Modular battery tester for scan tool

• US 20040036443A1
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Granted Patent: US 6,967,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electronic battery tester includes battery test circuitry configured to couple to a battery. A databus is configured to exchange data with external circuitry.

Claims

1. An electronic battery tester comprising:

battery test circuitry configured to couple to a battery;

a databus configured to exchange data with a scan tool of the type used to diagnose the vehicle operation; and

a Kelvin connection configured to couple to the battery.

2. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including a Kelvin connection configured to couple to the battery.

3. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the battery tester is configured to measure a dynamic parameter of the battery as a function of an applied forcing function.

4. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 including a memory configured to store data related to dynamic voltage and dynamic current measurements.

5. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the data stored in the memory is time stamped.

6. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus comprises a physical connection.

7. The electronic battery tester of claim 6 wherein the databus is in accordance with the RS232 communication standard.

8. The electronic battery tester of claim 6 wherein the databus is in accordance with the RS485 communication standard.

9. The electronic battery tester of claim 6 wherein the databus is in accordance with the J1939 communication standard.

10. The electronic battery tester of claim 6 wherein the databus is in accordance with the J1850 communication standard.

11. The electronic battery tester of claim 6 wherein the databus is in accordance with the CAN communication standard.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to broadcast data on the databus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the data is related to voltage.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the data is related to conductance.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to receive power from a battery under test.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to receive power from the scan tool.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 including an internal power source configured to power the battery test circuitry.

18. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus comprises a non-physical connection.

19. The electronic battery tester of claim 18 wherein the non-physical connection comprises an infrared connection.

20. The electronic battery tester of claim 18 wherein the non-physical connection comprises a radio frequency (RF) connection.

21. The battery tester of claim 1 wherein the databus is in accordance with the OBD (on-board databus) standard.

22. The electronic battery of claim 1 wherein the databus is configured to carry data to a printer.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry includes memory containing text messages configured for transmission on the databus.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry is configured to transmit an instruction on the databus which causes the scan tool to display a text message.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry comprises a microprocessor.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry sends analog data on the databus scan tool.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery test circuitry sends digitized data on the databus to the scan tool.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 including a memory.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the memory is in accordance with the secure digital (SD) standard.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the memory is in accordance with a multi-media interface (MMC) standard.

31. A scan tool configured to couple to the databus of the electronic battery test circuitry of claim 1.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the scan tool includes a microprocessor configured to convert data received on the databus in accordance with a battery rating standard.

33. The scan tool of claim 31 including a display configured to display information in response to data received on the databus from the electronic battery tester.