Patents by Inventor Mingkai Mu

Mingkai Mu 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).

  • Publication number: 20240067046
    Abstract: An electric vehicle comprises: a battery system split into first and second sectors substantially equal to each other; a first bidirectional DC/DC converter, the first bidirectional DC/DC converter being galvanically isolated and coupled to the first sector; and a second bidirectional DC/DC converter, the second bidirectional DC/DC converter being galvanically isolated and coupled to the second sector; wherein the first and second bidirectional DC/DC converters balance respective states of charge of the first and second sectors before the first and second sectors are connected in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Mingkai Mu, Harrison Senor, Richard J. Biskup, Gregory Tzermias
  • Publication number: 20230207937
    Abstract: A modular energy storage cabinet, and a system including same, may include an AC connection port capable of connecting to an AC bus, and a plurality of battery modules, an inverter, and a plurality of busses, wherein the plurality of busses electrically connect the plurality of batteries to each other and to the positive DC input and negative DC input of the inverter to effectuate a voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventor: Mingkai Mu
  • Publication number: 20230137396
    Abstract: A cord set comprises: electric-vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) comprising circuitry, the EVSE having a receptacle; a first charging gun coupled to an end of a first cord, wherein a first connector is coupled to an opposite end of the first cord, and wherein the first connector is configured to be coupled with the receptacle for vehicle-to-vehicle charging; a second charging gun coupled to an end of a second cord, wherein an opposite end of the second cord is coupled to the EVSE; and a grid cord, wherein a second connector is coupled to an end of the grid cord, and wherein the second connector is configured to be coupled with the receptacle for grid-to-vehicle charging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Mingkai Mu, Li Yang, Bai Shao, Eric Magnus Bach
  • Patent number: 11545834
    Abstract: A gateway system for a building comprises: a first relay to couple a first line of the gateway system to a first grid line of a power grid; a second relay to couple a second line of the gateway system to a second grid line of the power grid; a neutral line coupled to a neutral grid line of the power grid; a first electric-vehicle (EV) line coupled to the first line of the gateway system, the first EV line configured for being coupled to a first line of an EV charging connector; a second EV line coupled to the second line of the gateway system, the second EV line configured for being coupled to a second line of the EV charging connector, wherein the EV charging connector has no neutral line; and a balancing converter coupled to the first and second lines of the gateway system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventor: Mingkai Mu
  • Patent number: 11165349
    Abstract: Embodiments discussed herein refer to backwards compatible charging circuits and methods for charging a battery to a relatively high voltage level regardless of whether the charging station is capable of supplying power at that relatively high voltage level. The circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use the onboard charging system to provide a voltage boosting path to increase the charge voltage from a legacy voltage level (e.g., a relatively low voltage level) to a native voltage level (e.g., a relatively high voltage level). When a native voltage charging station is charging the battery, the circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use a native voltage path for supplying power, received from the charging station at the native voltage, to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Alieva, Inc.
    Inventor: Mingkai Mu
  • Publication number: 20200304026
    Abstract: Embodiments discussed herein refer to backwards compatible charging circuits and methods for charging a battery to a relatively high voltage level regardless of whether the charging station is capable of supplying power at that relatively high voltage level. The circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use the onboard charging system to provide a voltage boosting path to increase the charge voltage from a legacy voltage level (e.g., a relatively low voltage level) to a native voltage level (e.g., a relatively high voltage level). When a native voltage charging station is charging the battery, the circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use a native voltage path for supplying power, received from the charging station at the native voltage, to the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventor: Mingkai Mu
  • Patent number: 10505455
    Abstract: Embodiments discussed herein refer to backwards compatible charging circuits and methods for charging a battery to a relatively high voltage level regardless of whether the charging station is capable of supplying power at that relatively high voltage level. The circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use the motor and power electronics (e.g., inverter) to provide a voltage boosting path to increase the charge voltage from a legacy voltage level (e.g., a relatively low voltage level) to a native voltage level (e.g., a relatively high voltage level). When a native voltage charging station is charging the battery, the circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use a native voltage path for supplying power, received from the charging station at the native voltage, to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Biskup, Mingkai Mu, Emad Dlala
  • Patent number: 10396684
