Patents Examined by Richard Isla-Rodas
  • Patent number: 9260031
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the field of distributed charging of electrical assets. In various examples, distributed charging of electrical assets may be implemented in the form of systems, methods and/or algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Soumyadip Ghosh, Dung Phan, Mayank Sharma, Chai Wah Wu, Jinjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 9263903
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for detecting and switching battery polarity in a battery charger. In various embodiments, a method includes grounding a first terminal of a battery inserted in a charger and sensing a bipolar voltage from a second terminal of the battery. The bipolar voltage is converted to a reduced unipolar voltage for sensing by an input to a microcontroller. A low resistance analog switch connects the battery to a charging circuit. The switch state of the analog switch is controlled using an output of the microcontroller, to present the proper battery polarity to the charging circuit based on the unipolar voltage. The battery is charged using the charging circuit, in various embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: James R. Newton
  • Patent number: 9263773
    Abstract: A technology described herein is for accurately determining the SOC of a secondary battery. An open-circuit-voltage-to-state-of-charge (OCV-SOC) characteristic has a capacity decrease estimation OCV region in which a relationship between the OCV and the SOC is assumed not to change due to degradation of the secondary battery 1a since a reference time point. Charge currents or discharge currents in the capacity decrease estimation OCV region are accumulated in a process in which the secondary battery SOC changes among OCVs. From the accumulation, an accumulated current is obtained. A secondary battery capacity decrease is estimated based on the accumulated current. An OCV-SOC characteristic is specified based on the estimated secondary battery capacity decrease and a predetermined relationship between the battery capacity decrease of the secondary battery since the reference time point and the OCV-SOC characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Nakamura, Hidefumi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9259529
    Abstract: Some embodiments of an infusion pump system can include a controller in electrical communication with a pump device so as to provide selected dosages of a medicine to a user over a period of time. The infusion pump system can employ a number of power management techniques to reduce the likelihood current drain of a rechargeable battery of the infusion pump system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Bigfoot Biomedical, Inc.
    Inventor: Boris Tverskoy
  • Patent number: 9263776
    Abstract: A battery system having components with reduced maximum voltage tolerance requirements is disclosed. The battery system includes a battery pack with battery modules, and measuring units, which are connected to the battery modules. The measuring units have first analog front ends (AFEs) for monitoring the at least two battery modules. Each first AFE is configured to transmit information related to the monitored characteristic via an isolator to a processor configured to control the battery pack based on the transmitted information. The isolator receives the transmitted information from an AFE which is not connected to the battery module having the least electric potential or to the battery module having the greatest electric potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Han-Seok Yun, Tetsuya Okada, Jong-Woon Yang, Eui-Jeong Hwang
  • Patent number: 9257858
    Abstract: A charging circuit and method for charging a power storage device in a power over Ethernet environment are necessary to prevent unnecessary power consumption. Power sourcing equipment continuously supplies power to a connected device after determining that the device is compatible. In order to prevent supply of power after a power storage device attains full charge, a charging circuit may include an interface for supplying electric power; a sensing circuit including a switch in series with a resistor; and a voltage detection circuit. The voltage detection circuit may communicate with the sensing circuit and may output a first signal that turns the switch OFF when the voltage of the power storage device is greater than or equal to a first voltage and may output a second signal that turns the switch ON when the voltage of the power storage device is less than or equal to a second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chio Fai Aglaia Kong, Guangmin He, Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 9254758
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle having an idle stop function includes a measurement unit that measures the characteristic of a battery provided in the vehicle, an identification unit that identifies the type of the battery based on the measured characteristic, and a control unit that stops the idle stop function in a case where the identified type of the battery indicates that the battery is not for an idle-stop vehicle, and permits execution of the idle stop function in a case where the execution of the idle stop function is permitted by an input of a predetermined signal from an external terminal even when the identified type of the battery indicates that the battery is not for the idle-stop vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sato, Hiroaki Tabuchi, Ken Koibuchi, Masato Chiba, Kazuhiko Sakakibara, Nobuyuki Okabe
  • Patent number: 9250297
    Abstract: A method for testing a lithium ion battery is disclosed. An under-test lithium ion battery including a cathode active material is provided. A reference voltage value is set according to the cathode active material. The under-test lithium ion battery is over charged, while an actual voltage change of the under-test lithium ion battery is tested during the over charging. A maximum voltage value is recorded before a first decrease in the actual voltage change of the under-test lithium ion battery during the over charging. The maximum voltage value is compared with the reference voltage value. A method for evaluating a safety of a lithium ion battery is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiang-Ming He, Jian-Jun Li, Li Wang, Jian Gao
  • Patent number: 9248748
    Abstract: A vehicle interface is contemplated to be operable with an Electronic Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) system and a vehicle charging system to facilitate vehicle charging related operations. The vehicle interface may include a noise compensation configured to facilitate compensating for noise within the reference signal resulting from the reference circuit. The vehicle interface may be configured to adapted to common mode interference and other influences resulting from connections between the vehicle interface and EVSE being referenced to earth ground and connections between the vehicle interface and other vehicle electronics being reference to a vehicle chassis ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Youssef Ghabbour, Miguel Angel AceƱa
  • Patent number: 9252603
    Abstract: An auxiliary power device includes an auxiliary power source having first and second charging cells connected in series, a cell balance circuit configured to sense a charging voltage between the first and second charging cells, generate a balance voltage based on the sensed charging voltage, and applies the generated balance voltage between the first and second charging cells, and a microprocessor configured to diagnose the first and second charging cells based on the sensed charging cells and control the cell balance circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hojun Shim
  • Patent number: 9252607
