3838results about "Testing electric installations on transport" patented technology

The present invention relates to a system and method for diagnosing and isolating problems and for monitoring operting conditions on an automobile. The system includes a hand held unit and a master station which can operate alone or in unison to accomplish functions such as logging and displaying data on a real-time basis, logging data remotely and displaying the data at a later time, diagnosing fault conditions, monitoring operating parameters, reprogramming on-board vehicle controllers, displaying service manual and service bulletin pages and ordering parts on-line.

PCT No. PCT / NZ96 / 00060 Sec. 371 Date Dec. 22, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Dec. 22, 1997 PCT Filed Jun. 20, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97 / 01103 PCT Pub. Date Jan. 9, 1997A battery monitoring system includes a circuit for use with a battery which is one of a defined (quantified re volts supplied at known current loads at known discharge levels) type of battery such as the lead-acid batteries used in vehicles. Preferred embodiments monitor at least the battery voltage under load while measuring the drawn current and use stored numerical information in order to determine whether the battery has been discharged down to a predetermined limit; one which generally retains enough charge to perform a defined act such as starting an engine. If the battery is so depleted a non-critical load (e.g. accessories) is disconnected by a switch. Changes in the non-critical load are monitored and the non-critical load is reconnected for a predetermined period when a change is detected in order to start the engine.

A method of characterizing a signal path includes (i) generating a reference spread-spectrum signal; (ii) coupling the reference spread-spectrum signal into the signal path while the signal path is carrying an operational signal; (iii) receiving a reflected spread-spectrum signal from the signal path generated in response to the reference spread-spectrum signal; and (iv) correlating the reflected spread-spectrum signal with the reference spread-spectrum signal to produce a correlation result corresponding to a characteristic of the signal path.

A system and method that utilizes direct sequence spread spectrum signal (DSSS) encoding to enable testing of a live wire, wherein an original data signal is modified and then transmitted along the wire, and a reflected signal is collected and analyzed using correlation techniques to determine characteristics of the live wire, including the location of a fault.

A hybrid vehicular powertrain includes an electrical energy storage device. State-of-life for the electrical energy storage device is predictively determined based on electrical current, state-of-charge, and temperature of the electrical energy storage device during active and quiescent periods of operation.

An energy storage system determined to be at an operating point indicative of incipient threat to its condition is permitted to continue power flow for a duration that is a function of the state of charge before a diagnosis of a critical state of charge condition is rendered. If the state of charge returns to an acceptable region before the duration expires, no diagnosis of a critical state of charge condition is rendered. Generally, the duration increases as the state of charge trends toward the region of acceptable state of charge and decreases as the state of charge trends away from the region of acceptable state of charge.

Sate-of-life for an electrical energy storage device is predictively determined based on electrical current, state-of-charge, and temperature of the electrical energy storage device during active and quiescent periods of operation.

An electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery includes test circuitry configured to provide a battery test output related to a condition of the battery. A memory stores a battery tester address of the battery tester, and communication circuitry transmits the battery test output formatted with the battery tester address on a communication link to a remote location.

A battery monitor is provided for use with a battery of an automotive vehicle. The battery monitor can provide real time battery condition measurements and can selectively control the charging of the battery through an alternator of the vehicle based upon the measured battery condition.

An automotive vehicle electrical system diagnostic apparatus includes first and second electrical connections configured to electrically couple to an electrical system of an automotive vehicle which includes a battery. Digital samples are obtained during operation of the vehicle which are related to the system. The digital samples are stored in memory.

Systems and methods for health management of rechargeable batteries are disclosed. In one embodiment, a rechargeable battery system includes a rechargeable battery, and a battery health management unit operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery and including a state of health module configured to estimate a battery health by receiving battery-related data and predicting one or more failure modes. The state of health module may further include a prognostic failure mode component configured to combine at least one flight data variable with at least one model-based prognostic. In alternate embodiments, the battery health management unit may further include a state of life module and a state of charge module.

Systems and methods which utilize spread spectrum sensing on live circuits to obtain information regarding a circuit under test are provided. In some embodiments S / SSTDR testing may be utilized to obtain R, L, C and Z measurements from circuit components. In yet further embodiments, these measurements may be utilized to monitor the output of sensors on a circuit.

A method and a device for detecting at least one sensor malfunction of at least one first sensor of at least one first vehicle, at least one first signal from the at least one first sensor of the at least one first vehicle being ascertained and this at least one first signal being compared according to predefined comparison criteria to at least one comparison variable, at least one further second signal from at least one second sensor of at least one further second vehicle being ascertained as this at least one comparison variable and the at least one sensor malfunction being detected in the at least one first vehicle as a function of the comparison.

The hand-held portable tester provides an improved system and method for testing storage batteries, vehicle starting systems and vehicle charging systems. The system and method more accurately calculates tests results for multiple types of storage batteries. The system and method provides a convenient charging system test that is completed at a single engine speed. In addition, the hand-held portable tester provides a coded or encrypted output for battery tests that can be identified with the battery to ensure compliance with battery return policies and detour fraud. A system and method of decoding or decrypting the output is also provided.

An automotive vehicle electrical system diagnostic apparatus includes first and second electrical connections configured to electrically couple to an electrical system of an automotive vehicle which includes a battery. Digital samples are obtained during operation of the vehicle which are related to the system. The digital samples are stored in memory.

An automotive vehicle electrical system diagnostic apparatus includes first and second electrical connections configured to electrically couple to an electrical system of an automotive vehicle which includes a battery. Digital samples are obtained during operation of the vehicle which are related to the system. The digital samples are stored in memory.

