Patents Examined by Hal Kaplan
  • Patent number: 11569659
    Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Adest, Lior Handelsman, Yoav Galin, Amir Fishelov, Guy Sella
  • Patent number: 11569672
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a connection unit and a control unit. The control unit enables a power supply path for supplying power from a first battery connected to an external device to the electronic device and enables a power supply path for supplying power from a second battery connected to the external device to a predetermined functional unit of the external device, in a case where the first battery or the second battery connected to the external device is not charged. The control unit disables a power supply path for supplying power from the second battery connected to the external device to the predetermined functional unit and enables a power supply path for supplying power from the electronic device to the first battery or the second battery, in a case where the first battery or the second battery connected to the external device is charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sho Ichikawa, Kento Inai, Hiroshi Moritomo, Kenichirou Hayashi, Shigeo Aoyagi, Sayaka Kumon, Hirokazu Izuoka, Akira Matsuo
  • Patent number: 11569660
    Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Adest, Lior Handelsman, Yoav Galin, Amir Fishelov, Guy Sella
  • Patent number: 11557957
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a power module may include: a plurality of first stages, each having an H-bridge to receive an incoming AC voltage at a first frequency and rectify the incoming AC voltage to a DC voltage; a plurality of DC buses, each to receive the DC voltage from one of the plurality of first stages; a plurality of second stages, each coupled to one of the plurality of DC buses to receive the DC voltage and output a second AC voltage at a second frequency; and a hardware configuration system having fixed components and optional components to provide different configurations for the power module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Resilient Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Abolhassani, Lyle T. Keister, Josh Keister
  • Patent number: 11554639
    Abstract: An electrical power module and transport refrigeration system. The electrical power module is used for an apparatus powered by a battery or/and a fuel, has a working mode and includes: a DC buck module configured to step-down a DC at least provided by the battery to a low-voltage output DC for output, or/and a DC boost module configured to step-up a low-voltage input DC provided by the apparatus powered by the fuel to a high-voltage DC for output; and a control module connected to a transport refrigeration unit, and configured to, in the working mode, control the operation of the DC buck module or/and the DC boost module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pu Zheng, Linhui Chen
  • Patent number: 11556096
    Abstract: In order to enable switching control over power-feeding paths even in the event of a ground fault or an open fault in a power-feeding path, the submarine branching unit is provided with: a switching circuit which switches multiple power-feeding paths formed among a first through a third power-receiving ports; a control circuit which receives power from a power-feeding path formed between the first power-receiving port and the second power-receiving port and controls the switching circuit; and a connection circuit which connects the control circuit between the third power-receiving port and a sea-earth when no power is supplied to the control circuit from the power-feeding path formed between the first power-receiving port and the second power-receiving port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshinari Takigawa
  • Patent number: 11552483
    Abstract: An electric storage system is provided including a switching unit which is arranged between an electric storage unit of an electric storage device which is configured to be connectable in parallel with another power supply device and wire which is configured to electrically connect the electric storage device and the another power supply device, wherein the switching unit is configured to switch the electrical connection relationship between the wire and the electric storage unit; and a restriction unit which is connected in parallel with the switching unit between the wire and the electric storage unit, has a higher resistance than the switching unit, and is configured to cause current to flow in a direction from the electric storage unit to the wire and suppress current flowing in a direction from the wire to the electric storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: NExT-e Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Fumiaki Nakao, Hiroyasu Sato
  • Patent number: 11552498
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical consumer is provided. The electrical consumer is coupled to an electricity supply grid using a frequency converter. The electricity supply grid has a line voltage and is characterized by a nominal line voltage. The electricity supply grid is monitored for a grid fault in which the line voltage deviates from the nominal line voltage by at least a first differential voltage. When the grid fault occurs, the electrical consumer remains coupled to the electricity supply grid, and a power consumption of the electrical consumer is changed on the basis of the deviation of the line voltage from the nominal line voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Brombach, Ingo Mackensen, Stefan Gertjegerdes
