Patents Examined by Joel Barnett
  • Patent number: 11548408
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling fluid flow in a fuel cell circuit of a vehicle. A system may have a fuel cell stack configured to receive hydrogen gas. The system may have a current sensor configured to detect current flowing through the fuel cell stack. The system may have a plurality of actuators, which may include at least one injector, a pump, and a shut valve. The system may have an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU may estimate pressures of the hydrogen gas and non-hydrogen gases in the circuit. The ECU may determine a current increase rate based on the detected current. The ECU may apply a compensatory hydrogen gas stoic to a base hydrogen gas stoic to meet a target hydrogen gas stoic by controlling one or more of the actuators based on the estimated pressures when the current increase rate is above a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jared M. Farnsworth, Daniel C. Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Nobukazu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11515704
    Abstract: Methods include, in response to a line frequency variation of a power grid, adjusting a voltage setpoint of a voltage regulator coupled to the power grid at a grid edge to maintain a voltage at the grid edge, wherein the adjusting the regulated voltage setpoint is configured to reduce the line frequency variation to stabilize the line frequency of the power grid. Apparatus include a voltage regulator configured to couple to a power grid at a grid edge and to maintain a voltage at the grid edge, wherein the voltage regulator is further configured to adjust a voltage setpoint of a voltage regulator in response to a line frequency variation of the power grid to reduce the line frequency variation and stabilize the line frequency of the power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Wei Du, Kevin P. Schneider, Francis K. Tuffner, Jing Xie, Thanh T. Vu
  • Patent number: 11498423
    Abstract: A rail-mounted rail processing machine has at least one traction motor and with at least one working unit for processing tracks, a permanent energy source, an electrical energy storage and a current collector. The components are connected to a common direct current network via power converters. In order to create a rail-mounted rail processing machine that allows low-maintenance and environmentally friendly operation of working aggregates with strongly varying peak loads without having to accept losses in the processing quality, the permanent energy source is a fuel cell which feeds at least one base load of the working unit into the direct current network via one of the power converters. To cover peak loads of at least the working unit, buffer energy of the electrical energy storage acting as a buffer store is feedable into the direct current network via an associated one of the power converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Mate GmbH
    Inventor: Philipp Haselsteiner
  • Patent number: 11482884
    Abstract: A PCB for wireless power transfer includes an antenna and the antenna includes a coil. A method for manufacturing the PCB includes providing a prefabricated PCB, the prefabricated PCB including a PCB design and a first area and providing a first sheet of a conductive metal for the first area. The method includes applying an etch resistant coating on a coil area within the first area and laser cutting the first sheet within the coil area, based on a laser cutting path for a first plurality of turns for a first layer of the coil, the first geometry configured wireless power transfer. The method further includes substantially exposing the first sheet to an etching solution, the etching solution substantially removing first portions of the conductive metal from the substrate to define, at least, first turn gaps between at least two of the first plurality of turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Los
  • Patent number: 11482864
    Abstract: An illustrative embodiment disclosed herein is method for power distribution optimization. In some embodiments, the method includes determining an efficiency for each power block of a plurality of power blocks of a power distribution optimization system, determining a characteristic for each power block, determining a power to provide, selecting a first percentage of the power that a first power block is to provide and a second percentage of the power that a second power block is to provide at least based on the efficiency for each power block, the characteristic for each power block, and the power to provide, wherein the first percentage of the power is greater than the second percentage of the power, and sending a dispatch command to cause the first power block to provide the first percentage of the power and the second power block to provide the second percentage of the power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: 8ME NOVA, LLC
    Inventors: Nadim Kanan, Gautham Ramesh, Lukas Mercer Hansen
  • Patent number: 11476718
    Abstract: A wireless transmission system for transmitting AC wireless signals includes a transmission controller configured to provide first driving signals for driving the first transmission antenna. The wireless transmission system further includes a power conditioning system configured to receive the driving signals, receive input power from an input power source, and generate the AC wireless signals based, at least in part, on the first driving signal and the input power source. The wireless transmission system further includes a first transmission antenna configured for coupling with one or more other antennas and configured to transmit the AC wireless signals to the one or more other antennas, receive the AC wireless signals from one or more other antennas, and repeat the AC wireless signals to the one or more other antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Peralta, Md. Nazmul Alam
  • Patent number: 11476671
