U.S. patent application number 15/049483 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-16 for battery tester for electric vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is Midtronics, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kevin I. Bertness.
Application Number | 20160171799 15/049483 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43465860 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160171799 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bertness; Kevin I. |
June 16, 2016 |
BATTERY TESTER FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Abstract
Testing or diagnostics are performed on an electric vehicle. The
vehicle is operated and current flow through a system of the
vehicle is monitored. A voltage related to the system is also
monitored. Diagnostics are provided based upon the monitored
voltage and the monitored current.
Inventors: |
Bertness; Kevin I.;
(Batavia, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Midtronics, Inc. |
Wilowbrook |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
43465860 |
Appl. No.: |
15/049483 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12888689 |
Sep 23, 2010 |
9274157 |
|
|
15049483 |
|
|
|
|
12174894 |
Jul 17, 2008 |
8306690 |
|
|
12888689 |
|
|
|
|
60970319 |
Sep 6, 2007 |
|
|
|
60950182 |
Jul 17, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L 58/16 20190201;
B60L 50/40 20190201; Y02T 10/7077 20130101; B60L 7/18 20130101;
G01R 31/3842 20190101; B60L 1/14 20130101; B60L 1/02 20130101; B60L
1/003 20130101; G01R 31/385 20190101; B60L 2240/36 20130101; B60L
3/0046 20130101; B60L 3/12 20130101; Y02T 10/7005 20130101; B60L
58/10 20190201; G07C 5/0808 20130101; Y02T 10/7022 20130101; G01R
31/007 20130101; Y02T 10/70 20130101; B60L 2250/16 20130101; Y02T
10/7061 20130101; Y02T 10/7072 20130101; B60L 50/16 20190201; B60L
58/22 20190201 |
International
Class: |
G07C 5/08 20060101
G07C005/08; G01R 31/36 20060101 G01R031/36; B60L 11/18 20060101
B60L011/18; G01R 31/00 20060101 G01R031/00 |
Claims
1. A method of testing an electrical system of an electric vehicle,
comprising: operating the electric vehicle; coupling to a databus
of the electric vehicle; monitoring data on the databus and
retrieving information related to current flowing into a system of
the electric vehicle during the step of operating; monitoring data
on the databus and retrieving information related to a voltage of
the system during the step of operating; and diagnosing the
electric vehicle based upon the monitored current and the monitored
voltage.
2. The method of claim 1 including instructing an operator
regarding operation of the electric vehicle.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein diagnosing includes comparing
monitored current and monitored voltage with nominal values.
4. The method of claim 1 including wirelessly communicating
information.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the databus comprises an OBDII
databus.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the system comprises a battery
pack of the vehicle.
7. The method of claim 6 including monitoring a second system of
the vehicle.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second system comprises a
regenerative braking system of the vehicle.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein diagnosing comprises monitoring
energy output from the regenerative braking system and monitoring
energy input into the battery pack.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the diagnosing further comprises
determining efficiency of a transfer of energy recovered from the
regenerative braking system and stored in the battery pack.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the system comprises a block of
cells of a battery pack of the electric vehicle.
12. The method of claim 11 including monitoring a second block of
at least one or more cells of the battery pack.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the diagnosing comprises
comparing a parameter of the first block of cells with a parameter
of the second block of cells.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the diagnosing comprises
measuring a parameter of the system.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the parameter comprises a
dynamic parameter.
16. The method of claim 1 including providing an output to an
operator of the electric vehicle.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the output comprises
instructions related to operation of the vehicle for use in
performing the step of diagnosing.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the electric vehicle comprises a
hybrid vehicle.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the system comprises an electric
generator coupled to an internal combustion engine of the electric
vehicle.
20. The method of claim 19 including monitoring a second system of
the electric vehicle, wherein the second system comprises a battery
pack and the step of diagnosing comprises determining efficiency of
storage of energy from the generator by the battery pack.
21-44 (canceled).
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a Continuation-In-Part of Ser.
No. 12/174,894, filed Jul. 17, 2008, which is based on and claims
the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No.
60/950,182, filed Jul. 17, 2007, and U.S. provisional patent
application Ser. No. 60/970,319, tiled Sep. 6, 2007, the contents
of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to test equipment for electric
vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a
tester for testing electrical systems of an electric vehicle.
[0003] Various types of electronic battery tester are known in the
art. Electronic battery techniques have been pioneered by
Midtronics, Inc. of Willowbrook, Ill. and Dr. Keith S. Champlin.
Examples are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,911, issued
Mar. 25, 1975, to Champlin; U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,708, issued Sep.
30, 1975, to Champlin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,768, issued Mar. 28,
1989, to Champlin; U.S. Pat. No, 4,825,170, issued Apr. 25, 1989,
to Champlin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,038, issued Nov. 14, 1989, to
Champlin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,416, issued Mar. 27, 1990, to
Champlin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,269, issued Aug. 18, 1992, to
Champlin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,380, issued Aug. 30, 1994; U.S. Pat.
No. 5,572,136, issued Nov. 5, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,355, issued
Nov. 12, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,416, issued Dec. 10, 1996; U.S.
Pat. No. 5,585,728, issued Dec. 17, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,757,
issued Dec. 31, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,093, issued Jan. 7, 1997;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,098, issued Jan. 28, 1997; U.S. Pat. No.
5,656,920, issued Aug. 12, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,192, issued
May 26, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,756, issued Oct. 13, 1998; U.S.
Pat. No. 5,831,435, issued Nov. 3, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,858,
issued Feb. 16, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,605, issued Jun. 22,
1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,829, issued Aug. 31, 1999; U.S. Pat. No.
