Electronic battery tester with tailored compensation for low state-of charge

• US 5,821,756 A
• Filed: 09/26/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Champlin, Keith S., Bertness, Kevin I., McShane, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, GLENN WARNER
• Application Number:
  US08/721,618
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 324/427, 324/429, 324/430, 320/106, 320/162, 340/636
• US Class Current: 324/430
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/379 for lead-acid batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables

Abstract

Various embodiments of an improved electronic device for testing or monitoring storage batteries that may be only partially charged are disclosed. The device determines the battery'"'"'s small-signal dynamic conductance in order to provide either a proportional numerical readout, displayed in appropriate battery measuring units, or a corresponding qualitative assessment of the battery'"'"'s relative condition based upon its dynamic conductance and electrical rating. The device also determines the battery'"'"'s terminal voltage in an essentially unloaded condition and utilizes this information to automatically correct the measured dynamic conductance. The automatic correction is performed by the electronic device using information or functions which are tailored for the particular type of battery being tested. By virtue of this automatic correction, the quantitative or qualitative information displayed to the user conforms with that of a fully-charged battery even though the battery may, in actual fact, be only partially charged. If the battery'"'"'s state-of-charge is too low for an accurate assessment to be made, no information is displayed. Instead, an indication is made to the user that the battery must be recharged before testing.

Claims

1. An electronic device for monitoring or testing a battery having one of a plurality of battery types associated therewith, comprising:

input circuitry for receiving information related to the type of the battery;

dynamic battery parameter determining circuitry for determining an intermediate dynamic parameter of the battery;

open circuit voltage sense circuitry coupled to the battery for sensing an open circuit voltage of the battery;

correction circuitry coupled to the dynamic battery parameter determining circuitry, to the open circuit voltage sense circuitry and to the input circuitry which adjusts the determined intermediate dynamic parameter based upon the battery type information and upon a value of the open circuit voltage of the battery;

output circuitry coupled to the correction circuitry for providing test results indicative of the condition of the battery, wherein the test results are provided as a function of the adjusted intermediate parameter.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the test results comprise qualitative results in conformance with the adjusted intermediate dynamic parameter relative to a reference dynamic parameter value.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the correction circuitry comprises a microprocessor and wherein digital representations of the open circuit voltage and the intermediate dynamic parameter are both inputted to the microprocessor and combined algorithmically to adjust the intermediate dynamic parameter.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the output circuitry provides a special indication when the open circuit voltage is less than a predetermined value and suppresses the test results when the open-circuit voltage is less than the predetermined value.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the dynamic battery parameter determining circuitry comprises:

a time varying current source coupled to the battery for providing a current therethrough;

voltage response sense circuitry for sensing a response voltage between two terminals of the battery developed in response to the current flowing therethrough; and

detection circuitry coupled to the sense circuitry for determining the intermediate dynamic parameter of the battery based upon the current and the sensed response voltage.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein the time varying current source comprises a load.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the dynamic battery parameter determining circuitry comprises:

a time varying voltage source for applying a time varying voltage between two terminals of the battery;

current response sense circuitry for sensing a current flowing through the battery developed in response to the time varying voltage applied thereto;

detection circuitry coupled to the sense circuitry for determining the intermediate dynamic parameter of the battery based upon the time varying voltage and the sensed response current.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the current response sense circuitry senses current flowing through a load.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the intermediate parameter of the battery is a dynamic couductance of the battery, and wherein the correction circuitry adjusts the dynamic conductance in inverse correspondence with the value of the open circuit voltage of the battery.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the test results comprise numbers proportional to the adjusted intermediate dynamic conductance.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the intermediate dynamic parameter of the battery is a dynamic resistance of the battery, and wherein the correction circuitry adjusts the dynamic resistance in direct correspondence with the value of the open circuit voltage of the battery.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the test results comprise numbers inversely proportional to the adjusted intermediate dynamic resistance.