Tesla Motors Patents

Tesla Motors, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures and sells electric vehicles, and operates a network of charging stations for Tesla electric vehicles. Tesla also sells electric vehicle powertrain components to other vehicle manufacturers, as well as battery systems for homes, commercial sites and utilities.

Tesla Motors Patents by Type
  • Patent number: 11021614
    Abstract: A self-stratifying anticorrosive coating is described herein, including a zinc-rich epoxy, a curing agent chosen from the group consisting of amines, thiols, phenols, and carboxylic anhydrides, a binding agent chosen from the group consisting of aminoalkyl dialkoxysilane, dimethoxysilane, and aminoalkyl trialkoxysilane, a graphitic material, a solvent, and a water scavenge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla Nanocoatings, Inc.
    Inventors: Jorma Virtanen, Theodore Hammer
  • Patent number: 11012025
    Abstract: Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing to an observer. BIPV systems can be incorporated as part of roof surfaces as built into the structure of the roof, particularly as photovoltaic modules having the appearance of a plurality of roofing tiles that each have photovoltaic cells. Each photovoltaic module may include a metal backer, photovoltaic cells, and light transmissive top sheets adhered to both the metal backer and the photovoltaic cells. BIPV systems can also include non-photovoltaic modules that appear similar to photovoltaic modules, but do not collect solar energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Seery, Charles Bernardo Almy, Kathryn Austin Pesce
  • Patent number: 11012558
    Abstract: A method is provided for interacting with audience members in an event, each of the potential attendees having available thereto a unique identifier. The method comprises creating, for an attendee, a unique ID (UID) on a mobile wireless device (MWD) by the steps of inputting to the MWD one of the unique identifiers, combining the obtained unique identifier with a UID time stamp at the time of creation of the UID; receiving with a server on a first wireless channel communications from the MWD; registering the UID at the physical location of the event; generating a visual query; displaying on the MWD response indicators; receiving at the server from the registered attendee a response, to the query over the first wireless channel; and storing in a database on the server the received response in association with the displayed query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TESLA LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jovan Hutton Pulitzer
  • Patent number: 11005649
    Abstract: An autonomous driving controller includes a plurality of parallel processors operating on common input data received from the plurality of autonomous driving sensors. Each of the plurality of parallel processors includes communication circuitry, a general processor, a security processor subsystem (SCS), and a safety subsystem (SMS). The communication circuitry supports communications between the plurality of parallel processors, including inter-processor communications between the general processors of the plurality of parallel processors, communications between the SCSs of the plurality of parallel processors using SCS cryptography, and communications between the SMSs of the plurality of parallel processors using SMS cryptography, the SMS cryptography differing from the SCS cryptography. The SCS and/or the SMS may each include dedicated hardware and/or memory to support the communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Thaddeus Fortenberry, Samuel Douglas Crowder, Patryk Kaminski, Daniel William Bailey, David Glasco
  • Patent number: 10995867
    Abstract: A valve includes a holder having an expandable material. The valve includes a retainer coupled to the holder. The valve further includes an umbrella member with a stem coupled to the holder. The expandable material is adapted to expand in size when absorbing a fluid and translate the umbrella member along an axis of the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Hall-Snyder, Ian Casimir Dimen, Richard Wurden
  • Patent number: 10997461
    Abstract: Sensor data, including a group of time series elements, is received. A training data set is determined, including by determining for at least a selected time series element in the group of time series elements a corresponding ground truth. The corresponding ground truth is based on a plurality of time series elements in the group of time series elements. A processor is used to train a machine learning model using the training dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashok Kumar Elluswamy, Matthew Bauch, Christopher Payne, Andrej Karpathy, Joseph Polin
  • Patent number: 10985688
