Electronic battery testing device

Claim 2

An electronic device for testing a direct current energy source comprising: a. high-gain amplifier means receiving dc power through amplifier dc power terminals; b. internal voltage-feedback means, including low-pass filter means, interconnecting the output and the input of said high-gain amplifier means; c. external current-feedback means, including feedback resistor means, conducting a current from the output of said high-gain amplifier means through said direct current energy source. d. oscillator means producing a periodic oscillator signal, siad oscillator means receiving dc power through oscillator dc power terminals connectd directly in parallel with said amplifier dc power terminals; e. voltage summing and coupling means adding voltage derived from said periodic oscillator signal to the voltage across said direct current energy source, and capacitively coupling the sum voltage to the input of said high-gain amplifier means; f. detector means producing a dc output signal in response to the ac voltage component across said feedback resistor means; and g. display means responsive to the level of said dc output signal.

Claim 3

An electronic device as in claim 1 wherein said display means displays numbers proportional to said dc output signal.

Claim 4

An electronic device as in claim 2 wherein said numbers are cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 5

An electronic device as in claim 1 including temperature compensation means for adjusting the level of said dc output signal in accordance with the temperature of said direct current energy source.

Claim 6

An electronic device as in claim 1 including rating adjustment means for changing the level of said dc output signal in accordance with the electrical range of said direct current energy source, and said display means displays qualitative conditions of said direct current energy source.

Claim 7

An electronic device as in claim 5 wherein said rating adjustment means comprises a variable resistance, and said electrical rating is described in numbers that are linearly related to the resistance value of said variable resistance.

Claim 8

An electronic device as in claim 6 wherein said electrical rating is described in cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 9

An electronic device as in claim 6 wherein said electrical rating is described in ampere-hour numbers.

Claim 10

An electronic device for testing a direct current energy source comprising: a. high-gain amplifier means; b. internal voltage-feedback means, including low-pass filter means, interconnecting the output and the input of said high-gain amplifier means; c. external current-feedback means, including feedback resistor means, conducting a current from the output of said high-gain amplifier means through said direct current energy source; d. oscillator means producing a periodic oscillator signal; e. voltage summing and coupling means adding a voltage derived from said periodic oscillator signal to the voltage across direct current energy source, and capacitively coupling the sum voltage to the input of said high-gain amplifier means; f. detector means, including an analog switch means and a continuously-powered operational amplifier means, said analog switch means conducting a signal from the output of said high-gain amplifier means to the input of said continuously-powered operational amplifier means while being periodically turned on and off in synchronism with said periodic oscillator signal; and, g. measuring and displaying means deriving a display signal from the output of said continuously-powered operational amplifier means and providing a visual display in response to the level of said display signal.

Claim 11

An electronic device for testing a direct current energy source comprising: a. high-gain amplifier means; b. internal voltage-feedback means, including low-pass filter means, interconnecting the output and the input of said high-gain amplifier means; c. external current-feedback means, including feedback resistor means, conducting a current from the output of said high-gain amplifier means through said direct current energy source; d. oscillator means producing a periodic oscillator signal; e. voltage summing and coupling means adding a voltage derived from said periodic oscillator signal to the voltage across direct current energy source, and capacitively coupling the sum voltage to the input of said high-gain amplifier means; f. detector means, including an analog switch means and a continuously-powered operational amplifier means, said analog switch means conducting a signal from the output of said high-gain amplifier means to the input of said continuously-powered operational amplifier means while being periodically turned on and off in synchronism with said periodic oscillator signal; and, g. measuring and displaying means deriving a display signal from the output of said continuously-powered operational amplifier means and providing a visual display in response to the level of said display signal.

Claim 12

An electronic device as in claim 9 wherein said measuring and displaying means displays numbers proportional to said display signal.

Claim 13

An electronic device as in claim 10 wherein said numbers are cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 14

An electronic device as in claim 9 including temperature compensation menas for adjusting the level of said display signal in accordance with the temperature of said direct current energy source.

Claim 15

An electronic device as in claim 9 including rating adjustment means for changing the level of said display signal in accordance with the electrical rating of said direct current energy source, and said measuring and displaying means displays qualitative conditions of said direct current energy source.

Claim 16

An electronic device as in claim 13 wherein said rating adjustment means comprises a variable resistance, and said electrical rating is described in numbers that are linearly related to the resistance value of said variable resistance.

Claim 17

An electronic device as in claim 14 wherein said electrical rating is described in cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 18

An electronic device as in claim 14 wherein said electrical rating is described in ampere-hour numbers.

Claim 19

An electronic device for testing a direct current energy source comprising: a. high-gain amplifier means; b. internal voltage-feedback means, including low-pass filter means, interconnecting the output and the input of said high-gain amplifier means; c. external current-feedback means, including feedback resistor means, conducting a current from the output of said high-gain amplifier means through said direct current energy source. d. oscillator means including analog switch means, constant voltage means, and synchronizing means, said analog switch means conducting a signal from said constant voltage means to the output of said oscillator means while being switched on and off at a periodic rate by said synchronizing means, thereby producing a periodic oscillator signal at said output of said oscillator means; e. voltage summing and coupling means adding a voltage derived from said periodic oscillator signal to the voltage across said direct current energy source and capacitively coupling the sum voltage to the input of said high-gain amplifier means; f. detector means producing a dc output signal in response to the ac voltage component across said feedback resistor means; and, g. display means responsive to the level of said dc output signal.

