Monitoring device for electric storage battery and configuration therefor

An apparatus for testing the health of a battery having at least one pair of positive and negative terminals connected in an engine system, the apparatus comprising:

• a first detector for detecting a first voltage condition across the terminals and in response thereto indicating the battery is being operated in a state of low charge but remains capable of starting the engine;
• a second detector for detecting a second voltage condition across the terminals of the battery and in response thereto indicating the battery is being operated in a state that is impending on a state of low charge which is insufficient to start the engine;
• a display responsive to the first and second detectors for indicating the detection of the first and second voltage conditions;
• and
• first means for detecting a third voltage condition following a previous detection of the second voltage condition and causing the display to remove any indication of the previous detection.

An apparatus for distinguishing between a healthy but discharged battery and an unhealthy battery impending on a state of failure, the apparatus comprising:

• first voltage detection circuit for detecting a voltage of the battery falling below a first predetermined value;
• second voltage detection circuit for detecting the voltage of the battery falling below a second predetermined value which is less than the first predetermined value;
• a delay circuit responsive to the first voltage detection circuit for providing an indication of the rate of change of the voltage of the battery;
• first means responsive to the first voltage detection circuit for indicating the battery is healthy but discharged when the voltage of the battery falls below the first predetermined value;
• and
• second means responsive to the second voltage detection circuit and delay circuit for indicating the battery is unhealthy and impending on a state of failure if the voltage of the battery falls below the second predetermined value when the rate of change of the voltage of the battery as measured by the delay circuit is above a predetermined value.

In an electric storage battery having at least one pair of positive and negative terminals, a method of monitoring the voltage of a battery comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a voltage across said terminals relative to a first predetermined reference voltage whose value is selected to reflect said battery being maintained in a shelf mode;
• placing said battery into an engine system and momentarily connecting a load across said terminals in order to start said system;
• detecting the voltage across said terminals dropping below a second predetermined reference voltage during the momentary connection of said load across said terminals, thereby indicating said battery is in an installed mode;
• and
• adjusting the value of said first predetermined reference voltage in response to the detection of the terminal voltage dropping below said second predetermined reference voltage.

Apparatus for testing the condition of a battery used to start an engine in a vehicle, comprising:

• a first voltage detector responsive to the voltage of a battery under test and operable to measure an open circuit voltage of the battery relative to a predetermined open circuit voltage prior to engine start-up and after engine shutdown, in determination of the state of charge of the battery;
• a second voltage detector responsive to the voltage of a battery under test and operable to measure the voltage of the battery under load during engine start-up in determination of an engine start-up operation;
• a memory device responsive to a determination by the second voltage detector that an engine start-up operation has occurred, and monitoring the third voltage detector to record a determination that the voltage of the battery under load during engine start-up dropped below a predetermined level;
• a first visual indicator responsive to the determinations made by the first and third voltage detectors, and signaling that the battery under test is in good condition based upon the first voltage detector determining that the charge of the battery under test is sufficient to maintain the predetermined open circuit voltage and upon the third voltage detector determining that the battery voltage during an engine start-up operation remained above a predetermined level;
• a second visual indicator responsive to the determination made by the first voltage detector and signaling that the battery under test is in a poor state of charge based upon the first voltage detector determining that the charge of the battery under test is insufficient to maintain a predetermined open circuit voltage;
• and
• a third visual indicator responsive to the determinations made by the second and third voltage detectors, and signaling that the battery under test is in poor health based upon the second voltage detector determining that an engine start-up operation was made and upon the third voltage detector determining that the battery voltage during the engine start-up operation dropped below a predetermined level.

