Patents Examined by M'baye Diao
  • Patent number: 11420608
    Abstract: A vehicle electricity storage device includes a capacitor unit for supplying stored electric power to an electronically controlled system, and a microcomputer including a memory. The memory stores a plurality of thresholds (internal resistance limit values) different from each other. Each of the plurality of thresholds is to be compared with an electrical characteristic value (internal resistance value) related to the capacitor unit for determining a deterioration state of the capacitor unit. The each of the plurality of thresholds is stored in association with an identification ID for identifying the electronically controlled system. The microcomputer acquires the identification ID from the electronically controlled system. And the microcomputer selects, from the plurality of thresholds, a threshold associated with the identification ID acquired. Then the microcomputer determines the deterioration state of the capacitor unit by using the electrical characteristic value and the threshold selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Umeda, Yohsuke Mitani
  • Patent number: 11417915
    Abstract: A battery unit including a battery, a circuit board, a switching device which achieves charge or discharge of the battery, and a casing made up of a bottom and a peripheral wall. The battery is disposed on the bottom. The circuit board is arranged farther away from the bottom than from the battery. The switching device is located closer to the bottom than the circuit board is. The switching device has a visible area visually or optically perceived, as inwardly facing inside the casing from outside the circuit board, and includes a data-retaining area on which data on characteristics of the switching device is provided, for example, in the form of a code. This structure facilitates the ease with which the data on the characteristics of the switching device is visually or optically read out of the data-retaining area without having to have an increased size of the battery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shunsuke Tomoto
  • Patent number: 11418042
    Abstract: A battery management unit capable of more reliably turning off a high-voltage relay. A battery management unit 1 includes a high-voltage relay 5 serving as a switch unit that turns on/off electrical connection between a high-voltage battery 102, which is a secondary battery, and an external device, and a power source IC 6 serving as a disconnection control unit having a first disconnection processing function of turning off the high-voltage relay 5 at the time of abnormality of the battery management unit 1 and a second disconnection processing function of detecting an abnormality of the first disconnection processing function and turning off the high-voltage relay 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsumi Yamauchi, Hikaru Miura, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Akihiro Machida, Masahiro Ueda, Kenichiro Tsuru
  • Patent number: 11411413
    Abstract: A battery pack charging system includes a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells; a charging device connected to both electrodes of the battery pack to supply a charging current to the battery pack; a switch connected between the battery pack and the charging device to allow or block a flow of the charging current; and a current blocking member mechanically connected to the switch and configured to turn off the switch by causing a bending deformation when a potential difference formed between both electrodes of the battery pack is equal to or greater than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Seo-Young Yoon, Sol-Nip Lee
  • Patent number: 11407328
    Abstract: A vehicle battery diagnosis apparatus includes: a measurement unit configured to measure a battery cell voltage; and a controller configured to diagnose a cell voltage deviation based on the battery cell voltage. The controller calculates a self-discharge rate for each cell based on the battery cell voltage and a parking time and calculates the cell voltage deviation based on the battery cell voltage, and when the calculated cell voltage deviation is greater than a preset cell balancing reference voltage deviation, the controller compares cell balancing capacitance calculated based on a vehicle usage time with a maximum self-discharge rate among the calculated self-discharge rates for respective cells and determines whether cell balancing is enabled or diagnoses the cell voltage deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Man Jae Park, Joong Woo Lee, Jin Geun Bae, Myung Won Lee
  • Patent number: 11396234
    Abstract: A battery system for an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle includes a plurality of serially interconnected battery modules, each battery module having at least two battery cells interconnected in parallel, a master control unit for supervising the battery modules, and a slave control unit for supervising the battery modules. A master supervision unit having master sensors for detecting measured values of the battery cells and of the battery module and a slave supervision unit having slave sensors for detecting measured values of the battery cells and of the battery module are assigned to each battery module. The master supervision units communicate with the master control unit, the slave supervision units communicate with the slave control unit, and the master control unit communicates with the slave control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Schmidt, Christoph Woll
  • Patent number: 11397200
    Abstract: A technique of reducing errors in measurement of a charging/discharging current in a battery module including a plurality of secondary batteries. A current measuring apparatus according to the present disclosure is included in a battery pack including a bus bar on a charging/discharging path to measure a current flowing through the charging/discharging path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Inventor: Dong-Hyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11394213
