Patents Examined by Duc M Pham
  • Patent number: 11691516
    Abstract: A system and method of capacitance management in an agricultural vehicle and connected implement, wherein the vehicle and implement have a plurality of electric drives connected to a common connection and connectable to a direct current supply, and each electric drive has an associated Y capacitor between each direct current supply connection and the common connection, wherein the method includes receiving and summing capacitance values for each of the electric drives and comparing with a stored threshold value. If the threshold value is exceeded, a sequence of selective disconnections of individual electric drives is performed until the sum of the received capacitance values is less than or equal to the threshold value. The method may be performed manually, or automatically based on a sequence defined in a priority list until the sum of the received capacitance values is less than or equal to the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Benno Pichlmaier, Andreas Szajek
  • Patent number: 11682982
    Abstract: An inverter subsystem that includes a direct current (DC) bus, a DC terminal, and a power storage interface that is configured to be connected to power storage. The DC terminal is configured to be: (1) connected to the DC bus via an internally-facing side of the DC terminal and (2) connected to a load via an externally-facing side of the DC terminal. The load is powered via the DC terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Lunar Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Richard Fine, Mark Holveck, Conrad Xavier Murphy
  • Patent number: 11673477
    Abstract: An electric machine and method for powering the electric machine using interchangeable power modules that are configured to be interchangeably placed within power bays of the electric machine is disclosed. The electric machine includes an electrical module that is configured to receive power from one or more of the power modules placed in the power bays and transform, such as from DC to multi-phase alternating current (AC), and provide the power to one or more motors of the electric machine. The power modules may be of the same dimensions, same electrical interfaces, and/or same power output (e.g., type, magnitude) as each other to enable the interchangeability of the power modules. The power modules may be ones that generate power or ones that store energy. In some cases, the generating power modules may charge the energy storage power modules, while the energy storage power modules power the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Sopko, Jr., Jonathan Matthew Baumann, Carlos Eduardo Nino Baron
  • Patent number: 11660919
    Abstract: A current supply system of a team vehicle includes a towing vehicle operable in a cable-interconnected manner and an agricultural rear-mounted device coupled to the towing vehicle. The agricultural rear-mounted device has working equipment for performing a ground processing function. A base mast is allocated to the towing vehicle for producing a cable connection to a current supply interface of a first team vehicle that is travelling ahead, and an additional mast includes a further current supply interface allocated to the agricultural rear-mounted device for producing a further cable connection to a second team vehicle that is following. The additional mast is downstream of the working equipment of the agricultural rear-mounted device when viewed in a forward direction of travel of the team vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicolai Tarasinski, Volker Kegel, Simon Pfaffmann, Julian Daubermann, Felipe De Moraes Boos
  • Patent number: 11654792
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a motor performing power driving and regeneration. The motor has an inverter, a first power storage device with a large-capacity characteristic, a second power storage device with a high-power characteristic, a power converter and a circuit. The power converter has a voltage step down function during the power driving and a voltage step up function during the regeneration. In the circuit, the power converter, with the voltage step down function during the power driving, is connected to the first power storage device and the second power storage device is connected in series between a reactor of the power converter and the inverter. During the power driving of the motor, an output voltage of the first power storage device is stepped down to supply energy from the first power storage device and the second power storage device to the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.
