Patents by Inventor Hideo Kondo

Hideo Kondo 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).

  • Methods and apparatus for a power supply control circuit
    Patent number: 11039504
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and apparatus for a power supply control circuit. In various embodiments, the apparatus is adapted to control the power supplied by a battery to a heating element. The apparatus may comprise a memory for storing known data and circuitry configured to control the delivery of power from the battery to the heating element according to measured parameters, calculated parameters, and the known data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A BATTERY
    Publication number: 20210152003
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for a battery. The apparatus may compute an ideal energy capability of the battery and an actual energy capability of the battery. The apparatus may compare the energy capabilities and determine whether to supply current to a load according to a default duty cycle or an adjusted duty cycle. The apparatus may provide an adjusted duty cycle by increasing the pulse width of the duty cycle or increasing the total period of the duty cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • Methods and apparatus for reporting a relative state of charge of a battery
    Patent number: 10983168
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise methods and apparatus to determine an RSOC value of a battery. The methods and apparatus may comprise utilizing various parameters, such as voltage and/or current, to calculate the RSOC of the battery. In various embodiments, the methods and apparatus may display one of a first RSOC and a second RSOC. In various embodiments, the methods and apparatus may further detect changes in the relevant parameter(s), adjust the reported RSOC of the battery accordingly, and report the adjusted RSOC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Variable-frequency sampling of battery voltage to determine fuel gauge power mode
    Patent number: 10963033
    Abstract: A system for conserving power in an electronic device, in some embodiments, comprises: a battery to supply power to the electronic device; and a fuel gauge coupled to the battery and capable of operating in any of a plurality of power modes, wherein the fuel gauge selects its own power mode based on a repeated, variable-frequency sampling of a voltage provided by said battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Methods and apparatus for determining a resistance value of a resistor in a battery system
    Patent number: 10955481
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and apparatus for determining a resistance value of a resistor in a battery system. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a sense resistor connected to a current sensor. The apparatus may be configured to compute a voltage-based RSOC value and a current-based RSOC value and extract a capacity value from each. Over time, the capacity values will diverge and the difference can be used to compute an actual value of the sense resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR A BATTERY
    Publication number: 20210080507
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and system for a battery. The system may provide a fuel gauge circuit configured to select an energy curve from a plurality of energy curves and determine a remaining energy value based on the selected energy curve and a computed remaining capacity of the battery. The fuel gauge circuit controls a current to a load based on the remaining energy value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR A BATTERY
    Publication number: 20210080508
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and system for a battery. The system may provide a fuel gauge circuit configured to estimate a state of health of the battery based on known battery data as a function of time, temperature, and remaining capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • Methods and apparatus for battery management
    Patent number: 10948546
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and apparatus for battery management. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a lithium ion battery and a fuel gauge circuit to monitor the resistance and the capacity as the battery ages. The fuel gauge circuit utilizes the resistance and capacity values to compute resistance changes due to both cycle aging and calendar aging separately. The fuel gauge circuit utilizes the change in resistance values to determine aged capacity values. The fuel gauge circuit controls charging/discharging of the battery according to the aged capacity values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR INDUCTION HEATING
    Publication number: 20210029785
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and system for induction heating. The system may provide a first induction coil wrapped around a metal cylinder and a second induction coil wrapped around the metal cylinder. The first induction coil may carry a current in a first direction and the second induction coil may carry a current in an opposite, second direction. The currents may be generated in an alternating sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • Methods and apparatus for measuring battery characteristics
    Patent number: 10705153
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus for measuring battery characteristics. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a lithium ion battery and a fuel gauge to monitor the resistance of the battery and the capacity of battery as it ages. The fuel gauge may perform two different methods for computing two different capacity values. The fuel gauge may utilize the capacity values from each method to determine the resistance of the battery as it ages and related battery characteristics, such as the state of health of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INHIBITING EXCESSIVE BATTERY DISCHARGE
