Patent ID: 8461849

Claim:
A method for testing a capacitor, comprising: performing a test cycle on a plurality of first capacitors over a test period, the test cycle including: charging each first capacitor to a target voltage value from a starting voltage during a charging period, the charging period ending when the target voltage value is reached; holding each first capacitor at the target voltage value for a soak time period after an end of the charging period; and discharging each first capacitor by discharging a stored charge and reducing a voltage below the target voltage value over a discharge period starting after an end of the soak time period; periodically measuring a current through each first capacitor during at least the soak time period, each first capacitor producing a first plurality of current values; training a predictive function using the first plurality of current values from each of the plurality of first capacitors; charging a second capacitor to the target voltage value from a starting voltage during a charging period, the charging period ending when the target voltage value is reached; holding the second capacitor at the target voltage value for a prediction time period after an end of the charging period, the prediction time period being shorter than the soak time period; measuring a current through the second capacitor more than once during the prediction time period to obtain a second plurality of current values; applying the second plurality of current values to the predictive function to predict whether the current through the second capacitor at the end of the soak time period would be higher than a predetermined value; and discharging the second capacitor by discharging a stored charge and reducing a voltage below the target voltage value over a period of time equal to the discharge period starting after an end of the prediction time period.