Patents Examined by Manuel Hernandez
  • Patent number: 10756572
    Abstract: A charging pad for an electric vehicle includes a coolant assembly, a magnetics assembly, and an electronics assembly. The coolant assembly has a top wall and a bottom wall which form a coolant channel for circulating coolant through the coolant assembly. The magnetics assembly is configured to wirelessly receive power from a charging source induction coil arrangement facing the magnetics assembly. The magnetics assembly is adjacent the bottom wall of for heat generated by the magnetics assembly to thermally conduct from the bottom wall into coolant in the coolant channel. The electronics assembly is configured to convert the power wirelessly received by the magnetics assembly into electrical power for charging the electric vehicle. The electronics assembly is arranged adjacent the top wall for heat generated by the electronics assembly to thermally conduct from the top wall into coolant in the coolant channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Ajmal Imran Ansari, Arthur Hurlburt
  • Patent number: 10756557
    Abstract: With a conventional pulse charging method, a low voltage value for the pulse voltage is set to zero volts. When the low voltage value is low in this manner during charging, there is a problem that the negative pole of a secondary battery deteriorates. Provided is a secondary battery apparatus including a secondary battery and charge/discharge control apparatus that controls charging and discharging of the secondary battery. The charge/discharge control apparatus repeatedly performs, in an alternating manner, high voltage charging of applying a pulsed high voltage to the secondary battery and low voltage charging of applying a low voltage that is higher than 0 V and lower than the high voltage to the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takaharu Ohkanda, Kazuyuki Yoda, Hiroshi Takano, Ryuta Nishizuka
  • Patent number: 10749382
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter is provided. The wireless power transmitter includes a power source configured to provide direct current (DC) power, an inverter configured to receive the DC power from the power source, invert the DC power into alternating current (AC) power, and output the AC power, a coil configured to generate a magnetic field based on an input of the AC power, a sensor configured to measure a voltage of the AC power output from the inverter and a current of the AC power output from the inverter, and at least one processor configured to identify an external voltage applied to a load of an electronic device based on the voltage of the AC power and the current of the AC power, wherein the electronic device is configured to be wirelessly charged using the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Ki-Young Kim, Eui-Hoon Chung, Jung-Ik Ha, Kang-Ho Byun, Ji-Hoon Jung
  • Patent number: 10749364
    Abstract: An energy-saving charger capable of automatically powering off includes a bridge rectifier circuit, a switch control circuit, a high-frequency transformer, and a low-voltage output circuit that are sequentially connected. The charger further includes: an electronic switch connected in series between the bridge rectifier circuit and the switch control circuit; a low-voltage-end control detection circuit connected to the low-voltage output circuit, used for feeding back a magnitude of a current output by the charger and outputting a control signal; an isolating drive circuit connected to the low-voltage-end control detection circuit; and a power-on self-holding circuit connected to the isolating drive circuit and a control end of the electronic switch, used for controlling on and off of the electronic switch according to the isolated control signal, and providing a short-time ON level to the control end of the electronic switch at the beginning of power-on of the charger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventor: Xueshi Dai
  • Patent number: 10744902
    Abstract: A cooling device for a battery that is mounted in a vehicle includes: a cooling fan that is configured to suck air in a vehicle interior, and to blow the sucked air to the battery; an intake air temperature sensor that is configured to detect a temperature of the air sucked by the cooling fan; and an electronic control unit that is configured (i) to control the cooling fan, and (ii) to prohibit the cooling fan from being operated when a detected value of the intake air temperature sensor is lower than a first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyohito Machida, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Teruo Ishishita, Keiichi Minamiura
  • Patent number: 10727678
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mobile charging device, a mobile charging system and a mobile charging method. Said mobile charging system (1000) comprises an order system (100), a mobile charging device (200) and a charged object (300). Said mobile charging device (200) comprises a plurality of energy storage units (2021˜202n) and a power controller (201) connected to said plurality of energy storage units (2021˜202n) via an internal communication bus. In addition, said mobile charging device (200) further comprises a voltage transformer (2031˜203n) and/or a switch array (204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: NIO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiyong Zou, Yujun Gu
  • Patent number: 10720779
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a charging system, a terminal, a power adapter and a charging line. The terminal includes a first controller and M charging input interfaces. The power adapter includes a second controller and N charging output interfaces. When at least one of the N charging output interface is coupled to the charging input interfaces of the terminal, the second controller and the first controller communicate with each other to determine the number of charging output interfaces of the power adapter coupled to the terminal, and a charging current outputted from the power adapter to the terminal is adjusted according to the number of charging output interfaces of the power adapter coupled to the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Xinfeng Chen, Chen Tian, Jialiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10720788
