Patents Examined by Dru Parries
-
Patent number: 11063469Abstract: Uninterruptible power supply system and method for reconditioning an exhausted battery module, wherein a terminal voltage of the battery module is determined and compared with a predefinable threshold value after starting a network-side supply, where after a waiting time has elapsed, when the threshold value is fallen below, an inverse polarity protection unit is activated for a time pulse, such that when communication between the base unit and the battery module occurs, the inverse polarity protection unit is permanently switched on and a voltage drop is determined and compared within the battery module with a predefined minimum voltage, and if at least one determined voltage drop falls below the predefined minimum voltage, then a predefined charging voltage is applied to the battery module until either a predefinable period of time is exceeded or a predefinable current value is surpassed by a charging current determined in the base unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2019Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Michael Bauhofer, Daniel Portisch
-
Patent number: 11038355Abstract: A code modulator comprises: a first filter circuit connected between a pair of input ports, a second filter circuit connected between a pair of output ports, and a third filter circuit connected in parallel to each of switch circuits. A code demodulator comprises: a fourth filter circuit connected between a pair of input ports, a fifth filter circuit connected between a pair of output ports, and a sixth filter circuit connected in parallel to each of switch circuits.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2018Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Motohiko Fujimura, Masahiro Yamaoka, Atsushi Yamamoto, Taiki Nishimoto
-
Patent number: 11018509Abstract: A current meter measures a current value associated with input power inputted to a code modulator. A code modulation circuit modulates the input power to generate a code-modulated wave by code modulation using a modulation code based on a code sequence, and transmits the code-modulated wave to the code demodulator via a transmission path. A control circuit controls the code modulation circuit. The code modulation circuit has operation modes different from each other depending on a direction of the input power, and a direction of the code-modulated wave to be generated. The control circuit generates waveform information indicating variations of direction of the input power over time, based on the current value measured by the current meter, and determines the operation mode of the code modulation circuit based on the waveform information.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Taiki Nishimoto, Masahiro Yamaoka, Atsushi Yamamoto, Motohiko Fujimura
-
Patent number: 11018576Abstract: A USB source device, supporting USB Power Delivery mode and coupled to a USB receiver device, includes a power converter delivering a supply voltage and a capacitive network coupled to the power converter. A method for managing the supply voltage on an output power supply pin of the USB source device includes discharging the capacitive network so as to reduce the supply voltage in response to a request to reduce the supply voltage by the USB receiver device to a target voltage. The method also includes delivering, to the power converter, a setpoint voltage for the supply voltage, a value of the setpoint voltage being reduced non-linearly so as to keep a temporal variation of the setpoint voltage lower than that of the supply voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2019Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SASInventor: Christophe Lorin
-
Patent number: 11011920Abstract: An energy storage apparatus for engine start-up includes: an energy storage device, a first switch provided in a first energizing path to the energy storage device, a step-down circuit provided in a second energizing path to the energy storage device, and a controller. The controller turns the first switch on to discharge through the first energizing path at engine start-up, and turns the first switch off to select the second energizing path if an output voltage of a vehicle generator is higher than a predetermined voltage to cause the output voltage of the vehicle generator to be stepped down with the step-down circuit to charge the energy storage device.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2017Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Nakamoto, Daisuke Konishi
-
Patent number: 11005292Abstract: A wireless power supply device comprises a transmitting coil assembly and a receiving coil assembly. The transmitting coil assembly includes a first ferrite core having a receiving chamber with an opening and a transmitting coil disposed in the receiving chamber of the first ferrite core. The receiving coil assembly is adapted to be moved into the receiving chamber through the opening of the receiving chamber and located at a predetermined position in the receiving chamber. The receiving coil assembly is electromagnetically coupled with the transmitting coil assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.Inventors: Shaoyong Wang, Minjie Chen, Feng Dai, Yuming Song
-
Patent number: 11005296Abstract: An electrode unit is used in a power transmitting device or a power receiving device of a wireless power transmission system based on an electric field coupling method. The electrode unit includes: a first electrode to which a first voltage is applied when power is transferred; a second electrode to which a second voltage antiphase to the first voltage is applied when power is transferred; and a third electrode spaced apart from the first and second electrodes, the third electrode having a third voltage whose amplitude is less than amplitudes of the first and second voltages when power is transferred. The first and second electrodes are arranged along an electrode installation plane. At least a portion of the third electrode does not overlap the first and second electrodes as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the electrode installation plane.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hiroshi Kanno
