Patents Examined by J. Lin
  • Patent number: 11970208
    Abstract: A vehicle collision avoidance assist apparatus executes a steering avoidance control of setting an avoidance route for avoiding the collision of the own vehicle with the object in a lane in which the own vehicle moves and executing an avoiding steering process of forcibly steering the own vehicle so as to move the own vehicle along the avoidance route when an index value representing a probability of collision of an own vehicle with an object ahead of the own vehicle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined index value. The apparatus stops an execution of the steering avoidance control when a departing amount of the own vehicle from the avoidance route becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined departing amount while the electronic control unit executes the steering avoidance control. The predetermined departing amount is set for each of sections of the avoidance route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mafune Kakeshita, Yumi Shimanaka, Sho Hashimoto, Takuto Kozaki, Tooru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11634039
    Abstract: A system and method for integrated charging a vehicle includes a hybrid excitation machine, operable as a traction motor and including a rotor separated by an air gap from a stator with AC windings. An AC utility line power supply is connected to the AC windings providing an electrical current to the vehicle and inducing a magnetic flux across the air gap and in the rotor. A short circuit, an open circuit, or a DC voltage may be applied to a DC winding in the stator to reduce the magnetic flux into the rotor. A field coil in the rotor may be excited with a DC voltage using a secondary coil on the rotor in a traction mode. The secondary coil is excited by the stator windings using field-oriented control in a “self-excited machine” embodiment, and is directly excited by a separate primary coil in an “externally-excited machine” embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: K. Lakshmi Varaha Iyer, Gernot Steinmair, Jasmin Jijina Sinkular
  • Patent number: 11404965
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes: a first three-phase bridge module, a resonance module, a second three-phase bridge module, and a controller. The second three-phase bridge module is configured to: adjust frequency of an input signal of a battery module during discharging; and in a light load mode, the controller is configured to: control the first three-phase bridge module to switch to a two-phase bridge arm input or a one-phase bridge arm input and the second three-phase bridge module to switch to a two-phase bridge arm output, and control the second three-phase bridge module to switch to a two-phase bridge arm input or a one-phase bridge arm input and the first three-phase bridge module to switch to a two-phase bridge arm output during discharging, thereby reducing a switch loss in the light load mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: BYD Company Limited
    Inventor: Xiaobin Zhang
  • Patent number: 11376971
    Abstract: A novel automobile charger which comprises a direct current voltage, wherein a positive pole of the direct current voltage is connected with one end or lead of a DC to DC module, one end of a battery voltage detection module and one end of a load module simultaneously, while a negative pole of a battery is connected with the other end of the DC to DC module, one end of a microcontroller, one end of an automobile start control module and the other end of the battery voltage detection module simultaneously. A third end of the DC to DC module is connected with the other end of the microcontroller, the other three ends of which are connected with a third end of the battery voltage detection module, the other end of the automobile start control module and one end of a load detection module respectively. The other end of the load detection module is connected with a third end of the automobile start control module and the other end of the load module simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: PILOT INC.
