Method and apparatus for sensing the status of a vehicle

US 6,362,599 B1
Filed: 09/21/2000
Issued: 03/26/2002
Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
Status: Expired due to Term

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1. A battery discharge protection system comprising:

a) a microprocessor being capable of receiving a plurality of inputs, said inputs corresponding to signals from a vehicle;

b) a plurality of electronic switches being configured for movement between an open current position and a closed current position, said closed current position connecting an electrical load to said battery, said open current position disconnecting said electrical load from said battery;

c) a gate input circuit for manipulating said switches between said open current position and said closed current position in response to an output received from said microprocessor; and

d) a bypass circuit allowing a minimal electrical current for maintaining volatile memories of an electrical component to bypass said plurality of electronic switches.

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Abstract

A battery protection system for a battery having a switching mechanism positioned intermediate to the positive terminal and an electrical load of the battery. A controller manipulates the switching mechanism between an open position and a closed position, the closed position connects the electrical load to the battery and the open position disconnects the electrical load from the battery. The battery protection system utilizes a battery state-of-charge detection system, which instructs the controller to open the switching mechanism when the detection system detects a battery state-of-charge that is lower than a threshold value. The battery protection system is also equipped with a vehicle status detection system, which instructs the controller to close the switching mechanism when a vehicle startup condition is detected by the vehicle status detection system.

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31 Claims

1. A battery discharge protection system comprising:
- a) a microprocessor being capable of receiving a plurality of inputs, said inputs corresponding to signals from a vehicle;
  
  b) a plurality of electronic switches being configured for movement between an open current position and a closed current position, said closed current position connecting an electrical load to said battery, said open current position disconnecting said electrical load from said battery;
  
  c) a gate input circuit for manipulating said switches between said open current position and said closed current position in response to an output received from said microprocessor; and
  
  d) a bypass circuit allowing a minimal electrical current for maintaining volatile memories of an electrical component to bypass said plurality of electronic switches.

2. A battery protection system, comprising:
- a) a switching mechanism positioned between a positive terminal of a battery and any electrical load greater than a minimal electrical current for maintaining volatile memories of an electrical component, said switching mechanism being adapted to disconnect and reconnect the electrical load from said battery;
  
  b) a battery state-of-charge detection system, said battery state-of-charge protection system having a controller for operating said switching mechanism when said battery state-of-charge detection system detects a battery state-of-charge that is lower than a threshold value.
- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- - 3. A battery protection system as in claim 2, further comprising:
4. A battery protection system as in claim 3, further comprising:
- d) a manual override switch for disconnecting said battery from said electrical load.
5. A battery protection system as in claim 4, further comprising:
- e) a controller bypass system, said controller bypass system prevents said manual override switch from disconnecting said battery when a critical vehicle function is detected by said vehicle status detection system.
6. A battery protection system as in claim 2, further comprising:
- c) a vehicle status detection system being adapted to sense a battery re-connect condition, said vehicle status detection system provides a signal to said controller when said battery re-connect condition is detected by said vehicle status detection system.
7. A battery protection system as in claim 6, wherein said battery re-connect condition is a movement of a brake pedal which activates a taillight, the activation of said taillight causing a current fluctuation which is detected by said vehicle status detection system.
8. A battery protection system as in claim 6, wherein said battery re-connect condition is a movement of an ignition switch from an off position to a start position creates an increased voltage demand which is detected by said vehicle status detection system.
9. A battery protection system as in claim 6, wherein said battery re-connect condition is an opening of a car door which creates an increased voltage demand which is detected by said vehicle status detection system.
10. A battery protection system as in claim 6, further comprising:
- d) a controller bypass system, said controller bypass system prevents said controller from operating said switching mechanism when a critical vehicle function is detected.
11. A battery protection system as in claim 10, wherein said critical vehicle function is an activation of a hazard light of an automobile.
12. The battery protection system as in claim 11, wherein the detection of said hazard light of said automobile is facilitated by measuring waveforms generated between said positive terminal and a negative terminal of said battery and comparing the measured waveforms to waveform patterns stored in a memory of said vehicle status detection system.
13. A battery protection system as in claim 10, wherein said critical vehicle function is an operation of an engine.
14. The battery protection system as in claim 13, wherein the detection of said engine of said automobile is facilitated by measuring waveforms generated between said positive terminal and a negative terminal of said battery and comparing the measured waveforms to waveform patterns stored in a memory of said vehicle status detection system.
15. A battery protection system as in claim 6, wherein said vehicle status detection system includes a means for measuring and comparing waveforms produced between said positive terminal and a negative terminal of said battery.
16. The battery protection system as in claim 15, wherein said vehicle status detection system compares said waveforms to waveforms stored in a memory of said vehicle status detection system.
17. The battery protection system as in claim 16, wherein said vehicle status detection system sends a signal to said controller preventing said controller from operating said switching mechanism into said open current position when a waveform corresponding to a critical vehicle function is detected by said vehicle status detection system.
18. The battery detection system as in claim 17, wherein said waveform corresponding to said critical vehicle function is an AC waveform produced by a running automobile engine.
19. The battery detection system as in claim 18, wherein said waveform corresponding to said critical vehicle function is an AC waveform produced by flashing hazard lights of an automobile.
20. The battery protection system as in claim 2, wherein said battery state-of-charge detection system measures and compares the time rate of change of said battery discharge curves to discharge curves stored in a microprocessor memory.
21. The battery protection system as in claim 2, wherein the battery protection system is installed on a surface of said battery.

