Abstract: The disclosure features apparatus, methods, and systems for wireless power transfer that include a power source featuring at least one resonator, a power receiver featuring at least one resonator, a first detector featuring one or more loops of conductive material and configured to generate an electrical signal based on a magnetic field between the power source and the power receiver, a second detector featuring conductive material, and control electronics coupled to the first and second detectors, where during operation, the control electronics are configured to measure the electrical signal of the first detector and compare the measured electrical signal of the first detector to baseline electrical information for the first detector to determine information about whether debris is positioned between the power source and the power receiver.

Abstract: A power supply control device comprises a controller and power connection circuitry. The power connection circuitry comprises a switchable power connection path between a source side and a load side. The power connection path is switchable to operate in a first operation state or an on-state in which state impedance between the source side and the load side is very low to permit flow of operation current through the power connection path, or a second operation state or an off-state in which state impedance between the source side and the load side is very high to impede flow of operation current through the power connection path. The controller is to operate to transmit at least one type of enquiry signals to the load side and to determine with reference to at least one type of received responsive signals whether a load on the load side is eligible for power supply connection.

Abstract: A capacitor circuit includes two ceramic capacitors that are connected in series. The two ceramic capacitors each have a ferroelectric layer interposed between conductive layers and have substantially identical direct-current bias characteristics such that an electrostatic capacitance during application of a voltage, which is half of a rated voltage, is larger than the electrostatic capacitance during application of the rated voltage higher than the voltage.

Abstract: A method performed in an electrical microgrid for facilitating connection of a first and second AC power networks. The method includes, when the power networks are disconnected, from the second power network, controlling the AC frequency of the first power network based on the AC frequency of the second power network for ensuring that when the first and second networks are connected power will flow from the power network of the first and second power networks having a higher frequency to the power network of the first and second power networks having a lower frequency. The method also includes, after the controlling, connecting the first power network to the second power network, whereby power, at the instant of connecting, flows from the power network of the first and second power networks having a higher frequency to the power network of the first and second power networks having a lower frequency.

Abstract: A power storage system includes an AC/DC converter, a first control device, a power storage device, and a load. The first control device includes a measuring portion that measures the amount of power consumed by the load, a predicting portion that predicts the demand for power consumed by the load on the basis of the amount of power consumed by the load, and a planning portion that makes a charge and discharge plan of the power storage device on the basis of the demand for power predicted by the predicting portion. The power storage device includes a second control device, a DC/DC converter, a first battery cell group, and a second battery cell group. The power storage device is placed in an underfloor space surrounded by a base and a floor of a building.

Abstract: A method for managing power of an energy storage system (ESS) connected to renewable energy, the ESS including an energy storage device connected to a power grid, a battery management system (BMS), a power conditioning system (PCS), and one or more renewable energy generation facilities producing electric energy from renewable energy, the steps including of determining a predicted power consumption amount of a power load and a predicted power production amount of the renewable energy generation facility, predicting power production of the renewable energy generation facility based on the stored type and characteristics information of the renewable energy generation facilities, determining whether the energy storage device is fully charged with the power production from the renewable energy generation facility, and controlling charging/discharging operation of the energy storage device according to a charge/discharge schedule.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a solar panel or solar panel array to power one or more appliances are disclosed. The systems include at least a solar panel or solar panel array, an appliance or electrical load, and a power controller connected between the solar panel or solar panel array and the electrical load. The controller performs a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm on the solar panel or array. The controller also takes into account contextual information, including location and time information, and allows the battery to be discharged beyond a defined threshold only if the contextual information indicates that sufficient solar power will be available to recharge it.

Abstract: A semiconductor module of an embodiment includes a first switching device, a first gate drive circuit controlling ON/OFF of the first switching device, a second switching device connected with the first switching device in parallel or in series, a second gate drive circuit controlling ON/OFF of the second switching device, and a control circuit controlling timing of transmitting a gate drive signal from the first gate drive circuit and transmitting a gate drive signal from the second gate drive circuit by synchronizing the first gate drive circuit and the second gate drive circuit.

Abstract: Dive computers in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes a mobile phone handset, including a microprocessor, a microphone connected to the microprocessor, a speaker connected to the microprocessor, a telephone transceiver connected to the microprocessor, memory, a display, and an external connector for communicating with external devices wherein the memory contains a software application, and a waterproof housing including a pressure transducer, where the mobile phone handset is located within the waterproof housing and connected to the pressure transducer via the external connector, and wherein the software application configures the mobile phone handset to create a dive log stored in memory, wherein the dive log comprises recorded information including depth of submersion information recorded from the pressure transducer and display the recorded information during the dive.

Abstract: A USB Type-C interface chip having a CC pin. In an embodiment, the chip includes an internal unit coupled through a signal path to the CC pin; a high voltage detection unit coupled in the signal path, for detecting a voltage at the CC pin and comparing the detected voltage and a reference voltage; a high voltage protection unit for protecting, in response to the comparison result of the high voltage detection unit the internal unit from high voltage possibly present at the port of the chip.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for operating a power station of fluctuating electrical capacity that, besides a voltage-setting system former outputting active power and reactive power and at least one load, is connected to a limited AC grid. The method and associated apparatus includes defining a desired self-contained operating range of the system former on the PQ level, in which operating range the system former is able to efficiently correct fluctuations arising in a mains voltage of the AC grid, ascertaining a present operating point of the system former on the PQ level, and controlling an output of active power and reactive power by the power station such that the operating point of the system former is kept in the desired operating range.

