Patents Examined by James P Evans
  • Patent number: 10658843
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to systems having a fuel cell and a turbine generator, each capable of providing electrical power to a utility grid, and methods for operating the same. The system may have a main AC bus which is coupleable to the utility grid. The fuel cell may be coupled to main AC bus through an inverter. The turbine generator may be coupled to the main AC bus through a series of inverters, one of which may include the inverter by which the fuel cell is connected to the main AC bus. One or more load banks may be provided to provide a load for electrical power generated from the fuel cell, turbine generator, or both in case the system is disconnected from the utility grid. Further support and backup systems may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Gerard Daniel Agnew, David Silveira Erel, Jaeyoo Yoo, Joseph J. Romayo, Jinha Lee
  • Patent number: 10658846
    Abstract: The invention is a method for intelligent current limiting enabling chaining of electrical appliances. Different embodiments apply to alternating current (AC) appliances, direct current (DC) appliances, and a combination of each. In each embodiment, current limits control the number of appliances that can be connected in the chain. If current limits are exceeded, current-limiting devices cut power to one or more of the appliances. Each appliance in the system has conductors with the capacity to carry a current load at least as large as the overall current limit. Preferably, the appliances in the system are garage appliances that are mounted to an overhead track system in a garage, where electrical outlets are scarce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Hall Labs LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Jerome Miles, Christopher Jones
  • Patent number: 10611263
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a wireless power supply apparatus, which has a power pickup core formed to wrap a corner of a power pickup cable to increase an inductive electromotive force induced in a power pickup unit, has a power feeding unit configured to transfer a magnetic flux by only a power feeding cable without a power feeding core, to reduce the enormous cost for materials required to fabricate the power feeding core and thus enhance the price competitiveness, and reduce the weight and volume thereof and thus simplify the installation thereof, and has the power pickup core configured to include a plurality of power pickup core members, to reduce the weight and volume of the power pickup unit and thus increase the operational efficiency of the vehicle under which the power pickup unit is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Dong-ho Cho, Gu-ho Jung, Bo-yune Song, Seung-yong Shin, Chung-hee Lee
  • Patent number: 10601228
    Abstract: The invention is a method for intelligent current limiting enabling chaining of electrical appliances. Different embodiments apply to alternating current (AC) appliances, direct current (DC) appliances, and a combination of each. In each embodiment, current limits control the number of appliances that can be connected in the chain. If current limits are exceeded, current-limiting devices cut power to one or more of the appliances. Each appliance in the system has conductors with the capacity to carry a current load at least as large as the overall current limit. Preferably, the appliances in the system are garage appliances that are mounted to an overhead track system in a garage, where electrical outlets are scarce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Hall Labs LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Jerome Miles, Christopher Jones, Jonathan Conley, Andrew Priddis
  • Patent number: 10601252
    Abstract: The present invention provides a resonant wireless power transmitter circuit, including: a load circuit, a power conversion circuit which is coupled between an input power supply and the load circuit, and a phase detection and control circuit. The power conversion circuit includes plural power switches and a current sensing device. The plural power switches operate with an operating frequency to convert the input power supply to an output power for driving the load circuit, wherein the load circuit has a load current. The load current has a load current phase difference from the switching frequency. The phase detection and control circuit detects a voltage difference between the current inflow terminal and the current outflow terminal of the current sensing device within a dead time in which the plural power switches are not conductive. The voltage difference corresponds to the load current phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuo-Chi Liu, Wei-Hsin Wei, Chia-Hung Tsen
  • Patent number: 10581272
    Abstract: A wireless power system (WPS) has a wireless power transmitter (WPT) that appraises an input power available to a power inverter from one or more input power sources. The WPT comprises the power inverter that wirelessly transmits power to a wireless power receiver (WCR) of the WPS, and a power appraiser circuit (PAC). The PAC ascertains maximum input power available to the power inverter from the input power sources. The PAC includes a variable load connected to a path carrying the input power to the power inverter or one or more input pins that receive power ratings of the input power sources that indicate available maximum input power from the input power sources. The ascertaining of maximum input power available to the power inverter from the input power sources appraises the input power available to the power inverter. The WCR receives information representing maximum power deliverable by the WPT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: WIPQTUS INC.
