Patents Examined by Paul Dinh
  • Patent number: 11803685
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a layout design method, chip and terminal of power device, wherein the non-top metal layout design: the metal is routed along the first direction and several metal wires that fully occupy the available area of the die unit are thereby obtained, and the wiring properties of the metal wires are sequentially changed at intervals, making the source ends and the drain ends of the device are alternately distributed at intervals, and the metal routing in two or more layers of non-top metal are arranged vertically; the top metal layout design: the source end region and drain end region in the top metal are formed into sheets independently and the pad is arranged in the top metal region; eventually realize the interconnection of metal layers and complete the layout design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Inventors: Chun Su, Shuai Zhang, Yu Liu, Hongshuang Dong, Wei Chen, Yi Chen, Xin Wang, Gaoqiang Dai
  • Patent number: 11803686
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments for a computer-implemented method for routing standard cells of an integrated circuit. Embodiments include obtaining a layout of a plurality of standard cells for routing, and determining existing output connections for each of the plurality of standard cells. Embodiments can also include generating a representation for the layout removing the existing output connections for each of the plurality of standard cells; and providing the representation of the layout to an autorouter. Also provided are embodiments for a system and computer program product for routing standard cells of an integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Richard Edward Serton
  • Patent number: 11794600
    Abstract: A vehicle is configured to be charged with power supplied from the outside. The vehicle includes a storage battery, an interface configured to present a driver with power information on a state of charge of the storage battery, a monitoring device configured to monitor the driver and detect a confirmation operation of the driver for the interface, and a control device configured to complete, when the state of charge of the storage battery reaches a predetermined value during charging, the charging. The control device determines the predetermined value based on the state of charge of the storage battery calculated according to a detection frequency of the confirmation operation by the monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichiroh Yamanaka, Keiji Kaita
  • Patent number: 11794597
    Abstract: An on-board vehicle electrical system is provided with a rechargeable battery, an AC voltage connection and a DC voltage connection. The DC voltage connection is connected directly to the rechargeable battery via a connection point. The AC voltage connection is connected to the rechargeable battery via a rectifier and a first switch via the connection point. The rectifier is connected to the rechargeable battery via a DC-isolating DC/DC converter and a second switch. The second switch is connected to the rechargeable battery via the connection point. There is at least one consumer on-board electrical system branch, which includes a Cy capacitance and which is connected to the rechargeable battery via the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Pfeilschifter, Martin Götzenberger
  • Patent number: 11794599
    Abstract: Example embodiments of systems, devices, and methods are provided for electric vehicles that are subject to intermittent charging, such as rail-based electric vehicles, having one or more modular cascaded energy systems. The one or more modular systems can be configured to supply multiphase, single phase, and/or DC power to numerous motor and auxiliary loads of the EV. If multiple systems or subsystems are present in the EV, they can be interconnected to exchange energy between them in numerous different ways, such as through lines designated for carrying power from the intermittently connected charge source or through the presence of modules interconnected between arrays of the subsystems. The subsystems can be configured as subsystems that supply power for motor loads alone, motor loads in combination with auxiliary loads, and auxiliary loads alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TAE Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail Slepchenkov, Roozbeh Naderi, Mohammad Mousavi
  • Patent number: 11799292
    Abstract: An electric vehicle fast charger and methods thereof are described, adapted for re-use of magnetic components of an electric vehicle having traction converters when the electric vehicle is stationary and connected to a power grid. A switching stage provided by one or more sets of switches is controlled complementarily with the switches of the traction converters to (i) provide inversion of a grid voltage and (ii) shape current of the grid current between the electric vehicle and the power grid to track a waveshape of the grid voltage. A single switching stage and a dual switching stage circuit are contemplated, along with switch controller circuits, and instruction sets for switch control. Variants provide for energy transfer to accommodate for energy imbalances between storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ELEAPPOWER LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Lehn, Theodore Soong, Philippe Gray, Sepehr Semsar
  • Patent number: 11787306