    Publication number: 20200177002
    Abstract: A system for it inhibiting the excessive discharge of a battery in an electronic device, in some embodiments, comprises: a battery to supply power to the electronic device; and a fuel gauge coupled to the battery to monitor said power, wherein the fuel gauge enters a standby mode upon determining that a voltage supplied by the battery is at or below a voltage threshold and that a capacity of the battery is at or below a capacity threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Inhibiting excessive battery discharge using battery voltage and capacity measurements
    Patent number: 10666069
    Abstract: A system for inhibiting the excessive discharge of a battery in an electronic device, in some embodiments, comprises: a battery to supply power to the electronic device; and a fuel gauge coupled to the battery to monitor said power, wherein the fuel gauge enters a standby mode upon determining that a voltage supplied by the battery is at or below a voltage threshold and that a capacity of the battery is at or below a capacity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROL CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20200107405
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and apparatus for a power supply control circuit. In various embodiments, the apparatus is adapted to control the power supplied by a battery to a heating element. The apparatus may comprise a memory for storing known data and circuitry configured to control the delivery of power from the battery to the heating element according to measured parameters, calculated parameters, and the known data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • VARIABLE-FREQUENCY SAMPLING OF BATTERY VOLTAGE TO DETERMINE FUEL GAUGE POWER MODE
    Publication number: 20190369702
    Abstract: A system for conserving power in an electronic device, in some embodiments, comprises: a battery to supply power to the electronic device; and a fuel gauge coupled to the battery and capable of operating in any of a plurality of power modes, wherein the fuel gauge selects its own power mode based on a repeated, variable-frequency sampling of a voltage provided by said battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A RESISTANCE VALUE OF A RESISTOR IN A BATTERY SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20190346510
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and apparatus for determining a resistance value of a resistor in a battery system. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a sense resistor connected to a current sensor. The apparatus may be configured to compute a voltage-based RSOC value and a current-based RSOC value and extract a capacity value from each. Over time, the capacity values will diverge and the difference can be used to compute an actual value of the sense resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Methods and apparatus for measuring a route resistance of a battery system
    Patent number: 10429448
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise methods and apparatus to measure a route resistance of a battery. The method and apparatus may comprise utilizing various parameters, such as known resistance characteristics, voltage, and current to calculate the route resistance of the battery. In various embodiments, the route resistance may be used to provide a more accurate estimate of the relative state of charge (RSOC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Variable-frequency sampling of battery voltage to determine fuel gauge power mode
    Patent number: 10423211
    Abstract: A system for conserving power in an electronic device, in some embodiments, comprises: a battery to supply power to the electronic device; and a fuel gauge coupled to the battery and capable of operating in any of a plurality of power modes, wherein the fuel gauge selects its own power mode based on a repeated, variable-frequency sampling of a voltage provided by said battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A BATTERY
    Publication number: 20190277922
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus to estimate the state of health of a battery. The method and apparatus may comprise utilizing various parameters, such as RSOC, resistance, and voltage, to estimate the state of health of the battery. In various embodiments, the state of health of the battery may indicate the remaining life of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR GAUGING WITH LOW POWER
    Publication number: 20190220079
    Abstract: Implementations of fuel gauges may include a voltage sensor coupled with a memory, a processor coupled with the memory, a mode control logic circuit coupled with the voltage sensor, and a sampling timer coupled with the voltage sensor. The memory may include a plurality of relative state of charge (RSOC) values of a battery. The plurality of RSOC values may be used to calculate a plurality of internal resistance values. The fuel gauge may be configured to either increase, decrease, or maintain a sampling frequency based upon a measured power being drawn by a load coupled to the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo KONDO
  • Methods and apparatus for estimating a state of health of a battery
    Patent number: 10345392
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus to estimate the state of health of a battery. The method and apparatus may comprise utilizing various parameters, such as RSOC, resistance, and voltage, to estimate the state of health of the battery. In various embodiments, the state of health of the battery may indicate the remaining life of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo