Patents Examined by Daniel J. Cavallari
  • Patent number: 10965245
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a photovoltaic module including a photovoltaic solar cell, a converter to convert a level of a direct current power from the photovoltaic solar cell, an inverter to convert the direct current power from the converter into an alternating current power, a controller to control the converter and the inverter, and a communication unit to perform electric power line communication with a gateway and at least one nearby photovoltaic module, in which the communication unit periodically transmits communication state information to the gateway and the at least one nearby photovoltaic module using the electric power line communication, and receives a message transmitted by the gateway along a path determined according to the communication state information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Dongho Han, Hyunho Do, Juhwan Yun
  • Patent number: 10965134
    Abstract: A portable solar power management system includes (i) a solar panel interface to one or more solar panels, (ii) an energy storage interface to one or more energy storage devices, (iii) a charging circuit which routes the electrical currents from the solar panels to the energy storage devices; (iv) a load interface to one or more load devices, the load devices being powered independently on primary and secondary load circuits; and (v) a controller for controlling the operations of solar panel interface, the energy storage interface, the charging circuit, and the load interface. In addition, a secondary load control circuit and a programmable controller may be provided which route the electrical currents from the energy storage devices to the load interface, wherein the programmable controller, based on the sensing signals, also activates and deactivates the secondary load circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: We Care Solar
    Inventors: Brent Moellenberg, Hal Robin Aronson, David M. Miller, Laura Ethel Stachel
  • Patent number: 10958071
    Abstract: A method for operating a renewable energy power plant comprising a plurality of renewable energy generators. The method comprises: identifying a predetermined condition of the renewable energy power plant, of the grid, or of the connection between the renewable energy power plant and the grid, the predetermined condition indicating a weak grid interconnection between the renewable energy power plant and the grid; and controlling each renewable energy generator in an adaptive active power mode in response to recovery of the grid from a voltage deviation. The adaptive active power mode comprises: determining a thermal capacity of a chopper resistor of the renewable energy generator; calculating, based upon the determined thermal capacity, a limit level of rate of change of active power output that may be implemented by the renewable energy generator; and operating the renewable energy generator to output active power at the calculated rate of change limit level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Manoj Gupta, Ravi Kumar, Janakiraman Sivasankaran, Thomas Schmidt Grau, Martin Ansbjerg Kjær, Kouroush Nayebi, John Godsk Nielsen, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10958073
    Abstract: The invention provides reactive power control equipment that controls the reactive power adjusted by a synchronous condenser coupled to an electric power grid and the reactive power of the electric power supplied to the electric power grid, to optimally control the reactive power in each load terminal point (power consumption area), considering instability of the electric power supplied from renewable energy power generation equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuki Aida, Yasuto Tahara, Kenichi Sudo
  • Patent number: 10958069
    Abstract: A multi-energy storage device system includes an electric drive coupled to a load, a DC link coupled to the electric drive, and a bi-directional voltage converter having an output channel coupled to the DC link and an input channel. A first energy storage device (ESD) is coupled to the input channel, and a switch is coupled to the DC link and to a second ESD. A system controller causes the switch to couple the second ESD to the DC link for delivering energy stored in the second ESD to the electric drive. The system controller also causes the voltage converter to convert a voltage of the first ESD to a higher voltage and to deliver the higher voltage to the DC link, wherein the higher voltage is greater than the voltage of the second ESD and causes the switch to decouple the second ESD from the DC link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul Robert Gemin, Robert Dean King, Irene Michelle Berry, Lembit Salasoo
  • Patent number: 10950924
    Abstract: A system for controlling operation of a plurality of appliances includes first and second appliances. The first appliance is configured to report a power consumption via a network. A second appliance is configured to operate dependent on the power consumption reported by the first appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Wojciech Grohman
  • Patent number: 10951070
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic short-range wireless power transmission system including: an ultrasonic transmission transducer configured to transmit power, wherein the ultrasonic transmission transducer includes: a converter configured to convert power received from an external power source; a controller configured to control power of a modulator and power of an amplifier; a communication unit configured to communicate with an external reception transducer; a sensor configured to sense ultrasonic waves transferred from an ultrasonic wave emission region; the modulator electrically connected to the controller and configured to generate a signal for ultrasonic short-range wireless power transmission; and the amplifier configured to amplify a modulation signal generated by the modulator and convert the modulation signal into power; and one or more transmission modules configured to receive the power from the amplifier and convert an electrical reception signal into ultrasonic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventor: Seong Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 10951038