    Abstract: Wireless charging devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and methods of charging electronic devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a wireless charging device includes a controller, a molding material disposed around the controller, and an interconnect structure disposed over the molding material and coupled to the controller. The wireless charging device includes a wireless charging coil coupled to the controller. The wireless charging coil comprises a first portion disposed in the interconnect structure and a second portion disposed in the molding material. The wireless charging coil is adapted to provide an inductance to charge an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Hua Yu, Chita Chuang, Chen-Shien Chen, Ming Hung Tseng, Sen-Kuei Hsu, Yu-Feng Chen, Yen-Liang Lin
  • Patent number: 10693319
    Abstract: Disclosed are a wireless charging pad including a plurality of small power transmission coils and a device for and a method of driving the wireless charging pad. More particularly, the wireless charging apparatus includes a driving controller configured to generate a first control signal so as to apply a first driving voltage having a first phase to power transmission coils to be driven matching a device to be charged among the small power transmission coils and generate a second control signal so as to apply a second driving voltage having a phase opposite to the first phase to power transmission coils surrounding the power transmission coils to be driven; and a coil driver configured to apply the first and second driving signals to a wireless charging pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION GROUP OF KYUNG HEE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Een Kee Hong, Joon Hwan Kim, Bom Son Lee, Gun Young Kim
  • Patent number: 10686326
    Abstract: A wireless power receiver for wirelessly receiving power from a wireless power transmitter comprises: a power reception circuit receiving electromagnetic waves emitted from the wireless power receiver so as to output power having an alternating current waveform; a rectifier for rectifying the power, having an AC waveform, outputted from the power reception circuit into power having a direct current waveform; a DC/DC converter for converting, into a voltage of a preset level, a voltage of the power having a direct current waveform, the power being rectified by the rectifier; a charger for charging a battery by using the power having a DC waveform, converted from the DC/DC converter; an alternating current ground connected to the power reception circuit and/or the rectifier so as to receive at least a portion of the power having an alternating current waveform; and a direct current ground connected to the DC/DC converter and/or the charger so as to receive at least a portion of the power having a direct current
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chong-Min Lee, Yu-Su Kim, Hyung-Koo Chung, Hyo-Seok Han
  • Patent number: 10618418
    Abstract: A charging system for an electrified vehicle includes a charging component and a phase change material positioned relative to the charging component and configured to absorb heat from the charging component. The charging component may include a vehicle inlet assembly, a charge cord, a charge connector, a high voltage cable, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Turik, Christian Hines, Bridget J. Volinski
  • Patent number: 10615624
    Abstract: Embodiments provide focused wireless charging method and apparatus based on radio frequency receiving and phase compensation retransmission. The method is based on the reciprocity principle, making each charging signal transmitted by the external charging system could stack in-phase when arriving at the embedded rechargeable battery, realizing wireless near field focusing in any given area in an unknown complex inhomogeneous propagation environment and a high charging efficiency. The focused wireless charging technology based on radio frequency receiving and phase compensation retransmission in embodiments could realize in-phase stacking and precise focus of each wireless charging signal of the external system on the embedded batteries to be charged automatically under different propagation environment, different environment medium, and possible random offset of the rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: UNIV. OF ELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND TECH. OF CHINA
    Inventors: Zaiping Nie, Yuan Yang, Xianzheng Zong
  • Patent number: 10612262
    Abstract: A contactless charging system includes a target vehicle and a charging station. The charging station includes a power transmission device, at least one parking space, a restriction device, and a management device. The management device is configured to control the restriction device to be a second state in which the target vehicle is permitted to enter the charging station and the parking space when the target vehicle is the contactless charged vehicle, and to be a first state in which the target vehicle is restricted to enter the charging station or the parking space when the target vehicle is not the contactless charged vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoya Katanoda
  • Patent number: 10604019
    Abstract: A method for communicating between an electric vehicle and a charging station for electrically charging at least one energy storage device of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle is connected to the charging station during the charging process by a lockable mechanical coupling between a terminal of charging cable connected to the vehicle and a terminal of the charging station. Charging current is fed from the charging station through the charging cable. Information is transferred in the course of the charging process based on a communication between the electric vehicle and the charging station. The information includes a signal transmitted from the electric vehicle to the charging station for locking and/or unlocking the mechanical coupling. The signal triggers the locking and/or unlocking of the mechanical coupling between the terminal of the charging cable and the terminal at the charging station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joerg Heuer, Martin Winter
  • Patent number: 10602867
    Abstract: A package deposit enclosure designed for public use is powered by an efficient storage battery and photovoltaic cell array. These unique features allow the package deposit enclosure to be placed in locations where no power is available, but where there is frequent human traffic. Sensing and wireless data communication features allow the unit to be emptied less often than typical package delivery enclosures. Wireless communication also allows users' access to real-time information. On board power enables other functions, such as lighting and audio, to enhance device functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: BIG BELLY SOLAR, INC.