    Inventor: Ganapathy Sankar
  • Patent number: 10566850
    Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power is provided. The apparatus includes a communication circuit configured to communicate with a first wireless power transmitter and a second wireless power transmitter. The apparatus further includes a controller circuit configured to identify a first phase of a first current provided to the first wireless power transmitter, the first current generating a first magnetic field. The controller circuit further determines a time to provide a second current to the second wireless power transmitter. The controller circuit further provides the second current at the determined time with a second phase having a phase difference between the first phase configured to reduce a magnitude of a combined magnetic field of the first and second magnetic fields in a region between the first and second wireless power transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventor: Leandro Percebon
  • Patent number: 10559982
    Abstract: Various techniques are described herein for efficiently transmitting and receiving wireless power and/or data signals. In one example, a transmitter includes multiple antennas, a dielectric material in proximity to the multiple antennas, and multiple scattering elements embedded in the dielectric material. One or more of the multiple scattering elements are configured to be excited by one or more signals emitted by the multiple antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Ossia Inc.
    Inventors: Hatem Zeine, Siamak Ebadi, Douglas Wayne Williams
  • Patent number: 10547173
    Abstract: A power generation system comprising a plurality of power generation units; a plurality of energy storage units; a plurality of switch units for connecting or disconnecting the power generation units and the energy storage units; and a controller for controlling the switch units to disconnect one or more idle power generation units from their corresponding energy storage units when the idle power generation units stop operating and to connect the disconnected energy storage unit to one operating power generation unit of the plurality of power generation units based on states-of-charge of the energy storage units. The power generation system may make best use of the energy storage units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Rong Li, Xu Fu
  • Patent number: 10547191
    Abstract: According to at least one aspect, embodiments herein provide a traffic light power management system comprising a power source, a first output, a service bypass unit and a power management unit. The service bypass unit is configured to receive AC power from the power source, convert the AC power to a first DC power in a first mode of operation, provide the first DC power to the first output in the first mode of operation, and provide the AC power to a power management unit in a second mode of operation. The power management unit is coupled to the service bypass unit, and is configured to receive the AC power from the service bypass unit in the second mode of operation, convert the AC power to a second DC power in the second mode of operation, and provide the DC power to the first output in the second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian McKenna, Kaushal J. Patel, Kenneth J. Steeves, Marcel B. Grenier, Qinghong Yu, Jeffrey M. August, James Edward Briggs, Steven Allen Diggins, Jeffrey Steven Young, Devin Patrick Auclair, James Walter Frey
  • Patent number: 10547208
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are related to a wireless power resonator and method that includes a wireless power transmit element. The wireless power transmit element may include a substantially planar transmit antenna configured to generate a magnetic field and formed from a conductive trace including a plurality of distributed inductive elements along the conductive trace. The transmit element may further include a filter formed from selected ones of the plurality of distributed inductive elements of the planar transmit antenna and configured to generate at least one frequency response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Seong Heon Jeong, Francesco Carobolante, William Henry Von Novak, III
  • Patent number: 10523052
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system includes a power receiver and a power transmitter providing power using an inductive power signal. The power transmitter includes a resonance circuit having capacitive and inductive impedances, and a driver configured to generate a drive signal for the resonance circuit. A frequency modification circuit is configured to control the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit by slowing a state change for the capacitive and/or inductive impedance for a fractional time interval of at least some cycles of the drive signal, The frequency modification circuit is configured to align at least one of a start time and an end time for the fractional time interval to transitions of a timing signal. In the power transmitter, the driver is configured to generate the timing signal to have transitions synchronized to the drive signal. The slowing may be by impeding current flow between the capacitive and inductive impedances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Gerardus Maria Ettes, Antonius Adriaan Maria Staring, Klaas Jacob Lulofs, Eddy Gerrit Veltman
  • Patent number: 10523049
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply apparatus supplies AC power from any one of a first inverter of a first power conversion device and a second inverter of a second power conversion device to a load, and when this inverter has a malfunction, the uninterruptible power supply apparatus supplies the AC power from the other inverter to the load. When a DC voltage provided to the second inverter is higher than a lower limit voltage, the second power conversion device outputs an AC voltage having a sinusoidal waveform and falling within an acceptable input voltage range of the load, and when the DC voltage is lower than the lower limit voltage, the second power conversion device outputs an AC voltage having waveform distortion within a range acceptable to the load and falling within the acceptable input voltage range of the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaru Toyoda
  • Patent number: 10505370