    Inventors: Calvin Shiening Wang, Chung-Hsin Wang
  • Patent number: 11377015
    Abstract: A system and method for transporting a detachable vehicle is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, a track is affixed to a first vehicle, such as a van, and used to transport (e.g., load, secure, unload, etc.) a detachable vehicle, such as a motorized scooter. The track may be a single track, or a plurality of track portions (e.g., a ramp portion, a floor portion, a seat portion, etc.). In one embodiment of the present invention, the first vehicle includes a first connector and the detachable vehicle includes a second connector, where said first connector and said second connector can be mated, either manually or automatically in response to moving the detachable vehicle along the track (e.g., to a final location). Once an electrical connection is made, said electrical connection can be used to share information between the vehicles and/or to charge a battery on the detachable vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Sarhat Outoukian
  • Patent number: 11370321
    Abstract: A method of operating a battery management system is disclosed. A first voltage drop is sensed between a first terminal of a first battery cell and a second terminal of the first battery cell and a second voltage drop is sensed between a charge distribution pin and the second terminal of the first battery cell. The charge distribution pin is coupled to the first terminal of the first battery cell through a resistor. A difference is calculated between the first voltage drop and the second voltage drop and a faulty condition is detected when Rn absolute value of the difference between the first voltage drop and the second voltage drop exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.L
    Inventors: Orazio Pennisi, Valerio Bendotti, Vittorio D'Angelo, Daniele Zella
  • Patent number: 11362645
    Abstract: Systems and methods manage power in an integrated circuit using power islands. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of power islands wherein a power consumption of each power island within the plurality of power islands is independently controlled within each power island of the plurality of power islands. A power manager determines a target power level for one power island of the plurality of power islands. The power manager then determines an action to change a consumption power level of the one power island of the plurality of power islands to the target power level. The power manager performs the action to change the consumption power level of the one power island of the plurality of power islands to the target power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Barry Alan Hoberman, Daniel L. Hillman, Jon Shiell
  • Patent number: 11362526
    Abstract: A method of controlling a battery including a first control circuit and a plurality of modules arranged in series between a first terminal and a second terminal, each module of the plurality of modules including electric cells and switches coupling the electric cells and a second switch control circuit, the battery further including at least one first data transmission bus coupling the first control circuit to each second control circuit. The first control circuit includes a memory-having, for each electric cell, an identifier of said each electric cells and a priority level for connection of said each electric cell with other electric cells among priority levels stored therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
    Inventors: Sylvain Bacquet, Eric Fernandez, Léandro Cassarino, Ghislain Despesse, Yan Lopez, Rémy Thomas
  • Patent number: 11361137
    Abstract: A signoff process includes: accessing circuit information of a circuit; performing, using an analysis and optimization engine, power analysis and optimization on the circuit to generate an optimized circuit, the power analysis and optimization being performed using an input pattern; performing, using a simulator, a simulation on at least a portion of an optimized circuit, the simulation being performed using the input pattern used in the power analysis and optimization; and outputting a simulation result to the analysis and optimization engine; wherein the analysis and optimization engine and the simulator are integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Wu, Ping-San Tzeng, Geng Bai, Chao-Yung Wang, Wen Kung Chu
  • Patent number: 11361141
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The method includes receiving layout data representing information for manufacturing the semiconductor structure having a metal layer over a substrate. A first parasitic capacitance and a second parasitic capacitance are formed between the metal layer and the substrate. The method further includes determining a parasitic capacitance difference between a first region and a second region. The method further includes forming a dummy capacitor to minimize the parasitic capacitance difference. A system for manufacturing a semiconductor device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Hsuan-Ming Huang, An Shun Teng, Mingni Chang, Ming-Yih Wang, Yinlung Lu
  • Patent number: 11351869
    Abstract: An alternating current (AC) charging device for a motor vehicle may include: a neutral conductor; a phase conductor; a rectifier; a smoothing capacitor electrically connected to the rectifier; a mains connection; a precharge circuit arranged between the mains connection and the smoothing capacitor, the precharge circuit precharging the smoothing capacitor; and a second phase conductor electrically connected to the phase conductor by a cross-connection line. The neutral conductor and the phase conductor are connected to the rectifier. The precharge circuit is disposed in the neutral conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Franz Pfeilschifter, Martin Götzenberger, Klaus Mühlbauer
  • Patent number: 11349386
    Abstract: An apparatus, for charging a battery for a vehicle, includes a PFC circuit comprising a rectifier for rectifying an AC power to a DC power, and a link capacitor for smoothing the rectified DC power, a bidirectional DC-DC converter including a first switch for converting the DC power of the PFC circuit to an AC power, a transformer for boosting or reducing a voltage of the AC power converted at the first switch, and a second switch for rectifying an AC power from the transformer to a DC power, and a controller configured to control a phase of a PWM signal applied to the second switch such that the link capacitor is charged by an electrical power from the battery, when a voltage of the link capacitor is below a predetermined voltage prior to entering a battery charging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Inyong Yeo, Minseong Choi, Sihun Yang, Jin Young Yang
