Patents Examined by Alexis B Pacheco
  • Patent number: 11539240
    Abstract: A power system within a battery-powered node includes a primary cell, a secondary cell, and a battery controller. The battery controller includes a constant current source that draws power from the primary cell to charge the secondary cell. The battery-powered node draws power from the secondary cell across a wide range of current levels. When the voltage of the secondary cell drops beneath a minimum voltage level, the constant current source charges the secondary cell and a charging signal is sent to the battery-powered node. When the voltage of the second cell exceeds a maximum voltage level, the constant current source stops charging the secondary cell and the charging signal is terminated. The battery-powered node records the amount of time the charging signal is active and then determines a battery depletion level based on that amount of time. Battery replacement may then be efficiently scheduled based on the depletion level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ITRON NETWORKED SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Bruce Edwards
  • Patent number: 11539231
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system and method for providing a boosted voltage using a single stage dual active bridge converter. In one embodiment, the single stage dual active bridge converter is introduced for high voltage charging using phase shift and frequency control. Phase shift and frequency control can be implemented on duty cycled switches and pulse width modulated switches in order to achieve a desired output voltage. In another embodiment, the phase shift and frequency controlled single stage dual active bridge converter is replicated in modular form to provide a single-phase system that provides a voltage for charging a high voltage system. In yet another embodiment, the phase shift and frequency controlled single stage dual active bridge converter is replicated in modular form to provide a three-phase system that provides a voltage for charging a high voltage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventors: Ashish K. Sahoo, Poornima Mazumdar, Nancy Y. Sun, Zaka Ullah Zahid, Dong Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11529879
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle rapid charger equipped with a sensor for controlling an automatic pull-out of a charging cable. The electric vehicle rapid charger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a main body including a connector holder provided on one side of the main body and a cable connection part provided at a first predetermined height; a cable inlet/outlet part including a plurality of rotating rollers and fixedly coupled to the main body at a second predetermined height; a charging cable having a leading end portion in which a connector connected to a connection inlet of an electric vehicle is provided, a rear end portion fixedly coupled to the cable connection part, and an intermediate portion coupled to the cable inlet/outlet part to be inserted between the plurality of rotating rollers; and a control part configured to control a driving of the cable inlet/outlet part according to a charging request signal or a charging stop signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: KLINELEX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyo Young Lee, Seog Bae Heo, Jong Won Lim
  • Patent number: 11522373
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the technical field of charging. A terminal and a battery charging control device and method are provided. The battery charging control device including a battery connector, a main control circuit and a quick charging switch circuit is adopted. During the regular charging or the quick charging, the main control circuit performs a data communication with the external power adapter via the communication interface, and obtains a charging voltage and a charging current for the battery; if the charging voltage is greater than a voltage threshold and/or the charging current is greater than a current threshold, the main control circuit sends a charging switch-off instruction, such that the controller controls the communication interface to switch off; if the charging voltage is less than or equal to the voltage threshold and the charging current is less than or equal to the current threshold, the main control circuit continues to obtain the charging voltage and the charging current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Kewei Wu, Jun Zhang, Fuchun Liao, Yuanxiang Hu
  • Patent number: 11485250
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, devices, and methods for analyzing health of vehicle batteries. Vehicle batteries tend to degrade over time. The described systems, devices, and methods quantify this degradation (or quantify remaining health of the battery) by comparing average energy used to charge or discharge the battery by a charge level unit to a nominal quantity of energy used to charge or discharge a battery in optimal health by a charge level unit. Charge data for previous charge events of the vehicle battery can be used in the calculation, and can be filtered by identifying qualified charge events based on at least one of a number of metrics. Usage data for previous usage events of the vehicle battery can be used in the calculation, and can be filtered by identifying qualified usage events or subgroups of usage event based on at least one of a number of metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Geotab Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Joseph Mendes
  • Patent number: 11479145
