Patents Examined by Rexford Barnie
  • Patent number: 10298006
    Abstract: An energy storage system and method of driving the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the energy storage system comprises a battery system, a direct current (DC) contactor, first and second power supply units, and a first switch. The battery system includes at least one battery rack and at least one rack battery management system (BMS). The DC contactor is located between the battery system and a power conversion system. The first power supply unit is configured to be electrically connected to the DC contactor. The second power supply unit electrically connected to the rack BMS. The first switch is electrically connected to the rack BMS, wherein the rack BMS is configured to electrically disconnect the DC contactor from the first power supply unit when the first switch is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Woo-Choul Kim
  • Patent number: 10286794
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a power reception unit that receives electric power contactlessly from a power transmission unit externally provided; and an electronic device. The power reception unit includes a coil formed to surround a winding axis. Assuming that a region extending in a direction in which the winding axis extends from the coil when viewing the coil from above the vehicle is an adjacent region, the electronic device is away from the adjacent region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 10291054
    Abstract: On a start of a fuel cell system, (i) when the temperature of a high-voltage secondary battery obtained from a temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined reference value, a controller of the fuel cell system is configured to set an output voltage on a step-down side of a DC-DC converter to a higher voltage than a voltage of a low-voltage secondary battery and subsequently start an FC auxiliary machine using electric power from the high-voltage secondary battery. (ii) When the temperature of the high-voltage secondary battery obtained from the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the predetermined reference value, on the other hand, the controller of the fuel cell system is configured to set the output voltage on the step-down side of the DC-DC converter to a lower voltage than the voltage of the low-voltage secondary battery and subsequently start the FC auxiliary machine using the electric power from the high-voltage secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Watanabe, Akihiro Kamiya, Kenji Umayahara
  • Patent number: 10284008
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system is provided. The UPS system includes a plurality of UPSs, a ring bus that electrically couples the UPSs together, a static switch coupled between an associated UPS of the UPSs and the ring bus, and a controller. The controller receives current data representative of an inverter current and a load current associated with the associated UPS. An output capacitor of the associated UPS is coupled to a node that conducts the inverter current and the load current. The controller further calculates a measured current based on the received current data, determines a voltage of said output capacitor, generates a derived current based on the determined voltage and a predetermined capacitance of said output capacitor, compares the measured current and the derived current to identify a fault location, and controls said static switch based on the identified fault location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Andrea Mannuccini, Lorenzo Giuntini
  • Patent number: 10283968
    Abstract: A power control system includes a battery, a battery power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, a photovoltaic power inverter configured to control a power output of a photovoltaic field, and a controller. The power outputs of the battery power inverter and the photovoltaic power inverter combine at a point of interconnection. The controller adjusts a setpoint for the photovoltaic power inverter in response to a determination that the total power at the point of interconnection exceeds a point of interconnection power limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 10277281
    Abstract: A power feeding unit includes: an electrode array including a plurality of power feeding electrodes arranged side by side; a power feeding section configured to supply power to a power receiving unit via the electrode array; and a setting section configured to set a power feeding condition for each of the power feeding electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Hirabayashi, Masakazu Yajima, Kiminobu Ichimura
  • Patent number: 10277029
    Abstract: An energy storage device includes: a number of cells; and a dual-active-bridge converter connected to the cells, wherein the cells are floating relative to the system and are galvanically isolated therefrom. The energy storage device can be included in an energy storage system that includes: a grid tie unit comprising at least one DC/AC converter; and multiple pods connected to the grid tie unit, each pod including: a number of cells; and a power electronics unit, wherein the cells are floating relative to the system and are galvanically isolated therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Pierquet, Mehmet Ozbek, Andrew David Baglino
  • Patent number: 10277065
    Abstract: A power supply control device includes a moving object detecting unit and a power supply unit. The moving object detecting unit is attached to a processing apparatus body including power supply targets and a controller, and is capable of detecting a moving object moving in the vicinity of the processing apparatus body. The moving object detecting unit has a lower detection range for detecting a part of a moving object that is substantially in contact with the floor, and an upper detection range for detecting a top part of a moving object. The power supply unit is included in the controller and is always supplied with power to monitor approach of a moving object with the moving object detecting unit. The power supply unit supplies, upon the moving object detecting unit detecting a moving object, power to a power supply target that includes a part of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Susumu Yamashina, Kazuhiko Narushima, Masafumi Ono, Motofumi Baba, Kenta Ogata, Kouichi Azuma, Kenji Kuroishi, Keiko Shiraishi, Hidenori Horie
  • Patent number: 10277082
    Abstract: When a voltage across an element of a voltage converter or an inverter circuit has reached an upper limit of a withstanding voltage of the element and it is determined that received power of a power-receiving device has not reached a target value, an instruction for changing at least one of inductance and capacitance of an element which is disposed from a receiving-side pad to a filter circuit in the power-receiving device is transmitted from a power-transmitting device to the power-receiving device so as to satisfy a condition that the received power approaches a target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiko Murayama
  • Patent number: 10259396
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a vehicle component which may include an electronic port. The electronic port may be constructed and arranged to provide power to an electronic device. Additionally, a cleat may be disposed around the electronic port. The cleat may be constructed and arranged to hold a cord of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Taryn E. Dyle
  • Patent number: 10263457
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply device (60) does not have a wire connecting a bidirectional chopper (24) to a neutral point (NP). The bidirectional chopper (24) includes first and second capacitors (C11, C12), first to fourth transistors (Q11-Q14), and a normal mode reactor (50). In a discharging mode, a controller (63) causes the second and third transistors (Q12, Q13) to be complementarily turned on and controls the ON period of each of the second and third transistors (Q12, Q13) so that terminal-to-terminal voltages (V11, V12) of the first and second capacitors (C11, C12) are equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuki Nishimura, Hiroshi Masunaga, Masahiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10263458
