Patents Examined by Drew A. Dunn
  • Patent number: 10527681
    Abstract: It is an object of an embodiment to provide a degradation estimator for an energy storage device, configured to estimate degradation of the energy storage device, an energy storage apparatus, an input-output control device for the energy storage device, and a method for controlling input and output of the energy storage device. The embodiment includes estimating a temporary power decrease rate of the energy storage device in accordance with at least one of an average load, a maximum load, and a ?SOC obtained from detected current of the energy storage device and detected temperature of the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki Furukawa, Hiroki Matsui, Seijiro Ochiai, Takaaki Iguchi
  • Patent number: 10525844
    Abstract: A vehicle charging system may determine a charging schedule for an electric vehicle based on real-time cost information and a likelihood of communication errors related to charging commands. The vehicle charging system may determine a first cost to immediately charge the electric vehicle upon plug-in. The vehicle charging system may determine a second cost to delay charging the electric vehicle according to a charging schedule, the charging schedule including communicating charging commands with the vehicle at a later time. The vehicle charging system may determine a likelihood of communication errors related to the charging commands. The vehicle charging system may select a charging option of immediately charging the electric vehicle or delaying charging the electric vehicle based on the first cost, second cost, and the likelihood of communication errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Robert M. Uyeki
  • Patent number: 10530179
    Abstract: An integrated external controller/charger system for an implantable medical device is disclosed comprising an external controller/charger device with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and first battery, and an external charging coil assembly coupleable to the external controller/charger device and including or associated with a second battery. The second battery is used to energize a charging coil in the external charging coil assembly, while the first battery is used to power other aspects of the system (data telemetry circuitry, control circuitry, the GUI, etc.). Because the second battery powers the relatively high-power charging function, the first battery in the external controller/charger device can be made smaller. Additionally, the second battery enables a suitable external controller device (e.g. a mobile device such as a cell phone) to provide charging functionality even if its first battery is otherwise inadequate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Aghassian, Terril G. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10525834
    Abstract: A vehicle charge control device includes a charge unit and a correction unit. The charge unit is configured to perform a charge operation for suppressing a deterioration in a battery by charging the battery until a charge end phase in which an acceptance current of the battery is smaller than a predetermined current value, the battery being mounted on a vehicle. The correction unit is configured to correct a charge rate of the battery based on a behavior of the acceptance current. In addition, the correction unit is configured to correct the charge rate based on the behavior in the charge end phase, in synchronization with the charge operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Sakakibara, Koji Ito, Hiroshi Sato, Ken Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10500979
    Abstract: An electric vehicle charging system, for use with an electric grid having live conductors including a charging conductor, and a neutral conductor. The electric grid has a grid usage level and a grid capacity. The charging system includes a plurality of stages that each include a battery charger for charging an electric vehicle battery, a controller, and a charging relay. A current sensing unit inductively measures the current on the charging conductor and provides a sensed current to the controllers. When the grid usage level is low the battery chargers on all stages are active. As the grid usage increases toward peak usage, in response to an increase in the sensed current, the controllers consecutively deactivate the battery chargers at predetermined threshold levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Inventor: Suljo Pirija
  • Patent number: 10500967
    Abstract: An electrical charging apparatus (10) for charging an electrical energy store of a motor vehicle (12) has an electrical connection (16) to electrically connect the charging apparatus (10) to a charging station (14) and to interchange electrical energy with the charging station (14). An electrical converter (18) is connected to the electrical connection (16) to interchange the electrical energy with the charging station (14) via the electrical connection (16) and to convert the electrical energy. A control unit (20) is connected to the electrical converter (18) to control the interchange of the electrical energy. A communication interface (22) is assigned to the control unit (20) and is designed to interchange data (34) with the charging station (14). The control unit (20) is designed to control the interchange of the electrical energy on the basis of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Spesser, Thomas Krauss, Dirk Herke
  • Patent number: 10505403
