Patents by Inventor Robert Dean King
Robert Dean King 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).
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Patent number: 11884168Abstract: An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Patent number: 11752887Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a motor drive circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to supply electrical energy, a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the first energy storage device, a voltage inverter coupled to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and an input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source. The motor drive circuit further includes a coupling system coupled to the input device, to the first energy storage device, and to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter. The coupling system has a first configuration configured to transfer electrical energy to the first energy storage device via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and has a second configuration configured to transfer electrical energy from the first energy storage device to the voltage inverter via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Patent number: 11697352Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a controller configured to receive sensor feedback from a high voltage storage device and from a low voltage storage device, compare the sensor feedback to operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage device, determine, based on the comparison a total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device and a power split factor of the total charging current to the high voltage device and to the low voltage device, and regulate the total power to the low voltage storage device and the high voltage storage device based on the determination.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2022Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Ruediger Soeren Kusch, Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Patent number: 11670788Abstract: A drive circuit comprising a DC bus configured to supply power to a load, a first fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus, and a second fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell. The drive circuit further includes an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus and configured to receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from a load, and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Dean King, Timothy Gerard Richter
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Publication number: 20230049722Abstract: An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Publication number: 20220355681Abstract: An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Patent number: 11400820Abstract: An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Inventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Patent number: 11351874Abstract: An apparatus includes a multi-channel DC bus assembly comprising a first channel and a second channel, a first electromechanical device coupled to a positive DC link of the first channel, and a second electromechanical device coupled to a positive DC link of the second channel. A first DC-to-AC voltage inverter is coupled to the positive DC link of the first channel and a second DC-to-AC voltage inverter is coupled to the positive DC link of the second channel. The apparatus further includes a bi-directional voltage modification assembly coupled to the positive DC link of the second channel and a first energy storage system electrically coupled to the first electromechanical device.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2021Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Dean King, Zhihao Li
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Publication number: 20220163990Abstract: A system is provided having one or more charging stations that are electrically coupled with a power distribution grid and that may selectively couple with one or more energy storage devices; and a controller that may control transfer of electric power between the one or more charging stations, the one or more energy storage devices, and the power distribution grid. The controller may determine the amount of electric power transferred based at least in part on one or both of an assessment value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventors: Santosh Sambamoorthy Veda, Robert Dean King, Irene Michelle Berry, Zhi Zhou, Matthew Christian Nielsen, Lembit Salasoo
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Publication number: 20220153149Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a controller configured to receive sensor feedback from a high voltage storage device and from a low voltage storage device, compare the sensor feedback to operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage device, determine, based on the comparison a total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device and a power split factor of the total charging current to the high voltage device and to the low voltage device, and regulate the total power to the low voltage storage device and the high voltage storage device based on the determination.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: General ElectricInventors: Ruediger Soeren Kusch, Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Patent number: 11318852Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a controller configured to receive sensor feedback from a high voltage storage device and from a low voltage storage device, compare the sensor feedback to operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage device, determine, based on the comparison a total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device and a power split factor of the total charging current to the high voltage device and to the low voltage device, and regulate the total power to the low voltage storage device and the high voltage storage device based on the determination.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Ruediger Soeren Kusch, Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Publication number: 20220121260Abstract: Systems and methods for managing the distribution of electrical power are disclosed. The system can maintain a status of each account of a plurality of accounts. Each account can correspond to an electrical power generation device, an electrical power consumption device, and an electrical power transmission device. The system can generate a first record object in response to the generation of a unit of power. The system can identify a first path identifying a source device and a destination device to transmit the unit of power. The system can generate a control signal to route the unit of power from the source device to the destination device. The system can update an event tracker to indicate the routing of the unit of power. The system can generate a second record object corresponding to the destination device. The system can update a second account to include the second record object.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2020Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: DMK Nano LLCInventors: David Michael King, Robert Dean King
