Patents Examined by Hal I. Kaplan
  • Patent number: 7932635
    Abstract: An electrical power transfer system for selectively connecting a load to a first power source or a second power source includes a first switch having an input selectively connected to the first power source and an output connected to the load. A second switch includes an input and an output connected to the load. An isolation device has its input connected to the second power source and its output connected to the input of the second switch to provide a continuous neutral path for the second power source and to isolate a neutral current path of the load from the second power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: Suratkal P. Shenoy, Peter A. Panfil, Jeffrey M. Powell, Richard T. Caudill, William A. Barcus, James K. Martin
  • Patent number: 7932639
    Abstract: Methods and mechanisms to simultaneously regulate two or more supply voltages provided to an integrated circuit by a voltage regulator. In an embodiment of the invention, a voltage regulation message exchanged between the integrated circuit and the voltage regulator includes an identifier indicating two or more supply voltages selected from a plurality of supply voltages provided to the integrated circuit by the voltage regulator, where the voltage regulation message relates to the indicated two or more supply voltages. In another embodiment, the voltage regulation message indicates a desired supply voltage level to which the indicated two or more supply voltages are to transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hung-Piao Ma, Alon Naveh, Gil Schwarzband, Annabelle Pratt, Jorge Pedro Rodriguez, Joseph T. Dibene, II, Sean M. Welch, Kosta Luria, Edward R. Stanford
  • Patent number: 7932637
    Abstract: A method includes operating a microsource in a grid mode in which the microsource is connected to a utility grid. The microsource is located in a microgrid and is configured to deliver a power P1 at a frequency ?1. During operation in the grid mode ?1 is a first frequency and P1 is a first power. The first frequency is an operating frequency of the utility grid. The microsource is transferred from the grid mode to an island mode, causing a frequency change such that ?1 changes to a second frequency and a power change such that P1 changes to a second power. The frequency change occurs at a first rate with respect to the power change while ?1 is less than a slope switch frequency. The frequency change occurs at a second rate with respect to the power change while ?1 is greater than the slope switch frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Robert H. Lasseter, Paolo Piagi
  • Patent number: 7932629
    Abstract: In a method for controlling a generation of an alternating current in a vehicle equipped with a battery and an inverter, the inverter is electrically connectable to the battery in order to generate an alternating current from a direct current of the battery for electrical devices that are electrically connectable to the inverter, and the battery is recharged when a charging state of the battery is equal to or less than a threshold value that is sufficient to generate an alternating current required for the electrical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Huber, Boyke Richter, Ellen Mailaender
  • Patent number: 7932642
    Abstract: A transponder, a method for powering the transponder, and a system relating to the method. The transponder includes at least two electrical coils, a dipole antenna, and a chip electrically connected to the dipole antenna and the electrical coils, wherein the electrical coils surround the dipole antenna and the chip. The transponder is surrounded with a wiring loop. An alternating current is generated in the wiring loop. The alternating current generates a magnetic field at the electrical coils. The electrical coils receive energy from the magnetic field and transfer the received energy to the chip for powering the transponder. The dipole antenna is configured to transmit an output signal to a reader and to receive an input signal from the reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic Bauchot, Jean-Yves Clement, Gerard Marmigere, Joaquin Picon
  • Patent number: 7932641
    Abstract: A method and structure for preventing operation of a circuit in a high current operating region by disabling a start-up circuit until a power supply headroom is detected at a predetermined voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bradford L. Hunter, Joseph A. Iadanza
  • Patent number: 7932623
    Abstract: In a method for driving electronic devices connected to a vehicle trailer tow connector a trailer electronic device control signal is receiving from a vehicle data communication network. In response to the received control signal, a solid state power control device is switched to connect electrical power to a selected pin of the trailer tow connector. The trailer electronic device control signal may be received from a wiring harness connector connected to a vehicle data communication network. A vehicle trailer tow connector module includes a module housing. A vehicle wiring connector and a trailer wiring connector are coupled to the module housing. A power control circuit is connected to a selected pin in the trailer wiring connector. A controller circuit is coupled to the vehicle wiring connector for receiving communication data from a vehicle data bus, and coupled by control lines to the power control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Joseph Burlak, Marian Mirowski
  • Patent number: 7932638