Apparatus for testing the condition of an automotive battery used to start an engine in a vehicle, comprising:

• a first voltage detector responsive to the voltage of a battery under test and operable to measure an open circuit voltage of the battery prior to engine start-up and after engine shutdown in determination of the state of charge of the battery;
• a second voltage detector responsive to the voltage of a battery under test and operable to measure the voltage of the battery under load during engine start-up in determination of an engine start-up operation;
• a third detector responsive to the voltage of a battery under test and operable to measure the voltage of the battery under load during engine start-up in determination of whether the battery voltage during an engine start-up operation has dropped below a predetermined level;
• a first visual indicator responsive to the determinations made by the first and third voltage detectors, and signaling that the battery under test is in good condition based upon the first voltage detector determining that the charge of the battery under test is sufficient to maintain a predetermined open circuit voltage and upon the third voltage detector determining that the battery voltage during an engine start-up operation remained above a predetermined level;
• a second visual indicator responsive to the determination made by the first voltage detector and signaling that the battery under test is in a poor state of charge based upon the first voltage detector determining that the charge of the battery under test is insufficient to maintain a predetermined open circuit voltage;
• a third visual indicator responsive to the determinations made by the second and third voltage detectors, and signaling that the battery under test is in poor health based upon the second voltage detector determining that an engine start-up operation was made and upon the third voltage detector determining that the battery voltage during the engine start-up operation dropped below a predetermined level;
• and
• a memory device coupled voltage detector and to the second voltage detector establishing a first mode of operation wherein the first voltage detector measures open circuit voltage with respect to a first voltage detection level until an engine start-up operation occurs, whereupon a second mode of operation is established wherein the first voltage detector measures open circuit voltage with respect to a second, lower voltage detection level.

An apparatus for testing the condition of a battery used to start an engine in a vehicle, comprising:

• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected discharge value and delivering a recharge battery signal in response to the preselected discharge value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage;
• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected failure value and delivering a failed battery signal in response to the preselected failure value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage;
• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected start-up value and, in response to the start-up value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage, delivering a start-up signal indicative of the engine being started, said preselected failure value being less than the preselected start-up value;
• memory means for receiving the failed battery signal, storing the failed battery signal, and delivering the signal stored therein;
• means for clearing the signal stored in the memory means in response to receiving the start-up signal, to permit a recheck of the battery during each engine start-up irrespective of the battery having failed a previous start-up test;
• and
• means for producing a first and second perceptible signal in response to respectively receiving the recharge battery signal and the stored memory means signal.

An apparatus for testing the condition of a battery used to start an engine in a vehicle, comprising:

• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected value and delivering a check battery signal in response to the preselected value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage;
• means for detecting the instantaneous operation of the vehicle engine and delivering an engine operating signal in response to detecting operation thereof;
• and
• means for generating an audible alert signal in response to receiving the check battery signal and in the absence of the operating signal whereby the audible alert signal is generated only when the engine has ceased operating.

An apparatus for testing the condition of a battery used to start an engine in a vehicle, comprising:

• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected value and delivering a check battery signal in response to the preselected value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage;
• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected start-up value and delivering a start-up signal indicative of the engine being started if the start-up value is greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage;
• means for establishing the preselected value to be a first preselected magnitude during the period of time prior to the first occurrence of the start-up signal and a second preselected magnitude during the period of time subsequent to receiving the first occurrence of the start-up signal;
• and
• means for producing a perceptible signal in response to receiving the check battery signal.

An apparatus for testing the condition of a battery used to start an engine in a vehicle, comprising:

• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected discharge value and delivering a recharge signal in response to the preselected discharge value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage;
• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected start-up value and delivering a start-up signal indicative of the engine being started in response to the start-up value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage;
• means for establishing the preselected discharge value to be a first preselected magnitude during the period of time prior to the first occurrence of the start-up signal and a second preselected magnitude during the period of time subsequent to receiving the first occurrence of the start-up signal;
• means for comparing the magnitude of the battery voltage to a preselected failure value and delivering a failed battery signal in response to the preselected failure value being greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage, said preselected failure value being less than the preselected start-up value;
• memory means for receiving the failed battery signal, storing the failed battery signal, and delivering the signal stored therein;
• means for clearing the signal stored in the memory means in response to receiving the start-up signal whereby the battery is rechecked during each engine start-up irrespective of the battery having failed a previous start-up test;
• means for producing a first and second perceptible signal in response to respectively receiving the recharge signal and the memory means signal;
• means for detecting the instantaneous operation of the vehicle engine and delivering an operating signal in response to detecting operation thereof;
• and
• means for generating an audible alert signal in response to receiving the memory means signal and in the absence of the operating signal whereby the audible alert signal is generated only when the engine has ceased operating.