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle, system, and control method include a traction battery having a first plurality of cells and a second plurality of cell monitoring circuits each having an associated at least one of the first plurality of cells, and a controller configured to control the cell monitoring circuits to measure voltage of the associated cells at an initial frequency until a state of charge (SOC) of the traction battery is established, and to measure voltage of the associated cells at a second frequency based on the SOC after the SOC is established to reduce heat generation of the cell monitoring circuits. The cell monitoring circuits may be controlled to asynchronously measure associated cell voltage and/or to reduce voltage/current conversion time when delta cell voltage and battery pack current are below respective thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, John Paul Gibeau, Baojin Wang
  • Patent number: 11787307
    Abstract: A MPU controls a changeover switch, which is an FET switch that connects a main battery and a sub-battery having a low rated voltage. The changeover switch is set to an ON state in a case where a potential difference, which is a difference between a voltage of the main battery and a voltage of the sub-battery, is equal to or greater than a positive first predetermined value. A PWM signal is output to a driver to cause the changeover switch to be in a half-ON state in a case where the potential difference is less than the first predetermined value and is greater than a second predetermined value equal to or less than 0. The changeover switch is set to an OFF state in a case where the potential difference is equal to or less than the second predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11780344
    Abstract: A management apparatus is configured to adjust an upper limit amount of electric power for charging. The management apparatus may be provided in an electric vehicle or a charging apparatus. The management apparatus may include a dial for adjusting the upper limit amount of electric power, and a user may be able to adjust the upper limit amount of electric power by operating the dial. A user who drives 300 km per week for commute may set the amount of electric power corresponding to 300 km (plus extra travel distance) for the upper limit amount of electric power. The user may connect a battery to the charging apparatus on weekends. When the battery has a capacity to store the amount of electric power corresponding to, for example, 500 km, the management apparatus may stop charging when the battery is charged with the set upper limit amount of electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichi Onishi, Makoto Kakuchi, Masashi Takahashi, Masakazu Habu, Kenji Kimura
  • Patent number: 11782094
    Abstract: A battery state estimation method includes acquiring an initial value of a vector-type parameter for modeling an electrochemical-thermal (ECT) model of a battery, extracting a predetermined point from the vector-type parameter based on the initial value, generating a target parameter based on the predetermined point, to minimize an error between an actual state of the battery and a state of the battery acquired from the ECT model, and estimating the state of the battery based on the target parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaeweon You, Jeonghyun Park, Jinho Kim
  • Patent number: 11780348
    Abstract: The present solution is directed to control of maximum current for regenerative charging of an EV battery. A battery management system (BMS) can facilitate, responsive to a first action by an actuator, a discharge of an EV battery. The BMS can identify, responsive to a second action by the actuator, a discharge capacity of the battery corresponding to the discharge associated with the first action. The BMS can determine, responsive to the second action, a temperature measurement and a state of charge measurement of the battery and determine, based on the temperature measurement, the state of charge measurement and the discharge capacity, a derate factor that can be used to modify a current level supplied to the battery during charging of the battery from energy generated responsive to the second action. The BMS can cause the battery to be charged according to the modified current level and the generated energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: RIVIAN IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Yang Hu, Linxiao Geng, Dapeng Wang, Rutooj Deelip Deshpande, Cuong Cao Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11775730
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include a computer-implemented method of hierarchical large block synthesis (HLBS). At least a partial ring is created around an HLBS structure. The partial ring includes at least one or more of filler elements, which are engineering change order (ECO) books for adding repeaters to wire dominated nets, and decoupling capacitors of relatively large sizes. Certain areas of the HLBS structure within the partial ring that exhibit a unique characteristic are identified. Decoupling capacitors of the relatively large sizes are disposed in the certain areas. A remainder of the areas of the HLBS structure are filled with engineering change order (ECO) books and decoupling capacitors of relatively small sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ofer Geva, Brittany Duffy, Timothy A. Schell, Eduard Herkel, Jesse Peter Surprise
  • Patent number: 11776765
    Abstract: An ultracapacitor that includes an energy storage cell immersed in an advanced electrolyte system and disposed within a hermetically sealed housing, the cell electrically coupled to a positive contact and a negative contact, wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to output electrical energy within a temperature range between about ?40 degrees Celsius to about 210 degrees Celsius. Methods of fabrication and use are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: FASTCAP SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fabrizio Martini, Riccardo Signorelli, John J. Cooley, Christopher John Sibbald Deane, James Epstein, Padmanaban Sasthan Kuttipillai, Lindsay A. Wilhelmus
  • Patent number: 11766947
