Starting system for an internal combustion system and method of operating same

• US 6,750,632 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Votoupal, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Rajnikant B.
• Application Number:
  US10/161,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 320/134, 320/139, 320/162, 320/103, 320/128, 320/129, 320/104, 320/135
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1446 in response to parameters of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining the performance of a starting system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. Preferably the system includes an energy supply connected with a starting motor and a charger for charging the energy supply. An electronic controller determines operating characteristics of the energy supply and starting system.

Claims

1. A starting system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an energy supply;

a starter motor connected with said engine and said energy supply;

an electronic controller connected with said engine and said starter, said electronic controller causing said energy supply to controllably apply electrical power to said starter motor thereby causing the engine to begin turning over;

wherein said electronic controller determines a first voltage applied to said starter motor at a first time period after said electrical power is applied to said starter motor;

wherein said electronic controller compares said first voltage to an expected first voltage for said first time period; and

said electronic controller determines starting system performance as a function of said comparison of said first voltage to the expected first voltage.

2. The starting system of claim 1, wherein said electronic controller determines said first voltage at about two seconds after power is applied to said starter motor.

3. The starting system of claim 1, including an energy supply temperature sensor, said temperature sensor producing a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said energy supply, wherein said electronic controller determines said expected first voltage as a function of said temperature signal.

4. The starting system of claim 1, wherein said electronic controller determines a first change in voltage rate as a function of the first voltage, a prior measurement of the first voltage, and a time elapsed between the measurement of the first voltage and the prior measurement of the first voltage;

and

wherein said electronic controller determines starting system maintenance is required as a function of said change in voltage rate.

5. The starting system of claim 3, wherein said electronic controller determines a first change in voltage rate as a function of the first voltage, a prior measurement of the first voltage, and a time elapsed between the measurement of the first voltage and the prior measurement of the first voltage;

and

wherein said electronic controller determines starting system maintenance is required as a function of said change in voltage rate.

6. The starting system of claim 4, wherein said electrical energy supply includes at least one battery.

7. The starting system of claim 5, wherein said electrical energy supply includes at least one battery.

8. The starting system of claim 6, wherein said electronic controller determines the charge state of the battery and determines that starting system maintenance is required as a function of said determination of said battery charge state.

9. The starting system of claim 8, wherein said electronic controller determines the charging state of the battery by determining whether a battery charging voltage has been applied to the battery for greater than a predetermined period of time.

10. The starting system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined period of time is at least twenty-four hours.

11. The starting system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined period of time is at least thirty-six hours.

12. The starting system of claim 1, wherein said electronic controller determines a second voltage applied to said starter motor at a second time period after said electrical power is applied to said starter motor, and said electronic controller compares said second voltage to an expected second voltage for said second time period and determines starting system performance as a function of said comparison.

13. The starting system of claim 12, wherein said electronic controller measures said second voltage at about ten seconds after electrical power is applied to said starter motor.

14. The starting system of claim 12, wherein said electronic controller determines a first change in voltage rate as a function of the first voltage, a prior measurement of the first voltage, and a time elapsed between the measurement of the first voltage and the prior measurement of the first voltage;

wherein said electronic controller determines a second change in voltage rate as a function of the second voltage, a prior measurement of the second voltage, and a time elapsed between the measurement of the second voltage and the prior measurement of the second voltage; and

wherein said electronic controller determines starting system performance as a function of said first and second change in voltage rate.

15. The starting system according to claim 14, including an energy supply temperature sensor, said temperature sensor producing a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said energy supply, wherein said electronic controller determines said expected second voltage as a function of said temperature signal.

16. The starting system of claim 14, wherein said electrical energy supply includes at least one battery.

17. The starting system of claim 16, wherein said electronic controller determines the charge state of the battery and determines starting system performance as a function of said determination of said battery charge state.

18. The starting system of claim 17, wherein said electronic controller determines the charging state of the battery by determining whether a battery charging voltage has been applied to the energy supply for greater than a predetermined period of time.

19. A method of assessing the performance of a starting system associated with an internal combustion engine, said starting system including an energy supply connected with an electronic controller and a starting motor, said energy supply supplying electrical current to the starting motor as a function of a starting signal from said electronic controller to said starting motor, said method comprising:

determining a first starting voltage at a first time subsequent to issuing said starting signal;

determining a second starting voltage at a second time subsequent to issuing said starting signal;

determining an energy supply temperature;

determining a first expected voltage for said first time as a function of said energy supply temperature;

determining a second expected voltage for said second time as a function of said energy supply temperature;

comparing said first starting voltage with said first expected voltage;

comparing said second starting voltage with said second expected voltage; and

determining the starting system performance as a function of said steps of comparing.

20. A method according to claim 19, including:

determining a state of the energy supply charging; and

determining said starting system performance as a function of said state of energy supply charging.

21. A method according to claim 20, including:

determining a first voltage change rate;

determining a second voltage change rate; and

determining said starting system performance as a function of said first and second voltage change rate.

22. A method according to claim 19, including:

determining a first battery voltage change rate;

determining a second battery voltage change rate; and

determining said starting system performance as a function of said first and second battery voltage change rate.