    Abstract: An electronic system which includes a power delivery surface that delivers electrical power to an electrical or electronic device. The power delivery surface may be powered by any electrical power source, including, but not limited to: wall electrical outlet, solar power system, battery, vehicle cigarette lighter system, direct connection to electrical generator device, and any other electrical power source. The power delivery surface delivers power to the electronic device wirelessly. The power delivery surface may deliver power via a plurality of contacts on the electrical device conducting electricity from the power delivery surface. The electrical device may be mobile device. Each contact may be shaped to improve power delivery reliability. The power delivery surface may further include circuitry to protect against accidental electrocutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Pure Energy Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Mitch Randall
  • Patent number: 7932627
    Abstract: An electric steering lock for a drive authorization system in a motor vehicle, including a movable locking element which, according to a first position, can be brought into locking engagement with a latched-in position on the steering shaft in the steering wheel column and, according to a second position, can be brought out of locking engagement with said position. The steering lock also has a drive for moving the locking element between the two positions, and electronics for controlling the drive. The system may have an associated second device in the form of an electronic key, an identification (ID) transmitter, a chip card or the like, with the result that, when the second device is authorized, the drive can be controlled into the respective position by the electronics. The electronics generate those signals which are used to trigger functions which can otherwise be effected by an electric ignition lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignees: Marquardt GmbH, Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Karl Mueller, Gerd Stauss, Ralf Maier, Andreas Titze, Ralf Borngräber, Dietmar Grave, Andreas Thiele, Klaus Revermann
  • Patent number: 7932624
    Abstract: A bus bar constitutes a power line and another bus bar constitutes an earth line. The bus bars are layered in the normal direction of an insulating substrate via an insulating member. Here, the bus bar positioned at the upper side is formed by a metal member and the bus bar positioned at the lower side is formed by a wiring layer formed on the insulating substrate. Since one of the bus bars is the wiring layer fixed to the insulating substrate, it is possible to assure heat radiation of the bus bar. Thus, it is possible to make the bus bar a wiring layer having a comparatively small cross sectional area and reduce the semiconductor module size in the normal direction. By mounting the semiconductor module on the drive device for a hybrid vehicle, it is possible to reduce the vertical-direction size when mounted on the vehicle and lower the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to improve the running stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadafumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7932643
    Abstract: A lighting control system comprises a plurality of toggle switches, a plurality of pushbuttons, a plurality of timer circuits, a plurality of relays, and a plurality of photocells to control a first plurality of lights, a second plurality of lights, a third plurality of lights and a fourth plurality of lights. The toggle switches and pushbuttons either control the lights directly or activate the timers to control the lights. The relays may be energized to switch on the lights. The photocells may be used to control the lights that are located in an outside setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Inventor: John A. Tann
  • Patent number: 7932634
    Abstract: A hybrid power supply includes a switching type DC/DC boost type converter that receives energy from a fuel cell and is arranged to deliver the energy to a rechargeable cell, set to provide a fixed output voltage that is less than the full charge voltage of the rechargeable cell. The hybrid power supply includes a circuit including a fuel cell current control that senses fuel cell current, and controls in part operation of the converter to provide constant current discharge on the fuel cell side of the hybrid power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Jordan T. Bourilkov, David N. Klein, John Rotondo, Andrew G. Gilicinski
  • Patent number: 7932644
    Abstract: A safety switch configured to determine whether a magnetically operated switch which forms part of the safety switch has been welded closed. The safety switch is configured to establish a first magnetic field in the vicinity of the magnetically operated switch. The magnetic field is arranged to move the magnetically operated switch from a first configuration to a second configuration. The safety switch monitors the state of the magnetically operated switch to determine if the magnetically operated switch has been moved by the first magnetic field, thereby determining if the magnetically operated switch has been welded closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Limited
    Inventors: Julian Poyner, Derek Sawyer
  • Patent number: 7932628
    Abstract: A terminal state of a terminal 15 of a vehicle is enabled to be maintained for a minimum period of time even after a drop in the voltage supply. At the same time other loads are to have no effect on the holding time. A control device for controls access to a vehicle and has a voltage source, a voltage supply terminal to which a supply voltage can be applied, and a holding circuit to which the voltage source and the voltage supply terminal are connected in a common circuit point for the purpose of holding an On state for as long as the voltage at the voltage source does not fall below a predetermined value. A switching element that is connected into the circuit between the voltage supply terminal and the common circuit point serves to separate the common circuit point from the supply voltage. The holding time is thus decoupled from the VCC currents drawn by other loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive AG
