Vehicle Battery Voltage Monitoring for Replacement Event Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring vehicle battery health in fleets require manual input of battery age and replacement dates, and lack automated detection of battery replacement events, which can lead to unexpected failures, especially in electric vehicles where self-discharge affects low-voltage batteries.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using machine learning and statistical analysis to identify discernible changes in voltage profiles from a telematics device connected to the vehicle battery, monitoring voltage measurements during engine off and on states to automatically detect battery replacement by analyzing resting voltage profiles and interruptions in power supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual tracking of battery age and replacement dates is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and reliability of battery health monitoring deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects battery replacement events by monitoring voltage profiles without requiring manual driver input. The telematics device self-monitors voltage characteristics and the server automatically identifies replacement events through pattern recognition, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating manual tracking requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking methods with electronic voltage monitoring and automated server-side analysis. Instead of manually recording battery information, the system uses electrical measurements and computational algorithms to detect replacement events, substituting human operation with automated electronic systems.
2Measurement precision
If automated detection of battery replacement events is implemented, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the detection task into two segments: the telematics device in the vehicle collects voltage data and performs initial processing, while the remote server performs complex pattern recognition and replacement event identification. This segmentation distributes computational complexity across multiple components, reducing the burden on any single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary between the telematics device and the fleet management system. It receives voltage data, performs sophisticated analysis to detect replacement events, and then communicates results back, mediating the complex processing requirements and shielding the vehicle's telematics device from excessive complexity.
3Measurement precision
If voltage monitoring during both engine off and on states is performed, then measurement precision improves, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs voltage monitoring periodically during engine off states and during engine on states, rather than continuously. This periodic sampling approach captures the necessary voltage profile characteristics while allowing the system to enter low-power modes between measurements, reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring strategy changes parameters based on engine state - different sampling rates and thresholds are applied during engine off versus engine on conditions. This adaptive parameter adjustment optimizes measurement precision for each state while minimizing energy consumption by intensifying monitoring only when necessary.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A server (16) arranged to remotely and automatically detect replacement of a vehicle battery (6) associated with a vehicle engine (5) comprises: a communications device (20) configured to receive vehicle battery voltage measurements from a telematics device (10) in a vehicle, the telematics device connected to or incorporating a voltage monitoring unit for the vehicle battery (6); and one or more processors (18) configured to process the vehicle battery voltage measurements. The processor(s) (18) monitor the voltage measurements in a first time window corresponding to an engine off state and assess when the voltage measurements in the first time window indicate a step change in voltage magnitude at a given time. The step change is then used to automatically identify a vehicle battery replacement event.