Patents Examined by Daniel Kessie
  • Patent number: 11967836
    Abstract: Metal object detection may be performed in a wireless power system by monitoring the 5th or other order harmonic current of a dual-frequency power transmitter driven by a voltage-fed inverter with square-wave output. While power transfer is maintained by tuning at the fundamental frequency, the transmitter circuit is tuned simultaneously at the 5th order frequency or other harmonic frequencies to increase or decrease the flow of the harmonic current for when a metal object is present. The receiver circuit may include a notch filter to filter out the 5th order frequency. With the dual-frequency tuning configuration, the presence of a metal object causes a significant drop of the increase in the harmonic current at the transmitter side while the receiver behaves as an open circuit with no effect on power transfer. The harmonic tuning circuit may be switched off as necessary to leave only the fundamental frequency for power transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aiguo Patrick Hu, Bo Long, Qi Zhu, Wynand Malan, Patrin Illenberger, Andrew R Connell
  • Patent number: 11958578
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power supply system, especially for a floating vessel, comprising at least two segregated power sections, each constituting a main redundancy group, and each comprising at least one of a power generator adapted to generate an electrical power to a main switchboard and a power consumer, such as a propulsion unit, drawing power from said switch board, and a bus-tie connecting the main switch boards of each redundancy group. The system also comprises at least to segregated directly powered thruster redundancy groups, each including a thruster drive, each being connected to the main switch board of a corresponding one of the main redundancy groups, respectively, the thruster redundancy groups including AC/DC converter means and a DC interconnection connecting the thruster redundancy groups thus proving a loop structure, the thruster redundancy groups being able to draw power from both main switchboards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Kongsberg Maritime AS
    Inventor: Rune Van Ravens
  • Patent number: 11955817
    Abstract: A system for wireless power transmission, preferably including one or more power transmitters, detectors, and/or processing modules, and optionally including one or more power receivers and/or auxiliary sensors. A method for field detection, preferably including transmitting power, receiving latent scattering signals, analyzing the scattering signals, and/or acting based on the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Reach Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Hunter Scott, Gustavo Navarro, Robert J. Tong, Christopher Joseph Davlantes
  • Patent number: 11945318
    Abstract: The power supply apparatus includes a power transmission apparatus configured to transmit power to a power reception apparatus of the vehicle by non-contact and a processor configured to control the power transmission apparatus, detect a pickup/dropoff operation at the vehicle when power is being supplied by non-contact from the power supply apparatus to the vehicle, and detect a number of surrounding vehicles being supplied with power by non-contact in a predetermined range at surroundings of the power supply apparatus. The processor is configured to decrease power transmitted from the power transmission apparatus to the power reception apparatus when detecting a pickup/dropoff operation, and determine an amount of decrease of the transmitted power based on the number of surrounding vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiki Yokoyama, Toshiya Hashimoto, Shuntaro Okazaki, Shogo Tsuge, Kazuhisa Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11949230
    Abstract: A hybrid power locomotive and an energy balance control method and system thereof is disclosed. In embodiments of the disclosure, the energy utilization rate is maximized by means of self-adaptive matching of the rotating speed and the power, dynamic balance control over the actual output voltage of the power pack is achieved by means of charging and discharging control over the energy storage element, and energy waste and power pack overload are avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CRRC ZHUZHOU LOCOMOTIVE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hongtao Liao, Wei Wang, Qingmin Qin, Zhe Chen, Qiang Fu
  • Patent number: 11949256
    Abstract: Examples herein relate to wireless polling frequency alteration. For instance, in some examples a wireless power transmitter circuit can emit wireless signals to detect a presence of a wireless power receiver circuit included in a mobile device and a controller can alter a wireless polling frequency at which the wireless power transmitter circuit emits the wireless signals to a respective wireless polling frequency of a plurality of wireless polling frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kuo-Hsien Liu, Jerome Bove, Isaac Lagnado
  • Patent number: 11938877