    Abstract: An electric storage device for providing electric energy for a charging operation of at least one electrically-driven motor vehicle has a storage unit for storing the energy, a cooling assembly for providing cooling capacity and a coolant circuit which is designed to convey thermal energy from the storage unit to the cooling assembly by a coolant. At least one charging cable is coupled to the storage unit, each charging cable being designed for connection to the motor vehicle and having a cooling channel. A distribution system is provided which is designed to divert some of the coolant into the cooling channel of the charging cable or to carry away thermal energy from the cooling channel into the coolant via a heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bodo Gohla-Neudecker, Jan Hesselmann, Soeren Mohr, Albrecht Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 11472306
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to methods and systems for charging an electric vehicle. A charging system may be used to charge the energy storage devices of an electric vehicle by using the power generation or regeneration systems or devices of the vehicle. The vehicle may access the charging system by positioning one or more wheels of the vehicle adjacent to, or on top of, one or more drive rollers of the charging system. The driver rollers may be rotatably coupled to one or more motors. A controller may control operation of the charging system, including the charging of the vehicle, by causing the motor to cause the drive rollers to rotate. The wheels of the vehicle may rotate in response to rotation of the drive rollers, causing power generation or regeneration systems of the vehicle to generate energy to store in an energy storage device of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Inventor: Anthony Macaluso
  • Patent number: 11476690
    Abstract: A power supply system for a battery system of a vehicle is provided. The power supply system includes: a switch control unit configured to control a power switch to switch an external load; an electronic unit; a first power supply electrically connected to the switch control unit and electrically connected to the electronic unit; a second power supply; and a switching unit. In a normal mode, the first power supply electrically supplies the electronic unit. The switching unit is configured to, in a cold crank mode: electrically disconnect the first power supply from the electronic unit when a voltage of the first power supply drops below a threshold voltage; and electrically connect the second power supply to the electronic unit when the voltage of the first power supply drops below the threshold voltage such that the second power supply powers the electronic unit in the cold crank mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Kurcik, Maximilian Hofer, Markus Pretschuh, Florian Maxl, Mathias Pischler
  • Patent number: 11476663
    Abstract: A solar array power generation system includes a solar array electrically connected to a control system. The solar array has a plurality of solar modules, each module having at least one DC/DC converter for converting the raw panel output to an optimized high voltage, low current output. In a further embodiment, each DC/DC converter requires a signal to enable power output of the solar modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: F. William Capp, William J. Driscoll
  • Patent number: 11458853
    Abstract: This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass, a generator, a charger, a hardware controller, and a communication circuit. The driven mass rotates in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle and is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The driven mass exists in one of (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position. The generator generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate. The charger is electrically coupled to the generator and: receives the electrical output, generates a charge output based on the electrical output, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle. The controller controls whether the driven mass is in the extended position or the retracted position in response to a signal received from the communication circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Anthony Macaluso
  • Patent number: 11458849
    Abstract: This disclosure describes charging input selector systems for electrified vehicle charging systems. An exemplary charging input selector system may include one or more selector units movable between a first position that is displaced from an on-board charger unit and a second position that is in contact with the on-board charger unit. When the selector unit and the on-board charger unit contact one another, an on-board charger module electrically connected to the on-board charger unit may receive power from a charging input for charging a battery pack. When the selector unit and the on-board charger unit do not contact one another, the on-board charger module cannot receive power from the charging input. The selector unit may be passively moved between the first and second positions using the insertion force of a connector of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher W. Bell
  • Patent number: 11456603
    Abstract: A safety charging system includes: a motor and an inverter which boost a voltage charged from a high-speed battery charger to a high voltage battery; a current variation amount sensor configured to detect variation amount of a current flowing in a motor coil from the high-speed battery charger; and a controller configured to determine that a rotor of the motor rotates when the variation amount of the current detected in the current variation amount sensor is greater than a reference value and perform control of interrupting a charging process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sang Kyu Lee, Young Chan Byun, Jeong Won Rho
  • Patent number: 11445762