    Abstract: This disclosure describes methods and apparatus for assembly a roofing structure that incorporates photovoltaic modules as shingles of the roofing structure. A sidelap is used to both establish consistent spacing between the solar shingles and prevent water passing between adjacent shingles from collecting beneath the solar shingles by guiding the water passing through the solar shingles and redirecting the water down-roof. In some embodiments, the sidelaps can have additional functionality. For example, a sidelap can include tabs configured to interact with lateral securing features positioned on downward-facing surfaces of the solar roofing modules to help keep the lateral sides of the photovoltaic modules from pulling away from the roofing structure during severe weather conditions. The sidelap could also include means for attaching a wire clip to one end of the sidelap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Seery, David Molina, Trevor B. Guthrie, Thomas Anderson, Jonathan Hewlett
  • Patent number: 10978990
    Abstract: One embodiment can provide a solar roof tile. The solar roof tile can include a front cover, a back cover, one or more photovoltaic structures positioned between the front cover and the back cover, and a band-stop optical filter positioned between the front cover and the photovoltaic structures. The band-stop optical filter is configured to block light within a predetermined spectral range, thereby preventing the light from reflecting off surfaces of the photovoltaic structures to exit the solar roof tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Ollivier J. Lefevre, John Liu
  • Patent number: 10967702
    Abstract: A vehicle thermal management system includes a vehicle heat pump system, a battery system coolant loop, a drive train coolant loop, and control electronics. The vehicle heat pump system includes a compressor, a cabin condenser, a cabin evaporator, a cabin blower, and a chiller. The battery system coolant loop is in thermal communication with a battery system and with the chiller and selectively in thermal communication with the drive train coolant loop. The control electronics control the components of the vehicle thermal management system to heat the cabin, cool the cabin, heat the battery system, cool the battery system, and cool the drive train. The control electronics may control the compressor to operate in an efficient mode or a lossy mode in which the compressor generates heat. The control electronics may also control the components of the vehicle thermal management system to precondition the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Mancini, Joseph Stratford Maxwell Mardall, Jan Kopitz, Curt Raymond O'Donnell, Daniel F. Hanks, Huize Li
  • Patent number: 10964502
    Abstract: An electromagnetic switch including a first stationary electric contact, a second stationary electric contact, a mechanical contact, and a moveable contact. The electromagnetic switch is configured for reciprocal motion of the moveable contact into and out of contact with the first stationary electric contact and the second stationary electric contact, wherein the moveable contact remains in contact with the mechanical contact (e.g., a non-conducting contact) throughout the reciprocal motion. In various embodiments, the moveable contact is configured so that at the end of the reciprocal motion three contact points occur, and a triangle defined by the three contact points encloses a center of force of the reciprocal motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Bennett Sprague, Ian C. Dimen, Scott I. Kohn, Andrew Titus, Jeffrey G. Reichbach, Gregory Michael Goetchius, Garland Dughi
  • Patent number: 10965728
    Abstract: A method and system of aggregating and converting data in a vehicle network is provided. An example method includes receiving a plurality of streams of sensor data over two or more Camera Serial Interface (CSI). The method further includes rearranging the plurality of streams of sensor data into an aggregate stream. The method further includes packetizing the aggregate stream by arranging transmission format bits at appropriate bit positions of the aggregate stream to form a packet data stream. The method further includes transmitting the packet data stream over a vehicle on-board packet data link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Adnan Esmail, Prashant Joshi, Sundar Balasubramaniam, Brijesh Tripathi
  • Patent number: 10956755
    Abstract: A system is comprised of one or more processors coupled to memory. The one or more processors are configured to receive image data based on an image captured using a camera of a vehicle and to utilize the image data as a basis of an input to a trained machine learning model to at least in part identify a distance of an object from the vehicle. The trained machine learning model has been trained using a training image and a correlated output of an emitting distance sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: James Anthony Musk, Swupnil Kumar Sahai, Ashok Kumar Elluswamy
