Patents Examined by Ahmed Omar
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Patent number: 9880225Abstract: This battery state determination device (10) is provided with: a voltage detection unit (13) that detects the voltage (V) of a rechargeable battery (M) to be evaluated; a current detection unit (12) that detects the current of the rechargeable battery (M); a charge state detection unit (11) that detects the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery (M); and a determination unit (11) configured so as to calculate the absolute value of the voltage gradient (G), which indicates the change in voltage with respect to the discharge amount (Ah), when the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery (M) is less than 40%, compare the absolute value of the voltage gradient (G) to a pre-set upper limit value (Gmax), and, when the absolute value of the voltage gradient (G) is greater than the upper limit value (Gmax), determine that a small short circuit has occurred in the rechargeable battery (M).Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: PRIMEARTH EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Daisuke Koba, Sachio Takeda, Koichi Ichikawa, Yasuhiro Takahashi, Masahiko Mitsui
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Patent number: 9882406Abstract: A lithium-ion battery includes a cathode active material of the Olivine-type crystal structure. The lithium-ion battery is charged under control of a charging control apparatus, which performs a charging process for charging up to a target voltage according to a constant-current and constant-voltage charging method, a negative-electrode potential evaluation process for evaluating a potential change quantity at the negative-electrode, and a voltage setting process for setting the target voltage to a lower voltage based on the potential change quantity of the negative-electrode evaluated by the negative-electrode potential evaluation process. The charging voltage is changed from the target voltage to the set voltage even when the negative-electrode potential changes with an increase in the number of charging and aging deterioration. Thus a positive-electrode potential is suppressed from rising because of less susceptibility to the increase in number of charging and aging deterioration.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2015Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshinori Satou, Masaki Uchiyama, Nobuo Yamamoto, Koji Ohira
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Patent number: 9882413Abstract: Disclosed is a wireless charging system for a wearable device having a plurality of coils configured to couple to an externally generated magnetic field and provide power to an electronic component in the wearable device. The coils may include a first coil integrated with a device body of the wearable device and a second coil disposed in a portion of the wearable device that is configured to secure the wearable device to a user. The second coil may have a non-planar contour.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2015Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventor: Seong Heon Jeong
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Patent number: 9878627Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a level of a control pilot signal includes: a switch controller configured to output a switch control signal using a control pilot input signal, which was outputted from an electric vehicle supply equipment; and a sample and hold logic unit configured to sample and hold the control pilot input signal, based on the outputted switch control signal, in order to output a control pilot output signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2015Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Jee Hye Jeong, Jae Won Lee, Jung Hwan Na
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Patent number: 9871403Abstract: A power feeding apparatus for solar cells has: a voltage regulator, i.e., a voltage adjusting unit; a relay, i.e., a switch unit; and a control unit. The voltage regulator executes voltage adjustment with respect to an input voltage, and outputs, to a power output terminal, a voltage adjusted to a previously set voltage or lower. The relay is provided on a bypass line that is connected between a power input terminal and the power output terminal without having the voltage regulator therebetween, and the relay performs switching such that the bypass line is connected or interrupted. In the cases where the input voltage is equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage, the control unit performs control such that the bypass line is connected by means of the relay, and the input voltage is outputted from the power output terminal.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2015Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Naoya Sotani, Yasuto Miyake
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Patent number: 9871392Abstract: A portable battery booster for providing a compact, light, and energy efficient battery to jump start a vehicle. The portable battery booster generally includes a housing, a battery means adapted to be received by the housing, a pair of cable means, each of the cable means having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end electrically connected to the battery means and the distal end detachably connected to a discharged battery of the vehicle. The battery is generally comprised of one or more batteries having the type of primary lithium-metal, rechargeable lithium-ion, and/or lithium-polymer and more specifically preferably comprised of lithium iron phosphate for fast charging, small size, and high performance. The battery may also be connected to one or more supercapacitors, an internal CPU, DC/DC converter, etc. to increase performance. The cable means includes jaws that detachably connect to the housing in a flush and sleek manner.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2010Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Ronald A. Durando, Fred Allen, Steve Simon, Necdet Ergul
