Patents Assigned to Proterra Inc.
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Publication number: 20220169105Abstract: A low-floor electric bus includes a plurality of battery packs mounted under the floor of such that the floor inside the bus between a front axle and a rear axle of the bus is substantially flat. Each battery pack may include an enclosure and multiple battery modules positioned within the enclosure. And, each battery module may include a plurality of battery cells electrically connected together.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2022Publication date: June 2, 2022Applicant: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Dale Hill, Michael Walker, Shaun Onorato, Donald Morris, Stephen Misencik, John Winkel
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Publication number: 20220097543Abstract: A control system for a charging control network may include a primary server system that applies a control process to an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (“EVSE”), a secondary server system that applies a monitoring process to the EVSE, and a mediator system that maintains a virtualized connection there-between. The mediator system may: in response to receiving a first request from the EVSE, selectively route the first request to one or more server systems based on predetermined rules; in response to receiving at least one first reply, selectively route only one of the at least one first reply to the EVSE; in response to receiving a second request from one of the server systems directed toward the EVSE, route the second request to the EVSE; and, in response to receiving a second reply to the second request, route the second reply to the server system that transmitted the second request.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Nilesh DARADE, Joseph FRASCATI
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Patent number: 11285795Abstract: A low-floor electric bus includes a plurality of battery packs mounted under the floor of such that the floor inside the bus between a front axle and a rear axle of the bus is substantially flat. Each battery pack may include an enclosure and multiple battery modules positioned within the enclosure. And, each battery module may include a plurality of battery cells electrically connected together.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Dale Hill, Michael Walker, Shaun Onorato, Donald Morris, Stephen Misencik, John Winkel
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Publication number: 20220080844Abstract: A method for controlling the charging of one or more electric vehicles at one or more charging stations in a geographic locality includes determining if the charging event of an electric vehicle of the one or more electric vehicles increases a demand billing rate. The demand billing rate may be a cost per unit of energy in the locality. The method also includes charging the electric vehicle at the charging event such that the demand billing rate is not increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicant: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Seamus T. McGRATH, Justin ALLEN, Kevin ERTEL
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Patent number: 11247568Abstract: Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2020Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Reuben Sarkar, Michael Alan Finnern, Michael Walker
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Publication number: 20220016991Abstract: A method of locating an electric vehicle at a charging station having multiple chargers is includes, receiving at multiple fixed transceivers positioned at different locations in the charging station, signals from the electric vehicle as the electric vehicle moves in the charging station, and determining, at a controller, a current location of the electric vehicle in the charging station using the signals received by the multiple fixed transceivers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Applicant: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Jason HOM, Hayley CASHDOLLAR, Dustin GRACE
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Patent number: 11225158Abstract: A control system for a charging control network may include a primary server system that applies a control process to an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (“EVSE”), a secondary server system that applies a monitoring process to the EVSE, and a mediator system that maintains a virtualized connection there-between. The mediator system may: in response to receiving a first request from the EVSE, selectively route the first request to one or more server systems based on predetermined rules; in response to receiving at least one first reply, selectively route only one of the at least one first reply to the EVSE; in response to receiving a second request from one of the server systems directed toward the EVSE, route the second request to the EVSE; and, in response to receiving a second reply to the second request, route the second reply to the server system that transmitted the second request.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: PROTERRA INC.Inventors: Nilesh Darade, Joseph Frascati
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Patent number: 11214157Abstract: A method for controlling the charging of one or more electric vehicles at one or more charging stations in a geographic locality includes determining if the charging event of an electric vehicle of the one or more electric vehicles increases a demand billing rate. The demand billing rate may be a cost per unit of energy in the locality. The method also includes charging the electric vehicle at the charging event such that the demand billing rate is not increased.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2015Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: PROTERRA INC.Inventors: Seamus T. McGrath, Justin Allen, Kevin Ertel
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Patent number: 11214115Abstract: A temperature control system for an electric vehicle includes a cabin temperature control system configured to control flow of a refrigerant through one or more heat exchangers to control a temperature of a cabin of the electric vehicle, a battery temperature control system configured to control the flow of a coolant through one or more heat exchangers to control a temperature of a battery system of the electric vehicle, and a power electronics temperature control system configured to control the flow of coolant through one or more heat exchangers to control a temperature of one or more power electronics. In a first configuration of the temperature control system, the battery temperature control system and the power electronics temperature control system may be thermally isolated, and, in a second configuration, the battery temperature control system and the power electronics temperature control system may thermally interact.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: PROTERRA INC.Inventors: James Harper, Kevin Myers, David Lai
