Patents by Inventor Nikola Popov

Nikola Popov 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: 11945315
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods associated with a powertrain for a micro-mobility fleet vehicle. The fleet vehicle may include at least one drive wheel to provide tractive contact between the flee vehicle and a road surface, an electric motor mechanically coupled to the drive wheel and configured to provide motive force for the fleet vehicle, a brake resistor configured to provide dynamic braking of the motor, and a motor controller electronically coupling the brake resistor to the motor. The motor controller may be configured to control the motive force provided by the motor using the brake resistor. The motor controller may be configured to limit a speed, power, and/or acceleration of the motor using the brake resistor based on an operational environment of, and/or on a directive received by, the fleet vehicle. The brake resistor may provide a relatively wide range of traction control for the fleet vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Conrad Xavier Murphy, Chen-Yu Lin, Nikola Popov, Simon Roy
  • Publication number: 20230294782
    Abstract: Motor control systems and methods for micromobility transit vehicles are provided. A micromobility transit vehicle may include an electric motor configured to drive a rotation of a wheel. The electric motor may include a plurality of windings and a plurality of switching circuits. The switching circuits may be configured to selectively direct current from a power supply through the windings to generate a torque by the electric motor to drive the rotation of the wheel in response to associated control signals. The switching circuits may be configured to passively bypass the windings in response to an interruption of the control signals. Depletion of the power supply may result in the interruption of the control signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Pierre Pellerey, Nikola Popov, Scott McDaid, Adam Christopher Bender
  • Patent number: 11685457
    Abstract: Motor control systems and methods for micromobility transit vehicles are provided. A micromobility transit vehicle may include an electric motor configured to drive a rotation of a wheel. The electric motor may include a plurality of windings and a plurality of switching circuits. The switching circuits may be configured to selectively direct current from a power supply through the windings to generate a torque by the electric motor to drive the rotation of the wheel in response to associated control signals. The switching circuits may be configured to passively bypass the windings in response to an interruption of the control signals. Depletion of the power supply may result in the interruption of the control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Pellerey, Nikola Popov, Scott McDaid, Adam Christopher Bender
  • Publication number: 20220194504
    Abstract: Motor control systems and methods for micromobility transit vehicles are provided. A micromobility transit vehicle may include an electric motor configured to drive a rotation of a wheel. The electric motor may include a plurality of windings and a plurality of switching circuits. The switching circuits may be configured to selectively direct current from a power supply through the windings to generate a torque by the electric motor to drive the rotation of the wheel in response to associated control signals. The switching circuits may be configured to passively bypass the windings in response to an interruption of the control signals. Depletion of the power supply may result in the interruption of the control signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Pierre Pellerey, Nikola Popov, Scott McDaid, Adam Christopher Bender
  • Publication number: 20210296202
    Abstract: A micromobility transit vehicle may include a wheel, an electric motor associated with the wheel, and a motor controller configured to control a motive force provided by the electric motor to the wheel. The motor controller may include a printed circuit board (PCB), one or more MOSFETs attached to the PCB, and a respective aperture defined through the PCB below each MOSFET. The motor controller may include a thermal assembly associated with each MOSFET and capable of dissipating heat from the MOSFETs to a heat sink. Each thermal assembly may include a heat transfer plug positioned at least partially within an associated aperture of the PCBA to contact an associated MOSFET, and a thermal interface material positioned between the heat transfer plug and the heat sink and capable of dissipating heat from the heat transfer plug to the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Adam Christopher Bender, Nikola Popov, Chen-Yu Lin
  • Publication number: 20210178907
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods associated with a powertrain for a micro-mobility fleet vehicle. The fleet vehicle may include at least one drive wheel to provide tractive contact between the flee vehicle and a road surface, an electric motor mechanically coupled to the drive wheel and configured to provide motive force for the fleet vehicle, a brake resistor configured to provide dynamic braking of the motor, and a motor controller electronically coupling the brake resistor to the motor. The motor controller may be configured to control the motive force provided by the motor using the brake resistor. The motor controller may be configured to limit a speed, power, and/or acceleration of the motor using the brake resistor based on an operational environment of, and/or on a directive received by, the fleet vehicle. The brake resistor may provide a relatively wide range of traction control for the fleet vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Conrad Xavier Murphy, Chen-Yu Lin, Nikola Popov, Simon Roy
  • Publication number: 20190156985
    Abstract: A tunable inductor has a first magnetic core and a second magnetic core wound with a direct current (DC) winding and an alternating current (AC) winding. A first portion of the AC winding is wound around a first portion of the first magnetic core, and a second portion of the AC winding is wound around a first portion of the second magnetic core. The DC winding is wound simultaneously around the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core in a second portion that does not overlap the first portion of the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core. The DC winding is connected to a DC control circuit that applies a DC voltage to control permeability of the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core, which allows inductance value of the tunable inductor to be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Nikola Popov, Lixin Shi