Patents by Inventor Lukas Sieber

Lukas Sieber 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).

  • Patent number: 11513251
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for detecting foreign objects. In some aspects, an apparatus for detecting objects is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of sense circuits, each of the plurality of sense circuits including a primary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, a secondary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, and a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal of the capacitor is electrically connected to the second terminals of each of the primary sense coil and the secondary sense coil. The apparatus further includes a driver circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the primary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits. The apparatus further includes a measurement circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the secondary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber
  • Publication number: 20220363146
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to bidirectional wireless power transfer using magnetic resonance in a coupling mode region between a charging base (CB) and a battery electric vehicle (BEV). For different configurations, the wireless power transfer can occur from the CB to the BEV and from the BEV to the CB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Hanspeter Widmer, Nigel Cook, Lukas Sieber
  • Patent number: 11491882
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless charging and wireless power alignment of wireless power antennas associated with a vehicle. A wireless power charging apparatus includes an antenna including first and second orthogonal magnetic elements for detecting a horizontal component of a magnetic field generated from a second charging base antenna. A processor determines a directional vector between the antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Nigel P. Cook, Lukas Sieber
  • Publication number: 20220326406
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a presence of an object includes an inductive sensing coil that is configurable to generate a magnetic field. The inductive sensing coil is configured to have an electrical characteristic that is detectable when generating the magnetic field. The apparatus comprises a controller configured to detect a change in the electrical characteristic and determine a presence of the object based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler
  • Patent number: 11452028
    Abstract: A vehicle is paired to a selected wireless charging station of a plurality of wireless charging stations by joining the vehicle to a first wireless network provided by a central access point, assigning a channel to use for pairing the vehicle to the selected wireless charging station by a network manager, transmitting a channel identifier to the vehicle over the first wireless network, and transmitting the channel identifier to the plurality of wireless charging stations. The vehicle then configures a beacon device coupled to the vehicle to use the assigned channel and moves into proximity of the selected wireless charging station. The selected wireless charging station detects a beacon signal of the beacon device, confirms that the beacon signal is using the identified channel, and transmits information identifying a second wireless network to the vehicle. The vehicle can then join the second wireless network using the transmitted information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Markus Bittner, Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer
  • Patent number: 11394253
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a relative position of a wireless power transmitter from a wireless power receiver is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of sense coils, each configured to generate a respective signal under influence of an alternating magnetic field comprising a plurality of wave pulses, each wave pulse occurring in a respective time slot of a plurality of time slots. The apparatus further comprises a processor configured to determine the relative position of the wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver based on the respective signal from each of the plurality of sense coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler, Lukas Sieber
  • Patent number: 11378711
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a presence of an object includes an inductive sensing coil that is configurable to generate a first magnetic field. The inductive sensing coil is configured to have an electrical characteristic that is detectable when generating the first magnetic field. The electrical characteristic is configured to vary as a function of a second time-varying magnetic field simultaneously applied to the object. The apparatus comprises a controller configured to detect a change in the electrical characteristic and determine a presence of the object based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic. The electrical characteristic comprises one or more of an equivalent resistance, an equivalent inductance, an equivalent impedance, and an impulse response of the inductive sensing coil. The object comprises one or more of a ferromagnetic object, a metallic film and a metallic foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler
  • Patent number: 11362545
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for a hybrid foreign-object detection and position system. In an example aspect, a foreign object detection (FOD) system of the base power-transfer system detects a passive beacon of an electric vehicle power-transfer system based on a beacon loop of the passive beacon overlapping an array of FOD sense loops effective to cause a change in impedance or admittance of one or more of the FOD sense loops. In aspects, the impedance reflects a modulation signal from the passive beacon. A position detection system integrated with the FOD system determines a passive beacon response in the input data based on the modulation frequency from the passive beacon. Then, a position of the beacon loop is determined relative to the array of FOD sense loops using a result of the passive beacon response canceled from input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler
  • Publication number: 20220154904
    Abstract: Projection device (10) for a motor vehicle headlight, which projection device (10) comprises the following: projection optics (50), a shield element (100), a base body (200), wherein the shield element (100) can be pushed onto the base body (200) along a push-on direction (X) by means of guide elements (110) onto the base body (200), wherein the guide elements (110) engage in counter-guide elements (210), and wherein the guide elements (110) have an end stop (111) and the counter-guide elements (210) have a stop (211), which stops (211) are designed in combination with the end stops (111) to limit the movement of the shield element (100) in the direction of the push-on direction (X) towards an end position, wherein the projection device (10) comprises at least one clamping device, which comprises a first and a second clamping element (120a, 220a), wherein the first clamping element (120a) is designed to engage the second clamping element (220a), and wherein the at least one clamping device is designed to cl
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Lukas Sieber, Clemens Hauer
  • Publication number: 20220144106
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless charging and wireless power alignment of wireless power antennas associated with a vehicle. A wireless power charging apparatus includes an antenna including first and second orthogonal magnetic elements for detecting a horizontal component of a magnetic field generated from a second charging base antenna. A processor determines a directional vector between the antennas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Nigel P. Cook, Lukas Sieber
  • Publication number: 20220085664
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
  • Publication number: 20220085665
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
  • Publication number: 20220041072