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Patent number: 9866050Abstract: Battery cell charge equalization devices, systems and methods are provided. A particular method includes receiving a charging current at a battery charge equalization circuit coupled to a battery cell of a multi-cell battery. The method also includes routing at least a portion of the charging current away from the battery cell when a voltage of the battery cell satisfies a first voltage threshold. The method further includes establishing a second voltage threshold in response to the voltage of the battery cell satisfying the first voltage threshold. The second voltage threshold is lower than the first voltage threshold. The charging current is routed away from the battery cell while the voltage of the battery cell satisfies the second voltage threshold.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Randy L. Brandt, Daniel I. Taira
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Patent number: 9859742Abstract: The present disclosure provides a charging system that includes a charging adapter and a mobile terminal. The charging adapter includes: a second USB interface; and an adjusting circuit for rectifying and filtering the mains supply to obtain an original power signal, for performing a voltage adjustment on the original power signal, and for outputting a power signal after the voltage adjustment. The mobile terminal includes a first USB interface. P first power wires in the first USB interface and P second power wires in the second USB interface are correspondingly coupled, and Q first ground wires in the first USB interface and Q second ground wires in the second USB interface are correspondingly coupled. Because each first power wire and a corresponding second power wire are coupled, at least two charging circuits can be provided, and the charging system supports charging with a large current more than 3 A.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2017Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Biao Chen, Kewei Wu, Fengshuo Liu
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Patent number: 9855854Abstract: To efficiently control charging and regenerative control for a secondary battery.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2015Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Shinichi Nomoto, Akira Ohno
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Patent number: 9857811Abstract: A programmable power discharge circuit and a method of discharging power are provided. The programmable power discharge circuit includes a programmable voltage controller, a detect circuit, and a discharge circuit. The programmable voltage controller selects and provides a threshold voltage by a voltage divider including a plurality of impedance components. The detect circuit detects a difference between the threshold voltage and a working voltage to decide whether the working voltage is discharged.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: National Chiao Tung UniversityInventors: Ming-Dou Ker, Wan-Hsueh Cheng
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Patent number: 9847666Abstract: Power management and power transfer systems within the transmit and receive portions of an inductive charging system. An inductive charging system may include an inductive charging station to transmit power and a portable electronic device to receive power. Embodiments may take the form of power transfer systems within an inductive charging station including load-based transmit frequency adjustments. Embodiments may also take the form of power management systems within portable electronic devices which conserve power by disconnecting circuits from ground when those circuits are in an idle state.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2014Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey M. Alves, Todd K. Moyer, Chad Bossetti
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Patent number: 9840156Abstract: An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) charging system includes an EVSE charging station that is configured to be coupled to an electric vehicle (EV). The charging system further includes an EVSE cloud server coupled to the EVSE charging station optionally via a charge management network. The EVSE cloud server may automatically determine a charging routine for the EV based on historic rate and charge data of the EV and enable a user to interactively modify the charging routine in real-time. The charging routine may provide one or more charging options to the user based on a desired trade-off between different charging cost structures and the required time to charge the EV.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2015Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.Inventor: John R. DeBoer, III
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Patent number: 9837842Abstract: A system for utilizing an array of electrical energy storage devices utilizes a smart manager that categorizes electrical energy storage devices in the array based on electrical energy storage device age and/or internal resistance level and causes those electrical energy storage devices with similar ages and/or resistance levels to be concurrently depleted. This is followed by concurrently depleting the electrical energy storage devices in a different category. The system also disconnects faulty electrical energy storage devices in the array and helps alleviate the need to carefully consider and reconfigure the location of individual electrical energy storage devices in the array. The system facilitates forecasting actual capacity and thus helps to guarantee available capacity and to actively maintain capacity via maintenance crews that need simply remove and replace cells as advised by the smart manager.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: Gogoro Inc.Inventors: Matthew Whiting Taylor, Hok-Sum Horace Luke
