Patents Examined by Pia Tibbits
  • Patent number: 6798172
    Abstract: A battery capacity recovery apparatus and method thereof periodically conducts discharge and recharge operations for a battery used in a wireless telephone to prevent a memory effect on the battery. The battery capacity recovery apparatus includes a control unit for controlling the system of the wireless telephone, and a voltage detecting unit for measuring a voltage condition of the battery, and outputting a signal indicative of the measured voltage condition to the control unit. A recharge detecting unit is connected to a constant voltage unit and is included in a recharge device. The recharge detecting unit detects whether or not a handset unit of the telecommunication device is connected to the recharge device, and a recovery path establishing unit is adapted to establish a path for recovering the capacity of the battery under a control of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Gwang Su Kim
  • Patent number: 6798165
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine that is assisted by an electric motor powered by a traction battery, the electric motor is operated in a generating mode to charge the vehicle battery during periods when neither acceleration assist nor regenerative braking are being performed. Torque of the electric motor is adjusted by a controller to generate a battery charge current which regulates the voltage of the battery to a selected setpoint. The setpoint is determined as a function of vehicle operating parameters, including but not limited to battery temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kert L. Cartwright, Brian Munari
  • Patent number: 6794846
    Abstract: A power source unit includes an inverter connected to a power transfer device, a first battery that can be charged and discharged through the inverter and a second battery that can be charged and discharged through the inverter. The second battery has a power voltage lower than that of the first battery. The power source unit further includes a power conversion device connected to the inverter, providing a transforming function, and a switching device provided between the power conversion device and the first and second batteries. The switching device switches a connection between the power conversion device and the first battery, and the power conversion device and the second battery. The inverter is connected to the first and the second batteries through the power conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kimitoshi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 6794771
    Abstract: A fault-tolerant multi-point flame sense circuit utilizes a single electronic switch to signal the presence or absence of flame to an electronic controller. Multiple flame sense electrodes may be input to this circuit. By configuring these electrodes in accordance with the present invention, cross-contamination of a single failed flame sense electrode will not affect the other flame sense electrodes' ability to sense a flame at their associated burner. The circuit provides inputs for a number of flame sense electrodes via input channels that are capacitively coupled to the line voltage and resistively coupled to an RC network that controls the state of an electronic switch. When a flame is present at any one of the electrodes, the resulting unbalance current flow through the RC network turns the switch off to indicate the presence of flame. This operation is not affected by a short on any other electrode in the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventor: Brian L. Orloff
  • Patent number: 6794845
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a charging device (900) is capable of receiving a first device (102) coupled to a second device (100). The first device has a first battery associated therewith and the second device has a second battery associated therewith. The charging device is capable of charging the first battery and the second battery in one of the following manners: charging the first and second batteries in a serial manner, charging the first and second batteries in a parallel manner, and charging the second battery from the energy stored in the first battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott H. Richards, Anthony J. Cecchin, Charles F. Jackson, Joseph E. Phillips
  • Patent number: 6794852
    Abstract: A method and system for accurately reporting battery capacity is disclosed herein. The disclosed method and system prevent the reporting of discontinuous capacity values resulting from starting or stopping recharge cycles. The disclosed method and system prevent over or under reporting of battery capacity due to the transition between charge and discharge curves in a battery model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Phat H. Tran
  • Patent number: 6795302
    Abstract: A method and system determines the status of an external power supply connection to an information handling system. A subsystem manager of the information handling system compares an external power source identification signal and a power available signal to determine whether external power is available, unavailable or faulty. For instance, an information handling system configured as a portable computer receives external power from an AC/DC converter along with an identification signal for the converter. A state machine running on the portable computer system's Super I/O compares the identification signal and a power available signal from an internal charger to determine state of the external power source and indicate the state to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Robert Kluth, Christian L. Critz
  • Patent number: 6794847
    Abstract: The charging system for a vehicle includes: a motor generator which operates as a generator to generate an alternating current when the motor generator is driven by an internal combustion engine, and operates as a motor when an alternating current is supplied thereto; a switching circuit for converting the alternating current generated by the motor generator into a direct current; a first accumulator accumulating therein the direct current converted by the switching circuit; a second accumulator accumulating therein the direct current converted by the switching circuit and having a smaller accumulation voltage than that of the first accumulator; a first opening/closing unit interposed between the first accumulator and the switching circuit; a second opening/closing unit interposed between the second accumulator and the switching circuit; and, a control unit for controlling the opening and closing of the first and second opening/closing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Hosoda, Masaaki Kaizuka, Kazunari Takahashi, Shigeru Aoki
  • Patent number: 6794851
    Abstract: A charging circuit charging predetermined first and second batteries includes: a circuit configuration by which a second charging current charging the second battery is obtained by subtracting a first charging current charging the first battery from a current supplied by a power source; and a current setting part that sets the second charging current smaller than the first charging current at least at the beginning of charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Murakami, Hidetoshi Hamai
  • Patent number: 6794850
    Abstract: Battery holder 10 includes a housing 12 with a recess 14 for receiving a battery 16. The housing 12 supports a first electrical contact 18, a second electrical contact 20 and a third electrical contact 22. First contact 18 makes electrical contact with a first terminal 24 of the battery 16. The second electrical contact 20 is at an opposite end of the housing 12 and makes electrical contact with second terminal 26 of battery 16. The third electrical contact 22 does not make direct contact with the battery 16. Rather, contact 22 is in electrical contact with one end of a switch 28 supported by the housing 12. Switch 12 is in the form of an elongated strip 30 of electrically conductive material seated in and along a groove 31 formed on an outer surface of the body 12, and is provided with an upstanding finger or tang 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mortlach Holdings Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Ian McKay