  • Patent number: 10957482
    Abstract: An MRIS gradient coil sub-assembly comprising a first coil layer comprising a first conducting coil portion, a second coil layer comprising a second conductive coil portion electrically connected with the first conductive coil portion so that the first and second conductive coil portions act together as one coil, and a B-stage material consolidation layer sandwiched between the first and second coil layers. A method including laminating a first punched sheet metal conductive saddle coil portion and a second punched sheet metal conductive saddle coil portion together by bonding the first and second punched sheet metal conductive saddle coil portions on opposing sides of a B-stage material insulation layer, and electrically connecting the first punched sheet metal conductive saddle coil portion to the second punched sheet metal conductive saddle coil portion in parallel so that the first and second conductive saddle coil portions act together as one saddle coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: TESLA ENGINEERING LIMITED
    Inventor: Allen Raymond Camp
  • Patent number: 10938280
    Abstract: An electric motor includes: a stator; a shaft; a rotor mounted on the shaft, the rotor having an end ring that is concentric with the shaft; and a flux shield around the shaft inside the end ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Konstantinos Laskaris, Andrew D. Baglino, Chad Furey, David F. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10937915
    Abstract: A solar panel includes a backsheet layer, a bottom encapsulant layer adjacent the backsheet layer, a plurality of photovoltaic cells adjacent the bottom encapsulant layer, a top encapsulant layer adjacent the plurality of photovoltaic cells having a plurality of louvers constructed therein to block side view of the plurality of photovoltaic cells, and a top layer adjacent the top encapsulant layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Pilliod, Christos Gougoussis, Michael M. Laurin, Scott Tandoi, Javier Verdura, Franz Von Holzhausen, Caroline Park, Radu Muntean, Kate Kuzina, Dante Lamastra
  • Patent number: 10924883
    Abstract: A method is provided for interacting with audience members in an event, each of the potential attendees having available thereto a unique identifier. The method comprises creating, for an attendee, a unique ID (UID) on a mobile wireless device (MWD) by the steps of inputting to the MWD one of the unique identifiers, combining the obtained unique identifier with a UID time stamp at the time of creation of the UID; receiving with a server on a first wireless channel communications from the MWD; registering the UID at the physical location of the event; generating a visual query; displaying on the MWD response indicators; receiving at the server from the registered attendee a response, to the query over the first wireless channel; and storing in a database on the server the received response in association with the displayed query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: TESLA LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jovan Hutton Pulitzer
  • Patent number: 10921849
    Abstract: A System-on-a-Chip includes a plurality of processing systems and channel circuitry servicing the plurality of processing systems. The channel circuitry includes a clock sprinkler circuit, a clock source, first direction data path circuitry and second direction data path circuitry. A clock sprinkler is a clock signal that propagates in a first direction only, from a source to all destinations. The first direction data path circuitry includes a plurality of first direction data flip flops and first direction combinational logic that service data flow in the first direction. The second direction data path circuitry includes a plurality of second direction data flip flops and second direction combinational logic that service data flow in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel William Bailey
  • Publication number: 20210044250
    Abstract: One embodiment can provide a photovoltaic roof tile. The photovoltaic roof tile can include a transparent front cover, a transparent back cover, and a plurality of polycrystalline-Si-based photovoltaic structures positioned between the front cover and the back cover. A respective polycrystalline-Si-based photovoltaic structure has a front surface facing the front cover and a back surface facing the back cover. The photovoltaic roof tile can further include a paint layer positioned on a back surface of the back cover facing away from the front cover. A color of the paint layer substantially matches a color of the front surface of the respective polycrystalline-Si-based photovoltaic structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: TESLA, INC.