    Abstract: Output current ripple is reduced in a three-level DC-DC power converter by connecting a plurality of phase legs in parallel between a source of input power and an output of the power converter and conducting power from the source of input power to the power converter output in an interleaved manner. The large current that results from such interleaved operation is reduced to acceptable levels, potentially less than the output current ripple of the power converter by providing inversely coupled inductors having a mutual inductance preferably greater than the inductor of the power converter in respective phase legs and in series in the circulating current path to avoid any need to increase the power converter inductance due to the circulating current. The inductor and inversely coupled inductors are preferably integrated into a single magnetic element of compact design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc
    Inventors: Mingkai Mu, Sizhao Lu, Yang Jiao, Fred C. Lee
  • Patent number: 10217559
    Abstract: A power factor correction (PFC) power converter, particularly of a multiphase totem-pole or other topology presenting a switching bridge that can potentially provide bi-directional power transfer control, reduces a nominal switching frequency and achieves zero voltage switching over an increased portion of a half line cycle by providing positive or inverse coupling of inductors in an inductor structure that can be formed of a multi-layer printed circuit board such that at least three different inductances are presented during each half line cycle period; allowing increased switching frequency and simplifying EMI filtering arrangements. Parasitic capacitances can be balanced with additional coupled windings to reduce differential mode and common mode noise. The PFC power converter is particularly applicable to provide bi-directional power control from an on-board battery charger in an electrically powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuchen Yang, Mingkai Mu, Fred C. Lee, Qiang Li
  • Publication number: 20170294833
    Abstract: A power factor correction (PFC) power converter, particularly of a multiphase totem-pole or other topology presenting a switching bridge that can potentially provide bi-directional power transfer control, reduces a nominal switching frequency and achieves zero voltage switching over an increased portion of a half line cycle by providing positive or inverse coupling of inductors in an inductor structure that can be formed of a multi-layer printed circuit board such that at least three different inductances are presented during each half line cycle period; allowing increased switching frequency and simplifying EMI filtering arrangements. Parasitic capacitances can be balanced with additional coupled windings to reduce differential mode and common mode noise. The PFC power converter is particularly applicable to provide bi-directional power control from an on-board battery charger in an electrically powered vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Yuchen Yang, Mingkai Mu, Fred C. Lee, Qiang Li
  • Patent number: 9660487
    Abstract: An automatic-positioning wireless power transfer system to wirelessly charge power to an object and is also capable of wirelessly harvesting power from an object. The power transfer system consists of a mobile housing configured to autonomously move about the object, and has a tiltable transceiver. The mobile housing can be tethered to a base station via a cable, or not physically tethered to a base station when it travels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Megau LLC
    Inventors: Mingkai Mu, Zhong Nie
  • Publication number: 20160172976
    Abstract: Output current ripple is reduced in a three-level DC-DC power converter by connecting a plurality of phase legs in parallel between a source of input power and an output of the power converter and conducting power from the source of input power to the power converter output in an interleaved manner. The large current that results from such interleaved operation is reduced to acceptable levels, potentially less than the output current ripple of the power converter by providing inversely coupled inductors having a mutual inductance preferably greater than the inductor of the power converter in respective phase legs and in series in the circulating current path to avoid any need to increase the power converter inductance due to the circulating current. The inductor and inversely coupled inductors are preferably integrated into a single magnetic element of compact design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Mingkai Mu, Sizhao Lu, Yang Jiao, Fred C. Lee
  • Patent number: 8823370
    Abstract: Core loss in an inductor is measured with reduced sensitivity to phase measurement error by connecting a reactive component to resonate with the inductor and thus cancel a portion of the reactive voltage on the inductor; reducing the phase difference between the inductor voltage and current and making the observed power more resistive. The reactive component may be a capacitor for sinusoidal excitation or an inductance such as an air core transformer for arbitrary excitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingkai Mu, Fred C. Lee
  • Publication number: 20130049744
    Abstract: Core loss in an inductor is measured with reduced sensitivity to phase measurement error by connecting a reactive component to resonate with the inductor and thus cancel a portion of the reactive voltage on the inductor; reducing the phase difference between the inductor voltage and current and making the observed power more resistive. The reactive component may be a capacitor for sinusoidal excitation or an inductance such as an air core transformer for arbitrary excitation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Mingkai Mu, Fred C. Lee