    Abstract: A wind power converting device includes a plurality of grid-side converters, a plurality of generator-side converters and a plurality of DC buses. The grid-side converters are connected with each other in series and electrically coupled to a power grid. The generator-side converters are connected with each other in series and electrically coupled to a generator device. The DC buses are electrically coupled between the grid-side converters and the generator-side converters. The DC buses include a positive DC bus, a negative DC bus and at least one intermediate DC bus between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus. A cross section area of a conductor of the intermediate DC bus is smaller than 30% of a cross section area of a conductor of the positive DC bus or smaller than 30% of a cross section area of a conductor of the negative DC bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changyong Wang, Yansong Lu
  • Patent number: 11476727
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission system includes a receiver position identifier unit configured to determine the positions of receiver apparatuses; a signal transmitter unit comprising antennas arrayed in a pre-designated pattern and configured to radiate wireless power signals by forming a beam in a pattern corresponding to signals supplied respectively to the antennas; and a beamforming unit configured to improve a wireless power transmission efficiency by temporarily setting a frequency vector, which is for designating frequencies of the signals supplied to the antennas, and a beamforming vector, which is for designating phases and gains of the signals, based on the positions of the receiver apparatuses and alternatingly iteratively estimating the other vector to enhance power transmission efficiency such that a multi-lobe beam pattern radiated simultaneously in the directions of the receiver apparatuses is formed in the antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University
    Inventors: Chung Yong Lee, Chae Hun Im, Sang Won Jung
  • Patent number: 11472297
    Abstract: An electrical system, and, more particularly, to an electrical system for an aircraft comprising one or more energy sinks and a hybrid energy storage system. The hybrid energy storage system may comprise one or more primary energy sources, a secondary energy source, and a secondary energy source control unit. The one or more primary energy sources may be coupled to and supply power to the one or more energy sinks. The secondary energy source may be coupled to the one or more primary energy sources and adapted to supply power at a variable output voltage to the one or more primary energy sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Urban Mobility GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Geiss
  • Patent number: 11469629
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of secure wireless transmission of power using unidirectional communication signals from a wireless-power-receiving device. The method includes, receiving, from a wireless-power-transmitting device that includes a first communications radio, a first wireless-power-transmission signal at a wireless-power-receiving device that includes a second communications radio. In response to receiving the first wireless-power-transmission signal: broadcasting, via the second communications radio of the wireless-power-receiving device and without establishing a communications channel between the first and second communications radios, a data packet, the data packet including information identifying (i) at least one power requirement of a power source of the wireless-power-receiving device (ii) an amount of power received by the wireless-power-receiving device from the first wireless-power-transmission signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Energous Corporation
    Inventors: Deepak Jain, Noorul Ameen Thufile Ahamed
  • Patent number: 11458831
    Abstract: A cooling system includes a circulation channel, a first switching valve, a second switching valve, and a controller. The circulation channel allows a cooling medium to circulate in order of a radiator, a battery, an inverter, a motor, and the radiator. The first switching valve allows the cooling medium to bypass the radiator in the circulation channel. The second switching valve allows the cooling medium to bypass the motor in the circulation channel. The controller controls the first switching valve and the second switching valve on the basis of a battery temperature of the battery, an inverter temperature of the inverter, and a motor temperature of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shogo Oki
  • Patent number: 11463128
    Abstract: An information processing device to enable a user to create a program with visual operations, and to enable the stable implementation of many functions with a small number of devices. In a basic core, a pairing unit executes pairing with a user terminal that executes control for causing functional modules, to exhibit prescribed functions. A transmission information generation unit generates transmission information including: prescribed information to be used by the functional modules, to exhibit the prescribed functions or while exhibiting the prescribed functions on the basis of the control by the user terminal; and information indicating a transmission destination, which is one of the functional modules. A connection unit executes control to superimpose the transmission information on a signal for supplying power to the functional modules in the form of electric current and to transmit the signal to the functional modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: VIVIWARE JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Hideaki Nii, Shozaburo Shimada, Kazutoshi Kashimoto, Vijay Siddharth Pillai, Shintaro Itamoto
  • Patent number: 11458857
    Abstract: A power transfer managing apparatus includes: a demand information acquiring unit that acquires information indicating power demand in a power network; a selecting unit that selects, as a vehicle to be caused to perform power transfer with the power network according to the power demand, a vehicle provided with a driving power source having an accumulated energy amount larger than a predetermined accumulation amount, and having an accumulatable energy amount larger than a predetermined accumulatable amount; and a notification control unit that makes a user of the vehicle that is selected by the selecting unit notified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hakaru Sadano, Motoki Hishida, Hiroyuki Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 11440423
