Patents Examined by Andrew M. Deschere
  • Patent number: 7443048
    Abstract: A method for operating an electrical system for a machine is provided. The electrical system may include at least one power source connected to a power-distribution network. The power-distribution network may include a first portion with one or more power loads connected thereto and a second portion with one or more power loads connected thereto. The method may include repeatedly executing a load-priority cycle including operating in a first load-priority mode and subsequently operating in a second load-priority mode, during a power deficit. Operating in the first load-priority mode may include supplying power to the first and second portions of the power-distribution network, with a priority on supplying power to the first portion. Operating in the second load-priority mode may include supplying power to the first and second portions of the power-distribution network, with a priority on supplying power to the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John Jay Bernardi, Brian Todd Morrical, Kevin Dee Ehrenhardt, Timothy Allen Goldammer
  • Patent number: 7423353
    Abstract: A propellant anti-theft system can not only perform permission/stop of operation of a vehicle in a simple and easy manner without using a key, but also suppress the theft and reuse of vehicle parts. The system includes a portable device and an on-board device installed on the vehicle, and further includes an engine control device, a switch and various units, all of which are connected to the on-board device. The on-board device includes a transmitter receiver, a storage circuit and a control circuit. The portable device includes a transmitter receiver, a storage circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit of the on-board device compares common data possessed by itself and common data stored in microprocessor units of the engine control device and the various units, and unlocks a steering locking section included in the various units and outputs an engine starting permission signal to the engine control device when both of the individual pieces of common data coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiaki Hata
  • Patent number: 7414329
    Abstract: A polyphase power distribution and monitoring apparatus having sets of outputs for each phase of power and monitors for each phase of power disposed in the housing. Each monitor provides a visible display of current for an associated phase of power and an audible alarm for each phase of power if the current exceeds a predetermined value or falls below a predetermined value. In three-phase wye power systems, the apparatus preferaby includes a neutral line monitor, including a neutral line current display and audio alarm, for the neutral line of the wye power circuit. The apparatus preferably is lightweight, elongated, portable, and mountable to the side of an electronic equipment rack. It may also include additional power monitoring systems such as network power monitoring tools for remotely monitoring the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Server Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Cleveland, Carrel W Ewing, James P. Maskaly
  • Patent number: 7385310
    Abstract: The invention relates to the supply of lamps (8?, 8??) of at least two different lamp types, of which a first lamp type (8??) has a wattage which is approximately a whole multiple of the wattage of a second lamp type (8?), whereby the same ballast devices (1) are used, embodied for the direct supply of the second lamp type (8?) and which may be operated in parallel for the supply of the first lamp type (8??). The correct connection of a suitable lamp (8?, 8?, 8??) to the ballast device (1) is monitored by means of a signal exchange between ballast device (1) and lamps (8?, 8?, 8??) before switching on the supply line of the ballast device (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: B&S Elektronische Geräte GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Brauckmann, Ulrich Klipstein
  • Patent number: 7385309
    Abstract: The system allows the generation and distribution of energy on board a motor vehicle provided with a propulsion unit, a tank for fuel at least one distribution network or line for electric energy, electrical energy generation devices connected to the at least one distribution network or line, and a plurality of selectively activatable electrical utiliser devices or apparatus connected or connectable to the at least one distribution network or line. The electrical energy generator devices includes (at least) a microcombustor electricity generator matrix or battery connected to the fuel tank, and a supervision and control unit associated with this generator matrix or battery and coupled to the distribution network or line and arranged to control the operation of the said generator matrix or battery in a predetermined manner as a function of the electrical power required or consumed by the said network or line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: CRF Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Gianfranco Innocenti, Pietro Perlo, Cosimo Carvignese, Luca Liotti, Roberto Finizio, Piermario Repetto, Daniele Pullini, Marco Pizzi
  • Patent number: 7378758
    Abstract: The invention relates to a parallel inverter system, in which each inverter includes a synchronized square wave generator, a voltage given generator, a voltage regulating unit and a power amplifier unit. All of the above components are connected in parallel. The output current given by the voltage regulating unit no longer requires selection of “one out of many components,” but outputs a linear combination result of outputs of all of the voltage regulating units after linear combination, thereby changing an unequal parallel connection to an equalized parallel connection. At the same time, the output square waves of all of synchronizing square wave generators are inputted into voltage given generators as the synchronizing square wave after AND. The output sine waves of all of voltage given generators after linear combination are used as given voltage of voltage regulating units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sandy Ling
  • Patent number: 7362009
    Abstract: A chain reaction control circuit for parallel power supply provides greater power without changing the design of the original power supply structure. It includes a control unit to receive a first power actuation signal output from a power actuation unit, then output multiple sets of second power actuation signals to parallel power supplies. The multiple power supplies that are coupled in parallel receive the second power actuation signals and transform electric power simultaneously, then output electric power. After the electric power transformation has been finished, first power confirmation signals are output from the power supplies to the control unit which receives the first power confirmation signals and outputs a second power confirmation signal to a linked load. And the power supplies supply the corresponding and matching electric power to a linked load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tsung-Chun Chen, Tsung-Te Lee
  • Patent number: 7307362
