Integrated battery service system

• US 7,089,127 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Somaltus LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Wisneski, Leonard, Brott, Alejandro P., Willems, Paul A., Goetzelmann, Alan D., Jonker, Gary, Thibedeau, Dennis G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/460,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 702/63, 702/64, 320/132, 320/163
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle

Abstract

An integrated battery service system performs a plurality of services related to a battery, such as battery testing, battery charging, and the like. In addition, the integrated service system provides services to devices/components that are coupled to the battery, such as starters, alternators, etc. The integrated battery service system allows a user to abort a service and then resume the process from where the process was aborted. When conducting a service, the integrated battery service system determines a noise level caused by devices/components coupled to the battery. The integrated battery service system includes connectors configured to couple to a battery for receiving input signals, a processor coupled to the connectors, and a memory device coupled to the processor for storing control codes and operation history. The control codes, when executed by the processor, control the system to selectively abort a service in response to a user input. Since the memory stores operation histories, the processor may access the memory to retrieve data related to the aborted service and parameters obtained during the service before the process was aborted. The system reinstates the aborted service in response to another user input.

Claims

1. A system for conducting a service on a vehicle comprising:

connectors configured to couple to a battery of the vehicle;

an input device;

a processor coupled to the connectors and the input device for executing control codes to carry out the service; and

a memory device coupled to the processor for storing the control codes;

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the system to perform the steps of;

performing the service;

aborting the service in response to a first specific event; and

reinstating the peformed aborted service in response to a second specific events;

wherein the service is a battery test service, an alternator test or a starter test.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first specific event is a first user input received from the input device, and the second specific event is a second user input received from the input device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first specific event is an indication of system power low, and the second specific event is an indication of power of the system being restored.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates a report providing information obtained up to the point where the service was terminated.

5. A system for conducting a service on a vehicle comprising:

connectors configured to couple to a battery of the vehicle;

an input device;

a processor coupled to the connectors and the input device for executing control codes to carry out the service; and

a memory device coupled to the processor for storing the control codes;

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the battery service system to perform the steps of;

aborting the service in response to a first specific event; and

reinstating the aborted service in response to a second specific event;

wherein the first specific event is an indication of an improper connection between the system and the battery, and the second specific event is an indication of a proper connection being restored between the system and the battery.

6. A battery service system for obtaining a testing condition of a battery, comprising:

connectors configured to connect to the battery for receiving input signals;

a memory device for storing control codes and a first reference parameter; and

a processor coupled to the connectors and the memory device;

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the battery service system to perform the machine-implemented steps of;

obtaining multiple measurements of a specific battery parameter by determining the specific battery parameter based on the input signals multiple times; and

determining the testing condition based on the first reference parameter, the multiple measurements of the specific battery parameter, and a determination rule;

wherein the testing condition indicates whether noise affects the multiple measurements of the specific batter parameter.

7. The battery service system of claim 6, wherein

the first reference parameter is a specific range;

and

the determination rule requires that the variations of the multiple measurements of the specific battery parameter fall within the specific range.

8. The battery service system of claim 7, wherein the processor determines the battery as stable if the changes of the multiple measurements of the specific battery parameter fall within the specific range.

9. The battery service system of claim 7, wherein, in response to the battery being stable, the processor is configured to further perform the machine-implemented step of comparing the multiple measurements of the specific battery parameter and a second reference parameter.

10. A battery service system for obtaining a testing condition of a battery, comprising:

connectors configured to connect to the battery for receiving input signals;

a memory device for storing control codes and a first reference parameter; and

a processor coupled to the connectors and the memory device;

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the battery service system to perform the machine-implemented steps of;

obtaining multiple battery parameters by determining a battery parameter based on the input signals multiple times; and

determining the testing condition based on the first reference parameter, the multiple battery parameters, and a determination rule;

wherein in response to the battery being stable, the processor is configured to further perform the machine-implemented step of comparing the multiple battery parameters and a second reference parameter, and

wherein the processor is configured to carry out the following machine-implemented steps in response to the multiple battery parameters being larger than the second reference parameter;

measuring an open circuit parameter of the battery based on the input signals;

determining a battery response to a reference load coupled to the battery;

decoupling the reference load from the battery;

measuring a change in the battery response; and

determining a test noise status based on the battery response.

11. The battery service system of claim 10, wherein the battery service system determines that test noise is acceptable based on the change in the battery response and a third reference parameter.

12. A vehicle service system for conducting a process on a vehicle, comprising:

connectors configured to connect to a battery of the vehicle to receive input signals;

a memory device for storing control codes and a reference threshold generated based on the battery response to a reference load coupled to the battery; and

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the battery service system to carry out the machine-implemented steps of;

determining a parameter based on the input signals;

comprising the parameter and the reference parameter based on a determination rule; and

initiating the process based on a result of the comparing step.

13. A system for conducting a service comprising:

connectors configured to couple to a battery;

an input device for receiving control signals;

a processor for executing control codes to carry out the service; and

a memory device configured for storing the control codes;

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the battery service system to perform the steps of;

monitoring the operation of the service;

saving parameters obtained during the service;

terminating the service in response to a first specific event;

recording an interruption point of the service;

accessing information related to the interruption point in response to a second specific event; and

resuming the service from the interruption point.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first specific event is a first user input received from the input device, and the second specific event is a second user input received from the input device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first specific event is an indication of an improper connection between the battery service system and the battery, and the second specific event is an indication of a proper connection between the battery service system and the battery being restored.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first specific event is an indication of system power low, and the second specific event is an indication of power of the battery service system being restored.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor generates a report providing information obtained up to the point where the service was terminated.

18. A method for conducting a service comprising the machine-implemented steps of:

monitoring the operation of the service;

saving parameters obtained during the service;

terminating the service in response to a first specific event;

recording an interruption point of the battery process;

accessing information related to the interruption point in response to a second specific event; and

resuming the service from the interruption point.

19. The battery system of claim 18, wherein the first specific event is a first user input received from the input device, and the second specific event is a second user input received from the input device.

20. The battery service system of claim 18, wherein the first specific event is an indication of an improper connection between the battery service system and the battery, and the second specific event is an indication of a proper connection between the battery service system and the battery being restored.

21. The battery service system of claim 18, wherein the first specific event is an indication of system power low, and the second specific event is an indication of power of the battery service system being restored.

22. The battery service system of claim 18, wherein the processor generates a report providing information obtained up to the point where the battery service was terminated.

23. A system comprising:

connectors configured to couple to a battery for receiving input signals;

a processor coupled to the connectors;

a memory device coupled to the processor for storing data and control codes;

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the system to perform a battery test, a battery charge service and at least one of an alternator test and a starter test.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the control codes, upon execution of by the processor, control the battery service system to sequentially perform a battery test, a starter test, an alternator test and a battery charge service.

24. The system of claim 32, wherein the control codes, upon execution of by the processor, control the battery service system to perform the battery test, the starter test, the alternator test and the battery charge service in a predetermined sequence.

26. A system for testing an electrical component, comprising:

connectors configured to connect to the electrical component for receiving input signals;

a memory device for storing control codes and a reference threshold; and

a processor coupled to the connectors and the memory device;

wherein the control codes, when executed by the processor, control the system to perform the machine-implemented steps of;

obtaining multiple measurements of a specific parameter of the electrical components by determining the specific parameter multiple times; and

determining a testing condition based on the reference threshold, the multiple measurements of the specific parameter, and a determination rule;

wherein the testing condition indicates whether noise affects the multiple measurements of the specific parameter.