Vehicle Battery Monitoring via TCU for Start Failure Prediction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for assessing vehicle battery health require physical connection to the battery, are infrequent, and do not provide advanced warnings of potential issues, limiting their utility and requiring mechanic intervention.
Innovation Solution
A method using a Telematics Control Unit (TCU) to remotely monitor vehicle battery voltage and ignition states during driving cycles, determining parameters like SOC, SOH, and starting probability factors, which are then used to generate real-time information for users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical connection methods are used to assess battery health, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates and loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical mechanical connection (crocodile clamps, DC ampclamp) with a telematics-based electronic monitoring system. The TCU continuously monitors battery parameters through electrical connections already present in the vehicle, eliminating the need for physical attachment of test devices and enabling remote assessment without mechanic intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of battery health information by continuously measuring and transmitting battery parameters (voltage, current, temperature) to a remote server. This digital representation allows remote analysis and assessment without requiring physical presence at the battery, solving the contradiction between measurement precision and ease of operation.
2Device complexity
If infrequent manual testing is performed, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of battery monitoring deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous monitoring of battery parameters by the TCU throughout vehicle operation, rather than periodic manual testing. The system continuously collects voltage, current, and temperature data, enabling real-time detection of battery degradation and providing reliable early warnings of potential failures without requiring complex additional hardware.
3Measurement precision
If manual testing by mechanics is required, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service battery monitoring where the vehicle's own TCU performs continuous assessment and communicates battery status to the owner or fleet manager. This eliminates the need for external mechanics to perform manual testing, allowing immediate detection of issues and reducing vehicle downtime while maintaining accurate battery health assessment.
4Ease of operation
If remote monitoring is implemented, then ease of operation is improved and productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the existing TCU, which serves multiple functions including telematics communication, to also perform battery monitoring. By utilizing an already-present multi-functional device rather than adding dedicated battery monitoring hardware, the system achieves remote monitoring capability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Vehicle battery voltage data is received from a telematics control unit (TCU) of a vehicle during multiple driving cycles, and analysed to determine a state of health (SOH) and state of charge (SOC) of the battery. The TCU also provides data relating to the state of an ignition switch of the vehicle for use in analysing the voltage data. A starting probability factor for the vehicle is determined and monitored. Information about the ability of the battery to start the vehicle is output to the user.