    Abstract: A communication terminal having a secondary battery and configured to control charge of the secondary battery, a charge control program, and a charge control method of the communication terminal are provided. The communication terminal includes a first detection unit configured to detect a temperature, a second detection unit configured to detect a transmission power of an electric wave, a charge unit configured to perform intermittent charge to the secondary battery, and a change unit configured to change a duty ratio of the intermittent charge by the charge unit based on the temperature detected by the first detection unit and the transmission power detected by the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Atsumi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9252615
    Abstract: Devices, methods and systems disclosed herein relate to a universal charger which provides a power supply for the charging of OMTP devices and non-OMTP devices based on whether an OMTP mobile communication device or a non-OMTP mobile communication device is connected. A power charging apparatus is provided for charging a mobile communication device. The power charging apparatus includes a connector for connecting to a charging port of the mobile communication device, and a controller coupled to the connector, the controller configured to determine whether the mobile communication device connected to the connector is a non-OMTP mobile communication device or an OMTP mobile communication device, the controller further configured to charge a non-OMTP mobile communication device when a non-OMTP mobile communication device is connected to the connector, and further configured to charge an OMTP mobile communication device when an OMTP mobile communication device is connected to the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Superior Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: George Chen, Samuel Sentosa
  • Patent number: 9252463
    Abstract: The present application provides a charging system having a charger and a battery. The charging system provides a quick-charging mode and a normal-charging mode. The quick-charging mode may be activated to charge the battery if certain conditions are met and the charging system may also have an indicating device for indicating when the quick-charging mode is finished. More specifically, the charger of the present application provides selective charging modes and provides an ultra-quick charging solution which may be controlled by the changes in the temperature of the battery and which can increase the charging power to quickly provide enough energy to finish a work task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Chervon (HK) Limited
    Inventors: Dezhong Yang, Nanfei Wu, Junya Duan
  • Patent number: 9246343
    Abstract: An example of a charging apparatus includes a housing, a first movable member, and a second movable member. The first movable member is configured to be pressed down. The second movable member accommodates a charging terminal in the housing in a reference state, and when the first movable member has been pressed down, causes the charging terminal to protrude through an opening portion provided in the housing, so as to enter a terminal contact state. The first movable member and the second movable member are configured such that an amount of movement of the charging terminal during a period from the reference state to a predetermined intermediate state is smaller than the amount of movement during the same period in a case where the charging terminal moves from the reference state to the terminal contact state by an amount proportional to an amount of pressing down the first movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Takamoto, Yositomo Goto
  • Patent number: 9246340
    Abstract: An apparatus may comprise a battery system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vikas S. Shilimkar, Donald J. Nguyen, Nagasubramanian Gurumoorthy
  • Patent number: 9238414
    Abstract: A rack system is provided that includes a plurality of trays configured to hold a respective plurality of battery-powered UAVs, and a frame configured to support the plurality of trays in a vertical arrangement. Each tray of the plurality of trays includes a platform, bumper and first plurality of electrical contacts. The platform may be configured to carry a UAV of the plurality of battery-powered UAVs. The bumper may be sized and positioned on the platform to guide the UAV to a resting position on the platform. And the first plurality of electrical contacts may be connected to a battery-charging apparatus, and configured to physically and electrically contact a respective second plurality of electrical contacts connected to a respective plurality of batteries on the UAV at the resting position on the platform. A related battery-charging apparatus including a charge switching system for charging battery-powered UAVs is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Caitlin Ryberg, Leonard J. Quadracci
  • Patent number: 9239362
    Abstract: A battery-type determination apparatus includes a battery installation unit equipped with battery connection terminals in which a battery is installed, a voltage detector that detects a voltage generated by Seebeck effect between a battery connection terminal and an electrode of the battery, a temperature rise controller that raises a temperature at a contact point between the electrode of the battery and the battery connection terminal, and a type determination unit that determines a type of the battery installed in the battery installation unit, based on the voltage detected by the voltage detector with the temperature risen at the contact point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kouichirou Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9236751
    Abstract: A portable solar energy generation system has a solar energy receiver having a plurality of solar cells for converting solar energy into a DC voltage. A solar tracking mechanism enables the solar energy receiver to track a position of the sun with respect to the solar cells and to position the solar cells responsive thereto. Power circuitry generates at least one output voltage to power an electronic device responsive to the DC voltage. A housing contains each of the solar energy receiver, the solar tracking mechanism and the power circuitry in a portable configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ASPECT SOLAR PTE LTD
    Inventors: Esmond T. Goei, Andrew E. Goei, Mok Tiong Tan, Haryadi Marnyo, Li Lei, Ryan Flores Mejia, Yen Chin
  • Patent number: 9231241
    Abstract: A battery pack including a secondary battery arranged on an elastic member and a piezoelectric member is provided. Vertical movement of the secondary battery within the battery pack generates electrical energy that may be used to charge the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignees: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD., ROBERT BOSCH GmbH
    Inventors: Dukjung Kim, Minhyung Guen
  • Patent number: 9231416
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a failure of a battery includes a plurality of cell internal pressure sensors each provided in a corresponding one of a plurality of battery cells to measure internal pressure of the battery cells and generate and transmit pressure signals, a sensing unit for receiving the pressure signals to sense the internal pressure of the battery cells, a control logic unit for receiving the internal pressure data of each of the battery cells and determining a battery cell having cell internal pressure outside of a predetermined normal range of internal pressure of the battery cell as a failed cell, and a battery control unit for controlling charging or discharging of the other battery cells of the battery except for the failed cell while the failed cell is being repaired or replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Duk-Jung Kim, Jae-Ik Kwon