    Abstract: A distributed low voltage power system can include a primary power source that distributes line voltage power during a first mode of operation and fails to distribute the line voltage power during a second mode of operation. The system can also include a secondary power supply coupled to the primary power source, where the secondary power supply includes a controller and an energy storage device. The system can further include a power distribution module (PDM) coupled to the primary power source and the secondary power supply, where the PDM includes a first power transfer device and a first output channel. The system can also include at least one first LV device coupled to the first output channel of the PDM, where the at least one first LV device operates using a reserve LV signal based on the reserve signal during the second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: James Christopher Andrews, David Gavin Windsor, Johnathan Michael Jackson
  • Patent number: 10263459
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies provided for a load in parallel. The uninterruptible power supplies each include a power supply unit configured to supply the load with power and being larger in capacitance than the load, and a switch provided between the power supply unit and the load. The power supply system further includes a control unit selecting a first uninterruptible power supply of the plurality of uninterruptible power supplies, and setting the switch of the first uninterruptible power supply to the on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Ohnishi, Hiroshi Masunaga
  • Patent number: 10253558
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to power distribution networks for optically switchable windows. A number of different topologies are provided. In many embodiments, a control panel may be connected with a trunk line, which is connected to a plurality of optically switchable windows. The plurality of optically switchable windows may be powered by the shared trunk line. This topology provides substantial improvements over topologies in which each optically switchable window is connected to the control panel via separate, individual lines. Further, certain embodiments herein relate to installation kits for installing power distribution networks for optically switchable windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose Vigano, Stephen C. Brown, Dhairya Shrivastava, Kevin Kazuo Kaneshiro
  • Patent number: 10256038
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coil includes a magnetic core and a winding. The magnetic core includes at least one block provided with a groove or an opening. Each block is arranged so as to make the groove or the opening extend along a direction of magnetic flux. The coil is used as a power transmitting coil or a power receiving coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenichirou Ogawa, Tetsu Shijo, Akiko Yamada, Shuichi Obayashi, Hiroki Shoki
  • Patent number: 10256654
    Abstract: On a start of a fuel cell system, (i) when the temperature of a high-voltage secondary battery obtained from a temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined reference value, a controller of the fuel cell system is configured to set an output voltage on a step-down side of a DC-DC converter to a higher voltage than a voltage of a low-voltage secondary battery and subsequently start an FC auxiliary machine using electric power from the high-voltage secondary battery. (ii) When the temperature of the high-voltage secondary battery obtained from the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the predetermined reference value, on the other hand, the controller of the fuel cell system is configured to set the output voltage on the step-down side of the DC-DC converter to a lower voltage than the voltage of the low-voltage secondary battery and subsequently start the FC auxiliary machine using the electric power from the high-voltage secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Watanabe, Akihiro Kamiya, Kenji Umayahara
  • Patent number: 10256632
    Abstract: A method of operating a power supply including first and second power converters connected to a load and a power factor correction circuit connected to the power converters includes operating the power supply in a normal power mode such that: the first and second power converters and the power factor correction circuit are active, the first and second power converters each drive their respective load, and the power factor correction circuit performs power factor correction for each circuit formed by the first and second power converters and their respective load, and operating the power supply in an auxiliary power mode such that: both the first power converter and the power factor correction circuit are deactivated and the second power converter is active, the second power converter drives its load, and the second power converter performs power factor correction for a circuit formed between the second power converter and its load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Tae Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 10256635
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for operating a solar farm inverter as a Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) device—a STATCOM—for voltage control. The solar farm inverter can provide voltage regulation, damping enhancement, stability improvement and other benefits provided by FACTS devices. In one embodiment, the solar farm operating as a STATCOM at night is employed to increase the connectivity of neighboring wind farms that produce peak power at night due to high winds, but are unable to connect due to voltage regulation issues. The present invention can also operate during the day because there remains inverter capacity after real power export by the solar farm. Additional auxiliary controllers are incorporated in the solar farm inverter to enhance damping and stability, and provide other benefits provided by FACTS devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Inventor: Rajiv Kumar Varma
  • Patent number: 10256639
    Abstract: A reverse power supply management method, apparatus and system are disclosed. The method includes: acquiring reverse power supply information of terminal devices of various links during a process that various terminal devices connected to a local end device stably perform reverse power supply on the local end device; determining reverse power supply management information of the various terminal devices according to the acquired reverse power supply information of the terminal devices of the various links; and transmitting respectively the reverse power supply management information of the various terminal devices to corresponding terminal devices to instruct the various terminal devices to adjust parameters for supplying reverse power to the local end device according to the received reverse power supply management information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Mingming Cheng, Weiliang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10251987
    Abstract: An improved wireless transmission system for transferring power over a distance. The system includes a transmitter generating a magnetic field and a receiver for inducing a voltage in response to the magnetic field. In various respects, the receiver is configured to be implanted in a body. The receiver may include a housing enclosing a receiving coil and associated electronic components, a covering around at least a portion of the housing, and at least two wires wrapped around the housing to form a plurality of turns. The covering may be formed of a ferrite material configured to both magnetically shield a respective portion of the internal volume of the housing and redirect incoming magnetic flux from the transmitter to improve efficiency. Methods of use are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TC1 LLC
    Inventor: John Freddy Hansen