    Abstract: A solid-state high-voltage pulse generator based on a three-phase chopper capacitance charger is described. In a first phase, an intermediate capacitor is resonance-charged via a diode. In a second phase, the intermediate capacitor is discharged to the load through one or more solid-state switches. In a third phase, the energy remaining in the intermediate capacitor is returned to a power-supply filter capacitor. In one embodiment, the three-phase chopper includes an intermediate capacitor that is charged by first and fourth branches of a bridge and discharged by second and third branches of a bridge. In one embodiment, each branch of the bridge includes a diode in series with an inductor. In one embodiment, a composite solid-state switch connects the intermediate capacitor to a primary winding of an output transformer such that the intermediate capacitor discharges through the primary winding. In one embodiment, a secondary winding of the output transformer is provided to an output load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Inventor: Joseph Yampolsky
  • Patent number: 7294940
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for providing DC battery backup power to Power over Ethernet, (PoE) Mid Span or End Point Power Sourcing Equipment, (PSE), such that in the event of the loss of utility power the PSE device is able to continue to provide power for some time while battery capacity remains. The apparatus includes an AC to DC converter that receives an AC power input and outputs DC power to the power over Ethernet circuitry and a DC battery pack that provides backup DC power to the power over Ethernet circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: System Engineering International
    Inventors: Martin Grolnic, William J. Kautter
  • Patent number: 7282818
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power tool with a hand proximity detector to detect the hand of an operator and a trigger circuit operable with the detector to control the operation of a light in the housing or to provide a safety lockout function. One embodiment includes an operating mode indicating light that is responsive to the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Credo Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Illya Kovarik
  • Patent number: 7250695
    Abstract: A power control circuit is used to control the power supplied to a circuit from a power source. The power control circuit is operable to connect and disconnect the power source from the circuit. The power control circuit connects the power source to the circuit in response to an externally applied magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy Connors, Geoffrey Martin Lyon, Salil Pradhan
  • Patent number: 7215041
    Abstract: A charging circuit for a frequency converter having a first feed line with a first constant current source therein and a second feed line with a second constant current source therein. An intermediate circuit capacitor connected between the first feed line and the second feed line, wherein the first constant current source that limits a charging current of the intermediate circuit capacitor. An electronic control device that controls both the first constant current source and the second constant current source in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Huber, Franz Ritz
  • Patent number: 7132766
    Abstract: A technique for controlling a switching circuit, such as a relay, includes one or more sensing circuits that generate signals based upon the presence of an actuating object and upon a randomly applied strobe signal. The generated signals are sampled and are used as a basis for determining the state of an output signal. The sensing circuit may generate the signals based upon capacitive coupling with the actuating object. The randomization of the sampling provides enhanced immunity to periodic or cyclic noise. Where more than one sensing circuit is included, the output of the circuits may be considered together for determining the state of the output signal, such as based upon predetermined ranges of signal levels. Signals of the sensing circuit may be sampled in the absence of the strobe to provide an indication of the relative noise level. If the noise level is determined to be elevated, the output signal may not change states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Lee Gasperi, David Dale Brandt, Thong T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7126240
    Abstract: A method for enabling an apparatus (15) to operate only after detecting with receiver elements (11) located proximate to the apparatus, a signal transmitted by portable transmitted elements (1), which consists in no longer taking into account detection by the receiver means (11) of the signal transmitted by the transmitting elements (1), after activating presence sensing elements (22) provided proximate to the apparatus, or integrated in the apparatus. Once activated, the presence sensing elements (22) neutralize the transmitter/receiver device (1, 11) and the apparatus can operate normally without being perturbed by possible statics or accidental losses of signal. The inventive method and device are applicable to an antitheft safety device for a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Sevic System AG
    Inventor: Pascal Albert
  • Patent number: 7095137
    Abstract: A method and arrangement for supplying quiescent current to a vehicle having a multi-voltage on-board electrical system with at least two on-board electrical subsystems having different voltage levels during normal operation. The voltage levels of the on-board electrical subsystems are reduced to a uniform value when the engine is stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Rainer Mäckel, Thomas Schulz
  • Patent number: 7090943
    Abstract: A technique includes providing power to a group fuel cell system components and providing sensors to monitor conditions of the fuel cell system. The status of each sensor is associated with a switch, and the switches are serially coupled together. The delivery of power to the fuel cell system components is regulated in response to states of the switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Plug Power Inc.
    Inventors: John Meredith, Mark Pellerin, Dustan L. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 7088015
    Abstract: A power supply switching circuit arrangement is configured to provide a relatively smooth (low noise) power supply switch-over during the transition between active and quiescent modes. Complementary inputs of an operational amplifier are selective coupled to feedback paths to the amplifier and the power supply switching circuit arrangement, so as to bias a switching transistor during system active mode at a value that is just slightly below the turn-on voltage of the transistor. This means that turning on the switching transistor for the purpose of providing quiescent mode powering of the utility device requires only a small transition in control voltage from an active mode ‘almost turned-on’ level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Salomon Vulih, Raymond Louis Giordano
  • Patent number: 7064456
    Abstract: A door lock release device includes an actuator for releasing a door lock, a first detection means for detecting an operation of a door handle, a first control circuit for controlling an actuation of the actuator based on the detected door handle operation, a second detection means for detecting a vehicle state, and a second control circuit independent from the first control circuit for controlling the actuation of the actuator based on the detected vehicle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Hirota, Masachika Kamiya