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery jump starting device with a leapfrog charging system. The leapfrog charging system, for example, can sequentially charge multiple batteries of the rechargeable battery jump starting device. For example, the rechargeable battery jump starting device is a portable rechargeable battery jump starting device configured for jump starting automobiles, heavy equipment, commercial vehicles, commercial equipment, trucks, buses, commercial trucks, front loaders, dozers, back hoes, excavators, rollers, fork lift, specialized commercial equipment, logging equipment, airplanes, jets, and other battery started vehicles and equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: THE NOCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Lewis Nook, William Knight Nook, Sr., James Richard Stanfield, Derek Michael Underhill
  • Patent number: 11394227
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, devices, and methods for power management during system startup at low temperatures are disclosed. An apparatus includes a battery for an electronic device. The battery includes one or more cells. The apparatus includes a thermal insulation element configured to insulate heat that the battery. The thermal insulation element is coupled to the battery to prevent at least a portion of the heat that the battery generates from being dissipated from the battery during startup of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: LENOVO (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Bouziane Yebka, Jeremy R. Carlson, Philip Jakes, Tin-Lup Wong
  • Patent number: 11391778
    Abstract: Improvements in a battery optimization and restoration device that uses a means of varying the regulator voltage as a function of time and discharge event timing and depth in order to establish a consistent power level for the charging of the capacitor. The device models the power supply regulation voltage as a first order factor as a function of time. The regulation voltage is modeled as a function of time so as to maintain an acceptable charging current at all times by charging a large capacitive load which is periodically discharged in a rapid pulse-like manner requires a modeled regulation voltage that is synchronized to the discharge frequency of the capacitor. The modeled charging is a function of the discharge depth and the charging height in initial capacitor voltage before the discharge and the final capacitor voltage after the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Bruce Eric Zeier, James Anthony Mettler, Steve M. Hankins, Anthony D. Araiza, Vincent E. Whitehead, Phil Sih
  • Patent number: 11394206
    Abstract: Described herein is a system for consuming, generating, storing, and delivering renewable, redundant, energy and providing backup energy storage and transmission to and from electrical load and method of using the same. The invention relates to a renewable energy consumption, generation, storage, and delivery systems and methods of using the same. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is related to use of the system to provide renewable, redundant, remote backup energy storage and transmission to a mission critical facility such as a data center or colocation facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Switch, Ltd.
    Inventor: Rob Roy
  • Patent number: 11394215
    Abstract: A quick release and connect system that provides battery power for a wearable electronic device and a method for reducing battery charging down time of a wearable electronic device are disclosed. The quick release and connect system that provides battery power for a wearable electronic device and the method for reducing battery charging down time of a wearable electronic device reduces battery charging down time of a wearable electronic device by swapping of attachable-detachable auxiliary components with auxiliary batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventor: Raghunand Bhagwan
  • Patent number: 11394229
    Abstract: A method and system for a headset wireless charging dock, where the charging dock comprises a radio, a coil, and a proximity sensor. The method may comprise sensing a presence of a headset using the proximity sensor, wirelessly charging a battery in the headset utilizing the coil, and wirelessly communicating commands, using the radio, to the headset to power down when fully charged. The command may be communicated to the headset utilizing a protocol and a RF radio used by the headset to receive audio signals. The command communicated to the headset may power down audio processing circuitry in the headset. The charging induction coil may be inductively coupled to a coil in the headset to wirelessly charge the battery in the headset. The proximity sensor may comprise a Hall sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Schoene, Scot Robert Cochran, Nicholas Richard Bourne
  • Patent number: 11394222
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a secondary battery system includes a secondary battery, a calculator, and a controller. The secondary battery includes a first electrode including a first and second active materials, and a second electrode including a third active material. The calculator calculates a current ratio of currents passing through the first and second active materials for each of different values of a charge amount of the first electrode, based on capacities and capacity-versus-potential properties of the first and second active materials. The controller, based on the capacities of the first and second active materials and the current ratio when the charge amount of the first electrode takes a first value, controls the current passing through the secondary battery when the charge amount indicates the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Nobukatsu Sugiyama, Yumi Fujita, Tomokazu Morita