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for an extended-range positioning system based on foreign-object detection (FOD). In particular, a power-transfer apparatus is disclosed that includes a coil and a foreign-object-detection (FOD) system. The coil is configured to generate a magnetic field based on an electric current running through the coil for transferring power to a receiver device. the FOD system includes a plurality of FOD sense loops, FOD circuitry, and active-beacon receive circuitry. The FOD sense loops detect metal objects within the magnetic field based on changes to an electrical characteristic(s) of one or more of the FOD sense loops. The FOD circuitry processes a modulation pattern of the electrical characteristic(s) of the one or more FOD sense loops and provides first positioning information. The active-beacon receive circuitry processes induced voltage in at least two sense loops to provide second positioning information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler, Marcel Fischer
  • Patent number: 11211834
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for extended foreign object detection (FOD) signal processing. In aspects, an oscillator reset is implemented in a FOD system to mitigate the effects of intermodulation products. In addition, dynamic frequency allocation is implemented to avoid high noise desensitizing the FOD system. Also, a slow sampling mode is implemented to increase a tolerance to transient foreign objects. Reference tracking and auto-recovery is implemented to bridge power outages. Additionally, the FOD system is configured to support position finding for determining an alignment between the vehicle pad and the base pad using a passive beacon transponder circuit and to perform beacon response cancellation as needed in concurrent FOD operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
  • Publication number: 20210354573
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for detecting foreign objects. In one aspect an apparatus for detecting a presence of an object is provided. The apparatus includes a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency. The resonant circuit includes a sense circuit including an electrically conductive structure. The apparatus further includes a coupling circuit coupled to the sense circuit. The apparatus further includes a detection circuit coupled to the sense circuit via the coupling circuit. The detection circuit is configured to detect the presence of the object in response to detecting a difference between a measured characteristic that depends on a frequency at which the resonant circuit is resonating and a corresponding characteristic that depends on the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit. The coupling circuit is configured to reduce a variation of the resonant frequency by the detection circuit in the absence of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Hanspeter Widmer, Markus Bittner, Lukas Sieber, Marcel Fischer
  • Patent number: 11142084
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for an extended-range positioning system based on foreign-object detection (FOD). In particular, a power-transfer apparatus is disclosed that includes a coil and a foreign-object-detection (FOD) system. The coil is configured to generate a magnetic field based on an electric current running through the coil for transferring power to a receiver device. the FOD system includes a plurality of FOD sense loops, FOD circuitry, and active-beacon receive circuitry. The FOD sense loops detect metal objects within the magnetic field based on changes to an electrical characteristic(s) of one or more of the FOD sense loops. The FOD circuitry processes a modulation pattern of the electrical characteristic(s) of the one or more FOD sense loops and provides first positioning information. The active-beacon receive circuitry processes induced voltage in at least two sense loops to provide second positioning information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler, Marcel Fischer
  • Patent number: 11085606
    Abstract: A heat sink (140) for cooling an electronic component of a vehicle headlamp, which has a cooling structure with an outer contour, which, as viewed along an imagined sectional plane, follows a contour curve, which can be described in at least one section by means of a contour function, wherein a fundamental course is formed from a first superposition of a base function and a fundamental function, and the contour function is formed from a second superposition of the fundamental course and a superposition function, wherein the first superposition takes place in that the functional course of the base function forms an axis of a curved coordinate system of the fundamental function, and the second superposition takes place in that the functional course of the fundamental function forms an axis of a curved coordinate system of the superposition function, wherein the base function has a straight, circular or arc-like course, and the fundamental function has a straight or wave-like course, and the superposition functi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Lukas Sieber, Gunter Karlinger, Clemens Hauer, Mathias Schragl
  • Patent number: 11077762
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for detecting foreign objects. In one aspect an apparatus for detecting a presence of an object is provided. The apparatus includes a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency. The resonant circuit includes a sense circuit including an electrically conductive structure. The apparatus further includes a coupling circuit coupled to the sense circuit. The apparatus further includes a detection circuit coupled to the sense circuit via the coupling circuit. The detection circuit is configured to detect the presence of the object in response to detecting a difference between a measured characteristic that depends on a frequency at which the resonant circuit is resonating and a corresponding characteristic that depends on the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit. The coupling circuit is configured to reduce a variation of the resonant frequency by the detection circuit in the absence of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hanspeter Widmer, Markus Bittner, Lukas Sieber, Marcel Fischer
  • Publication number: 20210231825
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for detecting foreign objects. In some aspects, an apparatus for detecting objects is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of sense circuits, each of the plurality of sense circuits including a primary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, a secondary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, and a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal of the capacitor is electrically connected to the second terminals of each of the primary sense coil and the secondary sense coil. The apparatus further includes a driver circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the primary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits. The apparatus further includes a measurement circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the secondary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber
  • Patent number: 11046193
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for detecting foreign objects by detecting changes in an electrical characteristic of an array of sense elements for detection objects based on a current measurement approach. In some aspects, an apparatus for measuring changes in current for detecting objects is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of sense circuits each comprising a sense coil, the plurality of sense circuits each electrically connected to a common output node. The apparatus further includes a driver circuit electrically connected to the plurality of sense circuits and configured to operate as a voltage source and selectively apply a voltage signal at an operating frequency to each of the plurality of sense circuits. The apparatus further includes a current measurement circuit electrically connected to the common output node. The current measurement circuit is configured to provide a measurement output proportional to an electrical current at the common output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer, Mircea-Florian Vancu, Andreas Daetwyler