    Abstract: A wireless-charging adapter is connectable to a direct current (DC) fast charger and includes an induction coil for wireless charging a second induction coil on a vehicle. In some instances, the adapter may include an electrical connector to mate with a DC fast charger. In addition, the adapter may include hardware and/or software to receive a DC from the DC fast charger and provide an alternating current (AC) to the induction coil. The induction coil of the adapter may be positioned (e.g., on a ground surface) to align with an induction coil on a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Vamsi Krishna Pathipati
  • Patent number: 11763052
    Abstract: A complete, unified material-to-systems simulation, design, and verification method for semiconductor design and manufacturing may include evaluating effects of semiconductor material or process changes on software algorithms. The method may include generating primitive circuit structures using the material or process changes; performing an electrical characterization of the primitive circuit structures; providing an output of the electrical characterization to a script to generate compact models; generating a digital system based on the compact models; and evaluating a performance of a software algorithm on the digital system to determine an effect of the material or process change for the semiconductor manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhuvaneshwari Ayyagari, Angada Bangalore Sachid
  • Patent number: 11763060
    Abstract: Techniques for generating one or more non-final layouts for an analog integrated circuit are disclosed. The techniques include generating a non-final layout of an analog integrated circuit based on device specifications, partitioning the non-final layout into a plurality of sub-cells, merging the verified sub-cells to form a merged layout of the analog integrated circuit, and performing quality control checks on the merged layout. Additionally or alternatively, generating the non-final layout can include determining an allowable spacing between adjacent cells of different cell types or inserting one or more filler cells into a filler zone in the non-final layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Tao Yang, Wen-Shen Chou, Yung-Chow Peng, Yung-Hsu Chuang
  • Patent number: 11755812
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first buried power rail, a second buried power rail, a first power pad in a first metal layer, and a first conductive segment beneath the first metal layer. The first buried power rail and the second buried power rail are both located beneath the first metal layer. The first power pad is configured to receive a first supply voltage through at least one first via. The first conductive segment is conductively connected to the first power pad through at least one second via between the first conductive segment and the first metal layer. The first conductive segment is conductively connected to the first buried power rail through at least one third via between the first conductive segment and the first buried power rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shih-Wei Peng, Wei-Cheng Lin, Jiann-Tyng Tzeng
  • Patent number: 11745603
    Abstract: Example embodiments of systems, devices, and methods are provided for charging and discharging energy systems having multiple modules arranged in cascaded fashion for generating and storing power. Each module can include an energy source and switch circuitry that selectively couples the energy source to other modules in the system for generating power or for receiving and storing power from a charge source. The energy systems can be arranged in single phase or multiphase topologies with multiple serial or interconnected arrays. The embodiments are capable of being charged with multiphase AC charge signals, a single phase AC charge signal, and/or a DC charge signal. Embodiments implementing the modular energy system within a charge source for performing multiphase, single phase AC, or DC charging of electric vehicles are also disclosed. Also disclosed are multi-motor embodiments and embodiments with the capability to power active suspensions and active steering systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TAE Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail Slepchenkov, Roozbeh Naderi, Milan Bhakta, Romi S. Kadri
  • Patent number: 11745620
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an electric traction energy storage, at least two DC voltage converters, and a contact device for electrically contacting a vehicle-external energy source. The at least two DC voltage converters are each connected in series at a first side. The contact device is connected to the first sides of the DC voltage converters. The traction energy storage is connected to second sides of the DC voltage converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Martin Dehm
  • Patent number: 11750020
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing having a first connector port at a first end of the housing and a second connector port at a second end of the housing. The first end and the second end are opposite one another. An activator is configured to simultaneously move the first connector port and the second connector port when a force is applied. When the first connector port is extended beyond the housing, the second connector port is retracted into the housing, and when the second connector port is extended beyond the housing, the first connector port is retracted into the housing. An internal battery is coupled to the first connector port and configured to be charged via the first connector port from an external power source, and coupled to the second connector port and configured to provide power via the second connector port to an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick Tagtow, Daniel Craig Tagtow, Jeffrey William Bull