Other

Theresa Jean Schousek

Brian W Schousek

The invention includes a direct current energy source monitor which automatically detects the nominal voltage of the direct current energy source to which it is attached. The invention further includes a direct current energy source monitor which is self-powered from the direct current energy source being monitored. The multiple nominal voltage direct current energy source monitor includes an analog-to-digital converter configured to measure voltage from a direct current energy source being monitored and generate a digital output corresponding thereto. The apparatus includes a programmable control device configured to receive the digital output from the analog-to-digital converter and to look up a nominal voltage corresponding to the digital output, and is further configured to calculate a relative charge of the direct current energy source as compared to a full charge on the direct current energy source. The direct current energy source monitor can include a voltage controlled oscillator configured to receive the voltage of the direct current energy source being monitored and generate a frequency output proportional to the received voltage. The programmable control device is configured use the frequency output to determine the received voltage from the direct current energy source. The direct current energy source monitor preferably includes a calibration circuit configured to periodically calibrate the voltage controlled oscillator. The calibration circuit is configured to generate known voltages which are supplied to the voltage controlled oscillator. The voltage controlled oscillator is governed by a transfer function, wherein its output is a function of the input. The coefficients of the transfer function are calculated by the programmable control device based on the known voltages applied to the voltage controlled oscillator and the output produced by the voltage controlled oscillator in response thereto.

Universal battery monitor

An event counter is disclosed which, in one embodiment, provides a reaction timer to time a user's response time to an event. In a second embodiment, the event counter provides a counting device to count the number of occurrences of events or the magnitude of an event. The invention uses a commercially available stopwatch to time the response time. The start/stop switch of the stopwatch is connected to a signal generator such as a piezoelectric element. In one variation, the internal piezoelectric element used as a beeper in the stopwatch is used as the signal generator. In a second variation, the event timer is further provided with a circuit to allow a higher voltage LED to be driven by a lower voltage of the system battery. In yet another variation, the event timer further includes a random delay circuit to randomly delay the start time of the stopwatch. Random delay is provided without a microprocessor by using a variable current switch and two RC circuits having different tau values. The differential voltage of the two RC circuits is used to activate the start/stop switch.

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Houlton, WI, United States of America

Theresa Jean Schousek