    Abstract: A power supply unit for an aerosol inhaler includes: a power supply configured to supply power to a load that atomizes an aerosol source; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the power supply; a controller; and a circuit board. The circuit board includes: a first surface; a second surface; a power supply layer in which a power supply path is formed; and a ground layer. The power supply layer and the ground layer are provided between the first surface and the second surface. The temperature sensor is mounted on the second surface, and at least one of the power supply path and the ground path is not formed in a region which overlaps the temperature sensor as viewed from a first direction, the first direction being a direction in which the first surface and the second surface are opposed to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Minoru Kitahara, Shujiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11427106
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel; and a controller configured to distribute a current load having a magnitude proportional to a state of health (SOH) of each of the plurality of battery cells to each of the plurality of battery cells, and to control the charging and discharging of each of the plurality of battery cells according to the magnitude of the distributed current load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sung Un Kim, Cheon Maeng, Young Ki Kim, Jae Yong Lee, Sungjin Choi
  • Patent number: 11413977
    Abstract: A charging assembly for an electric vehicle that can be mounted on a public utility pole, such as an electricity pole. The charging assembly includes a housing enclosing a charging circuitry and a control unit. The charging circuitry is electrically connected to a power supply and an electric cord for charging the electric vehicle. The control unit includes a network circuitry for creating a network over which a user device can connect to interact with the charging assembly through an interface provided on the user device. The charging assembly further includes a beacon, a dome camera, a display panel, and a series of indicators for showing the progress of the charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventor: Dovene Komi Deh
  • Patent number: 11413982
    Abstract: A system for controlling mobile electric vehicle charging platforms includes a plurality of mobile charging platforms for charging an electric vehicle. At least one central server implements a mobile electric vehicle charging system. The mobile electric vehicle charging system further includes a communications interface for transmitting and receiving the control data between the at least one central server implementing the mobile electric vehicle charging system, the plurality of mobile charging platforms and the electric vehicle. A database stores mobile charging platform data and electric vehicle data. An artificial intelligence controller generates the control data to schedule the meeting location between the mobile charging platform and the electric vehicle responsive to first position data received from the mobile charging platform application, second position data received from the electric vehicle, the mobile charging platform data and the electric vehicle data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: POWER HERO CORP.
    Inventor: Esmond Goei
  • Patent number: 11407326
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, a computer system and a computer program for controlling electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is used by a plurality of electric vehicles, wherein the infrastructure comprises a plurality of charging points. The method comprises receiving schedule information for the electric vehicles, the schedule information including, for each of the electric vehicles, at least one vehicle power characteristic. The method further comprises determining at least one power constraint for each of the electric vehicles based on the vehicle power characteristic. The method further comprises receiving an arrival indication for a respective one of the electric vehicles. The method further comprises assigning the respective electric vehicle to charge at one of the charging points for at least one time interval according to the respective power constraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Nadine Gaertner, Oliver Frendo, Markus Winkler
  • Patent number: 11400820
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
  • Patent number: 11397216
    Abstract: Batteries and associated charging conditions or other operating conditions are evaluated by a computational model that classifies or characterizes the battery and associated conditions. Such battery model may classify batteries according to any of many different considerations such as whether the conditions are safe or unsafe or whether the conditions are likely to unnecessarily degrade the future performance of the battery. In some cases, the battery model executes while the battery is installed in an electronic device such as a smart phone or a vehicle. In some cases, the battery model executes and provides results (e.g., a classification of the battery) in real time while the battery is installed and being charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Qnovo Inc.
    Inventors: Dania Ghantous, Fred Berkowitz, Nadim Maluf
  • Patent number: 11397215
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus may carry out analysis of battery physical phenomena, and characterize batteries based on phenomena occurring in particular time and/or frequency domains. These systems may be additionally responsible for charging and/or monitoring a rechargeable battery. Examples of battery physical phenomena include mass transport (e.g., diffusion and/or migration) in battery electrolytes, mass transport in battery electrodes, and reactions on battery electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Qnovo Inc.
    Inventors: Dania Ghantous, Fred Berkowitz, Nadim Maluf