    Inventors: James A. Poss, Jeffrey Satwicz
  • Patent number: 10554072
    Abstract: A system and method of using light-energy to communicate with a packaged computing device is described. In some embodiments, an optical detector of the computing device stored in a container receives light energy through a light-transparent window of the container. In some embodiments, the light energy is used to charge a battery of the computing device while the computing device is in the container. In some embodiments, a pre-defined pattern of light pulses is used to transition the computing device between a sleep state and a wake state while the computing device is in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James (Jimmy) Robert Lim, Yuting (Tim) Yeh, David Wang, Poon-Keong Ang, Erik Avy Vaknine
  • Patent number: 10554060
    Abstract: A power supply terminal, and a charging control method are disclosed. The power supply terminal includes a USB port, a switch, a power source module, and a processor, where the USB port is configured to connect to a power receiving terminal; one end of the power source module is connected to a power source pin VBUS of the USB port and is configured to charge the power receiving terminal by using the power source pin VBUS; a first end of the switch is connected to the data pin D+ and a second end of the switch is connected to the data pin D?; when the switch is on and the processor detects that a drop amplitude of the output voltage of the power source module exceeds a preset value, in a process in which the power source module outputs a voltage to charge the power receiving terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Huawei Device Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Changqi Li, Yanguo He, Lixiang Zheng, Yanfeng Zhao
  • Patent number: 10547197
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the wireless charger can be light-weight, thin, and can be hidden and/or integrated inside of handbags, backpacks, jackets, and other accessories. The wireless charger can also be used as a standalone product. The wireless charger charges phones using wireless power transmission and incorporates a battery which can be recharged through a power adapter. When properly integrated, the wireless charger according to embodiments described herein can be integrated into such apparel, accessories, or other products without altering or affecting the appearance of the product. For example, the wireless charger may be seamlessly incorporated into most any apparel and accessories from purses to apparel to jackets if the product has a pocket. Because various aspects of the wireless charger are adaptable, it can be easily customized to meet customer needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Mahsa Nakhjiri, Paul J. Yarka, Zixiao Pan, Jordan Pine, David Bradley
  • Patent number: 10541535
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for aggregating and supplying energy includes a plurality of power modules for inverting a first type of electrical power, which is supplied to the power modules from multiple sources of power, to a second type of electrical power at an output of the power modules for delivery of the inverted power to a storage device for future use, or to an electrical load, or to a regional or central utility grid. A microcontroller (the “power microcontroller”) is carried by and incorporated within each of the power modules and each is configured for controlling the power inversion operations. A microcontroller (the “control microcontroller”) carried by the control module is configured for monitoring voltage levels within the at least one energy storage device and for rebalancing voltage within the energy storage device and for correcting lead and lag power factor. Means for selectively supplying power received from said multiple disparate sources of power to the destination are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Kilowatt Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Waseem Ashraf Qureshi
  • Patent number: 10518650
    Abstract: A method for communicating between an electric vehicle and a charging station for electrically charging at least one energy storage device of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle is connected to the charging station during the charging process by a lockable mechanical coupling between a terminal of charging cable connected to the vehicle and a terminal of the charging station. Charging current is fed from the charging station through the charging cable. Information is transferred in the course of the charging process based on a communication between the electric vehicle and the charging station. The information includes a signal transmitted from the electric vehicle to the charging station for locking and/or unlocking the mechanical coupling. The signal triggers the locking and/or unlocking of the mechanical coupling between the terminal of the charging cable and the terminal at the charging station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joerg Heuer, Martin Winter