22. A device for protecting an automobile lead-acid battery from an over-discharged condition due to an electrical load, said device comprising:
- a) an electronic switch interposed between a battery output terminal and any battery electrical load;
  
  b) a means for determining the state-of-charge of said battery as a function of the discharge due to said electrical load;
  
  c) a means for determining the battery voltage below which the continued reduction in said state-of-charge of said battery would result in an over-discharged condition;
  
  d) a means for causing said electronic switch to transition from a closed-circuit condition to an open-circuit condition, thereby preventing said over-discharged condition; and
  
  e) a means for causing said electronic switch to transition from said open-circuit condition to said closed-circuit condition when a fluctuation in said load occurs.

23. A method for determining whether a battery is coupled to an engine that is running, comprising:
- a) sampling waveforms generated in between a pair of terminals of said battery;
  
  b) comparing the sampled waveforms to waveforms stored in a memory of a microcontroller, one of said waveforms stored in said microcontroller is substantially similar to the waveform generated across said pair of terminals by a running engine; and
  
  c) determining if the sampled waveforms are similar to said waveforms stored in said microcontroller corresponding to said running engine.
- View Dependent Claims (24)
- - 24. The method as in claim 23, further comprising:

25. A method for determining whether a battery is coupled to an electrical load, comprising:
- a) sampling waveforms generated in between a pair of terminals of said battery;
  
  b) comparing the sampled waveforms generated in between said pair of terminals of said battery to a plurality of waveforms stored in a memory of a microcontroller, said plurality of waveforms stored in said microcontroller correspond to waveforms generated across said pair of terminals by various electrical loads; and
  
  c) determining if waveforms generated in between said pair of terminals are similar to one of said plurality of waveforms stored in said microcontroller.
- View Dependent Claims (26)
- - 26. The method as in claim 25, further comprising:

27. A method for maintaining the state of charge in a battery, comprising:
- measuring a time rate of change of the battery voltage;
  
  comparing the measured time rate of change to battery discharge curves stored in a microprocessor memory;
  
  disconnecting all electrical loads from the battery except for a bypass circuit being adapted to conduct a minimal amount of current when the time rate of change is equal to a predetermined undesirable battery discharge curve;
  
  detecting a steep change in voltage of said bypass current, said steep change in voltage being related to a fluctuation in the load that is presented to the battery; and
  
  reconnecting all electrical loads to the battery upon detection of said steep change in voltage of said bypass circuit.
- View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
- - 28. The method as in claim 27, wherein said fluctuation is caused by an illumination of an interior light of a vehicle.
  - 29. The method as in claim 27, further comprising:
30. The method as in claim 29, wherein said microcontroller utilizes pattern recognition software for comparing the sampled waveforms to said plurality of waveforms stored in said microcontroller.
31. The method as in claim 27, wherein the reconnection of said electrical loads to said battery is not perceivable to a vehicle operator.

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Litigation Data

Current Assignee
LX Tech, LLC (Endpoint IP LLC)
Original Assignee
Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
Inventors
Cameron, Gary Andrew, Rajashekara, Kaushik, Turner, Steven Richard
Primary Examiner(s)
Wong, Peter S.
Assistant Examiner(s)
TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE

Application Number

US09/667,332
Time in Patent Office

551 Days
Field of Search

320/104, 320/135, 320/136, 361/86, 361/92, 340/825.17, 340/825.06, 318/280, 318/283
US Class Current

320/135
CPC Class Codes

H02H 7/18   for batteries; for accumula...

H02J 7/0063   with circuits adapted for s...

H02J 7/007182   in response to battery voltage

Method and apparatus for sensing the status of a vehicle

First Claim

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Abstract

94 Citations

31 Claims

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Method and apparatus for sensing the status of a vehicle

First Claim

5 Assignments

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Accused Products

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Abstract

94 Citations

31 Claims

Specification

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