-
Patent number: 11005289Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply for providing an output power signal to a load comprises a ferroresonant transformer, a resonant capacitor, and an inverter. The resonant capacitor is operatively connected to the ferroresonant transformer. The inverter is operatively connected to the ferroresonant transformer. The inverter is configured to generate the output power signal based on at least one inverter control signal such that the output power signal is a quasi square wave having at least one change of phase and an upper limit. The at least one inverter control signal is held in an OFF state during at least a portion of the at least one change of phase, pulse-width modulated during at least a portion of the at least one change of phase, and held in an ON state when the output power signal is at the upper limit.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: ALPHA TECHNOLOGIES SERVICES, INC.Inventors: James Patrick Richardson, Thanh Quoc Le
-
Patent number: 10985603Abstract: Power systems include a housing and an automatic transfer switch (ATS switch) held in the housing, a Bypass switch held in the housing and a control circuit in communication with the ATS switch and the Bypass switch to automatically direct the Bypass switch and the ATS switch to carry out the selective connections to thereby allow automated, redundant power transitions to the system load from three different power sources.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power LimitedInventor: Mark Steven Tomassi
-
Patent number: 10985613Abstract: A power transmitter (101) of a wireless power transfer system comprises a resonance including a transmitter coil (103) for generating a power transfer signal for wirelessly transferring power to a power receiver (105). Further, a driver (1303) generates a drive signal for the resonance circuit (201) and a message receiver (1305) is arranged to receive messages from the power receiver (105). A power loop controller (1307) implements a power control loop by adapting the power of the drive signal in response to power control messages received from the power receiver (105). However, the regulation is subject to a constraint of at least one of a current or voltage of the resonance circuit and a power of the drive signal being below a maximum limit. Further, the power transmitter (101) comprises an adapter (1309) which adapts the maximum limit in response to a load indication indicative of a loading of the power transfer signal by the power receiver (105).Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2017Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.Inventors: Antonius Adriaan Maria Staring, Andries Van Wageningen
-
Patent number: 10974611Abstract: A motor-driven vehicle includes a system main relay that is attached to a running electric power line connecting a power storage device to a drive circuit, a capacitor that is attached to the running electric power line between the system main relay and the drive circuit, and a charging relay that is attached to a charging electric power line connecting a vehicle-side connector to the running electric power line between the system main relay and the drive circuit. When a stand-side connector is disconnected from the vehicle-side connector while the power storage device is being charged with electric power from a direct-current charging stand, the charging relay and the system main relay are turned off, a two-pole welding abnormality of the charging relay is diagnosed using a voltage of the capacitor, and then the capacitor is discharged.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2019Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koichi Kojima, Akito Motohira, Tomoya Ono, Yuya Aoki, Shingo Yumoto, Takeshi Aridome
-
Patent number: 10971936Abstract: A renewable energy generation and storage system forms a current control loop for controlling a current charge operation and a current discharge operation to a plurality of energy storage cells at the same time. As a result, renewable energy from multiple sources may be stored while providing output voltage to a load, and therefore the renewable energy generation and storage system of the present invention may achieve energy generation and storage at the same time.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2018Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and TechnologyInventors: Chi-Sheng Wu, Gwo-Huei You, Jin-Kuan Chang
-
Patent number: 10972087Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling voltage sharing between a set of switching components can include applying power from a current source with a positive lead and a negative lead, closing the set of switching components to connect power from the current source to an electrical load, detecting a set of voltage values for the set of switching components, and controlling a current limiting function of at least one of the set of switching components.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2018Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LimitedInventors: Peter James Handy, Peter Michael Tyler
-
Patent number: 10965167Abstract: An RF energy harvesting system includes an antenna, an impedance matching network, an RF rectifier module, an enhanced RF rectifier module, a protection circuit, a power control module, an energy storage branch and load branches. The antenna receives RF signals and converts the RF signals into electric energy. The impedance matching network produces an initial voltage signal according to the electric energy output by the antenna. The RF rectifier module converts the initial voltage signal into a first voltage signal. The enhanced RF rectifier module converts the initial voltage signal into a second voltage signal. The power control module is self-driven through the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal. The RF rectifier module adjusts the internal electrical connection according to control signals of the power control module. The energy storage branch stores the electric energy output by the power control module.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2019Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: SHENZHEN DANSHA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventor: Fangxin Jiang
