Patent ID: 6081098
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G01R,H02J,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for charging a lead acid storage battery, comprising:a first electrical connector adapted to connect to a positive terminal of the battery;a second electrical connector adapted to connect to a negative terminal of the battery;an electrical charging source providing a charge signal to the first and second connectors, the charge signal sufficiently large to charge the battery, wherein the charge signal includes an AC signal component;voltage measurement circuitry coupled to the first and second electrical connectors responsively providing sensed voltage output related to the AC signal component of the charge signal;current measurement circuitry coupled to the first electrical connector responsively providing a sensed current output related to the AC signal component of the charge signal; andstate of charge measurement circuitry responsively providing a state of charge output as a function of a parameter of the lead acid storage determined as a ratio of the sensed voltage output and the sensed current output, the state of charge output related to the amount the battery is charged.