    Inventors: John Liu, Yangsen Kang, Anh N. Duong, Yongkee Chae, Milan Padilla, Chen Wang, Remy D. Labesque
  • Patent number: 10915179
    Abstract: A method of automatically adjusting the ride height of a vehicle each time the vehicle is in a particular location is provided, where the automatic ride height adjustment is based on location and ride height information previously gathered from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: TESLA, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Myggen, Miriam Vu, Ted Merendino
  • Patent number: 10901515
    Abstract: A vehicular interface system for providing application-based access to a plurality of vehicular subsystems is disclosed. The vehicular interface system includes a display for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI). A taskbar is displayed in a first portion of the GUI, the taskbar including a plurality of icons, each of icons representing a corresponding application. A plurality of windows is displayed in a second portion of the GUI. When determining that a user-selected icon is being dragged from an initial location on the taskbar, a semi-transparent overlay, corresponding to the application to be launched, is displayed on a window of the GUI as the selected icon is being dragged within the window. When determining that the selected icon is released within a selected window, the corresponding application is launched in the selected window. In general, the application provides control options or monitoring information relating to a subsystem of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Brennan Boblett, Nalinichandra Penke, Roy Goldman, Michael Fairman, Kevin Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10889262
    Abstract: A system for detecting improper usage of a seatbelt of a vehicle includes a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back. A shoulder belt and a lap belt are intended to restrain an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat. The system includes a sensor module associated with the shoulder belt and the lap belt. The sensor module generates signals indicative of at least one parameter associated with the vehicle seat, the shoulder belt, and the lap belt when the occupant is sitting on the vehicle seat. The system also includes a controller that receives the signals indicative of the at least one parameter associated with the seat back, the shoulder belt, and the lap belt. The controller analyzes the received one or more signals, and determines whether the seatbelt is being used improperly by the occupant, based on the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventor: Forrest Wen Liau
  • Patent number: 10889267
    Abstract: An electromagnetic wiper system for a windshield of a vehicle includes a linear actuator, a wiper-arrangement, and control circuitry. The linear actuator includes at least one guide rail having permanent magnets and an electromagnetic moving block. The electromagnetic moving block includes at least one perforation that surrounds the at least one guide rail and at least one electromagnetic coil that surrounds the at least one perforation. The wiper-arrangement includes a wiper arm and a wiper blade, wherein at least the wiper arm is coupled to the electromagnetic moving block. The control circuitry controls a linear motion of the electromagnetic moving block along the at least one guide rail to steer the wiper arm that is coupled to the electromagnetic moving block back and forth across a length of the windshield to the windshield, wherein the electromagnetic moving block induces minimal friction during the linear motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas Clift, Maithreya Kedambadi Prasanna, Gonzalo Espinoza Graham
  • Patent number: 10892621
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing a scalable hierarchical energy distribution grid utilizing homogeneous control logic are disclosed that provide distributed, autonomous control of a multitude of sites in an energy system using abstraction and aggregation techniques. A hierarchical energy distribution grid utilizing homogeneous control logic is provided that includes multiple control modules arranged in a hierarchy. Each control module can implement a same energy optimization scheme logic to directly control site energy resources and possibly energy resources of sites associated with control modules existing below it in the hierarchy. Each control module can act autonomously through use a similar set of input values to the common optimization scheme logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Rive, Eric Daniel Carlson
  • Patent number: 10887982
    Abstract: A high-power Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) includes a housing having side walls, an upper opening, and a lower opening, a VRM circuit board oriented within the housing, a plane of the VRM circuit board oriented in parallel to at least one of the side walls of the housing, an upper Printed Circuit Board (PCB) coupled to the upper opening of the housing, a lower panel coupled to the lower opening of the housing, a coolant inlet port formed in the lower panel, and a coolant outlet port formed in the lower panel. The high power VRM may include a coolant inlet adapter coupled to the coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet adapter coupled to the coolant outlet port. The coolant inlet adapter and the coolant outlet adapter may provide support for the VRM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed Nasr, Aydin Nabovati, Jin Zhao
  • Patent number: 10879637
    Abstract: A cable assembly includes a first cable and a second cable that is arranged co-axial to the first cable. Proximal ends of the first and second cables are provided with a connector assembly. The connector assembly from each proximal end is adapted to connect with one another, or a pair of receptacle ports located within a PCB, the PCB being disposed alongside the co-axially arranged first and second cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: In Jae Chung, Zheng Gao, Ron Rosenberg, Joel Torres Diaz, Adnan Esmail, Satyan Chandra
  • Patent number: 10877532
    Abstract: An energy storage system includes: a host; energy storage modules; a plurality of nodes, each implemented at a corresponding one of the energy storage modules and configured to monitor and control that energy storage module; a communications and data transmission medium forming a loop from a first portion of the host and sequentially through the nodes to a second portion of the host; and in each of the nodes, first and second devices configured to perform at least partially redundant communication and data transmission functions using the communications and data transmission medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian C. Dimen
  • Patent number: 10874869
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a device for electrical stimulation of tissue consisting of an electrode and a magnet, which allows to reach deeper located regions without the need for invasive surgery. This helps to achieve therapeutically success in broader range of patients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla Medical, s.r.o.
