Battery and alternator simulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12066492-B2
Application number	US-202217697495-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2022
Priority date	Mar 17, 2022
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A battery and alternator simulator for use in testing operational capability of a battery tester includes a user interface configured to receive a user input signal associated with a desired testing condition. The simulator additionally includes a signal database includes a plurality of testing conditions and a plurality of testing signals stored thereon, each testing condition being matched with one of the plurality of testing signals. A processor is in communication with the user interface and the signal database, with the processor being configured to identify one of the testing signals based on the testing condition associated with the received user input signal. A pair of testing terminals is in operative communication with the processor and is configured to be electrically connectable to a corresponding pair of terminals on the battery tester for communicating the testing signal to the battery tester.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery and alternator simulator for use in testing operational capability of a battery tester, the simulator comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input signal corresponding to a desired battery health testing condition;
a signal database having a plurality of battery health testing conditions and a plurality of testing signal characteristics stored thereon, each battery health testing condition being associated with at least one of the plurality of testing signal characteristics;
a processor in communication with the user interface and the signal database, the processor being configured to:
identify the at least one of the testing signal characteristics associated with the battery health testing condition corresponding to the received user input signal;
facilitate generation of an electrical testing signal having the at least one of the testing signal characteristics having been identified; and

a pair of testing terminals in operative communication with the processor and configured to be electrically connectable to a corresponding pair of terminals on the battery tester for communicating the generated testing signal to the battery tester.

2. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a cranking voltage input circuit configured to receive at least a portion of the user input signal corresponding to a desired cranking status, the testing signal being generated to conform to the desired cranking status.

3. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a drop voltage input circuit configured to receive at least a portion of the user input signal corresponding to a desired drop voltage, the testing signal being generated to conform to the desired drop voltage.

4. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of battery health testing conditions in the signal database includes a good crank voltage, a warning crank voltage, and a bad crank voltage.

5. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of battery health testing conditions in the signal database includes a good voltage drop, a warning voltage drop, and a bad voltage drop.

6. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a battery tester load in response to the pair of testing terminals being electrically connected to the corresponding pair of terminals on the battery tester; and
generate a warning signal when the detected battery tester load is above a predetermined magnitude.

7. The simulator of claim 1 , further comprising a start circuit in communication with the processor, the start circuit being configured to receive a start signal from the user, the processor being configured to facilitate generation of the testing signal via the pair of testing terminals in response to receipt of the start signal.

8. The simulator of claim 1 , further comprising a display in communication with the processor for displaying information associated with the testing signal.

9. A method of testing an operational capability of a battery tester, the method comprising:
receiving, at a processor in a signal simulating device, a user input signal corresponding to a desired battery health testing condition;
identifying, using the processor, at least one of a plurality of testing signal characteristics stored on a signal database, each battery health testing condition stored on the signal database being associated with at least one of the plurality of testing signal characteristics;
generating an electrical testing signal having the at least one of the testing signal characteristics having been identified; and
communicating the generated testing signal to the battery tester via a pair of testing terminals in operative communication with the processor and configured to be electrically connectable to a corresponding pair of terminals on the battery tester.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of receiving the user input signal includes receiving a desired cranking status at a cranking voltage input circuit in operative communication with the processor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of receiving the user input signal includes receiving a desired drop voltage at a drop voltage input circuit in operative communication with the processor.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
detecting a battery tester load in response to the pair of testing terminals being electrically connected to the corresponding pair of terminals on the battery tester; and
generate a warning signal when the detected battery tester load is above a predetermined magnitude.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of receiving a start signal from the user at a start circuit in communication with the processor, the processor being configured to facilitate transmission of the testing signal via the pair of testing terminals in response to receipt of the start signal.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of displaying information associated with the testing signal on a display in communication with the processor.

15. A voltage signal simulator for use in testing operational capability of a battery tester, the simulator comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input signal corresponding to a desired battery health testing condition;
a processor in communication with the user interface and being configured to:
identify at least testing signal characteristic based on the desired battery health testing condition; and
facilitate generation of an electrical testing signal having the at least one testing signal characteristic having been identified;

a pair of testing terminals in operative communication with the processor and configured to be electrically connectable to a corresponding pair of terminals on the battery tester for communicating the testing signal to the battery tester.

16. The simulator of claim 15 , wherein the user interface includes a cranking voltage input circuit configured to receive at least a portion of the user input signal corresponding to a desired cranking status.

17. The simulator of claim 16 , wherein the user interface includes a drop voltage input circuit configured to receive at least a portion of the user input signal corresponding to a desired drop voltage.

18. The simulator of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a battery tester load in response to the pair of testing terminals being electrically connected to the corresponding pair of terminals on the battery tester; and
generate a warning signal when the detected battery tester load is above a predetermined magnitude.

Assignees

• Innova Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Pham Phuong
• Bach Ly
• Tran Tri

Classifications

• G01R31/367

  Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables · CPC title

• G01R31/3646 Primary

  for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators · CPC title

• G01R35/00 Primary

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title