Patents Examined by Joel Barnett
  • Patent number: 11801772
    Abstract: A thermal management module includes a component carrier, at least two, typically multiple electrically controllable function components for temperature-controlling at least one vehicle component of a motor vehicle, which are detachably or non-detachably connected to the component carrier, at least one electrical control unit, which for electrically controlling at least two, typically multiple, particularly typically all of the function components include a control electronic system, which via at least one electrical control line path and/or via a component field bus is electrically connected to the respective function component and arranged in a housing of the control unit, wherein the housing of the control unit is detachably or non-detachably fastened to the component carrier and/or to at least one of the function components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Kristian Haase, Holger Ulrich
  • Patent number: 11794587
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining, by an auxiliary power controller, a first selection of one or more power input sources from a plurality of power input sources. The method also includes determining, by the auxiliary power controller, a first selection of one or more power consuming devices from a plurality of power consuming devices. The method further includes managing, by the auxiliary power controller, transfer of auxiliary power from the first selection of the one or more power input sources to the first selection of the one or more power consuming devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael Cleveland, James Taylor
  • Patent number: 11799299
    Abstract: A system and method for allowing islanding in an underground power distribution network when power is lost to the network. The network includes transformers having source side and load side switching devices and servicing a transformer section. The method includes detecting loss of voltage to the network, opening the source side and the load side switching devices in all of the transformers and allowing distributed power generation sources in the sections serviced by the transformers to provide power to the section. The method also includes closing one or both of the source side switching device and the load side switching device of a transformer that services a section that has power generation sources providing excess power, and closing a source side switching device or a load side switching device in an adjacent transformer to the transformer section providing excess power to provide power to the adjacent section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventor: Joseph Matamoros
  • Patent number: 11791661
    Abstract: The invention essentially consists of a system (1) for transmitting acoustic power, which will determine the optimum frequency and the optimum electrical load without data communication being established beforehand with the receiver (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT ÁL'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Olivier Freychet, Sébastien Boisseau, François Frassati, Ghislain Despesse
  • Patent number: 11784334
    Abstract: An electric power supply device supplies electric power to a work machine having an electric power source. The electric power supply device includes a fuel cell different from the electric power source and an electric power connecting section for transferring electric power between the electric power source and the electric power supply device. A control device for controlling the electric power supply device includes a rated capability obtaining section for obtaining the information indicating the rated value of the charge and discharge capability of the electric power source of the work machine in response to the electric power supply device being mounted in the work machine or the electric power supply device being able to utilize the electric power of the electric power source, and an operating condition determining section for determining the operating condition of the electric power supply device based on the rated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota Kitamoto, Yuki Kuwano, Kotaro Shigeno
  • Patent number: 11760203
    Abstract: A failure detection frequency of failure diagnosis for a cut-off function can be improved. An on-vehicle control device includes a microcomputer that performs a control operation of an external device, a monitoring element that monitors the microcomputer, an output drive circuit that sends a control signal to the external device based on an instruction from the microcomputer, a communication circuit that switches a communication state with another on-vehicle control device based on an instruction from the monitoring element, and an energization cut-off element that energizes and cuts off a power supply voltage to be supplied to the output drive circuit based on an instruction from the monitoring element. The monitoring element independently instructs the switching of the communication state by the communication circuit and the energization and cut-off of the power supply voltage by the energization cut-off element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventor: Kentarou Jyumonji
  • Patent number: 11764617
    Abstract: A wireless power receiver system includes a receiver antenna configured for coupling with a transmission antenna and receiving the virtual AC power signals from the transmission antenna, the receiver antenna operating based on an operating frequency. The wireless power receiver system further includes a receiver power conditioning system configured to (i) receive the virtual AC power signals, (ii) convert the virtual AC power signals to alternating current (AC) received power signals, and (iii) provide the AC input power signals to a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Melone, Alberto Peralta
  • Patent number: 11764593
    Abstract: A power supply unit for supplying power to a device has a rechargeable, main battery; a charging arrangement for charging the main battery; a non-rechargeable back-up battery; load terminals for connection to a load; and a control unit for controlling supply of power to the load primarily from the main battery and secondarily from the back-up battery. The device is, in particular, a single bay, stand alone parking meter. In the event that the main battery runs low, the control unit is configured to supply power to the load from both the main battery and the back-up battery or only from the back-up battery. The back-up battery is easily replaceable, and the power supply unit has a bay, with connectors for receiving the back-up battery. The main battery is charged from solar panels. A communication device is provided to communicate status messages wirelessly to a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: IPS GROUP INC.
