Patents Examined by Rexford N. Barnie
  • Patent number: 11764616
    Abstract: This application relates to an extremely high frequency (mmWave) wireless power transfer device, method, and system using a Rotman lens. The device includes a radio frequency (RF) chain including transmitters individually generating signals of a mmWave band, and adjusting phase and amplitude of each generated signal. The device may also include a switch matrix connected to the RF chain, having a matrix structure, and generating a beam pattern where the adjusted signals are combined through the switches. The device may further include a Rotman lens connected to the switch matrix and performing a signal beamforming of the beam pattern according to predetermined transmission paths, an antenna part connected to the Rotman lens and radiating the beamformed signal, and a controller controlling at least one of the phase, amplitude, beam pattern, or transmission path of the signal so that the signal is radiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: KOREA ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chang Seok Yun, Young Han Kim, Hyun Seuk Ahn
  • Patent number: 11756728
    Abstract: The present application relates to an apparatus which comprises a wireless power transfer (WPT) system. This system comprises features which allow it to transfer more power wirelessly at extended distances than other systems operating in the same frequency range. The system possesses heat dissipation features; these features allow it to operate effectively in elevated-temperature environments, and to transfer power at higher levels and/or greater distances than a typical power-transfer system. The system also might include design features to withstand mechanical shocks, stresses, and impacts for use in a rugged environment. The system can also comprise adaptations to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI), and can comprise specially shaped components with magnetic/ferrimagnetic properties that enhance performance. Other potential features include power conditioning by combining, within one circuit or one board, multiple elements that protect against excessive current, over-voltage, and/or reverse voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NuCurrent, Inc.
    Inventors: Pavel Shostak, Oleg Los, Unnati Wadkar, Jason Luzinski, Md. Nazmul Alam, Mark D. Melone, Matt Zamborsky, Jacob Babcock, Alberto Peralta, Christine Frysz
  • Patent number: 11757309
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for detecting foreign objects in a wireless power transmission system. This specification provides a wireless power reception apparatus for detecting foreign objects, including a power measurement unit for generating required power information indicative of required power for the wireless power reception apparatus, sending the required power information to a wireless power transmission apparatus, and measuring power induced from the wireless power transmission apparatus and a secondary coil for receiving the power induced from the wireless power transmission apparatus. In accordance with the present invention, foreign objects intervened between the wireless power transmission apparatus and the wireless power reception apparatus are recognized, and a user removes the foreign objects. Accordingly, damage to a device attributable to foreign objects can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chun-Kil Jung, Sug Ky Hong
  • Patent number: 11757301
    Abstract: A carriers synchronizing method of a hybrid frequency parallel inverter is proposed. A low-frequency ripple simulating step is performed to drive a high-frequency controlling unit to simulate a low-frequency ripple. An equidistant grid sampling step is performed to drive the high-frequency controlling unit to sample a sample ripple to generate a sample group and sample the low-frequency ripple to generate a plurality of low-frequency reference groups. An actual shifting angle searching step is performed to drive the high-frequency controlling unit to compare the sample group with the low-frequency reference groups to search an actual shifting angle from the reference shifting angles. A high-frequency carrier adjusting step is performed to drive a proportional integral controller to calculate the actual shifting angle to generate a sync reference, and then a period counter adjusts a starting point of the high-frequency carrier according to the sync reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tsai-Fu Wu, Temir Sakavov, Yen-Hsiang Huang
  • Patent number: 11750026
    Abstract: An assembly for harvesting power from one or more power cables. The assembly includes a current transformer operable to harvest power from the one or more power cables and a controller operable to control an amount of power harvested by the current transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NOVINIUM, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob Smith, Kenneth Taylor, Weston Philips Chapin Ford
  • Patent number: 11745030
    Abstract: A motion-enable device includes a mechanical switch and a capacitive sensor with a sensing region that is located adjacent to the mechanical switch. The mechanical switch enables a first signal when closed or actuated that indicates that the mechanical switch is in an active state. The capacitive sensor enables a second signal when a conductive object is disposed in the sensing region, where the second signal indicates that the capacitive sensor is in an active state. Enablement of operation of an apparatus depends on receipt of both the first signal and the second signal. The mechanical switch and the capacitive sensor act as the two separate switches required by functional safety requirements for a motion enable device. Because the sensing region of the capacitive sensor is adjacent to the mechanical switch, the first and second signals are generated when an operator actuates the mechanical switch with a single digit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Ross Hannibal, Wade Curtiss
  • Patent number: 11745594