6,002,238, issued Dec. 14, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,751, issued
Mar. 14, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,777, issued Mar. 14, 2000; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,051,976, issued Apr. 18, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,098,
issued Jun. 27, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,245, issued Jul. 18,
2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,167, issued Aug. 15, 2000; U.S. Pat. No.
6,137,269, issued Oct. 24, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,156, issued
Dec. 19, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,483, issued Jan. 9, 2001; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,172,505, issued Jan. 9, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,369,
issued Apr. 24, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,808, issued May 1, 2001;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,124, issued Jun. 19, 2001; U.S. Pat. No.
6,259,254, issued Jul. 10, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,563, issued
Jul. 17, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,896, issued Sep. 25, 2001; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,294,897, issued Sep. 25, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,087,
issued Oct. 16, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,481, issued Oct. 30,
2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,607, issued Nov. 6, 2001; U.S. Pat. No.
6,313,608, issued Nov. 6, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,914, issued
Nov. 13, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,650, issued Nov. 27, 2001; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,329,793, issued Dec. 11, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,762,
issued Dec. 18, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,113, issued Dec. 18,
2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,102, issued Feb. 26, 2002; U.S. Pat. No.
6,359,441, issued Mar. 19, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,303, issued
Mar. 26, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,031, issued Apr. 23, 2002; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,392,414, issued May 21, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,669,
issued Jul. 9, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,158, issued Jul. 23, 2002;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,585, issued Aug. 17, 2002; U.S. Pat. No.
6,437,957, issued Aug. 20, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,445,158, issued
Sep. 3, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,045; U.S. Pat. No. 6,466,025,
issued Oct. 15, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,908, issued Oct. 15,
2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,466,026, issued Oct. 15, 2002; U.S. Pat. No.
6,469,511, issued Nov. 22, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,990, issued
Dec. 17, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,209, issued Dec. 24, 2002; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,507,196, issued Jan. 14, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,993;
issued Mar. 18, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,078, issued Apr. 8, 2003;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,019, issued Apr. 29, 2003; U.S. Pat. No.
6,566,883, issued May 20, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,941, issued
Jul. 1, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,597,150, issued Jul. 22, 2003; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,621,272, issued Sep. 16, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,314,
issued Sep. 23, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,165, issued Oct. 14,
2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,635,974, issued Oct. 21, 2003; U.S. Pat. No.
6,707,303, issued Mar. 16, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,737,831, issued
May 18, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,744,149, issued Jun. 1, 2004; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,759,849, issued Jul. 6, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,382,
issued Aug. 24, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,788,025, filed Sep. 7, 2004;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,795,782, issued Sep. 21, 2004; U.S. Pat. No.
6,805,090, filed Oct. 19, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,716, filed Oct.
19, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,850,037, filed Feb. 1, 2005; U.S. Pat.
No. 6,850,037, issued Feb. 1, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,151, issued
Mar. 22, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,885,195, issued Apr. 26, 2005; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,888,468, issued May 3, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,378,
issued May 10, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,906,522, issued Jun. 14, 2005;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,906,523, issued Jun. 14, 2005; U.S. Pat. No.
6,909,287, issued Jun. 21, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,914,413, issued
Jul. 5, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,483, issued Jul. 5, 2005; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,930,485, issued Aug. 16, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,933,727,
issued Aug. 23, 200; U.S. Pat. No. 6,941,234, filed Sep. 6, 2005;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,967,484, issued Nov. 22, 2005; U.S. Pat. No.
6,998,847, issued Feb. 14, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,003,410, issued
Feb. 21, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,003,411, issued Feb. 21, 2006; U.S.
Pat. No. 7,012,433, issued Mar. 14, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,015,674,
issued Mar. 21, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,034,541, issued Apr. 25,
2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,039,533, issued May 2, 2006; U.S. Pat. No.
7,058,525, issued Jun. 6, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,081,755, issued
Jul. 25, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,106,070, issued Sep. 12, 2006; U.S.
Pat. No. 7,116,109, issued Oct. 3, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,119,686,
issued Oct. 10, 2006; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,126,341, issued Oct. 24,
2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,154,276, issued Dec. 26, 2006; U.S. Pat. No.
7,198,510, issued Apr. 3, 2007; U.S. Pat. No. 7,363,175, issued
Apr. 22, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,208,914, issued Apr. 24, 2007; U.S.
Pat. No. 7,246,015, issued Jul. 17, 2007; U.S. Pat. No. 7,295,936,
issued Nov. 13, 2007; U.S. Pat. No. 7,319,304, issued Jan. 15,
2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,363,175, issued Apr. 22, 2008; U.S. Pat. No.
7,398,176, issued Jul. 8, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,408,358, issued
Aug. 5, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,425,833, issued Sep. 16, 2008; U.S.
Pat. No. 7,446,536, issued Nov. 4, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,763,
issued Jan. 20, 2009; U.S. Pat. No. 7,498,767, issued Mar. 3, 2009;
U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,795, issued Mar. 10, 2009; U.S. Pat. No.
7,505,856, issued Mar. 17, 2009; U.S. Pat. No. 7,545,146, issued
Jun. 9, 2009; U.S. Pat. No. 7,557,586, issued Jul. 7, 2009; U.S.
Pat. No. 7,595,643, issued Sep. 29, 2009; U.S. Pat. No. 7,598,699,
issued Oct. 6, 2009; U.S. Pat. No. 7,598,744, issued Oct. 6, 2009;
U.S. Pat. No. 7,598,743, issued Oct. 6, 2009; U.S. Pat. No.
7,619,417, issued Nov. 17, 2009; U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,786, issued
Jan. 5, 2010; U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,787, issued Jan. 5, 2010; U.S.
Pat. No. 7,656,162, issued Feb. 2, 2010; U.S. Ser. No. 09/780,146,
filed Feb. 9, 2001, entitled STORAGE BATTERY WITH INTEGRAL BATTERY
TESTER; U.S. Ser. No. 09/756,638, filed Jan. 8, 2001, entitled
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING BATTERY PROPERTIES FROM
COMPLEX IMPEDANCE/ADMITTANCE; U.S. Ser. No. 09/862,783, filed May
21, 2001, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING CELLS AND
BATTERIES EMBEDDED IN SERIES/PARALLEL SYSTEMS; U.S. Ser. No.
09/880,473, filed Jun. 13, 2001; entitled BATTERY TEST MODULE; U.S.
Ser. No. 10/042,451, filed Jan. 8, 2002, entitled BATTERY CHARGE
CONTROL DEVICE; U.S. Ser. No. 10/109,734, filed Mar. 28, 2002,
entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COUNTERACTING SELF DISCHARGE IN A
STORAGE BATTERY; U.S. Ser. No. 10/112,998, filed Mar. 29, 2002,
entitled BATTERY TESTER WITH BATTERY REPLACEMENT OUTPUT; U.S. Ser.
No. 10/263,473, filed Oct. 2, 2002, entitled ELECTRONIC BATTERY
TESTER WITH RELATIVE TEST OUTPUT; U.S. Serial No. 10/310,385, filed
Dec. 5, 2002, entitled BATTERY TEST MODULE; U.S. Ser. No.
10/653,342, filed Sep. 2, 2003, entitled ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER
CONFIGURED TO PREDICT A LOAD TEST RESULT; U.S. Ser. No. 09/653,963,
filed Sep. 1, 2000, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING
POWER GENERATION AND STORAGE; U.S. Ser. No. 10/174,110, filed Jun.
18, 2002, entitled DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT CONTROL USING AN
INTELLIGENT POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; U.S. Ser. No. 10/258,441,
filed Apr. 9, 2003, entitled CURRENT MEASURING CIRCUIT SUITED FOR
BATTERIES; U.S. Ser. No. 10/681,666, filed Oct. 8, 2003, entitled
ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER WITH PROBE LIGHT; U.S. Ser. No.
10/791,141, filed Mar. 2, 2004, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
AUDITING A BATTERY TEST; U.S. Ser. No. 10/867,385, filed Jun. 14,
2004, entitled ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE;
U.S. Ser. No. 10/958,812, filed Oct. 5, 2004, entitled SCAN TOOL
FOR ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER; U.S. Ser. No. 60/587,232, filed Dec.
14, 2004, entitled CELLTRON ULTRA, U.S. Ser. No. 11/018,785, filed
Dec. 21, 2004, entitled WIRELESS BATTERY MONITOR; U.S. Ser. No.
60/653,537, filed Feb. 16, 2005, entitled CUSTOMER MANAGED WARRANTY
CODE; U.S. Ser. No. 60/665,070, filed Mar. 24, 2005, entitled
OHMMETER PROTECTION CIRCUIT; U.S. Ser. No. 60,694,199, filed Jun.
27, 2005, entitled GEL BATTERY CONDUCTANCE COMPENSATION; U.S. Ser.
No. 11/178,550, filed Jul. 11, 2005, entitled WIRELESS BATTERY
TESTER/CHARGER; U.S. Ser. No. 60/705,389, filed Aug. 4, 2005,
entitled PORTABLE TOOL THEFT PREVENTION SYSTEM, U.S. Ser. No.
11/207,419, filed Aug. 19, 2005, entitled SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY
GATHERING BATTERY INFORMATION FOR USE DURING BATTERY
TESTER/CHARGING, U.S. Ser. No. 60/712,322, filed Aug. 29, 2005,
entitled AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE,
U.S. Ser. No. 60/713,168, filed Aug. 31, 2005, entitled LOAD TESTER
SIMULATION WITH DISCHARGE COMPENSATION, U.S. Ser. No. 60/731,881,
filed Oct. 31, 2005, entitled PLUG-IN FEATURES FOR BATTERY TESTERS;
U.S. Serial No. 60/731,887, filed Oct. 31, 2005, entitled
AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE; U.S. Ser.
No. 11/304,004, filed Dec. 14, 2005, entitled BATTERY TESTER THAT
CALCULATES ITS OWN REFERENCE VALUES; U.S. Ser. No. 60/751,853,
filed Dec. 20, 2005, entitled BATTERY MONITORING SYSTEM; U.S. Ser.
No. 11/304,004, filed Dec. 14, 2005, entitled BATTERY TESTER WITH
CALCULATES ITS OWN REFERENCE VALUES; U.S. Ser. No. 60/751,853,
filed Dec. 20, 2005, entitled BATTERY MONITORING SYSTEM; U.S. Ser.
No. 11/356,443, filed Feb. 16, 2006, entitled ELECTRONIC BATTERY
TESTER WITH NETWORK COMMUNICATION; U.S. Ser. No. 11/498,703, filed
Aug. 3, 2006, entitled THEFT PREVENTION DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE
VEHICLE SERVICE CENTERS; U.S. Ser. No. 11/511,872, filed Aug. 29,
2006, entitled AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC
DEVICE; U.S. Ser. No. 11/519,481, filed Sep. 12, 2006, entitled
BROAD-BAND LOW-CONDUCTANCE CABLES FOR MAKING KELVIN CONNECTIONS TO
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS AND BATTERIES; U.S. Ser. No. 60/847,064,
filed Sep. 25, 2006, entitled STATIONARY BATTERY MONITORING
ALGORITHMS; U.S. Ser. No. 11/641,594, filed Dec. 19, 2006, entitled
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING A PARAMETER OF A VEHICLE
ELECTRONIC SYSTEM; U.S. Ser. No. 11/711,356, filed Feb. 27, 2007,
entitled BATTERY TESTER WITH PROMOTION FEATURE; U.S. Ser. No.
11/811,528, filed Jun. 11, 2007, entitled ALTERNATOR TESTER; U.S.
Ser. No. 60/950,182, filed Jul. 17, 2007, entitled BATTERY TESTER
FOR HYBRID VEHICLE; U.S. Ser. No. 60/973,879, filed Sep. 20, 2007,
entitled ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER FOR TESTING STATIONARY
BATTERIES; U.S. Ser. No. 11/931,907, filed Oct. 31, 2007, entitled
BATTERY MAINTENANCE WITH PROBE LIGHT; U.S. Ser. No. 60/992,798,
filed Dec. 6, 2007,entitled STORAGE BATTERY AND BATTERY TESTER;
U.S. Ser. No. 12/099,826, filed Apr. 9, 2008, entitled BATTERY RUN
DOWN INDICATOR; U.S. Ser. No. 61/061,848, filed Jun. 16, 2008,
entitled KELVIN CLAMP FOR ELECTRONICALLY COUPLING TO A BATTERY
CONTACT; U.S. Ser. No. 12/168,264, filed Jul. 7, 2008, entitled
BATTERY TESTERS WITH SECONDARY FUNCTIONALITY; U.S. Ser. No.
12/174,894, filed Jul. 17, 2008, entitled BATTERY TESTER FOR
ELECTRIC VEHICLE; U.S. Ser. No. 12/204,141, filed Sep. 4, 2008,
entitled ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER OR CHARGER WITH DATABUS
CONNECTION; U.S. Ser. No. 12/328,022, filed Dec. 4, 2008, entitled
STORAGE BATTERY AND BATTERY TESTER; U.S. Ser. No. 12/416,457, filed
Apr. 1, 2009, entitled SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING BATTERY
INFORMATION; U.S. Ser. No. 12/416,453, filed Apr. 1, 2009, entitled
INTEGRATED TAG READER AND ENVIRONMENT SENSOR; U.S. Ser. No.
12/416,445, filed Apr. 1, 2009, entitled SIMPLIFICATION OF
INVENTORY MANAGEMENT; U.S. Ser. No. 12/485,459, filed Jun. 16,
2009, entitled CLAMP FOR ELECTRONICALLY COUPLING TO A BATTEYR
CONTACT; U.S. Ser. No. 12/498,642, filed Jul. 7, 2009, entitled
ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER; U.S. Ser. No. 12/697,485, filed Feb. 1,
2010, entitled ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER; U.S. Ser. No. 12/698,375,
filed Feb. 2, 2010, entitled ELECTRONIC BATTERY TESTER; U.S. Ser.
No. 12/712,456, filed Feb. 25, 2010, entitled METHOD AND APPARATU
FOR DETECTING CELL DETERIORATION IN AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL OR
BATTEYR; U.S. Ser. No. 61/311,485, filed Mar. 8, 2010, entitled
BATTERY TESTER WITH DATABUS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH VEHICLE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM U.S. Ser. No. 61/313,893, filed Mar. 15, 2010,
entitled USE OF BATTERY MANUFACTURE/SELL DATE IN DIAGNOSIS AND
RECOVERY OF DISCHARGED BATTERIES; which are incorporated herein in
their entirety.
[0004] Many electric vehicles use a storage battery pack or other
electrical storage device, to store energy for use in operating the
electric vehicle.
[0005] Some such electric vehicles use energy recovery (or
"regeneration") techniques in which potentially waste energy is
recovered and stored in the energy storage device. One example is
recovery of energy from braking function. The energy in braking is
recovered as electrical energy rather than being dissipated as
excess heat. Preferably, the energy storage device is able to
efficiently store the excess energy, as well as deliver energy to
an electrical motor of the electric vehicle. Due to the increasing
price of petroleum, hybrid systems are rapidly proliferating. There
is an ongoing need to test the electrical systems of such electric
vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Testing or diagnostics are performed on an electric vehicle.
The vehicle is operated and current flow through a system of the
vehicle is monitored. A voltage related to the system is also
monitored. Diagnostics are provided based upon the monitored
voltage and the monitored current.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram showing a battery
tester in accordance with the present invention coupled to a
electric vehicle.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing steps in
accordance with the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram which illustrates a
test device in accordance with the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram showing one aspect of
the present invention in which the test device couples to the
databus of the electric vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles are becoming
increasingly popular as an alternative to traditional vehicles
which are powered solely by an internal combustion engine. In a
electric vehicle, a large battery or a group of batteries, or other
energy storage device, is used to store electrical energy. The
stored electrical power is used by an electric motor to power the
electric vehicle.
[0012] In order to increase energy efficiency, some electric
vehicles use various techniques to capture or otherwise recover
waste energy. This may be referred to as "regeneration". The
recovered energy is typically returned in the battery of the
electric vehicle for storage and subsequent use.
[0013] Various techniques are used to recover energy. For example,
one common technique is to use the braking system of the electric
vehicle to convert vehicle motion into electricity for storage in
the battery. This differs from a conventional braking system in
which excess energy is vented into the atmosphere as heat.
[0014] As the battery of the electric vehicle ages, its ability to
store energy also degrades. However, this may not be apparent to
the operator, particularly in a hybrid vehicle. One symptom of a
failing battery is decreased mileage of the electric vehicle
because the battery is not able to effectively stare or deliver
energy. The health of a battery in a electric vehicle is an
indication of how well the battery accepts a charge and is able to
deliver stored energy at high discharge rates. To some extent, this
relates to the amp hour capacity of the battery as well as the
ability of the battery to accept or deliver charge in a given time.
This is related to how much recovered energy can be stored at one
time for use at a later time. For example, is the battery capable
of storing energy from many braking cycles for subsequent use, or
is it only able to store energy from a few such braking cycles.
[0015] Typical battery testing techniques are difficult to
implement in such a electric vehicle. For example, it may be
difficult or impossible to access the individual batteries of a
battery pack for testing. Such access may require a great deal of
labor. Further, there may be safety concerns related to the
relatively high voltages involved if the battery pack is
disassembled for testing.
[0016] With the present invention, a current sensor is coupled to
the battery pack of a electric vehicle of the type which includes
an electric motor to move the electric vehicle. The current sensor
can be placed in line with the battery pack and arranged to measure
current into and out of the pack. The total string voltage of the
battery pack is also measured. A technician or other service
personnel performs a battery test by operating the electric vehicle
through a number of braking and acceleration cycles. Data is
collected and compared to baseline or nominal data which is
representative of operation of a new electric vehicle. An output
can be provided based upon the comparison. For example, the output
can be an indication of how well the electric vehicle compares to
new electric vehicle, for example as a percentage.
[0017] The current sensor can be placed in series with one of the
battery terminals using a shunt resistance or the like. Another
example is a Hall effect or other non-intrusive sensor. Such a
sensor is advantageous because it does not require the battery to
be disconnected. In another example, an adapter can be configured
which can be inserted between the battery pack and the electric
vehicle such that the test device can be coupled to the
battery.
[0018] The various sensors can be coupled at any convenient
location, for example, proximate the battery pack, under the hood,
near the electric vehicle motor or other electronics. In such an
application, a Hall effect sensor may be sufficient because of the
relatively large magnitudes of the current levels being monitored.
Further, a Flail effect sensor may be easily "zeroed" because
during installation there will be no current flowing. Voltage
measurements may be made using direct attachment, for example, to
the high voltage pole of the battery. The voltage and current
measurements may also be obtained through other techniques, for
example, through an OBDII interface used to read electrical
parameters from the electric vehicle computer system.
[0019] During testing, the test device can provide instructions to
an operator as to how to operate the electric vehicle. Such
instructions can be provided, for example, through a wireless
communication link to a device proximate the operator, through a
PDA-type device, through audible instructions, through a display of
the vehicle, or through other techniques.
[0020] If the testing device couples to the OBDII system of the
electric vehicle, additional information can be retrieved. For
example, information related to the speed (RPM) of a motor, speed
of the electric vehicle, braking information, etc. can be
recovered. With this additional information, the test device may be
used to verify that the technician has performed the required
operations. Such operations should have some flexibility in order
to reflect safe driving conditions.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram 10 of a electric
vehicle 12 coupled to a test device 14. The test device is shown as
locate separate from the electric vehicle 12 and may be a portable
or stationary device. However, in some configurations the test
device 14 may be included in electric vehicle 12. Electric vehicle
12 is illustrated as including battery pack 20, electric motor 22
and energy recovery device 24. As discussed, the battery pack 20 is
used to power the electric motor 22 while the energy recover device
24 is used to recover energy during electric vehicle operation.
Test circuitry 14 couples to battery 20 and includes or is coupled
to voltage sensor 30, memory 32 and microprocessor 33. Further,
test circuitry 14 includes or is coupled to a current sensor 34
arranged to sensor current into and/or out of battery pack 20. Test
circuitry 14 provides an output through input/output (I/O) 35 as
discussed above related to the condition of the battery pack 20.
The test circuitry 14 includes a microprocessor 33 or the like
which may include either internal or external analog to digital
converters configured to convert the sensed voltage current levels
to digital values. Microprocessor 33 operates in accordance with
instructions stored in memory and provide an output 35 which is
related to the condition of the battery pack 20. FIG. 1 also shows
an optional internal combustion engine 40 which is used to
supplement the energy delivered by battery pack 20. The optional
engine 40 can be used to charge battery pack 20, and/or can be used
to supplement the electrical power available to motor 22 during
times of high acceleration or the like. Thus, engine 40 may include
an electric generator 41. Similarly, engine 40 can be configured to
provide power directly to wheels or other components of the vehicle
12. The connection of test device 14 to the vehicle 12 may be
through an electrical connection to sensors such as the voltage
sensor 30 and the current sensor 34. Additionally, the voltage
sensor 30 and current sensor 34 can comprise components wihtin the
vehicle 12. In such a configuration, test device 14 can couple to
the vehicle through a data connection to the vehicle, for example,
an OBDII connection to the vehicle in which current and voltage
information are read back from the vehicle. For example, the data
can be recovered as it is transmitted on the vehicle databus or the
data can be retrieved by placing commands on the databus to access
the desired information.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing steps in
accordance with one example embodiment of the present invention.
The block diagram of FIG. 2 begins at start block 50 and controls
past block 52 where the electric vehicle is operated and data is
collected. At block 54, nominal data is recovered. For example,
such nominal data can be stored in memory 32 shown in FIG. 1. The
nominal data can be related to a baseline condition, for example,
the condition of the battery pack and/or in electric vehicle 12
when they are new. At block 56, the collected data is compared to
the nominal data and an output is provided at block 58. The output
can be, for example, a relative output with respect to the current
condition of electric vehicle in battery relative to a new electric
vehicle or battery. This may be in the form of, for example, a
percentage or other format. At block 60, the process is
terminated.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram showing test device 14
in greater detail. Test device 14 is illustrated as including
differential amplifier 102 which couples to current sensor 34. A
second differential amplifier 98 couples to battery 20 and fowls
the voltage sensor 30. The voltage sensor 30 may be a part of, or
may be separated from, the test device 14. The output from the
amplifier 98 is provided to an analog to digital converter 100
which couples microprocessor 33. Similarly, the output of amplifier
102 is converted into a digital format for microprocessor 33 using
analog to digital converter 104. The actual voltage and current
sensors may be in accordance with any technique and are not limited
to the techniques described herein. As discussed below, the current
and voltage sensors may be a part of vehicle 12 and the test can
retrieve their information over a databus of the vehicle.
[0024] Microprocessor 33 operates in accordance with instructions
stored in memory 32 and is configured to communicate with an
operator through user input/output (I/O) 110. An optional OBDII
interface, as illustrated at OBDII I/O 112, is provided. OBDII I/O
112 is configured to couple to the OBDII databus of the electric
vehicle 12. The user I/O 110 can be any type of user input and
output including, for example, a button or keypad entry, a display
including a graphical display, an audio output including voice
prompts, or other input or output techniques.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram showing another aspect
of the present invention, As discussed above, test device 14
couples to the on board databus 130 of electric vehicle 12, for
example through OBDII connector 132. Electric vehicle 12 is
illustrated as including a plurality of systems identified as
System A, B, C through System N. These systems can be any active or
passive electrical component or set of components within the
vehicle including a motor or motors of the vehicle, an energy
recovery system such as a regenerative braking system, a battery
cell, a block of cells, a battery pack, vehicle electronics such as
audio systems, defrosters, wipers, adjustable seat motors, seat
heaters, internal and external lights, computer systems, electrical
systems associated with an electric or internal combustion motor,
charging systems, or others. Each of the systems A-N is illustrated
as having a current sensor 140A-140N, respectively and a voltage
sensor 142A-142N, respectively. The multiple current sensors 140
and voltage sensors 142 are provided for illustrative purposes only
and a particular system within the vehicle may be have neither type
of sensor, may have a single sensor, or may have multiple sensors.
The outputs from the current sensors 140 the voltage sensors 142
are provided to the internal databus of the electric vehicle 130.
The electric vehicle 12 may include additional sensors for sensing
physical properties such as temperature, moisture content, fluid
levels, pressures, speed or rate of rotation of motors, flow rate,
whether a switch is opened or closed, etc. These sensors are
illustrated in FIG. 4 as sensor A, B through sensor N and are also
coupled to the databus 130 of electric vehicle 12. The sensors A,
B, . . . N may be associated with any of the above discussed
systems A-N, or with other components or aspects of the electric
vehicle 12. For example, a particular sensor may provide a
temperature reading of a particular system, or other measurement
related to the system. Note that the coupling of the various
sensors to the databus 130 may be direct or indirect. For example,
data from a particular sensor may be provided to another component,
such as directly to a microprocessor 150 of the electric vehicle.
Subsequently, the microprocessor 150 may provide the information on
databus 130. The data from the various sensors may be optionally
stored in an internal memory 152 of the electric vehicle 12. In
FIG. 4, the memory 152 is illustrated as being coupled to
microprocessor 150. However, this may be optional and the memory
152 can be coupled to databus 130, either directly or through some
other component. In one aspect of the present invention, test
device 14 monitors information from sensors within the electric
vehicle in order to provide enhanced diagnostics without requiring
connection of additional sensors to the electric vehicle 12. This
is achieved by retrieving data through the databus 130 of the
electric vehicle as the various sensors within the vehicle
communicate information.
[0026] In measuring electrical parameters of components, it is
often desirable to couple to the electrical component through a
four point "Kelvin" connection. In such a configuration, a first
pair of connections are used to measure a voltage across the
component while a second pair of connections are used to carry
current. Kelvin connections reduce errors in the measurements
associated with the electrical leads and wiring which are used to
couple to the component. However, in many electric vehicles, it is
extremely difficult to place Kelvin connectors onto the various
electrical components. Further, even if such connections are made,
they may carry high voltages which may be unsafe for an operator.
Therefore, it is often difficult to couple to the electrical
systems of an electric vehicle using traditional Kelvin connection
techniques which have been associated with the automotive
industry.
[0027] In one aspect, the present invention provides a "virtual
Kelvin" connection to electrical components of the vehicle. The
"virtual Kelvin" connection is embodied in microprocessor 33 of the
test device 14. Microprocessor 33 receives current and voltage
information from a pair of sensors, such as current sensor 140A and
voltage sensor 142A, which are coupled to a component of the
electric vehicle 12 such as system A. Using this information, the
microprocessor 33 is capable of calculating an electrical parameter
associated with that particular system. For example, electrical
resistance can be calculated using Ohms' law as R=V/I. However,
other electrical parameters can be calculated such as conductance.
Further still, if the electricity through the system has a time
varying component, it is possible to determine dynamic parameters
of the system such as dynamic resistance or conductance. Complex
parameters such as impedance, reactance, etc. of the particular
system can also be determined. Note that there may be a lag or time
delay between the two measurements (voltage and current) due to
delays in the databus 130 or due to other causes. Microprocessor 33
can compensate for such a lag by determining, or at least
approximating, the duration of the delay. One technique which can
be used is to monitor a function or activity within the vehicle,
for example, a braking function, while monitoring the outputs from
the associated current and voltage sensors. Based upon when the
current and voltage begin to change relative to one another, it is
possible to compensate for any delays if the relationship is known.
For example, the voltage and current may be expected to rise
simultaneously in some systems. If there is a lag in the voltage
measurement, for example, the duration of that lag can be measured
by microprocessor 33 and used to compensate subsequent
measurements. Similarly, a particular sensor may have a relatively
long response time, or the databus 130 may be of a sufficiently
slow data rate that sufficient band width may not be available to
measure or monitor a rapidly changing voltage or current. Again,
compensation techniques can be used to at least partially address
such a shortcoming, for example, by providing a compensated
frequency response profile for a particular sensor. This
information can be used to characterize a particular sensor or
measurement performed using a set of sensors. This characterization
can compensate for such measurements in use to thereby improve the
accuracy of the measurement. The compensation characterization can
be determined experimentally and thereby stored in the test device
14, or can be determined empirically by monitoring operation of the
vehicle 12 as discussed above. This characterization information
can be stored in memory 32 of test device 14 and use to compensate
the measured parameters.
[0028] During operation, microprocessor 33 collects data from a
desired system (A-N) of electric vehicle 12 using the associated
current sensor 140A-N and/or voltage sensor 140A-N as desired. The
microprocessor 33 can also use information collected from other
sensors of the electric vehicle, such as sensors A-N for use in
testing as desired. If a measurement is desired across multiple
systems, it is possible to add or subtract the measured currents
and voltages to obtain such a measurement, depending upon the
configuration of the sensors. As discussed above, the data is
retrieved from databus 130 using OBDII I/O circuitry 112 coupled to
the databus 130 through OBDII connector 132. In addition to having
a user input/output 110, another optional input/output (I/O) 160 is
illustrated. I/O 160 can comprise circuitry for providing data to,
or receiving data from, another device such as a remote location
which collects data or measurements, a printer, a remote control or
display for use by an operator, remote sensors, etc. Additionally,
other optional sensors 162 are shown in test device 14 of FIG. 4.
Sensors 162 may comprise other sensors used to perform diagnostics
including physical Kelvin connectors, current and/or voltage
sensors, temperature sensors, etc. The user I/O circuitry 110 can
be used to provide an interface for an operator during testing of
electric vehicle 12. For example, the operator can provide
information to the test device 14 related to which of the systems
of electric vehicle 12 to test, to a selected test to perform, to
provide information regarding electric vehicle 12, etc. The I/O
circuitry 110 can also be used to provide information to the
operator such as the results of a test, intermediary test results,
information regarding past tests, information regarding the
electric vehicle 12, information regarding the history of the
vehicle 12 or other information. Additionally, if a particular test
requires the electric vehicle 12 to be operated in a particular
manner, the user I/O circuitry 110 can provide instructions to the
operator. For example, the particular test being performed may
require that the electric vehicle 12 be accelerated, or that the
brake be applied, that the electric vehicle be stopped for a
period, or other actions. The instructions to an operator may be in
the form of, for example, audible or visual instructions which may
be easily received when operating the electric vehicle 12. Using
the data collected from the sensors, microprocessor 33 can diagnose
individual systems and the overall operation of electric vehicle
12. In one example of the present invention, the information can be
used to perform any type of diagnostics such as those known in the
art. Various types of diagnostics include measuring parameters of
systems of the electric vehicle 12, monitoring the amount of energy
recovered during an energy regenerative process such as by
recovering energy during a braking function, determining the
maximum amount of energy which may be recovered, or the maximum
amount of energy which the energy storage device can accept at any
one time during recharging, monitoring the energy storage device as
it ages to identify a loss of the capacity to store recovered
energy or the overall capacity of the storage device 20, monitoring
the maximum energy which the energy storage device 20 is capable of
delivering, etc.
[0029] For example, one diagnostic technique includes monitoring a
parameter of a cell or block of cells of the battery pack 20 and
observing changes over time, for example changes in impedance,
conductance, resistance, or other parameters including dynamic
parameters. Another example diagnostic includes comparing
parameters measured for a particular cell or block of cells of the
battery pack 20 and observing any imbalances between cells or
blocks of cells, or other indications that a particular cell or
block of cells is not operating in a manner which is similar to the
remaining cells or blocks of cells. This may be through statistical
techniques such as observing the distribution of measurements of
cells or blocks of cells, etc. Another example diagnostic technique
is simply observing voltage differences across cells or blocks of
cells in the battery 20.
[0030] In another example, the user I/O 110 is used to provide an
output related to carbon dioxide emissions of the electric vehicle
12. For example, the output can be an indication of the reduction
in carbon dioxide emissions of the electric vehicle 12 in
comparison to a standard vehicle with an internal combustion
engine. In a related example, the amount of energy regenerated by
electric vehicle 12, for example using a regenerative braking
technique, can be monitored using test device 14 and an output
provided using user I/O 110 which indicates the equivalent amount
of carbon dioxide which would have been generated by typical
internal combustion engine had the energy not been recovered.
[0031] In another example configuration, test device 14 can be used
to monitor operation of electric vehicle 12 and collect information
related to the efficiency of the electric vehicle 12 under
different operating conditions. This information is then used by
device 14 to instruct an operator through user I/O 110 to operate
the electric vehicle 12 in a manner which increases efficiency. For
example, if system A shown in FIG. 4 comprises a regenerative
braking system, and system B is the battery pack 20 for the
electric vehicle 12, the test device 14 can be configured to
monitor the energy recovered by the regenerative braking system and
the amount of energy which the battery pack 20 is capable of
storing. Thus, if measurements indicate that the battery pack 20 is
only capable of accepting a maximum of 50 kW, the test device 14
can instruct the operator when braking to attempt to rapidly
approach the 50 kW energy recovering level, and maintain the 50 kW
level for an extended period without exceeding that level. This
will ensure that the maximum amount of energy is recovered during a
braking operation. Similar techniques can be used to instruct the
operator during acceleration periods, idling periods, "stop and go"
traffic, etc. In a more advanced configuration, the device 14 is
configured to control operation of the systems in vehicle 12 in a
manner which differs from the configuration provided by the vehicle
control system, for example, as implemented in the microprocessor
150 of electric vehicle 12. For example, the test device 14 can
provide instructions or information on databus 130 which allows the
charging system or the regeneration system of electric vehicle 12
to charge the battery pack 20 to a higher or lower level than that
set by the internal control system of the vehicle. This may be
used, for example, to extend the life of systems within the
vehicle, increase the range of the vehicle, test certain systems,
or for other functions or purposes.
[0032] The particular test performed by the test device 14 can be a
simple evaluation and indicate and good or bad battery pack 14, or
can provide more detailed information such as the total battery
pack dynamic conductance or impedance, or a dynamic parameter
related to an individual cell or group of cells in the pack 20,
etc. During testing, the device 14 can communicate with the
operator to instruct the operator to perform a particular operation
with the vehicle, such as aggressive acceleration or deceleration.
This can be communicated through an audible or visual technique
that does not interfere with vehicle operation such as lights,
voice prompts, tones or sounds, etc. this may be communicated to
the operator using I/O components that are a part of vehicle 12,
for example, a vehicle speaker, display, etc. In one configuration,
the device 14 instructs the driver to operate the vehicle 12 in a
safe manner. If temperature data is available, for example through
a temperature sensor, the test measurements can be compensated
based upon temperature. If an external PDA or cellular "smart
phone" type device is used, the interface with the operator can be
provided through such a device. For example, in one configuration,
the user I/O such as element 110 shown in FIG. 3, comprises a
remote device such as a "smart phone" capable of communicating with
an operator. Communication with the "smart phone" can be through
wireless communication techniques such as WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular
network, etc., or can be through wired techniques such as a data
cable or other connection.
[0033] The test device 14 can be configured to recognize when
certain conditions have been met by monitoring, for example, engine
speed (RPM), vehicle miles per hour, vehicle acceleration and
deceleration, etc. This can be by using instruments onboard the
vehicle 12 such as GPS information, the output from a speedometer,
etc. Once a complete data set has been obtained as desired for a
particular test, the test device 14 can provide an output
accordingly. The test can be modified based upon driving conditions
and the duration of the test can be extended as needed.
Instructions can be provided to the operator and, in some
configurations, the operation of the vehicle 12 can be controlled
by the test device 14. For example, gearing or braking of vehicle
12 can be controlled, requesting the vehicle 12 enter "EV" mode,
operating certain accessories on the vehicle, monitoring
acceleration or braking, monitoring torque provided by vehicle
motors, engine parameters such as fuel mix, etc can be monitored or
controlled, or other elements controlled or monitored as desired.
The operator can be informed that the vehicle 12 is being operated
correctly or incorrectly using an audible or visual output. Any
"trouble codes" available on the databus of vehicle 12 can also be
incorporated into the testing. One type of test involves the
vehicle 12 being "blocked", in other words placed onto a test stand
in which the vehicle 12 is operated on rollers. The test device 14
can be configured to operate in such a mode for use in monitoring
acceleration and deceleration tests, etc. If the test device 14 is
temporarily coupled to the vehicle 12, it can be configured to be
left in the vehicle 12 for an extended period while an operator
drives the vehicle 12 under normal operating conditions. This
allows the vehicle 12 to be monitored during "real life" drive
cycles as data is collected. In one configuration, the test device
15 monitors instantaneous fuel usage and combines this fuel usage
with a battery test. This information can be useful in identifying
bad battery packs or battery within the pack 20 and used to monitor
the efficiency of the charging cycle. A poor charging cycle
indicates a bad battery and will result in increased fuel usage.
The test device 14 can record the fuel usage, the number of starts,
or other information and store such information in a flash memory
for subsequent recovery.
[0034] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will
recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example,
although storage batteries or a "battery pack" described, as used
herein the term electric energy storage device includes a battery
or collection of batteries, capacitors including supercapacitors
and ultracapacitors, and other electrical energy storage devices.
As used herein, electric vehicle includes any type of vehicle which
uses an electric motor to propel, or assist in propelling, the
vehicle. One example electric vehicle is a vehicle with an electric
motor and an electric storage device such as a battery pack or the
like. Another example electric vehicle is an electric vehicle with
regenerative techniques in which energy is recovered, for example,
from the braking process. Another example electric vehicle is a
hybrid vehicle which also includes an internal combustion engine
for use in supplementing electric power, and/or charging the
electrical energy storage device. Such a hybrid vehicle may
optionally include regenerative systems for energy recovery. As
used herein, "operating" an electric vehicle includes using the
vehicle, or systems of the vehicle, and is not limited to driving
the vehicle. In one configuration the test device is separate from
the vehicle and may be selectively coupled to the vehicle or added
after manufacture of the vehicle. The "virtual" Kelvin
configuration can be used to calculate a parameter of a system of
the vehicle using two or more inputs from sensors which are
transmitted over a databus of the vehicle.
* * * * *