Patents Examined by Joel Barnett
  • Patent number: 11641113
    Abstract: A non-contact power transmission apparatus accurately determines the kind of object that is placed on the charging deck of the non-contact power transmission apparatus, and, only when a non-contact power receiving apparatus is placed on the power transmission apparatus, allows power transmission and data communication to take place, thereby accurately determining the state of the receiver side and efficiently controlling the transmission of power. In the power transmission apparatus, the power supplied to the non-contact power receiving apparatus is measured, and the output power of the wireless power signal output from two different cores is controlled, thereby allowing the charging operation to be stably conducted even if the non-contact power receiving apparatus is moved anywhere on the power transmission apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chun-Kil Jung, Yoon-Sang Kuk
  • Patent number: 11628744
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a main control device, a sub-control device, and a temperature detection unit. The main control device includes a recognition unit that recognizes a peripheral situation of a vehicle, a driving control unit that controls steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle independently from an operation of a driver, and a mode determination unit that determines a driving mode of the vehicle. The sub-control device is capable of controlling the vehicle in place of the main control device. The temperature detection unit detects a temperature of a second battery that is different from a first battery supplying power to the main control device and supplies power to the sub-control device. The mode determination unit changes the driving mode of the vehicle from the second driving mode to the first driving mode when a temperature of the second battery is lower than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hayahito Ukai, Takashi Tsujioka, Takehiro Horigome
  • Patent number: 11628745
    Abstract: An apparatus for a ground-based battery management for an electric aircraft is presented. The apparatus includes a battery pack mechanically coupled to the electric aircraft, wherein the battery pack includes at least a battery module, wherein each battery module includes at least a battery unit containing a first row of battery cells, a second row of battery cells, and a thermal conduit disposed between the first row and the second row of the battery unit, wherein the thermal conduit is configured to precondition the battery cells. Each battery module includes a thermal circuit mechanically coupled to the thermal conduit configured to facilitate the precondition using thermal media. The apparatus further includes a media channel encompassing the battery pack configured to connect to a ground cooling component that provides the thermal media to the thermal circuit using the thermal circuit, and evacuate the thermal media using the thermal circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Donovan, Sarah Kathleen Overfield, Stuart Denson Schreiber, Peter Adam Gottlieb, Braedon Lohe, Herman Wiegman
  • Patent number: 11618324
    Abstract: A control system and method of controlling a utility vehicle. The system may include a controller, an energy mode input associated with a user input request to select one of at least two power modes, an implement control input associated with a user input request to select a movement of an implement, a drive control input associated with a user input request to select a movement of a drive system to propel the utility vehicle, and an attachment type input to further refine the allowed operating power states. The controller is adapted to determine a change between the plurality of operating power states in response to user input requests to automatically optimize machine performance and efficiency. Each of the plurality of operating power states includes a maximum electric current output and a maximum speed output of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy Patrick Sosnowski, Erik Daniel Low
  • Patent number: 11611215
    Abstract: An illustrative embodiment disclosed herein is method for power distribution optimization. In some embodiments, the method includes determining an efficiency for each power block of a plurality of power blocks of a power distribution optimization system, determining a characteristic for each power block, determining a power to provide, selecting a first percentage of the power that a first power block is to provide and a second percentage of the power that a second power block is to provide at least based on the efficiency for each power block, the characteristic for each power block, and the power to provide, wherein the first percentage of the power is greater than the second percentage of the power, and sending a dispatch command to cause the first power block to provide the first percentage of the power and the second power block to provide the second percentage of the power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: 8ME NOVA, LLC
    Inventors: Nadim Kanan, Gautham Ramesh, Lukas Mercer Hansen
  • Patent number: 11605952
    Abstract: An adaptive solar power battery storage system is disclosed to capture alternative energy for use when desired, regardless of power generating circuit topology (AC or DC). The adaptive solar power battery storage system may be connected directly to solar panel cells (for DC-type solar panels) or to micro-inverters (for AC-type solar panels). The adaptive battery storage system can be configured to accept power from both energy sources simultaneously (AC or DC), or each individually. The adaptive solar power battery storage system may enable the operation of AC-type solar panels in the absence of utility power, which is ordinarily used to supply a reference signal to the micro-inverters, by converting stored DC battery power to AC to generate an emulated reference signal. The system may monitor the utility power and adjust the emulated reference signal to track the utility power to enable a safe transfer back to utility power once restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: NEOVOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Brent Willson, Rey Llanos, John Hass, Tom Cole
  • Patent number: 11592485