    Inventors: Georg Deschermeier, Rainer Kagerbauer, Dirk Reichow
  • Patent number: 7932631
    Abstract: A power allocating apparatus has a plurality of power supply modules coupled to a plurality of loads via a plurality of power lines, respectively. The power allocating apparatus includes a first switch element and a control device. The first switch element has a first connecting terminal and a second connecting terminal coupled to an output terminal of a power supply module with a relatively high power conversion rate and an output terminal of a power supply module with a second power conversion rate, respectively, and selectively allocates a power generated by the power supply module with the relatively high power conversion rate to a predetermined number of loadings simultaneously according to on or off states of the first switch element. The control device is coupled to the first switch element to control the first switch element to enter an on state or an off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignees: Silitek Electronic (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd., Lite-On Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Tai Chen, Yi-Chiao Hsu
  • Patent number: 7928605
    Abstract: A downhole measurement assembly comprising a metal casing housing a plurality of tool sections, one of which includes a detector sensitive to a magnetic field, and a DC power supply for said tool sections, the power supply and the tool sections being electrically connected to the casing, characterised in that the power supply is connected to at least one tool section via a switching circuit and a conductor arrangement, the switching circuit comprising a capacitor, a plurality of switches and control means operative alternately to charge the capacitor from the DC supply and discharge the capacitor through said at least one tool section using the conductor arrangement so as to inhibit the generation of an electromagnetic field in the conductor arrangement between the capacitor and the said at least one tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Percival F Williams
  • Patent number: 7928606
    Abstract: An input device includes a power unit, a power switch unit, a processing unit, and an input unit. The power switch unit includes a first switch for supplying power to the processing unit when actuated; the input unit is connected with the processing unit and the power switch unit and is configured for generating input signals that is transmitted to the processing unit and further used for controlling the first switch; and the processing unit is configured for receiving the input signal from the input unit, keeping the first switch switched on during a time period, and performing a task corresponding to the input signal during the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Ensky Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Ensky Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-Hong Chung, Han-Che Wang, Bin-Gang Duan, Shi-Quan Lin, Kuan-Hong Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7928610
    Abstract: Task—To provide a two-hand switch device that requires only a small load for each operation cycle. Means to Achieve the Task—The device comprises a left hand RF antenna placed in such a position as to enable a communication with the first RFID tag worn on the pre-determined position of the left hand of the worker only when the left hand of the worker is placed in a pre-determined left hand safe position, a right hand RF antenna placed in such a position as to enable a communication with the second RFID tag worn on the pre-determined position of the right hand of the worker only when the right hand of the worker is placed in a pre-determined right hand safe position and an output signal generating means for generating an output signal according to signals received by the left hand RF antenna and the right hand RF antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Omron Corporation, IDEC Corporation, SUNX Limited, Yamataka Corporation, Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Iida, Manabu Shutto, Hiroaki Furukawa, Toshiki Koshi, Takashi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7928607
    Abstract: An aircraft power system is provided having an aircraft power supply and a bidirectional switch. The aircraft power supply includes an alternator, a battery and a load. The bidirectional switch is coupled between one of the alternator and the battery, and the load. The switch includes a first FET, a second FET and timing circuitry. A source of the first FET is coupled with a source of the second FET. A drain of the first FET is coupled with one of the alternator and the battery. A drain of the second FET is coupled with the load. The timing circuitry is configurable to generate a control signal deliverable to a gate of the first FET and the second FET for setting the first FET in selective on and off positions and the second FET in corresponding selective off and on position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Lamar Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Fred Oliver, Allan Saldecki
  • Patent number: 7928599
    Abstract: Present invention relates to an electro-mechanical anti-theft device suitable both to inhibit rotation of the steering axis of a motor vehicle and to interrupt feeding of necessary electric switchboards for correct operation of the same motor vehicle. As to this latter object of the invention, a signal originating from a chip, housed inside a protected cylinder, can be coded by a suitable switchboard, only when the steering lock device is disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventor: Pietro Selicato