Coulometer

A method of determining the charge supplied by or to a storage battery including the steps of

• receiving an input signal representative of the current supplied by or to said storage battery,
• providing a signal proportional to said input signal to integrator means,
• integrating the input signal by said integrator means and providing an integrated signal output,
• detecting when the integrated signal output exceeds a predetermined threshold,
• changing the count stored in a counter when the integrated signal output exceeds the predetermined threshold,
• resetting the integrator means when the integrated signal output exceeds the predetermined threshold to begin a next integration cycle, and
• inverting the polarity of the signal provided to said integrator means for the next integration cycle when the integrated signal output exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Apparatus for monitoring the amount of charge supplied by or to a storage battery comprising

• input means adapted to receive an input signal representative of the current supplied by or to said storage battery,
• polarity inversion means for providing an output proportional to said input signal at a first polarity and for providing said output at a second inverted polarity,
• integrator means responsive to said polarity inversion means output for integrating said output to develop an output signal representative of the charge supplied by or to said storage battery,
• threshold detection means responsive to said integrator means output signal for detecting when the integrator means output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold and for providing an output indication thereof,
• means responsive to said threshold detection means output indication for resetting said integrator means, and
• counter means for counting the threshold dectection means output indications to indicate the charge available from said storage battery,
• said polarity inversion means further for alternating said polarity inversion means output polarity between said first polarity and said second polarity in response to said threshold detection means output indication.

Apparatus for monitoring the amount of charge supplied by or to a storage battery comprising

• input means adapted to receive an input signal representative of the current supplied by or to said storage battery,
• switching means responsive to said input signal at said input means for providing an output proportional to said input signal at a first polarity and for providing said output at a second inverted polarity,
• integrator means responsive to said switching means output for integrating said output to develop an output signal representative of the charge supplied by or to said storage battery,
• bipolar threshold detection means including first comparator means for establishing a positive polarity threshold and for providing an output when said integrator exceeds said positive polarity threshold, and second comparator means for establishing a negative polarity threshold and for providing an output when said integrator output reaches said negative polarity threshold,
• means responsive to said threshold detection means outputs for resetting said integrator means,
• up-down counter means for counting said threshold means outputs, the direction of count of said up-down counter means being controled by the sequence of outputs from said threshold detection means, and
• polarity inversion means responsive to said threshold detection means outputs for controlling said switching means to change said switching means output from said first polarity to said second polarity or from said second polarity to said first polarity each time said threshold detection means output occurs.

A method of determining the charge supplied by or to a storage battery including the steps of

• receiving an input signal representative of the current supplied by or to said storage battery,
• providing a signal proportional to said input signal at a first polarity or at a second inverted polarity to integrator means,
• integrating said signal by said integrator means to provide an integrated signal output,
• detecting when the integrated signal output exceeds a predetermined threshold,
• changing the count stored in a counter when the integrated signal output exceeds the predetermined threshold,
• resetting said integrator means when the integrated signal output exceeds the predetermined threshold, and
• alternating said signal proportional to said input signal between said first polarity and said second polarity in response to said integrated signal output exceeding the predetermined threshold.

A method of determining the charge supplied by or to a storage battery including the steps of

• receiving an input signal representative of the current supplied by or to said storage battery,
• providing a signal proportional to said input signal at a first polarity or at a second inverted polarity to integrator means,
• integrating said signal by said integrator means and providing an integrated signal output,
• detecting when the integrated signal output exceeds a positive polarity threshold or a negative polarity threshold,
• increasing or decreasing the count stored in a counter when the integrated signal output exceeds the positive or negative polarity threshold, said increasing or decreasing occurring in accordance with the sequence that the integrated signal output exceeds said positive or negative polarity threshold,
• resetting said integrator means when the integrated signal output exceeds the positive or negative polarity thresholds, and
• changing said signal proportional to said input signal from said first polarity to said second polarity or from said second polarity to said first polarity in response to said integrated signal output exceeding the predetermined threshold.