Patents Examined by Robert Grant
  • Charging rechargeable apparatus
    Patent number: 10559979
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising: control circuitry configured to switch the apparatus between a charging state in which energy transfer from the apparatus to a rechargeable apparatus is enabled and a non-charging state in which energy transfer from the apparatus to the rechargeable apparatus is not enabled; charging circuitry configured to transfer energy, when the apparatus is in the charging state, to the rechargeable apparatus for storage at the rechargeable apparatus; and indication circuitry configured to enable an indication, when the apparatus is in the non-charging state, to prompt user action to bring the rechargeable apparatus towards the apparatus for charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Apaar Tuli, Anna-Leena Hartojoki
  • Faulty cell detection device and faulty cell detection method
    Patent number: 10554056
    Abstract: A faulty cell detection device and a faulty cell detection method are provided for detecting a faulty cell of a battery pack using a current sensor. The device may include a current sensor including a first current sensor configured to measure a current of a battery pack including the battery module, and a second current sensor configured to measure a current of a battery cell among battery cells in the battery module. The device may also include a faulty cell detector configured to detect occurrence of the faulty cell based on the measured current of the battery pack and the measured current of the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Yong Jeon, Tae Won Song, Jin Ho Kim
  • Battery charging system
    Patent number: 10554061
    Abstract: A charging system that includes a switching control circuit coupled to four series-coupled MOSFET transistors; a flying capacitor coupled across two of the four series-coupled MOSFET transistors; and node between the two of the four series coupled transistors that couples to an output inductor to form a buck regulator is presented. Embodiments of the charging system can have increased efficiency, can reduce the size and inductance of the output inductor, and can be produced with a low voltage process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rui Liu, Gustavo James Mehas, Lijie Zhao, Tae Kwang Park, Zhitong Guo
  • Inhibiting displacement of a wirelessly rechargeable device
    Patent number: 10547217
    Abstract: A wirelessly rechargeable device (20) is positioned on an underlying charging surface (S) for charging a battery of the wirelessly rechargeable device. While the wirelessly rechargeable device is charging, it is detected whether the wirelessly rechargeable device is being displaced (A), or is likely to be displaced, relative to the charging surface. Additionally, it is detected whether the displacement, or the potential displacement, is unintentional. In response to detecting that the wirelessly rechargeable device has been displaced, or is likely to be displaced, a magnetic field between the charging surface and the wirelessly rechargeable device is controlled to inhibit the unintentional displacement of the wirelessly rechargeable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Matthew John Lawrenson, Julian Charles Nolan
  • Battery device, electronic device and method for protecting a battery device
    Patent number: 10547185
    Abstract: A battery device includes at least a battery cell, a management chip and a bus. The management chip is coupled to the battery cell for detecting voltage or remaining capacity of the battery cell and managing an operation state of the battery device according to the voltage or the remaining capacity of the battery cell. The bus is coupled to the management chip. The management chip communicates with a host device via the bus. The management chip further determines whether the remaining capacity of the battery cell is not increasing while in a charging state. When the remaining capacity of the battery cell is not increasing while in the charging state, the management chip activates a protection mechanism to make the battery device exit the charging state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventor: Wei-Ting Yen
  • Power supply apparatus
    Patent number: 10541549
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charging apparatus having high efficiency of charging a battery by inputting an alternating current voltage. A charging apparatus that charges a direct current battery includes a step-down converter unit to which a direct current voltage from a power supply is input and that converts the direct current voltage, and when a voltage of the direct current battery is between a predetermined first voltage smaller than a charge completion voltage of the direct current battery and the charge completion voltage, a variable voltage that increases from the first voltage to the charge completion voltage in accordance with charging of the direct current battery is input to the step-down converter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Sato, Takae Shimada, Takuya Ishigaki, Takayuki Ouchi, Hiroyuki Shoji, Naoya Takahashi, Eigo Kishimoto
  • Battery charging system
    Patent number: 10536024
    Abstract: One example includes a battery charging system configured to charge a battery associated with a mobile device. The battery charging system includes a transformer configured to receive an AC charging current via a charging cable at a primary inductor and to generate an AC secondary current at a secondary inductor. The battery charging system also includes a rectifier system configured to rectify and filter the AC secondary current to generate a DC charging current that is provided to charge the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Isaac Cohen
  • Dual cell protection IC and battery module including same
    Patent number: 10536009
    Abstract: A dual cell protection IC and a battery module have a FET as an external type that are configured to protect a plurality of battery cells with one IC when an abnormal state caused during charge/discharge occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hak Yong Shin, Ji Uk Jang
  • Multi-loop implant charger
    Patent number: 10530177
    Abstract: Techniques for charging a battery within an implantable component (implant) of an implantable medical device system. A multi-loop external charging device includes a plurality of coil/loop antennas that are each configured to emit a magnetic field that is received by an implantable coil of the implantable component. At least one characteristic (e.g., phases, amplitudes, etc.) of the emitted magnetic fields are varied relative to one another over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Oliver Ridler
  • Sport ball inductive charging methods and systems
    Patent number: 10523053
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for inductively charging a sport ball. An embodiment operates by transmitting from a resonant circuit a calibration signal in response to detecting a charging base, and transmitting from the resonant circuit a charging state in response to receiving power at the resonant circuit. Another embodiment operates by transmitting from a resonant circuit a presence signal, receiving at the resonant circuit a calibration signal from a second resonant circuit in response to transmitting the presence signal, and transmitting from the resonant circuit power to the second resonant circuit in response to receiving the calibration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventors: Ian M. Munson, Charles S. Mauro, Jr., Carl B. Van Wormer, James D. Seymour
  • High voltage bus contactor fault detection
    Patent number: 10516189
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a pair of electrical buses connected to terminals of a traction battery via a shared positive contactor and a pair of negative contactors. The system further includes a controller configured to, responsive to a request to close the contactors and a difference between voltage magnitudes of the buses being greater than a predefined threshold, actively discharge one of the buses to reduce the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Edward Loftus, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush
  • Method for controlling an energy storage system
    Patent number: 10505375
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an energy storage system, the energy storage system including at least two battery modules electrically coupled in parallel to each other. The method includes receiving a signal indicative of a maximum power capability of each of the respective battery modules; assigning a power threshold limit for the at least two battery modules of the energy storage system corresponding to the lowest maximum power capability received from the battery modules; and providing a charge current to the at least two battery modules, the charge current having a current level being proportional to the power threshold limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Hanna Bryngelsson, Niklas Legnedahl, Peter Ahlqvist
  • Charging device, system and method
    Patent number: 10498146
    Abstract: A charging device for charging a battery pack includes a plurality of charging assemblies for charging a plurality of battery cells connected electrically in series, wherein the plurality of charging assemblies are configured to charge a first set of the plurality of battery cells in a first time period and a second set of the plurality of battery cells in a second time period, any two of the plurality of battery cells that neighbor with each other are from different sets of the plurality of battery cells, and each of the plurality of charging assemblies comprises: an AC/DC converter for converting an inputted AC voltage to a first DC voltage; and a DC/DC converter for converting the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage for charging the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Tao Wu, Fei Li, Pengcheng Zhu, Changjin Liu
  • Electric power charging of vehicle based on charging time schedule
    Patent number: 10486540
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to start external charging in accordance with a time schedule. The electronic control unit is configured to acquire information about electric power rates of electric power supplied from the power source outside the vehicle in each specified time slot. The electronic control unit is configured to determine the time schedule so as to execute the external charging continuously from a start to an end of the external charging without stopping the external charging and execute the external charging at the time when the electric power cost in a case where the external charging is continuously executed is the lowest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Tsuchiya
  • System and method for charging autonomously powered devices using variable power source
    Patent number: 10483790
    Abstract: A solar or self-powered assembly includes a rechargeable battery and photo voltaic panel and/or wind turbine for supplying a battery charging current. A charge controller processor is controls charging current from the photovoltaic panel and/or wind turbine to maintain the battery in a substantially fully charged state of 80% or more state of charge over daily charge and discharge cycle charging is based on a projected target energy input based on the initial bulk energy charge, the level of discharge required to compensate for charging inefficiencies and the battery capacity factor representative of the projected natural charge in the battery over its lifespan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventor: John Tuerk
  • Electric vehicle charging station and method for controlling an electric vehicle charging station
    Patent number: 10479210
    Abstract: An electric vehicle charging station is provided. The electric vehicle charging station includes an interface, by way of which the charging station receives energy from an electrical energy supply grid, an energy intermediate storage device for intermediate storage of energy received or transmitted by way of the interface from the electrical energy supply grid, a plurality of output connections for charging electric vehicles and a control unit for controlling the energy intermediate storage in the energy intermediate storage device and for controlling the delivery of energy by way of the plurality of output connections. The control unit is configured to pass energy from the energy intermediate storage device to the plurality of output connections when the energy drawn at the output connections cannot be made available completely using the interface to the electrical energy supply grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Beekmann
  • Method for charging a direct current traction battery at a direct current charging pillar
    Patent number: 10471837
    Abstract: A high-voltage charge booster is provided for charging a direct current traction battery at a direct current charging pillar. The high-voltage charge booster has a converter (14) for transforming the first voltage level into the second voltage level if the first voltage level differs from the second voltage level. A bypass (16) bypasses the converter (14) or connects through a power stage if the first voltage level corresponds to the second voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Herke, Daniel Spesser
  • Battery-embedded device
    Patent number: 10476318
    Abstract: A battery-embedded device includes a substrate having a wiring, a coil fixed to the substrate, a battery fixed to the substrate, and a first temperature detecting element that is disposed on the substrate and configured to detect a temperature of the battery. An occupancy rate of the wiring in a first region of the substrate which is immediately below the first temperature detecting element is lower than an occupancy rate of the wiring in a second region of the substrate other than the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Inoue, Hiroshi Yajima, Shinichiro Ito, Katsuya Hagiwara
  • Vehicle-mounted charging system
    Patent number: 10471836
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted charging system is provided that can charge a battery regardless of the charging method and prevent an abnormal current from occurring between a vehicle and a charging station. A first charging controller, controls charging in accordance with a first charging method, communicates with a first charging apparatus via a charging cable connected to a first inlet, and charges a battery by turning on a DC cutoff relay, provided on a power supply path from the first inlet to the battery. If it is determined that charging is to be performed in accordance with a second charging method, a charging control unit relays communication between a second charging apparatus and the first charging controller. The charging control unit performs control to delay the timing of actually turning on the DC cutoff relay relative to the timing at which the first charging controller turns on the DC cutoff relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Yabuuchi
  • Bi-directional charger for battery device with control logic based on sensed voltage and device type
    Patent number: 10476283
    Abstract: A bi-directional charger may be provided that includes a logic, at least a portion of which is hardware, to determine an operational mode based at least on a characteristic at a battery port or at a charge port, and to control power flow between the charge port and the battery port based on the determined operational mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick K. Leung, Chee Lim Nge, Tod F. Schiff