Patents Examined by Pinping Sun
  • Patent number: 11440433
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (100) for determining an adjusted state-of-charge (SOC) operating window of a battery pack assembly in a vehicle. The method comprises the steps of determining (120) an energy throughput or an electrical current through put of the battery pack assembly; determining (130) a SOC operating window margin based on said determined energy throughput or electrical current through put of the battery pack assembly;adjusting (140) the SOC operating window in response to the determined SOC operating window margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Simon Brunet, Tobias Smidebrant
  • Patent number: 11437854
    Abstract: An apparatus for secondary wireless power transfer includes a WPT secondary pad that receives power wirelessly from a WPT primary pad. The secondary pad includes a first winding and a second winding in parallel with the first winding. The apparatus includes a first rectification section that receives power from the first winding and a second rectification section that receives power from the second winding. The first rectification section is connected in parallel with the second rectification section. The parallel connection between the first and second rectification sections form output terminals. The apparatus includes a switch connecting the first winding in series with the second winding and a controller that intermittently opens and closes the switch to control voltage and current at the output terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification, LLC
    Inventors: Patrice Lethellier, Marcellus Harper
  • Patent number: 11437853
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus includes a first power transmission coil having a planar shape, and a second power transmission coil having a planar shape, arranged outside the first power transmission coil. The second power transmission coil has an opening with a diameter greater than that of an opening of the first power transmission coil in a direction of a line of intersection on which a plane including a coil plane of the first power transmission coil and a plane including a coil plane of the second power transmission coil intersect with each other. The power transmission apparatus transmits power to a power reception coil without contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroji Akahori
  • Patent number: 11437864
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present specification is a wireless power reception device comprising: a power pickup unit for receiving wireless power from a wireless power transmission device by means of magnetic coupling with the wireless power transmission device and transforming, into a direct current signal, an alternating current signal generated by wireless power; a communication/control unit for receiving the direct current signal from the power pickup unit, transmitting, to the wireless power transmission device, a first power transmission suspension packet for temporarily suspending transmission of the wireless power in order to detect a foreign object, and performing a foreign object detection procedure within a predetermined time window when the transmission of the wireless power is temporarily suspended; and a load for receiving the direct current signal from the power pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyunghwan Kim, Gyunghwan Yook, Yongcheol Park, Jinmoo Park
  • Patent number: 11430597
    Abstract: An inductor magnetic core and an inductor using the same are disclosed. The inductor magnetic core includes a middle column, an upper yoke, a lower yoke, and at least two high magnetically-permeable side columns. The middle column is disposed between a middle part of the upper yoke and a middle part of the lower yoke, a coil is wound the middle column, and a saturation magnetic flux density of the middle column is higher than that of the upper yoke and the lower yoke. The at least two high magnetically-permeable side columns are disposed in interval between the upper yoke and the lower yoke, and two ends of each high magnetically-permeable side column are connected to outer edges of the upper yoke and the lower yoke, respectively. The inductor magnetic core and the inductor of the present invention improves utilization of the yoke, and also provide compact structure and simple production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: MAGSONDER INNOVATION (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhi Huang, Jiang Chu, Yuetao Duan, Guilin Jiang
  • Patent number: 11424601
    Abstract: Systems and methods for configuring, with an external device, a power distribution box having priority disconnects. The power distribution box includes a housing portion and a base portion elevating the housing portion. The power distribution box receives power from an external power source and distributes the power to a plurality of alternating current (AC) output receptacles. The power distribution box further includes an antenna and a power disconnect controller coupled to the antenna to communicate with and be configured by an external device, such as a smart phone, tablet, or laptop computer. Using the external device, a user can configure the priority level and mode of the AC output receptacles. In the case of high current, the power distribution box will disconnect receptacles in accordance with the priority level and mode configuration provided by the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew J. Mergener, Jeremy R. Ebner
  • Patent number: 11424061
    Abstract: A latch system includes a releasably secured latch or keeper and a solenoid assembly. The solenoid assembly has a solenoid driver coupled to a power supply, a switching circuit connected with the solenoid driver, and a function generator to selectively adjust a frequency of a pick current output from the power supply and provided to the solenoid driver. The frequency is adjusted until the pick current induces a resulting vibration of said latch system sufficient to free a preloaded latch or keeper. The adjusted frequency may be a target frequency or a range of frequencies. Also included may be a preload sensor. When a preload is sensed, the frequency may be adjusted by the function generator until the pick current induces a resulting vibration of said latch system sufficient to free a preloaded latch or keeper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Hanchett Entry Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Randall Shaffer
  • Patent number: 11418064
    Abstract: A system including a plurality of space-based satellites is disclosed where each satellite has at least one of an energy capture component and an energy generator component, an energy conversion component to convert the at least one of captured energy and generated energy into a power beam for wireless transmission, and a communication system to provide for each satellite in the plurality of space-based satellites to communicate between each other. The system also includes a controller to control power beam generation from at least one satellite of the plurality of satellites. Another system and method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: REDWIRE SPACE, INC.