  • Patent number: 11383617
    Abstract: A battery module for high voltage battery packs, preferably for use in vehicles, comprising a plurality of battery cells each comprising an electronic battery cell monitoring module attached to each of the battery cells, with the battery cell monitoring modules being connected to one another by a balancing bus comprising at least two electrical lines for transmitting data and electrical current, with the electronic battery cell monitoring modules being electrically connected to a positive terminal and to a negative terminal of the battery cell, with the electronic battery cell monitoring modules having a first electrical switch and a second electrical switch, with the electrical switches being configured to electrically connect the battery cells to a respective one of the two electrical lines of the balancing bus, with the battery module comprising an energy storage module for storing electrical energy, with the energy storage module being electrically connected to the two electrical lines of the balancing bu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Guido Woeste, Peter Baeumer
  • Patent number: 11374418
    Abstract: A system for dealing with rechargeable batteries, including a computerized server, a monitoring circuit installed in a rechargeable battery and configured to periodically sample the status of the rechargeable battery and communicate the sampled information to the server, wherein the server analyzes the sampled information from the monitoring circuits of one or more rechargeable batteries and provides instructions for dealing with each rechargeable battery to a communication device of an administrator in charge of dealing with each rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: GALOOLI LTD.
    Inventor: Itamar Molchadsky
  • Patent number: 11374265
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application disclose a battery repair method and apparatus, and relate to the battery field, so as to improve a battery repair effect. The method includes: determining, by a power system, a failure mode of a battery according to an abuse record of the battery or a performance parameter of the battery, where the abuse record includes a usage record of a situation in which a preset usage range of the performance parameter of the battery is exceeded, and the performance parameter of the battery is used to represent performance of the battery; determining, by the power system according to the failure mode of the battery, a power repair policy for repairing the battery; and repairing, by the power system, the battery according to a selected power repair policy. According to the method, a failing battery can be repaired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bin Le, Yuqin Xu, Liqiang Ye
  • Patent number: 11364616
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery pack interface device includes: at least one connecting unit that is designed to detachably mechanically connect a rechargeable battery pack to a consumer, the mechanical connection being detachable using a relative movement of the rechargeable battery pack relative to the consumer; and a retaining unit that is designed in such a way that, in a non-activated state of the retaining unit, the mechanical connection is detachable using the relative movement of the rechargeable battery pack with respect to the consumer and, in an activated state of the retaining unit, the mechanical connection is detachable using another relative movement which differs from the relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolf Zahn, Florian Kneer, Josef Baumgartner
  • Patent number: 11351887
    Abstract: Provided is a management device that manages a power storage module configured by connecting in series a plurality of parallel cell groups in which a plurality of cells are connected in parallel. In the management device, a voltage detection circuit detects a voltage of each of the plurality of parallel cell groups connected in series. A plurality of equalizing circuits are connected in parallel to the plurality of parallel cell groups, respectively. A controlling circuit controls the plurality of equalizing circuits based on the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit and executes an equalizing process. The controlling circuit determines whether or not an abnormal cell is included in each of the parallel cell groups based on a voltage change of each of the parallel cell groups during discharging to the equalizing circuit or charging from the equalizing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Masato Nishikawa, Kenji Motoyoshi, Noriharu Kobayashi, Yoshitaka Sakiyama
  • Patent number: 11345250
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to a docking station for a robotic platform. The docking station may include a ramp having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, a base pad, a roller assembly, and a roller backstop assembly. The roller assembly may be coupled to the ramp and the base pad. The roller assembly may be configured to allow a robotic platform being driven towards the ramp to continue powered travel onto the ramp for docking when the robotic platform approaches the ramp within an angle range of 0 and 15 degrees with respect to either of the first and second sides of the ramp. The roller backstop assembly may be coupled to the roller assembly and the base pad. The roller backstop assembly may receive the robotic platform from the roller assembly to dock the robotic platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Florida Power & Light Company
    Inventors: Eric Schwartz, Stephen Cross, Michael Gilbertson, Kyle Bush, David Wendeborn, Richard Armstrong, Scott Nowicki, Seth Hill