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Patent number: 11148541Abstract: A method of locating an electric vehicle at a charging station having multiple chargers is includes, receiving at multiple fixed transceivers positioned at different locations in the charging station, signals from the electric vehicle as the electric vehicle moves in the charging station, and determining, at a controller, a current location of the electric vehicle in the charging station using the signals received by the multiple fixed transceivers.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: PROTERRA INC.Inventors: Jason Hom, Hayley Cashdollar, Dustin Grace
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Publication number: 20210268924Abstract: A control system for a charging control network may include a primary server system that applies a control process to an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (“EVSE”), a secondary server system that applies a monitoring process to the EVSE, and a mediator system that maintains a virtualized connection there-between. The mediator system may: in response to receiving a first request from the EVSE, selectively route the first request to one or more server systems based on predetermined rules; in response to receiving at least one first reply, selectively route only one of the at least one first reply to the EVSE; in response to receiving a second request from one of the server systems directed toward the EVSE, route the second request to the EVSE; and, in response to receiving a second reply to the second request, route the second reply to the server system that transmitted the second request.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2020Publication date: September 2, 2021Applicant: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Nilesh DARADE, Joseph FRASCATI
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Publication number: 20210184196Abstract: A battery pack includes an outer housing including a plurality of walls, at least one battery cell enclosed within the plurality of walls, a vent system disposed in at least one of the plurality of walls, and a disk provided between the cover and the valve. The vent system includes a carrier plate, an annular ring extending from the carrier plate and defining a lumen, a valve disposed in the lumen, and a cover attached to the carrier plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2019Publication date: June 17, 2021Applicant: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Duybao DAO, Nicholas H. HERRON, Derek R. PAUL
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Patent number: 11027624Abstract: A method for charging an electric vehicle using charge current from a charging source. The charge current is determined based at least on the state of charge of the electric vehicle and a chemistry or type of the battery system.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2017Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Dustin Grace, Seamus T. McGrath
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Patent number: 10998587Abstract: An electric vehicle may include a battery system with a plurality of battery packs electrically connected together. Each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs may include a plurality of battery cells. The electric vehicle may also include a cooling system configured to cool the plurality of battery packs. The electric vehicle may further include a control system configured to selectively operate the cooling system such that at least one battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is maintained at a temperature different from another battery pack of the plurality of battery packs.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2018Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: Proterra Inc.Inventor: Michael C. Walker
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Publication number: 20210098759Abstract: A battery cassette is disclosed. The battery cassette may include a frame including one or more hollow tubes. The battery cassette may further include a seal component having one or more hollow tubes aligned with the hollow tubes of the frame. The frame and the seal component may be configured to receive one or more battery cells in the hollow tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2020Publication date: April 1, 2021Applicant: Proterra, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas H. HERRON, Derek R. PAUL, Dustin L. GRACE
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Publication number: 20210078416Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Applicant: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Donald MORRIS, Dale Hill, John HORTH, Reuben SARKAR, Teresa J. ABBOTT, William Joseph Lord REEVES, Ryan Thomas WIENS
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Patent number: 10946763Abstract: A method for controlling the charging of multiple electric vehicles operating in a geographic area may include inputting a tariff schedule into a control system. The tariff schedule may identify the cost of energy at different times in the geographic area. The method may also include receiving data from the multiple electric vehicles. The data may include at least the state of charge of the vehicle. The method may further include sending instructions to at least one vehicle of the multiple electric vehicles. The instructions may include directives on charging based at least on the tariff schedule and the received data.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Seamus McGrath, Reuben Sarkar
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Publication number: 20210074968Abstract: A modular and scalable battery module wherein the energy capacity and voltage output are configured to be scaled independent of each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Applicant: Proterra, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas H. HERRON, Derek R. PAUL, Dustin GRACE
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Patent number: 10933879Abstract: The power train of an electric vehicle includes an electric motor and a gearbox coupling the electric motor to a drive wheel. A controller may be configured to initiate a gear shift in the gearbox, and activate one or both of (a) a torque jog in electric motor, or (b) a burst of a pressurized fluid in an actuator to assist with the gear shift.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2018Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Proterra Inc.Inventors: Matthew Simonini, Jarred Vallbracht
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Patent number: 10906413Abstract: A charging station for charging an electric vehicle may include a first pair of charging electrodes electrically connected to a first charger and a second pair of charging electrodes electrically connected to a second charger electrically isolated from the first charger. The first pair charging electrodes may be configured to make contact with and provide power to a first pair of charge-receiving electrodes of the electric vehicle, and the second pair charging electrodes may be configured to make contact with and provide power to the first pair of charge-receiving electrodes of the electric vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Proterra Inc.Inventor: Seamus McGrath