Patents Examined by Michael Rutland-Wallis
  • Patent number: 7994752
    Abstract: A sequential power transmission between a portable user-carried battery and first and second independent accessories. At least one primary inductive coupling coil is mounted on an article of apparel worn by the user, so as to place a primary coil adjacent a first intermediary inductive coupling coil on the first independent accessory. The energizing of the first intermediary coil energizes a second intermediary coil on the first independent accessory. The second intermediary coil, when energized, energizes a secondary coil on the second independent accessory for powering the use, including the charging of the batteries of that accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Cynetic Designs Ltd.
    Inventor: Roger J. Soar
  • Patent number: 7989989
    Abstract: A start-up circuit having a micro crush capacitor that is operatable with a small pressure. The crush capacitor may be connected to a silicon controlled rectifier or similar device. Applying the pressure to the crush capacitor may turn on the SCR which may in turn activate a sensor. The circuit may be fabricated on a flexible substrate which together may be regarded as a flexible circuit. The flexible circuit may be held down on a back plate with a form plate clamping the circuit at its perimeter edge. The flexible circuit may be held firm with the plates for component insertion and/or circuit testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa M. Lust, Daniel W. Youngner
  • Patent number: 7986055
    Abstract: A method of protecting a battery is provided in a vehicle having a battery that selectively supplies electric power for starting an engine of the vehicle and that selectively supplies electric power to a plurality of electric loads of the vehicle. The method includes: obtaining a temperature; determining a state of charge (SOC) of the battery; determining a first threshold based on the obtained temperature; determining a second threshold based on the obtained temperature, the second threshold being different than the first threshold; taking a first remedial action if the SOC is below the first determined threshold; and taking a second remedial action if the SOC is below the second determined threshold, the second remedial action being different from the first remedial action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Richard Owens
  • Patent number: 7982334
    Abstract: The invention provides a motor-driven steering lock apparatus which can improve a reliability of locking and unlocking operations, with a simple circuit structure. A power supply line from a battery and a driving means are connected by a switching means only at a time when a feed signal from a host first control means to a drive control means (CPU), a power supply-enabling signal from the host first control means and a power supply-enabling signal from a host second control means are input to the switching means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: U-Shin Ltd.
    Inventor: Masakazu Kumano
  • Patent number: 7977824
    Abstract: A device for switching in and out a load with respect to an alternating voltage feeder has two mechanical switches connected in series in a current path between the load and the feeder and each having a by-pass branch with at least one member with ability to block current therethrough in at least a blocking direction and conduct current therethrough in at least one direction. A unit is adapted to control a procedure of a switching out and switching in by synchronization with the current in the feeder and the voltage of the feeder, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Stefan Halen, Ola Jeppsson, Edgar Dullni, Hans Begge
  • Patent number: 7977812
    Abstract: An ECU in an electric power system for a vehicle controls a DC-DC converter so that an alternator transmits a residual generated electric power to a sub battery while a terminal voltage of a main battery is maintained within an optimally specified voltage range. This residual generated electric power is obtained by subtracting from a maximum generating electric power of the alternator an electric power to be consumed by electric loads and an electric power with which the main battery is charged. This can suppress any fluctuation of the voltage of electric power of the electric power system, namely, the output voltage of the alternator and the voltage of the main battery, and perform a maximum regenerative electric power generation. The sub battery is efficiently changed with the regenerative electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Senda
  • Patent number: 7960862
    Abstract: A method for high-reliability power switching may comprise: (a) transferring possession of a token to first control logic controlling a first triode for alternating current (TRIAC), the TRIAC operably coupled to a first power source; (b) applying a voltage to a gate of the first TRIAC according to the possession of the token; (c) detecting a violation of a power source parameter; (d) transferring possession of the token to second control logic controlling a second TRIAC, the second TRIAC operably coupled to a second power source; (e) removing the voltage from the gate of the first TRIAC; and (f) applying a voltage to a gate of the second TRIAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Geist Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael V. Smith, Jason Cohen, Gerard L. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7960857
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle-based source of uninterruptable power is disclosed. The vehicle-based UPS includes an energy storage system located on-board a vehicle and configured to generate DC power transferable to an external load, and an DC-AC inverter connected to the on-board energy storage system to receive the DC power therefrom and invert the DC power to an AC power useable by the external load. The vehicle-based UPS also includes a charging device located on-board the vehicle and connected to the on-board energy storage system to provide recharging power thereto and a control system. The control system is configured to determine one of a state-of-charge (SOC) and a voltage of the energy storage system and selectively operate the charging device to provide the recharging power to the energy storage system to maintain the SOC or voltage of the energy storage system within a pre-determined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Robert Dean King
  • Patent number: 7956495
    Abstract: A structure compliant with non-contact power transmission includes a placement member that includes a placement side, an electronic instrument including a non-contact power transmission power receiving device being placed on the placement side, a non-contact power transmission power transmitting device, and a position detection circuit that detects the positional relationship between a primary coil and a secondary coil. The power transmitting device detects the relative positional relationship between the primary coil and the secondary coil using a harmonic detection circuit, and drives an XY stage using an actuator to automatically position the primary coil with respect to the secondary coil, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mikimoto Jin
  • Patent number: 7956489
    Abstract: A converter ECU (2) obtains allowable power total value including at least one of discharge allowable power total value ?Wout of discharge allowable power Wout1, Wout2 and charge allowable power total value ?Win of charge allowable power Win1, Win2. Then, the converter ECU (2) determines which of the allowable power total value and an actual power value is greater, If the actual power value is smaller than the allowable power total value, the converter ECU (2) controls a converter (8-1) such that an input/output voltage value Vh attains a prescribed target voltage value, and at the same time controls a converter (8-2) such that a battery current value Ib2 attains a prescribed target current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Ichikawa, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa, Hiroki Sawada, Hichirosai Oyobe, Wanleng Ang, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7956493
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the invention relate to an integrated circuit including a first power supply domain and at least a second power supply domain. Furthermore, the integrated circuit includes a radio frequency element connected between the first power supply domain and the second power supply domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hesidenz, Markus Klaus Unger
  • Patent number: 7952228
    Abstract: A plurality of primary power supplies convert a primary power supply voltage into intermediate voltages. Secondary power supplies convert the intermediate voltages converted by the primary power supplies into supply voltages and output the same. A timing adjuster is inputted thereto plural sorts of power converted into the intermediate voltages from the plural primary power supplies to perform timing adjustment to absorb a difference in start timing between the plural primary power supplies, and causes the secondary power supplies to output the supply voltages. When the power is supplied from the plural power supplies to the load elements, stable power can be supplied to the load elements even if a difference in start time generates between the plural power supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Takahiro Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7948116
    Abstract: A method for controlling a supply current for a circuit comprises setting a target value of a quantity related to a supply current, said target value being different from a presently established value of the quantity, and adjusting the quantity until a value of the quantity corresponds to the target value. A method for controlling a supply current to a plurality of circuit blocks comprises providing a plurality of partial supply currents to the plurality of circuit blocks, setting at least one target value of a quantity related to at least one of the partial supply currents, checking whether a predetermined condition which depends on the at least one set target value is achieved, and if the predetermined condition is not achieved, changing at least one among the at least one target values and the at least one partial supply currents to achieve the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Peter Mahrla
  • Patent number: 7939962
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power supply system for several user systems onboard an aircraft. This system comprises at least two power supply electronics (10, 11) and means of connecting these at least two power supply electronics to at least two user systems (12, 13, 14, 15), characterised in that these connecting means comprise a network of connecting contactors (16, 17; 32, 33) from each power supply electronics with at least two user systems not performing similar functions but technologically compatible such that these power supply electronics supply these user systems at different times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignees: Airbus France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Etienne Foch, Gaetan Bisson, Pascal Maussion, Maria Pietrzak-David, Maurice Fadel
  • Patent number: 7936088
    Abstract: Distributed power supply arrangements and related methods are disclosed. Voltage is sensed at least one sense point in a power plane of a power distribution network. The power plane includes distributed source points and load points through which a plurality of power sources supply power to a plurality of loads. Currents supplied to the power plane by the power sources are regulated based on the voltage sensed at each of the at least one sense point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond K. Orr, Yan-Fei Liu
  • Patent number: 7936086
    Abstract: A power generation and distribution system utilizes two or more AC generators each of which may be driven by a separate prime mover such as a turbine. The generators may be driven at different rotational speeds. AC power from the generators may be rectified and applied to a common DC bus. Electrical loads may be applied to the common bus and may establish an electrical power requirement. Allocation of electrical power requirement may be made among the generators based on power available from the turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Yue, Jean-Luc Derouineau, Wayne T. Pearson
  • Patent number: 7929406
    Abstract: A power saving circuit (PSC) may include a first circuit and a second circuit electrically coupled in series in a power sharing configuration. The PSC may further include a regulator that is electrically coupled to a first node when the first circuit requires less current or the second circuit supply current to the first node when the first circuit requires less current or the second circuit requires more current, and the regulator can remove current from the first node when the first circuit requires more current or the second circuit requires less current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Thart Fah Voo
  • Patent number: 7919885
    Abstract: A method for controlling batteries, a power control apparatus, and a portable device using the same are provided. Based on a connection status of a main battery and an auxiliary battery and the relative magnitudes of voltage of the main battery and the auxiliary battery, supplying of electric power from the main battery or an integrated power source integrating the main battery voltage with the auxiliary battery voltage, recharging of the main battery and the auxiliary battery respectively or simultaneously, and the connection between the main battery and the auxiliary battery when the portable device is turned off are controlled so that electric power of the portable device using a plurality of batteries can be effectively supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae Ho Woo
  • Patent number: 7919886
    Abstract: There is provided a power receiving device capable of receiving a carrier wave transmitted from a power transmitting device without contact and obtaining electric power from the received carrier wave, which includes a carrier receiving section at least including a communication antenna having predetermined inductance and not equipped with an intermediate tap, to receive the carrier wave and generate an induced voltage corresponding to the carrier wave, a processing section to generate a drive voltage based on the induced voltage and perform data processing using the generated drive voltage, and an impedance converting section to convert impedance between the carrier receiving section and the processing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7915756
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a redundant circuit which can operate even when power source in a circuit in part of the redundant circuit is short-circuited. A power source circuit, a power source control circuit to which a power source potential is input from the power source circuit, and a first functional circuit and a second functional circuit connected to the power source control circuit are provided for a semiconductor device. The power source control circuit selects one of the first functional circuit and the second functional circuit and judges whether power source is short-circuited or not. When power source is short-circuited, power source supply stops and other functional circuits are supplied with power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Ikeda