Abstract: A power conversion system (PCS) seamlessly transitions between different control modes. A digital signal processor (DSP) may operate in a first control mode where a first setpoint for operating the inverter is associated with a first one of the AC power, DC voltage, or DC current. The DSP then seamlessly transitions into a second control mode where a second setpoint used for operating the inverter is associated with second one of the AC power, DC voltage, and DC current. The DSP also may seamlessly transition from the first or second control mode to an off-grid mode by operating the inverter based on an AC voltage setpoint generated by the inverter. The seamless control mode transitions allow the PCS to more effectively control the inverter output using feedback parameters other than just the output power.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a resonant circuit that determines a resonant frequency, a drive unit that drives the resonant circuit, and a controller that causes the resonant frequency to change between a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency. The first resonant frequency is higher than a frequency of a drive signal of the drive unit and the second resonant frequency is lower than the frequency of the drive signal.

Abstract: Techniques for detecting a presence of a foreign object within a region for wirelessly transferring power to charge an electric vehicle are discloses. An example apparatus according to the disclosure includes a foreign object detection (FOD) structure including a transmitting loop structure, a receiving loop structure galvanically isolated from the transmitting loop structure and positioned relative to the transmitting loop structure such that a magnetic field generated by the transmitting loop structure induces a first voltage in the receiving loop structure, wherein the first voltage is below a threshold value, and a control circuit configured to drive the transmitting loop structure and detect a change in a magnitude of the first voltage in the receiving loop structure in response to the presence of the foreign object within the magnetic field.

Abstract: This in-vehicle DC-DC converter is configured from: a power conversion unit that transmits/receives power between a low-voltage system secondary battery and a high-voltage system secondary battery; low-voltage system AD converters and high-voltage system AD converters, which convert analog values of the currents, voltages, and temperatures of the low-voltage system secondary battery and the high-voltage system secondary battery into digital values; an input switching unit that switches analog values of the high-voltage system secondary battery into analog values of the corresponding low-voltage system secondary battery; and a calculation unit that compares the digital values of the low-voltage system AD converters and the digital values of the high-voltage system AD converters with each other.

Abstract: A power receiver includes: a first secondary-side resonant coil that receives electric power from a primary-side resonant coil through magnetic field resonance; a capacitor; a smoothing circuit; a pair of output terminals; a switch coupled in parallel to the capacitor or in series between a rectifier circuit and either a first terminal or a second terminal; and a drive controller that drives the switch through a first PWM drive pattern determined by a first duty cycle and by a first frequency that is less than or equal to a frequency of the magnetic field resonance. The first duty cycle is set based on a first efficiency of power reception of the first secondary-side resonant coil, a first rated output of a first load, a second efficiency of power reception of a second secondary-side resonant coil of another power receiver, and a second rated output of a second load.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Yagi antenna and a wireless power transmission apparatus comprising the same, and the Yagi antenna includes a wireless power transmitting coil and first and second slabs made of a metamaterial having a CHDR structure in which cube-shaped resonators are arranged at a predetermined interval. The first slab is positioned at a rear side of the power transmitting coil and serves as a reflector that reflects an electromagnetic wave generated at the power transmitting coil, and the second slab is positioned between the power transmitting coil and a power receiving coil and serves as a super lens that focuses the electromagnetic wave generated at the power transmitting coil. The wireless power transmission apparatus improves efficiency of wireless power transmitted to the power receiving coil by using the Yagi antenna.

Abstract: A power conditioning system that includes a fuel cell to be connected to a load, a fuel cell converter connected between the fuel cell and the load, the fuel cell converter converting an output voltage of the fuel cell at a predetermined required voltage ratio, a battery connected in parallel with the fuel cell with respect to the load, the battery serving as a power supply source different from the fuel cell, a battery converter connected between the battery and the load, the battery converter converting an output voltage of the battery at a predetermined required voltage ratio. The power conditioning system includes a converter direct coupling unit configured to directly couple an input side and an output side of the fuel cell converter during startup of the power conditioning system and a fuel cell output voltage increasing unit configured to increase the output voltage of the fuel cell to a predetermined voltage by supplying oxidant gas during startup of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A power transmitter (101) provides power transfer to a power receiver (105) using a wireless inductive power transfer signal. The power transmitter (101) comprises an inductor (103) generating the power transfer signal when a voltage drive signal is applied. A measurement unit (311) performs measurements of a current or voltage of the inductor (103). The measurements are performed with a time offset relative to a reference signal synchronized to the voltage drive signal. An adaptor (313) can vary the time offset to determine an optimum measurement timing offset resulting in a maximum demodulation depth which reflects a difference measure for measurements for different modulation loads of the power transfer signal. A demodulator (309) then demodulates load modulation of the inductive carrier signal from measurements with the time offset set to the optimum measurement timing offset. In some scenarios, both the timing and duration of measurements may be varied. The approach improves communication reliability.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a single-inductor multiple-output (SIMO) direct current (DC-DC) converter circuit, with the SIMO DC-DC converter circuit having a set of output nodes. The apparatus also includes a panoptic dynamic voltage scaling (PDVS) circuit operatively coupled to the SIMO DC-DC converter circuit, where the PDVS circuit has a set of operational blocks with each operational block from the set of operational blocks drawing power from one supply voltage rail from a set of supply voltage rails. Additionally, each output node from the set of output nodes is uniquely associated with a supply voltage rail from the set of supply voltage rails.