Disclosed herein are a variety of different electrical system topologies intended to mitigate the impact of large intermittent loads on a 12 volt vehicle power distribution system. In some embodiments the intermittent load is disconnected from the remainder of the system and the voltage supplied to this load is allowed to fluctuate. In other embodiments, the voltage to critical loads is regulated independently of the voltage supplied to the remainder of the system. The different topologies described can be grouped into three categories, each corresponding to a different solution technique. One approach is to regulate the voltage to the critical loads. A second approach is to isolate the intermittent load that causes the drop in system voltage. The third approach is to use a different type of alternator that has a faster response than the conventional Lundell wound field machine.

A detachable cartridge unit and an auxiliary unit combined forms a functional component for a data processing system. The cartridge unit is configured to receive a variety of auxiliary units in order to form different functional components and perform different functions. The circuit board of the cartridge unit contains circuits and components common to each functional component. The auxiliary unit contains components and circuits unique to the function that the auxiliary unit represents. The cartridge unit comprises a circuit board, a housing containing the circuit board, a first connector coupled to the circuit board for connecting to a data processing system, a second connector coupled to the circuit board, and a grip movably connected to the housing with a hinge. The auxiliary unit includes an auxiliary circuit board, an auxiliary connector coupled to the auxiliary circuit board for detachably connecting to the second connector, an auxiliary housing containing the auxiliary circuit board, a guide for guiding the auxiliary connector to connect to the second connector via a predetermined path, and an auxiliary grip movably connected to the auxiliary housing with a hinge.

An alternator tester includes an alternator output measurement circuit configured to measure an electrical output of an alternator. A microprocessor determines a alternator condition as a function of the electrical output. The microprocessor encrypts information and provides an encrypted output which is related to the alternator electrical output. A method includes outputting such encrypted data.

A battery capacity measuring device in accordance with the present invention has a fully-charged state detector (80e), a detected current integrator (80a), a divider (80b), and a corrector (80c) incorporated in a microcomputer (80). The fully-charged state detector detects that a battery is fully charged. The detected current integrator integrates current values that are detected by a current sensor during a period from the instant the battery is fully charged to the instant it is fully charged next. The divider divides the integrated value of detected current values by the length of the period. The corrector corrects a detected current using the quotient provided by the divider as an offset. Furthermore, a remaining battery capacity calculating system comprises a voltage detecting unit (50), a current detecting unit (40), an index calculating unit, a control unit, and a calculating unit. The voltage detecting unit detects the voltage at the terminals of a battery. The current detecting unit detects a current flowing through the battery. The index calculating unit calculates the index of polarization in the battery according to the detected current. The control unit controls the output voltage of an alternator so that the index of polarization will remain within a predetermined range which permits limitation of the effect of polarization on the charged state of the battery. When the index of polarization remains within the predetermined range, the calculating unit calculates the remaining capacity of the battery according to the terminal voltage of the battery, that is, the open-circuit voltage of the battery.

A leakage detection circuit for an electric vehicle includes a battery pack, first and second leakage detection switches, a controller, a leakage detection resistor, a voltage detector, and a calculator. The first and second leakage detection switches are connected to the high and low voltage sides of the battery pack, respectively. The battery pack includes a plurality of batteries that are connected in series. The midpoint of the leakage detection resistor is connected to the ground via the first and second leakage detection switches. The controller alternately turns the first and second leakage detection switches ON. Thus, the voltage detector detects leakage voltage values that are generated in the leakage detection resistor. The controller turns the first and second leakage detection switches ON and OFF, respectively, to detect a first leakage voltage value of the leakage voltage values. On the other hand, the controller turning the first and second leakage detection switches OFF and ON, respectively, to detect a second leakage voltage value of the leakage voltage values. Consequently, the calculator detects leakage based on the first and second leakage voltage values.

Classifying a portion of an electrical signal propagating through a conductor includes digitizing the electrical signal to provide a digitized signal, providing a plurality of stored digitized signals, wherein each stored digitized signal corresponds to a type of fault for the conductor, comparing the digitized signal to each of the stored digitized signals to determine a score therefore, if the score is less than a predetermined value for a particular one of the stored digitized signals, classifying the portion of the electrical signal as a fault corresponding to the particular one of the stored digitized signals, and, if none of the scores are less than the predetermined value, classifying the portion of the electrical signal as having no fault. Classifying a portion of an electrical signal may also include converting the digitized electrical signal to reflection coefficients.

An electronic battery tester and method includes generating battery test data from an electronic battery test. The battery test data is transmitted over a wireless communication medium. In another aspect, a method and apparatus is provided for receiving battery test data from a wireless communication medium.

The invention discloses an intelligent electric quantity protection method of an electric unmanned aerial vehicle. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining a current remaining electric quantity of a battery in real time; obtaining coordinate information of a current position of an electric unmanned aerial vehicle in real time and calculating a security electric quantity needed for security protection command execution by the electric unmanned aerial vehicle at the current position according to the coordinate information of the current position of the electric unmanned aerial vehicle; determining whether the current remaining electric quantity is larger than the security electric quantity; and if not, executing a corresponding security protection command immediately. With the intelligent electric quantity protection method, the electric unmanned aerial vehicle can be protected effectively and intelligently in real time; an electric unmanned aerial vehicle accident caused by insufficient electric capacity can be avoided; and the battery utilization rate is also improved. In addition, the invention also provides an electric unmanned aerial vehicle using the intelligent electric quantity protection method.