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device. To detect foreign objects, the wireless power transmitting device has an array of temperature sensors. The array of temperature sensors may include temperature sensor components such as temperature sensitive thin-film resistors or other temperature sensitive components. A temperature sensor may have thin-film resistors formed on opposing sides of a substrate. The thin-film resistors may be formed from meandered metal traces to reduce eddy current formation during operation of the wireless power transmitting device. Signal paths coupling control circuitry on the wireless power transmitting device to the array of temperature sensors may be configured to extend along columns of the temperature sensors without running along each row of the temperature sensors, thereby reducing eddy currents from loops of signal routing lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: J. Stephen Smith, Siddharth Seth, Douglas J. Adams, Michael A. Cretella
  • Patent number: 10497996
    Abstract: A liquid temperature controlling system is used to circulate a temperature controlled liquid between the liquid temperature controlling system and a battery to produce a temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are detachably coupled at least while the temperature controlled liquid is circulated. The temperature controlled liquid is removed from the temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are decoupled after the temperature controlled liquid is removed. A charger is used to charge the temperature controlled battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: CORA AERO LLC
    Inventors: Thomas P. Muniz, John Melack
  • Patent number: 10486538
    Abstract: An electromagnetic field controlling system and method are provided. The electromagnetic field controlling system includes a magnetic field sensor that is disposed proximate to or in a vehicle that charges electric power using a wireless charging system and is configured to detect the magnitude of an electromagnetic field. An output controller adjusts output power in a power transmission side of the wireless charging system based on a comparison between a predetermined value for an electromagnetic field and the magnitude of the electromagnetic field detected by the magnetic field sensor. Accordingly, the magnitude of an electromagnetic field output from a vehicle wireless charging system is controlled within a safe range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc., Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Allan Lewis
  • Patent number: 10491014
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method extends the time until the battery reaches an over-discharged state of an information handling system during storage. The method comprises determining if a first battery parameter is outside an associated first battery parameter specification. When the first battery parameter is outside the associated first battery parameter specification, a power management controller isolates the battery by turning off a charge/discharge field effect transistor. The method also includes determining if the first battery parameter is outside an associated second battery parameter specification. In response to the first battery parameter being outside the associated second battery parameter specification, the power management controller is triggered to enter a minimum power state to further reduce power consumption from the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Chia-Fa Chang, Wen-Yung Chang, Tun-Chieh Liang, Richard C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10483760
    Abstract: A method of shaving peak power consumption by a facility includes determining a target peak demand setpoint for a facility and measuring power consumed by the facility. An electrical storage system (ESS) is charged when the measured power consumption is below the target peak demand setpoint. Additionally, the ESS is discharged and provides power to the facility when the measured power consumption is above the setpoint. Further, as data for the facility and ESS changes, the target peak demand setpoint is updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William R. Faries, Scott M. Baron, John B. Rivera-Poventud, Mike Anderson, Alf L. Carroll, III
  • Patent number: 10483800
    Abstract: A portable device has an outer wall member exposed outside, and a power-receiving module at least a portion of which is arranged along the surface shape of the outer wall member to receive power by way of the resonance phenomenon. The power-receiving module has a power-receiving resonance coil and a power-drawing coil. The portable device creates a space portion with a weak magnetic field at the inner position or the peripheral position of the power receiving module during power feeding using the resonance phenomenon so that an electronic device is arranged in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takezo Hatanaka, Hisashi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 10483758
    Abstract: A control apparatus and corresponding control method use per-unit filtering in a plurality of power-sharing controllers, to obtain a power-sharing command signal for respective ones among a plurality of different energy storage units in a hybrid energy storage system. The hybrid energy storage system includes two or more types of energy storage units and the power-sharing command signal for each energy storage unit is obtained by filtering an input signal using a filter having a filter response that is tailored to the energy storage characteristics of the energy storage unit. The input signal reflects load variations on the electrical grid and may be locally generated or provided by a remote node. While the power-sharing control loops used for each energy storage unit advantageously may be the same in terms of architecture and implementation, each loop uses tailored, dedicated filtering and, possibly, individualized values of one or more other control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiaqi Liang, Li Qi