    Abstract: A method includes detecting a determined operating condition of a first power converter that is one of a plurality of first power converters in a power generating unit, and the power generating unit is one of a plurality of power generating units. The method further includes responding to detection of the determined operating condition by: controlling, via at least one remaining first power converter of the plurality of first power converters, a load current flowing through a power bus coupled to the plurality of power generating units, and altering one or more droop characteristics corresponding to one or more second power converters disposed in other power generating units based at least in part on the controlled load current flowing through the power bus, wherein the one or more second power converters disposed in other power generating units are coupled to the power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Govardhan Ganireddy, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Shahid Ali, Prashanth Manikumar Chennamsetty
  • Patent number: 11942816
    Abstract: An electric utility distribution system in which power is supplied by a distribution transformer through an electric utility meter including an apparatus for detecting the presence of a back-feed voltage source connected to the load. The apparatus includes a virtual neutral established in the electric utility meter at ground potential and a remote switch that is opened to interrupt electric power flow from the distribution transformer to the load. The apparatus further includes a balanced voltage divider circuit including a connection point established between a pair of series connected resistive elements. In addition, the apparatus includes a detection circuit configured to monitor a voltage signal at the connection point to detect a back-feed voltage source connected between a neutral conductor of the electric utility distribution system and one of a first or second power line at the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Aclara Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Curtis W. Crittenden, Carl Oppenheimer
  • Patent number: 11941602
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a wireless power reception device includes: a power pick-up circuit which is configured to form magnetic coupling with a wireless power transmission device and receive wireless power from the wireless power transmission device; and a communication/control circuit which is configured to perform at least one among control of the transmission of the wireless power and data transmission and reception on the basis of communication with the wireless power transmission device, wherein the communication/control circuit can receive a check message for checking payment information from the wireless power transmission device and perform a payment procedure for wireless power transmission, and can provide a user interface related to information for the payment procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jinkwon Lim, Minsoo Lee, Jingu Choi, Joonho Park, Jaehyu Kim, Yongcheol Park
  • Patent number: 11942792
    Abstract: A method for operating a wireless charging transmitter includes switching, by the wireless charging transmitter, an operating mode of a full bridge inverter of the wireless charging transmitter from a first mode to a second mode; and changing, by the wireless charging transmitter, an operating point of the wireless charging transmitter from a first operating point associated with the first mode to a second operating point associated with the second mode, the second operating point being selected to dampen a change in a rectifier voltage of a wireless charging receiver inductively coupled to the wireless charging transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific PTE Ltd.
    Inventors: Wenhe Zhao, Robin Tanzania
  • Patent number: 11936194
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling the power transfer coverage of a wireless power transmission network are disclosed. The method for controlling the power transfer coverage of a wireless power transmission network, which includes a plurality of peripheral devices for receiving power from a main device through a resonant channel within the power transfer coverage of the main device, comprises the steps of: checking a wireless power transmission network disconnection state of any one of the plurality of peripheral devices by a procedure gradually decreasing the amount of transmission power of the main device; and forming the power transfer coverage on the basis of the amount of transmission power at the moment of the wireless power transmission network disconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chun Kil Jung, Sang Youn Noh
  • Patent number: 11936215
    Abstract: The method for transmitting power wirelessly according to an embodiment may comprise checking a position of a receiving device while wirelessly transmitting power to the receiving device, and changing a charging stop level which is compared with power loss which corresponds to a difference between transmitted power transmitted to the receiving device and received power received by the receiving device when the receiving device is outside a charging area. The receiving device is outside the charging area may be determined based on that the received power is equal to or greater than reference power and a power control level when transmitting the power to the receiving device is equal to or greater than a reference value. The charging stop level may be returned to an original value when the power loss is lower than the changed charging stop level until a predetermined time elapses after changing the charging stop level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE KOREA, INC.