-
Patent number: 10958069Abstract: A multi-energy storage device system includes an electric drive coupled to a load, a DC link coupled to the electric drive, and a bi-directional voltage converter having an output channel coupled to the DC link and an input channel. A first energy storage device (ESD) is coupled to the input channel, and a switch is coupled to the DC link and to a second ESD. A system controller causes the switch to couple the second ESD to the DC link for delivering energy stored in the second ESD to the electric drive. The system controller also causes the voltage converter to convert a voltage of the first ESD to a higher voltage and to deliver the higher voltage to the DC link, wherein the higher voltage is greater than the voltage of the second ESD and causes the switch to decouple the second ESD from the DC link.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Paul Robert Gemin, Robert Dean King, Irene Michelle Berry, Lembit Salasoo
-
Patent number: 10944293Abstract: A power transmission device of this noncontact power supply apparatus has a transmission coil for supplying power to a power reception device, and a power supply circuit that supplies AC power to the transmission coil. A power reception device of the noncontact power supply apparatus has a reception coil for receiving power from the power transmission device, a variable capacity circuit that is connected to the reception coil in parallel and that can adjust capacitance, a resonance circuit that resonates with a frequency corresponding to the inductance of the reception coil and the capacitance of the variable capacity circuit, a voltage detection circuit that detects an output voltage from the resonance circuit, and a control circuit that controls the capacitance of the variable capacity circuit according to the output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2017Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Omron CorporationInventors: Goro Nakao, Toshiyuki Zaitsu
-
Patent number: 10944019Abstract: A photovoltaic power system includes a photofuel having a molecular structure to emit light, and a receptacle including the photofuel disposed within. One or more photovoltaic cells are positioned within the receptacle to receive light emitted from the photofuel, and a negative electrode is coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells. A positive electrode is coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells to produce an electrical potential between the negative electrode and the positive electrode when a photocurrent is generated by the one or more photovoltaic cells in response to the one or more photovoltaic cells receiving the light emitted from the photofuel.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: William Regan, Jason Rugolo
-
Patent number: 10938207Abstract: A method of accounting for electrical power contribution and consumption is presented. The method comprises receiving information, from a plurality of facilities, wherein the plurality of facilities is operable to generate and/or consume electricity, and wherein the data comprises information concerning electricity contributions to a power grid, and/or consumptions from the grid by the plurality of facilities. The method further comprises applying a robust system of cryptographic processes to said information concerning electricity contributions, and attest to the authenticity of the information, as well as to the correct attribution of the facility claimed. Finally, the method comprises tracking and accounting electricity contributions and/or consumptions from each of the plurality of facilities using decrypted and verified information in a manner that allows contributions to be independently verified through audits.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Virtual Electric Inc.Inventor: David Wyatt
-
Patent number: 10938218Abstract: Solar tracker systems having several rows of photovoltaic strings individually actuated by respective tracker control systems, are described. In an example, a solar tracker system includes a tracker control system having a tracker controller powered by forward-fed power from a photovoltaic string, e.g., during daytime, and powered by back-fed power from a station hub, e.g., during nighttime. Methods of operating the solar tracker system to forward-feed or back-feed power to the tracker control system are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2016Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Cedric Jeanty, Jason Charles Jones, Zachary Judkins, Ramakrishna Jupalli, Jacob Marshall, Sy Olson, Bart Wiktorowicz
-
Patent number: 10927774Abstract: An engine controller to control a plurality of engines is disclosed. The engine controller may identify a plurality of engines configured to provide power to a load, wherein the plurality of engines have a first set of priorities associated with providing the power to the load; receive a plurality of parameters from a plurality of monitoring devices monitoring the plurality of engines; calculate a plurality of metrics corresponding to the plurality of engines based on the plurality of parameters; determine, based on the plurality of metrics, that a switching condition is satisfied to switch from the first set of priorities to a second set of priorities for the plurality of engines; determine the second set of priorities for the plurality of engines based on the plurality of metrics; and cause the plurality of engines to provide respective amounts of power to the load based on the second set of priorities.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2018Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Zhijun Cai, Ronald Gayles, Yanchai Zhang, Stephen Nofsinger, Maurice Dust