  • Patent number: 10476280
    Abstract: Provided is an energy storage device management device which includes a controller configured to decide a charge voltage to be applied to a plurality of energy storage devices connected in series, wherein the controller is configured to perform deciding the charge voltage based on a difference in charge amount or a voltage difference between the energy storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Fukushima
  • Patent number: 10431996
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a smart battery, an electric energy allocation bus system, a battery charging and discharging method and an electric energy allocation method. The smart battery internally comprises a battery body portion and a control unit. The smart battery can collect various data of the battery, can be communicated with other smart batteries in a battery pack of a same group and a battery pack control system, and can realize electric quantity transfer among smart batteries of the same group through the electric quantity allocation bus, and realize electric quantity transfer among some batteries of a battery pack accessed to the electric energy allocation bus. Besides, controllable processes of charging and discharging, that is, active balanced charging and discharging, can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: BEIJING SAMEVOLT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Guangchen Liu
  • Patent number: 10424947
    Abstract: A battery monitoring device includes a battery information input terminal, a battery state monitoring unit, an output terminal, a circuit board, and a housing member. The battery information input terminal is electrically connected to a battery state detecting member. The battery state monitoring unit receives a battery state detection signal via the battery information input terminal. The output terminal outputs monitoring information on the battery state corresponding to the battery state detection signal to an external arithmetic processor. The circuit board is provided with the battery information input terminal, the battery state monitoring unit, and the output terminal. The housing member is integrally formed with the battery information input terminal, the battery state monitoring unit, the output terminal, and the circuit board so as to accommodate at least the whole battery state monitoring unit and the whole circuit board and expose terminal connecting portions to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Chiyajo, Yoshiaki Nakayama, Kimihiro Matsuura, Haruhiko Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10404082
    Abstract: A battery pack including: a rechargeable battery, a protection circuit configured to disable the rechargeable battery when an output voltage value of the rechargeable battery becomes equal to or lower than a first voltage value, and a control circuit configured to stop power supply for an electronic device from the rechargeable battery when the output voltage value of the rechargeable battery becomes equal to or lower than a second voltage value that is higher than the first voltage value, the second voltage value being updated based on the output voltage value of the rechargeable battery when power supply for the electronic device from the rechargeable battery becomes unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited
    Inventor: Katsuma Ono
  • Patent number: 10399448
    Abstract: Disclosed are alignment methods and apparatuses for power transmission/reception coils in an electric vehicle wireless power transfer system. An alignment method may comprise moving a primary coil such that a reference center point of the primary coil sequentially passes through a plurality of measurement points located on the primary coil or located outside the primary coil; measuring physical quantities induced in the primary coil by a power or a magnetic field of a secondary coil magnetically coupled with the primary coil at the reference center point and the plurality of measurement points; and calculating a relative position of the primary coil with respect to the secondary coil based on the measured physical quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp.
    Inventors: Jae Yong Seong, Kong Pengfei, Won Shil Kang, Hyun Chul Ku, Jong Gyun Lim
  • Patent number: 10399454
    Abstract: A vehicle power supply apparatus includes a motor generator, a first electricity storage device, a second electricity storage device, a switch, a switch controller, and an electricity storage device determiner. The switch controller is configured to cause the first cutoff state of the switch, switchable between a first electrically conductive state that allows the motor generator and the first electricity storage device to be coupled to each other and a first cutoff state that allows the motor generator and the first electricity storage device to be isolated from each other, to be maintained in a situation where the first electricity storage device discharges beyond a threshold, on a condition that the switch is switched to the first cutoff state in accordance with controlling of the motor generator into a powering state and the second electricity storage device is determined as being in an abnormal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10396417
    Abstract: A battery arrangement for a gas turbine engine, the battery arrangement comprising: a wall of the gas turbine engine; a thermal battery coupled to the wall and arranged to receive thermal energy from gas of the gas turbine engine; and charging circuitry configured to supply electrical energy to the thermal battery to recharge the thermal battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Bollman