Battery monitoring and deceleration dependent fuel-saving charging system

A method of controlling the output voltage delivered by a battery charging device to a battery comprising the steps of:

• (a) monitoring the state of charge of the battery;
• (b) determining whether the state of charge of the battery is above or below some predetermined charge level;
• (c) maintaining the output produced by the battery charging device at a first voltage level and a charging current when the state of charge of the battery is below the predetermined charge level and at a second voltage level when the state of charge is above the predetermined charge level, the second voltage level being lower than the first level;
• (d) monitoring the amplitude and polarity of the current load on the battery;
• (e) determining whether the current load is above or below some predetermined load amplitude;
• and
• (f) maintaining the output produced by the battery charging device at one of the first and second voltage levels when the current load is below the predetermined load amplitude and at the first voltage level when the load current is above the predetermined load amplitude.

A method of controlling the output voltage delivered by a battery charging device to a battery in an automatic vehicle comprising the steps of:

• (a) monitoring the state of charge of the battery;
• (b) determining whether the state of charge of the battery is above or below some predetermined charge level;
• (c) maintaining the output produced by the battery charging device at a first voltage level and a charging current when the state of charge of the battery is below the predetermined charge level and at a second voltage level when the state of charge is above the predetermined charge level, the second voltage level being lower than the first level;
• (d) monitoring the speed of the vehicle;
• (e) determining whether or not the vehicle is decelerating;
• and
• wherein the maintaining step (c) further comprises maintaining the voltage produced by the battery charging device at the first voltage level when the state of charge of the battery is below the predetermined charge level or when the vehicle is decelerating and at the second voltage level when the state of charge is above the predetermined charge level and the vehicle is not decelerating.

In an automotive vehicle having a battery and a battery charging device having an output voltage for charging the battery, a system for controlling the charging voltage level applied to the battery comprising:

• a first circuit for comparing the charging voltage applied to the battery to a selectable reference voltage level and regulating the battery charging voltage at the reference voltage level;
• a device for monitoring the deceleration of the automotive vehicle;
• a second circuit for monitoring the amplitude and polarity of current load on the battery;
• a third circuit for adjusting the first circuit to increase the charging voltage applied to the battery above the reference voltage level for charging the battery when the vehicle is decelerating or when the load current is above a predetermined load amplitude.

In an automotive vehicle having a battery and a battery charging device having an output voltage for charging the battery, a method of controlling the charging voltage level applied to the battery comprising:

• comparing the charging voltage applied to the battery to a selectable reference voltage level;
• regulating the battery charging voltage at the reference voltage level;
• monitoring the deceleration of the automotive vehicle;
• monitoring the amplitude and polarity of current load on the battery;
• increasing the charging voltage applied to the battery above the reference voltage level for charging the battery when the vehicle is decelerating or when the load current is above a predetermined load amplitude.