    Inventors: Stephen John Hunter, Andre Malan Joubert
  • Patent number: 11750027
    Abstract: A free node to be deployed underwater for omnidirectional energy and data harvesting includes a housing that forms a sealed chamber; a wavelength-changing layer attached to an outside of the housing and configured to receive a first optical signal having a first wavelength range and to emit a second optical signal having a second wavelength range, different from the first wavelength range, wherein the first optical signal includes encoded data; a flexible solar cell wrapped around the housing, the flexible solar cell being configured to receive the second optical signal and generate an electrical signal; an energy storage module located in the chamber and configured to store electrical energy associated with the electrical signal; and a decoder located in the chamber and configured to receive the electrical signal and decode the encoded data. The first wavelength range is ultraviolet light and the second wavelength range is visible or infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Boon Siew Ooi, Tien Khee Ng, Chun Hong Kang, Meiwei Kong, Yujian Guo
  • Patent number: 11750043
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for performing wireless power transfer and foreign object detection with authentication at different power levels. The impact of time required for an authentication process to execute between transitions to different power levels is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: MEDIATEK Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Vladimir Alexander Muratov
  • Patent number: 11750037
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system is provided having a wireless transmission system that includes an input to receive input power from an input power source, a transmission antenna, and a transmission controller configured to generate wireless signals based, at least in part, on the input power, the wireless signals including wireless power signals and wireless data signals, and to transmit such wireless signals. The wireless power transfer system further includes a wireless receiver system in a wireless peripheral device, the wireless receiver system having a receiver antenna configured to receive the wireless power signals and wireless data signals via inductive coupling with the transmission antenna, as well as a receiver controller configured to determine the acceleration of the wireless peripheral device, generate a prescribed update frequency based on the detected acceleration, and transmit operational updates to the wireless transmission system at the prescribed update frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Melone
  • Patent number: 11742683
    Abstract: A system for managing storage of electrical energy can include an electromagnetic machine and a controller. The electromagnetic machine can have a rotor and a stator. The rotor can be configured to be connected to a shaft. One of the rotor or the stator can have first windings and second windings. The controller can be configured to control first circuitry and second circuitry. The first circuitry can be configured to cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device to the first windings to cause the shaft to rotate. The second circuitry can be configured to cause energy to flow selectively: (1) from a second energy storage device to the second windings to cause the shaft to rotate or (2) from the second windings to the second energy storage device to cause the second energy storage device to be charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura Bower, Luke A. Rippelmeyer, Takehito Yokoo
  • Patent number: 11712982
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a power storage device; a rotary electric machine; a power generation device; a heat radiation unit configured to radiate exhaust heat from the rotary electric machine and the power generation device; and a control device configured to control power generation by the power generation device so as to increase an amount of power generated by the power generation device when vehicle required power due to drive of the vehicle is smaller than predetermined power compared to when the vehicle required power is larger than the predetermined power. An amount of power generated by the rotary electric machine and the power generation device is equal to or less than allowable generated electric power calculated from the amount of heat that is able to radiated by the heat radiation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Amano, Takayoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 11708010
    Abstract: A method for operating a thermo-management module for a motor vehicle, wherein the module includes switching over a control unit between a first operating mode and at least a second operating mode, passing on in the first operating mode, control commands received from the vehicle field bus by the control electronics for actuation of the respective functional component directly to the component field bus, in at least one second operating mode, processing control commands received from the vehicle field us by the control electronics, so that the actuation of the functional components is carried out in a self-sufficient manner by the control unit. In addition, thermo-management module includes a component carrier, electrically controllable functional components, and an electric control unit for controlling the functional components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Kristian Haase, Holger Ulrich