    Abstract: The proposed mechanism for weld detection, uses isolation monitoring circuits (which is used for measurement of the leakage current between battery positive and negative to the chassis ground (on pack or link side) and checks the health status of the contactors. The mechanism connects isolation monitoring circuit between two points on the battery pack (between two sides of the high current contactors) and measures the resistance of two points, therefore checking the continuity of the contactors in the system. Since it can measure a range of resistance, it can also check if a contactor is completely welded or it has been partially welded. This would be important because in case of partial weld, the car can fix the problem and remove the partial weld by activating and deactivating the contactors for several time, with or without inserting high current in the coil of the contactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: FARASIS ENERGY (GANZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ali Azidehak, Tuan Truong, Ben Johnson
  • Patent number: 11581736
    Abstract: A method and a system for evaluating inertia of a power system and a storage medium. The method includes: injecting a cosine active power disturbance into the power system by small-disturbance injection, and obtaining frequency response at a node where the disturbance is injected, where the active power disturbance can be an energy storage, wind power, or photovoltaic power; acquiring an evaluation framework of inertia and frequency regulation capability of the power system according to relative characteristics of a frequency response function; and constructing a mathematical relationship between the impedance and frequency response characteristics according to a relationship among active power disturbance, frequency fluctuation and impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Hunan University
    Inventors: Yunfeng Wen, Wuqi Zhang, Wei Guo
  • Patent number: 11574509
    Abstract: A vehicle diagnostic system diagnoses a vehicle having a battery mounted thereon. The vehicle diagnostic system includes an instrument panel for showing a capacity retention of the battery, and an ECU that calculates the capacity retention to be displayed on the instrument panel. The ECU measures the full charge capacity of the battery each time external charging is completed, and, based on a result of the measurement, updates a capacity deterioration curve indicative of changes in over time of the capacity retention. When a display request for showing the capacity retention on the instrument panel is generated, the ECU calculates the capacity retention when the display request is generated by referring to the updated capacity deterioration curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhide Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 11571971
    Abstract: A control device that controls charging/discharging of a secondary battery mounted on a vehicle includes: a detection unit configured to detect start of deriving of a deterioration state of the secondary battery; and a control unit configured to control charging/discharging of the secondary battery such that a charging rate of the secondary battery is equal to or higher than a first predetermined value and equal to or lower than a second predetermined value in a state in which the vehicle is parked and is connected to an external power supply in a case in which start of deriving of the deterioration state has been detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiichiro Homma, Yusaku Amari
  • Patent number: 11575277
    Abstract: A system of a machine includes a network of a plurality of nodes distributed throughout the machine, a controller, and a power extraction system within at least one of the nodes. Each of the nodes is operable to communicate through one or more radio frequencies. The controller is configured to communicate with the network of nodes by transmitting the one or more radio frequencies through one or more waveguides. The power extraction system is configured to extract power from the one or more radio frequencies as a first power source, extract power from a second power source, and provide power to one or more components of the system based on power extracted from either or both of the first power source and the second power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan Gilson, Joseph V. Mantese, Gurkan Gok, Goran Djuknic, Coy Bruce Wood
  • Patent number: 11565608
    Abstract: A system and method are arranged to control a low voltage DC converter of a fuel cell vehicle, in which, although a CAN communication timeout where the low voltage DC converter does not receive an off command from a vehicle control unit or a CAN communication failure occurs, when an output current of the low voltage DC converter is lowered by at least a predetermined value, the low voltage DC converter is turned off by itself by determining that a post-treatment operation of a fuel cell system is completed, and after the low voltage DC converter is turned off, a relay of a high voltage battery is opened, thereby preventing the relay of the high voltage battery from fusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Sang Kyu Lee, Tae Woo Kim, Se La Lim, Won Seok Jin
  • Patent number: 11565606
    Abstract: To prevent incorrect information from being given to a driver regarding the estimation of a degradation state of a secondary battery. A diagnostic device (100) for diagnosing a battery (40) provided in an electric vehicle (10), includes an estimation unit (301) that estimates a degradation state of the battery (40); a derivation unit (302) that derives an index value indicating validity of data used for the estimation of the degradation state; and a notification unit (303) that notifies, when accuracy of an estimated value is determined to be low based on the index value, a cause of a decrease in the accuracy of the estimated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuichi Kazuno
  • Patent number: 11563344
    Abstract: A wireless energy transmitting apparatus includes: a direction-finding and location device configured to determine a position of an energy receiving apparatus based on beacon information of the energy receiving apparatus; an energy generation device configured to generate energy, convert the energy into high-frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency higher than a predetermined frequency threshold, and transmit the high-frequency electromagnetic waves to the energy receiving apparatus; and a processor configured to control the energy generation device to transmit the high-frequency electromagnetic waves to the energy receiving apparatus based on the position of the energy receiving apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xianqi Lin, Yajun Pan, Shujun Wei, Jian Bai, Tuyou Yuan
