US 5,471,135 AGranted

Tester and method for testing a rectifier-regulator

OwnerEric Jagger, Hyung Paekinventors

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Abstract

A tester and method for testing a rectifier-regulator. A ramping voltage generator generates a ramping input voltage during each of a multiplicity of ramping cycles in response to ramping voltage control signals provided by a controller. A relay circuit relays the ramping input voltage to one of the input terminals of the rectifier-regulator during each ramping cycle in response to relay control signals provided by the controller. The rectifier-regulator provides in response a ramping output voltage at its output terminal during each of the ramping cycles. A voltage measurement circuit makes voltage measurements during each of the ramping cycles representing the ramping output voltage. A trip point determination circuit determines when the trip point of the rectifier-regulator occurs during each of the ramping cycles and generates in response a trip point signal during each of the ramping cycles indicating that the trip point has occurred. A memory stores a predefined maximum trip point voltage and a predefined minimum trip point voltage. The controller estimates the trip point voltage for each ramping cycle in response to the trip point signal and the voltage measurements. It then compares the estimated trip point voltage for each of the ramping cycles with the stored predefined maximum and minimum voltages and generates a trip point error flag indicating that a trip point error has occurred for each of the ramping cycles where the compared trip point voltage does not fall within a range between the stored predefined maximum and minimum voltages.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A tester for testing a rectifier-regulator, said rectifier-regulator including a multiplicity of input terminals for each receiving an input voltage from an alternator and an output terminal for providing in response an output current at an output voltage to a battery, said rectifier-regulator having a trip point at which said output current is regulated by said rectifier-regulator and at which said output voltage is a trip point output voltage, said tester comprising;

a ramping voltage generator configured to generate a ramping input voltage during each of a multiplicity of ramping cycles in response to a ramping control signal for each ramping cycle;
a relay circuit configured to relay said ramping input voltage to one of said input terminals during each ramping cycle in response to relay control signals for each ramping cycle, said rectifier-regulator providing in response a ramping output voltage at said output terminal during each of said ramping cycles;
a trip point determination circuit configured to (A) determine when said trip point occurs during each of said ramping cycles and (B) generate in response a trip point signal during each of said ramping cycles indicating that said trip point has occurred;
a voltage measurement circuit configured to make voltage measurements during each of said ramping cycles representing said ramping output voltage;
a memory configured to store a predefined maximum trip point voltage and a predefined minimum trip point voltage;
a controller configured to (A) generate said ramping control signals, (B) generate said relay control signals, (C) estimate said trip point output voltage for each ramping cycle in response to said trip point signal and said voltage measurements, (D) compare said estimated trip point voltage for each of said ramping cycles with said stored predefined maximum and minimum voltages, and (E) generate a trip point error flag indicating a trip point error for each of said ramping cycles for which said compared trip point voltage does not fall within a range between said stored predefined maximum and minimum voltages.

3 more elements

A method of testing a rectifier-regulator, said rectifier-regulator including a multiplicity of input terminals for each receiving an input voltage from an alternator and an output terminal for providing in response an output current at an output voltage to a battery, said rectifier-regulator having a trip point at which said output current is regulated by said rectifier-regulator and at which said output voltage is a trip point output voltage, said method comprising the steps of;

generating a ramping voltage control signal for each of a multiplicity of ramping cycles;
generating a ramping input voltage during each of said ramping cycles in response to said ramping voltage control signals;
generating relay control signals for each of said ramping cycles;
relaying said ramping input voltage to one of said input terminals during each ramping cycle in response to said relay control signals, said rectifier-regulator providing in response a ramping output voltage at said output terminal during each of said ramping cycles;
determining when said trip point occurs during each of said ramping cycles and generating in response a trip point signal during each of said ramping cycles indicating that said trip point has occurred;
making voltage measurements during each of said ramping cycles representing said ramping output voltage;
estimating said trip point output voltage for each ramping cycle in response to said trip point signal and said voltage measurements;
storing a predefined maximum trip point voltage and a predefined minimum trip point voltage;
comparing said estimated trip point voltage for each of said ramping cycles with said stored predefined maximum and minimum voltages;
and
generating a trip point error flag indicating a trip point error for each of said ramping cycles for which said compared trip point voltage does not fall within a range between said stored predefined maximum and minimum voltages.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.