  • Patent number: 11705761
    Abstract: A wireless charging transmit end includes a dual-polarized antenna which includes at least one dual-polarized element and a signal processing apparatus. Each dual-polarized element includes a first linearly polarized element and a second linearly polarized element that are mutually orthogonal and respectively receive a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal from the receive end. The signal processing apparatus obtains a first energy signal and a second energy signal based on a waveform relationship between the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal. The first energy signal is sent to the receive end by the first linearly polarized element, and the second energy signal is sent to the receive end by the second linearly polarized element. The first energy signal and the second energy signal are combined into an energy signal matching the receive end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuan Cheng, Zhiwei Leng, Haijun Qin
  • Patent number: 11705757
    Abstract: A capacitive coupling device for capacitive coupling to a capacitive coupling means which is arrangeable on the capacitive coupling device. The capacitive coupling device can have a first coupling surface, which has at least three coupling surface segments which are arranged separated from one another, a voltage supply configured to provide a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage which is different therefrom, and a control circuit, which is arranged to connect each of the coupling surface segments selectively to the first supply voltage or to the second supply voltage in an electrically conductive manner or to disconnect it from the control circuit in such a way that the coupling surface segments connected to the first supply voltage form, with a first coupling surface area of the capacitive coupling means, a first capacitor, and the coupling surface segments connected to the second supply voltage form, with a second coupling surface area of the capacitive coupling means, a second capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Leutgeb, Josef Haid
  • Patent number: 11677261
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical device may be configured to conduct current through earth ground and may disconnect a switching circuit to reduce an amount of current conducted through the earth ground. The load control device may comprise a controllably conductive device configured to control the power delivered from the AC power source to the electrical device so as to generate a switched-hot voltage, a switching circuit electrically coupled with a detect circuit, and a control circuit configured to render the switching circuit conductive and nonconductive. The detect circuit may generate a detect signal indicating a magnitude of the switched-hot voltage. The control circuit may be configured to monitor the detect signal and to render the switching circuit non-conductive after detecting an edge on the detect signal to reduce the total current through the earth ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Dinesh Sundara Moorthy, James P. Steiner
  • Patent number: 11677265
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is operated to selectively provide energy to a critical load from a grid and an energy storage device and to transfer energy between the energy storage device and the grid. A controller causes the UPS to selectively support bidirectional and unidirectional transfers of energy between the grid and the energy storage device based on a state of charge (SOC) of the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Vincent Edward Wilder, George Arthur Navarro, Steven Andrew Moore, Amit G. Kolge
  • Patent number: 11667393
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for a power control system for a vehicle having multiple power sources. The power control system may include a plurality of sensors associated with one or more power sources and a microcontroller configured to receive a plurality of signal inputs, wherein the microcontroller selects a power state for the power control system based at least in part on the plurality of signal inputs from the plurality of sensors. The power state may be selected from a group including a first power state, wherein power is provided to a critical power subsystem, an essential power subsystem, and an auxiliary power subsystem, a second power state, wherein power is provided to the critical power subsystem and the essential power subsystem of the vehicle, and a third power state, wherein power is provided only to the critical power subsystem of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Liming Chen, Fei Wang
  • Patent number: 11660981
    Abstract: A vehicle, which is a fuel cell vehicle, has an EV mode and an FC mode. In the EV mode, power generation by the FC stack is stopped and an electric power is supplied from a battery to a motor generator. In the FC mode, an electric power supplied from the FC stack to the motor generator is greater than an electric power supplied from the battery to the motor generator. In the EV mode, ECU controls an MID so that the MID displays the instantaneous electric power efficiency of the vehicle and does not display the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle. In the FC mode, ECU controls MID so that the MID displays the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle and does not display the instantaneous electric power efficiency of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Ichikawa