Abstract: A system and method for enhancing vehicle diagnostic and prognostic algorithms and improving vehicle maintenance practices. The method includes collecting data from vehicle components, sub-systems and systems, and storing the collected data in a database. The collected and stored data can be from multiple sources for similar vehicles or similar components and can include various types of trouble codes and labor codes as well as other information, such as operational data and physics of failure data, which are fused together. The method generates classes for different vehicle components, sub-systems and systems, and builds feature extractors for each class using data mining techniques of the data stored in the database. The method also generates classifiers that classify the features for each class. The feature extractors and feature classifiers are used to determine when a fault condition has occurred for a vehicle component, sub-system or system.

Abstract: A method for determining the state of charge (SOC) of a lithium ion battery is provided. The method leverages a circuit model of the lithium ion battery, and generates four battery parameters from which the SOC is derived.

Abstract: An electrical power storage device provides power to crank an internal combustion engine. Thereafter available power from the electric power storage device to crank the engine again is continually updated. Remedial measures are invoked if the available power is less than a predetermined power threshold.

Abstract: An embodiment contemplates a method for estimating a capacity of a battery. A state of charge is determined at a first instant of time and at a second instant of time. A difference in the state of charge is determined between the first instant of time and the second instant of time. A net coulomb flow is calculated between the first instant of time and the second instant of time. The battery capacity is determined as a function of the change in the state of charge and the net coulomb flow.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining a battery's state-of-health. An initial battery voltage is measured after a first voltage drop during an initiation of an engine cranking phase. A battery voltage is monitored during the remainder of the engine cranking phase. A lowest battery voltage is determined during the remainder of the engine cranking phase. A determination is made if a voltage difference between the lowest battery voltage and the initial battery voltage at the initiation of the engine cranking phase is less than a voltage threshold. A low battery state-of-health is identified in response to the voltage difference being less than the voltage threshold.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for characterizing a battery. A property of the battery is measured. A dynamic characteristic of the battery is determined from a second order linear dynamic model.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the root cause of a fault in a vehicle system, sub-system or component using models and observations. In one embodiment, a hierarchical tree is employed to combine trouble or diagnostic codes from multiple sub-systems and components to get a confidence estimate of whether a certain diagnostic code is accurately giving an indication of problem with a particular sub-system or component. In another embodiment, a hierarchical diagnosis network is employed that relies on the theory of hierarchical information whereby at any level of the network only the required abstracted information is being used for decision making. In another embodiment, a graph-based diagnosis and prognosis system is employed that includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by information pathways. The nodes are fault diagnosis and fault prognosis nodes for components or sub-systems, and contain fault and state-of-health diagnosis and reasoning modules.

Abstract: A method of battery state of charge estimation considering battery hysteresis includes using a Preisach-model-based algorithm to calculate a battery state of charge.

Abstract: A method and article of manufacture for monitoring an electrical energy storage device adapted to supply electrical power to a selectively actuable electric motor is described. This comprises determining a state of charge and a temperature of the electrical energy storage device subsequent to a stabilization period, and measuring a minimum voltage output from the electrical energy storage device during selective actuation of the electric motor. One of a plurality of predetermined threshold voltage states is selected based upon the state of charge and the temperature. The minimum voltage is compared to the selected predetermined threshold voltage.

Abstract: A method for determining the state of charge (SOC) of a lithium ion battery is provided. The method leverages a circuit model of the lithium ion battery, and generates four battery parameters from which the SOC is derived.

Abstract: An electrical power storage device provides power to crank an internal combustion engine. Thereafter available power from the electric power storage device to crank the engine again is continually updated. Remedial measures are invoked if the available power is less than a predetermined power threshold.

Abstract: A method and article of manufacture for monitoring an electrical energy storage device adapted to supply electrical power to a selectively actuable electric motor is described. This comprises determining a state of charge and a temperature of the electrical energy storage device subsequent to a stabilization period, and measuring a minimum voltage output from the electrical energy storage device during selective actuation of the electric motor. One of a plurality of predetermined threshold voltage states is selected based upon the state of charge and the temperature. The minimum voltage is compared to the selected predetermined threshold voltage.