    Inventors: Lukas Doskocil, Tomas Vesely
  • Patent number: 10872251
    Abstract: An annotation system provides various tools for facilitating training data annotation. The annotation tools include a bidirectional annotation model that generates annotations for an image sequence based on both forward information and backward information in an image sequence. The annotation system also facilitates annotation processes by automatically suggesting annotations to the human operator based on a set of annotation predictions and locations of interactions of the human operator on the image. This way, the annotation system provides an accelerated way to generate high-quality annotations that take into account input from a human operator by using the predictions as a guide when it appears that an estimated annotation is consistent with the judgement of the human operator. The annotation system also updates annotations for an overlapping set of objects based on input from human operators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Anting Shen, Forrest Nelson Iandola
  • Publication number: 20200392091
    Abstract: Provided are methods of preparing 3-R-1,4,2-dioxazol-5-one compounds using convenient and efficient methods. Also provided are 3-R-1,4,2-dioxazol-5-one compounds produced using the methods described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Tesla Motors Canada ULC
    Inventors: David S. Hall, Jeffery Raymond Dahn, Toren Hynes
  • Patent number: 10862420
    Abstract: One embodiment described herein provides a photovoltaic roof module. The roof module can include at least a first photovoltaic roof tile, a second photovoltaic roof tile positioned adjacent to the first photovoltaic roof tile, and a spacer coupled to and positioned between the first and second photovoltaic roof tiles. The spacer is configured to facilitate a semi-rigid joint between the first and second photovoltaic roof tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter P. Nguyen, Piotr Zajac, Bobby Yang
  • Patent number: 10857906
    Abstract: A riser for a seat of a vehicle includes a first leg, a second leg, a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm. The first leg includes a first end and a second end. The second leg is substantially parallel to the first leg and has a first end and a second end. The third arm includes a first end and a second end, where the second end of the third arm extends from the first end of the second leg. The first arm extends from the first end of the first leg to the first end of the third arm. The second arm extends from the second end of the first leg to the first end of the third arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Pitr Jameson, Reid M. Olsen, David Eduardo Banales Cano, Nathan Paul Di Giusto, Sekhar Reddy Biddala Reddy
  • Patent number: 10861622
    Abstract: A cable includes a plurality of differential conductors and a plurality of drain conductors. The differential conductors and the drain conductors are arranged in the form of groups such that each group comprises a pair of differential conductors and a pair of drain conductors and defines a communication pathway for communicating signals. The cable includes a body formed around the plurality of differential conductors and the plurality of drain conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: In Jae Chung, Adnan Esmail, Lukas Josef Pankau, Lakshya Jain, Brijesh Tripathi
  • Patent number: 10857764
    Abstract: Treatments are provided to strengthen adhesion of an optical filter layer in a photovoltaic (PV) module to an encapsulant layer, or generally, between inorganic materials and organic polymers. The embodiments disclosed herein can provide five or more times the adhesive forces of untreated encapsulant-filter interfaces. As a result, the system can enhance long-term reliability of PV modules by reducing interface surface charges and dangling bonds and reducing gaps and cracks, thereby preventing moisture, impurities, and particles from entering the interface. The treated optical filter layer can result in a surface modification. In some embodiments, treating the optical filter layer includes applying a chemical treatment such as an acid or alkaline wash, and/or ultrasonic cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhi-Wen Sun, Ollivier J. Lefevre, Jiunn Benjamin Heng
  • Patent number: 10855220
    Abstract: Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing to an observer. BIPV systems can be incorporated as part of roof surfaces as built into the structure of the roof, particularly as multi-region roofing modules that have photovoltaic elements embedded or incorporated into the body of the module, in distinct tiles-sized regions. Such multi-region photovoltaic modules can replicate the look of individual roofing tiles or shingles. Further, multi-region photovoltaic modules can include hinged support structures along the upper edge of the modules, allowing for lifting of portions of an installed module, giving access to the underlying roof deck for more efficient installation, maintenance, or removal of roofing structures down-roof of the installed module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Almy
