Patents by Inventor Neil T. Moloney

Neil T. Moloney 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).

  • Optical communication system for management of vehicle batteries
    Patent number: 11884174
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a battery management system with an energy storage device configured to power the vehicle. The energy storage device includes a battery module with: at least one sensor, a processor, and an optical transceiver. The battery management system also includes a control unit to control the energy storage device, and a control unit optical transceiver configured for bidirectional free-space optical communication with the battery module optical transceiver via a free-space optical communication link. The battery module processor is configured to receive sensor readings and transmit them to the control unit via the free-space optical communication link. Based on the sensor readings, the control unit sends commands to the battery module processor via the free-space optical communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Neil T. Moloney, Shohei Nomura
  • OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR MANAGEMENT OF VEHICLE BATTERIES
    Publication number: 20230079247
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a battery management system with an energy storage device configured to power the vehicle. The energy storage device includes a battery module with: at least one sensor, a processor, and an optical transceiver. The battery management system also includes a control unit to control the energy storage device, and a control unit optical transceiver configured for bidirectional free-space optical communication with the battery module optical transceiver via a free-space optical communication link. The battery module processor is configured to receive sensor readings and transmit them to the control unit via the free-space optical communication link. Based on the sensor readings, the control unit sends commands to the battery module processor via the free-space optical communication link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Neil T. Moloney, Shohei Nomura