Patents by Inventor Clemens Kain
Clemens Kain has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11848430Abstract: A battery management circuit may be configured to monitor a plurality of battery cells. The battery management circuit may comprise a battery monitoring circuit, and a supply circuit configured to supply the battery monitoring circuit based on the plurality of battery cells. The supply circuit may comprise a DC/DC power converter and a regulator, and wherein the DC/DC power converter is configurable based on a number of monitored battery cells in the plurality of battery cells.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2021Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Clemens Kain, Mario Fuchs
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Publication number: 20220223929Abstract: A battery management circuit may be configured to monitor a plurality of battery cells. The battery management circuit may comprise a battery monitoring circuit, and a supply circuit configured to supply the battery monitoring circuit based on the plurality of battery cells. The supply circuit may comprise a DC/DC power converter and a regulator, and wherein the DC/DC power converter is configurable based on a number of monitored battery cells in the plurality of battery cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2021Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Clemens Kain, Mario Fuchs
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Patent number: 11233406Abstract: A battery management system is described that includes a controller configured to control electrical charging and discharging of a plurality of blocks of a battery. The battery management system also includes an inter-block communication network including a master node and a plurality of slave nodes arranged in a ring-type daisy-chain configuration with the master node. The master node is coupled to the controller and configured to initiate all command messages sent through the inter-block communication network and terminate all reply messages sent through the inter-block communication network. The plurality of slave nodes is bounded by an initial node coupled to the master node and a last node coupled to the master node.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Clemens Kain, Guenter Hofer, Jesus Ruiz Sevillano
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Patent number: 10819382Abstract: A transceiver circuit includes a first port and second port configured to be coupled to a first and second transmission channel, respectively; a supply port configured to receive a supply voltage; a first transceiver and a second transceiver having signal ports connected to the first port and second port, respectively; and a control circuit coupled to the first and second transceivers. Each of the first and second transceivers is connected to the supply port. At least one of the first and second transceivers includes a first half-bridge and a second half-bridge connected to the supply port and to the signal port at least one of the first and second transceivers, and a transceiver output circuit configured to generate a transceiver output signal based on a voltages across a low-side switches of the first and second half-bridges.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventor: Clemens Kain
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Publication number: 20200083720Abstract: A battery management system is described that includes a controller configured to control electrical charging and discharging of a plurality of blocks of a battery. The battery management system also includes an inter-block communication network including a master node and a plurality of slave nodes arranged in a ring-type daisy-chain configuration with the master node. The master node is coupled to the controller and configured to initiate all command messages sent through the inter-block communication network and terminate all reply messages sent through the inter-block communication network. The plurality of slave nodes is bounded by an initial node coupled to the master node and a last node coupled to the master node.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: Clemens Kain, Guenter Hofer, Jesus Ruiz Sevillano
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Patent number: 10505374Abstract: A battery management system is described that includes a controller configured to control electrical charging and discharging of a plurality of blocks of a battery. The battery management system also includes an inter-block communication network including a master node and a plurality of slave nodes arranged in a ring-type daisy-chain configuration with the master node. The master node is coupled to the controller and configured to initiate all command messages sent through the inter-block communication network and terminate all reply messages sent through the inter-block communication network. The plurality of slave nodes is bounded by an initial node coupled to the master node and a last node coupled to the master node.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Clemens Kain, Guenter Hofer, Jesus Ruiz Sevillano
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Publication number: 20190123777Abstract: A transceiver circuit includes a first port and second port configured to be coupled to a first and second transmission channel, respectively; a supply port configured to receive a supply voltage; a first transceiver and a second transceiver having signal ports connected to the first port and second port, respectively; and a control circuit coupled to the first and second transceivers. Each of the first and second transceivers is connected to the supply port. At least one of the first and second transceivers includes a first half-bridge and a second half-bridge connected to the supply port and to the signal port at least one of the first and second transceivers, and a transceiver output circuit configured to generate a transceiver output signal based on a voltages across a low-side switches of the first and second half-bridges.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2017Publication date: April 25, 2019Inventor: Clemens Kain
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Patent number: 10236765Abstract: A switched-capacitor circuit is described herein. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment the switched-capacitor circuit includes a first input node and a second input node and an input switch unit. The input switch is connected to the first input node and the second input node and has a first output node and a second output node. A first capacitor is coupled to the first output node of the input switch unit, and a second capacitor is coupled to the second output node of the input switch unit. The input switch unit includes a plurality of switches configured to con-nect and disconnect one of the first and second input nodes and one of the first capacitor and the second capacitor. The input switch unit further includes a first charge pump coupled to the first input node and a second charge pump coupled to the second input node.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2017Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Clemens Kain
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Publication number: 20180219476Abstract: A switched-capacitor circuit is described herein. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment the switched-capacitor circuit includes a first input node and a second input node and an input switch unit. The input switch is connected to the first input node and the second input node and has a first output node and a second output node. A first capacitor is coupled to the first output node of the input switch unit, and a second capacitor is coupled to the second output node of the input switch unit. The input switch unit includes a plurality of switches configured to con-nect and disconnect one of the first and second input nodes and one of the first capacitor and the second capacitor. The input switch unit further includes a first charge pump coupled to the first input node and a second charge pump coupled to the second input node.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventor: Clemens Kain