Claim 20

An electronic device for testing a direct current energy source comprising: a. high-gain amplifier means; b. internal voltage-feedback means, including low-pass filter means, interconnecting the output and the input of said high-gain amplifier means; c. external current-feedback means, including feedback resistor means, conducting a current from the output of said high-gain amplifier means through said direct current energy source. d. oscillator means including analog switch means, constant voltage means, and synchronizing means, said analog switch means conducting a signal from said constant voltage means to the output of said oscillator means while being switched on and off at a periodic rate by said synchronizing means, thereby producing a periodic oscillator signal at said output of said oscillator means; e. voltage summing and coupling means adding a voltage derived from said periodic oscillator signal to the voltage across said direct current energy source and capacitively coupling the sum voltage to the input of said high-gain amplifier means; f. detector means producing a dc output signal in response to the ac voltage component across said feedback resistor means; and, g. display means responsive to the level of said dc output signal.

Claim 21

An electronic device as in claim 17 wherein said display means displays numbers proportional to said dc output signal.

Claim 22

An electronic device as in claim 18 wherein said numbers are cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 23

An electronic device as in claim 17 including temperature compensation means for adjusting said dc output signal in accordance with the temperature of said direct current energy source.

Claim 24

An electronic device as in claim 17 including rating adjustment means for setting the level of said dc output signal in accordance with the electrical rating of said direct current energy source, and said display means denotes qualitative conditions of said direct current energy source.

Claim 25

An electronic device as in claim 21 wherein said rating adjustment means comprises a variable resistance, and said electrical rating is described in numbers that are linearly related to the resistance value of said variable resistance.

Claim 26

An electronic device as in claim 22 wherein said electrical rating is described in cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 27

An electronic device as in claim 22 wherein said electrical rating is described in ampere-hour numbers.

Claim 28

An electronic device for testing a direct current energy source comprising: a. high-gain amplifier means receiving dc power from power-supplying contacts contacting the direct current energy source; b. internal voltage-feedback means, including low-pass filter means, interconnecting the output and the input of said high-gain amplifier means; c. external current-feedback means, including feedback resistor means, conducting a current from the output of said high-gain amplifier means through said direct current energy source by means of said power-supplying contacts; d. oscillator means receiving dc power from said power-supplying contacts and producing a periodic oscillator signal current, e. voltage summing and coupling means, including a pair of voltage-sensing contacts contacting said direct current energy source, and viewing resistor means, said summing and coupling means adding the voltage across said viewing resistor means to the voltage across said voltage-sensing contacts and capacitively coupling the summed voltage to the input of said high-gain amplifier means; f. voltage injection means passing said periodic oscillator signal current from the output of said oscillator means through said viewing resistor means thereby producing a periodic signal voltage thereacross; g. dectector meand converting the ac voltage component across said feedback resistor means to a dc output signal; and h. display means responsive to the level of said dc output signal.

Claim 29

An electronic device for testing a direct current energy source comprising: a. high-gain amplifier means receiving dc power from power-supplying contacts contacting the direct current energy source; b. internal voltage-feedback means, including low-pass filter means, interconnecting the output and the input of said high-gain amplifier means; c. external current-feedback means, including feedback resistor means, conducting a current from the output of said high-gain amplifier means through said direct current energy source by means of said power-supplying contacts; d. oscillator means receiving dc power from said power-supplying contacts and producing a periodic oscillator signal current, e. voltage summing and coupling means, including a pair of voltage-sensing contacts contacting said direct current energy source, and viewing resistor means, said summing and coupling means adding the voltage across said viewing resistor means to the voltage across said voltage-sensing contacts and capacitively coupling the summed voltage to the input of said high-gain amplifier means; f. voltage injection means passing said periodic oscillator signal current from the output of said oscillator means through said viewing resistor means thereby producing a periodic signal voltage thereacross; g. dectector meand converting the ac voltage component across said feedback resistor means to a dc output signal; and h. display means responsive to the level of said dc output signal.

Claim 30

An electronic device as in claim 25 wherein said display means displays numbers proportional to said dc output signal.

Claim 31

An electronic device as in claim 26 wherein said numbers are cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 32

An electronic device as in claim 25 including temperature compensation means for adjusting said dc output signal in accordance with the temperature of said direct current energy source.

Claim 33

An electronic device as in claim 25 including rating adjustment means for changing the level of said dc output signal in accordance with the electrical rating of said direct current energy source, and said display means displays qualitative conditions of said direct current energy source.

Claim 34

An electronic device as in claim 29 wherein said rating adjustment means comprises a variable resistance, and said electrical rating is described in numbers that are linearly related to the resistance value of said variable resistance.

Claim 35

An electronic device as in claim 30 wherein said electrical rating is described in cold-cranking ampere numbers.

Claim 36

An electronic device as in claim 30 wherein said electrical rating is described in ampere-hour numbers.

Claim 39

The system as set forth in claim 33 wherein the means for responding includes a computer.

Claim 40

The system as set forth in claim 33 wherein the means for responding provides a numerical display with numbers linearly related to the output signal level.

Claim 41

The system as set forth in claim 33 including means for adjusting the output signal level in accordance with a selected rating, wherein the means for responding identifies qualitative conditions of the supply.

Claim 44

The system as set forth in claim 37 wherein the means for responding includes a computer.

Claim 45

The system as set forth in claim 37 wherein the means for responding provides a numerical display with numbers linearly related to the output signal level.

Claim 46

The system as set forth in claim 37 including means for adjusting the output signal level in accordance with a selected rating, wherein the means for responding identifies qualitative conditions of the supply.