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Patent number: 9829525Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining properties of a surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2012Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Malvern Instruments LimitedInventors: Jason Corbett, Fraser McNeil-Watson, Robert Jack
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Patent number: 9821667Abstract: A battery control system connected to a battery, which controls charge/discharge at the battery, includes: a current detection unit that measures a current value by detecting a charge/discharge current flowing through the battery; a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage at the battery; a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature at the battery; an effective current value calculation unit that calculates, based upon the current value measured by the current detection unit, an effective current value in a predetermined time window; a time ratio calculation unit that determines a time ratio indicating a ratio of a length of time over which the effective current value has been in excess of a predetermined allowable value during a predetermined specified time period; and a charge/discharge restriction unit that restricts the charge/discharge current based upon the time ratio determined by the time ratio calculation unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignees: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD., NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi Morikawa, Yoshinori Aoshima, Masayuki Takada, Kenichiro Tsuru, Shigeyuki Kiyota, Yoshiyuki Tanaka, Toyoki Iguchi, Hiroaki Hashimoto, Yasuyuki Takahashi
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Patent number: 9824805Abstract: A coil unit for an electric vehicle for the inductive transfer of electrical energy between the coil unit and a stationary charging station. The coil unit includes at least one coil and a flux guide unit for guiding a magnetic flux occurring during operation of the coil. Also disclosed is an electric vehicle having a coil unit for the inductive transfer of electrical energy between a secondary coil of the coil unit and a primary coil of a charging station. The disclosed coil solves the problem of allowing the safe use of the inductive electrical energy transfer in electric vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, by proposing a coil unit, in which the flux guide unit has material weakenings, and an electric vehicle having such a coil unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2013Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: CONDUCTIX-WAMPFLER GMBHInventors: Mathias Wechlin, Pascal Asselin, Andrew Green
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Patent number: 9825480Abstract: An apparatus for performing hybrid power control in an electronic device includes a charger positioned in the electronic device, and the charger is arranged for selectively charging a battery of the electronic device. In addition, at least one portion of the charger is implemented within a charger chip. For example, the charger may include: a first terminal, positioned on the charger chip; a second terminal, positioned on the charger chip and selectively coupled to the first terminal; a third terminal, positioned on the charger chip and selectively coupled to the second terminal; a fourth terminal, positioned on the charger chip and coupled to the third terminal; a first power output path, coupled to the fourth terminal, arranged for providing a first voltage level; and a second power output path, coupled to the third terminal, arranged for selectively providing a second voltage level that is greater than the first voltage level.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.Inventor: Nien-Hui Kung
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Patent number: 9819203Abstract: An electric power tool system comprises a tool main body, a battery pack detachably attached to the tool main body, and a first charger that charges the battery pack. The first charger comprises a rechargeable battery that supplies current to at least one rechargeable battery of the battery pack. The at least one rechargeable battery of the first charger preferably has a larger charge storage capacity than the at least one rechargeable battery of the battery pack.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATIONInventors: Hitoshi Suzuki, Takuya Umemura
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Patent number: 9812893Abstract: A wireless power receiver for wirelessly receiving driving power from a wireless power transmitter and a method for wirelessly receiving charging power at a wireless power receiver from a wireless power transmitter are provided. The wireless power receiver includes a power reception unit configured to wirelessly receive the charging power from the wireless power transmitter; a rectifier configured to rectify the charging power from the power reception unit; a load unit configured to store the rectified charging power from the rectifier; and a controller configured to detect a change of a charging mode for the load unit, and control to adjust an impedance in the power reception unit according to the change of the charging mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2016Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventors: Joon-Il Kim, Sung-Bum Park, Se-Ho Park, Young-Min Lee, Woo-Ram Lee
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Patent number: 9803609Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a engine start system. In one aspect, the engine start system includes: a booster battery selectively connected in parallel with the primary batteries of the engine. The booster battery is disconnected when the battery voltage of the primary batteries is below a first target voltage. The booster battery is connected when the battery voltage of the primary batteries is at or above the second target voltage, or in response to an external input.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2015Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Maxwell Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ulf Carl Mikael Setterberg, Jeremy Michael Cowperthwaite, Jeff Brakley