    Inventor: Cheol Jin
  • Patent number: 11926227
    Abstract: In a moving-object power supply system, a control unit selects, as a power transmission segment, one of segments included in at least one power transmission section. The control unit supplies, through a power supply circuit, power to the power transmission segment to thereby generate a magnetic field through a power transmission coil of the power transmission segment. The control unit determines, based on an ascertained first electrical characteristic of the power transmission segment and an ascertained second electrical characteristic of at least one power non-transmission segment, whether there is a malfunction in each of the power transmission segment and the at least one power non-transmission segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji Mazaki, Nobuhisa Yamaguchi, Eisuke Takahashi, Mitsuru Shibanuma, Shinpei Takita, Masaya Takahashi, Hayato Sumiya, Masaki Kanesaki, Takuya Kiguchi, Kazuhiro Uda, Yuusei Nakayashiki
  • Patent number: 11929475
    Abstract: A device for thermal control of a battery system includes a heating control module electrically connected to the battery system and a conversion device configured to control power output from the battery system. The heating control module is configured to measure a current through the conversion device, the measured current provided by the battery system of a vehicle during vehicle operation or provided by an energy source during vehicle charging. The heating control module is also configured to control the conversion device to generate an alternating current (AC) heating current using the measured current, and apply the AC heating current to the battery system to heat the battery system to a desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Neeraj S. Shidore, Chandra S. Namuduri, Lei Hao, Shuonan Xu, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Satish P. Ketkar, Daniel Robert Tylutki
  • Patent number: 11926224
    Abstract: The present invention includes a battery pack maintenance device for performing maintenance on battery packs of hybrid and/or electrical vehicles (referred herein generally as electric vehicles). In various embodiments, the device includes one or more loads for connecting to a battery pack for use in discharging the battery pack, and/or charging circuitry for use in charging the battery pack. Optional input/output circuitry can be provided for communicating with circuitry of in the battery pack and/or circuitry of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MIDTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin I. Bertness
  • Patent number: 11919407
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for detecting foreign objects. In one aspect an apparatus for detecting a presence of an object is provided. The apparatus includes a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency. The resonant circuit includes a sense circuit including an electrically conductive structure. The apparatus further includes a coupling circuit coupled to the sense circuit. The apparatus further includes a detection circuit coupled to the sense circuit via the coupling circuit. The detection circuit is configured to detect the presence of the object in response to detecting a difference between a measured characteristic that depends on a frequency at which the resonant circuit is resonating and a corresponding characteristic that depends on the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit. The coupling circuit is configured to reduce a variation of the resonant frequency by the detection circuit in the absence of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hanspeter Widmer, Markus Bittner, Lukas Sieber, Marcel Fischer
  • Patent number: 11923697
    Abstract: A provided wireless power transmitting apparatus includes a plate, a communication circuit configured to communicate with a wireless device positioned on an upper surface of the plate, a plurality of distance sensors provided around a driving area of the plate and configured to acquire data about a distance to an object positioned on the upper surface of the plate, a transmitting coil configured to transmit wireless power to the wireless device, and a controller configured to determine whether a foreign material is present between the plate and the wireless device based on the data about the distance and determine transmission of the wireless power based on whether the foreign material is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mukyong Kim, Sangjin Jeong, Mijo Kang, Sunjin Kim, Kyungah Chang
  • Patent number: 11923695
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission system includes a transmission antenna, a transmission controller, and a transmission power conditioning system. The transmission antenna is configured to couple with a receiver antenna and transmit virtual AC power signals to the receiver antenna. The transmission controller is configured to provide a driving signal for driving the transmission antenna based on an operating frequency and a virtual AC power frequency. The transmission power conditioning system includes at least one transistor that is configured to receive the driving signal, at a gate of the at least one transistor, and to receive an input power signal to generate the virtual AC power signals at the operating frequency and having peak voltages rising and falling based on the virtual AC power frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Melone, Alberto Peralta
  • Patent number: 11923724
    Abstract: A system for using one of two independent alternating power sources to power a load is provided. The system sets a flux match to a first value, wherein the flux match indicates a set range for switching between powering the load using a first power source and powering the load using a second power source. The system switches between powering the load using the first power source and powering the load using the second power source using the first flux match value. The system further obtains a first set of inrush current values associated with the switching. Based on the first set of inrush current values and a maximum inrush current threshold, the system adjusts the flux match to a second value and switches between powering the load using the first power source and powering the load using the second power source using the second flux match value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Veerakumar Bose, Christopher A. Belcastro
  • Patent number: 11916399
    Abstract: This application describes a coil. The coil includes an output terminal, an input terminal, and a wire-winding part that is connected between the output terminal and the input terminal. A slot is disposed on at least a part of the wire-winding part, and a depth of the slot in any direction of a cross section of the wire-winding part is less than or equal to a distance between two points that are the farthest away from each other on the cross section of the wire-winding part. The wire-winding part is a metal conductor made through spiral winding. The input terminal and the output terminal are configured to connect the wire-winding part to an external circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changsheng Pei, Yongfa Zhu, Heqian Yang, Jinsen Cai