# US 2013/0154543 A1 · Method and apparatus for providing supplemental power to an engine

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- Number: US 2013/0154543 A1
- Document ID: US20130154543A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/768,534
- Filed: 2013-02-15
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2008-01-03
- Assignees: F.D. Richardson Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors: Francis D. Richardson; Richard L. Henderson; John A. Fox; Russell W. Sherwood
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154543A1

## CPC

- H02J 7/68: using circuits for correcting or protecting against reverse-polarity
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/62: in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
- B60L 53/68: Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- H02J 7/62: against overcurrent
- H02J 7/64: against overvoltage
- H02J 7/65: against overtemperature
- F02N 11/0866: {comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries}
- F02N 11/10: Safety devices (F02N11/08 takes precedence)
- F02N 11/12: Starting of engines by means of mobile, e.g. portable, starting sets
- F02N 11/14: Starting of engines by means of electric starters with external current supply (F02N11/12 takes precedence)
- H02J 1/10: Parallel operation of DC sources
- H02J 2105/33: exchanging power with road vehicles
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method and apparatus provides supplemental power to an engine. The method and apparatus includes a pair of conductive leads for connecting the supplemental power to an engine electrical system, one or more batteries connected in parallel with one or more capacitors, a relay connected to the conductive leads, a shunt cable connecting the batteries and capacitors to the relay and a processor for controlling the relay to selectively apply electrical power to the engine electrical system. The method and apparatus includes safety features to reduce the risk of injury to the operator and damage to the apparatus and/or engine electrical system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for delivering supplemental power from a portable jump starter to an engine comprising the steps of:
positioning said portable jump starter proximate the engine;
temporarily manually connecting conductive leads from said portable jump starter to the electrical system of the engine;
automatically selecting a voltage output of one or more system batteries housed in said portable jump starter and one or more system capacitors housed in said portable jump starter,
verifying the polarity of the conductive leads;
providing an alert if said polarity is incorrect;
assessing the voltage level of said electrical system;
applying power from said system batteries and said system capacitors to said electrical system;
monitoring the current output of said system batteries and said system capacitors;
measuring one or more voltage levels to determine one or more fault conditions;
examining the current through a shunt cable; and
electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said electrical system when the engine starts.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 including determining the temperature of said shunt cable.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein if said temperature reaches a predetermined limit, electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said electrical system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 including calculating the resistance of said shunt cable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 including calibrating said shunt cable.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said selecting step includes selecting a voltage from the group consisting of 12 volts, 18 volts, 24 volts, 30 volts, 36 volts, 42 volts and 48 volts.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein said voltage is 18 volts or 30 volts.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said verifying step includes comparing the voltage level of said electrical system to the voltage level of said supplemental battery.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said assessing step includes charging an engine battery connected to said electrical system if the voltage of said engine battery is below a predetermined level.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 including the step of monitoring a charging voltage of said system batteries and said capacitors.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein when said charging voltage rises to a threshold value and then decreases by a predetermined percentage, charging of said engine battery is complete.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said assessing step includes comparing the voltage level of said electrical system to a supplement power voltage setting, whereas if the difference between said electrical system voltage and said supplement power voltage setting is greater than a predetermined limit, indicating a fault condition.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step includes closing a relay.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step includes recording operational data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step includes recording the number of start attempts.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein said applying step includes starting a timer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein said applying step includes opening said relay upon expiration of said timer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring step includes monitoring the temperature of said system batteries.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein if a temperature limit is reached electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said electrical system.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein if a temperature limit is reached electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said electrical system to reduce the risk of fire.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein if said current through said shunt cable exceeds a first limit within a first period, electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said electrical system.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21 wherein if said current through said shunt cable exceeds a second limit within a second period, electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said electrical system.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein if said current through said shunt cable geometrically increases over a predetermined period, electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said electrical system.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said electrically disconnecting step includes opening a relay.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said electrically disconnecting step includes recharging said system batteries and said system capacitors for a predetermined time before opening a relay to electrically disconnect said conductive leads from said electrical system.

### Claim 26

A portable jump starter for delivering supplemental power to an engine comprising:
a pair of conductive leads for temporarily connecting the jump starter to an electrical system of the engine;
one or more jump starter batteries;
one or more jump starter capacitors connected in parallel to said one or more jump starter batteries;
a relay connected to said conductive leads;
a shunt cable connecting said jump starter batteries and said jump starter capacitors to said relay; and
a processor for controlling said relay to selectively apply electrical power from said jump starter batteries and said jump starter capacitors to said electrical system of the engine.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a voltage sensor for measuring the voltage level of said one or more jump starter batteries and said one or more capacitors.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a voltage sensor coupled to said one or more capacitors for detecting an over voltage condition of said one or more capacitors.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a reverse voltage sensor for measuring the difference between the voltage level of said one or more jump starter batteries and said one or more capacitors and the voltage level of the electrical system.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a relay voltage sensor for measuring the voltage across said relay.

### Claim 31 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a battery temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of said one ore more jump starter batteries.

### Claim 32 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a shunt cable temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of said shunt cable.

### Claim 33 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a sensor for measuring the current through said shunt cable.

### Claim 34 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a sensor for measuring the voltage across said shunt cable.

### Claim 35 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a display coupled to said processor to provide instructions and status information about said jump starter.

### Claim 36 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a plurality of indicators coupled to said processor to provide status information.

### Claim 37 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a keypad coupled to said processor for providing input to said processor and controlling operational access to the jump starter.

### Claim 38 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a thermal switch coupled to said shunt cable and electrically coupled to said relay, whereas if a temperature of said shunt cable exceeds a predetermined limit, said thermal switch interrupts power to said relay thereby electrically disconnecting said conductive leads from said system batteries.

### Claim 39 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a voltage output selector coupled to said one or more jump starter batteries and said one or more capacitors for selectively providing a voltage output of 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42 or 48 volts.

### Claim 40 (depends on 26)

The jump starter of claim 26 further comprising a diode connected across said relay to permit charging of said one or more jump starter batteries and said one or more capacitors by said electrical system.