Method for jump starting a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method of jump starting a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- measuring a range of voltages across a starting battery of the vehicle during a process of starting the vehicle;
setting a reference voltage point Q by choosing the point Q from the range of voltages across the starting battery of the vehicle measured during the process of starting the vehicle; and
in a given starting process, employing a controller to;
determine whether the voltage across the starting battery of the vehicle is less than the reference voltage Q; and
if the determination is positive, cause an external power source to supply high current (I2) to the starting battery, thereby adding the high current (I2) to current (I1) from the starting battery to obtain a total current (I); and
supplying the total current (I) to a starter motor of the vehicle so as to successfully start the vehicle.
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Abstract
A method for jump starting a vehicle comprising causing a control unit to set a reference voltage by choosing a point from a chart plotting voltage across a starting battery versus time during a vehicle start; determining whether the voltage across a starting battery of the vehicle is less than the reference voltage; closing a switch if the determination is positive, thereby causing an external power source to supply high current to the starting battery; adding the high current and current from the starting battery to obtain a total current; and supplying the total current to a starter motor of the vehicle so as to start the vehicle. An apparatus for thus jump starting a vehicle is also disclosed.
7 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of jump starting a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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measuring a range of voltages across a starting battery of the vehicle during a process of starting the vehicle; setting a reference voltage point Q by choosing the point Q from the range of voltages across the starting battery of the vehicle measured during the process of starting the vehicle; and in a given starting process, employing a controller to; determine whether the voltage across the starting battery of the vehicle is less than the reference voltage Q; and if the determination is positive, cause an external power source to supply high current (I2) to the starting battery, thereby adding the high current (I2) to current (I1) from the starting battery to obtain a total current (I); and
supplying the total current (I) to a starter motor of the vehicle so as to successfully start the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for jump starting a vehicle comprising a starter motor and a starting battery connected to the starter motor, said apparatus comprising:
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a control unit connected to the starting battery; an external power source; a switch controlled by the control unit to selectively connect the external power source to the starting battery; wherein during a given starting operation the control unit compares the voltage across the starting battery to a reference voltage Q, said reference voltage Q being a point along a curve of voltage across the starting battery versus time having been measured during a prior starting operation, and closes the switch when the voltage across the starting battery is less than the reference voltage Q such that the external power source supplies a high current (I2) to the starting battery, such that the high current (I2) is added to current (I1) from the starting battery to obtain a total current (I); and
the total current (I) is supplied to the starter motor so as to start the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification