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.

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).