  • Patent number: 11548408
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling fluid flow in a fuel cell circuit of a vehicle. A system may have a fuel cell stack configured to receive hydrogen gas. The system may have a current sensor configured to detect current flowing through the fuel cell stack. The system may have a plurality of actuators, which may include at least one injector, a pump, and a shut valve. The system may have an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU may estimate pressures of the hydrogen gas and non-hydrogen gases in the circuit. The ECU may determine a current increase rate based on the detected current. The ECU may apply a compensatory hydrogen gas stoic to a base hydrogen gas stoic to meet a target hydrogen gas stoic by controlling one or more of the actuators based on the estimated pressures when the current increase rate is above a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jared M. Farnsworth, Daniel C. Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Nobukazu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11515704
    Abstract: Methods include, in response to a line frequency variation of a power grid, adjusting a voltage setpoint of a voltage regulator coupled to the power grid at a grid edge to maintain a voltage at the grid edge, wherein the adjusting the regulated voltage setpoint is configured to reduce the line frequency variation to stabilize the line frequency of the power grid. Apparatus include a voltage regulator configured to couple to a power grid at a grid edge and to maintain a voltage at the grid edge, wherein the voltage regulator is further configured to adjust a voltage setpoint of a voltage regulator in response to a line frequency variation of the power grid to reduce the line frequency variation and stabilize the line frequency of the power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Wei Du, Kevin P. Schneider, Francis K. Tuffner, Jing Xie, Thanh T. Vu
  • Patent number: 11498423
    Abstract: A rail-mounted rail processing machine has at least one traction motor and with at least one working unit for processing tracks, a permanent energy source, an electrical energy storage and a current collector. The components are connected to a common direct current network via power converters. In order to create a rail-mounted rail processing machine that allows low-maintenance and environmentally friendly operation of working aggregates with strongly varying peak loads without having to accept losses in the processing quality, the permanent energy source is a fuel cell which feeds at least one base load of the working unit into the direct current network via one of the power converters. To cover peak loads of at least the working unit, buffer energy of the electrical energy storage acting as a buffer store is feedable into the direct current network via an associated one of the power converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Mate GmbH
    Inventor: Philipp Haselsteiner
  • Patent number: 11482884
    Abstract: A PCB for wireless power transfer includes an antenna and the antenna includes a coil. A method for manufacturing the PCB includes providing a prefabricated PCB, the prefabricated PCB including a PCB design and a first area and providing a first sheet of a conductive metal for the first area. The method includes applying an etch resistant coating on a coil area within the first area and laser cutting the first sheet within the coil area, based on a laser cutting path for a first plurality of turns for a first layer of the coil, the first geometry configured wireless power transfer. The method further includes substantially exposing the first sheet to an etching solution, the etching solution substantially removing first portions of the conductive metal from the substrate to define, at least, first turn gaps between at least two of the first plurality of turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Los
  • Patent number: 11482864
    Abstract: An illustrative embodiment disclosed herein is method for power distribution optimization. In some embodiments, the method includes determining an efficiency for each power block of a plurality of power blocks of a power distribution optimization system, determining a characteristic for each power block, determining a power to provide, selecting a first percentage of the power that a first power block is to provide and a second percentage of the power that a second power block is to provide at least based on the efficiency for each power block, the characteristic for each power block, and the power to provide, wherein the first percentage of the power is greater than the second percentage of the power, and sending a dispatch command to cause the first power block to provide the first percentage of the power and the second power block to provide the second percentage of the power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: 8ME NOVA, LLC
    Inventors: Nadim Kanan, Gautham Ramesh, Lukas Mercer Hansen
  • Patent number: 11476671
    Abstract: A wind power converting device includes a plurality of grid-side converters, a plurality of generator-side converters and a plurality of DC buses. The grid-side converters are connected with each other in series and electrically coupled to a power grid. The generator-side converters are connected with each other in series and electrically coupled to a generator device. The DC buses are electrically coupled between the grid-side converters and the generator-side converters. The DC buses include a positive DC bus, a negative DC bus and at least one intermediate DC bus between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus. A cross section area of a conductor of the intermediate DC bus is smaller than 30% of a cross section area of a conductor of the positive DC bus or smaller than 30% of a cross section area of a conductor of the negative DC bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changyong Wang, Yansong Lu