  • Patent number: 11341587
    Abstract: A method of battery charging is to be implemented by an energy station communicable with a cloud server that stores reference battery identifiers. The method includes: detecting a provided battery identifier of a battery, and transmitting the provided battery identifier to the cloud server so as to enable the cloud server to determine one of the reference battery identifiers that matches the provided battery identifier, and to determine to which one of a first lease code and a second lease codes the one of the reference battery identifiers thus determined corresponds; and being controlled to charge the battery when it is determined that the one of the reference battery identifiers thus determined by the cloud server corresponds to the first lease code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: KWANG YANG MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Cheng Tu, Chi-Wei Tien, Chien-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 11342763
    Abstract: A battery system, including multiple battery cells, each of which have respective battery cell housings with electrical terminals via which the multiple battery cells are electrically connected to one another, wherein a cell branch connecting the electrical terminals to a galvanic cell and a bypass branch for bridging the galvanic cell are arranged in each of the respective battery cell housings, each cell branch having a switching element for opening and closing the cell branch and each bypass branch having a bridging switching element for opening and closing the bypass branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Patent number: 11342596
    Abstract: A battery management system for a rechargeable battery is disclosed which includes a control system configured to control, a numerical battery model, including a parametrized electric model; a parametrized thermal model; an aging model configured to provide stress parameters indicative of an instantaneous consumption of an expected lifetime of the battery in dependence on an internal temperature of the battery, and one or more of momentary state of charge, current, voltage and power delivered; updated electric parameters and/or updated thermal parameters based on a chronological sequence of internal temperature as obtained from the parametrized thermal model; a control system settings update unit configured to adapt controller settings based on stress parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG, ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Reto Flueckiger, Timothy Patey, Jan Poland
  • Patent number: 11322968
    Abstract: A bidirectional DC charging station is provided for wall mounting (DC wallbox) for a private sphere, to which a plurality of electric vehicles can be connected in parallel. A method for operating the DC wallbox is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Patent number: 11322936
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a distributed battery pack power supply system, a charging control method, and a discharging control method, where a plurality of battery packs or battery groups is directly coupled in parallel or indirectly coupled in parallel as required using a charging/discharging circuit of the distributed battery pack power supply system and a corresponding control policy. A distributed battery includes a plurality of battery packs, and further includes a controller, a bidirectional voltage transformation circuit, a bypass circuit, a charging circuit, and a charging input end. Each battery pack corresponds to one bypass circuit and one bidirectional voltage transformation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kui Zhou, Boning Huang, Wenping Tong
  • Patent number: 11312238
    Abstract: A method can be used to control a battery management system. A first voltage drop is sensed between a first terminal of a first battery cell and a second terminal of the first battery cell and a second voltage drop is sensed between a first terminal of a second battery cell and a second terminal of the second battery cell. A faulty condition is detected in the first battery cell or the second battery cell based on the first voltage drop or the second voltage drop. The first voltage drop is swapped for a first swapped voltage drop between a common terminal and the second terminal of the second battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Orazio Pennisi, Valerio Bendotti, Vittorio D'Angelo, Paolo Turbanti
  • Patent number: 11316225
    Abstract: A battery container is adapted to be disposed at a battery charging station for containing a battery which has a charging port. The battery container includes a container body, a floating connector, and a coupling board. The container body includes a rear wall that is formed with a through hole. The floating connector extends movably through the through hole of the rear wall. The coupling board is secured co-movably to the floating connector and is slidable on the rear wall. The floating connector and the coupling board are movable relative to the container body and along a plane parallel to the rear wall when the battery is inserted into a receiving space of the container body to electrically connect the charging port of the battery to the floating connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: KWANG YANG MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Pin Yu, Huang-Wen Su, Sz-Wei Tsai
  • Patent number: 11316211
    Abstract: A battery pack configured to be housed in an electronic device, the electronic device including a near field communication (NFC) tag, the battery back including a battery housing. The battery housing includes a rechargeable battery cell configured to provide power to the electronic device, the rechargeable battery cell initially in a first power mode, an NFC antenna configured to detect a presence of the NFC tag within the electronic device, and processing circuitry including a memory and a processor, the memory in communication with the processor, the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to convert the rechargeable battery cell from the first power mode to a second power mode when the NFC antenna has detected the presence of the NFC tag within the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Scott Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Morris, David J. Yackman