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an apparatus including a pulse buffer (PB) converter. The PB converter including a housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), at least one inductor, and at least one capacitor is provided. The PCB is positioned in the housing and includes at least one first power switch and at least one second power switch positioned thereon. The at least one inductor is positioned in the housing and off board from the PCB to interface with the at least one first power switch and the at least second power switch. The at least one capacitor is positioned in the housing and off board from the PCB to interface with the at least one first power switch and the at least one second power switch to regulate an energy output to one or more vehicle batteries during a charging operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rafael Jimenez Pino, Pablo Gaona Rosanes, Hector Sarnago Andia, Oscar Lucia Gil
  • Patent number: 11440416
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a control unit for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle may be a maglev vehicle. The control unit is configured to autonomously control positions of landing gear on the vehicle that are extendible and retractable. In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to detect a change in a weight-on-wheels state of the vehicle, and to transition between passively controlling extension or retraction of the landing gear and actively controlling the extension distance of the landing gear in order to maintain a desired distance between the vehicle and a levitation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignees: SAFRAN LANDING SYSTEMS, SAFRAN LANDING SYSTEMS CANADA INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Michael Ellis, Graeme Peter Arthur Klim, Thibaud Mazoue
  • Patent number: 11440433
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (100) for determining an adjusted state-of-charge (SOC) operating window of a battery pack assembly in a vehicle. The method comprises the steps of determining (120) an energy throughput or an electrical current through put of the battery pack assembly; determining (130) a SOC operating window margin based on said determined energy throughput or electrical current through put of the battery pack assembly;adjusting (140) the SOC operating window in response to the determined SOC operating window margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Simon Brunet, Tobias Smidebrant
  • Patent number: 11437735
    Abstract: An antenna for receiving wireless power from a transmitter is provided. The antenna includes multiple antenna elements, coupled to an electronic device, configured to receive radio-frequency (RF) power waves from the transmitter, each antenna element being adjacent to at least one other antenna element. Furthermore, the multiple antenna elements are arranged so that an efficiency of reception of the RF power waves by the antenna elements remains above a predetermined threshold efficiency when a human hand is in contact with the electronic device, the predetermined threshold efficiency being at least 50%. Lastly, at least one antenna element is coupled to conversion circuitry, which is configured to (i) convert energy from the received RF power waves into usable power and (ii) provide the usable power to the electronic device for powering or charging of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Energous Corporation
    Inventors: Anna Papio-Toda, Shun Yao, Chryssoula Kyriazidou, Seiran Khaledian
  • Patent number: 11433780
    Abstract: When replacement of a battery is detected, an automatic driving executability determination unit determines whether the battery is in a low capacity state until a predetermined time elapses, using battery information (battery charge amount, discharge performance) excluding an estimation value of a temperature of the battery, and restricts automatic driving according to such a determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hayahito Ukai, Shota Kawanaka, Takehiro Horigome, Yasuhiro Ikeda, Takeshi Itagaki
  • Patent number: 11431202
    Abstract: A wireless transmission system for transmitting AC wireless signals includes a transmission controller configured to provide first driving signals for driving the first transmission antenna. The wireless transmission system further includes a power conditioning system configured to receive the driving signals, receive input power from an input power source, and generate the AC wireless signals based, at least in part, on the first driving signal and the input power source. The wireless transmission system further includes a first transmission antenna configured for coupling with one or more other antennas and configured to transmit the AC wireless signals to the one or more other antennas, receive the AC wireless signals from one or more other antennas, and repeat the AC wireless signals to the one or more other antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Peralta, Md. Nazmul Alam
  • Patent number: 11427347
    Abstract: A cabin interior arrangement 1 for an aircraft is proposed that comprises a first cabin interior object and a second cabin interior object 3a, b, comprising a power transmitting device 5 for transmitting power from an aircraft electrical system 7, wherein the power transmitting device 5 is arranged on the first cabin interior object 3a, comprising a power receiving device 6 for receiving the power from the power transmitting device 5, wherein the power receiving device 6 is arranged on the second cabin interior object 3b, wherein the power transmitting device 5 and the power receiving device 6 are embodied as a power transfer arrangement 2 for supplying the power to a mobile terminal 4, wherein the power transmitting device 5 and the power receiving device 6 are designed to transfer power over a distance of several centimetres, wherein the power transmitting device 5 and the power receiving device 6 are deigned to set up a wireless and/or cordless supply connection segment 10 between the power transmitting de
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Diehl Aerospace GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Gut, Martin Richter, Benno Petersen