Electronic battery tester or charger with databus connection

• US 8,513,949 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US12/204,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 320426-433
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06 Measuring leads; Measuring probes G01R19/145, G01R19/165 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1446 in response to parameters of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

Vehicle maintenance circuitry for use with a storage battery, and/or electrical system of a vehicle includes an electrical connector configured to electrically couple to the vehicle. OBD communication circuitry is configured to couple to an OBD databus of a vehicle. The operation of the vehicle maintenance circuitry is a function of communication on the OBD databus.

Claims

1. A battery maintenance device for use with a storage battery of a vehicle, comprising:

electrical connectors configured to couple to the battery and perform maintenance on the battery;

a databus connector configured to plug into an OBD connector of the vehicle which connects to a databus of the vehicle which carries information related to the vehicle, the databus connector includes wireless I/O circuitry; and

battery maintenance circuitry coupled to the electrical connectors and configured to communicate wirelessly with the databus connector, to perform maintenance on the battery through the electrical connectors and to receive information related to the vehicle from the databus, wherein the maintenance performed on the battery is a function of the information related to the vehicle received from the databus.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry is configured to communicate wirelessly using a radio frequency (RF) signal.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry is configured to communicate wirelessly using infrared (IR).

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the databus connector includes a power supply.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the power supply is configured to receive power from the vehicle.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical connectors comprise electrical connectors within the vehicle coupled to the databus of the vehicle.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the databus connector is configured to display information to an operator.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the databus connector includes an input configured to receive an input from an operator.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the databus connector includes a microprocessor.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical connectors are configured to couple to the battery comprise a wireless battery connector configured to wirelessly communicate with the battery maintenance circuitry.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the wireless communication between the battery maintenance circuitry and the battery connector comprises an infrared connection.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the wireless communication between the battery maintenance circuitry and the battery connector comprises a radio frequency (RF) signal.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the battery connector includes a power supply configured to provide power to circuitry in the battery connector.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the power supply is powered from the storage battery.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein the battery connector includes Kelvin connections and is configured to measure a dynamic parameter of the battery.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the battery connector includes a forcing function configured to apply a signal between the terminals of the battery through the Kelvin connections and a differential amplifier configured to measure a voltage between terminals through the Kelvin connection.

17. The device of claim 10 wherein the battery connector includes a microprocessor.

18. The device of claim 10 wherein the battery connector includes a display configured to display information to an operator.

19. The device of claim 10 wherein the battery connector includes a user input configured to receive an input from an operator.

20. The device of claim 1 including a current sensor configured to sense current flowing through a wire of a vehicle.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the current sensor is configured to communicate wirelessly with the battery maintenance circuitry.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the current sensor is configured to communicate through an infrared connection.

23. The device of claim 21 wherein the current sensor is configured to communicate through a radio frequency (RF) signal.

24. The device of claim 20 wherein the current sensor includes a power supply.

25. The device of claim 20 wherein the current sensor includes a microprocessor.

26. The device of claim 20 wherein the current sensor includes a display configured to display information to an operator.

27. The device of claim 20 wherein the current sensor includes a user input configured to receive an input from an operator.

28. The device of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry is configured to perform a test on the storage battery of the vehicle.

29. The device of claim 1 wherein the battery maintenance circuitry is configured to charge the storage battery of the vehicle.

30. A method of performing maintenance on a storage battery of a vehicle, comprising:

electrically coupling to the battery with electrical connectors;

coupling a databus connector to an OBD connector of the vehicle which connects to a databus of the vehicle which carries information related to the vehicle;

communicating with battery maintenance circuitry over a wireless communication link between the databus connector and the battery maintenance circuitry; and

performing maintenance on the battery through the electrical connectors and as a function of information received wirelessly from the databus connector coupled to the databus of the vehicle.