    Inventors: Mahmoud Abdelnaby Sayed Abdallah, Takaharu Takeshita, Tatsuyuki Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11639144
    Abstract: An in-vehicle network system includes a power supply, an upper electronic control unit (ECU), an intermediate ECU configured to communicate with the upper ECU, and a plurality of lower ECUs configured to communicate with the intermediate ECU. The intermediate ECU is configured to receive power supplied from the power supply and supply the power supplied from the power supply to the lower ECUs. The lower ECUs are configured to transition, when the power is supplied from the intermediate ECU, from a power-off state to a standby state to wait for an instruction. The power supply is connected to the intermediate ECU via a power line and is not connected via the same power line to the upper ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Hirano
  • Patent number: 11641125
    Abstract: A vehicular power supply device to be applied to a vehicle includes an electric storage unit group, a charger, first and second switches, and a switch controller. The electric storage unit group includes a first electric storage unit and a second electric storage unit having higher internal resistance than the first electric storage unit. The charger is coupled to the electric storage unit group and charges one or both of the first electric storage unit and second electric storage unit. The first switch is provided between the first electric storage unit and the charger and controlled between an on state and an off state. The second switch is provided between the second electric storage unit and the charger and controlled between an on state and an off state. The switch controller controls the first and second switches based on a temperature of the electric storage unit group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itaru Seta, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Yosuke Ohtomo, Masaki Komura, Takashi Kono, Kazuki Makino, Shinya Sagawa
  • Patent number: 11632000
    Abstract: At least one component for a wireless power transmitter or a wireless power receiver. The at least one component includes a mechanical structure and/or circuitry configured to maintain and/or adjust a coupling coefficient K between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver, a loaded quality factor Q of the wireless power receiver, or both, such that K times Q is less than a constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventor: Vladimir Alexander Muratov
  • Patent number: 11630366
    Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus is described that includes a transparent pane having a first surface and a second surface. An electrochromic device is arranged over the second surface that includes a first conductive layer adjacent the second surface, a second conductive layer, and an electrochromic layer between the first and the second conductive layers. The apparatus further includes at least one conductive antenna structure arranged over the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Dhairya Shrivastava, Stephen Clark Brown
  • Patent number: 11623543
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an on-board electrical network (4) of a motor vehicle (2), having a first voltage circuit (I) and a second voltage circuit (II), the first voltage circuit (I) having a first operating voltage which is higher than a second operating voltage in the second voltage circuit (II), wherein the first voltage circuit (I) is connected to the second voltage circuit (II), the first voltage circuit (I) having a battery (10) and the second voltage circuit (II) having at least one main battery (12a) and a second main battery (12b), wherein the first main battery (12a) and the second main battery (12b) have essentially the same capacity, and wherein components of the motor vehicle (2) are supplied with electrical operating energy from the first main battery (12a) and/or the second main battery (12b) by means of a switch assembly (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Johann Kirchhoffer
  • Patent number: 11612719
    Abstract: Novel catheter with longitudinal expandable arid contractile elements which promote wave propagation. The tension-band characteristics of these elements enhance the “crawling” dynamics of the catheter. Tauglit is an aspiration catheter with three key components: an inner spring coil system, a soft pleated jacket with annuli that buckles under load and an outer proleg or leaf-spring that fattens the. diameter of the catheter. Smart features, robotics and AI may be on-boarded. As shown, subject catheters shall piston in a fixed environment (muscular structure such as an artery) and propagate forward akin to earthworm locomotion (Lumbricm terrestris).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventor: Akshal Patel
  • Patent number: 11616471
    Abstract: Various embodiments for a connection topology reconfiguration technique for photovoltaic (PV) arrays to maximize power output under partial shading and fault conditions using neural networks are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of Arizona State University
    Inventors: Vivek Sivaraman Narayanaswamy, Andreas Spanias, Rajapandian Ayyanar, Cihan Tepedelenlioglu
  • Patent number: 11607965
    Abstract: A powertrain for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle applications with integrated three-phase AC charging featuring buck-boost operation and optional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability, along with corresponding methods and machine instruction sets for switch control. The powertrain can include of a three-phase current source converter (CSC) front-end with an associated input filter, a polarity inversion module, and in an embodiment, a dual-inverter motor drive. The dual-inverter drive is the source of both the back emf and requisite DC inductance for the CSC. A compact design is thus provided as no additional magnetics are required and the on-board cooling system required for traction mode can be re-deployed for charging and V2G mode. The powertrain is mode shifted between charging and V2G mode through an optional polarity inversion module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ELEAPPOWER LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Lehn, Philippe Gray
