Eugene P Finger

US Patent:

6362601, Mar 26, 2002

Filed:

Nov 17, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/716116

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Mt. Kisco NY

International Classification:

H02J 700

US Classification:

320153, 320162, 324426

Abstract:

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a method of restoring charge to a battery operating with a predetermined terminal voltage, including: determining an expected rate of degradation of a plate or plates of a battery in terms of decrease of capacity per unit time and temperature of operation of the battery to determine a degree of degradation of capacity of the battery; and providing sufficient charge to the battery to restore a predetermined degree of the capacity of the battery. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a method of diagnosing state of health of a battery, including: restoring a theoretical amount of charge to a partially depleted battery; and examining how the battery responded to the step of restoring a theoretical amount of charge to the partially depleted battery to determine the state of health of the battery.

US Patent:

6380716, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

Nov 17, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/716121

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Mt. Kisco NY

International Classification:

H02J 700

US Classification:

320131, 320130

Abstract:

In a preferred embodiment, a method of condition monitoring of an opportunity charged battery, including: determining length of time the battery has been off-line; determining whether charging of the battery has occurred during the length of time; if step (b) results in a determination that the charging of the battery has occurred, determining degree of charging of the battery occurring during the length of time; and if step (b) results in a determination that charging of the battery has occurred, resetting a condition monitor associated with the battery to reflect the degree of charging of the battery.

US Patent:

6456043, Sep 24, 2002

Filed:

Jul 19, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/907832

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Mt. Kisco NY

International Classification:

A02J 714

US Classification:

320134, 324427

Abstract:

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a method of restoring charge to a battery operating with a predetermined terminal voltage, including: determining an expected rate of degradation of a plate or plates of a battery in terms of decrease of capacity per unit time and temperature of operation of the battery to determine a degree of degradation of capacity of the battery; and providing sufficient charge to the battery to restore a predetermined degree of the capacity of the battery. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a method of diagnosing state of health of a battery, including: restoring a theoretical amount of charge to a partially depleted battery; and examining how the battery responded to the step of restoring a theoretical amount of charge to the partially depleted battery to determine the state of health of the battery.

US Patent:

42887348, Sep 8, 1981

Filed:

May 25, 1979

Appl. No.:

6/042532

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Mount Kisco NY

International Classification:

H02J 700
G01R 1100

US Classification:

320 48

Abstract:

A bidirectional integrator is described comprising first and second programmable pulse-forming channels (20, 40), a bidirectional counter (60) and an output display (78). Each pulse forming channel provides means for making both continuous and discrete adjustments in the repetition rate of the pulses formed thereby. In the preferred embodiment, each pulse forming channel comprises an integrator (26, 46) for forming a pulsed output signal, means (24, 44) for varying the pulse repetition rate of the output signal by varying the input signal to the integrator, and a programmable digital divider circuit (30, 50) for dividing the repetition rate of the output signal by any power of two from one to 4096.

US Patent:

41930266, Mar 11, 1980

Filed:

Aug 25, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/936725

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY
Eugene A. Sands - Scarsdale NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Mount Kisco NY

International Classification:

G01N 2742

US Classification:

324428

Abstract:

A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring the state of charge of a battery. The apparatus comprises threshold means for sensing reductions below a threshold level in the output terminal voltage of the battery and for producing a signal in response thereto and means for integrating said signal over a plurality of such reductions. The output of the integrating means is indicative of the state of charge of the battery. In a preferred embodiment the signal comprises a series of pulses whose number is proportional to the time that the terminal voltage is below the threshold value and the integrating means counts such pulses. Alternatively, a single pulse may be produced and counted for each time the output terminal voltage is reduced below the threshold level. In another embodiment, the signal from the threshold means is integrated directly to develop a representation of the state of charge of the battery. Circuits are also disclosed using a plurality of threshold means connected in series or in parallel.

US Patent:

54518814, Sep 19, 1995

Filed:

Apr 7, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/224072

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Mt. Kisco NY

International Classification:

G01N 27416

US Classification:

324433

Abstract:

In a preferred embodiment, a metering system for measuring and indicating the state of charge of an electrical storage battery, including: apparatus for storing a numerical value indicative of the state of charge of the battery and for providing an output voltage signal representative thereof; apparatus for detecting the terminal voltage of the battery, coupled to the apparatus for storing, and being operable to generate a function of the battery terminal voltage which is a substantially proportional fraction of the terminal voltage and to provide an input to the apparatus for storing if the function is below a threshold variable reference voltage signal; apparatus for receiving the output voltage signal and for generating the variable reference voltage signal therefrom, the variable reference voltage signal being lowered as a function of the output voltage signal as the output voltage signal indicates progressively lower states of charge; and apparatus for measuring the level of current drawn from the battery and adjusting the apparatus for receiving and generating, in proportion to the current level, such that the variable reference voltage signal will be greater or lesser depending on the current level.

US Patent:

45609373, Dec 24, 1985

Filed:

Nov 16, 1981

Appl. No.:

6/321671

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Mount Kisco NY

International Classification:

G01N 2742

US Classification:

324433

Abstract:

The system includes a digital integrator having a plurality of digital stages operable to store a numerical value in binary digital form which is indicative of state of charge. A switching circuit is provided for generating a series of voltage pulses on a single output line with each pulse corresponding in length to the binary digital value stored in the integrator to provide a time based resultant indication of the stored binary digital value. A filtering means is included to provide a substantially smooth analog output voltage having an amplitude corresponding to the summation of the pulses. The system preferably includes a delayed high voltage reset feature to set the integrator to a full charge state in response to voltage levels accompanying charging of the battery.

US Patent:

45146942, Apr 30, 1985

Filed:

Jul 23, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/401383

Inventors:

Eugene P. Finger - Brewster NY

Assignee:

Curtis Instruments - Mt. Kisco NY

International Classification:

G01N 2746

US Classification:

324429

Abstract:

The invention relates to apparatus for determining the state of charge of electric storage batteries. The apparatus makes use of known quiescent battery (16) terminal voltage recovery characteristics after a prior energy transfer to predict the ultimate steady state terminal voltage as a measure of state of charge. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by using a voltage-controlled oscillator (18) and a reversible counter (20) to measure a first battery (16) terminal voltage over a fixed time interval, storing that measurement in a register (24), measuring a second terminal voltage by reversing the counter (24) and counting the counter down for an identical fixed interval of time, and then determining the slope of the voltage recovery (at) (26) (30) based upon the difference between the two voltage measurements as evidenced by the count remaining in the counter (20) and adding a factor (at) (74) to the first voltage measurement based upon the voltage difference measurement to determine a predicted steady state voltage as an indication (28) of the charge on the battery.