  • Patent number: 10831206
    Abstract: A vehicular autonomous driving system includes a time division multiplexed (TDM) bus, an autonomous driving (AD) controller coupled to the TDM bus, and a plurality of AD sensors coupled to the TDM bus. The AD sensors are configured to collect AD data and transmit collected AD data to the AD controller on the TDM bus in an assigned time slot at a first power level. A first AD sensor of the plurality of AD sensors is configured to, based upon collected AD data, detect an AD emergency event. In response to the detection, the first AD sensor is configured to transmit an AD emergency message on the TDM bus in a non-assigned time slot and at a second power level that exceeds the first power level. The AD sensor may transmit the AD emergency message in a particular sub-slot of the non-assigned time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael D. Cave
  • Patent number: 10828582
    Abstract: An electric vehicle drive unit includes an inverter, a gear box, an electric motor coupled to the inverter and to the gear box, a cooling jacket, and coupled to the gear box, a main coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, and an external passive air bleed device. The cooling jacket has a cooling chamber and surrounds at least a portion of the electric motor. The main coolant inlet couples to the cooling jacket. The coolant outlet is located at a lower portion of the gear box. The external passive air bleed device runs between an upper portion of the cooling jacket and the coolant outlet. The inverter may couple to a first side of the gear box and the electric motor may couple to a second side of the gear box such that the inverter and the electric motor reside on opposite sides of the gear box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent G. Johnston, Paul Daniel Yeomans, Riccardo Marco Pagliarella
  • Patent number: 10808827
    Abstract: A drive unit is disclosed that includes case portions, a gasket interposed between the case portions, shafts, bearings having respective bearing races, and a bearing shim plate. One shaft includes an input oil tube which provides a fluid pathway between the bearing shim plate and a rotor of the drive unit. Interposed between bearings, and the bearing shim plate, are shims. An approach for sizing shims for use with a drive unit is also disclosed, the approach including determining the distance from a mating flange of a case portion, to different bearing races, selecting shims based on the determined distances, and attaching the bearing shim plate to the case portion with shims interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Michael Graves, Luke Ottaway, Ian Felder
  • Patent number: 10813168
    Abstract: A method is provided for interacting with audience members in an event, each of the potential attendees having available thereto a unique identifier. The method comprises creating, for an attendee, a unique ID (UID) on a mobile wireless device (MWD) by the steps of inputting to the MWD one of the unique identifiers, combining the obtained unique identifier with a UID time stamp at the time of creation of the UID; receiving with a server on a first wireless channel communications from the MWD; registering the UID at the physical location of the event; generating a visual query; displaying on the MWD response indicators; receiving at the server from the registered attendee a response, to the query over the first wireless channel; and storing in a database on the server the received response in association with the displayed query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: TESLA LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jovan Hutton Pulitzer
  • Patent number: 10812012
    Abstract: Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing to an observer. BIPV systems can be incorporated as part of roof surfaces as built into the structure of the roof, particularly as photovoltaic tiles. Each photovoltaic module may comprise a photovoltaic laminate, a support arm and a mounting bracket. When installed an assembly of the photovoltaic laminate and support arm are rotatably attached to the mounting bracket allowing access under the array of photovoltaic modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventor: Johann Fritz Karkheck
  • Patent number: D899980
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Franz von Holzhausen, Bernard G. Lee
  • Patent number: D899981
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Franz von Holzhausen, Bernard G. Lee
  • Patent number: D900688
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Franz von Holzhausen, Bernard G. Lee
  • Patent number: D906196
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
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