  • Patent number: 11603007
    Abstract: This specification describes an electrically powered modular platform comprising a power module comprising a common power bus, the power module electrically connected to a power source; one or more service modules that provide a service; a termination module that is configured to cover an opening in the one or more service modules, wherein the power module, each of the one or more service modules, and the termination module are modular and stackable, and wherein the power module and each of the one or more service modules are electrically connected using the common power bus to provide power to each of the one or more service modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Inventor: Cora Castle
  • Patent number: 11597289
    Abstract: A vehicle and control method include a traction battery having a first nominal voltage, an auxiliary battery having a second nominal voltage, a bi-directional voltage converter configured to convert voltage between the first nominal voltage and the second nominal voltage, an electric machine powered by the traction battery and configured to provide propulsive power to the vehicle, an internal combustion engine, a plurality of electric accessories, and a controller programmed to control the DC/DC converter and the electric machine to supply power from the auxiliary battery through the DC/DC converter to the electric machine for a specified period of time in response to electric machine power demand being between a first threshold and a second threshold, and to reduce power supplied to at least one of the plurality of electric accessories in response to the electric machine power demand exceeding the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Thomas Powell, Lars Niklas Pettersson, Patrick Gordon Collins, Marin Assaliyski
  • Patent number: 11590847
    Abstract: A power system (100, 200) for a vehicle, the power system comprising: a hazardous voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit (106) configured to disconnect a high-voltage energy source (102) from a high-voltage system (104); a low-voltage energy source (108) coupled to the HVIL-circuit for supplying operational power to the HVIL-circuit; and a circuit breaker (110) operable to break a connection between the low-voltage energy source and the HVIL circuit, wherein the HVIL-circuit is configured to disconnect the high-voltage energy source from the high-voltage system if the low-voltage energy source is disconnected from the HVIL-circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mats Nyström
  • Patent number: 11584195
    Abstract: A transportation refrigeration system including: a transportation refrigeration unit comprising a motor; a power conversion unit configured convert an amplitude, a frequency and a phase of an input electrical power signal, wherein the power conversion unit comprises a first power bridge, a DC link and a second power bridge; an energy storage device configured to supply electrical power to the motor via the power conversion unit during a road mode; a first switch configured to selectively connect the first power bridge to the energy storage device or the motor; and a second switch configured to selectively connect the second power bridge to the motor or a power grid; wherein the first switch and second switch are positioned to connect the first power bridge and second power bridge to specified sources and outputs during each of the road mode and the standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaegue Shin, Xu She, XuQiang Liao, HanJong Kim, Ismail Agirman, David Ginsberg
  • Patent number: 11584256
    Abstract: A vehicle control device for a vehicle includes a processor. The vehicle includes a first battery, a second battery, an auxiliary load powered by the second battery, and a DC-to-DC converter configured to supply electric power from the first battery to either the second battery or the auxiliary load, or to both of the second battery or the auxiliary load. The processor is configured to: determine the state of a start switch and the boarding state of the vehicle; acquire the voltage of the second battery; and when the processor determines that the vehicle is in a non-started on-board state, determine based on the voltage of the second battery an order in which the DC-to-DC converter and the auxiliary load are driven. The non-started on-board state is a state in which the start switch is off and a user is presumed to be in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kawai, Shinichi Inoue, Toru Ono, Yasushi Kusaka
  • Patent number: 11588351
    Abstract: One general aspect includes methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for fault protection of a bidirectional wireless power transfer system. The method includes the actions of detecting, by control circuitry of a wireless power transfer device, a fault for the bidirectional wireless power transfer system. Identifying an operating personality of the wireless power transfer device and a hardware configuration of the wireless power transfer device. Identifying, in response to detecting the fault and based on the operating personality and the hardware configuration, protection operations for protecting the wireless power transfer device from the fault. Controlling operations of the wireless power transfer device according to the protection operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Milisav Danilovic, Bryan Ashworth Esteban, Kinjeo Yeung
  • Patent number: 11577674
    Abstract: An electrical power system for a vehicle comprising a base powernet and a primary powernet electrically connected to primary safety critical loads. A switch is disposed between the base powernet and the primary powernet. The switch is configured to transition between a closed state that electrically connects the base powernet to the primary powernet and an open state that disconnects the base powernet from the primary powernet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Adel Awad Alla, Sami Dagher, Bo Wu