    Abstract: A power supply control device includes a control unit, and a power path that is connected to a primary external power system. If a connection state between the primary external power system and the power path is in a disconnected state, the control unit is configured to control power output of at least one power conditioner of at least one corresponding secondary external power generation unit, based on (a) an amount of power consumption of a specific load connected to the power supply control device through the power path, and (b) a power generation output of the secondary external power generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Shun Nagashima, Shunichi Nihei, Atsushi Chinen, Masami Okada, Atsushi Minami, Kazumi Sato, Hiroaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10946820
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an in-vehicle detection system and power supply system and power supply controller, which relates to the power supply control field. The power supply system comprises a low-power generator; a battery pack for supplying power to the in-vehicle detection system; a charger electrically connected to the low-power generator and the battery pack, respectively; and a power supply controller electrically connected to the battery pack and the low-power generator, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventors: Jianmin Li, Hao Yu, Zhiqiang Chen, Yuanjing Li, Yulan Li, Li Zhang, Jingyu Gu, Dongyu Wang
  • Patent number: 10951042
    Abstract: Exemplary power supply systems according to the present invention include circuitry that is configured to provide DC power and configured to receive a input signal that originates from a portable electronic device (the “PED”) and to provide a output signal to be sent to the PED. Such circuitry is configured to be coupled to the PED via a connector having a first, second, third, and fourth conductor. Such a connector is configured to be detachably mated with a power input interface of the PED to transfer the DC power to the PED, a ground reference to the PED, the input signal from the PED to the circuitry, and, in coordination with the input signal, the output signal from the circuitry to the PED, which is usable by the PED in connection with control of charging a battery of the PED based on the DC power provided by the circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: COMARCO WIRELESS SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Thomas W. Lanni
  • Patent number: 10951072
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter having a plurality of transmission coils is disclosed. The present transmitter comprises: first to Nth coils; and a control unit for transmitting, to a wireless power receiver, a first sensing signal through the first to Nth coils, and adjusting transmission orders of the first to Nth coils for transmitting a second sensing signal, on the basis of the signal strength of a received first signal strength indicator when the first signal strength indicator corresponding to the first sensing signal is received, wherein the control unit can transmit, to the receiver, the second sensing signal through the first to Nth coils on the basis of the adjusted transmission orders. Therefore, device efficiency and user convenience can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Young Jo, Jong Heon Lee, Yong Suk Chae
  • Patent number: 10942202
    Abstract: A current detection device includes a current sensor and a controller. The current sensor outputs a detection voltage according to a conduction current flowing through a bi-directional circuit in which current is capable of flowing in a positive direction and a negative direction that is a direction opposite to the positive direction. The controller calculates the conduction current based on the detection voltage output from the current sensor. For example, the controller calculates the conduction current based on an absolute value of a difference between a reference voltage that is the detection voltage output during a non-conductive state in which current is not flowing through the bi-directional circuit, and the detection voltage output during a conductive state in which current is flowing through the bi-directional circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Yazaki Cornoration
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Morimoto, Eiichiro Oishi
  • Patent number: 10944261
    Abstract: A proximal end portion of a robotic surgical arm is to be coupled to an adapter of a surgical robotic platform, for use during a surgical session at the platform, and then decoupled from the adapter for storage until being re-coupled for use during another surgical session at the platform. A resonant-mode transformer-coupled power converter is provided that has a secondary side and a primary side. The secondary side is in the arm and has a transformer secondary coil in the proximal end portion of the arm. The primary side has a transformer primary coil in the adapter. The primary and secondary coils are held at positions and orientations that enable mutual inductive coupling between them for operation of the power converter when the arm is coupled to the adapter. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: VERB SURGICAL INC.
