Patents by Inventor Zhi Zhou

Zhi Zhou 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: 10379562
    Abstract: A system includes a control unit having a processor 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 processor is 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: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Santosh Sambamoorthy Veda, Robert Dean King, Irene Michelle Berry, Zhi Zhou, Matthew Christian Nielsen, Lembit Salasoo
  • Publication number: 20190181648
    Abstract: There is provided a system that includes a processor. The system also includes a memory that stores instructions; when executed by the processor, the instructions configure the processor to perform certain operations. The operations include receiving sensor measurements from an electric power source or device and generating, based on the sensor measurements, a droop control procedure that includes a droop control curve having a non-constant slope. The operations further include regulating a power delivery from the electric power source or device to a bus according to the droop control procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventor: Zhi ZHOU
  • Publication number: 20190148939
    Abstract: Provided is a power distribution system that includes a reconfigurable DC/DC power converter configured to be connected with an energy storage device at an input end for receiving an input voltage therefrom, and a power electronics building block having a primary bridge unit, a secondary bridge unit magnetically connected with the primary bridge unit, and an outer bridge unit at an output end and connected to an output of the secondary bridge unit, configured to output an output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Zhi ZHOU, Dong DONG
  • Publication number: 20190091492
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are cosmetic compositions comprising (1) at least one polyvinyl alcohol-styrylpyridinium polymer and (2) at least one latex film-forming polymer. Also disclosed herein are methods for making up and/or enhancing the appearance of a keratinous substrate comprising (1) forming a film on the keratinous substrate by applying to said keratinous substrate a cosmetic composition comprising (a) at least one polyvinyl alcohol-styrylpyridinium polymer and (2) at least one latex film-forming polymer and (2) exposing the film to radiation chosen from UV and visible light radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Chunhua LI, Hy Si BUI, Jean-Thierry SIMONNET, Xian Zhi ZHOU, Nicholas Stergios LIOUTAS
  • Patent number: 10243370
    Abstract: A system for integrating energy storage into a modular power converter includes at least one energy storage unit coupled to a first converter for converting a first direct current (DC) voltage of the at least one energy storage unit into a first high frequency alternating current (AC) voltage. At least three phase legs of the modular power converter generate three phase AC voltages. Each phase leg includes a plurality of switching modules connected in series. The switching modules have a plurality of fully controllable semiconductor switches, an energy storage device, and a second converter coupled to the respective energy storage device for converting a second DC voltage of the energy storage device into a second high frequency AC voltage. In the system, three similarly positioned switching modules of the three phase legs form one power unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Luis Jose Garces, Rui Zhou, Zhi Zhou, Di Zhang
  • Patent number: 10202206
    Abstract: A method implemented using at least one of the processor includes disposing a power source on a vehicle, wherein the power source is configured to power auxiliary loads of the aircraft. The method also includes connecting a power source disposed on a vehicle configured to engage an aircraft for ground operation, to auxiliary loads of the aircraft via an on-board power system. The method also includes performing energy management of the aircraft during the period of ground operation. The method further includes disconnecting the power source when an alternate electrical power is available to the on-board power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Zhi Zhou, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Rui Zhou, Hongwei Liao
  • Publication number: 20190000746
    Abstract: The instant disclosure relates to hair styling compositions and products comprising the hair styling compositions. The hair styling compositions include: one or more soft latex film-forming polymers having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 35° C. or less; one or more hard latex film-forming polymers having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 35° C. or more; less than 15 wt. % of water; and at least 80 wt. % of one or more organic solvents, wherein the composition has a shear viscosity of up to about 70 cP at 23° C. The compositions may further comprise one or more propellants, and are useful in products such as aerosol hair sprays, pump hair sprays, hair mousses, hair foams, hair gels, etc. The disclosure further relates to methods for styling the hair using the compositions and products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Siliu TAN, Nghi NGUYEN, Jim SINGER, Xian Zhi ZHOU
  • Patent number: 10123008
    Abstract: Embodiments according to the present invention configure the intra prediction mode candidates into multi-level MPM sets, which comprise at least a first-level MPM set and a second-level MPM set. Encoding or decoding a current intra prediction mode is based on the multi-level MPM sets, where one syntax element of the syntax information to be generated or decoded respectively is associated with evaluating the current intra prediction mode using the first-level MPM set. A method and apparatus for chroma intra prediction mode encoding and decoding are also disclosed. The chroma intra prediction mode set includes a Luma-based chroma prediction Mode (LM), a Direct Mode (DM) and four other modes. The codeword set comprises variable-length codewords and fixed-length codewords, and the fixed-length codewords are longer than the variable-length codewords. The variable-length codewords are used for the DM and LM, and the fixed-length codewords are used for the four other modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: HFI Innovation Inc.
    Inventors: Tzu-Der Chuang, Ching-Yeh Chen, Yu-Wen Huang, Shan Liu, Zhi Zhou, Shaw-Min Lei
  • Patent number: 10081350
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes a plurality of power sources coupled to a final drive of the vehicle propulsion system. A controller is programmed to determine a desired power demand from the power sources and operate a number of the power sources to produce the desired power demand. The controller identifies a least efficient power source of the power sources and controls the least efficient power source to produce power at an optimum operating point of the least efficient power source. The controller also identifies a power output of the least efficient power source corresponding to the optimum operating point, compares the power output of the least efficient power source to the desired power demand, identifies a remaining power demand from the comparison, and controls another power source to produce the remaining power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Zhi Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180269775
    Abstract: Systems and methods to improve operation of a modular multilevel converter. Some embodiments include a first upper arm with a first active power link module, which facilitates producing a first portion of a first alternating current electrical power at a base frequency and injecting a first even-order current harmonic of the base frequency in the first upper arm, and a first lower arm with a second active power link module, which facilitates producing a second portion of the first alternating current, in which the first portion of the first alternating current and the second portion of the alternating current are combined to facilitate outputting the first alternating current electrical power at a first alternating current terminal, and injecting the first even-order current harmonic in the first lower arm, in which magnitude of the first even-order current harmonic is zero at the first alternating current terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Tomas SADILEK, Di ZHANG, Zhi ZHOU, Dong DONG
  • Publication number: 20180205240
    Abstract: A modular power converter system includes a plurality of active power link modules (APLMs) coupled to each other, each APLM having a plurality of switching devices including first and second switching devices coupled to each other, and at least one first-type energy storage device (ESD) coupled in parallel with both of the first and second switching devices, the first-type ESD configured to induce a first direct current (DC) voltage. The system also includes a plurality of relays coupled to the first-type ESD, and a charge controller coupled to at least one APLM of the plurality of APLMs and coupled to at least one of an electrical power source and a discharge circuit. The charge controller is configured to alternately charge and discharge the first-type ESD in response to a plurality of switching states including switching states of the plurality of switching devices and the plurality of relays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Tomas Sadilek, Rui Zhou, Zhi Zhou, Philip Michael Cioffi, Dong Dong
  • Patent number: 10014773
    Abstract: A hybrid active power link device includes a plurality of active power link modules (APLMs). Each APLM of the plurality of APLMs includes a plurality of switching devices including a first switching device and a second switching device coupled in series. Each APLM of the plurality of APLMs also includes at least one first-type energy storage device (ESD) coupled in parallel with both of the first switching device and the second switching device. The hybrid active power link device also includes at least one second-type ESD coupled in series with at least one APLM of the plurality of APLMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Dong Dong, Rui Zhou, Zhi Zhou, Tomas Sadilek
  • Publication number: 20180145600
    Abstract: A modular power conversion device includes at least one first-type energy storage device (ESD) configured to induce a first direct current (DC) voltage, and at least one active power link module (APLM) string coupled to the at least one first-type ESD. The at least one APLM string includes a plurality of APLMs coupled to each other. Each APLM of the plurality of APLMs has a plurality of switching devices including a first switching device and a second switching device coupled to each other in electrical series. Each APLM of the plurality of APLMs also has at least one second-type ESD coupled in electrical parallel with both of the first switching device and the second switching device. The at least one second-type ESD is configured to induce a second DC voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Zhi Zhou, Di Zhang, Dong Dong, Tomas Sadilek
  • Publication number: 20180134170
    Abstract: A control system for controlling the supply of power from an energy storage system to a DC bus of a vehicle propulsion system is disclosed herein. The control system includes a controller programmed to monitor real-time operating parameters of a plurality of energy storage units of the energy storage system, access degradation models for the plurality of energy storage units, and optimize usage of the plurality of energy storage units during real-time operation of the vehicle propulsion system based on the degradation models.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zhi Zhou, Robert Dean King, Jian Zhou, Fengcheng Sun, Zhihao Zhihao
  • Publication number: 20180062514
    Abstract: A hybrid active power link device includes a plurality of active power link modules (APLMs). Each APLM of the plurality of APLMs includes a plurality of switching devices including a first switching device and a second switching device coupled in series. Each APLM of the plurality of APLMs also includes at least one first-type energy storage device (ESD) coupled in parallel with both of the first switching device and the second switching device. The hybrid active power link device also includes at least one second-type ESD coupled in series with at least one APLM of the plurality of APLMs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Dong Dong, Rui Zhou, Zhi Zhou, Tomas Sadilek
  • Patent number: 9889752
    Abstract: A charging system for a vehicle includes a first energy storage device, a first DC-DC converter coupled between a DC bus and the first energy storage device, and a controller. The controller is programmed to identify charging parameters of a charging source coupleable to the first energy storage device through the first DC-DC converter, apply an optimization algorithm to iteratively define a charging power allocation to charge the first energy storage device using the charging source, and selectively control the first DC-DC converter to recharge the first energy storage device in accordance with the charging power allocation. The charging power allocation optimizes at least one of a state of charge (SOC) and a state of health (SOH) of the first energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Zhi Zhou
  • Patent number: 9878632
    Abstract: A control system for controlling the supply of power from an energy storage system to a DC bus of a vehicle propulsion system is disclosed herein. The control system includes a controller programmed to monitor real-time operating parameters of a plurality of energy storage units of the energy storage system, access degradation models for the plurality of energy storage units, and optimize usage of the plurality of energy storage units during real-time operation of the vehicle propulsion system based on the degradation models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zhi Zhou, Robert Dean King, Jian Zhou, Fengcheng Sun, Zhihao Li
  • Patent number: D830633
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: RECKITT BENCKISER (BRANDS) LIMITED
    Inventors: Richard Gamble, Jacobus Simon Petrus Van Diepen, Xian Zhi Zhou
  • Patent number: D830634
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: RECKITT BENCKISER (BRANDS) LIMITED
    Inventors: Richard Gamble, Jacobus Simon Petrus Van Diepen, Xian Zhi Zhou
  • Patent number: D831274
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: RECKITT BENCKISER (BRANDS) LIMITED
    Inventors: Richard Gamble, Jacobus Simon Petrus Van Diepen, Xian Zhi Zhou