  • Patent number: 11541767
    Abstract: A vehicle power supply includes an electric accumulator pack, an electric motor, first and second switches, an output determiner, and a switch controller. The electric accumulator pack includes first and second electric accumulators. The first and second switches are controlled between on- and off-states. The output determiner determines whether the first electric accumulator is in a first output state or a second output state, and whether the second electric accumulator is in the first output state or the second output state. If at least one of the first electric accumulator or the second electric accumulator is in the first output state, the switch controller controls either one of the first and second switches to the on-state, and the other switch to the off-state. If both the first and second electric accumulators are in the second output state, the switch controller controls both the first and second switches to the on-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuki Makino, Itaru Seta, Yosuke Ohtomo, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Takashi Kono, Shinya Sagawa, Masaki Komuro, Masakazu Yoshino
  • Patent number: 11536754
    Abstract: Techniques for implementing a fault-tolerant power supply are described. In an example, a system converts an alternating-current (AC) voltage to an initial direct current (DC) voltage. The system further converts the initial DC voltage to a first DC voltage and a second DC voltage. The system applies the first DC voltage to a high-priority device such as a metrology device. The system applies the second DC voltage to a low-priority or peripheral device. When the initial DC voltage is outside a voltage range, the system deactivates the second DC voltage to the lower-priority device and maintains the first DC voltage to the metrology device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Anibal Diego Ramirez
  • Patent number: 11539303
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is provided that includes a split direct current (DC) link having a first capacitor coupled between a positive DC link terminal and a first node, and a second capacitor coupled between the first node and a negative DC link terminal. The UPS also includes a rectifier coupled to an input of the split DC link and a controller coupled to the rectifier. The rectifier includes first, second, and third legs, wherein each leg is configured to convert a first alternating current (AC) voltage received from an AC source into a DC voltage to be provided to the split DC link, and a fourth leg configured to balance DC link voltages of the first and second capacitors. The controller is configured to maintain functionality of the rectifier during at least one of a partial utility power outage, a full utility outage, and a failure of at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Lorenzo Giuntini, Silvio Colombi, Andrea Mannuccini
  • Patent number: 11522393
    Abstract: An inductive power transfer system is arranged to transfer power from a power transmitter to a power receiver via a wireless power signal. The system supports communication from the power transmitter to the power receiver based on load modulation of the power signal. The power receiver transmitting a first message to the power transmitter which comprises a standby power signal requirement for the power signal during a standby phase. The power transmitter receives the message, and when the system enters the standby phase, the power transmitter provides the power signal in accordance with the standby power signal requirement during. A power receiver configurable standby phase is provided which may for example allow devices to maintain battery charge or to provide fast initialization of the power transfer phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Andries Van Wageningen, Laurens Henricus Swaans
  • Patent number: 11522326
    Abstract: A control system for a whirlpool bath installation, including a single input source wiring for connecting to an input source of high voltage AC electrical power having a nominal current rating. A plurality of high voltage output connections are connected to the input source through a corresponding plurality of switches, for power connections to a respective high voltage load devices, whose cumulative nominal current draw ratings exceeds the current rating of the input source. An electronic controller controls states of the switches in response to user input commands. The electronic controller implements an algorithm or a set of rules preventing a system utilization of the high voltage loads from exceeding a total current draw exceeding said nominal maximum current rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Balboa Water Group, LLC
    Inventor: Graham J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11509139
    Abstract: A system for load balancing on a multi-phase power line connected to a single phase lateral power line, includes a contactor configured to selectively connect each phase of the multi-phase power line to the single phase lateral power line. There is a phase change device connected in parallel with the contactor and a controller. During the phase change state, the controller connects the input of the phase change device to the multi-phase power line and connects the output of the phase change device the single phase lateral power line. The controller causes the phase change device to output a voltage to the single phase lateral line initially aligned with the first phase and then rotated to align with the second phase and causes the contactor changes connection to the second phase of the multi-phase power line and disconnect the phase change device from the power lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick S. Flannery, Robert McFetridge
