Abstract: Systems and methods related to redundant battery management systems (BMS) may include an on-battery BMS, and one or more off-battery, off-vehicle, and/or remote BMS. The one or more remote BMS may receive data associated with parameters of a battery, and may process the received data using various models, algorithms, or estimators to determine a battery state. The battery state determined by the remote BMS may then be used to corroborate or support a battery state determined by the on-battery BMS, thereby ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operations of systems, machines, or devices utilizing batteries as power sources.

Abstract: Devices and methods for generating energy (e.g., electrical energy) from wind. A preferred form is directed to a wind charger that creates energy from wind to be directed to a source needing the created energy, e.g., one or more batteries. The batteries can be used to power any device including but not limited to devices in homes needing energy and/or devices that transport one or more persons over land, in the air or over water. Preferably, a mounting assembly optimally positions one or more elements generating electrical energy from wind relative to direction of wind to maximize the electrical energy generated by wind.

Abstract: Systems and methods to maintain a fleet of aerial vehicles may include a maintenance system, a charging power source, and a control system. For example, the maintenance system may include a plurality of workstations to perform maintenance tasks, a charging rail that connects the workstations with the charging power source, and a plurality of platforms that move along the charging rail. The control system may instruct a platform to receive an aerial vehicle, couple the aerial vehicle to the charging rail, move the aerial vehicle among the workstations, and charge a battery of the aerial vehicle via the charging rail during movement and/or performance of various maintenance tasks.

Abstract: Systems and methods to measure states of charge of a battery may include an ultrasonic sensor and a control system. For example, the control system may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic waves toward a battery, and may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to receive echoes of the emitted ultrasonic waves reflected back from the battery. In addition, the control system may process data associated with the emitted waves and received echoes, including properties associated with the waves and echoes, such as a time of flight, frequency, amplitude, wavelength, phase, duration, or others. Based on the properties of the received echoes, and by comparison with expected properties, various physical, mechanical, chemical, and/or material characteristics of the battery may be determined, based on which a state of charge and/or a state of health of the battery may further be determined.

Abstract: Systems for landing and facilitating power flow or data transfer between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a charging mat using a boom are described. The system includes a mat with a conductive mesh on the top and a conductive surface on the other bottom of the mat. The conductive mesh and bottom conductive surface are separated (electrically isolated) by an isolation core. The outer portion of the boom contacts part of the conductive mesh of the mat to create an electrical pathway. An inner portion of the boom penetrates through the top layer conductive mesh, through the isolating core, and contacts the bottom conductive surface of the mat to create another electrical pathway.

Abstract: Systems and methods to maintain a fleet of batteries may include a plurality of electrically connected batteries and a control system. For example, the connected batteries may be stored and connected via a cabinet or rack. The control system may determine desired states of charge and/or desired storage temperatures for the connected batteries, in order to maintain at least one battery available to meet demand while also minimizing an aging rate of the fleet of batteries. Accordingly, the control system may adjust states of charge associated with the fleet of batteries to the desired states of charge, which may include various distributions of states of charge, and the control system may also adjust storage temperatures associated with the fleet of batteries.

Abstract: Systems and methods to measure states of charge of a battery may include an ultrasonic sensor and a control system. For example, the control system may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic waves toward a battery, and may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to receive echoes of the emitted ultrasonic waves reflected back from the battery. In addition, the control system may process data associated with the emitted waves and received echoes, including properties associated with the waves and echoes, such as a time of flight, frequency, amplitude, wavelength, phase, duration, or others. Based on the properties of the received echoes, and by comparison with expected properties, various physical, mechanical, chemical, and/or material characteristics of the battery may be determined, based on which a state of charge and/or a state of health of the battery may further be determined.

Abstract: Systems and methods to maintain a fleet of aerial vehicles may include a maintenance system, a charging power source, and a control system. For example, the maintenance system may include a plurality of workstations to perform maintenance tasks, a charging rail that connects the workstations with the charging power source, and a plurality of platforms that move along the charging rail. The control system may instruct a platform to receive an aerial vehicle, couple the aerial vehicle to the charging rail, move the aerial vehicle among the workstations, and charge a battery of the aerial vehicle via the charging rail during movement and/or performance of various maintenance tasks.

Abstract: Systems and corresponding methods for monitoring of a state of charge or a state of health of a battery are described. For example, the battery monitoring system may include strain gauges to measure dimensions or changes in dimension of cells of the battery, and may determine states of charge of the cells based on dimensional changes over time, e.g., based on data from strain gauges. The dimensional changes may also be corrected for dimensional changes due to thermal strain. In addition, states of health of individual cells of the battery may be determined by comparing the dimensional changes of each of the cells over time. Further, the data from strain gauges may be received at various frequencies, e.g., based on an expected operational duration of the battery and/or based on a current state of charge or state of health.

Abstract: Systems and corresponding methods for monitoring of a state of charge or a state of health of a battery are described. For example, the battery monitoring system may include strain gauges to measure dimensions or changes in dimension of cells of the battery, and may determine states of charge of the cells based on dimensional changes over time, e.g., based on data from strain gauges. The dimensional changes may also be corrected for dimensional changes due to thermal strain. In addition, states of health of individual cells of the battery may be determined by comparing the dimensional changes of each of the cells over time. Further, the data from strain gauges may be received at various frequencies, e.g., based on an expected operational duration of the battery and/or based on a current state of charge or state of health.

Abstract: Systems for landing and facilitating power flow or data transfer between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a charging mat using a boom are described. The system includes a mat with a conductive mesh on the top and a conductive surface on the other bottom of the mat. The conductive mesh and bottom conductive surface are separated (electrically isolated) by an isolation core. The outer portion of the boom contacts part of the conductive mesh of the mat to create an electrical pathway. An inner portion of the boom penetrates through the top layer conductive mesh, through the isolating core, and contacts the bottom conductive surface of the mat to create another electrical pathway.

Abstract: Systems and corresponding methods for optical monitoring of a state of charge or a state of health of a battery are described. For example, the battery monitoring system may include an imaging device that captures images of cells of the battery and determines states of charge of the cells based on observed dimensional changes over time, e.g., relative to reference markers. The observed dimensional changes may also be corrected for dimensional changes due to thermal strain. In addition, states of health of individual cells of the battery may be determined by comparing the dimensional changes of each of the cells over time. Further, the images may be captured at various frequencies, e.g., based on an expected operational duration of the battery and/or based on a current state of charge or state of health.

Abstract: Methods and systems for installing an electrical power source in an electrical device can include positioning the electrical power source in a device-charging position associated with a first charge path that has a nonzero electrical resistivity, maintaining the electrical power source in the device-charging position for a nonzero time with a mechanism, and moving the electrical power source from the device-charging position to an installed position associated with a second charge path that has less resistivity than the first nonzero electrical resistivity. Devices can include a mechanism and the first and second charge paths, the mechanism configured to move a power source from a device-charging position to an installed position over a nonzero time.

Abstract: Systems and corresponding methods for optical monitoring of a state of charge or a state of health of a battery are described. For example, the battery monitoring system may include an imaging device that captures images of cells of the battery and determines states of charge of the cells based on observed dimensional changes over time, e.g., relative to reference markers. The observed dimensional changes may also be corrected for dimensional changes due to thermal strain. In addition, states of health of individual cells of the battery may be determined by comparing the dimensional changes of each of the cells over time. Further, the images may be captured at various frequencies, e.g., based on an expected operational duration of the battery and/or based on a current state of charge or state of health.

Abstract: The device is a self-contained-defense-system. The entire unit is housed inside a blended set of athletic gloves and emits an electrical charge against an unwanted attacker. It can be utilized by men or women, both young and old, for personal safety. The electrical charge emitted is not strong enough to kill, but the voltage can be increased in order to assist the military and the police.

Abstract: The device is a self-contained-defense-system. The entire unit is housed inside a blended set of athletic gloves and emits an electrical charge against an unwanted attacker. It can be utilized by men or women, both young and old, for personal safety. The electrical charge emitted is not strong enough to kill, but the voltage can be increased in order to assist the military and the police.

Abstract: The device is a self-contained-defense-system. The entire unit is housed inside a blended set of athletic gloves and emits an electrical charge against an unwanted attacker. It can be utilized by men or women, both young and old, for personal safety. The electrical charge emitted is not strong enough to kill, but the voltage can be increased in order to assist the military and the police.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for transporting flat products having at least one feeder feeding the flat products in a first transport direction, and having at least two conveying units for forwarding the flat products in a second transport direction. The conveying units are configured symmetrically and in each case have a plurality of guiding elements which can be set against the flat sides of the products. It is possible for the flat products to be received between in each case two adjacent guiding-element pairs and to be gripped by them and, as a result, to be transported upright in the second transport direction. During the movement in the second transport direction, the guiding elements are moved gradually out of holding engagement with the flat products.

Abstract: The device is a self-contained-defense-system. The entire unit is housed inside a blended set of athletic gloves and emits an electrical charge against an unwanted attacker. It can be utilized by men or women, both young and old, for personal safety. The electrical charge emitted is not strong enough to kill, but the voltage can be increased in order to assist the military and the police.

Abstract: A soy protein product which is completely soluble and is capable of providing transparent and heat stable solutions at low and neutral pH values is produced by extracting a soy protein source material with water at low pH, subjecting the resulting aqueous soy protein solution to ultrafiltration and optional diafiltration to provide a concentrated and optionally diafiltered soy protein solution, which may be dried to provide the soy protein product. The soy protein product may be used for protein fortification of in particular, soft drinks and sports drinks, without precipitation of protein.