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Patent number: 11231733Abstract: A system includes a control unit having one or more processors and a communication interface. The communication interface is configured to communicate with one or more charging stations that are electrically coupled to receive electrical power from a power distribution grid and that are configured to selectively charge one or more energy storage devices connected to the charging stations. The one or more processors are configured to generate first control signals for communication by the communication interface to the one or more charging stations to control transfer of reactive and/or active power from the charging stations to the power distribution grid. The control signals are generated based at least in part on a load cycle profile of one or more electric machines electrically coupled to the power distribution grid.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Santosh Sambamoorthy Veda, Robert Dean King, Irene Michelle Berry, Zhi Zhou, Matthew Christian Nielsen, Lembit Salasoo
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Patent number: 11167654Abstract: A traction inverter circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage, a first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the first energy storage device, and a first electromechanical device. The first electromechanical device includes a first plurality of conductors coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter, a second plurality of conductors coupled together, and a plurality of windings coupled between the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors. The traction converter circuit also includes a charge bus comprising a first conductor coupled to the second plurality of conductors of the first electromechanical device, the charge bus configured to transmit a charging current to or receive a charging current from the first electromechanical device to charge the first energy storage device via the first electromechanical device and the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Publication number: 20210313599Abstract: A drive circuit comprising a DC bus configured to supply power to a load, a first fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus, and a second fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell. The drive circuit further includes an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus and configured to receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from a load, and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2021Publication date: October 7, 2021Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Dean King, Timothy Gerard Richter
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Patent number: 11075394Abstract: A drive circuit comprising a DC bus configured to supply power to a load, a first fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus, and a second fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell. The drive circuit further includes an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus and configured to receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from a load, and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2018Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Dean King, Timothy Gerard Richter
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Publication number: 20210221240Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a motor drive circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to supply electrical energy, a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the first energy storage device, a voltage inverter coupled to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and an input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source. The motor drive circuit further includes a coupling system coupled to the input device, to the first energy storage device, and to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter. The coupling system has a first configuration configured to transfer electrical energy to the first energy storage device via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and has a second configuration configured to transfer electrical energy from the first energy storage device to the voltage inverter via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Publication number: 20210178909Abstract: An apparatus includes a multi-channel DC bus assembly comprising a first channel and a second channel, a first electromechanical device coupled to a positive DC link of the first channel, and a second electromechanical device coupled to a positive DC link of the second channel. A first DC-to-AC voltage inverter is coupled to the positive DC link of the first channel and a second DC-to-AC voltage inverter is coupled to the positive DC link of the second channel. The apparatus further includes a bi-directional voltage modification assembly coupled to the positive DC link of the second channel and a first energy storage system electrically coupled to the first electromechanical device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2021Publication date: June 17, 2021Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Dean King, Zhihao Li
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Patent number: 10994623Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a motor drive circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to supply electrical energy, a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the first energy storage device, a voltage inverter coupled to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and an input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source. The motor drive circuit further includes a coupling system coupled to the input device, to the first energy storage device, and to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter. The coupling system has a first configuration configured to transfer electrical energy to the first energy storage device via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and has a second configuration configured to transfer electrical energy from the first energy storage device to the voltage inverter via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2020Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
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Patent number: 10958069Abstract: A multi-energy storage device system includes an electric drive coupled to a load, a DC link coupled to the electric drive, and a bi-directional voltage converter having an output channel coupled to the DC link and an input channel. A first energy storage device (ESD) is coupled to the input channel, and a switch is coupled to the DC link and to a second ESD. A system controller causes the switch to couple the second ESD to the DC link for delivering energy stored in the second ESD to the electric drive. The system controller also causes the voltage converter to convert a voltage of the first ESD to a higher voltage and to deliver the higher voltage to the DC link, wherein the higher voltage is greater than the voltage of the second ESD and causes the switch to decouple the second ESD from the DC link.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Paul Robert Gemin, Robert Dean King, Irene Michelle Berry, Lembit Salasoo