  • Patent number: 11502628
    Abstract: The invention relates to an energy storage system for storing heat and coldness and for providing electrical energy, characterized by an energy converter, wherein the energy converter is designed to produce electrical energy from heat and coldness and to produce heat and coldness from electrical energy, the energy converter being in heat-transferring contact with a hot heat exchanger and with a cold heat exchanger, the hot heat exchanger being connected to a heat reservoir and the cold heat exchanger being connected to a coldness reservoir, and a control unit being provided, which operates the energy storage system in a first operating mode, in which heat and coldness are formed from electrical energy by means of the energy converter, and in a second operating mode, in which electrical energy is produced from heat and coldness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: BME DR. GOLBS & PARTNER GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Weber, Petra Werner
  • Patent number: 11495969
    Abstract: A method for detection of a sub-synchronous oscillation in a power system includes measuring a three-phase measurement signal of an electric system value, analyzing the measurement signal to detect an oscillation component of the measurement signal having an oscillation frequency lower than a system frequency of the power system, deciding whether the detected oscillation component at the oscillation frequency qualifies as a sub-synchronous oscillation, and disconnecting a generator from the power system that might be affected by the sub-synchronous oscillation. To detect sub-synchronous oscillations with low computational effort and good accuracy, an amplitude of each phase of the oscillation component is calculated and compared against a threshold, a sub-synchronous oscillation is detected upon exceeding the threshold during a given time delay, and a fault signal is generated upon detecting a sub-synchronous oscillation. A device having a processing unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Waldemar Rebizant, Hans-Joachim Herrmann, Sebastian Schneider, Pawel Regulski
  • Patent number: 11489337
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for managing electrical energy generated by a renewable microgrid. One or more processors of a system may store priorities for one or more consumer loads; forecast an amount of available electrical energy for a time period; allocate a first electrical energy amount to a first consumer load to a first energy limit for the time period; determine more electrical energy is forecast to be available from the RES or the ESS for the time period; identify a second consumer load of the one or more consumer loads; allocate a second electrical energy amount to the second consumer load for the time period; and direct electrical energy from the RES or the ESS to the first and second consumer loads according to the allocations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: 8ME NOVA, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Buttgenbach, Finbar Sheehy
  • Patent number: 11476721
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing foreign object detection for a wireless power transmitter. A matching network and transmit coil are energized, and a resonance is excited. The resonance is allowed to decay. A temporal characteristic of the decay is measured. The temporal characteristic is analyzed to determine whether a foreign object is coupled to an electromagnetic field generated by the transmit coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Alexander Muratov, Patrick Stanley Riehl, William Plumb
  • Patent number: 11462915
    Abstract: A system for balancing voltages in solar substrings in a first solar panel includes an inductive balancer circuit. The inductive balancer circuit includes a first power level pair and a second power level pair each coupled to the solar substring, and including: a pair of switches arranged in series; a pair of capacitors arranged in series and connected in parallel to the first pair of switches; and an inductor arranged between the first pair of switches and the first pair of capacitors. The system further includes a controller coupled to the inductive balancer circuit and configured to: oscillate states of the pair of switches at a duty cycle; balance voltages across the first power level pair and the second power level pair; and generate a total voltage output that is a multiple of a nominal operating voltage of a most-illuminated solar substring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Optivolt Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Linda Irish
  • Patent number: 11458860
    Abstract: A vehicle interface system configured to be arranged between a vehicle and an off-board inverter, may include a first cable configured to connect to the vehicle via a first connector; a second cable configured to connect to an inverter via a second connector; and a transceiver configured to transmit interface data to the vehicle indicating the presence of a load connected at the second connector and receive vehicle data including instructions to transmit power from the first connector to the second connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher W. Bell