after a first time period under which the battery is subjected to the heavy load; (c) removing the heavy load; (d) waiting for a second length of time; (e) reading the voltage across the positive and negative terminals after the second length of time V2; (f) performing a cold cranking amps CCA test if the CCA test indicates a CCA value above a first threshold, then consider V2, if V2 is below the second threshold than skip to step g but if V2 is above a second threshold than determine if the V2 is above a third threshold, if V2 is above a third threshold than determine that the battery is good and skip steps g-h;
but if V2 is below the third threshold then if a battery charge flag has been set, determine that the battery is bad and skip steps g and h, if the battery charge flag has not been set, determine that the battery is good but needs additional charging and skip steps g-h;if the CCA test indicates a CCA valve below the first threshold then move to step g; (g) determine if the battery charge flag has been set, if the battery charge flag has been set, then determine that the battery is bad, if the battery charge flag has not been set, then move to step h; and (h) applying a charging current to the battery if the charging current is less than a fourth threshold amount then stop charging the battery and return to step a, if the charging current is greater than the fourth threshold amount, then charge the battery for a third length of time then stop charging the battery and return to step a. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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20. A battery tester charger comprising:
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a means for processing; a means for entering data operatively connected to the means for processing; a means for displaying operatively connected to the means for processing; and means for connecting the means for processing to the battery, wherein the means for processing is configured to; (a) applying a heavy load to the battery; (b) measuring the voltage V1 between the positive and negative terminals of the battery after a first time period under which the battery is subjected to the heavy load; (c) removing the heavy load; (d) waiting for a second length of time; (e) reading the voltage across the positive and negative terminals after the second length of time V2; (f) performing a cold cranking amps CCA test if the CCA test indicates a CCA value above a first threshold, then consider V2, if V2 is below the second threshold than skip to step g but if V2 is above a second threshold than determine if the V2 is above a third threshold, if V2 is above a third threshold than determine that the battery is good and skip steps g-h;
but if V2 is below the third threshold then if a battery charge flag has been set, determine that the battery is bad and skip steps g and h, if the battery charge flag has not been set, determine that the battery is good but needs additional charging and skip steps g-h;if the CCA test indicates a CCA valve below the first threshold then move to step g; (g) determine if the battery charge flag has been set, if the battery charge flag has been set, then determine that the battery is bad, if the battery charge flag has not been set, then move to step h; and (h) applying a charging current to the battery if the charging current is less than a fourth threshold amount then stop charging the battery and return to step a, if the charging current is greater than the fourth threshold amount, then charge the battery for a third length of time then stop charging the battery and return to step a.
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Specification