  • Patent number: 6794849
    Abstract: A portable personal computer (2) makes access to a service handling server (1) set up on the Internet (5), and transmits data from a power source monitor (4). The service handling server (1) identifies a model type of the personal computer (2), refers the received data to a power source information database (22), determines whether good or bad, transmits a reply notifying a determination result when there is no abnormality, and transmits abnormality action information using an e-mail when there is an abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Iichiro Mori, Koichi Toriyama
  • Patent number: 6791811
    Abstract: A current sense circuit includes a current sense device and a voltage sense device. The current sense device is positioned to sense a drive current provided to a load by a drive circuit. The voltage sense device is coupled across the current sense device and receives a threshold signal at a first input and provides an output signal on an output whose value is dependent upon whether a sense signal at a second input is above or below the threshold signal. A level of the threshold signal changes in response to a voltage level of a power supply that supplies the drive current to the drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: G. Bruce Poe, Robert R. Turnbull
  • Patent number: 6791300
    Abstract: The charging method includes the steps of charging a battery pack, sensing voltage of the battery pack, calculating voltage change rate, detecting a first inflection point based on the voltage change rate so long as a voltage step is not detected, detecting a second inflection point based on the voltage change rate so long as a voltage step is not detected, and reducing current sent to the battery pack when both first and second inflection points have been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Danh T. Trinh, Paul S. White, Daniele C. Brotto
  • Patent number: 6787935
    Abstract: A battery sensor device has a fastening device that can be directly fastened to the pole of a vehicle battery. The battery sensor and the fastening device are combined to an integrated component. The fastening device is fastened to a single pole only and is provided with a terminal that is conventional in motor vehicles. Alternatively or additionally, the component is adapted to conventional battery pole troughs as regards its shape and size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andreas Heim
  • Patent number: 6788027
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to store electrical energy in, for example, a vehicle. In an example system, a storage module is provided including one or more capacitors, a sensor to measure the temperature of the capacitor(s), and a control device that controls the voltage at the capacitor(s) so that the maximum voltage at the storage module and/or the individual capacitor(s) increases as the temperature decreases. The aging of the capacitor(s) and in particular electrochemical capacitors strongly depends on the temperature in addition to the operating voltage. Controlling the capacitor voltage based on temperature can, therefore, substantially reduce the aging of the capacitor(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Continental ISAD Electronic Systems GmbH & Co., oHG
    Inventor: Manfred Malik
  • Patent number: 6788028
    Abstract: The present invention provides a battery charger of mobile phone capable of charging a battery rapidly and fully, by charging the battery rapidly with pulse up to a predetermined level of the charging capacity of the battery, and then by charging with constant voltage until the battery is fully charged, and a charging method for the same; the battery charger comprising: a main control means, which controls pulse voltage charging and constant voltage charging based on the charging state of the battery; a constant voltage charging control means, which controls charging of the battery with constant voltage under control of the above main control means; a pulse charging control means, which detects charging voltage of the battery and controls charging of the battery with pulse voltage based on the detected charging voltage under control of the above main control means; and a charging means, which charges the battery by outputting pulse voltage or constant voltage after DC power has been applied under control of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: SK Teletech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Won Lee
  • Patent number: 6784635
    Abstract: A vehicle electrical system is disclosed having a plurality of electrical subsystems for supplying power to different component groups of the vehicle. A voltage regulator is provided each subsystem for setting the voltage on each electrical subsystem independently of the other electrical subsystems. One such subsystem includes a battery having a grounded terminal and an ungrounded terminal. An electrical system controller including data processing capacity provides control of the voltage level on the charging subsystem through a charging regulator having an output connected to the ungrounded terminal of the battery and a control input. An electrical power generator is connected to energize the charging regulator. Instrumentation connected to the electrical system controller provides measurements of current discharged from the battery, current delivered to the battery, and battery temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Gerald L. Larson
  • Patent number: 6784640
    Abstract: The present method for indicating a battery state of a hybrid car detects &Dgr;V/&Dgr;I which is a change value of voltage and current from a first state and a second state of a battery 1 being charged/discharged. The battery state indicating method determines whether the battery is charged/discharged in a battery protective state based on the &Dgr;V/&Dgr;I and indicates that the battery protective state is established when the battery is charged/discharged in a protective state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Mizuta, Kenichi Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 6781346
    Abstract: A charging system is used for contactless transfer of electric power from a charging unit to a mobile unit. The system includes a first substantially U-shaped ferrite core which is operable to be located within the charging unit. The first core includes a base area and two leg areas. Each leg area of the first core includes a pole face. A first winding is arranged on the base area of the first ferrite core. The system also includes a second substantially U-shaped ferrite core which is operable to be located within a mobile unit. The second core includes a base area and two leg areas. Each leg area of the second core includes a pole face. A second winding is arranged on the base area of the second ferrite core. The first ferrite core has larger cross-sectional dimensions than the second ferrite core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Friwo Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Arno Reinhard, Ralf gen.Berghegger Schröeder
  • Patent number: 6777915
    Abstract: A charge control means (10) provided for a battery charging apparatus (1) conducts protection control for a battery pack (2) by transmitting a signal to an output control switch (14) for turning off an output when a rise rate of the temperature of the battery pack (2) detected based on information from a temperature detection terminal (8) is equal to or more than a predetermined value, or a rise rate of the voltage of the battery pack (2) detected based on information from a voltage detection terminal (9) is equal to or less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshizawa, Junichi Shinbara, Masakage Komori