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Publication number: 20170346308Abstract: A battery management system is described that includes a controller configured to control electrical charging and discharging of a plurality of blocks of a battery. The battery management system also includes an inter-block communication network including a master node and a plurality of slave nodes arranged in a ring-type daisy-chain configuration with the master node. The master node is coupled to the controller and configured to initiate all command messages sent through the inter-block communication network and terminate all reply messages sent through the inter-block communication network. The plurality of slave nodes is bounded by an initial node coupled to the master node and a last node coupled to the master node.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2016Publication date: November 30, 2017Inventors: Clemens Kain, Guenter Hofer, Jesus Ruiz Sevillano
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Patent number: 9423450Abstract: Disclosed is a method for charge balancing in a charge storage arrangement having a plurality of charge storage cells connected in series, and a charge balancing circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2014Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Clemens Kain
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Patent number: 9322885Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for evaluating a cell of a battery is provided. The method may include: balancing a voltage of at least one cell of the battery using charge pulses, wherein the charge pulses are modulated with an oscillating test signal; measuring a current flow through the cell and measuring a voltage across the cell; demodulating the measured current and the measured voltage; and determining an impedance based on the demodulated current and the demodulated voltage. Further, in various embodiments, a circuit is provided, including a balancing circuit configured to inductively transfer charges between cells in a battery using current pulses, and a control unit configured to control the balancing circuit to provide the current pulses, wherein an average value of the current pulses oscillates over time.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2013Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventor: Clemens Kain
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Patent number: 9157939Abstract: A method and to a system can be used for measuring electric voltages in batteries with a number of battery cells. A measuring circuit includes at least one digital analog converter that constitutes, in combination with a number of comparators, an analog digital converter to determine the electric voltages of the battery cells. The comparators compare a reference voltage generated by the digital analog converter with the electric voltage of the battery cells over a number of separate measuring channels to the individual battery cells.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2012Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Clemens Kain, Guenter Gross
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Publication number: 20150145520Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for evaluating a cell of a battery is provided. The method may include: balancing a voltage of at least one cell of the battery using charge pulses, wherein the charge pulses are modulated with an oscillating test signal; measuring a current flow through the cell and measuring a voltage across the cell; demodulating the measured current and the measured voltage; and determining an impedance based on the demodulated current and the demodulated voltage. Further, in various embodiments, a circuit is provided, including a balancing circuit configured to inductively transfer charges between cells in a battery using current pulses, and a control unit configured to control the balancing circuit to provide the current pulses, wherein an average value of the current pulses oscillates over time.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Clemens Kain
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Patent number: 8994563Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method for operating a signal converter includes converting an analog input signal to a digital output signal, comprising by comparing the analog input signal to an analog comparison signal, and detecting whether the analog input signal exceeds a predetermined maximum or minimum threshold by comparing the analog input signal to an analog threshold signal. The analog comparison signal and the analog threshold signal are generated by a same digital-to-analog converter.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Heimo Hartlieb, Clemens Kain, Michael Hausmann
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Publication number: 20150048958Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method for operating a signal converter includes converting an analog input signal to a digital output signal, comprising by comparing the analog input signal to an analog comparison signal, and detecting whether the analog input signal exceeds a predetermined maximum or minimum threshold by comparing the analog input signal to an analog threshold signal. The analog comparison signal and the analog threshold signal are generated by a same digital-to-analog converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2013Publication date: February 19, 2015Inventors: Heimo Hartlieb, Clemens Kain, Michael Hausmann
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Publication number: 20140333266Abstract: Disclosed is a method for charge balancing in a charge storage arrangement having a plurality of charge storage cells connected in series, and a charge balancing circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventor: Clemens Kain
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Patent number: 8791667Abstract: Disclosed is a method for charge balancing in a charge storage arrangement having a plurality of charge storage cells connected in series, and a charge balancing circuit.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2011Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Clemens Kain
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Publication number: 20140043031Abstract: A method and to a system can be used for measuring electric voltages in batteries with a number of battery cells. A measuring circuit includes at least one digital analog converter that constitutes, in combination with a number of comparators, an analog digital converter to determine the electric voltages of the battery cells. The comparators compare a reference voltage generated by the digital analog converter with the electric voltage of the battery cells over a number of separate measuring channels to the individual battery cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Clemens Kain, Guenter Gross
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Publication number: 20120194134Abstract: Disclosed is a method for charge balancing in a charge storage arrangement having a plurality of charge storage cells connected in series, and a charge balancing circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2011Publication date: August 2, 2012Applicant: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Clemens Kain