    Inventors: Qiong Wu, Koray Sahin, Jonathan Bernard
  • Patent number: 10944019
    Abstract: A photovoltaic power system includes a photofuel having a molecular structure to emit light, and a receptacle including the photofuel disposed within. One or more photovoltaic cells are positioned within the receptacle to receive light emitted from the photofuel, and a negative electrode is coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells. A positive electrode is coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells to produce an electrical potential between the negative electrode and the positive electrode when a photocurrent is generated by the one or more photovoltaic cells in response to the one or more photovoltaic cells receiving the light emitted from the photofuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: William Regan, Jason Rugolo
  • Patent number: 10944291
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter includes a converter comprising at least one switching element, and configured to generate boosted input power; a resonator and a controller. The resonator is configured to receive the boosted input power as an alternating current (AC) power, and transmit a ping signal in a detection mode for determining whether any one or both of an external object approaching and a type of the external object. The controller is configured to control the switching element, and gradually increase a duty cycle of a gate signal provided to the switching element, in the detection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: WITS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Ki Hong, Joung Ho Son, Keun Soo Ha, Dae Sik Kim, Eun Young Shin, Seung Won Park
  • Patent number: 10944288
    Abstract: An automatic transfer switch for transferring the electrical power supplied to a load between a primary power source and a secondary power source employs one SPST bistable relay, and two SPDT bistable relays to switch power between regular and emergency sources. A fourth relay, a SPDT relay, is optionally employed to direct power from the emergency source to emergency lighting fixtures so that emergency lighting is provided despite the presence of dimming circuits or switched off circuits or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Inventor: Leon Hermans
  • Patent number: 10932757
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and a power supply device. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprises: an ultrasonic host including a pluggable main battery pack; a backup power supply device including a plurality of pluggable backup battery packs, for powering the ultrasonic host; and a trolley for carrying the ultrasonic host and the backup power supply device; wherein a specification of each of the plurality of backup battery packs is identical to that of the main battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yalan Yang, Hangjun Li, Youqiu Liu
  • Patent number: 10938253
    Abstract: A wireless power system includes a wireless power transmitting device such as a wireless charging mat for charging devices such as a cellular telephone and an earbuds battery case. The earbuds battery case receives earbuds and charges the earbuds from a battery. The wireless charging mat supports bidirectional in-band communications between the cellular telephone and the earbuds battery case. The earbuds battery case provides the cellular telephone with information on the battery charge level associated with the battery in the earbuds battery case and a battery charge level associated with each earbud in the earbuds battery case. The cellular telephone receives battery charge level information through the wireless charging mat and displays corresponding indicators. The earbuds battery case has a visual output device such as a light-emitting diode that is illuminated to indicate that the earbuds battery case is being charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adrian E. Sun, Gregory H. Nayman, Cortland S. Tolva, Joseph W. Colosimo, Antonio R. De Lima Fernandes, Brandon R. Garbus, Alexei E. Kosut
  • Patent number: 10937604
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switching device for a MV electric power distribution network. The switching device comprises electric contacts, which are electrically connectable to a conductor of said electric power distribution network, and a control unit. The switching device comprises signalling means emitting visible light externally to said switching device, said signalling means being controlled by said control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Leandro Vacirca, Angelo Cleber, Luciano Di Maìo
  • Patent number: 10934699
    Abstract: The toilet device is provided with a toilet device including a relay coil that has a first coil connected to one end of a connecting line and a second coil connected to the other end of the connecting line and a power reception coil. The first coil is configured to output the power received from a power supply coil by utilizing magnetic resonance to the second coil via the connecting line. The second coil is configured to supply the power received via the connecting line to the power reception coil by utilizing magnetic resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: LIXIL Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsuda, Naohisa Oota, Shunsuke Takahashi