    Abstract: Provided is a grid-connected inverter safety detection device applied in a photovoltaic inverter system and including voltage detection circuit, a filter circuit, a comparison circuit and a controller. The voltage detection circuit is configured to detect a voltage between the point N and the ground, or a voltage between the first terminal for any phase of the three-phase power grid and the ground. The filter circuit is configured to filter out an alternating current component of the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit and to retain an direct current component of the voltage. The comparison circuit is configured to compare the direct current component of the voltage with a preset voltage value and transmit a comparison result to the controller. The controller is configured to determine, according to the comparison result, whether an alternating current side at the output terminal of the inverter has normal insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SUNGROW POWER SUPPLY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Houlai Geng, Qingqing Xu, Jun Xing, Haoyuan Li, Xiaodong Mei
  • Patent number: 10491005
    Abstract: The invention is a method for intelligent current limiting enabling chaining of electrical appliances. Different embodiments apply to alternating current (AC) appliances, direct current (DC) appliances, and a combination of each. In each embodiment, current limits control the number of appliances that can be connected in the chain. If current limits are exceeded, current-limiting devices cut power to one or more of the appliances. Each appliance in the system has conductors with the capacity to carry a current load at least as large as the overall current limit. Preferably, the appliances in the system are garage appliances that are mounted to an overhead track system in a garage, where electrical outlets are scarce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hall Labs LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Jerome Miles, Christopher Jones, Jonathan Conley, Andrew Priddis
  • Patent number: 10479218
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for an electric vehicle. The system includes a battery control unit configured to be in a grid-connected mode or a stand-alone mode. The system includes a shared boost converter connected to a battery. The shared boost converter receives alternating current (AC) power, steps up voltage and converts the AC power to direct current (DC) power when the battery control unit is in the grid-connected mode. The shared boost converter receives DC power from the battery and steps up voltage when the battery control unit is in the stand-alone mode. The system also includes an inverter configured to receive the stepped up DC power when the battery control unit is in the stand-alone mode and convert the DC power to AC power. The system also includes a motor/generator connected to the inverter and configured to receive AC power for powering a drivetrain of the electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jae Seung Lee, Jongwon Shin, Ercan M. Dede
  • Patent number: 10476308
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance wireless power transmission device capable of adjusting resonance frequency is disclosed. A wireless power transmission device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a power amplifier for amplifying a wireless power signal using a driving frequency signal; a resonator for configuring a resonance tank and wirelessly transmitting, through magnetic resonance, the wireless power signal output from the power amplifier using a resonance frequency of the resonance tank; and a resonance control unit for controlling a duty ratio using a frequency applied to the resonator or a frequency signal generated by the resonator and adjusting the resonance frequency of the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: MAPS, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Tae Hwang, Hyun-Ick Shin, Dong-Su Lee, Jong-Hoon Lee, Sang-O Jeon, Ik-Gyoo Song, Dae-Ho Kim, Joon Rhee
  • Patent number: 10447092
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein for determining the distance from, to or between radiating objects in a multipath environment. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for determining the distance between an antenna array system (or wireless charger) and a wireless power receiver in a multipath wireless power delivery environment. Calibration techniques are disclosed that account for and/or otherwise quantify the multipath effects of the wireless power delivery environment. In some embodiment, the quantified multipath effects modify the Friis transmission equation, thereby facilitating the distance determination in multipath environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ossia Inc.
    Inventors: Hatem Zeine, Siamak Ebadi, Douglas Wayne Williams, Anas Alfarra
  • Patent number: 10411516
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system is disclosed. The wireless power transfer system includes a first converting unit for converting a first DC voltage of an input power to a first AC voltage, a contactless power transfer unit for transmitting the input power having the first AC voltage, and a second converting unit for transmitting the power having a second DC voltage corresponding to the first AC voltage to an electric load. Additionally, the wireless power transfer system includes an active voltage tuning unit for controlling the second DC voltage based on a difference between the second DC voltage and a reference voltage and at least one among a difference between the resonant frequency and the constant operating frequency and a difference between a phase angle of the first AC voltage and a phase angle of an AC current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kapil Jha, Arun Kumar Raghunathan, Arvind Kumar Tiwari, Deepak Aravind
  • Patent number: 10404253
    Abstract: A power supply unit for use with thermostats or other like devices requiring power. A power supply unit may be designed to keep electromagnetic interference emissions at a minimum, particularly at a level that does not violate governmental regulations. A unit may be designed so that there is enough power for a triggering a switch at about a cross over point of a waveform of input power to the unit. Power for triggering may come from a storage source rather than line power to reduce emissions on the power line. Power for the storage source may be provided with power stealing. Power stealing may require switching transistors which can generate emissions. Gate signals to the transistors may be especially shaped to keep emissions from transistor switching at a minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Ademco Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Tousignant, Daniel Landry, Alex Daher