BATTERY RUN DOWN INDICATOR

• US 20080252437A1
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I., McMahan, Nick
• Granted Patent: US 7,808,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/455
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045

Abstract

An automotive vehicle battery monitor includes an electrical connection configured to electrically couple to an electrical system of the vehicle. An output provides a visual indication related to a condition of the battery. A mount mounts the output at a location at which the output is visible from outside of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle battery monitor, comprising:

an electrical connection configured to electrically couple test circuitry to an electrical system of the vehicle;

an output, coupled to the test circuitry, configured to provide a visual indication related to a condition of the battery; and

a mount configured to mount the output at a location at which the output is visible from outside of the vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical connection is configured to electrically couple to an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD)-II connection of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual output comprises a light emitting diode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test circuitry measures a voltage of the battery.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual output comprises a flashing light source.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mount is configured to mount to a windshield of the vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mount comprises a suction cup.

8. An automotive vehicle battery monitor, comprising:

test circuitry configured to connect to an electrical system of the vehicle and to provide vehicle battery condition information and vehicle identification information; and

communication circuitry, coupled to the test circuitry, configured to communicate the vehicle battery condition information and the vehicle identification information to a central receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the test circuitry is configured to electrically couple to an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD)-II connection of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the test circuitry is configured to obtain a voltage of the vehicle battery from the OBDII connection of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the test circuitry is further configured to obtain vehicle identification information from the OBDII connection of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the central receiver comprises a map that associates the vehicle identification information with vehicle location information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the central receiver is configured to associate, using the map, the vehicle location information with the vehicle battery condition information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the central receiver is configured to couple to an Internet connection.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the vehicle location information with the vehicle battery condition information are accessible using a Web browser.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the central receiver is configured to couple to an Intranet connection.

17. A method comprising:

electrically coupling test circuitry to an electrical system of a vehicle;

obtaining, using the test circuitry, a measurement of the vehicle battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, the obtained measurement indicative of a condition of the vehicle battery; and

providing, using the test circuitry, information related to the condition of the battery to a vehicle location tracking system that tracks a vehicle location independently of any information provided from the test circuitry.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle location tracking system is configured to output information related to the condition of the battery in addition to the vehicle location information.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein obtaining, using the test circuitry, a measurement of the vehicle battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, comprises obtaining, using the test circuitry, the measurement of the vehicle battery from an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD)-II connection of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the measurement obtained from the OBDII connection is vehicle battery voltage.