    Abstract: A method for a dynamic inductive wireless power transmission includes providing an AC/DC power converter that receives three-phase power and provides regulated DC output current, connecting a trunk cable to the AC/DC power converter output and to multiple power transmitter modules. The trunk cable connects inputs of the power transmitter modules in series. The power transmitter modules transmit inductive wireless power over an air gap. The method includes providing a system controller that detects a vehicle containing a receiver coil and confirms if the vehicle should receive the inductive wireless power from the multiple power transmitter modules, and includes configuring the system controller to communicate with the AC/DC power converter to maintain the regulated DC output current at a constant value and transmit the inductive wireless power to the vehicle through the multiple power transmitter modules when the vehicle should receive the inductive wireless power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Utah State University
    Inventors: Hongjie Wang, Regan A. Zane
  • Patent number: 11750118
    Abstract: An energy harvesting roller for a cargo handling system may comprise a shaft and a sleeve located on the shaft. A piezoelectric member may be coupled to the sleeve. A shell may be located radially outward of the piezoelectric member and configured to rotate relative to the sleeve. A radially inward surface of the shell may define at least one of a plurality of grooves or a plurality of protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Saritha Bykothuru Srinivasa Reddy, Thirunavukkarasu Ramalingam, Elangovan Palaniappan
  • Patent number: 11750106
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a rectifier coupled to a coil of a wireless power transfer system, the rectifier comprising a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first leg comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series between a first voltage bus and a second voltage bus, and the second leg comprise a third switch and a fourth switch connected in series between the first voltage bus and the second voltage bus, and wherein a gate drive signal of the first switch is derived from a signal in phase with a voltage on a first terminal of the coil, and a gate drive signal of the third switch is derived from a signal in phase with a voltage on a second terminal of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NuVolta Technologies (Hefei) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junxiao Chen, Gang Dai, Jinbiao Huang
  • Patent number: 11750034
    Abstract: A conductor arrangement for an inductive power transfer, the conductor arrangement comprising at least three coils arranged along a longitudinal axis and formed of at least one conductor; and at least two winding heads arranged opposite one another and in which conductor sections of each coil extend along one another and along the longitudinal axis; wherein, within at least one of the winding heads, the conductor sections of the first and second coils that extend along the longitudinal axis are arranged at a first distance to one another, the first distance ?zero, and the conductor section of the third coil that extends along the longitudinal axis is arranged at second distances to said conductor sections of the first and second coils, the second distances being larger than the first distance. Also disclosed are an inductive power transfer arrangement and methods for providing conductor arrangements for an inductive power transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Bombardier Primove GmbH
    Inventors: Konrad Woronowicz, Robert Czainski
  • Patent number: 11749987
    Abstract: Devices and method for selecting voltage sources. A wireless device can include a transceiver configured to process radio-frequency signals, an antenna in communication with the transceiver configured to facilitate transmission of an amplified radio-frequency signal, and a voltage regulator. The wireless device can also include a voltage selection module. The voltage selection module may include an analog voltage input. The voltage selection module may also include a digital based voltage input. The voltage selection module further includes a control component coupled to the analog voltage input and the digital based voltage input, the control component configured to determine whether to use a first voltage received from the analog voltage input or a second voltage received from the digital based voltage input to generate an output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: David Alan Brown
  • Patent number: 11750033
    Abstract: A method comprises detecting a signal representing a current level at a power switch of a resonant converter with a sense switch coupled to the power switch and formed on a same semiconductor die, wherein the resonant converter comprises a primary side and a secondary side magnetically coupled to the primary side, and adjusting a capacitance of a variable capacitance network of the resonant converter based upon the current level of the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Quanten Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Hengchun Mao, Bo Yang, Zeng Li
  • Patent number: 11742675
    Abstract: A method of controlling charging and discharging of a power station equipped with multiple battery packs, performed by a power station including N (N is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) battery packs mounted to be electrically charged/discharged and including a main controller controlling the charging/discharging, includes charging, by the main controller, the N battery packs in a determined charge order by controlling N input relay units connecting the N battery packs to an external charge source, and when a load is connected from the outside during the charging operation, calculating, by the main controller, an amount of electricity required by the load, controlling N output relay units connecting the N battery packs to the load to connect battery packs by the number corresponding to the calculated amount of electricity to the load and perform a discharging operation, wherein the charging operation and the discharging operation are performed simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Inventor: Jung Sub Choi
  • Patent number: 11742778
    Abstract: Disclosed are a grid-connected power conversion system and a control method thereof. The grid-connected power conversion system includes a fuel cell stack generating a DC voltage, a power conversion system (PCS) converting the DC voltage supplied from the stack into an AC voltage, a multi-input transformer including a primary coil having a plurality of voltage input terminals and a secondary coil transforming a magnitude of the voltage applied to the primary coil and outputting the transformed voltage, the plurality of voltage input terminals determining the number of turns of the primary coil differently from each other, one of the plurality of voltage input terminals receiving the AC voltage converted in the PCS, and a controller selecting the one of the plurality of voltage input terminals of the multi-input transformer based on the magnitude of the DC voltage generated from the stack and determining whether to replace the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yong Doo Son
  • Patent number: 11742659
    Abstract: A power system for an electrical system with highly fluctuating loads is powered by one or more power sources that are slow to react to load changes. The power sources are connected to electrical equipment used on the drill rig which provide active load to the generate. One or more load banks may be positioned to provide passive load to the generators to maintain generally constant generator load, while allowing for instant access to power as active load increases. Generators may be run at 100% capacity, a maximum efficient capacity, or at a high enough level to allow for a sufficiently rapid increase in power output. At least one parameter of a drilling operation may be utilized to anticipate load demand changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: NABORS DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
    Inventors: Beat Kuttel, Tommy Scarborough, Kevin Williams, Gary Pace, James Garaghty
  • Patent number: 11735952
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system is provided. The UPS system includes a first input configured to be coupled to an input power source, a second input configured to be coupled to an energy storage device, an output configured to provide output power, a power conversion circuit (PCC) configured to convert power received from at least one of the input power source or the energy storage device, an output circuit coupled to the PCC and the output, and a controller. The PCC includes a first inductor and a second inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor. The controller is configured to control the PCC to provide, via the first inductor, DC power derived from the input power source to the output circuit, and provide, via the first and second inductors, DC power derived from the energy storage device to the output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pradeep Tolakanahalli Nagabhushanrao, Chandrasekaran Jayaraman
  • Patent number: 11735962
    Abstract: A wireless charging system having a power transmitter may wirelessly transfer power to a power receiver. Shield saturation, such as saturation of a ferrite structure, in the wireless power receiver may occur under some operating conditions. Saturation can lead to disruptive oscillations in power transfer. The power transmitting may include control circuitry for detecting and mitigating saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam L. Schwartz, Alireza Safaee, Stephen C. Terry, Zhiyuan Hu
  • Patent number: 11735924
    Abstract: A storage system configured for use with an energy management system is provided and includes a single-phase AC coupled battery or a three-phase AC coupled battery, a plurality of microinverters that are configured to connect to one or more battery cell core pack that form a local grid, and a controller configured to detect when to charge or discharge the single-phase AC coupled battery or the three-phase AC coupled battery so that energy can be stored therein when energy is abundant and used when energy is scarce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Emphase Energy Inc.
    Inventor: Mohammad Chehreghani Bozchalui
  • Patent number: 11733101
    Abstract: This patent specification relates to various smart-home systems. Such a system may include a battery-powered smart home device that communicates using a first wireless protocol characterized by relatively low power usage and relatively low data rates. Such a system may further include a smart wall outlet device. The smart wall outlet device may include wireless communication circuitry comprising a first wireless interface and a second wireless interface. The first wireless interface may be configured to communicate with the battery-powered smart home device using the first wireless protocol. The second wireless interface may be configured to serve as a communication bridge between the battery-powered smart home device and a wireless network that uses a second communication protocol characterized by relatively higher power usage and relatively higher data rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Anthony M. Fadell, Matthew L. Rogers, Yoky Matsuoka, David Sloo, Maxime Veron, Isabel I. Guenette, Shigefumi Honjo
  • Patent number: 11728690
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter pulses the transmit power level unresponsively to the wireless power receiver's power requests in order to perform foreign object detection (FOD). The FOD is performed by the transmitter analyzing the receiver's responses to the pulsed power. Some embodiments avoid mistaking FOD for coil misalignment. Other features are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics America Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus Smith, Gustavo Mehas, Tao Qi