    Inventor: Michael P. Snyder
  • Patent number: 11418031
    Abstract: A transformer includes a magnetic core having multiple limbs. The transformer also includes a direct current (DC) bias winding wound around a specified one of the limbs. The transformer further includes a DC amplifier electrically connected to the DC bias winding. The DC amplifier is configured to receive a first signal associated with a load output current or voltage. The DC amplifier is also configured to determine an amount of a current for the DC bias winding based on the first signal. The DC amplifier is further configured to send the determined amount of current through the DC bias winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Stephen B. Kuznetsov
  • Patent number: 11418061
    Abstract: Techniques for wireless power transfer are disclosed. An example of an apparatus for receiving power in a wireless power transfer system includes a power receiving element, a tuning and current doubler circuit operably coupled to the power receiving element, a power flow controller circuit operably coupled to the tuning and current doubler circuit, and a controller operable coupled to the power receiving element and the power flow controller circuit and configured to detect a signal in the power receiving element and to synchronize the power flow controller circuit based on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Pavlovsky, Felix Weidner, Nicholas Athol Keeling
  • Patent number: 11411443
    Abstract: An electronic device according to various embodiments may be configured to cause a control circuit to: control a first switch, a second switch, or a combination of the first switch and the second switch, in order to electrically connect a ground terminal to a first capacitor, a second capacitor, or a combination of the first capacitor and the second capacitor, while the electronic device operates in a first mode for providing power to a first external electronic device; control the first switch and the second switch in order to electrically disconnect the first capacitor and the second capacitor from the ground terminal, and control the third switch in order to control a path of an electrical signal which passes through the fourth capacitor, while the electronic device operates in a second mode for acquiring power from a second external electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoungwon Kim, Yusu Kim, Kyungmin Park, Juhyang Lee, Byungyeol Choi
  • Patent number: 11404206
    Abstract: A monitoring system is described which comprises a sensor device for generating sensor data, the sensor device having a secondary coil, and a receiver device having a controller, and a primary coil for wirelessly communicating with the sensor device, the receiver device being operable to wirelessly charge the sensor device via inductive coupling between the primary and secondary coils. A quality factor of the primary coil is controllable, and the controller is operable to control the quality factor of the primary coil to be higher when the receiver device is wirelessly charging the sensor device than when the receiver device is receiving sensor data from the sensor device. As a result, the same coil can be used both for efficient power transfer (wireless charging) by using the coil in a (relatively) high quality factor mode, and for reliable data communications by using the coil in a (relatively) low quality factor mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Verso Biosense Group Limited
    Inventors: Shilong Lu, Tianze Guo
  • Patent number: 11404199
    Abstract: An inductor includes a coil having a winding portion of a conductor wound in a two-stage spiral shape and an extended portion extended from the winding portion, an element body containing the coil, and an outer electrode. The winding portion is arranged such that a winding axis intersects a first pair of surfaces, is substantially orthogonal to the first pair of surfaces as viewed from a second pair of surface side, and intersects a normal line on the first pair of surfaces as viewed from a third pair of surfaces side. Respective pairs of surfaces are opposed to one another, and the winding axis is inclined in a direction where an exposed portion exposed on a surface of the element body is positioned closer to an intermediate surface at an equal distance from respective first pair of surfaces relative to the normal line on the first pair of surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuusuke Morita
  • Patent number: 11396235
    Abstract: A method for operating a traction power supply system of an electrically-driven transportation vehicle in response to a short circuit, wherein the traction power supply system includes a voltage source and at least two electric drive units connected to the voltage source via respective electrical distribution paths, and wherein at least one electrical isolating element for selective isolation of the voltage source is arranged in the distribution path of each drive unit, wherein, in response to a short circuit in the traction power supply system being detected, the method includes detecting in which distribution path and/or in which drive unit the short circuit is present; operating the traction power supply system in a ready-to-drive state, wherein only that drive unit in which or in the distribution path of which the short circuit is present is isolated from the voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Inventors: Fabian Albrecht, Marcus Sommerfeld
  • Patent number: 11397451
    Abstract: A highly convenient electronic device used while being worn on a body is provided. The electronic device is an arm-worn electronic device including a display panel, a power storage device, a circuit, and a sealing structure. The display panel displays an image with power supplied from the power storage device. The circuit includes an antenna and charges the power storage device wirelessly. Inside the sealing structure, the display panel, the power storage device, and the circuit are provided. The sealing structure includes a portion that transmits visible light. The sealing structure can be worn on an arm or is connected to a structure body that can be worn on an arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Yoshitani, Hideaki Kuwabara, Natsuko Takase
  • Patent number: 11394245
    Abstract: A transformer system is provided that includes an ensemble of four magnetically coupled coils having fixed spacing geometry. The ensemble of four magnetically coupled coils includes a load coil, a primary resonant coil, a drive coil and a secondary resonant coil. All coils are coupled in the transformer system, but the first resonant coil is highly coupled with the drive coil so that the resonant coil can receive energy from the drive coil and the second resonant coil is highly coupled to the load coil so that the load coil can extract energy efficiently from the second resonant coil. Additionally, the primary resonant coil may be at least partially nested coaxially inside the drive coil and/or the secondary resonant coil may be at least partially nested coaxially inside the load coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Chathan M. Cooke, Angel J. Carvajal
  • Patent number: 11387680
    Abstract: A transformer system is provided that includes four magnetically coupled coils having fixed spacing geometry. The four magnetically coupled coils include a drive coil that produces magnetic fields and a load coil. All coils are coupled in the transformer system, but the first resonant coil is highly coupled with the drive coil so that the resonant coil can receive energy from the drive coil and the second resonant coil is highly coupled to the load coil so that the load coil can extract energy efficiently from the second resonant coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Chathan M. Cooke, Angel J. Carvajal
  • Patent number: 11387678
    Abstract: A wireless power system has wireless power transmitting and receiving devices. The transmitting and receiving devices convey wireless power using stacked resonant structures. The stacked resonant structures are self-resonant and have a parallel-coupled inductance and capacitance. The structures include a magnetic core having a central post and stacked ceramic layers within the magnetic core and laterally surrounding the central post. The structures include interleaved first and second sets of antiparallel-oriented C-shaped conductive layers and are driven using drive traces. The drive traces are formed from one of the C-shaped conductive layers or from conductive traces on a drive printed circuit board that underlies the stacked ceramic layers. The traces include one or more loops running around the central post. Host circuitry for the structures may have a central tap terminal coupled to the traces. If desired, a shield layer may overlap the conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Parnell
  • Patent number: 11387690
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter has electromagnets and a transmitter coil mounted on a moving plate. Current in the main DC circuit is switched into the electromagnets by transistors that control the amount and direction of current through the electromagnets to control the strength and polarity of electromagnetic fields generated by the electromagnets. A controller initially drives a high gate voltage onto transistors to cause the electromagnets on the transmitter to generate a maximum attractive force with magnets on the receiver, causing the moving plate to move the transmitter coil into closer alignment with the receiver coil. A power factor is measured on both receiver and transmitter to estimate the power transfer efficiency. The controller then reduces the gate voltage by a step size and the power factors are measured again. The gate voltage continues to be adjusted to optimize the power transfer efficiency until reaching a maxima.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company, Limited
    Inventors: Minglu Xia, Kun Wu, Ziyang Gao
  • Patent number: 11387658
    Abstract: A power distribution system including a first power module and a second power module. The first power module including a first power input receiving an input power, a first transformer receiving the input power and outputting a transformed power, a first power output configured to output the input power, a second power output configured to output the transformed power, and a pass-through output configured to output input power. The second power module including a third power input receiving the input power, from the pass-through output of the first power module, a fourth transformer receiving the input power and outputting the transformed power, a first power output configured to output the input power, and a second power output configured to output the transformed power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Nelson Bonilla