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: 11513251Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 16, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber
-
Publication number: 20220363146Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Inventors: Hanspeter Widmer, Nigel Cook, Lukas Sieber
-
Patent number: 11491882Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 30, 2019Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Nigel P. Cook, Lukas Sieber
-
SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FERROMAGNETIC FOREIGN OBJECTS IN A PREDETERMINED SPACE
Publication number: 20220326406Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler -
Patent number: 11452028Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Markus Bittner, Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer
-
Patent number: 11394253Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler, Lukas Sieber
-
Systems, methods, and apparatus for detecting ferromagnetic foreign objects in a predetermined space
Patent number: 11378711Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 11, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler -
Patent number: 11362545Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 4, 2021Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler
-
Publication number: 20220154904Abstract: 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 clType: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2020Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Lukas Sieber, Clemens Hauer
-
Publication number: 20220144106Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Nigel P. Cook, Lukas Sieber
-
Publication number: 20220085664Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
-
Publication number: 20220085665Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
-
Publication number: 20220041072Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler, Marcel Fischer
-
Patent number: 11211834Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 2, 2020Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Andreas Daetwyler, Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber, Martin Ludwig Weber
-
Publication number: 20210354573Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2021Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: Hanspeter Widmer, Markus Bittner, Lukas Sieber, Marcel Fischer
-
Patent number: 11142084Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Andreas Daetwyler, Marcel Fischer
-
Patent number: 11085606Abstract: 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 functiType: GrantFiled: July 16, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: ZKW Group GmbHInventors: Lukas Sieber, Gunter Karlinger, Clemens Hauer, Mathias Schragl
-
Patent number: 11077762Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hanspeter Widmer, Markus Bittner, Lukas Sieber, Marcel Fischer
-
Publication number: 20210231825Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2021Publication date: July 29, 2021Applicant: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber
-
Patent number: 11046193Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: WiTricity CorporationInventors: Lukas Sieber, Hans Peter Widmer, Mircea-Florian Vancu, Andreas Daetwyler