System and method for determining a vehicle battery status
First Claim
1. A recreational vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
a plurality of at least one of a wheel, a track, a hull and a ski joined with the frame and configured to enable the vehicle to traverse at least one of terrain and water;
a panel joined with the frame;
an electrical system;
a battery in electrical communication with the electrical system; and
a socket in electrical communication with the battery and mounted to the panel, the socket including a longitudinal axis, a housing defining an internal bore sized and shaped to receive a corresponding plug of a connector of an external mobile device, a first and a second end, the first end including a threaded portion;
an annular ring threadably joined with the threaded portion and configured to engage the panel to maintain the socket in a fixed orientation relative to the panel;
a state of charge gauge fixedly mounted to the socket at the first end, the gauge in electrical communication with the battery, the gauge including a flange extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis of the socket, the flange having a rear surface adapted to face toward the panel when the annular ring engages the panel and a front surface that faces outward from panel and that is visible to a viewer of the socket, the gauge including an indicator disposed on the front surface of the flange, the gauge operable in a status mode in which the indicator indicates at least one a state of charge of the battery and a state of health of the battery,whereby when the connector is plugged into the socket, the battery provides voltage to at least one of charge and power an external mobile device, all while the viewer monitors the status of the charge of the battery via the state of charge gauge to ensure the vehicle battery is not inadvertently drained.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A battery indicator system for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the battery indicator system includes a power port for the vehicle, the power port having a socket and battery monitor in electrical communication with a power source on a vehicle. The battery monitor is operable in a status mode in which it indicates or communicates to an indicator at least one of the state of charge and the state of health of the power source on the vehicle while a device is being charged or powered via the power port. The power port can include an integrated indicator, such as one or more lighting elements. The power source can provide power to the device to charge and/or power the device and provides power to the battery monitor so that a viewer of the port can easily monitor the status of the charge of the power source itself (versus the charging status of the device) via the power port to ensure the power source is not inadvertently drained. In one embodiment, the battery monitor can be mounted to the power source separate from the power port, and communicate at least one of the state of charge and state of health information for display on an indicator.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A recreational vehicle comprising:
-
a frame; a plurality of at least one of a wheel, a track, a hull and a ski joined with the frame and configured to enable the vehicle to traverse at least one of terrain and water; a panel joined with the frame; an electrical system; a battery in electrical communication with the electrical system; and a socket in electrical communication with the battery and mounted to the panel, the socket including a longitudinal axis, a housing defining an internal bore sized and shaped to receive a corresponding plug of a connector of an external mobile device, a first and a second end, the first end including a threaded portion; an annular ring threadably joined with the threaded portion and configured to engage the panel to maintain the socket in a fixed orientation relative to the panel; a state of charge gauge fixedly mounted to the socket at the first end, the gauge in electrical communication with the battery, the gauge including a flange extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis of the socket, the flange having a rear surface adapted to face toward the panel when the annular ring engages the panel and a front surface that faces outward from panel and that is visible to a viewer of the socket, the gauge including an indicator disposed on the front surface of the flange, the gauge operable in a status mode in which the indicator indicates at least one a state of charge of the battery and a state of health of the battery, whereby when the connector is plugged into the socket, the battery provides voltage to at least one of charge and power an external mobile device, all while the viewer monitors the status of the charge of the battery via the state of charge gauge to ensure the vehicle battery is not inadvertently drained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A power port for a vehicle comprising:
-
a socket in electrical communication with a power source on a vehicle, the socket including a longitudinal axis, and a housing defining an internal bore sized and shaped to receive a corresponding plug of a device; a moveable element joined with the socket and configured to maintain the socket in a fixed orientation relative to the vehicle; and a state of charge gauge joined with the socket, the gauge in electrical communication with the power source on the vehicle, wherein the gauge includes an indicator, wherein the gauge is operable in a status mode in which the indicator selectively illuminates to indicate at least one of the state of charge of the power source on the vehicle and the state of health of the power source, and whereby when a device to be at least one of charged and powered is associated with the socket, the power source provides voltage to the device to at least one of charge and power the device, and provides voltage to the gauge so that the viewer can monitor the status of the charge of the power source via the gauge to ensure the power source is not inadvertently drained. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A battery indicator system for a recreational vehicle, the recreational vehicle having a battery with a negative terminal and a positive terminal, the battery indicator system comprising:
-
a battery clamp mounted to the negative terminal of the battery and having a battery monitor configured to monitor one or more characteristics of the battery, said battery monitor configured to determine at least one of a battery state of charge and a battery state of health based on said one or more monitored characteristics of the battery, said battery clamp capable of communicating battery related information for display on an indicator; wherein said battery related information is indicative of said at least one of said battery state of charge and said battery state of health; wherein said battery clamp provides a ground connection between the negative terminal of the battery and a vehicle chassis ground; wherein said battery monitor includes a resistive element in the electrical path between the negative terminal and the vehicle chassis ground such that a total current output from the battery flows through said resistive element; wherein said battery monitor includes current sense circuitry coupled to said resistive element to determine said total current output from the battery; and wherein said battery state of charge and said battery state of health are determined based on the total current output from the battery. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification