Interconnect device for detecting whether a vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data port includes circuitry which prevents back feeding of power through the OBD data port
First Claim
1. An interconnect device for detecting whether a vehicle electrical system prevents back feeding of power through an on-board diagnostics (“
- OBD”
) data port, the interconnect device comprising;
an electrical connector to electrically couple with a vehicle electrical system via a vehicle OBD port connector;
a detection circuit electrically coupled to said electrical connector, the detection circuit to detect whether the vehicle electrical system includes blocking circuitry that prevents back feeding of power through the vehicle OBD port connector;
an indicating device; and
control circuitry operatively coupled to said detection circuit, the control circuitry configured to supply power from an alternate power supply to said electrical connector if said detection circuit detects that the vehicle electrical system does not contain said blocking circuitry.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interconnect device is disclosed for detecting whether an vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data port includes a blocking diode or equivalent, that prevents back feeding of power through the OBD data port. If a diode is detected, the interconnect device alerts the user that the power cannot be back fed through the OBD II port connector. In such a condition, an alternate means is used to preserve the data mentioned above. Specifically, an alternative power supply can be connected directly to the battery cables that will be disconnected from the battery, for example, by way of battery clamps. In this way the alternative power supply is used to preserve the data until a new battery is reconnected to the vehicle battery cables. If a diode is not detected by the interconnect device, the interconnect device displays this fact to the user. The interconnect device includes circuitry for detecting and displaying whether a diode is connected in series with a power pin of the OBD II port connector. In addition, the interconnect device includes an OBD II port connector on one end connected by way of a cable to a connector, such as a cigarette lighter connector or hardwired directly to an alternate power supply.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An interconnect device for detecting whether a vehicle electrical system prevents back feeding of power through an on-board diagnostics (“
- OBD”
) data port, the interconnect device comprising;an electrical connector to electrically couple with a vehicle electrical system via a vehicle OBD port connector; a detection circuit electrically coupled to said electrical connector, the detection circuit to detect whether the vehicle electrical system includes blocking circuitry that prevents back feeding of power through the vehicle OBD port connector; an indicating device; and control circuitry operatively coupled to said detection circuit, the control circuitry configured to supply power from an alternate power supply to said electrical connector if said detection circuit detects that the vehicle electrical system does not contain said blocking circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- OBD”
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15. An interconnect device for detecting whether a vehicle electrical system prevents back feeding of power through an on-board diagnostics (“
- OBD”
) data port, the interconnect device comprising;a first electrical connector to electrically couple with a vehicle electrical system via a vehicle OBD port connector; a second electrical connector to electrically couple with an alternate power supply; a detection circuit electrically coupled to said first electrical connector, the detection circuit to detect whether the vehicle electrical system includes blocking circuitry that prevents back feeding of power through the vehicle OBD port connector; an indicating device; and control circuitry having a switch, the control circuitry being electrically coupled to said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the switch to supply power from said first electrical connector to said second electrical connector if said detection circuit detects that the vehicle electrical system does not contain said blocking circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
- OBD”
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19. A method for disconnecting a vehicle battery from a vehicle, the method comprising the steps:
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measuring, via a control circuit operatively coupled with a processor, a first voltage at an alternate power source; determining, via the processor, whether said first voltage is greater that a first predetermined voltage; measuring, via the control circuit, a second voltage at an on-board diagnostics (“
OBD”
) data port;determining, via the processor, whether said second voltage is greater that a second predetermined voltage; determining, via a detection circuit operatively coupled with the processor, whether a vehicle electrical system includes blocking circuitry that prevents back feeding of power through the vehicle OBD port connector; and connecting, via the control circuit, an alternate power supply to said vehicle electrical system via the vehicle OBD port connector if (1) said detection circuit detects that the vehicle electrical system does not contain said blocking circuitry, (2) said first voltage is greater that a first predetermined voltage, and (3) said second voltage is greater that a second predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification